"Early in the week, summer..." "What's he doing?" "I won't wreck his head, Marc." " Wait your turn." " I didn't mean you!" "I meant Hicham." "Sly, send them to the salon." "You don't do free cuts." "I'm practising." "And the way they look, he needs the practice!" "You'll never make any money, son." "You don't mix friends and business." "It's my electricity." "She's right." "Make them pay." "You hear?" "It's my electricity!" "You're not stealing the electricity I pay for." " I'm unplugging it." " Hands off!" "And close the fucking window!" "They want more money." "It's better stuff." "It sounds genuine to me." "Pain in the ass." "Go back and give them what they want." "What's up?" "Got a problem?" "No?" "So go back there!" " Who's next?" " Me." "No, you're going back." "Hurry, they won't wait." " Who won't?" " Nobody." "I want it smooth." "I can do you after." "I prefer to go to the salon." "Okay?" "No need to say hi to everybody." "We've seen you." " Finish him later." " Keep going." " You coming?" " Piss off!" "Piss off!" "Marc, don't make me..." "Don't make me either." "Can't you manage without me?" "Just get in and shut up." "Get in!" "Leave it, guys, my lads will see to it." "Come on." "No, it's okay, they can do it." "Olivier, stay here." "Your envelope's in the house." "What are you playing at?" "An unbroken horse can be dangerous." "That one seems tame enough." "Interested in horses?" "Are you deaf?" "Interested in horses?" "Horses or rodeo?" "Move it, your father's waiting." "Hurry it up!" "Marc's weirder and weirder." "Since you died, things are worse." "Dad's always working at the factory." "Marc's a waste of time." "As for Christophe, we can't talk at the prison." "He always understood me." "You're not here anymore..." "Dad's unhappy." "Marc's screwing up and Dad doesn't know how to react." "I'm scared for Marc." "I'm scared." "I want Christophe here, with things like before." "I couldn't wait." "I had to help my dad." "Didn't the others say?" "Can't you stop that crap?" "Stop it, okay." "Hicham!" "Here, you forgot this..." "How did it go with Montana?" " Six?" "Is that all?" " At that price, yeah." "On credit." "We still owe him." " What did you do?" " I took it." "He wants the rest of the cash tomorrow night." "You're kidding me, right?" "You let them give you six instead of ten?" "You go next time." "I was alone." " You're useless!" " Take it, I don't want it." " It's not that." " It is." "You think you'd do better." "He said you only get six 'cause it's top quality." "You'd have done the same as me." "You're useless." "Six for 100 euros." "That's 15 euros a lid." "Too bad, I'm not coughing up." "15 euros a lid." "You've kept some back?" "They were stepping up the heat." "You sent me back there." "I didn't want to go." "Where are you going?" " We have to write to my brother." " Tough!" "You're not a dog, right?" "What are you inside?" "A hen?" "A pussycat?" "Give your daddy a cuddle, pussycat." "What're you doing?" " There's no place to change?" " Here." "Hurry it up!" "Where's the toilet?" "Can't you change here like the others?" "I don't believe it!" "He's just shy, that's all." "Those tattoos and he's shy?" "Olivier, hurry up!" "39... 40... 41..." " We said 50." " Count!" "I'll break my record." "See what you're like?" "I wish I'd stayed at home." " Okay?" " Yeah, and you?" "Brought us a new guy?" " It's been a while." " I saw you yesterday." "Since you were here, I mean." "You're loosening up." "See how pumped up I am?" "Your new wrestling partner." " Coming?" " Go on." "Back me up." "One set of 10." " What now?" " Let's go to Zora's." "Wait." "I feel like puking after McDonald's." "Let's go." "After a workout, I'm hot." "Go home now." "Here." " Take the bus." " Can't I come too?" "Are you crazy?" "Hey, stop sulking!" "Hey!" "Olive!" "Hey, fartface!" "You go home too." " What?" " Money for the bus." "Get yourself a job." "Put that hand away." "Shame on you." "Call me, Sly." "Go on, call me." "Shut the fuck up, your voice is putting me off." ""Call me, call me."" "Call me, it won't cost you anything." "Get a vibrator for next time." "Fucking amazing!" "Fuck, I'm coming!" "Thejerk just came!" "Stop." "What?" "Your pals get on my nerves." "I'm worn out." "I told you to come by this morning." "Yeah, but we're not chicks with an inner clock." "Hicham, bang her and let's go." "This