Chapter 2

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Came a voice from the entrance of the tent. Barnum was standing at the entrance of the ring, trying to take in the situation. The commotion stopped and everyone was looking towards him, Anne sobbing in the hands of her capturer.
"Mr Barnum, I assume. Mr Anthony Darwin." The man walked over to Barnum and held out his hand. Barnum eyed him suspiciously and folded his arms over.
"What on earth do you think you are doing to my performers? Please leave these premises and take your group of thugs with you before I have to call the police in." Barnum waved his hand over to the other performers and the group of men that was holding them down. Lettie and Constantine had ran out to come and get him and were now filling in the rest of the group.
"Well Mr Barnum, please do call the police. You see, you have something that belongs to me. Actually, you have two things that belong to me although I am happy to leave with just one of them." The man smirked again and pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket.
"This piece of paper proves that I have the legal rights to two slaves you are occupying here at your circus. Anne Marie Wheeler and Walter David Wheeler belong to me. I paid good money for them a few years back and they are my property. Now I understand that they have misled you in that they allowed you to think they were free and able to be employed, but that was not so. They ran away three years ago and are legally mine to take back. They will of course be punished for running away from their master but I have to ask you to hand them over."
Philip dropped his hands that were a moment ago struggling against a monster of a man and stared at the piece of paper that was being passed between Mr Darwin and Barnum. Anne and WD were slaves… They were owned… His Anne was owned by that horrible man. He turned towards Anne who had gone completely limp in her capturers arms, tears sliding down her face silently. WD was still struggling but his eyes were diverted to the ground, too ashamed to look his friends in the eye.
Mr Barnum read over the paper and nodded grimly "I see… It looks like everything is in order with these papers. You paid $1000 for each of them 6 years ago? That is quite the sum of money for a slave…"
Mr Darwin chuckled slightly "Yes, let's say one of them had caught my eye. I would have only taken one, but they were sold as a pair. But no matter, I had the money. However, I have missed out on my property for three years and would like it back now that I found them. I understand it will be an inconvenience for you to lose your aerial act so I am happy to allow you to keep the male. I have, and never had, use for him anyway… if you know what I mean." The way he looked at Anne nearly made Philip throw up. It was clear to everyone what that man had bought Anne and WD for.
Barnum sighed and looked over at his group "I'm sorry, Anne… WD…" With those words he turned around and walked back towards the trailers that were behind the tent. Philip gave out an animalistic scream and started struggling again. They were going to take his Anne away. They were going to take her away and do god knows what to her. But there was no way he could fight off the attackers. More man had joined the group just after Barnum had arrived and two were holding down Philip, while one man was pulling Anne towards the entrance of the tent and another three were struggling to hold down a fighting and screaming WD. Mr Darwin was nearly out of the tent, happy that this had gone so quickly, when he was called back by a hurried Mr Barnum who had re-entered the tent, followed by some of the other circus members.
"Mr Darwin, I know you want to take Anne and WD with you immediately but I would like you to consider this offer I have to make." He held up a little suitcase and opened the lid. Inside were piles of money, neatly stacked. Darwin came to a stop and backtracked to look at the money.
"This is $6000. $3000 for each of them. You paid $1000 back then so I believe this is acceptable compensation for your trouble how coming here and leaving without what you came for. You said so yourself… you have no use for WD, and that he can stay here. So technically you can see it as $3000 for each or $6000 for the girl. It is up to you. But if I was you, I would take the offer. You don't want this little situation to be in the newspaper tomorrow. And believe me, everyone would find it quite interesting that a man of your calibre would refuse this amount of money for a dirty slave… some might think you were in love with a spook. Now that would hurt your reputation." Barnum held the suitcase closer for the man to inspect.
Darwin frowned and looked Barnum in the eyes "No one would believe such a story. I am of high society and no one would believe that I am in love with the coloured."
Barnum laughed "If it's in the paper it's true. Everyone knows that. And I have some contacts at one of our newspapers, who has contacts at other newspapers across the states. I believe you are from the south Mr Darwin? I'm sure my friend at the papers has someone down there as well that would be happy to hear my version of the story, or Mr Carlyle's. You do know that the Carlyle family is one of the most respected in New York, right?"
Mr Darwin frowned and considered the other man's words. He hesitated. His reputation was everything for him. He looked at Barnum and sighed.
"Well, Mr Barnum. This a good offer indeed. Much more than I paid for them in the first place. I guess I can find another slave that sparks my interest when I am back home. This one is not worth all the trouble. Where shall we go to discuss the details and get the paperwork drawn up for?"
Barnum gave the man a bright smile "Once your men have let my performers go and left the premises, I am happy to take you back to my office and we shall see to the formalities."
Darwin nodded towards the group of men that had come with him and they instantly let Anne, WD and Philip go. The men threw them hatefully to the ground and Philip was up instantly, sliding to a stop at Anne's side. The woman was laying on the ground shaking and still sobbing quietly. When Philip tried to reach for her and draw her into a hug, Anne recoiled and pushed him away whimpering. WD was a few meters away, Lettie and Constantine having gone over to him to help him up. WD pushed their hands away and crawled his way over to his sister, not even bothering to get up. He reached Anne and grabbed her hand, pulling her up into a hug. Anne clung to WD, her breath coming out in short puffs.
"Anne, it's ok. They are gone. We are save now. Nobody is going to take us away anymore. You have to breath. You are hyperventilating. Here, follow my breathing."
WD pressed her against his chest, allowing the girl to feel his heartbeat, trying to get her to slow down her breathing. The rest of the crew was watching from a little distance. Philip had a heartbroken look in his eyes but was aware that at this time Anne needed her brother. WDs focus was all on Anne and eventually the girl's breathing slowed down until she was barely awake anymore.
WD looked up and made eye contact with Philip "Carlyle, could you take her to her trailer please? I know you'll keep her save."
Philip nodded and bent down next to the nearly asleep girl. He drew her into his arm and lifted her up easily. WD watched the two as Philip made his way towards the trailers with the sleeping girl. His shoulders sagged in relief and suddenly all the energy drained out of the man. He tried standing but his legs started giving out from under him, resulting in Constantine and one of the other performers having to support him.
"I'm fine… Just exhausted. I think I might retreat to my trailer for a while…" The others nodded at him and helped him towards his room, sharing a look between each other.
Once inside, WD fell onto his bed and he wept silent tears. Tears for his sister…tears for himself. Tears for this messed up world that allowed people to be owned. Tears for the horrible things that had happened to Anne while they were enslaved by Darwin and in his grip. And those thoughts, WD cried himself to sleep, unaware of the rest of the crew who had given him his privacy after helping him to his trailer.

To be continued...