Chapter Eight-At the Carnival
"Wow.....this place is bigger than I thought..." Christien gripped Tori's hand gently.
"Yeah......I guess it is..." Victoria was astounded by the size. "It's almost like a fair..."
"Yeah......" Christien led her into the gates, and they continued to gaze around in disbelief. "I think it's gotten bigger since I was here....I remember some of this stuff,but not all of it..."
"Welcome to Pryce's Carnival of Wonders." A young girl who looked to be about Espa's age greeted them.
"Thank you...." Christien replied softly. He recognized her too, but he wasn't sure why. "Actually.....is the manager around? My sister and me are looking for work.."
"Someone looking for me,Nora?" A tall boy with jet black hair and wire rimmed sunglasses came over, curious."
"Yeah. These two are looking for work. I'm sure we can find something for them, right?"
Carlton studied the two briefly, then nodded. "Give me a day or two,and I'm sure I'll have something...."God,that boy looks so much like......Espa...it can't be......maybe he's related to him though...."I have a trailer you can stay in though."
"That would be great...." Victoria replied, her hair standing on end. It seemed to her that Carlton had recognized Christien. "It's going to rain soon."
"Shh! Not so loud. The minute people get it in their heads that it's going to rain,it usually does!" Nora giggled. "Come on, I'll show you the trailer."
Victoria looked at Christien, whispering,"Are you okay?"
Christien nodded. "Yeah......this place looks so familiar,but I don't know why..."
"Maybe you guys were here after all..." Victoria said, as Nora stopped them in front of a large trailer.
"This trailer once housed one of our most popular acts in the carnival." Nora's voice caught in her throat,and she had to clear it. "The Astounding Robas. It has been years since anyone's used this place. Everything should be working though." She handed the keys to Christien. "Welcome home, you two. Oh.....and if you need anything,just ask someone. They're all able to help you."
"Thanks,Nora.....we will." Victoria led the way into the trailer after Christien got it unlocked. "Wow......"
"The "Astounding Robas"?!" Christien looked at his girlfriend in awe. "I wonder what happened after Mom and Dad left......"
Victoria shrugged. "I don't know....." She looked around the trailer. "I wasn't expecting a fully furnished trailer with electricity and all....I was thinking of a movie star trailer. It's like we're living on our own or something."
"It's what we wanted,right?" Christien smiled, though he was nervous inside.
"Yeah,I guess......but shouldn't we call our siblings or something?"
"Are you nuts?! They'll be here faster than we can hang up the phone! Let's just see what happens for now, okay? Besides, I think that guy Carlton knows me. Maybe he can tell us something about the past. Let's stay for now."
"Okay okay....." She settled on the couch. "I'll sleep on the couch...you can sleep in the bed,if you want to..."
"Oh no you're not. We can sleep in the same bed. it's not like we're going to do anything...."
I can't sleep with him,whether we "do" anything or not! Rishid and Marik would have a cow! "No,Christien. It's wrong. I'll sleep on the couch." She replied.
"No,you sleep in the bed. I'll take the couch." Christien decided. "Besides, you've had a long day already."
"Right......well.....good night...."
"Good night......I love you,Victoria...."
"You too....." Victoria settled into the creaky bed, thinking about how the Ishtars might be feeling. I know they're going to be disappointed in me,but I had to do this. It was more than just for Christien. As a Roba fan,I had to know........I also gotta know about Noa. I think I'll ask Mokuba about it later. Her thoughts continued until she finally fell asleep.
Espa sat silently after Jonathan went to bed. He hadn't gotten through their first year without Pryce's before his younger brother began to fall asleep. Now,his eyes narrowed in concentration, trying to remember what had happened. It had been so long since he'd thought about this that Espa found that he could just make out the sequence of events that brought them to Domino. Finally, the eldest Roba finished his tea, before going up to bed. He checked in on Jonathan, then Christien. He's not back yet......I guess he decided to stay over at the Ishtars'. I'll call over in the morning. Andy and Ej were still at Joey's, so he just went to his own room then.
Sitting on his bed, Espa pulled out an old keepsake box from his nightstand drawer. The things inside the box were all had left of his carnival life. Two cotton candy sticks (he couldn't remember who's they were.) , a letter from Carlton,asking him how he was,and his Jinzo card. He smiled,picking that up. He remembered the Carlton giving that to him........
In the past
"You're really leaving?! I can't believe Dad won't listen you guys!" Carlton brushed his long bangs out of his face. "Espa,this sucks."
"You're tellin' me. I hate Lorelai. She ruined everything!"
"I wish you didn't have to go...." The two boys were sitting by the manager's trailer,looking over duel monsters cards.
"I don't wanna go, but the Robas always stick together. Christien and Jon need me right now."
"Yeah.......I know.....Here,I got this for you." Carlton handed Espa a card. "It's Jinzo. He's pretty good, if you learn how to use him right."
"Jinzo......." Espa read the card aloud. "As long as this card remains face up on the field,Trap cards cannot be activated. Face up traps are also negated...." Wow! This is going to be awesome! Thank you,Carlton. I wish I had something to give you..."
"Don't worry about it." He stood up. "Well,I better get back to my schooling. I gave Jonathan the PO Box so you can write, okay?"
"Right....." Espa and Carlton hugged briefly. "Take care of yourself, Carl."
"You too,Espa." The manager's son went inside the trailer. That was the last time Espa was to see Carlton. He stood there for a long time, before hurrying to help get the rest of their things packed.
"Are we all going now?" Christien's eyes were round in worry. "Where are we going to go, Espa?"
"I'm not sure, Chris." He knelt, so that Christien could get on his back. "Whever we go, it better be warm. Autumn is on us already. Mom's due to have the baby soon."
"Another baby?" Christien questioned, as the Roba clan set out for the exit.
"Yeah. A new one. She's already named him Andrew." Jonathan told him. "I don't want anymore brothers. I want a little sister."
"A girl?! Why?" Christien asked him. "Girls are so gross." The seven-year-old scowled.
"Girls aren't too bad....." Espa told them both,thinking of Nora, whom he'd started to like. "You like Nora, don't you,Jon?"
"No way.....she's too......she makes too many rules in Simon Says!"
"Guys, keep it down, okay? People are starting bed down for the night." Marcia came to put an arm around Espa. "Do you want me to carry Chris?"
"I've got him." Espa assured her. He never resisted a chance to take care of his brothers. His parents did it so often.
"Alright. If he gets too heavy for you,let me know." She left to join her husband,as they exited the carnival gates, and entered the cold,outside world.