slut's pissing me off." "Come on, guys, let's split." "We'll wait for you downstairs." "You don't talk to me like that!" "I want you and your pals out of here." "A wanking contest in the cellar is more up your street." "I'll find my own way out." "Your macho act's pathetic." "Get your op and I might get it up." "Bastard!" "Not even with me?" "You guys piss me off." "And this thing itches." "Take it off if you want." "You can wank off too." "You're sure you want to?" "You're sure?" "No, not like that." "I'll write tomorrow, Christophe." "Or after." "There's nothing to tell you." "Every day is the same:" "The same boring routine." "I'll write when something happens that'll make you laugh in your cell and make you proud of your brother." "Meanwhile, I'll see to everything." "Don't worry." "Look how beautiful she was." "You have to stop this." "It's not the first time." "Bring the urn." "Dad didn't have the guts." "The cremation was torture for him." "But Mum told me one of the last times I saw her." "She wanted us to scatter her ashes." "Dad even went to Marseilles but he couldn't manage it." "She wanted to be scattered in the sea between France or Algeria." "Islam doesn't allow cremation." "That made her happy." "She said she was a rebel until the end." "This isn't the sea." "Our place isn't the sea either." "But this river gets there at some point." "Go ahead." "I can't." "It feels weird." "It's okay, Olive." "This'll be our secret." "We won't even tell Christophe when he gets out ofjail." "Hi." " Okay?" " If would be if you shopped." " There's no rush." " I can't work on an empty stomach." "Olivier can go." "You finished the food, you replace it." "It'll take you five minutes." "You go." "I haven't even had my shower yet." "This has to change." "I won't back off." "It's no use looking at me like that, I'm not going." "Get up right now, put your shoes on and go!" "Forget it." "I'm not like Mum." "I'm not your slave." "I won't do your shopping." "Hicham?" "The fuckers!" "It was Montana." "You've got to watch out." "They want you too." " See, you can't talk to them." " Come on." "You've got a screw loose." "Clean that shit off the sheet." "It's just a few pubes." "I washed first." "This place is a pigsty." "It stinks." "Leave them!" "I closed them." "What're you playing at?" "I closed them, that's all." "Don't go opening them!" "Keep pissing us off and you'll be out!" "You're trouble, wanker." "Hands off the curtains!" "Is the dog yours?" "It's not your brother's?" "This is a fighting dog..." "Get inside, Olivier." "You don't take the dog out." "Get inside!" "Give me the leash." "You get inside too." "Your brother's right." "You should go home." "Pick up your dog!" "Drop it!" "Drop it, I said!" "...from winter to spring..." "Glad we came here?" "He's having a great time." "What the fuck's wrong with you?" "He's back." "The shit with your father's over." "And you're sulking!" "I'm not sulking." "He's changed." "So have you." "Me too." "We all change." "You can't understand." "It's a brother thing." "A boozer thing!" "Come on." "I've seen you naked before." "You'll piss on yourself." "Your brother freaks you out now?" "I'm not freaking out." "About what?" "I don't know." "Okay, Olive, let him go." "Get off his back." "It's good to have my little pink canary back." " My little pink canary." " What?" "Don't say that too loud." "What's up with you, Ratatouille?" "I'm talking to you." "Ratatouille?" "Where's that from?" "Crazy shit when we were kids." "His name was Horseface." "Why?" "When mum gave birth, he didn't want to come out so they used forceps." "It made his head longer." "See, it's like a horse's head." "And forceps have a horseshoe shape." "This is like a dream." "Cut it out." "That tickles." "You could've waited." "Let's all drink together." "To us." "To me." "To freedom." "And the rest." "Olivier, wait." "What's up?" "Are you ill?" "Are you okay?" "Okay, here it comes." "Don't look." "Almost..." " Let's go." " I don't want to puke in front of them." "You won't." "You can't manage it." "I don't want them to see it." "You know, your brothers have seen worse." "Hold on..." "Try using your fingers." "I don't want to." "It's no use." "Come here." "Open your mouth." "Just relax." "Is that it?" "Feel better?" "Yeah, for now." "Don't tell them, okay?" "I promise I won't." "I can only do it with