Chapter One: What Am I Doing?
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or Water for Elephants (inspiration for the story). This is a purely fictional story, so please keep an open mind.
Author's Note (A/N): I might use these to clarify some things in the chapter, such as jargon from the book Water for Elephants. This is all from Edward's POV, since he is the main character.
I really don't know what to do. I ran away from Carlisle and Esme after that argument. It was his entire fault, anyway. Vampires are made to drink human blood, but no, Carlisle insists on only feeding off of animals. He says it's because of his ethics, and if I disagreed, then I could live my way. But I couldn't live with them. Not like it matters, I'm not his real son. He is the one who turned me into a vampire. He says that my mother begged him to save me. If this is saving me, I would have rather died. I mean, it hurts to be thirsty, and I sparkle when I go out in bright sunlight. Come on, who sparkles?
"All aboard who's coming aboard!" cries the conductor.
I'm sitting on a bench in a train station. Some people mill about, while others rush for the train before they are left behind. I don't know why I'm taking the train. I could just as easily run to where I want to go. Maybe it's because I have thousands of dollars as pocket change and I need a way to spend it all. Maybe it's sheer boredom. Oh I don't know.
Wow, that boy is beautiful. I wonder if he is waiting for someone, or if he is lost. I don't even bother to turn around. I already know that a young woman waiting for her husband just happened to think that. That's right, I'm the mind reader. If any psychiatrist could examine me, he would put me in an asylum as soon as I opened my mouth. I'm a rarity, even among vampires, since Carlisle and Esme can't do anything like this.
I get up, and walk to the train with my luggage in tow. Just one suitcase, since vampires can't sweat or ruin their clothes like humans do. I hand my ticket to the conductor, he takes it, checks it, punches a hole in it, and hands it back to me, only to do it all over again for the man behind me. I sit down in a vacant seat and look out the window. I can hear the various thoughts floating about.
Curse it, where did I put that ticket? I could have sworn that I just had it a minute ago… It is the man three places behind me in line. Oh, isn't he gorgeous. I wonder if he is married. That is a woman sitting in the back of the car. My, oh my, he is the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on. That is…the conductor? I don't even want to know. (A/N: The gay guys hitting on Edward came from other fanfics that I've read.)
I see a man with today's newspaper. It is Wednesday, May 15th, 1932. I've always hated Wednesdays. Don't ask me why, I just hate them. Being the Great Depression doesn't help my mood, either. Everyone's thoughts are depressing because of it. Even the hoboes are more depressed than usual, but that could also be from my hunt last night. I couldn't help it, it was the hobo or the lady, and I know the lady would have been missed!
The train ride was boring. From now on, I'm running. It's much more exciting than just riding in a wooden box on wheels. Probably faster, too. Nothing can beat vampire speed. After I give the entire ticket to the conductor, I leave the train as fast as a human can. The farther I am away from his thoughts, the better for my sanity. I leave the Cincinnati train station, and I start to tour the city out of sheer boredom. It's a cloudy place, perfect for me so no one can see me sparkle. I really hate Carlisle for that one.
I walk through the center of the city first. It's just like every other city, dirty and filled with humans and animals. At the outskirts of the city, I see something much more interesting. It's a circus, and it looks like it is just setting up for a show. I can hear the thoughts of the roustabouts (A/N: roustabouts = workmen for circuses) and the performers as they all get ready for the show.
Damn it, where is that lazy bum? If he doesn't show up to help cook the food, he won't get any. They apparently have very lazy kitchen staff. Not that it matters to me, I don't eat. I swear, Harold is a slave driver, Matt. No pay for weeks, and then he goes and redlights people when they complain. He's crazy, that one. I know, Carl, he belongs in the looney house. Can't turn 'im in, either, or we don't have no work. Redlights? Can you redlight people? I don't understand their conversation at all. (A/N:Will be cleared up in chapter 2)
I find a flyer that says that the show will start at 7:00 p.m., so I wait at the edges of the circus until that time. To keep myself entertained, I watch and listen to them. Soon it is half past six, and the entrance is packed. I get in line, and after I buy a ticket, I pass through the menagerie. There are white horses, a tiger, lion, lioness, and a panther along one side, with camels, polar bears, zebras, and a giraffe on the other. In the very back, right next to the entrance to the main tent, a crowd of people stand around a huge elephant.
Wow! It's a real elephant! Yay! The children are enjoying themselves, at least. Me, I'm trying to ignore the horrible burning in my throat that all of these people and animals are causing. Especially the big cats, they are almost as bad as the people. I guess if I ever get the gist of the vegetarian diet, I'll probably end up hunting mountain lions.
