Sorry for the late update guys, my laptop was being mean to me and wouldnt work on both normal documents along with the Internet.
I think it felt neglected and not appreciated enough...
Anyway, I will still be uploading a new chapter on Monday so there will be two chapters up in the span of a day or so - depending on the time this one goes up XD
Please review and enjoy~
Dark Woods Circus
Chapter 3 –
The circus was not what Fay was expecting. She thought there would be clowns running around, animal tamers feeding the animals, men and women preparing food and equipment. Instead, it looked like it was deserted, like no one had been there in ages. Fay looks around and shivers as Shan wraps an arm around her. "Just wait." He says as they reach the others. "I'm sure someone's here."
The flaps to an old tent swing up as a small, chubby man waddles out. His top hat was as tall as himself, doubling his height to that of an average man, as his ringmaster clothes look pristine and clean. He wore a monocle on his left eye as a gold chain ran from his breast pocket to his hand where a pocket watch we held, open and showing the time. The small group look at the man with interest as he yawns, replaces the watch into another pocket, and begin walking in their direction before stopping and gazing up at them.
"My, my, my, aren't you a lovely group of freaks." He says.
"Excuse me?" Fly says, obviously hurt and offended by his words but more angry than anyone else.
The man smiles and shakes his head. "I'm sorry, that's what most people call you guys round here, right?"
"Not really." Viv replies.
"We haven't been around here long enough to be called such things." Nick says.
"We came from Koo Island." Fay continues. "Have you heard of the place?"
The man's smile widens as he flings his hands in the air. "Koo Island! Koo Island! You must be the group of children Marita Young said would be coming here!" He booms. Fay smiles up at Shan as he tightens his grip around her. Viv and Nick nod their heads in unison as Fly shrugs. "So what if we are?" She asks. "What are you gonna do about it?"
"Why, I'll give you guys a home, that's what." He says as he begins to waddle away from them, still excited about the children from Koo Island. Fly looks at everyone and raises a brow. "Should we follow him?" She asks.
Fay shrugs. "Can't hurt us, can it?" She replies before walking forward. Everyone else soon follows and in a few strides catches up to the small man. His smile was widening across his face as he walked in zig zags across the ground. "This here will be your home." She says as they reach a tent. It was large, about the size of a small house but with only one door and no windows. Fay looks down at the man and smiles. "Thank you... um, Mr..."
"Mr. Peak. My name is Mr. Peak." He replies, his ever growing smile reaching his ears. Fay shivers as Fly and Shan look at each other with caution. Nick and Viv were busy with other things to notice the inhuman smile Mr. Peak was showing. Somehow, though, Fay began to find his name amusing and smiles a sweet, innocent smile. "'Peak'? Like a mountain 'peak'?" She asks.
He looks at her, his head seeming to rotate round like that of an owl. Fly scrunches up her face in disgust, Shan looks away from the hideous sight as Fay gasps and sucks in a lung full of air. Viv and Nick were still busy with the flowers and butterflies they had just found, Nick more interested in the tent, their new home, than the wild life around them that made Viv smile with delight. Mr. Peak smiles at the trio staring at him before shrugging his shoulders, making his head bob up and down.
"Not exactly. It is spelt like 'peak' from 'mountain peak' but I am not tall, as you can see, so that joke would seem amusing to most. I thought that, since you were Dr. Young's requested; that you would have better common knowledge than those out there." Immediately, Fay felt ashamed at the joke she had just made and bows her head in an apology. Shan looks sharply at the small, round man before looking down at Fay and placing a caring arm around her. Fly looks at the ringmaster, noting how he seemed more surreal than real. He didn't seem human, but then again, neither did Shan or herself for that matter. In fact, she thought. The only human looking one here is Fay.
She looks at Fay who smiles back at her before both women turn their attention to the small man before them. "This is where we will be living?" Fly asks.
Mr. Peak nods his head before walking inside the tent. His head popped out again so after he entered with that same smile plastered on his face. "Don't you want to see your new home?" He asks. Fay looks up at Shan who shrugs at her before walking inside. Fly whistles, to which Viv and Nick hear as they turn and look at her. She beckons them forward, making them bound towards her, before herding them inside.
It wasn't what they had been expecting.
Inside the tent was a small dining area, a table with enough chairs for all of them to sit down and eat. There was a blocked off part of the tent with a flap that, when Mr. Peak pulled it aside, revelled the bathroom. On the other side of the room were five beds, all lined up in a row and separated by curtains. Apart from that, there was a small kitchen and that was all. The tent was smaller inside than what it looked on the outside. They could hear voices on the other side of the tent ahead of them which makes Mr. Peak frown. "They shouldn't be here." He mummers before waddling forward and pulling back a piece of the tent, revealing a small door to which he enters. The five of them could easily hear the conversation that was taken place, even though they were whispering.
"I told you guys to leave this side alone." They heard Mr. Peak say in alarm.