you." "I waited for you so that I wouldn't screw up." "You said if anyone hurt me, you'd defend me." "That's why I waited." "I believed you." "So why won't you help?" " What can I do?" "Kill them?" " No way." "But you and your pals can freak them out." "Cut it out." "They fucking killed my dog!" "And until I get revenge, it's going to haunt me." "I wanted a word." "What's up?" "Something wrong?" "Why do you want to split?" "I just want to sit in the car and decompress." "You're stressing me out." "You've pissed me off with all this all evening." "Prison taught me control." "If not, I'd have belted you." "You listening?" "Where are you?" "Where am I?" "I'm here." "Dickhead." "Want one?" "Nothing's going to happen." "That's because you just got out." "When the appetite returns, you'll give in." "Don't count on it." "I'm not going to give in." "I had a good time tonight but it's over." "No more bullshit or hanging out." "Can I ask you something?" " Promise you won't get mad?" " Go on." "I deal with the dog-killer on my own?" "I get the message." "Don't get mad." "If I'd known, I wouldn't have waited." "It would've been easier." "I told you so!" " Try using foam, Olive." " Piss off!" "Hold him!" "Let go!" "Right now!" "Remember the chest hair." "Let's foam up his cock!" "Hey, you're spilling cum!" "Fucking cut it out!" "Stop, it's not funny now." "Stop it, Marc!" "Give me that." " Jesus, you were thin." " Too tight?" "It'll do." "Aren't the legs too flared?" "It's in good nick." "I wore it, what, four times?" "I've got other shirts anyhow." "I mean, this collar..." "What's that?" "It was your mother's." "I thought I'd thrown them all out." "That's good." "You look serious." "Do the jacket and shirt match?" "They're both blue anyhow." "I'm not sure about the shirt." "You need a tie." "I don't have any, they make me itch." "I'll buy you one." " I can buy it." " No, I will." "Appearance is important." "That's what counts most." "With that, you'll get the job." "What about that dress?" "I'll throw it out." "What else can I do?" "You have to keep the pace!" "Snow White, been in the smoker?" "Have you seen the time?" "Congratulations." "New guys never usually keep the pace like that." "He did pretty well." " How many have you done?" " 300 since we started." "I've got a nose for youngsters." "He's made for it." "Fancy a drink?" "No thanks." "Have a quick one, François." "Hi." "Not too tough?" "Your first day here?" "Yeah." "I just need to get used to it..." "You're crazy, you never get used to it." "Starting with the smell." "I haven't got used to it in two years here." "I feel like puking every morning." "That suits me." "I don't want to become a fixture here." "You know François who does the salting?" "He's been here years." "He doesn't even feel the salt stinging his fingers now." "It's like he doesn't have hands anymore." "Escaped from your igloo, professor?" "I'm taking my break." "With a radiator, I wouldn't move." "You wanted to be alone." "Unfold those arms." "This isn't school." "There's no break for layabouts." "I don't want any layabouts." "So unfold your arms." "Idlers and shirkers, I don't need them." "So move." "Move your asses." "If they cancel breaks, don't complain." "I don't believe it." "He's plastered." " Why "professor"?" " I do evening classes." "The only one on this line." "So they all call me that." "It got to me, so I asked to be transferred." "He refused outright." "Instead of moving to another line, I'm in the cold room." "All alone." "That's his idea of punishment." "I just want to work." "Sod the rest." "It's so tough finding a job, I'll keep at this." " There are tougher things in life." " Careful." "It's such a fucking boring job, you can end up like them." "The danger for us isn't the bosses and the crazy union bullshit." "The danger is our own stupidity." "We're not bothering you?" "He's asking for trouble." "Think you scare me, asshole?" "Shut it, you pain in the ass!" "Where's 0live?" "No idea." "He'll be home when he's hungry." "Robert, the foreman, was pleased with me so he gave me a whole ham." "Not bad, huh?" "It looks good all right." "As good as the supermarket ham." "And free to boot." "Marc, come and eat." " Where d'you think you are?" " What?" "Eat with us." "I mean, this isn't some hotel." "There." "Happy now?" "I don't like pork." "Can I go and watch TV