Episode 2 part 1: New Management
Desdemona watched with intensity as her faithful servants tore apart their owner and original rescuer. She stood unchanged, completely consumed by the image she was seeing before. Her body coursed with adrenaline. She could feel it pumping through her chest and swimming in her veins. It was a riveting feeling. The feeling of a perfect kill. The sound of Lewis' last girlish shrieks. His calling out to her for help. It was overwhelmingly satisfying. And the fact that she was able to resist his commands for help was even better. Blood was spewing, the sound of the tigers growling and clicking their jaws as Lewis's very being was torn asunder filled the cage. And when it was over, when Lewis was long gone and all that remained was his blood skeleton with tiny fragments of flesh remaining upon, the tigers backed away filled to the brim with their meal. Each licked their lips, cleaning up the blood that stained their precious fur. It was just how Desdemona imagined. Her hopes had been completely fulfilled.
A lake-sized puddle of blood sat directly in the middle of the cage. Desdemona strutted towards it. She hovered above the red sea, staring into her shadowy reflection in the pool of liquid. She felt it appropriate to get her last thoughts off her chest to the man. Even though she knew he was no longer there.
"You, Lewis, messed with the wrong woman. And no, I'm not talking about me. I mean your wife. Cora...Remember her? Or were you too busy fornicating with other women and then slapping her around for extra fun? She was so desperate for change. For someone different from you, that she actually fell for me. What hogwash. I am filth. Just as you. Only difference is, I channel my filthiness towards a good cause. I'm going to help those 'freaks' that you parade around like disgusting vermin. They're people too you know. I'm a person as well. I know I don't act like one, but I still am. And just because I'm strong enough to endure pain, doesn't mean I deserved it, asshole." Desdemona spit into the only thing that still belonged to Hiram Lewis, his own blood.
After this, Desdemona dragged both chairs back out of the cage and then called out to a man lurking in the shadows of the area, hiding out in the cleanware cabinet, a place that was basically his home. This man was an odd one. He would certainly make a great addition to the "freak show" but Lewis didn't use him. This man barely talked. He knew not of his own name or origin. He was unkempt and frightening. Ever since he arrived Lewis had used him as the circus maid, cleaning up all the messes. It was as if it were his only talent. Desdemona could barely help this loner. When she asked why Lewis called him Creeper instead of by his real name, he replied with "I don't have one," and walked away. He'd grown accustomed to the title, even corrected other people when they didn't use it, so asked Desdemona's best interests, she continued to call him by it.
"Creeper, I apologize for this, but would you mind disposing of that mess for me? I'll help you clean up, I just need to be rid of the...body," Desdemona ran up to him, and grabbed his forearms, speaking directly to him.
He looked deep into her eyes for a moment and then asked, "Does this mean you're my new master?"
"Master?" She repeated.
"My new Lewis. I have to work for someone." He expanded.
"I suppose so."
As Desdemona tried to clean up all of the blood, Creeper evened out the turf, covering the blood drenched dust with a new layer of sand. He pulled the body out of the pen, and took it into his work closet. Desdemona stood in the doorway watching him work. With an old hatchet, he chopped the bones and tiny muscle and flesh tidbits into finer pieces, filling the metal mop pails with the remains. Once every last bit of Lewis was crammed into a bucket, Creeper turned to Desdemona for her approval. She nodded, giving him the signal to carry on with his work. And like that, a murder most fowl was completely gone. Vanished. She was now innocent of the crime. Who's to say she ever was guilty? Lewis was the dastardly fool that willingly entered a pen containing two fearsome tigers.
After watching Creeper exit the offstage area and leave the tent entirely, to dispose of the blood and bones, Desdemona ran to find Cora. She knew she'd be in her aside room still. She requested her to stay there for the night, until it was all over. Desdemona stopped in front of the door and then knocked three times, whispering that it was her. She got no response and figured that Cora had fallen asleep. Desdemona quietly opened the door and walked inside. She first turned her eyes towards the bed, adjusting to the total darkness, but knew that there was no one occupying it. That was when she saw a lifeless body on the floor. Assuming the worst, Desdemona knelt beside her, calling her name while gently shaking her.
"Huh…" Cora muttered in a drunken-like stupor.
"Oh thank God," Desdemona sighed with relief knowing now that she was alive.
"What are you doing on the floor?" Desdemona acquired an answer for the strange behavior.
"He...He told me to stay here," She answered feebly.
"He's gone now. He'll never hurt you again." Desdemona assured her.
"It's over?" She asked to be certain.
"Yes. And now this is our empire," Desdemona clasped her hand lovingly, tears welling up in her eyes, "We can finally be free,"
"But...Clark," Cora murmured, still pained and drowsy.
"I can deal with him. He's weak. Weaker than Hiram, and look how easy that was,"
"You never call him Hiram,"
"None of that matters anymore. I will take down anyone who stands in our way, Cora. That's the point in fact. I will fight for us. We will be together. No one can cross us now. I'm the new ringleader of this show." Desdemona had it all figured out.
"You can't Dessie. You don't have the rights. It'll be messy. Clark desperately wants that spot." Cora came to.
"Not as much as something else that he wants. I have leverage. And I have a signed document,"
"However did you get that?" Cora wondered.
"A little bit of snooping… I got into Lewis' office. I have exclusive rights now to every goddamned piece of parchment in this place. I plan on reading up on the people. Starting with Bijou. I see an ally in him. He can be used to my advantage." She answered with certainty.
"Dessie?"
"What is it, love?" She leaned closer.
"Stay here tonight," She gulped, begin to shiver.
"Of course. C'mon now, let's get you into bed," Desdemona groaned as she pulled Cora's limp body up off of the ground.
Cora nearly fell onto the bed, once she was close to it. Once her head hit the pillow, she was unconscious...Just as Blanche had been.
"Goodnight my Darling," Desdemona pushed Cora's white blonde hair back to kiss her neck. "It'll all be different in the morning."
