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.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYFFopEtKH
She muttered to herself and scrubbed harder.
But if it was just her, then why only her?56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhP1Vty8sR
Was no one else noticing this?56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQJMqp9VR9
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJfOYosDU1
“Wait. Tonight’s the Easter Vigil.”
If anyone knew what to do about “a tomorrow that doesn’t exist,”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp60gxHcdtF
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjT4kAkD6xZ
Maybe He could help.
“If I’m extra reverent tonight, maybe tomorrow’ll finally move on.”
Claire nodded to herself, decision made.
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSmEeg0FuA
That evening, she closed up early.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8t1PYB4MI
She pan-fried two slices of ham, stuffed them into warm bagels.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oaTm4qYQb
Brewed one cup of coffee, one of milk.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0v4i8nJ6Un
Set them at the edge of her apartment’s balcony, just out of the wind.
The note was short:
For Nightwing and Robin.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLDQXXtuDz
Hot food. The milk’s hotter.
P.S. Nightwing—Robin’s looking for you on Queen Street tonight.
And with that, she headed out.
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9HzW2BYsw
The vigil crowd was bigger than she expected.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgSgbRRMdZ
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.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyg3exQmc5F
“I don’t need much. Just let tomorrow… actually happen.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYRvSYMxKB
“Or at least… tell me what I’m supposed to do.”
Around her, people prayed, sang slow hymns.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0VAWN1oy6
The candlelight felt like a soft sedative.
But Claire’s mind stayed razor sharp.
She didn’t believe in God.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jNGXFTHRt
But tonight, she was willing to pretend—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtdIdEFxfq
because facing an endless today alone was getting unbearable.
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDT5x2k5be
Midnight struck.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqsXHtZUeX
The vigil ended.
Claire walked home feeling... untethered.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscCvGpPSMJ
Not sure if it was exhaustion or just that hollow, post-hope ache.
She climbed to the third floor, switched on the lights.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQlTrjh6IZ
Jacket off, not even halfway to the bedroom—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMbeYnZmrZ
She looked up—
Two silhouettes on the balcony.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9TTzjUgdY
One tall. One small.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNesVfpnIu
Both watching her.
Nightwing. Robin.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuCFYgxWB5
Outlined by the indoor light,56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IRkmcWeYd
like guardian spirits who actually kept their appointments.
Claire froze.
"...Jesus," she muttered. "I asked for help, not a pickup."
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9XPTKp0YU
Her brain stalled.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpb1KIGYwr
For a few seconds, everything just...buffered.
Then she snapped out of it, walked over, opened the window.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbMOxNngxZ
Seriously, what else was she supposed to do?56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡte3Q3kn2e7
Leave them standing there like weird bat-themed lawn ornaments?
The two shadows hopped in with practiced ease—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8eXDblIzw
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpYmABBbAP
“Claire. Thanks for the food, by the way.”
Robin, meanwhile, had gone full wolf cub.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOdjGnJoLW
Eyes sharp, body tense, scanning her like she was a suspect.
“You’re the sorceress?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0LbmLLpEv
His voice was high-pitched, suspicious.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt1B1id8LM
“The one who talks to spirits?”
Claire frowned. “What sorceress? What spirits?”
Robin stepped closer, voice tight:56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHw6R26wJJY
“Then how’d you know I was on Queen Street?”
Claire blinked. Then smiled—slow, smug, maybe just a little evil.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVT3sbP5fq5
“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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeCRZqGaGc
“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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFV41cE8XL
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjjYxLn8GY
A familiar itch.
She called out, loud and clear:56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaJ0yr3ncl
“Hey!”
Both turned.
Claire tilted her head, voice calm, cryptic.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5aL9bGvBY
“Batman’s looking for Robin. Somewhere in the city. Tonight.”
They froze.
Nightwing immediately touched his comms.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkSzcQlsYF
Robin snapped his head sideways, like picking up a signal.
And then—
Their eyes widened. In unison.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkz5zZW5ll
They turned to her.
Claire grinned. That kind of grin.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpatns3sQqZ
The “gotcha” kind.
Then she stepped forward.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WP2SkjLGx
Clunk —window locked.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gIYrUOYMw
Shhk —curtains drawn.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4C3xdMTAI
Clean. Final.
She stood there for a moment…56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5AwEJAT6j
And then started laughing.
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfcUqQiWee
Claire sat down and let out a long, tired breath.
She twirled her pen between her fingers, then started drafting.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0029e24mr
There was no guarantee she’d have time tomorrow morning—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaC0DmcS3u
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ABI586rXG
Was there anyone else out there,56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4xlVm1wNU
living the same day, again and again?
At first, the letter got way too long—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GRNQK2379
Like something you'd submit to a conspiracy blog with a flashing GIF header.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2nUInDvc0
Halfway through, she couldn’t even read her own nonsense.
Nope. Start over.
It had to hit fast.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91cjfWGRHd
One glance, and the right person would know.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAGiXpHke3
This wasn’t a prank.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn2X37k1xX
Wasn’t a dream.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5U45AtIeGY
This was real.
She cut ruthlessly.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxeQqUVKac
Trimmed the fluff.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD9ZDKyc62
Boiled it down to just the facts:56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwYVQ6MXRO
Time’s stuck.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVplKL6XHvs
You always wake up at the same moment.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXz7G1Z90K
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3GmD5wbCI
It wouldn’t survive the reset. But she still wanted to remember it.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUO6B8IsDhL
She wanted to remember that she’d tried.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9qAl2ZUlm
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu30QCQjbgp
Like a nerve snapped.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtqBUjILjz
Froze in place.
...Again?56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tOjaYahnX
What now?56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM8MHYsKtu
Was it Nightwing? The kid?
She didn’t go right away.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfr7OJQkIvo
Her eyes flicked to the note.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡopyKduxvd2
Then to the clock.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWe0pRxSq5O
It was late. Way too late for casual drop-ins.
Slowly, carefully, she moved to the window.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEblN8XUYbD
Lifted one corner of the curtain.
And saw—him.
Tall.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvkAi3IPAG
Cloaked.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbWK1hwGvi
Cut from shadows.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmaCcUVfIQ
Standing on her balcony like a statue carved from myth.
Batman.
Claire’s brain went silent.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsm51RuRhKl
Two full seconds of white noise.
She couldn’t hear her own heartbeat.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkryDt6WNln
Or maybe she could—so loud it drowned out everything else.
He was here.
Why?
She didn’t open the window. Not yet.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zvVT1rQcG
Just stared.
At the living legend.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4fnRx4c2Y
At the ghost of Gotham.