now?" "You say nothing?" "What can I say?" "All he needs is a good hiding and I've given him plenty." "If he's not happy, he can move out." "This is your home." "You're in charge here." "He treats you like shit." "Olivier too." "Where the hell is he?" "He's got school tomorrow." "What can I say?" "Your mother and I taught you honesty, respect, manners..." "What use has it been?" "You see your kid in jail." "And die of it, like her." "Is that where it's got us?" "Don't you lecture me." "You're no example." "You really are an old fart." "Come on, speed it up!" "The new kid's getting bored!" "What a jerk!" "You pain, Snow White." "Go on, laugh." "Your screw-ups cost more than the grant for hiring you." "What a loser!" "I'm sorry." "I'm the one who screwed up." "As long as he calls me Snow White, it's okay." "If you want to stay in his good books, avoid certain people." "What?" "I screwed up so I apologized." "I don'tjust mean Snow White." " What are you doing?" " Nothing." "Helping myself like everyone else." "He never gives me any, so I help myself." "That's all you'll ever learn here." "That shit about an eye for an eye is all true." "Here, you learn to survive." "I do it by stealing." "You must be freezing here!" "You never react." "Still, you don't talk any crap." " So I'm dumb." " I didn't say that." "I'm here to work." "That's all." "There are worse places." "But you don't care." "You never listen to anyone." "No wonder they call you the professor." "Watch it or I'll swap you for the new kid." "You'll head back to the end of the line." "You're the boss, so do your job." "I do mine." "And it isn't to make a race ofthis." "I can renegotiate your contract any time and you'll go wherever I put you." "It's not to piss you off but there's a kid who works better than you do." "You're paid for the effort you put in, not for idling around." "What's the matter now?" "François, show him how to free the line." "And if you keep up with this shit..." "Go on, finish the sentence." "You'll see." "He needs a big scare." "Then I'll plug him." "Don't dodge him with your shit dancing." "You really have to touch him." "You hear me?" "Carry on." "You're scared!" "You say nothing 'cause you're scared!" "All that crap's just for show." "You know fuck all about fighting!" "Go ahead, keep at it." "Fuck, I'm bleeding!" "Go and get help!" "Fucking go and get someone!" " Christophe, wake up." " What's wrong?" " Wake up." " I'm on nights." "Piss off." " I need to sleep." " Marc's going to die!" "You two are starting to piss me off." "What is it now?" "He fell in the lake." "He's knocked out." " He's high again." " I don't know." "Are we going or not?" " Feeling better?" " I'm okay." "Are you okay?" "It'll take more than that to finish me off." "What is this bullshit?" " What bullshit?" " I have to get to work." "Don't make yourself late." "We don't need you but how'll the factory manage without you?" "Cut the crap." "Are you high again?" "Holding yourself back?" "Go ahead, hit me!" "Shut your mouth, Marc." "Is it because I'm your brother?" "You wouldn't care if we all dropped dead, just like Mum." "You've lost your honour..." "I'd never hit my brother but since you don't mind, hit me, you yellow fuck!" "You're out of your minds!" "Olivier!" "Olive isn't back?" "No." "Why?" "Isn't he with you?" " What's happened?" " Nothing, it's okay." "Wait for me in the bathroom." " Aren't you on the night shift?" " It's okay." " Is he in trouble again?" " I can handle it." "The bleeding's stopped." "Will it be bruised?" "Maybe not." "Shit, that stings." "Let me do it." "Hurry, we have to find Olivier." "I bet he wanted to join her." "He's not here, okay." "It was a secret." "This is where we put her." "Who did you put here?" "Who?" "We scattered her ashes." "I couldn't take it anymore." "He kept talking to her." "He told her everything." "All about our lives." "All the time." "That last day when she was in a coma... she looked so terrible," "Dad didn't want 0livier to see her." "He waited outside with him." "I was alone in the hospital room." "Her skin was all puffed up." "All grey..." "She wasn't moving." "So I went over to her." "I told her softly..." ""Mum, we love you."" ""Mum, we love you."" "All of a sudden, she grabbed my arm." "She held me so tight." "It was as if she wanted to speak." "She couldn't because she was choking." "She