Chapter 11- Beautiful Freaks
Jerome and Sadie wait in the shadows across from Alphonse's trailer, they watch as the portly clown staggers back from the mess tent, a bottle shrouded in a brown paper bag hangs loosely from his hand. He is still wearing his black clown suit with the red patches, make-up smeared down his stubbly face, a red wig sits askew on top of his head.
Alphonse slumps himself down on the steps of his trailer lighting a cigarette, he pulls off his wig tossing it to the ground and lowers his head into a shaky hand.
"He's so pathetic." Jerome whispers a hateful stare focused on the clown.
"I know, but he's my Dad J." Sadie pats herself down and takes a deep breath, "You have to promise me, you can never hurt him J, I mean it."
Jerome rolls his eyes dramatically with a huge sigh, "Fine, whatever, scouts honour." He makes a scout salute mockingly.
Sadie touches his face in the darkness just for a second then she marches out towards the clown. Jerome watches from his hiding place as Sadie slowly approaches her father stopping in front of him. He wearily raises his head to take a drunken look at the figure before him, it takes him a moment to realise who it is as he sits there squinting through intoxicated eyes.
Jerome can't hear what the man says but he watches as he throws down his liquor letting it spill on the ground, tentatively he places his hand on Sadie's matted head, tears welling in his eyes as he grabs her tiny frame and pulls her tight to him, his shoulders shudder with sobs. Jerome knows a normal person would feel happy for Sadie at this warm welcome but Jerome can only feel hate towards the cantankerous old clown, and deep down the tiniest shudder of jealousy.
Jerome backs away deeper into the darkness leaving Sadie to her reunion.
A few weeks pass by and Sadie is absorbed back into the Circus like she never left, Alphonse rejoices in her return for a short time but normal life takes hold quickly. Sadie is now part of the Clown troupe and as a trainee can often be seen running around doing the more menial chores, filling the props with fresh foam and sorting costumes back stage.
Jerome waits until all the performers have left the big top and the ring master has been round turning most of the outer lights off. He dances through the shadows towards a warm glow leaking out from behind the backstage curtain. Inside racks of costumes are crammed in amongst dressing tables with those big mirrors bordered with lots of tiny bulbs, Jerome glides through feeling and stroking the sequinned and velvet fabrics dripping from the rails. Sadie sits cross legged on the floor sowing up a rather gaudy looking yellow and green checked jacket.
"Hey, you nearly ready to play?" Jerome asks with a glint in his devilish eyes.
"Yeah, just a sec, gotta finish this for Gonzo." Sadie finishes the last few stitches putting the jacket away on a rack. She is dressed in her clown outfit from the show, a tight red and black leotard with a puffy tutu all topped with an oversized jesters hat complete with bells.
"Looking good Sades" Jerome jests flirtatiously.
"Screw you J, I kinda like it!" Sadie scowls and gives him the finger.
"No, I mean it, I kinda like it too." He gives her cheeky wink and she gives him a dead arm and a smile.
The pair walk out into the ring, Jerome flicks a leaver at the side and the ground illuminates with a clunk, he swipes his briefcase from a hidden area under the wooden seats that encircle the ring and strides into the centre of the performance area with a twirl, Sadie stretches and cartwheels after him, her tutu bouncing comically as she lands with her arms outstretched.
Sadie prances over to the huge wheel and spins it with pointed toes and elaborate hand movements as Jerome lines up his knives on the table. He limbers up and begins to aim one of his blades at the spinning wheel.
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait." Sadie runs in front of the target waving her hands excitedly stopping Jerome just as he is about to release a blade, "I made you something."
Sadie runs back through the backstage curtain laughing , Jerome can hear her rustling through racks, she explodes back out into the ring clutching a red tailed ringmaster jacket and white leather jodhpurs, the ring masters hat sits balanced precariously on top of her own jester hat and a pair of riding boots dangle under her arm pit. The girl can't contain her joy as she thrusts the items at her friend.
"What do ya think? You like em? I modified the old coat from the ringmaster's skinnier days and the trousers and boots are back from that horse acrobatic show they used to do, but it's all tailored to your size, you know, lanky." Sadie waits with a longing grin on her face.
Jerome takes the coat and examines it, a smile appearing slowly then turning into an evil wide grin as he swings it on, it fits like a glove, admiring his red clad arms he puts the rest of the outfit on.
"Sadie, it's perfect!" His eyes sparkle in the spotlights as he poses and prances with his knives, Sadie skips and jumps about in approval.
"So? You ready to try this for real? You are so good, I trust you, I know you won't hit me." Sadie takes Jerome's arm to shake him back to reality.
