One.

The lights in the tent dimmed leaving the stage bathed in light before the young 20 year old girl with mousy brown hair that sat in the front row as the freak show began, as the show went on the girl neither laughed nor smiled at the performers like the others around her but rather she just watched in silence, after the show ended she did not move to leave like everyone else.

"Miss, the show's over you're going to have to leave."

The voice made the girl jump slightly before she stood and turned to face the owner of the velvet voice, standing behind the last row of chairs was the handsome young man that had introduced himself on stage as Jimmy Darling more commonly known as the Lobster Boy, the young women said nothing as she looked him over with piercing green eyes before a soft smile graced her lips.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought."

Jimmy smiled crookedly at her with a chuckle.

"For the entire show? I don't think I saw that smile at all before now, I'd remember if I did."

He winked at her and the smile faded from her face as she walked down the isle of chairs her eyes far away as they watched him.

"Oh no dear Jimmy, I wasn't laughing or smiling because I was thinking, no I was finding it hard to laugh."

Jimmy raised an eyebrow confused and opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off.

"It's not that the acts were not funny it's the simple fact your troop's differences should not be laughed at. Freaks? No I don't see freaks, I see people like everyone else that sat in these chairs tonight."

She looked out the opening of the tent as the lights of a cab appeared in the dark, she smiled again and walked past him.

"Good evening Jimmy."

And with that she was gone, after a moment Jimmy shook his head and continued to routine of clearing the chairs, the next night he noticed the same girl in the crowd again watching with the same emotionless face and again she stayed after the show but this time he only listened on as the leader of their troop, Elsa Mars, talked with her.

"My darling monsters tell me you do not seem to be enjoying the show..."

Jimmy glanced up as the girl's face turned red and she clenched her fists at her sides.

"They are not monsters, you may see them as such but I do not!"

Jimmy straitened and watched as Elsa raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms, behind him on the stage he could hear Amazon Eve, the giantess of the show, pause in moving the piano off the stage to watch as well, Elsa looked over the girl with cold eyes before she walked around her once stopping again in front of her.

"What is your name?"

The girl straitened herself and held her chin big showing she wasn't going to back down.

"Claudia, Claudia Rivers."

Elsa nodded once u crossing her arms to place her hands into the pockets of her powder blue suit.

"The way you stand up for them, you are not exactly normal yourself are you my dear?"

Claudia stood watching Elsa with a far away look in her eyes.

"No I'm not but then again who are you to talk Elsa Mars, using these people as an opening to your own act, maybe you're the monster."

Amazon made a noise that sounded as though she was trying to hide a laugh and Jimmy was sure that if looks could kill then the girl called Claudia would have dropped dead on the spot but after a second Elsa took a breath and looked Claudia over then to Jimmy.

"Bring her to my tent in 15 minutes I want to see what her 'gift' is."

Jimmy nodded and watched as Elsa left the tent leaving Claudia standing there, no one moved for a moment before Claudia turned around and looked from Jimmy to Amazon who was still trying to not smile.

"That took balls to talk to miss. Elsa like that, I can't think of anyone here that would speak to her like that."

Claudia smiled moving to Jimmy's side with a shrug keeping her far off gaze on Amazon who had called her sharp tongue brave.

"It was nothing just the truth miss Eve."

Jimmy looked over Claudia making her look away from Amazon to him.

"I don't see anything different about you, you look normal enough so what exactly makes you one of us?"

Claudia smiled watching him.

"Which one do you want to see?"

That threw him off as he looked at her like she had three heads.

"Well which would you like to show us?"

Claudia went to the side of the stage looking up at Amazon her eyes focused now.

"Do you play the piano?"

Amazon nodded stepping aside to let her up the state steps then watched her go to the microphone.

"Can you please play the cords from Elsa's song tonight?"

After a quick glance at Jimmy she went to piano and began to play the cords to Life on Mars, Jimmy sat in the chair in front of the stage watching Claudia as she began to sing her far off gaze was fixed outside the tent into the dark night, if Elsa's singing have the song justice than Claudia's put Elsa to shame and then some, as he listened he noticed some of the others coming into the tent, some from their caravans, and looking at the stage where the angelic voice was coming from looking as though they were in a trance.

The song came to an end and Claudia's eyes focused back on the crowd that had gathered and we're looking shell shocked and amused at her while Jimmy got to his feet trying to find words but was unable to it seemed as Claudia looked over the gathered group her eyes pausing on Bett and Dot, the siamese twins, Bett was smiling clearly impressed but Dot had a sour look on her face.

Where the hell did you get pipes like those?!"

Claudia jumped slightly as her focus was now brought to Jimmy who was now beside her a smile lighting up his dad and his eyes bright.

"Born with 'em."

She shrugged again looking back at the twins her eyes becoming unfocused again until Dot cleared her throat making Jimmy turn to look at them.

"Elsa won't be happy that she is still here."

There was a silence for the length of one heartbeat before Jimmy spoke again.

"Elsa wanted to talk to her, we should go we are most likely late as it is."

Claudia nodded and fallowed Jimmy off the stage and out of the tent and into the cool night air, she walked quietly beside him looking over each caravan they passed her eyes lingering on the faded and chipped paint that said the name of the owner and what they were, Amazon Eve the world's tallest women, Ma Petite the world's smallest women, Paul the illustrated seal boy, and a few others until they reached the largest tent, apart from the show tent, where Jimmy paused looking beside him at Claudia who was looking over the tent with mild fascination before he pulled back the opening calling inside as he did so.

"Miss Elsa, I brought her like you asked."

There was silence for a moment before Elsa's voice came from inside the tent.

"Let her in then you may go darling thank you."

Jimmy sighed with a nod and stepped aside holding the draping back for her.

"Thanks."

Claudia said shortly before stepping into the tent looking around as Jimmy's footsteps faded away and her own sounded as she walked to the heart of the maze of of a tent where Elsa stood arms crossed and her eyes cold as ice, she now dawned a white dress that reached the floor and a pearl pink shawl that draped over her shoulders like a snake, after looking her over Elsa unfolded her arms and gestured for Claudia to have a seat as she walked to a table that held crystal bottles filled with different types of liqueurs, she poorer a glass of herself then looked at Claudia who shook her head without looking away from the chandelier that hung from the top of the tent, Elsa made her way back to the white wing backed chair across the small coffee table from Claudia and after taking a rather large sip of her drink she set the glass on the table and crossed her legs while her hands tapped the end of a Lucky Strike cigaret on its tin waiting for the girl to speak sighing when she didn't.

"So what exactly are you doing here Victoria?"