"Calm down Peak Man." A sloppy man said. "This place a vacant, we ain't disturbing nothin."
"Yeah, chill for a sec man." Someone else replies in an equally sloppy voice, but female. "No one but us for miles."
"I told you kids not to enter this part of the tent." Mr. Peak says angrily. "You know that this tent is reserved."
"Yeah, but how do we know these 'children' actually exist?" The sloppy man replies.
"Those children haven't showed up yet for, what, like ten years or so." The woman says.
Fay didn't like how the conversation was heading as Fly looks angrily at the shadows dancing before them. Viv and Nick look at each other with worried glances as Shan tightens his grip on Fay. He knew how her tongue worked, and if anyone was going to yell at them, he would prefer it to be Fly. She was the oldest of them all and could act as the head of their dysfunctional family. It would be better that way too, since that would leave Fay with plenty of time to figure out a way to leave. Shan liked the idea of a safe haven for everyone; he just didn't like the circus.
"Those 'children' you speak of are here right now!" Mr. Peak almost screams. There was silence for a moment before laughter erupted from the couple.
"You know what, Mr. P," The man says though fits of laughter. "You're a downright riot."
"Let the good times roll." The woman says as a small 'pop' could be heard followed by more laughter.
Fly looks down at Fay who looks at the older woman and nods her head. They were both sick and tired of this banter and wanted it to end. Fly strides towards the gap in the tent and drags it open. She doesn't notice the cages lined against the side of the tent, nor does she notice the peep holes in the side of the tent or the various chains and locks. What she notices is a man and woman sitting on the ground, drunk and stoned like hell with an angry ringmaster standing before them.
They look up at Fly, their eyes barely managing to focus on her before widening in shock. "If you don't mind," Fly says sweetly, sending chills down the couple's spines. "Me and my family would prefer it if you didn't talk about us like we don't exist."
Fay shivers as Fly mentions 'family' as a sense of happiness over whelms her. They were her family, but she had never said that out loud. Fly had just declared it to them and, by doing so, made it look like she was in charge of their little family.
Fay frowns.
She wasn't too sure herself on who was the head of their family.
The couple walk out of the tent, looking both bemused and apologetic at the dysfunctional family before them. Mr. Peak smiles apologetically at them before closing up the fold in the tent. Fly stands beside Fay, who looks up at her, and winks. The younger smiles before returning her attention to the ringmaster before them.
"These are your beds," he begins, pointing to the beds on one side. "And that, over there, is the kitchen." He points to the other side of the tent. "The bathroom is behind that flap there and this is the dining table, where you all shall eat your meals."
Fay looks at the bed, the promise of a night off the ground looms over her as she feels droopy. Shan looks closely at the flap that hid the secret entrance to the other side of the tent. He was now more suspicious of the ringmaster's intentions more than ever. His grip tightens around the younger teen in his arms as she leans on his chest. Fly examines the kitchen before slamming her hands on the bench.
"Well this bites!" She says angrily. All four look at her in confusion. She looks at them all, as if something was wrong with them, before opening the fridge to revel it full with food. Viv and Nick look at the sight before them with wonder. Fay, being too tired to notice the fridge, cuddles into Shan's chest and nearly falls asleep in his warm embrace. Shan frowns at the sight before raising his brow in a silent question.
Fly looks at him bemused before pointing to the fridge, like it was obvious. "There's no booze here." She declares.
Viv and Nick stifle their laughs as Shan smiles sadly at her. "You sad, sad person." He says as Fay stirs in her sleep. "Is alcohol all that you think about?"
"Not all the time." Fly replies sheepishly. Fay shakes her head as she opens her eyes and sees the fridge. "Wow," she says, eyes wide open, yet still droopy. "We're loaded!" She looks up to Shan before closing her eyes and falling asleep again. Shan smiles down at her before picking her up and placing her on one of the beds. He pulls the sheet up so that it is covering her body before pulling the curtain across.
"What do you think?" He asks Fly. "Is this place alright?"
She shakes her head. "I don't what it is," she says. "But this place gives me chills. It feels like we haven't left that place at all."
Viv and Nick nod their heads in unison. "We know how you feel." Nick says. "We get the same feeling too."
"I wonder what it means." Viv says.
"I know what it means." Shan says. They all turn to him as he looks back at Fay. She was the most venerable of them all, yet somehow felt safe in their small tent. None of them could feel safe enough to fall asleep. Fay saw the beds and fell asleep instantly. Shan couldn't help but feel worried about her. She was everything to him; she meant more to him than the others. He loved her for who she is, not who she ways as she believed. And if she got hurt because of his decision, he would never forgive himself.
He turns to the others, still wide awake with the feel of a false security looming over them. They look at him, awaiting his decision. "We stay here until we find somewhere else to go." He says. They all nod their heads before climbing into their respectful beds. Shan sat on a chair and sighs, resting his head in his hands.
What was he going to do if he lost Fay again?