Chapter 8
Showtime
Although the small skit was practiced three times the next morning, Kurt was still very unsure of himself. The knot in his stomach had become unbearably tight and his hands would shake if he held them out before him. Not to mention his tail gave a twitch whenever he looked up at the trapeze bars.
The day seemed to go on forever. It had been a few months since the last performance the circus put on, so everyone was a bit antsy to get started with the summer season's schedule. Everyone knew that the first show was the hardest, mainly because the first show had the biggest audience. The thought of every seat in the stands packed with people sent a shiver down Kurt's back.
With everyone busy doing their own things before the show, whether it was relaxing, working out, or making preparations, Kurt used the time to work on his skills. Without the use of any sort of mats, Kurt did a serious of somersaults, flips, cartwheels, and handsprings before teleporting to the top of one of the poles and starting on the trapeze bars. Sometimes hanging upside down while swinging back and forth was enough to relax his mind and let him think clearly.
"Don't wear yourself out, Nightcrawler," a voice called up from the ground.
Kurt looked down and waved to Trent who stood directly below him. "I'm not tired," he replied as he flipped off, did a triple somersault, a double twist and a quick BAMF to reach the ground in perfect stance.
"That was good," Trent commented nodding his head. "You're bound to take my place."
"I could never take your place, Trent," Kurt replied as he leaned backwards to stretch his back.
"I don't have a tail to compete with you, buddy," Trent replied with a wink. "Margali suggested that we be ready. Guess the Swedish journalists are coming buy for pictures and stuff."
"The media?" Kurt said surprised, his yellow eyes becoming wider. "Is that good?"
"Promotes us a little more and makes for better business, you know that," Trent said.
"Ja," Kurt agreed, "but I never had to be a part of their pictures or articles."
"Don't worry." The American man put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "You'll do fine. I have total confidence in you." Kurt nodded slowly before heading towards his trailer where his devil's costume awaited its owner.
The look wasn't him. Or was it? Kurt couldn't tell if he belonged in this show or not. The costume made him feel like he had a great power or something, but he was a follower of God, not of Satan.
"Is it a sin to dress as the devil when I worship the Almighty?" He asked himself as he studied his image in the full-length mirror. A pure black suit blended well with his indigo skin. His bright yellow eyes seemed to glow with the darkness of the rest of his body. Maybe he was meant to be a demon…
"Kurt?"
Kurt's thoughts were broken when he heard Amanda knock on the door. He quickly went over and opened it for her, welcoming her inside.
"You alright?"
Kurt nodded. He sat down on a stool and looked at the clock on the wall. "Perhaps a little nervous."
"I would be too," she admitted. "But I know you can do it. You're awesome at what you do. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm jealous of it all."
"Jealous?"
"Sure," she said. "You've got such agility it'd make Batman feel awkward."
Kurt smiled, his pointed white teeth brightening up his face. "Thank-you, Amanda. You made me feel better." That familiar thumping in Kurt's chest started up again the moment she put a hand on his shoulder.
"C'mon, the news is outside and wants a picture of all of the performers."
There were cameras, lights, and people everywhere. Kurt hadn't realized he spent so much time getting ready, when it normally would take him less than five minutes. He could see from the trailer a long line of people waiting to buy tickets at the front gates of the tent. But toward the back of the tent was a fairly large group of people flashing pictures at any circus member they could, or interviewing the closest person.
"Is that the new member?" One lady shouted as she pointed towards Kurt and Amanda.
"Nightcrawler, can we have a few words?"
"Is Nightcrawler the name you chose
because of your character?"
"Will you be doing any other
stunts on your first night in the circus?"
"Exactly how old are you?"
"What are your parents' thoughts about you being a trapeze artist?"
"What are you thinking right now?"
"Nightcrawler, over here!"
Kurt's head was swimming with words. He didn't know where to turn first. Just as he was about to open his mouth to answer one person, someone shoved their way through and asked another question.
"Give him space, give him space!" Trent made his way through the crowd, shushing the reporters and turning heads to his form and away from Kurt, which the young mutant was grateful for.
"Mr. Brown, are you the one who inspired Nightcrawler for this job?"
"We'll answer questions later," Trent replied and pulled Kurt towards the tent. Once they were far enough away, Trent smiled. "But as soon as we're through they'll have to get out of here with a police escort."
Kurt smiled, but couldn't get the questions out of his head. "Shouldn't I have stayed to answer their questions?"
"Kurt, if you start now, you'll never stop. Besides, its show time in fifteen, and you're the third act."
Kurt nodded as he followed Trent to the small room set up beneath the stands.
"Alright, we've got Hannelore, then the V-brothers," Margali said going over her chart. "The skit is after that, and we'll have the jugglers up after that, and…" she paused for a second then looked up. "Then Trent you're closing out the show. Everyone ready?"
Kurt wished he had the rosary beads—they'd keep him occupied as he strained out the next half hour. He so hated waiting for things. He needed to pray for patience before anything else.
Luckily watching Hannelore with her new stunts on her three Arabian horses kept not only the audience in awe, but also the rest of the crew backstage. Kurt couldn't believe her act was nearly twenty minutes, but it was well worth it. He knew the V-brothers wouldn't be that long though; they could only keep their act up for ten minutes or so; there's only so much one could do with fire after all.
