The circus had rolled into town two days ago. It's 'joyful' music woke me every morning. I had yet to go investigate it, but honestly I didn't particularly care.
However, after a while, i began to wonder...
It was a crisp, friday spring morning, and I had just begun my duties to my mistress, who, let me say, I would gladly throw over a balcony, given the chance.
"SEBAS-CHAAAAAN!"
Oh, hell. What could she possibly want now?
"Yes my lady?" I replied through gritted teeth.
"Take me to the circus, I want to go!"
Lovely. Just what I needed. Some little blonde brat dragging me through filthy tents and watching animals trapped in cages.
Often, I felt like those animals. I pity them, I suppose.
"Then, my lady, we will, right after-"
"NO! I WANT TO GO NOW!" She stomped her little foot in her ugly pink shoe, her blonde curls bouncing.
"Fine." I sighed, "Yes, no need to cause a scene. Let's go then. Get your coat."
"Isn't that your job?"
Damn lazy brat. I stormed off to fetch her stupid coat like some kind of pet, mumbling quite a few choice words under my breath.
I don't know why I put up with her. I should just quit already. I have no obligation to be here.
Then again, if I did, I'd have no where to go. I'd be completely alone.
I shivered at this thought.
I walked the young...lady...if you could even call that sow-like creature such... to the circus.
Just to make this clear, I absolutely despise circuses.
Mistress Lizzy broke away from me to go spend her parents money on useless souvenirs, much to my delight.
It was then that I heard the music box, faint at first, but it was a familiar tune.
What was it? Ah, yes, my fair lady.
"Build 'em up with silver and gold, silver and gold, silver and gold, build 'em up with silver and gold, my fair lady..."
A strange man approached me, horribly dressed, and his hair a shocking red-orange and spiked quite horribly (much to my distaste, and just to check, I reached up and touched my always perfectly tousled hair); he was holding a blue crank music box, singing ominously in the crowd.
However, it was like the others could not see or hear him. I looked away and back again to make sure that I wasn't imagining him.
Not that I often imagined things. It was merely a precaution.
The man did not stop walking towards me until he was practically in my face, which then I took a step back to restore some distance.
"We've waited for you. We knew you'd come." he began humming the tune, still cranking the music box, its clanky music piercing my ears.
"I'm sorry sir, do I know you?" I replied, already knowing the answer.
"No, but we know you." He grinned rather oddly, like he was made of wood, quite puppet like in features. "Your lonely. Always alone, destined to be-"
I cut him off, holding up my hand "Thank you, but I don't need the reminder."
"To be with someone." He finished like I hadn't interrupted in the first place. It was rather annoying.
"And what, may i ask, makes you say so?"
"The card," He pulled a playing card from the music box, it falling slowly onto the blue top of the music box. I might be insane, but I would've sworn it glowed purple.
"Do you believe in the red string of fate?" The puppet-like man spoke again, and began cranking the music box.
Build 'em up with silver and gold... silver and gold...
"Why should I? It's just a fairy tale. Made by some desperate people who believe in true love. It's all quite foolish."
"This card," He held it out to me, and the purple glow remained, "Will lead you to the one who is tied to the red string." He pushed it to my chest, and it felt warm even through my jacket. How very strange.
"The one is near. Wait, watch, listen." And the man disappeared, but the music remained.
Build em up with silver and gold silver and gold, silver and gold, Build em up with silver and gold, my fair lady...
I must admit, I was a bit... nervous... about this encounter, but never the less, curious. I looked down at the card in my hand.
It was an ace card.
As i stared at it, something else became apparent.
A thin line was appearing of of my littlest finger. At first, it was black, almost colorless, just a faint presence...
Then however, suddenly it turned a shocking scarlet.
Could this possibly be... the red string of fate? No, there was no way. Yet here it was, inevitable. I watched it, and it tugged slightly. Like someone was toying with the other end.
Could there honestly be someone there? I had always thought my red string had been cut, or otherwise, led to no where... Yet, most definitely, some one, or rather, something, was there.
I decided right then, that I would get to the bottom of this. Perhaps it was just the puppet-man playing a trick on me.
But, if this person did really exist, what could this person possibly be like?
I desired to find out.
Then again, how far could this person be? Miles? Oceans? Planets? I pondered this as I moved through the crowd, following the string as it appeared before me. It was leading me right to the centre of the circus, to the overly large performance tent.
I stepped in, and the string tugged again, arching upwards for the tent's top. My eyes followed it skyward.
There, above the crowd, agile and strong, swinging for ribbons, the spectators eyeing him nervously but in awe...
Was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. A boy, no older than twenty, his cat like body moving with ease in the air, no harness or wires to hold them there.
But, he was a man, was he not? I had never once been with a man, not to say that I hadn't thought about it before. Was the red string playing a trick on me?
The pounding of my heart told me it was not.
A strange look crossed the boy's face, one I recognized quite easily, mirroring the look I often had on my own face. Then like slow motion...
He let go.
And fell downward, to the fast rising ground.