The Impossible
"Ladies and gentleman!" Theo screamed to his imagined crowd. "Presenting… Theo! The trapeze-flying boy wonder!", he waved his hands enthusiastically in the air, soaking in all the wild cheer from his adoring fans. Gia jumped around Theo in excitement, cheering on her shining star. "Yaaay Theo!", she screamed excitedly, playing her role as an audience member. "And there he goes!" Theo began jumping around the tent, imitating the movements he saw the trapeze artists perform countless times. "The triple-flip roll with a double leap, and … " As the baby jaguar watched Theo, she saw in him a whole new world. A world of excitement and wonder. A world filled with passion and discovery. A world where the impossible could happen. She was entranced by such beauty.
Ever since Theo first saw the trapeze artists perform, he wanted to be just liked them. He could feel the air brush past his skin as he imagined himself flying through the air. Each movement so delicate, graceful, and precise, it was the expression of the soul. His eyes flared with spirit, his palms slightly sweaty. He could feel butterflies in his stomach. He was going to do it! He was going to be the greatest trapeze artist in the world! It was his passion. It was his dream.
"Uncle Zaragoza?" Theo knocked on his office door. "Come in Theo," Zacarias replied as he filled out some paperwork. "Uncle, I want to join the trapeze team," Theo admitted truthfully, his heart beating at how his uncle would react. "Absolutely not." Theo was devastated. His breathing began to quicken. "Wh-But why?" the boy asked in bewilderment. This was his dream! How could his uncle take it away from him? "You are much too young to be performing such dangerous routines. You could get hurt or even worse, killed! Zacarias said seriously. Theo began to tremble. His head laid low. "But this is my dream." Theo said shakily, his spirit diminished. Zacarias didn't like doing this to the boy, but what other choice did he have? He knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Theo, you have to understand. Your mother trusted me with your life. I can't let her down by letting you recklessly prance around up there. This is not a game. The trapeze artists are risking their lives every time they perform. They train hard everyday. They follow strict rules. You're body is too weak to handle such harsh conditions. It is impossible." The boy began to cry. "It was always impossible," Theo said shakily, looking at his uncle with big, tearful eyes. "That's why the people loved it."
It was quiet in the animal tent. Their spirits lowered at the sight of him. Theo held Gia closely as he cried. His heart was broken. Gia nuzzled him, trying her best to comfort the sobbing child. She hated when she saw him like this. Even Vitaly's heart began to sink a little, seeing the boy the way he was. He was always so cheerful. Zacarias sat back on his chair. He was not happy. He knew full well that he shouldn't let the boy train, but at the same time, something felt off. When he looked into Theo's eyes, he saw something that faded from his own a long time ago. He saw passion and determination. He saw a spark that would ignite and transcend him past his limitations. He saw the makings of greatness in him. Zacarias sighed deeply. "I'm going to hate myself for this." Gia licked Theo's cheek in an attempt to make him smile. Theo sniffled, smiling weakly at the cub. Zacarias came barging into the tent; a stern look was on his face. "Training starts tomorrow. If I find out you're not taking it seriously, I will immediately pull you out. Am I clear?" Theo lighted up. He couldn't believe it! He was getting his chance! "I won't let you down uncle!" Theo said happily, wiping the tears from his face. "You better not", Zacarias replied seriously, leaving the tent. As Zacarias walked away, he could hear Theo's screams of excitement. "I'm going to be a trapeze artist! I'm going to be a trapeze artist!" Theo grabbed Gia's front paws as he started dancing around in circles. She growled excitedly that her little Theo was back to his cheerful self again. This, Zacarias felt, was by far one of the dumbest decisions he had ever made in his life. He couldn't help, but smile. "Your boy is really something else", he whispered, looking up into the sky.