Then it was time. Kurt felt like he was about to pass out. He had to keep his head on. He knew he could do this right if he didn't think about it.
"Remember, the lights will be on you and it'll black out the audience. You won't know they're there," Trent assured him when the four actors portraying monks entered the ring.
Kurt waited for the cue. The monks made a circle around a cross that stood in the middle; the lights shined on the plain wooden structure before dimming down to nothing. Then a low humming and chant started and Kurt was ready.
BAMF!
A low rumble of drums rolled in the near distance and spotlights were put on for the monks alone. "Brothers, thunder calls in the distance!" One called out.
"The Father is giving us a sign!" said another.
In a flash a light turned on to show a devil perched at the top of the cross, tail swishing behind its body. The monks jumped back in astonishment, gasping at the sight of the demon.
"No! It cannot be true!"
"Dear Lord, please protect us!"
Kurt stood up and held his head high and his fists on his hips. "Beg for mercy, for now you belong to me, peasants."
The monks yelled and began to scatter as Kurt leapt down to them in a flip and somersault. He did a serious of handsprings and cartwheels towards one monk in particular, which made the monk fall over in fear.
Kurt stood tall over the fallen monk, raising his arm as if to strike him. Then out of nowhere a girl came running out from backstage and fell to her knees in front of the monk. "Do not harm him, demon!" She cried.
Kurt laughed. "If he shall go unharmed, then I shall have you!" With that, Kurt grabbed her arm and put his arm around her waist. The girl wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her up the ladder to the trapeze bars atop.
"Lord! Please send me an angel!" The girl cried as she was released; Kurt took the trapeze bar and began a simple swing, positioning his body to hang from his knees.
"Your God has abandoned you this day, woman! You have no salvation!" Kurt leapt to the free bar that had been released from its hold at the other platform. "I rejoice in my capture! I have done well this night!"
With a couple of flips back and forth, Kurt returned to his original bar and sat as a light before him lit up two angels standing on the opposing platform.
"Here me, demon! You will free that child of God," the angel called to him.
"You have no control over me!" Kurt replied with an evil laugh.
The angel took the other bar and swung out to meet Kurt, hanging from his hands. "Then I shall save her myself!" At that point the safety net below was rolled out, just in case.
"You want her?" Kurt said as he fell back to hang from his knees once again. The acrobatic actress grabbed Kurt's blue hands as he held them out to her and she became part of his swing. "Then get her!"
Kurt prayed that the other acrobat wouldn't miss catching her. He so hated this part. He would never forgive himself if he didn't time it just right and she fell to the net below, which would ultimately ruin the show.
Now! His mind called out. Instantly Kurt shoved her forward, releasing her hands. He leaned up just enough to see her flying through the air…and grabbing the hands of the angel.
First the girl, then the angel landed on the platform as Kurt yelled a fierce "No!" into the air. He flew to the other bar, as if attempting to recapture his pray, but the angel held out a hand to stop him. The lights at the top of the tent flashed, as if a powerful force was being emitted from the angel's hand.
Kurt's heart pounded, hoping he wouldn't have to teleport if he missed the other bar. Luckily, though, he was able to flip backwards, grab the other bar with his tail and the lights overhead darkened to make him disappear from sight. The audience wasn't able to see him teleport from the trapeze to backstage as he heard the end of the skit play out.
"You are safe, child," the angel said.
"Thank-you! Bless you my angel!"
The lights dimmed to nothing and Kurt made his way with the monks to the center of the ring to take their bow. His elf-like ears picked up the humungous cheers that emitted from everyone in the stands, the act getting a standing ovation.
Kurt had never felt so much pride in his life. He inwardly thanked God for granting him the strength he'd need as he waved to the variety of faces surrounding him in the seats.
"Kurt! You did wonderful!" Amanda said throwing her arms around him once everyone was back stage.
Kurt blushed, although through his blue face no one could notice. "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you, Amanda."
Trent came running up as the next performance started to play out in the center ring. "I told you it wouldn't be that bad," he smiled.
"I shouldn't have doubted your word," Kurt replied, receiving the tight hug Trent handed out. "Now we just need to do that three more times this week."
"For Sweden, that is," Margali said as she came up, giving Kurt his third hug of the night. "You were fabulous."
The rest of the show went as planned, and although Trent said they would be gone by then, the media stuck around for interviews and more pictures. But now, Kurt didn't mind. He was glad to be in a group picture, tell a reporter that it was a wonderful performance and he couldn't wait to do it again. And what thrilled him more were the autographs younger kids wanted from him.
"That was so cool!" One boy said as Kurt signed "Nightcrawler" on the pad.
"Thank-you," Kurt replied handing the pad and pen back to him.
"How long does it take to do your makeup?" The boy's mother asked.
Kurt stared at her, and couldn't believe someone asked him such a question. She honestly didn't think he was a mutant! "An hour or so," he lied.
"Nice job. Looks real."
Kurt couldn't have been more pleased. He was actually being accepted as a normal person, although he wasn't in makeup at all. Perhaps God was finally giving him an answer to his prayers.