Padraic looked around from his seat, a plate of food was carefully balanced in his lap. It was amazing how much things had changed. The reveal of Levi's secret a week or so ago seemed to have caused the shift. The sword master, while far from kind, refrained from outright bullyragging him and Sanjay. The other freaks, perhaps noticing this, also developed somewhat softer dispositions. Now he was allowed to wedge a bit farther into their bizarre group dynamic. They made polite conversation with him, and every now and then he was allowed to join in on supper. Now he was sitting in the common room, on a floor cushion, taking in the colorful menagerie of coworkers.
"Ugh," sighed Linda, the contortionist. "Finn couldn't find tougher meat, could he?"
"Oh, some is better than none, dear," cooed Dolly Darton, the fat lady. Of the freaks, she was no doubt the kindest to the boy, and Padraic had to admire that she never complained about anything. Even now she merely put the food in her mouth and kept going. He, for one, had to agree with Linda. Not that he would ever speak this opinion; Finnigan had a way of showing up without warning, and he certainly didn't like complainers.
Linda merely snorted and went back to eating. Amos came in and sat near the two ladies. Levi was busy spearing potatoes and popping them in his mouth. Brochan, the Scottish man who had lost an arm and a leg in saw mill accident, was doing one-handed handstands while chatting with the long-bearded Talbot.
"Ah'm telling ye Tal," he said cheerfully from his upside down position. "This winter is almost up! Ah can feel it en me nubs!"
"I disagree," Talbot said in his usual solemn voice. "My beard informs me that we have, at the least, another month of this bitter cold."
"Why such a downer?" Brochan question as he skillfully flipped his body onto his one leg. Unfortunately he miscalculated and toppled backwards onto Linda.
"OOF!" she grunted as his one elbow jabbed into her stomach and his head fell into her lap. "Why don't ye watch what ye're doing?" she griped.
"Terribly sorry Miss," Brochan said with a cheeky grin. "Ah'll get right on it. Would ye mind if Ah watched from here, though? Such a nice view!"
In one swift motion she shoved him off, making sure that his head hit the floor on his way down. The rest chuckled, including Padraic. Unfortunately the boy laughed so long that when he stopped and opened his eyes, everyone else was peering at him curiously.
"Something funny, boyo?" Brochan mocked.
"Oh, shut up Brochy, ye deserved it," Levi said impassively.
Levi's half-hearted defense didn't get the others to quit staring. Finally Dolly spoke up, "You know, I never did ask your name, little boy."
"Yeah," Brochan said, back to his mischievous self, "ye got a title or wot?"
"I am Padraic James Ratigan."
This response caused snickers amongst the others.
"What?" he asked plaintively.
"Sorry kid," said Linda, "but most people round these parts don't go spouting off their names like they's some sort of royalty. Best to stick with one name."
"Oh, Ratigan!"
Padraic groaned as Sanjay bounced into the room. "I finished supper early! Let's play! Let's play now!"
The adult laughed at the two, though less harshly than before. No doubt the little boy's excitement, in a way, reminded them when they were younger, careless and free.
All feelings of nostalgia flew out the frost covered window when Finnigan came clomping up the stairs. Finnigan was an interesting mouse. He was small and fat, but somehow could come off as quite threatening. The cane he carried certainly didn't help. Now he got to the top of the landing and looked around with a grin that was far too wide to mean anything pleasant.
"Everyone here? Good! Now I know we've lost a few of ye over the past few months, but fear not! Salvation has arrived! Right now there's a bloke coming in later wanting to hire ye all for carnival. He's willing to pay you -and me- big. So drop everything and come down; practice starts in five!"
Just as quickly as he'd shown up, Finn disappeared downstairs, leaving an awkward silence behind.
"A carnival?" Padraic said. If he started traveling around England that could help him to find Delia...or get him even farther from her.
Brochan and Linda both groaned. They knew too well what a carny's life was like. Amos, always nervous, positively shook at the idea of being in front of crowds twice the size of the ones he faced every day. Talbot stroked his beard dolefully and Dolly just kept looking around at anyone. Sanjay, unhelpfully, asked what was wrong with a carnival.
"It's no place for us," Talbot whispered.
