Claire wiped the tables a little more aggressively than usual.
If it’s not the house... then what is it?
Could it be—the world itself?
“No. It’s probably me.”363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGCpu5u5Gg
She muttered to herself and scrubbed harder.
But if it was just her, then why only her?363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVqbC0lR4z
Was no one else noticing this?363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oLE5DNOsX
Or were there others like her, who just... gave up looking?
“If there is someone like me, how would I even find them?”
She stood by the espresso machine, steaming milk, her brow furrowed.
Then suddenly—smack—she hit the counter.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIeuT8JjOk
“Wait. Tonight’s the Easter Vigil.”
If anyone knew what to do about “a tomorrow that doesn’t exist,”363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmivNrtpeYP
it had to be that guy who came back to life after three days.
Jesus.
The Bible made Him sound like a full-blown sorcerer. Infinite power.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zHhHonbot
Maybe He could help.
“If I’m extra reverent tonight, maybe tomorrow’ll finally move on.”
Claire nodded to herself, decision made.
363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ADDuu5VLU
That evening, she closed up early.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1FwuVv3lT
She pan-fried two slices of ham, stuffed them into warm bagels.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VmN05y1z1
Brewed one cup of coffee, one of milk.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkgLS18rj4
Set them at the edge of her apartment’s balcony, just out of the wind.
The note was short:
For Nightwing and Robin.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXFnL61oFO
Hot food. The milk’s hotter.
P.S. Nightwing—Robin’s looking for you on Queen Street tonight.
And with that, she headed out.
363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Jtk8FWm9F
The vigil crowd was bigger than she expected.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQexRdgW88
Candles everywhere, flickering like they were breathing.
Claire sat among them, eyes closed, repeating quietly in her head:
“Please, Jesus. Help me figure out what’s wrong.”363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGtRjLHXVA
“I don’t need much. Just let tomorrow… actually happen.”363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8L9wFnwkEA
“Or at least… tell me what I’m supposed to do.”
Around her, people prayed, sang slow hymns.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENL9SXya77
The candlelight felt like a soft sedative.
But Claire’s mind stayed razor sharp.
She didn’t believe in God.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eHpnbFJcY
But tonight, she was willing to pretend—363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjHImbQVEn
because facing an endless today alone was getting unbearable.
363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlamQWvnjA8
Midnight struck.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHiUmBWLIL
The vigil ended.
Claire walked home feeling... untethered.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwL8IOEKU0J
Not sure if it was exhaustion or just that hollow, post-hope ache.
She climbed to the third floor, switched on the lights.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3vK4ZOdpP
Jacket off, not even halfway to the bedroom—363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliA0zKVLsI
She looked up—
Two silhouettes on the balcony.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrrs9UyHdJ
One tall. One small.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHLOV16ONm
Both watching her.
Nightwing. Robin.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0cLSAg1rh
Outlined by the indoor light,363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTOsIK5TVX
like guardian spirits who actually kept their appointments.
Claire froze.
"...Jesus," she muttered. "I asked for help, not a pickup."
363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZ51XfNIbO
Her brain stalled.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCoTEBPcWP
For a few seconds, everything just...buffered.
Then she snapped out of it, walked over, opened the window.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzj0y9LiFG
Seriously, what else was she supposed to do?363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbz9Jxlfcx
Leave them standing there like weird bat-themed lawn ornaments?
The two shadows hopped in with practiced ease—363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Dct3kFMsg
Same moves as last night. Copy-paste.
Nightwing opened his mouth, looked like he was struggling for an opener.
"Uh… um…"
Claire cut him off: “I’m Claire.”
He blinked, then offered a polite half-smile.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADAkoCbKRe
“Claire. Thanks for the food, by the way.”
Robin, meanwhile, had gone full wolf cub.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlW1wRKBsua
Eyes sharp, body tense, scanning her like she was a suspect.
“You’re the sorceress?”363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3GMh4LBSp
His voice was high-pitched, suspicious.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvIiEXEJHq
“The one who talks to spirits?”
Claire frowned. “What sorceress? What spirits?”
Robin stepped closer, voice tight:363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdL9gb2eav
“Then how’d you know I was on Queen Street?”