The next day, Theo skipped his way to the trapeze team. There were only four members, Isabella, Vladimir, Anya, and Mathias. Despite being at circus for almost a year now, he never really got to know them. They were always training and doing grown up things that Theo wasn't allowed to know about. To be honest, he thought it was kind of unfair. "So", Isabella began as she approached the child. "You want to be a trapeze artist no?" she asked with her Russian accent. "Mhmm, I wanna do the triple-flip roll with a double leap!", Theo nodded cheerfully in response. "Woah there little man", Isabella said in mild surprise. "That it was one the most difficult solo routines one can do. You have to work hard if you want to be at that level. You think you can do it?" Isabella asked playfully, trying to raise the boy's spirit. "You bet I can!" Theo replied energetically. "Well then, let's get to it!"
Months passed as Theo trained with the trapeze team. Uncle Zaragoza was right. This was no walk in the park. Theo had to wake up at six in the morning everyday to run laps around the tents. To build strength, he had to carry a lot more of the crates and supplies every time the circus packed up to leave for their next performance. As tired as he was, he didn't care. He knew that every sweat he broke, every pain he felt, brought him closer to his dream. Every time he saw Vladimir or Mathias lift more crates than he did, he would push himself harder, trying to carry as much weight as them. Whenever Isabella or Anya were ahead of him in their morning runs, he would run faster, trying to catch up. Out of all his training, he always looked forward to practicing the actual trapeze routines the most. He remembered the first time he had ever done it.
"Now are you sure you are ready?" Isabella asked seriously. "Yes ma'am, I am!" Theo replied confidently, gripping tightly on the metal bar. In truth, he was really nervous. His palms were drenched with sweat. Thank goodness he powdered them or else the bar would've slipped right through his fingers. "Now, remember what we taught you", Isabella began. "Focus on your timing. Relax your hands. Zone out all outside distractions." Theo focused his eyes intently on the bar held by Anya on the opposite platform. He nodded in understanding. "Now get ready…" Isabella warned, signaling Anya to let go of the swinging metal bar. "Now!" Isabella screamed. Theo leaped into the air. Time started to move slowly as his body soared high up in the tent. He was doing it. He was doing it! It felt exactly like he dreamed! The butterflies…The air brushing over his skin…The freedom..."Theo! Grab the other bar!" Isabella screamed. Theo snapped out of his trance. Crap! He got too distracted. He released the swinging bar, using the momentum of his body to propel him forward to the one released by Anya. He reached out to grab it. He was just about to touch it. Fear began gripping his heart as the bar started to move away. He was falling. What felt like a beautiful dream turned into a nightmare as gravity began pulling his body to the ground. Theo was swinging his arms wildly as his body dropped to the Earth. He closed his eyes. He was terrified. Something began wrapping itself around him. It was warm. It was comforting. Theo opened his eyes. It was Isabella! She had jumped in after him to protect his fall. As the two plummeted to the Earth, the safety net placed over the ground began to sink as their weight impacted its protective ropes. The elastic ropes began propelling them upwards as it tried to reach its equilibrium. They were bouncing on it like a trampoline. "Not bad for a first try", Isabella said kindly. Vitaly watching from the side as he practiced his hoop routine. He couldn't help, but have a little respect for Theo. He had worked so hard. The little guy really believed he could do the impossible.
As time went by, Theo began to grow. It had been two years since he started his training. He became stronger, faster, and a lot more flexible. He was now performing as part of the trapeze act, playing minor roles in their routine. Theo was having the time of his life. His dream was coming true. But no matter how much time he spent training with the trapeze team, he always made room for his caretaker duties. The animals were irreplaceable to him. After their last performance in the famous Flavian Amphitheatre in Rome, he quickly began his garbage collecting duties in the empty stadium. "So much food…" he whispered to himself, looking over the stands. Like always, he'd walk into the animal tent with a large bag of treats. As he gave each animal their share, he would always give them extra attention as an extra, extra reward for their good performance. For the horse triplets, he would give each of them their apple and fair share of nuzzles. With the elephants, he would give them their peanuts and use a bristle broom to scratch their sides. With the dogs, he gave them their doggie treats and expected belly rubs. Over time, Theo started to think the animals cared more about the massages than the food! Theo looked around as he searched for a particular animal. "Every time…" he thought to himself. As he began to walk away, he quickly flipped around, expecting to see the young jaguar bolting out of her hiding spot. But nothing was there. "Hmm" Theo hummed to himself as he started to turn back. Before he had time to react, a yellow blur came soaring straight at him through the air. The wind got knocked out of him as he fell to the ground. As he wearily opened his eyes, he could hear Gia purring as she affectionately nuzzled his neck. "You're getting too big for this", Theo groaned, his consciousness slowly returning. Gia had grown from a cub to a beautiful jaguar. Her spots were shaped like flowers. The palms of her paws were shaped like hearts. As Theo raised himself to a sitting position, Gia took her normal spot on his lap. Theo sighed as he started rubbing her head. "You are impossible", he whispered affectionately.
