Houssine

Houssine is the protagonist in Night Call. He is a Parisian taxi driver who works the night shift during the game.

Passidex entries
A manifestation of Houssine's subconscious can also randomly appear as a passenger.


 * You have met Houssine.
 * You thought about when you met Houssine.
 * The Angel of Death?
 * The Sandman?
 * The Judge?
 * The Devil?
 * Busset?
 * Julie?

Entry two appears to be unobtainable.

OPENING DIALOGUE
''You slow down... You feel like you're on the brink of remembering something... Like a word is on the tip of your tongue... But which memory? Which word? You feel something moving up your thigh... You slowly raise your head to look in the rearview mirror...''
 * You slow down... You hear a strange sound... a startling one... Like someone is in... ...in the trunk. You shake your head. Lower your eyes. Slowly... you know what you're about to find there... You dare to glance behind you.
 * You slow down a bit; you've just been hit with a migraine. You crack your window. Icy Parisian air fills the cab.

... "He" is there.

???: "So, bastard? Happy to see me again?"
 * "So, cocksucker? Happy to see me again?"
 * "So, dickless? Happy to see me again?"

''He reveals a row of pearly whites... too white... "No worries, I won't be here long..."''



Dialogue 1
You slow down... Your eyes sting. It's like someone lit a fire in the cab. You feel a chill run up your spine. You slowly raise your head to look in the rearview mirror. ..."He" is there.

???: ''”So, dickless? Happy to see me again?”''

''He reveals a row of pearly whites... too white...

???: "No worries, I won't be here long..."''



You don't need to sleep.
You slow down a bit; you've just been hit with a migraine. You crack your window. Icy Parisian air fills the cab.

You need to rest. You need coffee. You need to close your eyes. Just a minute... One tiny minute...

???: "You don't need to sleep."

You raise your head... and see yourself sitting in the back seat. Your gut clenches... no... it's more like someone is pulling your guts out.

???: "Yeah, I look like shit. I know. No surprise considering all the crap I eat, right?"

He smirks... or maybe it's just just a smile... you can't quite tell...

???: "I've just got one thing to say. It won't take long. You'll be able to get back to defending the weak and the poor right after... And maybe cleaning up your reputation... and that pretty face of yours."



Busset?
NOTE: This conversation is almost guaranteed to happen on Night 7, unless you drive to another passenger close enough to you or you've already had it on a previous night.

???: "You're not gonna get the job done."

You close your eyes, hoping this... mirage will vanish.

???: "You probably won't be able to help that whore. Maybe you'll finally realise she was just using you."

You squeeze your eyes shut and see colourful shapes appear, dance around you... disappear...

???: "That's your problem... you always want to help people. But no one ever wants to help you. There's no reciprocity. It's all one-way. And that bitch is just like all the others."

« She's not a whore. » « Get out of my cab... » (Stay silent.)

 « She's not a whore. » « Get out of my cab... » (Stay silent.)

« She's not a whore. »  « Get out of my cab... » (Stay silent.)

« She's not a whore. » « Get out of my cab... »  (Stay silent.)

???: "Cop. Whore. Same difference. I don't get you. They already locked you up once. You wanna go back in?"

... "He" ignores you. He raises his voice, not paying the least bit of attention.

???: "She treats you like shit. She's threatening you. She's ready to drop you to avoid losing face. I don't get you. They already locked you up once. You wanna go back in?"

HOUSSINE: "I had no choice."

His laughter sends a chill down your spine. There's something vulgar about it.

???: "Seriously, man. You had no choice... whatever. Run, man. Take your taxi and run. My humble advice... but who am I to give advice, anyway? You always had a choice. Always."

HOUSSINE: "Not me. Not then."

You feel his gaze bear down on you.

???: "I don't know what you tell your passengers..."

HOUSSINE: "Get the fuck out."

↓

... "He" shrugs.

???: "You're a piece of shit and you know it. Making deals with traitors... sucking dick so you won't end up in jail... Man, you're the victim here. Be a victim. Use victimhood to your advantage. It doesn't happen every day. That other time, you weren't the victim."

... "He" flashes his teeth in the rearview mirror.

???: "Killing your own brother... now that's something."

... "He" bugs his eyes out, mocking surprise or horror.

???: "Pretty hardcore."

« Shut it. » (Stay silent.)

« Shut it. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-Busset-2b mw-customtoggle-Busset-2a mw-customtoggle-:Busset-2B: mw-customtoggle-:Busset-2A:" style="color:#eac98b;">(Stay silent.)