went like this..." "Calm down." "It'll be okay." "I have to go." "I'll see you later." "I have to go." "Thanks a lot." "Do your brothers know you were at my place?" "No, I'll keep you out ofit." "Once I'm 18, I'll be out of that place." "They all piss me off." "Thanks for everything." "You know that guy?" " Yeah." "Why?" " No reason." "Okay, I'll see you later." "Why did you leave like that?" "I hate them." "They're jerks." "They were my brother's mates." "I saw them at his funeral." "They're pissing you off?" " What are you doing today?" " Seeing some job agency." "I'll dance at the beach instead." "Meet me there later." "I'll go home with you." "It's okay." "What'll they do to me?" "Speed it up, Bruno!" "Are you sleeping or what?" "Just look at this." "You can stay at home tomorrow." "Don't bother coming back." "There's a place free here." "Who wants to take it?" "I will." "Okay, hurry it up." "We've wasted enough time already." "Snow White, you can replace the kid today." "The kid sets the rhythm from now on." "Don't thank me." "It's only right effort should be rewarded." "Start the line up." "What can I do?" "Go to the sick-bay." "That job should've been mine." "Listen..." "We'll see." "Come over here, you." "This is my treat." "Have what you like." "Wine, dessert, brandy..." "It's all on me." "I'm going on sick leave soon and I don't think I'll be back." "I'm having an operation." "Then the physiotherapy." "I'm due for retirement." "I don't want to go that way." "I feel like this firm belongs to me." "I ate with Béruchet, the owner, last week." "That's why I wanted to see you." "To ask you if you'd agree to replace me." "Really?" "That's great." "You mean it?" "Not so fast." "First, you replace me for three months." "Béruchet has to be pleased with you." "I'm not worried there." "Above all, remember one thing." "Show no pity." "I'm not saying be a bastard but if you notice a guy idling or stealing or cheating on his hours, you have to report him." "How can I ever thank you?" "By showing Béruchet that I wasn't wrong." "Need a lift?" "No, I might go out to celebrate after news like that." "You won't forget the old man whose place you took?" "I have a big house." "Bring your brothers." "We'd only be in the way." "No chance ofthat, I live alone." "Don't forget work tomorrow." "Don't worry." "See you, Robert." " Where are you going?" " Why?" "I wouldn't mind going with you." "I don't need anyone." "Going out with your mates?" "My mates?" "What mates?" "I can't even count on my brothers!" " You don't want me to come?" " Get lost!" "The car will be back later so don't go blabbing to anyone." "Got that?" "Asshole, I wanted to help." "Help me?" "Look at yourself." " Why would you help me?" " I'm your brother." "And I know what you're doing." "Stupid fuck!" "You haven't seen me in this car, okay?" "A weekend in early autumn..." "Rape me." "Rape me but don't hurt me." "Want me to shave your ass?" "I'm not writing you a love letter, I'm just thinking of you." "I met Sly's brother yesterday, I couldn't remember his name or his face." "He recognized me." "He wanted to know what you were doing about that incredible force that keeps you alive." "The he started talking about Marc." "He remembered how close we were." "He told me about Marc's progress, about the medication that slows everything down." ""He isn't a vegetable", he said." "Then he stopped." "He looked at me angrily." "He knew I hadn't been listening, that I didn't give a damn." "How could I ask him to talk to me about you?" "Only about you." "This isn't a love letter, Olivier." "I wanted you to listen." "I remember everything." "What's up?" "Afraid?" "Kind of." "It'll be my first time." "It's weird." "Don't be afraid." "If there's a problem, we die a beautiful death." "Cut it out!" "Seriously, you know what you're doing?" "I'm not crazy." "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." "I mean, you know me." "Your pal said to smack you if you won't come." "I've got vertigo..." "Prefer an instructor?" "No, I trust my friend." "The problem is me." "It's your first flight?" "We've never had an accident." "And Hicham knows his stuff." " I know." " So make the most of your first flight." "You can't leave him there alone." "I'll make a deal." "I bet you'll be back for more." "If I'm right, the second flight's on the house." "Is that