The silence continued until Levi stood up and jammed his sword into the floor. "Oh, what's the big deal? Sure life as a carny isn't all it's cracked up to be. But it's no worse than here. We'd be away from Finn, in any case. We'd get more money. And if we all go, then, well…
Everyone looked at each other. They weren't exactly a team, or even friends. But being together was better than being alone.
Linda was the first to agree, jumping up from the couch to say, "Alright, let's get this over with." Dolly rose and handed Brochan a wooden leg to help him down the stairs. Talbot walked over to Amos and gently the nervous strongman onto his feet. With the swordmaster in the lead, Finnigan's Freaks made their way downstairs. Only Padraic and Sanjay stayed behind.
"What is wrong, Ratigan?" Sanjay implored. "Do you not like carnivals?"
Padraic was too busy thinking to answer. Stay and miss a chance to be with these guys, or leave and miss Delia?...and Sanjay?
He finally sighed, got up, and wordlessly went downstairs.
Practice started fairly well. Padraic watched from his place on the sidelines as Amos lifted heavier weights than ever before, Linda twisted into brand new shapes, and Brochan did some of the most impressive acrobatics he'd ever witnessed. Finally Finn came and told him it was almost his turn and for some reason Padraic felt especially reluctant to get into the cage. It was a horrible feeling to have.
"If it's rehearsin' do I hafta be locked in?"
"But of course! Makes it feel more life like. Gets ye into chareecter."
"I don't really…"
"Oh, come on!" Finn finally grunted and shoved him in. With the key turned in the lock, Padraic felt like some sort of fate was being sealed.
And in a way it was. Something was about to happen that would change the House of Freaks forever. And in a way, it would also change the rat boy.
Levi stepped onstage. The carny mouse watched quietly, Finn hanging on his arm and whispering into his ear. Padraic watched from his cage with the feeling of unease growing as he stared at the swordmaster. Levi didn't look well.
He began by twirling his swords, juggling them, stabbing them into the stage, lifting himself on them and flipping upside down. But when he was halfway in the air he shook and fell to the floor. Padraic cringed; Levi was normally so graceful during his act. Finnigan growled as the swordmaster rose shakily.
"Uh," he said. "I...don't think I should…"
"Oh, get on with it!" Finn yelled. "Just do yer act, ye loafer!"
Hesitantly, Levi took up a sword. Before he place it to his lips he glanced off to his right where the other freaks were standing, watching expectantly. He looked to his left where Padraic was. The boy looked at him with wide eyes. The adult held the child's gaze for a moment, and inconspicuously mouthed the words, "Get out." Padraic narrowed his eyes in confusion. Get out of what?
Levi turned forward again, and put the sword in his mouth. Halfway down his gullet the sword froze.
Oh no.
The swordmaster fell to the ground. Padraic covered his eyes. But his ears were left open; he would never forget the sound that followed: pain, sadness. An Ending.
The freaks, for lack of a better term, freaked out. Some rushed around their fallen comrade while other stood back, in shock. Finn, for his part, kept quiet for a while.
Darkness descended onto the freak house as Amos picked up the deceased and took him outside, Dolly following close behind for support. Everyone else stood in silence; Padraic huddled into the corner of his cage and suddenly realized, with horror, that Sanjay was just upstairs; he'd barely missed seeing all of this. He needed to check on the boy.
Before he could ask for his release, there was a pounding at the front door. Finnigan's eyes widened. "It's the carny! Places everyone!"
"What?" They collectively asked.
"How can ye ask us to perform?" Linda asked, shocked.
"Well do ye want the dough or don't ye?" Finn asked, heading to open the door.
The freaks gaped at their employer until finally Talbot voiced their opinion with, "You, Sir, are insane! The very idea of putting on a show just after our friend's death! You are cold, callous, and unworthy to have us as your employees! I for one will not put up with it; I for one am leaving!"
It was like a mad revolution. All of the freaks started going upstairs to collect their belongings. Finn saw this and gave chase. But he was too fat and they were able to easily get their things in the time it took him to meet them on the stairs as they were coming down. Brochan, Linda, and Talbot walked out the door with Finn following closely, begging them to stay. Sanjay trailed behind, looking confused.
"What happened, Ratigan? They look so angry. And sad."
Padraic didn't know how to answer and simply shook his head, and for once Sanjay didn't press the matter.