"I don't know Sadie." He throws a knife at the wheel still spinning across the ring behind her, landing the blade right between the eyes of the marked out figure, "I might hurt you?" he pouts with a disingenuous frown.
"Yeah, you could, I know you kinda want to, but I think you won't. Plus if you do this I'll show you my act remember." Sadie dances off stopping the wheel and beginning to fasten her ankles into the straps, "Come and do my wrists!"
Jerome walks over cool as cucumber, somewhat strutting in his new outfit, he takes her wrist and slams it a little too hard into the wrist restraint, "You're crazy you Sadie, think you like danger a little too much, not good for your health you know?"
"What about my life is good for my health J? I'm always hurt, might as well enjoy the rush." She tests her restraints, "Spin me then, and try not to kill me hey?"
Jerome chuckles, he is always impressed with her bravery, no matter how reckless it has become since her return, he heaves the wheel with a huge tug and Sadie begins to spin giggles escaping manically from her. Jerome lines up next to his knives and begins his act.
The teenage boy bows to the imaginary crowds and displays his knives, one, two, three glimmering in the light all fanned out beautifully between his gloved hands. He dances back and forth emphasising his aiming arm.
"Ready?" He asks with a sinister anticipation.
"READY!" Sadie squeaks with excitement.
Jerome shoots, one, two, three, bang, bang, bang, squeak, squeak, squeak each blade lands in the wood in-between Sadie's pale limbs causing her to yelp excitedly.
"Happy now?" Jerome bows.
"Do the blindfold!" Sadie shouts mid spin.
"You are one crazy kid, don't tempt me." Jerome laughs.
"DO IT! I dare you." Sadie shouts manically.
Jerome sighs defeated as he whips out the red silk blindfold from the briefcase taunting the empty audience with it. He wraps it tightly round his eyes and continues to conduct a comedy skit, facing the wrong way and pretending to fumble the knives. Just as he acts out feeling for the table he turns and throws three more blades blind at the wheel to the delighted screams of Sadie. They land either side of her head with millimetres to spare.
Jerome takes off the blindfold and admires his handy work, skipping happily to Sadie with an over-inflated sense of pride he bows and curtsies to his nonexistent cheers from his make believe spectators. He slows and stops the wheel and releases Sadie, she falls into his strong arms and he can feel the adrenaline coursing through her body, a huge beaming smile plastered across her pale little face.
"You make me feel so alive J!" Sadie hugs him and jumps down still hyped up, "let me show you my act now."
"I've seen you clowning Sadie, I watch you every night. Don't get me wrong you're good but I've seen it all, even that mime stuff you do, genius by the way." Jerome laughs out loud to himself.
Sadie leaps into mime mode and fakes being stuck in a glass box causing Jerome to howl with laughter, her big finale coming as she fake knocks herself out on the fake roof of the box collapsing spectacularly onto the ground.
"I know, I'm an amazing clown." Sadie bats imaginary dirt from her shoulders as she scoops herself up, "But, I have another act, me and Mary used to practice it with that boy she likes and she's been secretly showing me some new stuff since I got back. I can't believe how much I remembered, I'm a natural, wait here, I'll show you."
Sadie runs off and starts to climb up one of the two main tent poles that stretch high into the roof of the big top. She ascends higher and higher, climbing above the safety net taking the tiny ladder all the way up to the trapeze ledge. She takes the line and pulls the trapeze to herself leaning out precariously to grab the bar with her fingertips. Clutching with both hands she shoots a proud smile down to her ginger friend and jumps.
Jerome's jaw drops as he watches, Sadie's body moves through the air taught and elegant, arms strong. Back and forth she gains momentum until she flies from one side to the other high above the ground. On the upswing she releases and somersaults beautifully through the air catching the second bar gracefully.
Jerome erupts into whoops and applause unable to hide his enjoyment. Sadie beams down at him as she flips upside down to dangle from her legs, arms outstretched to the sky. She swings a few more times before disconnecting allowing herself to fall into a delicate turn, arms crossed over her front she lands flat in the safety net bouncing up and down a few times before rolling to sit on the side of the net.
Jerome drags her from her perch placing her in front of him gleaming with pride.
"We may be freaks Sadie, but we are beautiful freaks, that I am sure of."
They share a moment, looking deep into each other's eyes, not romance, not love just bliss and freedom. Together they are free. Jerome winks at his friend and they both comically bow to each other and then to the crowd accepting a wealth of imaginary applause.
A/N
Please do comment if you are enjoying the story so far, only a few chapters to go now.