Author's Note:

Not much to say before this one, just please enjoy and leave a review if you did!


What was all of that about, she asked herself. The rehearsal had gone off without a hitch, but now… All she could see was that man, all she could feel were his powerful eyes on her. She was not frightened of him, per say… if anything, she was more interested.

She was only a young girl, though at the age when most would deem themselves already adults. She had a reason to disregard her childhood, yes, but that didn't make it any less true. The girlish side to her personality was still intact in at least some ways, so she could hardly blame herself for thinking of this handsome stranger.

She hadn't changed out of her suit yet, but it's not like she could have anyway. With a sigh, she considered calling for someone to help her but once again stopped herself. She couldn't let anyone touch her; she hated being helped around all the time enough as it was… Hell, she had gotten herself dressed (mostly) on her own! She could manage, surely.

She had only just gotten started on undoing the tight lacing on her bodice when the door slammed open. She gasped in shock, pulling her blanket up to her chest to cover herself. Nothing was on show anyway, but her privacy had been invaded.

It was only Madeleine, her face painted with a sickly smile as she sauntered on into the caravan, "Mon chéri… your song was beautiful tonight," She held a bottle of something in her hand, probably wine, and two glasses, "You should be very proud."

Clearly making herself at home, she settled the two glasses down on the countertop and started filling them up, "We should celebrate, my dear."

Siren stared at the strange woman, first in confusion then disgust; even she knew that alcohol was not for people her age. She was still a child, she told herself. Strange how children can go from accepting their youth to rejecting it in mere minutes…

Madeleine turned to her, the smile still very much there as she turned, with both glasses in hand. She held one glass out, tilting her head, "For a toast, to the start of your new career, mon chéri."

Siren did nothing, just watched her in silence. That seemed to offend the woman but she didn't lose the smile, turning it into a method of blackmail, "Come on now, wouldn't want this to go to waste. It's a special bottle I've been saving for an equally special occasion!"

Every part of her was telling her no, but she was bought up to be polite. In all situations. Lowering her eyes, she took the glass and looked into it. The liquid was white and strangely cloudy. She may have never had wine before but it never looked like that in movies…

She glanced up at Madeleine, watching her take a drink from hers. Or at least she brought it up to her lips, she barely saw them open. That was weird… But she really didn't know what to think about it.

"Do you like your new home, hm?" Madeleine stood up, turning to look out of the window over her bed, "We're lucky to be here, you know?"

This felt strange, uncomfortably so. This woman had just walked in to have a glass of wine and talk about the land they were settled in? What was this about?

She glanced down at the liquid in her glass once more, swirling it idly. Tiny specs of undissolved powder were settling on the bottom… That wasn't good, she was certain of that.

She looked up in shock, seeing Madeleine still looking out of the window, rambling on about something uninteresting. She glanced to the right, as if searching for a weapon or an escape.

A tall man stared back at her. She almost screamed but covered her mouth, somehow remaining silent. The black man stood there, he wore a skin tight, black and white striped body suit that only made him seem taller. His face… was horrifying in its blankness. His big white eyes stared at her, like the eyes of a dead fish.

His eyes slowly drifted down to the glass and then back up to her. His head moved in slow, long sweeps: left to right, right to left.

A horrible, cold fear spread from her stomach. The man turned his head to look at Madeleine, the woman still unaware of any of this, still nattering on.

"Are you happy being here, mon chéri?" She asked suddenly, turning around but immediately jolted back upon witnessing Siren's appearance, "G-Jesus! Why do you look like that? You've gone whiter than a sheet!" She exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest in shock.

Siren stayed quiet for a few tense moments, her hand eventually leaving her lips to rest shakily at her side, "M-Madame… Did you poison this drink?"

At first Madeleine looked appalled, sputtering out a ramble of false innocence, before it faded into an angered rant, "Wh-Why would you even think that of me?! I have brought you here, I have taken you into my arms, you ungrateful child!"

Siren felt herself tremble, ever so slightly. You'd think after all of the things she had seen, all of the things she had felt, that this would be the least terrifying.

Conjuring up enough courage, she raised her glass as if toasting the madwoman, revealing the ever increasing pile of powder forming at the bottom of her glass, "I don't believe… wine contains powder, Madame."

Madeleine's face, painted with makeup, a failed attempt at reaching beauty, distorted suddenly. She launched forward, her fingers wrapped harshly around the neck of the young girl, squeezing clearly with the intent to kill.

"You horrid little girl!" Her French accent was gone, the sounds of Siren's choking filling the silence between each mad ramble, "You vicious freak! This is why I collect you! This is why I purge you from this world, you vicious little creatures!"