Everything was exactly like as it was when Theo first came to the circus, with the exception of Vitaly. The tough guy was finally starting to warm up to him! The trapeze team would always make Borscht for their meals in between training sessions. And since Vitaly was always on the ground level training for his hoop routine, Theo thought it would be nice if he got him a bowl as well. Vitaly sniffed the soup cautiously at first, but when he tried small spoonful, he was hooked! Every time the trapeze team was on break, Theo would bring two bowls of Borscht so him and Vitaly could eat together. It eventually got to the point where after they were done their meals, they would do a little bit of roughhousing to shake off the stress of training. Gia started to get a little jealous that Theo began spending more time with Vitaly than with her. When Theo tried to pet her, she would simply ignore him and walk away, sticking her nose in the air. Of course, all that changed when he gave her his most cherished possession.
"Gia" Theo called; a smile was on his face. Gia made sure that Theo was able to see her clearly, but turned her back on him to show her displeasure. "C'mon Gia. It's not my fault we don't play as much as we use to. I have training to do," Theo tried to explain. "Hmph!" Gia retorted, sticking her nose in the air. She was still not happy. "Oh come on…I have a surprise for you", Theo said playfully, giving her silly smile. She didn't want it. She was still mad at Theo for neglecting her over the past few weeks. "Close your eyes", Theo said persistently, hoping the stubborn jaguar would do this small little favor. "Fine", Gia, said rolling her eyes. As she closed them, her brows furrowed to show she was still upset. She felt something light wrap around her neck. A small plate-like object was lightly pressing against her chest. As she opened her eyes, all the anger melted away. Around her neck was a beautiful blue necklace. On the front was a beautiful pattern of flowers arranged in a triangular shape. In their centers were small patterns of red and green. The necklace shimmered as it reflected off the light. Gia didn't know what to say. It was beautiful. "It was my mothers", Theo said gently. Gia looked at Theo with concern. She knew that it was the death of his parents that led him to stay with the circus. "Out of all the animals, out of all the people, you will always be my favorite", Theo said sincerely, gently poking a finger at her chest. Tears began to form in her eyes. She moved towards Theo, quietly placing her head on his lap. She just wanted to be with him again. Theo began scratching her head the way he used to. "You better not tell the other animals about this."
The next performance was being held in a place all too familiar to Theo. Paris. "Are you sure you're okay performing here?" Isabella asked worriedly. Theo was still very young and performing at the place where his family died would be a very vulnerable moment for him. "I'm fine. And anyways, I have my solo act to do. Remember?" Theo replied calmly. People from the audience were always shocked when they saw Theo up on the higher platform. For such a young boy to be doing trapeze, it was astounding! As the trapeze team polished their routines, they thought it would be best to give Theo a solo act in the beginning. Not only would it better engage the audience, it would do wonders for his self-esteem. "Well okay. If you ever want to back out, just let me know. Kay?" Isabella asked nicely. Over the time they spent together, Theo really grew on her. Never had she seen such a little guy work so hard for his dream. She genuinely wished the best for him. "Okay", Theo replied, smiling at his leader.