a deal?" " Are they coming?" " I didn't see them." "I'm sure this is the right spot." " What do we do?" " We wait." "Fucking hell, Olivier." "Watch the canopy." "Careful, it's really fragile." "Will we be here all day?" "Come on, they'll find us." "We're fine here together." "Come on." "Imagine we're lost." "Shipwrecked." "No fire, no food, nothing." "All we have is us." "We're starving." "What do you do?" " Is it okay if it's sick?" " Go on." "To keep my strength up, I'd eat my cum." "No, you're out of cum." "We've fucked too much." "I don't know." " What would you do?" " I'd eat you." "I'm sure I could." "Could you?" "Not straight off, no." "But to survive, who knows." "Probably, yes." "Where would you start?" "I don't know." " Let me see." " See what?" "The goods." "No, no need." "I'd start with your chest." "That's what I like to kiss." "All of it, muscles, ribs, that bit of fat..." "Personally," "I'd begin with your feet." " Why?" " There's not much meat on them." "I'd save the best for the end." "I'd finish with your head." "Your ears..." "Your eyes..." "Your mouth..." "I'd keep your teeth and your tattoos." "I don't want indigestion!" "I'd keep your cock." "And I'd stuff it." "I've found a job, friends, sports clubs, a capoeira club." "I've learned new movements I'm dying to teach you." "Guys seemed to be waiting for me." "Here, they go wild for gay Arabs." "I've had enough wildness." "I've sought out guys who don't care about race." "I almost fell in love for a while." "Nothing lasts except the memory of your face, your gentle movements and your voice calling, "Hichaml"" "But you've never called me." "When I got home that day," "I found the letter you'd dropped off." "The break-up letter." ""I don't want to see you again."" "You were rejecting me, rejecting us." "You asked me to forgive you." "I still can't figure out what I did wrong." "I should have fought." "I would if it happened now." "I'd run over, break down the door, hold you..." "I'd kiss you in front of your brothers." "Who cares what anyone would think?" "But I didn't fight." "I packed and left for Paris." "Without telling anyone." "It was over." "What could I do?" "It was over." "Calm down." "Time for your physiotherapy." "You missed yesterday." "You have to go to get better." " I'll never get better." " The doctors say you will." "You have to trust them." "Come on, get up." " Coming, Marc?" " We don't have time." "We're taking the apartment." "It's in town, overlooking the lake." "And Emilie's sick of you all." "Take a hotel room if we're not good enough." "It'll feel odd at first." "Rubbish." "Your son's talking rubbish." "I'm happy here but I don't want to be in your way." "A pretty girl is never in the way." "In any case, I don't mind." "We needed a woman around." "Cut it out, Dad." "What's the rent like?" "With the service charge, it's within our range." "That's not what I asked." "How much?" "700 euros." "How much benefit?" "We don't get it." "But I earn more since getting promoted." "And Emilie works too." "Don't worry, okay." "But that's no reason to..." "Well, it's your decision." "You forgot your pills." "It's okay, I'll go." "The physio's not too tough?" "Marc, she asked you a question." "It's tough but it's okay." "That's a lot..." "You mustn't lose heart." "I had an accident too once." "I thought it was all over for me." "Once the physiotherapy's over, you're as good as new." "You soon begin to forget." "You'll see." "Let me help." "It's okay, I'm not a vegetable!" "I can manage that." " I have to go." " No dessert?" "No, I'm late for training." "Give us a display one day." "It's capoeira, right?" "I had a friend who did it." "It was a slave dance, right?" "You'll have to wait for the display." "I'm still in training." "I can wait, I'm patient." "I need to be with your brother." "What do you mean by that?" "Nothing..." "See you all later." "See you, Olive." "Don't stay out too late." "A guy saw your photo and asked me who you were." "I told him, "My brother."" "Why couldn't I tell him?" "You're not my brother." "I don't need a brother." "We won't meet again." "You'll stay with your brothers." "Your life can't work without them and can't work with me." "I'd like to be wrong." "I really wish I was wrong." "But I know you inside out." "I know you and your brothers." "I can tell your tale." "I can tell your tale."