A.N:
I dont go on this website often enough to read reviews, but they are still appreciated.
This story probably wont be my best, i wrote it 2 years ago for my tutor (it was part of my work).
I tried to polish it up so i hope it is okay.
|| Welcome to the Hetalian Circus, ||
|| Meet unique beings from across the globe! ||
|| Please do not feed the attractions. ||
In a world where humanity is lost and personal space doesn't exist, there is a smaller world that floats high above the above the lost and deserted world below. It is held up by generators and large fans, fans bigger than a county.
In that world, there is a town and in that town, there is a famous circus known for its 'Freaks'.
Inside the tent were about one hundred people, waiting in pure silence for the show to start. They waited. And waited. Until finally a small curtain on the opposite side of the large tent opened to reveal the Ringleader. He was tall, had broad shoulders and a horribly evil-looking face. Perfect for a villain, really. How cliché.
The man coughed into his fist once, twice- three times, before starting to talk with a loud, booming voice that shook the tent.
"Welcome everyone, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls..." The Ringleader gave a dark chuckle before continuing, "To the Hetalian Circus!" His voice was loud and slightly echoing in the large expanse of the tent as everyone was quiet, not a single sound to be heard from the audience. Inside the tent and in the middle of the ring, stood four cloaked cages. Well, one was a tank but a cage nonetheless.
The tent was full and brimming with people, people who wanted to laugh and provoke the 'Freaks'. Only a few mere seconds after the ringleader introduced them, he walked over to the cage on the far left. It had a large sign hanging over the cloak the hid the person inside.
'STRANGE TWIN.
ALFRED THE WOLF-BOY.
BEWARE.'
The ringleader carefully took off the sign and ripped off the cloak to reveal a tall person inside. Inside cage 1 was a blonde haired, blue eyed boy. He was only in a pair of tattered shorts and red, dirty trainers. A long brown tail swished behind him and two ears stuck up at the top of his head. He was also wearing a red collar, provided by the circus of course, which had a chain that was leading behind him to be attached at the back of his cage. He couldn't leave even if he tried.
The boy's hands were grasping the bars tightly -all the better to hold you with, my dear- and his eyes were glowering -all the better to see you with, my dear- his nose scrunched up in what could be pain but probably anger -all the better to smell you with, my dear.
And his teeth, oh so big and sharp, were showing as he growled softly at the audience.
All the better to eat you with, my dear.
Alfred even had a mettle, slightly rusted, muzzle around his mouth and nose because the performers thought he might attack them! But he would never do such a thing! As long as they didn't go near him. Or provoke him- L-Like they did on a daily basis, but it was their fault that he attacked! Theirs! The boy was snarling, showing sharp canine teeth. As the crowd cheered, it only angered him more.
The boy was definitely a 'Freak'. The long tail and the ears protruding out of the top of his head said it all.
Only a few seconds went by before the crowd was cheering to see the next 'Freak'. The cloak on cage number 2 had a sign on it just like the last.
'ARTHUR THE SNAKE-BOY.
VENOMOUS.
BEWARE.'
The cloak was pulled away to show a small, green eyed boy. He had short, shaggy blonde hair, sticking up at every angle. On his shoulders and a small part on the side of his face were green scales. Shiny, and glimmering in the bright light that was set on his cage. Instead of legs, he had a long green tail, he was a naga. Something known as half human-half snake.
His torso was human and he had no legs, the tail that could be wrapped around him twice was piled around him inside the small cage. It was mildly uncomfortable but he was not aloud to complain. His teeth were sharp, sharper than any knife, and his sense of smell was incredible- was. But he isnt aloud to complain about losing certain things.
He isn't aloud to complain.
As his angered eyes looked out into the audience, he tsked. What stupid creatures. He could eat them whole if he wanted too. But humans tasted as horrible as they sounded.
Surely he was a freak? It was obvious wasn't it? He was half snake! He had to be! These were the words of the crowd trying to reassure themselves. To avoid the roars, shocked gasps and shouting of the crowd, he tried to curl into himself but it just didn't work. He just became angrier and angrier until he got to the point of any remaining sense snapped.
Arthur lunged at the bars of the cage, his small hands wrapping around them tightly. He opened his mouth wide, showing his white and very sharp fangs -was that even a bit of venom leaking that they could see?-, to hiss loudly. His bright green eyes practically glowing in the darkness of the tent. A performer whacked the cage to force Arthur away from the bars.
The third and fourth cloaks were ripped free. One to show a tank full of water and yet another cage. Both had signs on them just like the last two. The first sign on the cage said:
'FRANCIS,
FRENCH/EGYPTIAN MUMMY.
DANGEROUS- CAN CURSE.
BEWARE.'
In the cage was another tall, blue eyed boy with bandages covering his lithe body. Besides his face where you could only see his nose and his eyes, his entire body was covered in the tattered bandages. Even his mouth was covered, it was a miracle that he was still alive. Every second that Francis would move, the bandages would shift slightly. Sometimes gaps would open up and sand would pour out. Sand? From where, people would ask constantly. But no one knew.
People were unable to get close enough to him to see, to remove the bandages and find out what lie beneath- the only thing that should be underneath would be a body. But no one got close enough and lived to find out.
When he was found, the people who had found him had thought that maybe he was sick, maybe ill. But no, under those dirty, old bandages were just bones, dust and sand. He had been found in a pyramid in Egypt, but apparently he had come from France. No one knows anything else. It all sounds so ridiculous, someone had shouted aloud when he was found, a mummy? From Egypt? That is also from France? Lies! But when the young boy spoke in perfect French, they had no other explanation.
Last but not least was the tank. The sign had said:
'STRANGE TWIN.
MATTHEW THE FISH-BOY.
DANGEROUS.
BEWARE.'
The young boy looked a lot like the first, in fact, the two boys were 'the strange twins'. They were very popular in the circus actually. They were twins but only their facial features looked the same. A wolf-boy and a fish-boy that were twins? It sounds far too ridiculous to be true but anyone who looked at the two could easily tell that the two were related.
The blonde boy stood in the tank of cold water -freezing water- his hair flowing around as the water would move. There were gills on the side of his neck, if you looked carefully, you could see them move as he breathed. His hands and feet were webbed, making it easier for him to move about, but they didn't matter anymore as he had no need for them. He would now spend his life in the tank, not aloud to leave, not aloud to ask for warm water, not aloud to complain.
These four boys hated this life, being put on show for the people that lived below, (or as Matthew would call them, "Land Dwellers") and being moved around from town to town without their consent. It was horrible. And it was all about to change.
