He learnt to play when he was young...
The days he spent from then on were shorter... he remembered them well. Most of those days, he recalled, were spent inside...
"What are you doing?".
He turned around. A girl with light brown hair, covering the left side of her face, was joining him in the quiet hallway. It was dark... a small streak of sunlight shone in from the window he was looking through. The young girl stood considerably far away from him, keeping her distance. He frowned.
"Hm... why? Is somebody worrying about me?".
"No...", she said, looking down. "It's just that... well... I saw you peeking through the window...".
"Oh, is that it? Well, I'm sorry if you thought I was specifically looking at you...", he said with a laugh.
"No, no!", the girl said, holding out her hands and looking at him.
"Then what's wrong?", he said, walking up to her.
"I don't know... I was just wondering why you look out the window everyday...", she said quietly, looking down again. He sighed and walked over to the window.
"I can read the clouds...".
"What?", said the girl with surprise.
"I know when it's gonna rain...".
"But it's sunny today!".
"Yeah, how 'bout that...", he said, somewhat to himself, looking down and closing his eyes, his left hand in his pocket.
"So why aren't you outside?", inquired the girl. He looked up again. Being outside for the majority of his life had a definite toll on him... he no longer had the desire to have a sun that never shown on him in the rain shine on him now. He sighed.
"You're too young to understand...", he said, not looking at her. She frowned.
"I don't wanna understand! I wanna play!", she demanded, looking at him with gleaming eyes. He turned his head slightly. She was young, about six... ten years older was he... and yet, when he was her age, the word "play" was never brought up. He had not a reason to "play" with anything. He was on his own most of the time as a child, hardly ever getting attached to someone or something. He was a lone wolf, set for the ages... and here was she, an equally lonesome girl... even she had more dreams than he these days. Perhaps it was where they were? But it was a workhouse... the ever feared place of terror... but it felt nothing like what he expected... he had the freedoms only those with families possessed, and the unmeasurable love streaming from an unbreakably kind man. He was king of this world in his castle of seclusion... a roof over his head that, unless he was brutally forced from it, would remain forever above him. He knew that... and yet this girl did not. She was naive of his mind, of his thinking... she knew nothing like his hardships... and if she did, she sure was strong... getting over those are no easy task. But she apparently did, if she had any... and if she did not, she had a better childhood than he. What could she possibly know about suffering? What could he learn about strength? He knew there was a spark inside that needed to come out... perhaps she was wood to ignite the fire...
He looked outside. Cursed sun! Cursed rays! Where were you when I needed you the most! But I have to, I must, praise you... proclaim the glory you bring in the life of this child...
"Well, don't just stand there like a dope...", he said, walking past her and rubbing his hand on her head. "Let's go outside and play!". He smiled.
The young girl laughed. Her laughter brought tears to his eyes. He felt something inside that made his heart pump vigorously... the joy a child's laughter brought to him. He followed her outside as the sounds of roaring laughter and song tinted his ears. He found himself humming the words... never to be forgotten...
Tom, he was a piper's son
He learnt to play when he was young
But the only song that he could play
Was "Over the hills and far away"
Over the hills, a great way off
The wind shall blow my top-knot off...
"You shall be named Dagger, and Jumbo, and Beast...".
"So I hear you're starting a circus...", said the man, looking up at him, holding onto his cane. He smiled.
"That's right, Father... every one of us kids is gonna be a part of it!", he said with a smile. The old man looked at him with gleaming eyes.
"How nice... now whatever gave you that splendid idea?".
"Well... hearing the laughter of children and seeing the happiness we bring to each other... I thought, well, what if we, a bunch of poor kids, could share that happiness with the rest of the world? A circus does just the trick!" he laughed. The old man smiled again.
"Is that so? Do you have a name for your circus?".
"I was thinking Noah's Ark Circus, only because you read that story to us last night... how does it sound?".
"Lovely, lovely! And I want you to know that I approve of this...".
"Oh, sorry, Father! I forgot to ask you!".
"No problem... I think it's nice that you have grown to love children as much as I... being a lonely man for years, I feel most content when in the presence of children... special children in particular...", he said, somewhat to himself. He shook his head. "Well, now! Have you a name for yourself?".
"Joker...".
"Joker?".
"It fits, doesn't it?".
"Yes... rather well... you always did seem like a fool to me...".
"A fool?".
"Yes... a fool... staying in all day when you should be out playing...".
"I stopped doing that, Father! Ever since... never mind, it won't happen again...".
"Good! And what names do you have for the others?".
"Wanna see?".
"Certainly...". They both walked over to the window.
"That one right there, see? Her name is Beast...".
"Beast? That's a rather violent name for such a pretty girl...".
"Yes... but, she's gonna be our animal tamer... she's not afraid of animals... in fact, she loves them!", he said with a smile. The man looked up and pointed at someone else.
"And he?".
"Oh, him? He's Jumbo, our fire breather...".
"And her?".
"Doll, the tightrope walker...".
"And those two?".
"Peter and Wendy... trapeze artists...".
"I see! Such fitting names! Is that all?".
"Not quite... see that boy over there?", he said, pointing to a dark haired boy. "That's Dagger... he doesn't look the part, but he's gonna be our knife thrower...".
"Amazing! Absolutely amazing! And you know what? I can see you going far with this troupe... I really can!", the old man said with a smile.
"Say... when can we start, Father?".
"Hm?".
"I mean... with practicing and all... haha, we need some, that's for sure...", he laughed.
"Oh, right away! Right away! But first, I have a little surprise for you all...", the man said, walking over to his desk and grabbing a card. "I have this friend... you can refer to him as Doc... he's a doctor that specializes in prostetics...".
