To truly witness a sight one has to see to believe you must first start on Washington Avenue. A street that is almost completely abandoned that runs in a straight line. You will start by walking straight, no turning. Just keep walking, eventually the road ends at a field of grass. Keep walking, eventually you will find a road of dirt, unused for many moons. Walk down the path, making sure to shuffle your feet and hide your tracks from time to time. This fact is for your own protection. Eventually you will start to hear music, a distorted tune of that average circus theme. Walk towards it, let the music draw you closer. Eventually you will find a large arch of a sign, probably once vibrantly colored now faded with age. The wood has obviously rotted, however if you look close enough you will see the words "Freak Show.". You are exactly where you are supposed to be. Walk into this place and you will notice that most of the cages are empty. Stop at the first cage, and start counting each one as you pass it. The 6th one down you will find has something inside. Do not shake or jostle the cage if it is asleep, you do not want to frighten it. You will see that is has en-cloaked itself within a filthy brown-
The silver haired man was just in the middle of a sentence. Reading a very intriguing newspaper article about a newly discovered piece of history, when the wind had picked up and ripped the paper from his hands. "Son of a bitch." He began to walk, listening to the crunch of autumn leaves beneath his boots. His name, Usami Akihiko hangs from a tag on his brief case. Akihiko continues to walk, with no particular destination. Only the calm coolness of fall can calm his nerves at this point. He grips a band on his left ring finger and grimaces. He continues to walk and stumbles upon a man begging in the streets. His hair greasy and beard unshaven for years. Managing a smile Akihiko pulls the ring from his finger and drops it into the mans cup. "That's real platinum." He continued to walk, stepping on every crunchy leaf he could. This is what he liked most about autumn. Aside from no obnoxious kids every waking hour and the calming cool air, the crunch of leaves was his favorite part of the season.
He could remember in his childhood that none of the other times of the year treated him as well. Winter was the time wear he spent weeks in bed, ailing from the slightest colds to the flu. As well as everything in between. Spring was the time his allergies ran rampant, where his parents would force him to take hand fulls of pills. The only thing that they managed to do was cause drowsiness so extreme he could remember clear points in his past where he fell asleep Monday afternoon and woke up Thursday morning. Summer was the worst in his opinion, spending mindless days at the beach only to end up sun-burnt to the point of bleaching. Being forced to explore the forest outside his home, only to come home covered in bug bites and poison ivy. There was one time he went into the forest because he wanted to, he saw an old beehive that he assumed was dead. Not thinking of the circumstances he ran over and kicked it, causing a large swarm of bees to fly out and attack him.
Akihiko groaned, and continued to walk eventually he came across the last person he ever wanted to see. A tall man, thin yet muscular, his short black hair tapered in the back, his bangs hanging unevenly over his glasses. A young woman attached to his arm. He chewed his lip awkwardly as the man turned around and waved at him. "Akihiko! I hope you don't mind but I went to your place earlier and got the rest of my stuff!" He was shouting to make sure everyone heard him, to make sure everyone knew that they were no longer together. The silver haired man could feel his stomach twist and knot up, the discomfort and embarrassment becoming too much for him. The woman wrapped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him, purposely making loud slurping noises in order to drive Akihiko away.
He grunted and pushed them to the side, walking briskly across the street only wanting to be as far away as possible from those two. "So long, Takahiro." The man tried his best to hold back his tears, all of his misery had started about two months ago. He had just proposed to Takahiro, and they had agreed to get married June 22nd which was just one week away. He had bought the man an engagement ring, gold embedded with real sapphire and of course the white suits he had bought both of them. Making sure that they were perfectly sized and of course the color of them both were white with black accents.
