Chapter 11:
Dealing With Unnecessary Details
Raz woke up when it was dark. For a moment he sat groggily, as he was not aware that he had even been sleeping. He had been sitting at his desk for what seemed to be at the most, four or five minutes, then, suddenly, the light had changed and there was silence from outside the window. The silence was unnerving. They had stopped. This meant they reached their destination. How long had they been there?
He got up from his chair and went to his door. As he stepped outside, the early autumn breeze brushed across his face and ruffled his hair. Up against the fading translucence of the distant city he saw people working to put up tents.
Twenty feet away from him Baroda was helping Godric with some of the more strenuous tasks, as the skinny man stood around with his assistant (Judging by the look on her face, Raz assumed there wasn't too much going on behind it.) yelling at the man every time he got something wrong…and not lifting a finger to help him in any way. Raz approached the man from behind.
"Hey Godric." He said. The man looked around and then fixed his eyes on Raz. He grunted in an impatient manner. "Have you seen my dad?"
"Yes, about forty minutes ago. Up further Baroda! You can't very well expect me to get my head in that!" Baroda tossed Godric an annoyed look as he continued to set up his tent.
"He was down by Maurice's the last I saw him, making sure Bruno's been fed…you know…so we don't have a repeat of what happened LAST month." Raz thanked him and jogged down towards the animal stalls, leaving the sound of the entire tent coming down on top of both Baroda and Godric as Godric's assistant screamed…and made no attempt to help, but rather made sure she was out of harms way and that…yes…her hair was safe.
Despite the urgency with which he searched for his father, Raz made sure his pace was slowed to nearly a crawl when he reached Boris's Wagon. When he got behind it, he went invisible and avoided the two men who were sitting and drinking on the step outside the door. Boris and Pasco tapped their beers together, seemingly in a fair mood, while their thoughts drifted and winded cruelly through their heads.
When he was out of their sight he threw his invisibility off and ran the rest way to clutter of various cages, lined up in front of a few men and woman and colorful clothing. His father was among them, talking to a short man with an ugly vest on.
"Dad." Raz said as he stopped in front of his father, nearly running into him. Raf turned and looked down at his son, surprised. "I need to talk to you." His father turned and said something quietly to the man, who nodded and began to inspect a cage with a lion in it a few feet away.
"Son, I'm very busy at the moment. We're running behind schedule and I have to help get this place ready by tomorrow morning. It'll have to wait."
"It can't!" Raz said urgently. "It's really important!" Rafael started to say something but was interrupted when the short man returned to his side.
"I don't think there's a chance he'll get out again. There'll be no law suits against us this time!" The man seemed pleased.
"Good, Maurice. Go check on Alice will you." (Alice is a very large elephant…just thought…you know…you should know.) "Now, Razputin. What were you saying?" Raz took a breath.
"I was listening in on a conversation and I found out about something. But I can't talk to you about it here." Rafael frowned.
"Oh…and does this have to do with the way you were listening?"
"Uh…maybe…but that doesn't matter! I found out about…" He stopped when someone grabbed his shoulder from behind. Rafael looked up into Jamie's smiling face as the man stepped forward.
"I hope you don't mind, Razputin. I must…take up some of your fathers time." Raz shook his shoulder out from the man's hand and scowled. "We need to discuss a situation."
"I do mind."
"Razputin. Run along, this'll only take a minute. We can talk out by the tight rope after you've changed into your leotard."
"But dad!"
"Mind your father, boy." Jamie gave him a hateful look. Raz glared back at him. "And mind your business."
"Why don't you mind yours you scamming pile of…"
"Enough Razputin! Go! We'll talk later!" Raz looked from his father, to Jamie and then turned unwillingly back towards his own trailer.
XXX
Jamie watched him go, a slightly troubled look on his face.
"It appears…" He said, turning back to Rafael. "As though Beth has had another breakdown. I was helping her out of her door, when she started raving about men with fire for eyes, who were throwing knives at her…" Rafael looked troubled.
"Great…" He said unenthusiastically. "I suppose Id better have a talk with her."
"I think…perhaps we should consider her mental health."