Claire blinked. Then smiled—slow, smug, maybe just a little evil.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSEjEnEGwP
“I also knew you skipped dinner. Still hungry, right?”
Robin’s whole face crumpled, like a police dog catching a bad scent.
Nightwing quickly ruffled his hair, like calming a pet.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2jxcfcOpU
“Sorry,” he said. “We really just came to say thank you.”
Claire nodded. Didn't say a word.
Nightwing started nudging Robin toward the window.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzAYtQB9GH
Robin protested: “Don’t push me! I’m serious—we need to know if she’s psychic!”
Claire paused.
Something mischievous slithered up from her boots to her spine.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKer8PvHX9
A familiar itch.
She called out, loud and clear:363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzydg3Z1ro
“Hey!”
Both turned.
Claire tilted her head, voice calm, cryptic.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXc9ZlZibFm
“Batman’s looking for Robin. Somewhere in the city. Tonight.”
They froze.
Nightwing immediately touched his comms.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJz0TZhdS2Q
Robin snapped his head sideways, like picking up a signal.
And then—
Their eyes widened. In unison.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfkWJhzIdH
They turned to her.
Claire grinned. That kind of grin.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JmyZM5RI0
The “gotcha” kind.
Then she stepped forward.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2RMh8t6rA
Clunk —window locked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vxTAQqUoo
Shhk —curtains drawn.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9apTvnD4W
Clean. Final.
She stood there for a moment…363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Eqb0OzFJY
And then started laughing.
363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkED5lp16vh
Claire sat down and let out a long, tired breath.
She twirled her pen between her fingers, then started drafting.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOH74BxTmu
There was no guarantee she’d have time tomorrow morning—363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68BYoinmQb
or that her freaky “remember last night after a reset” skill wouldn’t just crap out again.
Better to write now. While her head was still clear.
She needed to know.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGIPrkYwPx
Was there anyone else out there,363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqolWhqaIW2
living the same day, again and again?
At first, the letter got way too long—363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOVD4Mknnb
Like something you'd submit to a conspiracy blog with a flashing GIF header.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcOO7jGSzl
Halfway through, she couldn’t even read her own nonsense.
Nope. Start over.
It had to hit fast.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktR3FCrKZx
One glance, and the right person would know.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPeYsFd6zL
This wasn’t a prank.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASR0qOfTJG
Wasn’t a dream.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DRoMAdwxd
This was real.
She cut ruthlessly.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44vhB0ILEB
Trimmed the fluff.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56K6HsqwF1
Boiled it down to just the facts:363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCTz5QFoEl
Time’s stuck.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BrrHorI84
You always wake up at the same moment.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNXwO1Q6Un
No one remembers yesterday.
Then, as a final touch, she added something that read like a coded whisper:
“Have you ever felt the sun today won’t reach tomorrow?”
Yeah. That felt right.
She read the note out loud. Again. And again.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ121TjQmnBs
It wouldn’t survive the reset. But she still wanted to remember it.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0HkVg8clg
She wanted to remember that she’d tried.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpagDxWzjLJ
Even if no one else ever saw it—she wanted to know she hadn’t given up.
Then—
A knock on the window.
She flinched.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRObreTVl4q
Like a nerve snapped.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyZOtOhEcw
Froze in place.
...Again?363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeU1HNF4Xq
What now?363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNImTgHdHu
Was it Nightwing? The kid?
She didn’t go right away.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzbdTfmje1
Her eyes flicked to the note.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcMa0qIOAL
Then to the clock.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡli2RhMQpoF
It was late. Way too late for casual drop-ins.
Slowly, carefully, she moved to the window.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzq5UcuI5p7
Lifted one corner of the curtain.
And saw—him.
Tall.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKQKYe2XVH
Cloaked.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsJiNjpnxP
Cut from shadows.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHP6doQnwna
Standing on her balcony like a statue carved from myth.
Batman.
Claire’s brain went silent.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvTyAmgVQP
Two full seconds of white noise.
She couldn’t hear her own heartbeat.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WNjFrHidy
Or maybe she could—so loud it drowned out everything else.
He was here.
Why?
She didn’t open the window. Not yet.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCskB5nl3wL
Just stared.
At the living legend.363Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0Ox11xMPL
At the ghost of Gotham.
and then Add to home screen.