MacGuffin hurried into the half light of the empty room where the backs of the seats formed a homogeneous, quiet mass. He sat down comfortably in the armchair, it quickly became dark and a beam of light pierced the wall behind him projecting on the screen a light that was almost white and even dazzling. MacGuffin turned his head in the direction of the object when a face appeared that looked at him he recognized it he remained staring at this image which was also looking at him but already its outline was fading away melting into the train’s smoke that invaded the screen.

MacGuffin looked at his watch. The train was running slightly late. The platform was empty. The train crossed the countryside, but since it was night, he was guessing the landscape. The train stopped. A traveler got on and came to sit on the seat opposite him with the window on the right. This man would doubtless have a package of difficult to define dimensions but which seemed empty and useless of those that would provide you with capacity. He asked him what it contained. MacGuffin felt sad. A whistle was heard. The train came into the station.MacGuffin looked at his watch. The train was running slightly late. The platform was empty. The train crossed the countryside, but since it was night, he was guessing the landscape. The train stopped. A traveler got on and came to sit on the seat opposite him with the window on the right. This man would doubtless have a package of difficult to define dimensions but which seemed empty and useless of those that would provide you with capacity. He asked him what it contained. MacGuffin felt sad. A whistle was heard. The train came into the station.

MacGuffin tell me, so I woke up with a start I was not at home. I didn’t recognize the place where I had spent the night a constant banging filled the room, I easily recognized the rhythm of the train but I couldn’t place the scene. An indescribable presence was crouching in the shadow, so you understand me, a sort of reflection of my own face that was reflected in the windows of the carriage that passed slowly before me. For a very brief moment our looks crossed then the train speeded up. But tell me MacGuffin at what point did you open the window?

MacGuffin, MacGuffin, your name rings a bell. I think I know you. But I can’t be sure. I didn’t stop looking at him. However, I was overcome by doubt. How much time has passed since we last met? But what has happened to you? MacGuffin seemed smaller, his hips rounded, his hands more delicate, he emitted a sort of softness as he was there on the station platform thick white smoke filled the air around him. His silhouette became blurred because he was only a vague shadow just the hand was moving about as though he was chasing something the shadow rushed onto the train the engine left the station.

MacGuffin looked in the pockets of his jacket. He went on to those of his trousers. He pulled out from the back pocket a small photograph of the sort used in identity cards. The photograph had lost a bit of its clarity. The colors had melted in a yellow-orange shade that had absorbed the original colors. He didn’t let himself look at it. The fascination was so great that he was overcome with worry at the idea that he risked losing it and having to live without it. The thought was unbearable. The platform was empty. He was distracted by the arrival of the train; he grasped the fist very tightly over the piece of paper.

MacGuffin was awake but he had the feeling he was sleeping standing up. Leaning on the table he constantly restarted the same drawing for the eleventh time, always with the same train that each time overran a bit more of the area of the sheet. He yawned and added a person he considered indispensable who held something at arm’s length that MacGuffin reduced to make it nothing more than a hardly noticeable point. MacGuffin felt sleep was winning. He yawned again when he gave a jump at the sound of a whistle that was heard. Suddenly the train left the station and thick white steam filled the room, blotting out everything in it. MacGuffin started another drawing.

MacGuffin had been in bed for over an hour, it should have been 11 o’clock in the evening, he wasn’t sleeping, he was lying in the dark, outside it was night. Someone knocked on the door, he got up to open. A man was there, he had never seen him, and yet it seemed to him he had already met him. He strangely resembled him. MacGuffin lived next to the station. The man must have got off the last train. He was carrying a parcel.

MacGuffin was the first word I wrote on the envelope. Nothing let one assume what happened next. I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw nothing, so I decided to move forward a bit more to the center to be certain about the frame of the mirror. I choose an item at random in the room, some sort of package whose contents I didn’t know, the parcel was suspended between heaven and earth, alone, present in the mirror. The need to leave a trace, some sort of evidence, was vital. A doodle on a piece of paper. I addressed it to my name and address.

MacGuffin lit a large fire in which he threw his table, his chair, his bed, his bedside lamp, his rocking chair, his credit card, his driving license, his entry ticket to the National Library, the phone number of his dentist, the spare button for his suit trousers, his shaving cream, his screwdriver, the program of the annual tightrope walkers’ festival, the photograph of his cat 3 days before its death. He got up, left the room filled by thick, black smoke. He went out, went hurriedly in the direction of the station, a train was waiting for him, he got on and disappeared.

MacGuffin has disappeared without trace. Everyone remembers the place where he lived, the friends he used to mix with, the office where he went every morning at 11 o’clock exactly. MacGuffin never contradicted anyone, he was a quiet man. His silent, mute presence made him indispensable at worldly receptions but also those that no one dared access. MacGuffin only left behind him a few things that he used every day. But strangely, among them was no photograph confirming he could have existed.

It wasn’t a Monday morning It was between 11 o’clock and noon The light was particularly strong I closed my eyes I didn’t move any more The neck stiffened The face turned towards the object I was waiting for We stood tightly packed together the one next to the others immobile and terrorized It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O.

Perhaps yesterday It was a weekday But it wasn’t a day for walking the weather was gray The colors went from black to white I moved forward at the head of the line in the direction of the yard the one of the adults the benches awaited us like a gallows on which the execution was already inevitable He was already there He was also waiting It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O

Nothing would let you think that the day would pass differently than the others I found myself swept up by the stream which in a tightly packed row poured onto the open area of the yard where others were already waiting to take the road back and leave the fresh air of this October morning He was waiting impatiently for us We took our places silently on the benches The little one in front the big ones behind It wasn’t from despair or dread it was even worse because it was a blind expressionless look like of a dead hare it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to grab it W.E.

I looked in his direction The camera was crazy on us I stared wide-eyed I saw nothing that could justify such a scene of hostage taking we waited He leaned forward His eye disappeared The other was closed He moved about weakly with a theatrical gesture It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O.

The trigger was heard Too early He didn’t have time to act The picture was fixed The automatic camera had taken its first photograph He sat up Already ready to leave the yard The group of children broke up The sound of steps announced new arrivals It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it

All eyes were on him He didn’t appear to be surprised He lifted his head from time to time as though to check if we were still there He leaned again We were all frozen Just he was moving then In a final burst he set us for eternity With an uncontrollable gesture It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O.

I couldn’t tell what time it was but In the first steps on the gray, hard asphalt the cold grabbed us The time was unusual The yard was empty and silent The storm wouldn’t be long in coming The first drops already ran down our cheeks It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O.

He came and went Alone in the middle of the yard His camera fixed to the ground I looked at him from behind the windows The row headed slowly for the benches facing him He leaned forward the finger ready to operate the trigger People were already smiling It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O.

It was already late Impatient People were restless not daring to leave the yard He perhaps wouldn’t come We were waiting ready for that unique moment when the picture would fix us for eternity It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it W.O.

A morning unlike the others and yet so ordinary It was between 10 and 11 o’clock in the morning Perhaps I didn’t know his face He too He was unaware of our presence Our looks were riveted on him He lifted his head and looked at us without seeing us Smiles already appeared on every face He looked at us a last time His camera was already ready to be taken to another yard It was not despair, or terror, it was more terrible than terror, for it was a blindfold look, and without expression, like a dead rabbit’s it will never be painted and no actor will ever be able to play it. W.O.

It was not Sunday it was perhaps a weekday The next day It was not on Sunday It was not on a weekday It was not on another day I’m sure of that A thin light as a point on the wall Came in above their heads and filled the large screen “Your parents say you lie all the time”