"Well…she doesn't really have to be sane to be in the circus." Jamie nodded, then motioned towards Beth's trailer. Raf, looking less than thrilled about dealing with her then, when he had so many other things to worry about, began to walk in that direction. Jamie smiled, and followed.
When they got to Boris's trailer, Jamie stopped briefly behind Raf to talk to the wiry Knife thrower, who was watching their progression with amusement. Raf, thinking the man was still following, continued on.
"Silence the boy." He whispered, while passing a tiny sack from the inner compartments of his coat over to the knife thrower's chewed through finger gloves. "A few drops should do it." He started to walk again, then, on a second thought, jerked back.
"Don't pass it on to him yourself."
And with that he continued on after Rafael, who had reached the large trailer with the Fattest Woman In The World! Sign on it, and was currently knocking lightly on the door.
Jamie smiled. It didn't take much to make someone seem insane. In moments Raf would find Beth Fermi in a huddled position in the corner of her trailer, with a story TWICE as ridiculous as the one she may have had before, and any question of any real peril would vanish in the acrobats mind. Even that little brat couldn't do anything.
Jamie frowned. Speaking of which…how the hell did that little brat over hear their conversation?
Jamie was brought out of his thoughts as Raf entered the wagon, telling Jamie something as he did.
"What?" Jamie said, all thoughts of Razputin leaving him.
"I told you that you should be practicing for tomorrow. I'll take care of Beth." Jamie smiled.
"Of course." He said as he turned and walked away. It was best if Beth did not see him again anyway. He would rather his appearance did not set off any specific reaction. He was able to fix it this time, what those two idiots managed to do…but next time he didn't think it would be so easy.
'The sooner we have the Psychonaut the better.' He thought to himself. 'Then Dr. Kay will reward me and I can be done with those two idiot gypsy creeps.' He pulled out a perfect white cigarette from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. The end, burst into flames as he walked through the various tents, looking at them through the smoke, and imagining, with pleasure that they were burning too. Lord, how he hated the circus.
XXX
Abena Disgleirio was about nineteen years old. (Trust me, I'm not getting off topic…not by too much anyways.) As a girl she had lived in a small house with an abusive father and a mother that was drunk more then she was sober. She had run away from home when she turned fifteen, had hitchhiked down to a small town where she had nearly gotten caught…but then didn't because the circus had been in town. It was easy sneaking into the circus and getting a job there…even when you were fifteen years old. Since then, she worked in a small leotard with a lot of cheap glitter on it, doing small odd jobs and occasionally larger jobs…and she hated it. But that was okay…because no one in the circus really liked themselves or their lives…that's why they were circus freaks.
One thing she did count herself lucky for, was that she didn't have to worry about running into many creeps like her father, or worrying about who was trustworthy in her life…because everyone was a creep and they were all untrustworthy…but that was okay too…because they thought the same thing of her. She was used to them…and had adapted nicely…and even liked many of them in her own way…and she imagined, in their own way…they felt the same.
Then…there were people like Boris Batiks. Compared to him, her father seemed like a clean and respectful man…who on occasion could get a little surly. Boris disgusted her. He was mean, greasy, and had teeth that made you want to brush your own for an hour after looking at them.
And so, it was only natural, that on this semi chilly evening, while she was helping a young man named Jesiper set up the food stands (That…for the record, even the circus people tried to avoid.) she was entirely dismayed with Boris walked up to her and motioned for her to speak with him in private.
She set down a box of stale popcorn (Probably left over from the last performance.) and followed him, feeling like she should take a shower just for standing within three feet of the man.
"What?" She asked, a little nervous. The man was holding a cup of tea and was stirring it periodically.
"Do me a favor, eh doll?" He said, while chewing on a piece of tobacco and spitting it off to the side. She shivered.
"Depends on what the favor is." She answered. He handed her the cup of tea.
"Raf told me to give this to his boy…only, I don't want to track the little creep down and I don't feel like spoiling this lovely evening with the sight of his face. Mind running over there and giving it to him?"
Abena looked at the tea before taking it carefully from his hands. (Making sure that at no point her hand came into contact with his.