Unbeknownst to his trapeze team, Theo had other plans in mind than his standard solo act. He was going to do it. He was going to do the triple-flip roll with a double leap! Of course, he kept this a secret to himself. No one understood how much this meant to him. He wanted to prove himself to the world. He wanted to prove he could do the impossible. After lights out, he would always sneak back into the main tent to practice. Countless times he fell from midair as he attempted to perform the advanced routine. Countless times he felt the grip from the net pull him away from death. But with every attempt, he moved closer to his goal. With every leap, every breathe, he drew closer. It was only a matter of time before he had made it. But something was wrong. As a the performance drew closer, he began to have nightmares. Visions of that faithful day kept repeating itself as he sat helplessly in the backseat. He would wake up in cold sweat and in tears. It was a memory most painful to endure. As he began practicing for his secret routine late in the night, he began to feel himself slipping. He could not perform the routine as flawlessly as he did before. The more he kept trying, the more he felt the bar slip away from his fingers as he plummeted to the ground. Unbeknownst to him, Stefano and the other animals would watch him practice silently in the night. They were afraid.
The day of the performance had arrived. Everyone was getting ready for their part. Theo was powdering his hands in preparation. "Hey little man, you ready?" Mathias asked cheerfully, gently nudging his shoulder. "Yeah", Theo replied politely. Mathias took a knee until they were both at eye level with one another. "Just remember Theo. We're all in this together. Whatever happens, we'll be behind you every step of the way", Mathias said encouragingly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks", Theo replied, smiling. He was lucky to have such wonderful friends.
"Ladies and Gentleman!" Zacarias began, entering the center of the stage. "May I with great pleasure introduce you to the youngest member of our team. No older than nine years old, may I present to you…THE ONE...THE ONLY...THEO DU SOLEIL! THE TRAPEZE BOY WONDER!" The crowds gasped when they heard his age. As they looked up into the sky, they saw a little boy standing on one of the platforms. "Oh my gosh! He's so tiny!" a woman cried. "Can he really do trapeze?" another man questioned suspiciously. A small group of children were cheering wildly. "Wow! Guys look! It's Theo!" a boy screamed with excitement. The other children squinted as they began to recognize the boy they went to school with. "Wow! It is Theo!" a little girl shouted, her hands covered her mouth in surprise. The entire crowd began to cheer, excited to see what the little guy could do. The lights began to dim. The spotlight was on Theo. Two metal bars hung in front of him, one farther than the first.
"This was it", he thought to himself. The triple-flip roll with a double leap. He began. He leapt into the air, his form was flawless as he grabbed the first bar. The animals watched on the side. Stefano was shaking. Theo began to pick up speed. His heart was racing. "Something's wrong", Isabella began to speak, her eyes locked on Theo's movements. Theo was getting into position. Stefano began to prey, "Mamma mia, Santa Maria, Santa Maria..." "Oh no", Isabella's eyes widened in shock. Higher and higher Theo swung, his focus sharpened. "He's performing the triple-flip roll with a double leap!" Isabella cried, pointing to the sky. The team looked up wide eyed in fear. Theo could feel it. His parents were watching him in the crowd. His focus intensified as his love for them gripped his heart. "Mama Maria, mia Santa, Santa Mia Farrow…" Theo's eyes intensified. Now! He released the bar, propelling himself high into the air. All eyes were on him. Time seemed to slow as he formed himself into a ball. Gia's heart began to race. The crowds watched awe-struck as the boy summersaulted in the air. One. Theo closed his eyes. The memory of that faithful day began to replay. Two. "Don't worry honey, we're almost ho-" He could see his parents. He loved them so much. Three. "Baby Look out! LOOK OUT!-" NOW! Theo released himself from his confined form and began reaching for the bar. Vitaly gripped his paws. "Come on. You got it." Everyone's eye's widened in suspense. Theo's vision began to narrow. His heartbeat was all that could be heard. The bar was all he could see. His arms fully extended as he reached for his dream. For his passion. It was his again. His hands gripped the bar tightly as he began to swing.
The crowd exploded with cheer! The animals jumped around wildly! He did it! He did it! "I can't believe the idiot actually did it!" Isabella squealed with joy, clasping her hands. As Theo made it to the other platform, the whole crowd was screaming his name. "THEO! THEO! THEO!" Uncle Zaragoza had a hand over his heart. "Thank God", he breathed. Theo looked over the happy crowd. Everyone was applauding him. He puffed out his chest with pride as he bowed to the audience. Vitaly's eyes gleamed. Theo was really something special. They said he could never do it. They said it was impossible. But he did it. He did the impossible.