Their break up happened in the worst way possible. Akihiko had just come home, he remembered wanting to do something romantic for Takahiro. So he managed to get away from work early, and stopped at a romantic store. Grabbing a large box of chocolates, and a bouquet of red roses along with a couple more items that should not be mentioned in polite company. He had walked into the house when he had heard the noises, womanly and manly moans coming from his and Takahiro's bedroom. His heart froze as he opened the door, only to find Takahiro and a woman tangled together in a passionate and intimate dance. The rest was history, Akihiko asking why, Takahiro saying he was leaving him, and finally Akihiko throwing him out. Throwing a tantrum throughout most of the night smashing anything he could get his hands on.
When his mind had returned from the past Akihiko realized that he was in a new area of the town he lived in. The street was basically abandoned, the green sign rusted on the edges, hanging at an awkward angle. "Washington avenue.." Usami read it aloud, and began to remember the news article from earlier. To truly witness a sight one has to see to believe you must first start on Washington Avenue. As though he were hypnotized the man began to walk straight down the road, eventually coming to a stop where the street ended abruptly at a field of grass, uncut for what seemed like centuries. Keep walking. He did just as he remembered the story had told, tripping on a grass knot before fumbling to his feet and continuing. Akihiko did not know how long he had walked for, or where he was going. One part of the mans mind told him that the news article was nothing but a farce, designed to get young people to read them. Yet he continued to walk, something pulling him further and further away from civilization.
Usami had gotten so used to the grass that it wasn't a surprise that when his feet finally found a more level ground he lost his balance and fell face first into a giant pile of dirt. Eventually you will find a road of dirt, unused for many moons. Walk down the path, making sure to shuffle your feet and hide your tracks. Still feeling that compelling force pulling him in, Akihiko began to walk, shuffling his feet in multiple directions. Like a child, who was unwillingly being dragged to buy school clothes for the next year. He started to hear it, the sound of drums, and trumpets. Or at least he thought that was what he heard. You will start to hear music, a distorted tune of that average circus theme. The music grew louder as he continued to walk, cymbals, keyboards, flutes, and saxophones now joining in.
The music was creepy, yet hypnotizing. Almost like a lullaby that everyone hated to hear, however would put an infant to sleep almost instantly. Usami suddenly stopped at two wooden poles, holding up an arch of a sign. Designed to be some type of door way. Find a large arch of a sign. He stood there in complete awe, as if by walking under this sign he would be within a whole new world, unseen for decades. One foot at a time, Akihiko began to step slowly under the sign, his eyes shut tightly as if something would devour him alive if he didn't.
A gust of wind caused Usami to open his eyes, only to see that nothing had changed. He did not travel back in time, he did not enter a world of spirits, and he also did not become a meal for some type of cannibal. "Now what was so special about this place?" Akihiko was one who believed in destiny, nothing would compel him to visit such a place for no reason. Something was here that he was meant to see, or someone. The made a fist with his right hand and brought it to his mouth, chewing on the knuckle of his index finger for a moment. A habit he had gained as a child, and was never able to get rid of. He was searching his mind for each possible answer when he turned to see a large line of cages.
These cages were meant to hold large animals or humans to be put on display for certain qualities. Akihiko remembered reading about circuses as a child. How the side shows would have Siamese twins, bearded women, babies with two faces, men who could fold themselves up, fire conjurers, and strong men among many others. He walked towards the cages, seeing how in his disappointment they were empty. A small gasp, and animalistic growl caused him to jump. One of the cages was not empty, then one of the last few lines seemed to have slapped him in the face at that moment. Stop at the first cage, and start counting each one as you pass it. The 6th one down you will find has something inside. He began to walk towards the sound, walking past the first cage and going to the second. "2." Akihiko spoke softly and continued to walk. "3." He could hear something shaking the metal bars, attempting to escape his prison. "F-four..." Never in his life had the man been so afraid in his life. Whatever was shaking the cage and making all of those animalistic cries wanted out now. "FIVE!" The man yelled the number at the top of his lungs, trying in a way to convince himself he was dreaming and that this place did not exist. "SIX!"