<div class="mw-customtoggle-Busset-2a mw-customtoggle-Busset-2b mw-customtoggle-:Busset-2A: mw-customtoggle-:Busset-2B:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Shut it. »  (Stay silent.)

↓

???: "There you go! I like it when you get angry. Shows you got something in your shorts."

You suddenly feel nauseous.

???: "Lemme tell you what your problem is... You thought you actually had a chance in life."

Your gut is burning, like its contents are ready to spew all over the windshield.

???: "Like your good grades in school... your faggoty little books... as if the three months you spent in college might actually change anything. But you're nothing. According to the people of this country, you don't count."

You throw up a little in your mouth. The bile stings your throat.

???: "According to the people you protect and drive all over Paname... You. Don't. Count."

You double over the steering wheel... Your stomach burns... but nothing's coming up... You glance behind you and realise you're alone in the cab. It's just you. ... You wipe the sweat from your forehead and start driving again. The smell of the motor reassures you... calms you down.

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The Devil?
???: "Every once in a while... I picture us on the night Dad died. You remember?"

Your mouth is burning... like you have hot coals on your tongue.

???: ''”I remember. All that hate you had built up inside. It was incredible.”''

« It was... natural. »   (Say nothing.)

''"Natural?" ... He smiles at you. "To feel so much hate while you were becoming an orphan?"''

...

... "He" clicks his tongue. You hate that noise.

???: "You're fucked up."

The shape in the back seat appears to settle in.

???: "Plus, all that hate? It was aimed at me. You threw it all in my hands. I wanted you dead. I wanted to poke your eyes out."

You see his teeth flash in the rearview mirror.

???: "But you only had eyes for Mum and... everybody else... You could tell they weren't doing well. That they didn't get it."

« Stop. »   (Say nothing.)

...

... "He" chuckles.

???: "Yeah right. Like I'm going to stop."

You feel a shooting pain in your arm.

???: "Every time neighbours... friends... came to the door to offer condolences... They said they were sorry, that he was too young. You wanted to scream at them. Tell them they didn't understand anything. But you kept your mouth shut, didn't you?"

« STOP! »   (Say nothing.)

Your pulse is beating in your temples. ... "He" pauses.

???: "That's exactly how you should have reacted. Shame... you're fifteen years too late."

...

... "He" is almost whispering now.

???: "You were always the weaker of us two."

He remains silent for a moment.

???: "You see, our brother... he was the devil incarnate. But he always practiced what he preached. If you were him, you'd already have stopped the killer with your balls alone. But no. You prefer to make a deal with the police, with every bastard in the city of Paris."

A silence. Chilling.

???: "You're gonna die alone, man. 'Cause I'm telling you right now... I'm not gonna hang around."

A shadow moves in front of the cab. By the time you realise it was just a car... you're alone in the cab. You close your eyes, hoping your migraine with subside. You feel exhausted. You sit for a few minutes and start driving again. The purr of the motor is strangely warm and comforting.''

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Ending
The sun is about to come up. You drove all night long with your window open. You're so tired your chest is tight and your eyes are heavy, but you can't stop. Not now. You're going to run out of gas soon. The light went on about 20 kilometres back. You're somewhere in Normandy. You pull over onto the shoulder and get out. There's almost no traffic. You step over the guardrail as your eyes adjust to the colourful break of dawn. The sun will soon rise over the horizon. You get your phone out and dial a number. It doesn't ring. Direct to voicemail. A voice asks you to leave a message... after the beep...

HOUSSINE: "Hey... I... I wanted to..."

You catch your breath.

HOUSSINE: "When Ade told me she'd help on to your phone just to hear the sound of your voice... I thought it was stupid. But now..."

The sun is slowly rising and its colours are flooding the landscape. Bare underbrush, a tiny village lost in fog off in the distance, a hilltop sparkling with dew. The view seems alien to you.

HOUSSINE: "I wanted to... thank you for giving me the opportunity to redeem myself. Thanks..."

That word disgusts you, but it's too late.

HOUSSINE: "Thanks to you, I did something important. I mean... I think. Who knows?"

Silence. Your head is spinning. You haven't spoken to your brother in years. Well... in a manner of speaking... You grin.

<div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-:end-1A: mw-customtoggle-end-1:none" style="color:#eac98b;">« Ade is good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-:end-1B: mw-customtoggle-end-1:none" style="color:#eac98b;">« I'm good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-:end-1C: mw-customtoggle-end-1:none" style="color:#eac98b;">« Your kids are good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-:end-1D: mw-customtoggle-end-1:none" style="color:#eac98b;">(Hang up.)

