The day started off like any other Saturday in olden London. Bakers opened up shop, beggars asked for change from the wealthy as the rode past in their fancy carriages, and Megan strolled down the street, observing it all. Megan was a poor, young street dweller. Her clothes were in shambles, but she didn t care. Usually she would be like the other street vagrants, begging for change, or stealing a loaf of bread, or sneaking an apple from the local market. But not on Saturdays. Saturday was Exploring Day. Every Saturday, she would stray from her usual routine and explore the large city, and all of it s hidden nooks and crannies, and all the hidden alleyways that just begged to be explored.
Since it was still early in the morning, Megan decided to wander around for a bit, looking for her next adventure. She wandered aimlessly for hours before she stopped to rest. She heard Ben strike twelve, so she decided to find some local baker to get some lunch. When she stood back up from her spot on the corner, a gust of wind blew a piece of paper at her feet.
Curiosity overcame her and she picked it up to examine it. She brushed her shaggy brown hair from her eyes and read the paper.
Fun for those who have been forgotten
See those who God has cast aside
The marvelous deformity in us all
So fun, you ll never want to leave
Free for all who visit
~xXx~ She quickly dropped her plans for lunch as she hurried off to the Black Woods. She always wanted to go to a circus. And a free one, no less! All it cost was some time and effort, which she had plenty of, as the day was still young.
So she hurried off to the forest, not wanting to risk it ending at sundown and missing it. She made it to the woods before she slowed down a bit, walking instead of running the rest of the way. She wandered deeper and deeper into the woods. She started to wonder if she had mistakenly wandered off the path and gotten lost, or even worse, the circus wasn t running today. No! She shook her head. She specifically remembered that it was today s date on the flyer. Or was it last Saturday?or maybe last month? last years? After living int he streets for years, all the days seemed the same. Her eyes started to fill with tears. What if she was lost? How would she get out? If she didn t make it out before nightfall, she d be trapped int he forest all night. Everyone knew that people who got lost in the forest at night, never made it back out. She started
panicking and ran faster, faster, through many tree branches and bushes when she saw
it.
The top of a circus tent.
In her fear induced running,she managed to find the circus. she was estatic. She finally made it! She ran faster down the path and stopped in front of the circus.
There was one, massive tent, it s tarp worn and tattered. Patches of different colored fabric laced its once silver, but now dull grey body. Multi-colored, but still equally faded flags lined the pathway to the tent.
She walked down the path, entranced by the multitude of colors, when she was startled almost to death by something almost stepping on her. She fell to the ground in fear and cowered, covering her eyes in fright. Five, six, seven seconds passed before she calmed down enough to look at what almost stepped on her. She looked up to see two giants, their heads almost reaching the sky. They had to be at least twice as tall as her! One was dressed in her tattered blue suit, the other in her worn out grey ball gown. The two giants looked down at her curiously, for a moment. Then they started walking away, dancing and twirling all the while.
Megan was astonished. Imagine what else they had at this circus! She quickly got up, brushed off her skirt, and ran to the tent opening. She pushed aside the tarp, and stepped inside.
The first thing she noticed was the cold. It was bitter, almost bone-chilling. She shivered a bit, breathing deeply, steam escaping from her nostrils. The inside looked of ruins, disheveled props scattered in random places across the tent. She had a hard time seeing as the tent was very dark, a few glimpses of light coming from holes in the tarp.
Welcome to the circus! She was startled by the sudden appearance of a person in front of her. But when she refocused, she realized it wasn t a person. Well not really just one.
He-She-They, were a clown, dressed in a patched up yellow clown suit. Both had matching make up, one with diamonds on their cheeks, the other with hearts. Both looked really young, too young to work for a circus, but still they acted like they ve been doing this forever. But even the creepy make up, torn up outfit, and their eerily cheery attitude wasn t the weirdest part.
They were the same person. Well, kinda. Two heads shared one body. Sewn, well what looked like stitching across their necks, connecting both heads to their body.
We hope you enjoy our lovely circus~! the girl exclaimed.
And never want to leave again! the boy followed suit.
Come with us, the girl grabbed her hand, and visit some of our friends! She led Megan behind her.
We know you ll enjoy them too. the boy said as he, they led her to a cage.
Here s our first friend! he said cheerfully. Megan stepped closer to the cage. Inside she saw a blue haired man, tied in a straight jacket, laying against the wall. His eyes seemed distant. She wondered, what was he thinking about? She leaned closer to the bars of the cage. Don t get too close though, the boy warned her, Poochy has a habit-
The blue haired man jumped from his place and attacked the front of the cage, nearly biting Megan s hand, the distant look in his eyes were now replaced with one of insanity. And hunger -Of wanting to eat people~. the girl giggled. Eat people? Why on earth would he want to do that? Vite! Vite! the girl grasped her wrist again, Let s go visit our other friend!
They dragged her off again, towards another more open cage. Unlike the other one, this one wasn t as small. In fact, it was actually quite large, filling up a good portion of the tent.
There in the cage was a young woman. Her hair was long and dirty. Her dress was horrendous, its sleeves falling off, and the back end of the skirt almost reached the other end of the cage. But, unlike the rest of the circus crew, there was an underlying beauty in her. one could easily tell that she used to be beautiful. But now she was here, deformed, like the rest of the crew in the circus. Megan felt pity for her. How could one so elegant end up here? She stepped closer to the cage, holding the bars as she looked at the deformed princess.
The princess opened her eyes. They looked tired, worn down, broken. She looked up at Megan, and the two stared at each other. Megan didn t have to talk to her to hear her pleading messages.
Why are you here? How did you get here? Why haven t you left yet? They starred at each other more,for how long Megan wasn t sure. A few minutes? A few hours, maybe? All she knew at that moment was the pain the princess felt, how much she wanted to leave, and how much she wished Megan would leave. The princess opened her mouth and said one thing, and only one thing.
I want to die...
Megan was stunned. Had she heard her correctly? Why did she want to die?
Don t say stuff like that. the boy exclaimed, walking towards the cage, This place is our home now. It s painful, but it s true. There s no escaping this place. he said, his once cheerful voice turning bitter cold.
But it s fun here. so fun~! the girl said joyously, arms raised. It s the funnest place in the world. We get to stay here forever and ever. Isn t that fun~?
Megan was scarred now. All the fears, the doubts that lingered in her mind since she first entered the tent had sprung forward, enticing her and forcing her to run. She ran as fast as she could, towards the flicker of light that was the exit. When did it get so dark in here? She pushed that thought aside, focusing on using all her energy to running. She was almost there when she heard those last words.
Uh-oh. Somebody let Poochy out. Whoopsies~!
She felt a sharp pain in her leg, then all went black.
The day was like any other Saturday. Bakers opened up shop, beggars asked for change from passing nobles, and vagrant children were running in the streets playing games. Eight were playing a game of tag, running back and forth between one side of the street and the other. As the game went on, someone stood by in the shadows, watching. one of the kids noticed her and asked her what she wanted. She stepped out of the shadows, limping, her red faded dress blowing in the wind. Her shaggy brown hair covered a burn that spread over her whole left eye. The kids asked again what she wanted. She simply smiled and handed them a flyer. They took it and examined it.
Fun for those who have been forgotten
~xXx~