"Prostetics?", he said with a frown. What on earth was that?
"It's a type of artificial limb... I gave him a call today and he has agreed to see you all in person to examine your, lack there of...".
"What? You mean...", he said, looking at his absent right arm.
"That's right... every one of you has a disability of some sort, the kind that he is willing to correct... I'm sure you have no objections?", the man said, giving him a slight glance.
"No! Not at all!", he said, smiling. An artificial limb... a prostetic... an arm is an arm, and getting one back was gold to him. "How soon is he gonna examine us?".
"The day after next... he would have come sooner, but...".
"Oh, no problems, Father!", he said, walking over to him and giving him a hug. Two days was nothing compared to sixteen years... it was well worth the wait.
"Good, good... now Joker, there is one little thing I would like you to do beforehand...".
"What is that, Father?", he said, letting go of him. The man smiled slyly.
"I want you to take into consideration that what I do for you here should not go unrewarded...".
"What do you mean?", he said with a frown. The man got up from his chair and walked over to the window, looking outside.
"You are very privledged here, compared to all the other runts still on the streets... don't you think they deserve as much as you?", the man said, twiddling his fingers behind him. He looked down. He was right... they deserved just as much as he.
"Yes...", he said quietly.
"Well then...", the man said, "You understand perfectly, in that sense... but, what about all the children who have never been on the streets? The ones that have been priveledged all their lives? Do you think they understand?".
"No...", he said, again quietly. He never really thought of it before.
"You see, Joker, those kids are spoiled brats that could never understand your hardships... you know why?".
"Because they never experienced them...", he said, frowning. The old man smiled.
"Now you see, that is why we must correct their understanding of poor people... poor children... and how exactly do we do that?".
"I don't know...".
"You don't know? Why, we take everything from them!", the man exclaimed, pounding his fist on the window. He looked at the old man, confused.
"And how can we? It's not like they're gonna give up everything to understand...", he said with a frown. The old man looked at him.
"Simple! We... take them from their homes and bring them here to live with me! That's how it's done!", the man said with a smile. He looked at him, even more confused.
"You're not serious... are you, Father?".
"Serious? I'm dead serious! How else are they gonna understand what you went through... every... single... day?", the man said, walking up to him. He just could not look at him.
"But that's crazy, Father...".
"Crazy?", the old man said, grabbing his chin. "Do you know how long I have... waited, to see him? Those blue eyes, that face... that smile... sure it's crazy... but not impossible...", he said, letting go of his chin and walking back to the window. He did not understand what he was talking about. That poor old man... what did he want?
"So... what exactly do you want us to do, Pop?". The old man turned around, looking at him. He walked up to him and, lifting his hand, slapped him.
"You address me as 'Father'!", the man exclaimed, angrily. He rubbed his cheek.
"I understand...", he said quietly. "What is your request... Father?". The old man walked over to the window again, twiddling his fingers.
"I want you... to bring me... some of those spoiled brats... bring them here, and I promise you that for every child you pick up, one will be saved off the streets...". The old man looked at him. "Understood?".
He clenched his fist. His teeth held tightly together. It was an unreasonable... stupid request... but if it meant saving one of his kind from a life not worthy of any child, then perhaps... perhaps... it was worth it.
"Yes, Father...", he said, closing his eyes and taking a bow.
"Understood..."
"Boss...". He turns around. Dagger is walking towards him. He waits for Dagger to reach him... he frowns. "It's time...", says Dagger, also with a frown.
"Is everyone ready?".
"Yep.. Sis, Jumbo... and Snake's on guard again...".
"What about Doll?".
"Aw, does she have 'ta come? I'm getting sick of her chatterbox...", pouts Dagger. He shakes his head.
"We're in this together... we always have been...", he says with a frown.
"I know, I know... let's just, get it over with so I can come home and have some tea with Sis...".
"Since when do you have tea with anyone?".
"Since Sis...", says Dagger with infatuated eyes.
He rolls his eyes. "Ok... I wouldn't mind getting it over with... while I feel this way...", he says to himself. Dagger looks at him, somewhat confused.
"Oh? And how's that?".
"Never mind... let's just go already...", he says, pushing Dagger out of the way and walking into the circus. Dagger smiles.
"You mean that lady friend of yours...".
"What?", he says, stopping and sweating slightly.
"You know... the one I saw earlier today... she's not just a... fling... is she...", says Dagger, walking up to him and putting his head over his shoulder with a kissy face.
"And... when did you see her?", he says, sweating more.
"I told you, earlier today... I never saw you get that close to a lady before...".
He pushes his face away. "It's really none of your business, Dagger... your assumptions are gonna be the end of you someday...", he says, walking towards the tents. Dagger laughs.
"I don't NEED to make assumptions when I know the truth!", says Dagger with a smile. He turns around, looking at him.
"Oh... and that would be?".
Dagger, on his knee, holding onto his heart and closing his eyes, extending one hand out to he: "Joker, Joker, wherefore art thou, Joker? As I stand with one knee bent, are you amoungst the snakes or a circus tent? Come to me, and fulfill my heart's content!".
Joker throws a rock at his forehead. "You're obnoxious, you know that?", he says with a scowl.
"Really? I thought I was Shakespeare for a minute there...", laughs Dagger, standing up and rubbing his forehead.
He rolls his eyes. "Whatever, enough with the fun and games... let's meet the others and get this over with...".
"Right!", says Dagger, running over to him. He looks up at the sky. Only an hour ago was he in heaven... now he is in hell.
"How is it that I understood him then and not now? What influence keeps me going on like this?", he thinks to himself. He sighs. "Whatever... let's get this over with...".
They leave, unaware that something green and scaly had been watching them the entire time...