Finnigan came storming back into the building. "GONE. All gone! Every last ONE OF 'EM!" In his rage the mouse threw his hat down and stomped on it. Meanwhile the carny continued to pound on the door. Finn looked at the door in panic before realizing he still had his Wild Rat locked up. With a cruel grin he ordered Sanjay to go open the door.
"What are ye doin'?" Padraic asked as Sanjay ran to carry out his instructions.
"Listen boy," Finn growled as he neared the cage. "Yer all I have left. So ye'd best to do me proud; or I might just lose this." He held up the cage's key tauntingly and Padraic was surprised; he'd never dreamed Finn could stoop to such a level.
The carny came in and Finn met him on the floor, boasting about Riki the Wild Rat, no doubt trying to gloss over the lack of other freaks. Sanjay watched the whole thing nervously and Padraic was having trouble suppressing his rage. He felt confuse enough internally after what he'd just witnessed; this was too much!
Just keep calm. It's impossible but try. He tried, and was about to fail and throw himself at the cage walls when Finn introduced him with a fanfare. In response he-
-stopped. Padraic swallowed his anger. It was hard; but he swallowed his anger and instead smiled right at Old Finnigan himself.
"Come now, Riki!" Finn said in a sing-song voice, as if he was talking to an idiot. "Show the nice mouse what ye do for the audience!"
The more Finn tried to get Padraic to act, the wider the boy grinned, until his eyes were bugged out and every last one of his pointed teeth was on display. The carny, frustrated, finally left without a word to Finn. Once he was gone, Finn was left with no profit and only one freak, and his wrath was mighty.
"FOR THAT TRICK YE CAN BE SURE THAT THAT CAGE IS YER PERMANENT HOME! I SHAN'T BE LETTIN' YE OUT!"
Finn pocketed the key and stormed off. Padraic slumped against the cage bars, defeated. He'd kept his calm, ruined Finn, and (hopefully) respected Levi's memory in the process. But he'd also doomed himself.
Or so he thought. Twenty minutes later he opened his eyes to see Sanjay running towards his cage at breakneck speed. The little boy barely had time to slow down before he slammed into the cage.
"I got it!" he shouted and triumphantly held up the key, "I got it!"
"Wot?" Padraic gasped as the younger rat unlocked the cage. "How'd ye get it without him knowin'?"
"BOY!"
"I didn't."
Once out of the cage Padraic yanked on his clothes and stepped into his shoes. He'd kept his small stash of money in his right shoe, so once he grabbed his scarf he had all the possessions he needed. "Cammon Sanj, let's go," he cried.
Sanjay shook his head. "I must stay with Mami. But I hope you will come back!"
Padraic gave his little friend a lopsided grin. "After ye save me life? O'course I'll be comin' back." Just then Finn appeared. "Maybe not right away, though," he added.
The fat old man clomped towards him, swinging his cane wildly. "Stop where ye are!"
"Not a chance!" Padraic spat, kicking the cage door shut for good measure. He gave Sanjay a quick, one-armed hug, and split, completely missing out on the sight of an old man being kicked in the shin by a little boy. After kicking Finn, Sanjay ran in the opposite direction laughing hysterically, with the old man in pursuit.
In a weird mix of emotions, Padraic found himself smiling as he ran away from Finnigan's House of Freaks. He was sure that later the gravity of the situation, all that he'd been through, would hit and send him into a depression. But for now, he couldn't help but be happy to once again be free. And the odd victory was sweeter this time, for he'd gained a bit of dignity through it all.
Unfortunately the gravity hit all too soon, for he was so preoccupied with happiness that just a few blocks away from the House of Freaks, he collided with a large boy and the two went sprawling. The boy's two friends burst out laughing at the sight. Padraic picked himself up quickly, and was relieved to see that the boys were rats he didn't feel like dealing with angry mice right now.
"Gah! What kind of a bee brain are ye," cried the boy Padraic had toppled.
"Look who's askin'," the older of his friends snickered.
"Watch it there, Scratch!"
Padraic started. Scratch? Yes, the older boy had exceptionally long claws. And the boy he'd knocked over had large teeth. And the third had glasses!
"Scratch? Biter? Itchy?"
The two stopped laughing and glaring at each other to glare at him. "How do ye know our names?" Itchy asked in his familiar, nasal voice.
