It's funny how a place can make you so happy and sad at the same time. A warm safe place haunted by ghosts of memory. Smiling faces. Laughter. Screams. Falling. And the smells. Sawdust and blood. These were the thoughts going through Dick's head as he stepped onto the grounds of Haily's Circus.
The sun was warm and Dick felt nostalgia waving over him. His stomached clenched a bit. He hadn't been here in 15 years. Excitement and memory tore at his chest. He took a deep breath, holding onto it a bit longer than a standard second before exhaling.
He surveyed the grounds, a smile touching his face. A clown was juggling some pins, to his right he smelled rather than saw the corn dog stand. His stomached growled and he realized he hadn't eaten all day. He approached the stand listening to the clammer of people talking. He gave the vendor his two dollars smiling his thanks to the vendor. He walked on, biting into his corn dog. Making a slightly orgasmic sound as he chewed. There was a fortune telling booth, a fat lady further down. He smiled not much had changed. He continued to chew deliberately passing the large tent in the center. His stomached clenched and he reminded himself to breathe again. This was still a happy place. He believed that. Had too. Needed too.
He was so lost in corn dog and thought he ran into a small figure in front of him.
She collided into his chest, letting out a small cry.
"Oh..God..I'm sorry..." She flustered out.
Dick swallowed his bite nearly choking. He was about to say it was ok and really it was his fault..
"Dickey is that you?!" She exclaimed. Gray eyes bursting with excitement.
"Ella?" He asked incrediousely taking in the small girls frame. His eyes slid over her full bosom and slim waist. "Look at you..." He mused
"It is you!" She squealed and threw her arms around his neck pulling him in to a hug.
Dick caught her not to gracefully, laughing.
"Wow..." She said incrediousely taking in his lean frame. "You're all grown up!" She said a smile draping her mouth.
"So are you.." He said again drinking in her form
She blushed slightly. "What brings you back?" She asked
Dick shrugged. Sadness touched his eyes. They were very blue as he held Ella's inquiring gaze.
"Never mind that.." She said hurriedly, dropping her eyes. "C'mon. I know someone whose missed you!" She beamed.
Her enthusiasm was magnetic and Dick followed her half sprint as she walked hurriedly towards a large tent not unlike the one Dick was definitely not avoiding.
" Dickey...c'mon.!" Ella said, running excitedly across the sawdust road. Dick tried to keep up with the older girl. But his legs were short. He'd yet to get that growth spurt his parents kept insisting he was going to get.
Ella stood a the top of a hill, behind a large purple tent. "C'mon slow poke!" She teased.
"I'm coming." He muttered. Finally he met her at the top. He grinned at her catching his breathe. "One day I'll beat you." His grin was so sincere and big Ella couldn't help but laugh. She ruffled his raven colored hair. "Dream on Short stuff" he glared and stuck out his tongue. She grinned "Come on" she whispered lifting up an edge of the tent.
Dick crawled under as she followed him. "What?" He asked looking around. They were in the elephant tent. It smelled like hay and peanuts. And also..he plugged his nose. "It smells like farts in here!" He complained.
"Ya.. But look!" Ella said pointing to an area where a large elephant was laying down.
Dick gasped. "Awww.." He said. Curled up next to it's mother was a baby elephant.
"Isn't she cool?" Ella exclaimed
"Ya.." He said
"Her names Eleanor. And Mom says I'll get to work with her."
"Really?.." His eyes were big blue saucers. Ella giggled. "Yep when she's big enough. Mom said"
"Dick?" Ella searched his face curiously as she opened the purple flap of the tent.
Dicks face lit up. "Eleanor!" He exclaimed walking up to the elephant. "Hey girl.." He said softly as he stroked her trunk. She grunted seeming to nuzzle him.
Dick turned towards Ella. "Do you still work with her?"
She nodded, taking in the man that instantly turned into the 9 year old boy she remembered hugging an elephant.
"Thank you."he smiled to her.
"Of course.." Ella shrugged.
Dick inhaled deeply. "There's somewhere else I'd like to see" he said softly.
Ella nodded, an electric gleam in her eye. "Really?"
He nodded. Smiling. A little shaky but still a smile.
They made their way out and Dick gave another fond pat to Eleanor. They walked in silence for a minute. Ella didn't seem to mind.
Soon they were approaching a large red tent.
Ella smiled at him. She touched his hand briefly.
