Dick was no stranger to blood.
Growing up in the circus meant accidents were bound to happen whether or not you wanted them to. Broken bones, cuts, and bruises, even a mauling once, were all things he had seen before.
But the sight in front of him was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. It was a sight burned into his skull, one that could never be erased.
His parents, lying on the ground, were covered in their own blood. On top of them, two figures were biting into their necks, eating them.
A scream had been caught in Dick's throat, and it took every ounce of willpower not to let it out. But if he screamed, he was dead.
He couldn't understand it. He didn't want to understand it. Zucco and Vanzetti were his parents' friends. As part of the circus, they were like family.
How could they do this?
The stench of blood clung to the air, heavy and sickeningly sweet. There was so much of it too. It stained the ground and even parts of the tent. It seeped into Dick's hair and skin and he wasn't sure even a bath could wash it out.
Dick could still hear the sounds of his parents' cries in his head. He was just glad they stopped almost as soon as they started.
His mother's lifeless eyes met his own, forever frozen in horror. His father's mouth contorted in a silent scream that would never come. The crimson trail pooling from their bodies crept closer and closer to his hiding spot with each passing second. It reminded Dick of the dancers and their long ribbons of red.
A muffled whimper escaped Dick's lips by accident and he immediately covered them with his hands.
"What was that?" Vanzetti glanced up from his victim.
"I don't know..." Zucco narrowed his gleaming red eyes. "Wait, where's the kid? He should be around here somewhere."
In unison, they both went still, seemingly listening for the faintest sound of Dick. He dared not make a peep, let alone even breathe. But in a split second, their eyes locked onto the wardrobe in the corner, causing the boy to gasp.
"Hey, kid. Don't be scared," Vanzetti cooed in his thick, Italian accent. "We ain't gonna hurt ya'."
As they slowly approached, Dick scrambled backward and pressed himself as far back as the wardrobe would allow.
What was going on? This shouldn't be happening. It felt like something out of a nightmare. Maybe if he just opened his eyes, he would wake up and this would all be over. And he would be back with his parents and they would be preparing for their routine.
But he was too old for nightmares.
"Hurry up and get this over with." Zucco gestured to the wardrobe. "We've wasted enough time as is."
Time seemed to slow down as Vanzetti reached for the doorknob. The already gloomy world went completely dark and Dick was left with nothing but the sound of his own pounding heartbeat.
Time seemed to slow right as the doorknob started to rattle. But before it could fully turn, something unexpected happened.
"Hey! Who are you?" Zucco cried from the other side.
Whoever was there didn't answer. But whatever they did must've startled the pair, because their cool and calm demeanor immediately changed.
"What the fu–" Vanzetti's voice shouted through the darkness.
Before Dick could even process what was going on, a horrible earsplitting screech shook the air. It didn't sound like anything he had ever heard before. It didn't even sound human.
Silent tears fell down Dick's cheeks. This had to be a nightmare. Because there was no way this was real.
"Who–Who are you?" Zucco repeated, the fear in his voice much clearer than before.
There was another shriek, followed by a thud. An eerie silence fell over the tent as Dick waited for whatever stood on the other side of the wardrobe.
The door slowly creaked open, causing Dick to look up and gasp at the shadow looming over him. Its eyes burned a deep red as they regarded the trembling boy beneath it.
Dick's mouth opened and shut like a fish gasping for air. But no words came out.
The shadow made no attempt to move, only continuing to stare down at him with its eyes narrowed. For a moment, Dick wasn't even sure it was there, and the line between reality and fantasy had finally blurred.
"Please," Dick muttered weakly. He reached out his hand, wanting to make sure what he was seeing was indeed real.
He didn't expect to feel anything. He thought his fingers would pass through the shadow like a black mist.
But to his surprise, flesh and bone reached back.
With a gentle tug, Dick was lifted out of the wardrobe and onto his feet. The shadow's hand never left his own.
Dick started to turn his head to look at the sprawled bodies of Zucco and Vanzetti, but the shadow stopped him, cupping his cheek and keeping his gaze straight ahead.
Its flesh was as cold as ice.
"Don't look," the shadow finally spoke. "Just keep your eyes on me."
Dick nodded at the shadow as it knelt beside him and lifted him into its arms. With only a few inches between them now, he could see this was no shadow at all. It was a man. A tall, pale man dressed in a suit.
Pulling him closer, the man led Dick out of the tent towards the outside world. His hold was firm like his parents' when they flung him in the air before catching him.
Dick never took his gaze off him, just like he promised. Though he wanted to take one final look at the place he had once called a home, the man, particularly his eyes, fascinated Dick.
They had once been red like Zucco and Vanzetti's, but with each steady step the man took, they slowly returned to their natural color.
A deep blue. Like the ocean.
Behind those eyes was an intense seriousness, as if the man was quite literally carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. But Dick could also sense a kindness, even behind the furrowed brow and stern gaze. After all, who else would risk their life for a boy they had never even met?
It was at that moment Dick realized the last of his tears had long dried and his body was no longer shaking.
He was safe now. The nightmare was over.