Late at night, after all the shows had finished and shadows swallowed the world, a woman could be seen in the center of the circus ring. In the dim lighting, a broom could be seen in her hand. She was cleaning up the confetti from their last performance. She was twirling ever so slightly as she swept, dancing to the music of her own creation. A man approached her from the rear, making wild gestures with his hands and shouting loudly, shocking the woman out of her solo.
Even with the wildness of the man, the woman didn't seem to be afraid. She dropped the broom and stepped forward, grabbing the man's hand out of a frantic wave. She whispered something to him and the man seemed to calm at her words, bowing his head. Perhaps they're friends, or maybe they're dating?
It wasn't long before they both began to whisper, glancing at the creeping shadows of the looming tent. Their eyes kept darting around, looking for any sign that said they were not alone. Believing they were, they took each other's hands and walked calmly out of the tent. As they passed a spotlight, the glint of a ring on the woman's hand made itself known. It wasn't an expensive ring. A simple gold band on a long, slender finger. So, they were married, then?
They walked through a maze of trailer cars, making their way towards their own. As they approached, a young boy ran out of the car, heading straight for the two adults. Perhaps it's their son? The glow of light from a nearby window revealed his features. He looked to be about six, with dark ebony hair. His eyes were a striking blue that seemed to gleam in the pale lighting. As if it had been kissed by the sun, his skin, shone with a healthy olive glow. His smile was unparalleled, reaching the corner of his eyes. It was like a snow rabbit in the Sahara. Rare.
The man and the woman smiled brightly when the young boy crashed into their legs, bringing a throaty laugh from the man. The woman joined moments later with her bell-like one. The young boy cartwheeled towards the door, followed closely by his parents. The woman, however, stayed behind as her boys entered. After the door was closed, her smile dropped, a deep frown taking its place. She glanced at the shadows behind her and made a few quick gestures with her hands. Seconds later, a man emerged from the shadows holding a simple black case.
Startled at the man's attire, she stepped back, nervous, and brought her hand to her hip, looking for the blade that was no longer there. The man in front of her was wearing a black skin tight suit, with knives displayed across his chest. His mask, although hard to tell, appeared to be the face of an owl.
With the briefcase in hand, the masked man inched closer to the woman. As he walked, the soft clang of weapons mingling with each other echoed around the silent area. With the man fully out of the shadows, the woman noticed the handle of a katana thrown over the man's back. She quickly calmed herself -the man was not here to kill her. She had business to take care of. She stepped forward, stopping only a few feet from the man, and gestured towards the briefcase while speaking.
He lifted it up, opened it, and showed the woman. At that moment, her face contorted into a sadistic grin as she peered at the contents of the case. What was in there that could create such a smile? The man spoke to the woman, holding up three fingers. The woman nodded, a grim expression crossed her face as she took the case. Saying one more thing, she watched the man creep back into the shadows before she turned, heading back to her trailer car. It appears that whatever the woman had been planning was successful.
She hid the case behind the car tire whilst putting on a fake smile, entering her house for the night.
A few feet away on top of the neighboring car, the man smiled behind his mask. The Gray Son would soon be his.
So, I went back and edited this chapter a bit. It had been bugging me for a while. Nothing is too different though, so don't worry too much.
If you are new to this story, then welcome to the updated version. Please leave comments. I love to hear what you think!
Til next time,
Rachel