Dick turned to her. The touch of skin startling him slightly. He smiled at her again before they walked in.
Two figures soared in the air flying from one bar to each other, to the bars again. Then repeating, flipping summer saulting in air, in between.
Dicks eyes glowed. God how he missed flying. I mean sure he sorta did now, but not like that. Soaring, flipping, no care, just soaring. Soaring. Flying. Falling...
"But why can't i ?" Dick was pouting. He knew this. His voice was all whiny. But it wasn't fair. He just wanted to fly. He'd been practice ing all week.
"Next show honey, I promise."
"But Mooom...I'm ready.. I.."
"No buts Dickey..." Mary said sweetly to her son. She smiled at his scowl. "Your Father and I want you to practice one more week ok."
Dick sniffed. Shuffled his feet. "Ok." He growled he was not happy.
"And then well all fly ok!" She said turning her son to face her. She looked into his eyes so blue like her own. She made a face at him and he giggled.
Dick continued to watch the couple soar. Fly. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. A smile soon falling, he absently grabbed Ella's hand.
The man effortlessly caught the woman as she flew from the bar. Together they swung again.
John's strong hands caught Mary as she flipped mid air to him. The crowd roared and cheered. Dick stood in his seat screaming and clapping. He couldn't wait to fly with them. Nobody but him had ever done a quadruple summersault mid air and he was excited to show it off.
John and Mary waved to the crowd, each taking a bar and swang in opposite directions.
Suddenly the ropes snapped. They were falling. No nets. The Grayson's never fell. They flew. The Flying Grayson's were falling.
"Noooo!" Dick screamed running to their fallen forms. He was sobbing as he fell to his fallen parents. The smell of blood and sawdust hit his nose. He buried his face in his hands sobbing un controllably. There was blood on his pants.
Strong arms pulled him up suddenly. He turned a tear stained face to a big man in a big cape and a scary mask. He sniffed and wiped his face on his arm.
The man stared at him. Saying nothing.
Dick stared at his shoes. There was brains on his shoe. His mother's brain was on his shoe. His parents blood was on his pants. He started to sob hysterically.
Saying nothing the man pulled him up in his arms.
He carried him away. Away from the sawdust. Away from the blood. But it was still on him...
"Do you miss it?" Ella asked, she too was watching the figures.
Dick didn't answer. His grip on Ella's hand was uncomfortable.
"Dick!" She exclaimed
Suddenly he pulled himself out of his fog. He dropped her hand abruptly."ya I miss it.." He said hurriedly. He sucked in his breath and nodded. "Ya I miss flying. "He smiled hollowly."
"Nobody flew like you Dickey..not like.." Her voice trailed off. She dropped her eyes . "I'm sorry." She said softly
"Its ok." He said, a little to quickly.
"Dick I..." Ella faltered
Dick waved her off, staring at the flying couple again. "They were great." He said turning to face Ella. "It's ok." He said softly.
They made there way out the tent.
"Hey I gotta get to the elephants, "Ella said giving him another unexpected embrace. "But God..it's good to see you Dickey it really is." Her eyes were beaming.
Dick released her with a smile of his own. "You too." He watched her almost literally bounce away.
In the distance a trailer stood. Dick smiled fondly.
"Richard John Grayson!" Mary exclaimed. Hands on her hips trying very hard to keep a glare at her son.
Dick was covered in dirt. He smelled of elephant poop, and trouble.
"But Mom..." He protested
"No buts young man!" She said "You know how Mr. Haily's feels about you kids being round the animals alone."
Dick sighed,staring at his feet. He was concentrating very hard on making a circle in the dirt.
"Awww Mary don't be too hard on the boy." A boisterous voice cut through. An older man with laugh lines round his eyes said "No harm was done, and Dickey isn't going to go there alone again. Isn't that right son?"
Dick's head snapped up. "No sir." He said brightly.
"All right then. All cleared up then?" He smiled at Mary.
Mary smiled wryly at Mr. Haily's. Thank you she mouthed.
"And you!" She nearly laughed out but still exsaspersted "Smell like an elephants behind."
Dick giggled, waved goodbye to Mr. Haily.
"Oh you think your funny do you?" Mary teased, giving Dick a tickle.
Dick screeched and ran towards there trailer.
"In the tub young man! I mean it..."
Dick knocked on the trailer door.
"