insomnia [✔]

scene. i

Madeleine fastened her apron with a slight smile on her face. It was only her second day at this vegan cafe, and she already felt like home. She told herself that her past was far behind her, and that things would go like clockwork. A year earlier, she was kicked out of the orphanage. The girl then thought that it was all over. And then, she had found this small apartment with affordable rent and decided to make a fresh start.

Her dark hair was tied in a high, fluffy bun, while two curly locks fell on either side of her face. Less than two days, she had memorized the composition of half of the drinks offered on the restaurant menu. From smoothies to lattes, to more than refreshing smoothies. She was patient with the clients and there was a good atmosphere between her and the other employees.

At the end of the day, Madeleine had a chat with Samantha, her college girl with a bit of a hippie look, but very funny and nice. Indeed, the subject of the day was a vegan pastry shop specializing in the making of wedding cakes. Madeleine was very surprised, so Samantha offered to take her there so she could have a look. In fact, the young person had to pick up an order made by a friend, so it was no problem for her to show Madeleine the route at the same time.

The place was not very far, since there was not even a need to take the bus to get there. Thus, the two colleagues had time to chat while walking. Samantha explained that she had a friend who was getting married soon, and he needed samples for the cake, to make up his mind. Besides, she had volunteered to help him. This basically consisted of tasting each sample, in order to determine which would be the best choice. Madeleine thought it was a good idea. Then, she joked that she was getting married today, to sample one of these amazing cakes. Samantha then burst out laughing, attesting to the same opinion. And then they both laughed at themselves, thinking how foody they were!

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Samantha and Madeleine were only a few meters away from the vegan pastry shop, and were already excited at the idea of ​​entering it. What was their disappointment when they finally arrived in front of the storefront, and it was closed! Sorry, Samantha decided to give her friend a call to let him know she was coming back empty-handed. During this time, Madeleine read a paper informing that it was an exceptional closure and that the staff apologized for the delay that this would cause.

Once the astonishment passed, the two young women decided to retrace their steps. They were so disappointed that they said nothing. And then, when they finally emerged from the alley where the pastry shop was, Madeleine's stomach began to gurgle. She apologized, embarrassed, but Samantha smiled at her and offered to go to dinner. Madeleine refused the invitation once, but her colleague insisted that "it would be the least we could do after the disappointment of a few minutes earlier". Finally, Madeleine accepted the invitation, while assuring her that there was no harm, but it was especially a pity for her friend who was to marry.

"I know a great Asian restaurant a few blocks from here! And they offer excellent vegan bowls." Samantha announced.

"It's okay for the excellent vegan bowls" replied Madeleine, smiling at the end of her sentence.

Thus, they resumed walking, dancing almost because of the charming prospect that awaited them. This situation had allowed a rapprochement, so that a beginning of friendship settled little by little between them. On the other hand, a shiver crossed them when they passed by a district which she did not know. Samantha, who was following a route she remembered, had missed an entrance, and now they were pretty much lost in the middle of nowhere. Night had long since fallen, and the paths no longer looked the same. Samantha's heart began to beat rapidly, she already blamed herself and had a bad feeling. She then approached Madeleine to tell her that she no longer remembered the way, but she was staring at an invisible point in the darkness.

"I don't think we're alone..." said Madeleine in a low voice while motioning to her colleague to wait.

Samantha remained motionless, as much because of the stress which began to invade her, as of the attitude of Madeleine who did not make any sudden movement. She then began to look upwards, and almost failed to utter a small cry of terror, when she saw silhouettes staring at them, perched like birds of prey. Samantha, who was panicking, clung to Madeleine's arm, shaking like a leaf. She was so emotional that she kept saying over and over that "she didn't know how to handle conflict situations and that she would be eternally grateful to her if she managed to get them out of this mess".

Madeleine replied with a nod, while taking care that this thing she had been watching for a while ago did not go out of her field of vision. However, she also had to watch out for potential enemies on the fire escapes, noticed by Samantha. The dark-haired girl then took a deep breath, then began to back up while urging her colleague to hide behind her. Things were looking good as they bravely retreated, but Samantha let out a cry of terror and stopped short. Madeleine turns around, alarmed and comes face to face with a band of thugs armed with blades and baseball bats.

"Shit..." mumbled Madeleine.

"Where are you planning to go, my pretty ones? Wouldn't you rather stay with us for a bit? We would have a great time together." one of the thugs said with a smile that didn't bode well.

"Fuck you" replied Madeleine.

"We will see !" laughed the thug.

The band advanced in a coordinated movement forcing the young women to take refuge in what was in fact a dead end. Madeleine felt her pulse quicken, even though she didn't let it show. Her brain was racing as she visualized a potential escape route in the palisade behind them. They were only a few meters from this palisade, and would soon be blocked against it. Madeleine resigned herself to the thought that at least one of them could scale the palisade while the other would create a diversion and prevent the thugs from catching up with her.

"On my signal you'll run as fast as you can to the palisade and climb it. It's our only chance." Explained Madeleine in a low voice, so as not to be heard by the others.

"What? No way. I can't leave you alone with those bullies. I refuse to do this." revolted Samantha who, despite her fear, was not so cowardly as to abandon someone to save her skin.

"Do what I tell you. Everything will be fine for me. I will manage. When you have climbed the palisade, we will meet in front of the café. That way you will know that I am fine and I will also know that you are Safe." replied Madeleine, even if deep down she had no illusions and suspected that one of them would be lost. "Everything will be alright..."