It is said that God works in mysterious ways. That statement has never been truer than for my fate and I; for what ways could be more mysterious than His with my distortion? What purpose did they serve? What will come of them and I?
"You, boy! Up NOW!"
I roll over. It can't possibly be morning yet.
SMACK!
I slowly open my eyes. Sure enough, the sun is out, and the birds are chirping a chorus. I strain to hear it, over the noise of the gypsy camp. Even with all this beauty of which I am undeserving, something doesn't feel right. The cool wind stings my face. I remember my monkey toy, and I shove it under the straw I sleep on so the Master doesn't see it.
SMACK!
CRACK!
"How many times have I told you, insolent boy?"
He shutters and turns away from me. For a minute I'm staring at him, wondering what's wrong. Oh yes. The Mask. As I slip the mask on my face for the millionth time, the utter disdain and loathing I feel intensify somehow. But why now? I've lived with it for so long; it's like getting dressed in the morning, so why do I forget it today, and why is it today my brain starts to question the habit? My thoughts scatter themselves, and I'm glad that they do, for they save me from yet another beating.
"Get out there NOW and do your chores or you don't get dinner!" Master yells, waving the whip threateningly above my head. He doesn't have to tell me twice. I run from the now opened cage and sprint to the animals' enclosures, glad to get a miniature vacation from the prying eyes of Master.
I stroke the zebra's smooth face. Such beautiful creatures don't deserve to be chained up and put on display. Neither do I. Well, not necessarily. I'm the Devil's Child, I'm getting much more than I deserve already. And yet, there's a part of me that says no. 'No, this is not the life you deserve' it's saying. 'You deserve a grand palace, where your dreams can become something more. Where you can become something more.'
Then I remember what the Master said about dreams. They're just foolish, and wishing for them is as well. As is wishing for something better than I've already got. This is what I deserve. Working all day, and getting publicly beaten at night. How would the Master survive without the coins the crowd throws in my cage when he is done beating me? As I tend to the animals, my thoughts wander.
"You boy, are you done yet?"
THWACK!
On cue, I scurry back into my cage. Master throws a piece of moldy, day old bread at me.
"Hurry and eat your dinner boy, they will be here soon!" he barks at me.
They will be here soon. The crowd that comes to see the other things the Master puts on display, like the poor Zebra. And me.
Even though I know it's coming, it still surprises me when the Master brings a big group of kids to my cage. He shouts some words I don't try to understand. Then it comes. He throws my cage door open, but I'm too busy trying to comfort Monkey to notice. I drop Monkey, and the master yanks off my mask. He tugs on my hair, and the screams of delight and horror waft up at me from the audience. As Master stops a moment to gather some coins and other things the crowd has thrown, I glance up at the crowd.
There, standing right at my cage, is a girl. A beautiful girl. Her long brown hair falls down her heart shaped face just the right way, but there is something about her that isn't right. Her blue eyes, her pretty blue eyes, they're sad. She reaches her hand in my cage, and my hand slowly moves towards hers. But the Master sees, and slaps her hand away. She's starting to cry. How dare the Master hurt her! He can beat me all he wants, but he hit her!
Suddenly, an unfamiliar rage pulses through my body, and a grab the nearest rope.
Master shudders for a minute, then his body falls asleep. He's not moving.
The girl. She is still here. Everyone else has run away, but she's still here.