"Yeah," Biter grunted as he got to his feet. He and Scratch had both grown quite a bit in the year or two since Padraic had last seen them. Itchy was no slouch either; all three easily surpassed Padraic in height in strength, and the boy gulped as memories of the orphanage came flooding into his mind.
"I'm, remember, I'm…" Dare he admit it? Well, he needed to give some form of explanation, and he was too tired to lie. "I'm Runt, remember?"
The three as one narrowed their eyes and then stretched them wide with recognition.
"Runt?"
"Runty?"
"Well there ye are, pipsqueak! Where'd ye get to?"
"They took me to a factory," Padraic explained, recalling for the first time in a long while that long and cramped carriage ride that had taken him from one hell to another. "What about you?"
"Much the same. Physical labor, ye know," Itchy sniffed. "We tired of it after a while. The four of us, Rusty was with us at the time, broke out. Rusty went tae look for Red and we ain't seen him since."
Biter looked at Padraic strangely as he said, "Never thought we'd run into you again, little Runt."
Padraic suddenly took delight in the fact that he'd run into these boys; it was time he truly asserted himself, and where better to start than with his old bullies?
"Actually," he said proudly, "Runt is not my name. My name is Padraic James Raitgan."
The three shared a glance. Then they burst out laughing, much like the freaks had what felt like forever ago. Padraic felt himself shrink as the laughter slowed a bit and the taunting began.
"Well ain't ye just adorable," Biter guffawed.
"Nice scarf, fancy boy!" Scratch howled.
"Who gave it to ye? Yer nanny?" Itchy jeered.
Padraic gulped and started backing up a bit, but tried to keep his ground. "A girl gave it to me!" he cried. This made them laugh even harder.
"Sounds like Runty has a lady friend!"
"Are you gon' pick 'er some posies?"
"Now, ye can't be callin' on a lady lookin' like that!"
They grabbed at his jacket and Padraic tried to squirm away. But he froze when Scratch, the one that had always frightened him the most, pulled him close and whispered, "Sounds like ye got a real nice girly. I could use a gal like that; wot's her name?"
"She...she…"
"Cammon now, wot's her name? How old is she? Where does she live? Hard to call on a gal if ye don't know these things."
The idea of any of them so much as speaking to Delia horrified Padraic. He knew this fear was irrational as even he didn't know where she was, so it would be impossible for them to reach her. But that didn't stop him from shouting, "She's too good for louts like you!"
That was a mistake. Scratch lifted him off the ground and the other two surrounded him from behind. "Who ye callin' louts, Runt?"
Padraic stuttered but managed to answer, "Y-you!"
Scratch clucked his tongue. "Bad answer, tyke." He dropped Padraic and he landed on his back with the three standing over him, smiling menacingly.
"Brings back old memories, don't it Biter?"
"Sure do Scratch. Sure do." With that Biter reached down and pulled at Padraic's scarf.
"NO!" The boy roared and lashed out. He sank his teeth into Biter's hand and the older boy yanked it back in pain. He scratched at Scratch, and kicked his legs wildly in Itchy's direction.
"OW!
"OUCH!"
"YOW! WHY YOU LITTLE-"
Their cries were cut short. Padraic grew confused as Biter and the others huddled together, looking at something behind him. Suddenly all three turned and made a break for it, yelling a bit. Padraic nervously wondered what could possibly be so frightening that it could make all three of them run. He, very slowly and carefully, sat up, re-wrapped his scarf about his neck, and stood up. With more fear than he could fathom he turned around.
There stood the largest rat he'd ever seen. He towered over Padraic, dwarfing him in height and bulk. He wore a huge, shabby black coat that went past his knees, a ragged bull top hat, and a wooden walking stick which he held out in front him in an authoritative fashion. His bizarre appearance was topped off by huge razor sharp teeth that made Biter's look like marbles in comparison. These monstrous teeth were surrounded by lips that had been pulled back into a fearful grin.
The gargantuan rat bent over and in a gravelly voice said, "Hallo there, boy."
Okay, let's be honest, who DIDN'T see Levi's death coming? And PJR being left in the cage? That's what I thought.
So aside from the payoff of such obvious foreshadowing as well as the freaks being booted as soon as you got to know them, what did everyone think?
Also, I'd just like to apologize here and now for any and all historical and cultural inaccuracies. It's gonna happen.
I don't own Ratigan.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