Her voice then twisted and became hauntingly soft, she moved her face closer to Siren's and cooed to the slowly expiring child, "But it's alright, that's not your fault. You're born this way; you're just a stupid freak that needs to return to hell where you belong…"

It was then, with her oxygen starved brain searching for an escape, searching for an answer, that Siren remembered each and every one of the freaks in this band. It had only been a single day… but she had not seen one other true 'freak'. Yes, there was the strongman and woman, the sword swallowers, jugglers, hypnotists… But for a 'freak show', there were no other physical oddities. No one that looked as strange as she did, whether born that way or not. What did this mean? She brought in freaks like her to dispose of? Why?

She tried to fight back, but she was too weak anyway. Malnourished as she was, she posed no threat to anyone. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to will it all to be over, for the pain to end.

Then Madeleine released her.

All too quickly, air rushed into her lungs, so fast her brain was sent spinning and she started coughing.

"Preying on the young and feeble, are we?" Came a deep, smooth voice… An old British accent?

She opened her bleary eyes, feeling lightheaded. Her head fell back against the wall, her chest heaving with full, wonderful breaths of oxygen. She saw a man standing over them both, Madeleine having moved to almost straddle her to more effectively strangle her. She felt as if his eyes were on her at first, but she was too dizzy to truly know.

Slowly he came into focus, his handsome features facing her. He tilted his head slightly, looking down at her with a strange softness, one she had not seen in a long time. She looked back up at him, no more fear on her face, simply relief.

She knew then, that he was the one who had watched her sing.

The smell of leather filled her nostrils, the soft material brushing over her cheek and then over her eyes. Her head swam once more, her eyes fluttering to a close. She saw green, then black as she faded back into this strangely sweet darkness that he brought. Like a warm embrace, his darkness consumed her and forced her into unconsciousness.

I look forward to hearing your story, my lovely…

The darkness lifted a short while after, she wasn't sure how long. Her heavy eyes began to open, her hand rising to wipe the sleepiness from her face. Her hand felt heavier than before, and when she looked down she saw that something was draped over it, draped over all of her.

In surprise, she pushed herself up. She had been on the couch, hadn't she? Why was she on the bed? There was a warm blanket wrapped around her. Madeleine wouldn't have…

A distant yell caught her attention. It sounded like it was coming from behind her, outside. She groaned softly, straining her weak muscles to sit up. It was pitiful, she thought, that she barely had the energy to sit up anymore, let alone do anything for herself. She did manage though, lifting herself high enough to see out of the window.

Staring back at her, standing a short distance from her caravan, was the Victorian gentleman. At first she thought he was facing her, but then she realised that was certainly not the case. This devilish face had 'grown' from the back of his head, it's face twisted into a sinister smile.

The mysterious man was talking to Madeleine who was cowering in the grass, her skirts stained by the short green plants. She looked afraid but was talking constantly, as if telling a story. She hadn't seen Siren watching, her eyes fixated on the man in front of her instead.

That demonic face, however, appeared amused. Its lips occasionally moved, as if speaking but Madeleine did not seem to react. Siren could have sworn that, when the demon's eyes turned on her, that it's wide, evil smile seemed to fade just a little bit.

Then, faster than she had expected, the mysterious gentleman span around, turning the demon face to a terrified Madeleine.

Strangely though, from how fast he turned, time seemed to slow down. Perhaps it was the same for Madeleine in this moment before death, she didn't know nor did she care. Her eyes were focused elsewhere, on the true face of this man.

His eyes instantly met hers; burning with such intensity that it tore the breath from her throat. Unlike the other visage's permanent grin, his face looked… intimidating. He was already, of course, but the way he looked into her eyes, she could see pure fury. Though it appeared to fade, even in the mere seconds he faced her, fading into… amusement?

As she blinked, time sped ahead once more. She watched now as the seemingly calm and collected gentleman swung around, his hand travelling in a calculated arc of power, over his head and into her chest. The dagger, which he held in that leather bound hand, slipped in and out of her chest as if she was nothing. His movements were fast, brutal and deliberate, but he just kept going.

Madeleine, or what used to be her, still balanced on her feet, her head tilted back, her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her eyes, upturned to the heavens, glazed over quickly. Her legs gave out eventually and her lifeless body collapsed on the ground. Ugly and hopeless until the bitter end.

Siren blinked once more and four other people appeared. She jumped back just a little, still fixated on what she was seeing. The man, whom she assumed to be the leader, visibly shook his head and turned away from Madeleine's body, his cape swishing dramatically. With confident, slow strides, he walked ahead of his band of freaks, before vanishing once again in the deep green mists.

As quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.

As Siren sat here, alone in her caravan, she began to think. First, Madeleine: about her plotting and what would happen to the 'freak' show now… Second, that man.

She let out a shaky breath, her hand rising to touch her bruising throat. One final thought read clearly upon her face.

'Where will I go, now?'