It happened oh so quickly. The creature had managed to break the cage door from its rusted hinges, and had gotten on top of a terrified Akihiko. It bared its crooked yellow teeth at the man, a face so filthy he could not tell if he was one of the animals, or a wild beast. All he could tell was that its teeth were yellow, and crooked not having been taken proper care of. As well as its eyes were a dull grass green color. The creature snarled when Akihiko attempted to push him off. The mans heart was beating wildly as they were both enveloped into a filthy brown blanket.
The creature had began to sniff him, the blanket releasing a smell so putrid one wondered why it even existed. Then he saw that the blanket had strands and was all connected to the animals head. This was its hair, having grown so long and matted over its entire life this was how its hair had ended up. The creature got off of Akihiko and sighed as it sat back on its hair. Its body so filthy and black the man could not tell whether or not the creature was human still. It moaned and Usami watched as a stream of dark yellow fluid released from its body, soaking into the mats of what was now obviously a males hair.
Usami was still not sure if he just felt adventurous at the moment or if he was truly a mad man. He reached towards him, not 100 percent sure what his species was or why he felt the need to do this. He sniffed his fingers and gave out what seemed to be a cry of happiness. Licking the tips of the mans fingers, then nuzzling his cheek against him. He had won the creatures trust. Akihiko chuckled and shut his eyes, feeling the same pattern go over itself again and again. Lick, then nuzzle, then lick, then nuzzle. When he had opened his eyes they instantly widened. This sort of bonding ritual he was performing had removed much of the dirt from his cheek, revealing pale almost translucent white skin.
Usami gasped and with his clean hand ripped a handkerchief from his pocket. Wetting it slightly with his saliva and scrubbing the creatures face. He screeched and howled as Usami continued to do this. It fought and nipped at Akihiko's arm, attempting to get him to stop. However the scrubbing continued, slowly revealing human skin that had not even glimpsed at sunlight for years. Once finished to the point he could, the man discarded his handkerchief having been torn to shreds and was now to filthy to ever be used by him again. The face of a young man, probably not much older than 17 or 18 stared at him mewling like a kitten. Then it began to crawl towards him, a small filthy hand raised towards him. Once the dirt of one met the cleanliness of the others cheek, the boy began to make scrubbing motions with his fingers. Thinking that this was some type of bonding ritual that they were supposed to do. Usami looked on the ground next to the boys cage and found a metal placard, obviously one of the first things to fall off during his initial escape.
ANIMAL BOY MISAKI!: Abandoned in the forest as an infant, the creature before you was taken in by a mother bear and her cubs. Having been taught the ways of the wild, Misaki has been deemed unfit for society! The cage is for your own protection!
When he first encountered Misaki, of course Akihiko would believe that the cage was for his protection. Looking back to when this moment started the man smiled and realized that was his way of greeting you. "Unfit for society my ass." The boy looked up at him with curious eyes and gently bit his nose. One that animals would use on one another to communicate a playful mood. "Misaki, I think you have become the inspiration for my newest project."
Akihiko found that getting the boy home was surprisingly easy, considering what tonight was. Kids ran around shrieking in costumes as well as adults. Halloween made it so much easier as people thought that Misaki was just dressed up in another silly outfit. The two were now in the living room of Akihiko's apartment, staring off with one another. The silver haired man holding an innocent smile, hiding a large pair of scissors behind his back. He began to walk around slowly, Misaki never taking his eyes off him. The man lunged at Misaki, who bit down on his arm as hard as he could. Giving Akihiko the perfect angle to begin sawing through the thick mass of hair using the scissors.
He continued to saw and snip, while the boy bit down harder and harder. The ordeal was over with a final snip and Akihiko releasing Misaki from his grip. The boys face was covered in Akihiko's blood as well as the mans arm. He looked at the giant pile of hair on the ground. It appeared to be enough to make a whole wardrobe out of, then saw something wriggling out of it. A large black rat came out and looked straight at Akihiko, hissing loudly then running straight for Misaki. No thoughts came in the next few seconds. Usami grabbed a small hand pistol from on top of his highest shelf, the only gun he would ever own and would only own for protection. Then a loud explosion, and the next thing he knew Misaki was poking at and nudging at a bleeding dead rat on the floor.