I enter the main ring, and the air buzzes with anticipation. Men, women, and children are all ready for the show. I sit down next to an old couple. At least their smell will make me less likely to eat anyone here, that old woman put way too much perfume on. The ringmaster appears in the center of the ring, and bellows out every ringmaster's famous greeting.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Prepare yourselves for the greatest show on earth! The Zambini Brothers are proud to present our finest collections of exotic animals, side show freaks, and, of course, the greatest tricks and stunts that would put even Ringling Bros. to shame! Just sit back and enjoy the show!" he calls.
The show was mediocre after the Spec. The clowns were okay, but they certainly did annoy the elderly couple next to me when they sat on the man's lap. The horses put on an amazing show, with the beautiful young girl getting most of the attention than the dancing horses. Whoo, boy, that girl is a keeper! If I could only get her in my bedroom! Perverted old goat! Stick with your stinky wife would you!
The best part of the show, however, was the young girl with the elephant. She had long, brown hair that came to her waist in curls, and she wore a glittering, baby blue outfit that matched her blue eyes perfectly. The elephant also wore a blue headdress that matched the young girl's outfit. She flipped off of the elephant's back and onto a small ball that was in the center of the ring. She plopped down onto the ball, and turned so her back was facing the elephant. Soon after, the elephant sat down on the bigger ball available. The crowd laughed. The girl, pretending to be annoyed, stood up on her ball. The elephant mimicked her again and put all four feet on its ball. Then the girl, now mad, started hopping up and down on the ball. Once again, the elephant mimicked her. The crowd was roaring with laughter now, including me. After all, an elephant jumping on an oversized ball is hilarious!
Then, the girl hopped off, and turned around to stomp off. The elephant stepped down cautiously and was about to follow, when the girl dashed back and swung up on the elephant's head. She stood on her hands, and then the elephant stood on its hind legs. The crowd cheered, and then the elephant put its front legs on the ground and started to walk back to the exit. The ringmaster then stood in the center of the ring to bellow out another message.
"Ladies and gentlemen! That was our lovely Lavender with her exotic friend Sukeena of Africa! Now, I have a special surprise for you. We have a bit of a game here, for whoever guesses the mysterious combination of this safe," he gestures to two of his men coming from the exit, "will get all of the money it contains!" he cried. Suckers, they won't guess the combination in a million years! This is the best idea I've ever come up with! Really? Maybe I should show him different.
"Come up and try ladies and gentlemen, just a quarter to try! Don't be afraid, come on up!" the ringmaster yells.
I decide to spare the audience some humiliation and go up first. I give the ringmaster my quarter, and then listen his thoughts. So, pretty boy thinks he can open it. Too bad, he doesn't know the combination is 6-5-9-4-3-8. That's my favorite, unsolvable combination. Idiot, you just told me. Oh, right. I forgot he doesn't know me. I quickly put in the combination and open the safe. Inside, there is a huge bag of money. The ringmaster's jaw drops and his mind goes blank in disbelief. Then he recovers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have a winner! And on his first try, too!" he cries. He looks at me funny, and then congratulates me. His mind is still confused, so I decide to leave before I start to laugh at him. The circus is already starting to empty, with the roustabouts taking down the seats as soon as the people leave them.
I walk back through the menagerie, and immediately I am bombarded with thoughts about my "luck." It is so confusing and loud that I don't notice until I am outside that I am being followed by hostile thoughts. Great, that's what I get for showing off. I might as well take care of the problem now before it gets complicated. I turn around and wait for the men to catch up. They are dressed in dark trench coats and surround me in seconds.
"So, what can I do for you gentlemen this fine evening?" I ask as politely as I can. What the hell?! Is he making fun of us?!
"No, I am not making fun of you. You really don't appreciate a gentleman's manners, do you?" I say. It's fun playing with their heads, in a sadistic sort of way. Their minds become muddled with confusion, but one of them remembers what they are here for.
"The boss wants to see you, sir. Mr. Zambini never saw anyone who could crack his combination, so he wants to meet you personally," the bald one said. Apparently he has a lick of common sense to stay on task.
"I would love to meet him personally. So where does he want to meet me?" I ask. More confusion permeates their thoughts. They didn't expect it to be this easy.
"Come with us, and no funny business," says the bald man again. So he's the leader.
"I wouldn't dream of it," I reply. That SOB is gonna get it when this is over. He needs to learn to shut his big, mouth. The men all think this. This guy is awfully pretty, maybe we can have some fun later. What the hell am I, some sort of gay magnet?
A/N: Please read and review! Tell me if you like this chapter, and if I should continue with this story. I'll make my decision on majority, and only after 10 reviews. So please tell me what you think. I'll even give you a little tidbit from the next chapter if you give me a lengthy review. Thanks a bunch, and looking forward to hearing from you.