<div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1:none mw-customtoggle-:end-1A:"> « Ade is good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-:end-1B: mw-customtoggle-:end-1A:" style="color:#eac98b;">« I'm good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-:end-1C: mw-customtoggle-:end-1A:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Your kids are good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-:end-1D: mw-customtoggle-:end-1A:" style="color:#eac98b;">(Hang up.)

<div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-:end-1A: mw-customtoggle-:end-1B:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Ade is good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1:none mw-customtoggle-:end-1B:"> « I'm good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-:end-1C: mw-customtoggle-:end-1B:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Your kids are good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-:end-1D: mw-customtoggle-:end-1B:" style="color:#eac98b;">(Hang up.)

<div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-:end-1A: mw-customtoggle-:end-1C:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Ade is good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-:end-1B: mw-customtoggle-:end-1C:" style="color:#eac98b;">« I'm good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1:none mw-customtoggle-:end-1C:"> « Your kids are good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-:end-1D: mw-customtoggle-:end-1C:" style="color:#eac98b;">(Hang up.)

<div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1a mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-:end-1A: mw-customtoggle-:end-1D:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Ade is good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1b mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-:end-1B: mw-customtoggle-:end-1D:" style="color:#eac98b;">« I'm good. » <div class="mw-customtoggle-end-1c mw-customtoggle-end-voicemail mw-customtoggle-end-1d mw-customtoggle-:end-1C: mw-customtoggle-:end-1D:" style="color:#eac98b;">« Your kids are good. »  (Hang up.)

HOUSSINE: "She's doing better... Her business is doing well. She doesn't think about you so much anymore. She's seeing someone right now... I think... she doesn't tell me everything."

HOUSSINE: "I mean, I guess so. It's... strange to hear your voice... but it feels good too."

HOUSSINE: "They grow up so fast. Ade shows me pictures sometimes, but I never go inside the house. It would be too complicated for everyone. But they're doing well. They... look a lot like Dad. At least... I think."

HOUSSINE: "Later..."

You pause. A truck flies by, just metres from you.

HOUSSINE: "I thought when it was all over... I mean... I thought I'd be able to get some decent sleep. Close my eyes and sleep... really sleep... finally... But sleeping... is just a break. It doesn't put an end to it. It all starts up again as soon as..."

A voice cuts you off.

ANSWERING MACHINE: "You have reached the maximum time limit. Please..."

You hang up. Your phone feels heavy in your hand. What should you do now? There's a broken fence in front of you, leading to a small footpath into the woods. Behind you is the highway leading to the sea.

(Get back in the car.) (Disappear.) (Call Pierette, the chef.)

You dial her number, thinking about your discussion. She picks up almost immediately.

PIERETTE: "Hello?"

You can hear the commotion of the market in the background.

« It's me. »   « It's Houssine. »   (Say nothing.)

She yelps in surprise.

PIERETTE: "The taxi driver?"

She seems surprised.

PIERETTE: "I... How are you?"

PIERETTE: "Hello... Hello?"

« It's me... »   « This is Houssine calling. »   (Hang up.)

UNCHECKED

She yelps in surprise.

PIERETTE: "The taxi driver?"

UNCHECKED

She seems surprised.

PIERETTE: "I... How are you?"

HOUSSINE: "Is this a good time?"

PIERETTE: "Yes... I... I'm at the Rungis market."

(Be frank.) (Beat around the bush.)

HOUSSINE: "I'd like to see you again."

You hear her giggle on the other end of the line. Or maybe you just imagined it.

HOUSSINE: "I... I just quit my job and... I don't know what to do today. Usually, I sleep during the day but... I don't feel like sleeping anymore."

PIERETTE: "Noon. My place. You still have the address?"

HOUSSINE: "Yes."

PIERETTE: "Good... I'll see you then."

You're about to hang up when she stops you.

PIERETTE: "Wait... Wait."

HOUSSINE: "What?"

PIERETTE: "Do you like fish?"

You grin.

HOUSSINE: "Yeah."

PIERETTE: "Good."

She hangs up.

UNCHECKED

You start walking. With quick hands, almost mechanically, you toss your phone to the left... and your car keys to the right. With each step you take, you feel freer. Lighter. Just a few more steps and you'll disappear into the woods. The trees slowly part, like they're letting you through.

You sigh and retrace your steps... On the other side of the guardrail, you find your overheated cab. The next gas station can't be much further. You slowly turn the key in the ignition.

There's got to be something for you... Out there.

THE END

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