He wasn't sure what bothered him more, the fact that Misaki had a rat living in his hair. Or the possibility of there being more in that once wild mane of his. Akihiko ran out the door and came back inside with one of his trashcans, making sure it was one with a lid he could padlock and post instructions to be sure the trash collectors would throw the whole thing away. He started by placing the bin on its side, the lid wide open to accept whatever he would give. Misaki made a sound, one obviously of complaint when Usami swept the dead rat, or in the boys mind his new toy. He grimaced as the dead rodent left a trail of blood, which the boy began to happily splash his hands in and made red and brown prints on the walls with.
Once finished Akihiko looked to see his new carpet covered in a trail of bloody foot prints. A trail of small hands leading the way of the path. "God damn it." He quickly sprayed the hard floor with a foaming cleanser as well as the wall. Before closing and locking the trashcan, then ran off following the foot prints. They went, obviously crawling on all fours up the hard wood stairs, and towards the guest bathroom. Misaki stood inside, smearing what was left of the rodents blood on the mirror. Creating what appeared to be a horror movie scene. "Oi Misaki!" Usami spoke calmly yet firmly. "Look at the mess you made!" He grabbed his arm, earning a shriek of fear as he dragged the boy out the door and pointed to the trail. "You don't do that." The boy looked down and whimpered, seeming to be giving his understanding about the situation. His legs were shaking slightly, and Misaki continued to whimper as Akihiko pushed him into the bathroom. "Now you stay here while I take care of the mess you made.*"
He went downstairs and grabbed a towel. Wiping off the foamed cleaner, to reveal a now spotless floor and wall for one room. Then went into the next room and began to scrub heavily. Managing to get all of the stain away from the wall and stairs, and getting enough off of the carpet to make it appear that he either spilled a beverage, or dropped an opened ink cartridge on the floor. Akihiko went back to the bathroom, Misaki sulking in the bath tub a scared look on his face. "What's wrong?" It was now noticeable that his hair was still a bit of the long side, slightly jagged at the ends. "Misaki." He began to walk forward, suddenly feeling something warm squish between the toes of his bare feet. The boy whimpered loudly and sunk lower into the tub. Akihiko looking down to see that he had stepped into a fresh pile of feces.
He shook, in anger and disgust as he hopped towards the toilet. Winding up a large amount of toilet paper on his hand and using it to scrape as much as he could off of his foot and into the toilet. Akihiko picked up the rest with another wad of toilet paper and threw that in as well, flushing it all down. "Stay." He had downgraded his speaking to one worded commands one would use when training their dog. Usami wanted to bring Misaki back into society, unfortunately he did not realize how difficult it would be.
Misaki was now clean, which was surprisingly easy. The boy enjoyed being bathed fairly a lot, of course his placard stated that he was raised by bears. Creatures known for their high skills when it came to fishing. It seemed natural for the boy to have spent a lot of time in the water. Splashing and playing to his hearts content. The brunette sat on the bed, sniffing and pretending to wrestle a certain large teddy with a now uneven pink and white polka-dotted bow. He was wearing a pair of boxers from a pack Usami had bought however was much too lazy to open, as well as an old polo which he had grown much too large for.
Akihiko groaned, the noise of the boy was starting to give him a headache. Then suddenly it stopped. His head snapped to look over at Misaki, only to find that the boy was now on the floor, and had fallen across his bear asleep. "I guess you're taking care of Misaki tonight, Suzuki-san." He smiled at the boy, pulling an extra blanket from his closet and tossing it over him. Before heading to his bed and pulling the blankets over himself, falling into a deep sleep.
I'm not sure what the inspiration for this story was. I think it might have been a mixture of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and this old movie I watched called "Freaks" However that doesn't matter I guess, my muse just wishes for me to write many different stories at once I guess.
* Akihiko does know how to do basic housework. Such as sweeping and mopping, wiping down counters, doing the dishes, etc. It's only the minor details he really needs help with doing.