"What is it?"
"'S herbal. Appears the little idiot's been all worked up over the fat ladies breakdown. Raf wants him calm for tomorrow. Thanks doll."
He spat again and walked away. Abena rolled her eyes and started towards Raz's trailer. She would take the twelve year old over Boris any day. The only thing wrong with him was that he was charming, likeable and about seven years too young. (That was the real problem…not the charming or likeable thing…she wished that there were men HER age that acted like Razputin Aquato.)
XXX
Raz had just finished changing into his leotard, and had fished through his drawers till he found his goggles, when there was a knock on his door. He slipped the goggles over his head, setting them on his forehead and sending his hair messily over them and pulled the door open cautiously, finding, to his relief, that it was only one of the young girls that worked at the circus.
"Hey Abena." He said as the older girl smiled at him and passed him the cup in her hands. "What's this?"
"From your dad. It's herbal tea." She said. She waved at Raz, who waved back and headed back towards Jesiper and the food stands. Raz closed the door and eyed the tea wearily.
"Great…he thinks I'm hysterical." He said as he set the tea down on his desk. He pulled out the chair and lowered into it, taking the box from the top shelf as he did. He opened it and gazed once more inside at the hideously made necklace. He felt a moment of miserable gloominess as he pulled it out and examined each piece thoughtfully.
His hand curled around the teacup, which was old and cracked slightly at the top and he brought the hot liquid to his lips. The tea burned his throat. (Not unlike Ginger tea, actually…and on a side note…don't buy ginger tea…it burns your throat.) Raz touched his throat absently and set the cup down, while fumbling for a piece of notebook paper in his drawer and a pencil to write with.
When the paper and pencil was in front of him he took a deep breath, another sip of tea (Oh you are hating me right now, yes?) and began to write.
Lili,
I have no idea when you will get this…but I hope you will get it eventually. I don't know how yet…but I will find a way to send it…even if it means giving it to Sasha or Milla or your father the next time I see them. I wish I could see you in person…but at least this way you know that I am still thinking of you. And I am, all the time. I even made a present for you…but I'm almost positive you wont get it…and that might be okay…because it's really ugly.
Anyways…I…just…wa…ndsay….
Raz sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes, in front of him, the words on the page had begun to double and sway.
"What the hell?" He said, passing a hand in front of his face and watching as it left a trail as he lowered it to his lap. He shook his head violently, and then, in a sudden wave of vertigo, his hand wiped across the desk in his attempt to sturdy himself, knocking the teacup over and spilling its contents all over his letter. He watched it for a moment.
"Oh god." He said, before falling out of his chair onto the cold floor. Above him the room began to spin as the various colors intermingled with one another and then eventually all washed into black as he tumbled into a deep void.
XXX
For the record…I don't kill off main characters. I may kill off original characters in some stories…but not main characters…just thought…you know…youwould wantto know.
Violetwitch: Your not annoying me. I enjoy your reviews. Feedback from readers is one of the many things that motivate me to write.
Osuwarii: Are you aware that your review was nearly a page long! That must be the longest review I've ever gotten from anyone. Trust me tho, long reviews do not bother me. This one made my morning. I only wish I knew what to say and could leave reviews like this for other people.
Oraman Asturi: No…I wont ("I hope you don't make it to easy for Raz and Lilli to meet." From your last review) Trust me…long way to go.
To cartoonfreak101 and Oraman Asturi: (In response to your PM's) What makes either of you think I wasn't going to finish this? I'll take breaks but it's almost guaranteed that if I get past chapter one in a story I will finish it. Although, I'll warn you now in a month or so my updates will slow down immensely during Track season. Just be patient my lovelies you'll see the end.
Everyone else: I am aware that Tessa came across the circus' name WAY too quickly. But I already feel like this story has gotten off track and if I don't bring it back around soon it'll go on FOREVER. The sooner she knew the name and knew what to look for the sooner I could get things moving along. Although…I realize it's against common logic that anyone would come across that sort of luck. Normally what your looking for turns out being the very last thing you come across. There's still a long way to go though.
Wow…that author's response was too long.