Conversation · Cuno

"You better come up with a way to make Cuno forget you tried to fucking hit him, piggo."

"Amends, Cuno. I was wrong to try to hit you. I'm sorry."

"Yeah? How are you going to make it up to Cuno, pigshit?"

"You're a cool dude. Let's just bury the hatchet, okay?"

"Cool what? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I think you broke his brain when you fucked him up, Cuno."

"Look, C, it's the fucking war-pig! Try not to knock yourself out, f****t!"

"I've come to ask questions -- I still have a case to solve."

"You belittled yourself before the Cuno." Her voice is calm, she doesn't dignify you with a look. "Now you must seek his forgiveness."

[Leave.]

"Cuno's Cuno!" The boy points to his chest with both thumbs. "You already know that, slow-shit."

"Got it -- had another question."

"Right. How could I forget?"

"Cuno thinks you have brain damage or some shit." He twirls a finger next to his head. "Cuno cares."

"Cuno, stop being nice to the pig!" The screech pierces through the yard. "Step away from Cuno, fat-ass creep!"

"Ease off, C. Don't be telling Cuno what Cuno can do!" He turns back to you. "What else you want, pigman?"

"Cuno's Cuno, pig!" The boy points to his chest with both thumbs.

It's always Cuno, never I. Clearly the kid's using the third-person perspective as a shield.

Cuno... Primal. Violent.

"Interesting... you refer to yourself in the third person to distance yourself from the situation?"

"Cuno doesn't do that smart shit." He seems offended. "Don't throw that book shit at Cuno. Cuno knows you're lying."

"Trying to get Cuno hooked on the book..."

The boy knows he has an addictive personality. Admirable insight for his age.

"Watch out, Cuno, he's trying to fiddle you. He's gonna put his HANDS on you!" The thing behind the fence starts squealing, shrill and violent like a fire alarm.

"Help! Pigs got Cuno! Help! RAPE!" The sound gets louder as the child shouts at the windows overlooking the yard.

"Help!" The boy joins in. "He's got the Cuno!!! HELP!!!"

Everyone can hear. You need to get the hell out of here before...

Calm down. Anyone watching can see you're doing nothing. Just keep it professional.

FUCK THAT. Confront him.

"Just answer the questions."

"Help! He's digging his dick out!!!"

"Escalate, Cuno! His dick is out, you're afraid!"

"PIGS ARE HURTING CUNO! SOMEBODY PLEASE!!!" It's full blast now; the wind carries the message far and wide across Martinaise.

Windows are being opened. On Rue Saint-Cispare, people are turning their heads. An elderly woman puts down her grocery bags in front of the Frittte store and listens. Somewhere behind her, the gates of the industrial harbour are raised.

On the catwalk above the shipping containers, a broad-shouldered man jerks his head up. "That Cuno? Cop's getting killed out there." The tattooed Mesque next to him smiles. "That's Cuno alright!"

Look at his shit-eating grin... He knows there's nothing you can do to him. He's bullying you and you are helpless. Kill him. Kill him now. He won't see death coming.

Nip it in the bud, before it gets completely out of hand. Right on his cheek. Just a light tap... to scare him a little. Don't kill him.

Scare him? How did this happen? You can still get out of this, appeal to his reason!

Shut him down.

Thump! The blow connects surprisingly well, leaving your knuckles tingling.

Cuno feels it; this was no light tap.

"Phe... whht... fuuh..." The disoriented twelve year old is trying to get his bearings.

"I think we can have a normal conversation now. Am I right, Cuno?"

"Officer, this is very far from normal police conduct," says the lieutenant, breaking his silence. "Get yourself together."

For heaven's sake, he thinks, this has gone too far. Don't make this any worse than it is -- just get back to questioning the kid.

He gets it, you lost it. Just don't dig the hole any deeper.

"Okay, pig..." He's no longer wearing his demonic grin. Something happened. The punch made him calmer.

You can almost hear the gears rattling -- a change in set decorations.

It's safe to say he did not establish dominance over you.

"Cuno knows to respect that violent shit. You should see Cuno's dad -- Cuno's dad doesn't give a shit about anything," he declares with pride.

The creature behind the fence has fallen ominously silent. Only her eyes are alive, jumping from actor to actor.

She understands: The battle for the control over Cuno is a battle of madness against madness. For the time being, her madness has proven less potent.

Interesting. This tug of war has probably happened between her and Cuno's violent father too.

"Okay, pig. Talk to Cuno. We're back in this shit." He brushes the dirt off his pants. "The fuck do you want?"

If this act was about him trying to establish dominance over you, it's safe to say things didn't go as he'd planned.

"Taivaan tähden, you killed Cuno!"

"Okay! Everybody calm down."

"Officer, you need to calm down," says the lieutenant, breaking his silence. "Get a hold of yourself."

"You made me do this. You did this to yourself."

"No, officer -- you did this," says the lieutenant, breaking his silence. "Get yourself together."