I think I have made a big mistake…I should have known better then to trust someone so easily.
I didn't even venture into the Opera House today. I stayed hidden. Hopefully she has not told anyone about me. But based on her reaction last night, I doubt that she will keep quiet.
No one wants a monster lurking nearby…not even a nice one.
Kurt dropped his pen, letting it roll across the floor as his large yellow eyes stared sadly down at his journal before his gaze swept over himself, landing on his pointed tail which he quickly tucked against himself.
If he was a dog, his ears would have been drooping all the way to the floor.
But he wasn't a dog. He was a hideous monster no one wanted to even look at. Let alone speak to.
"But I wouldn't hurt anybody." Kurt murmured to himself, shutting the book and padding over to the window where he crossed his arms and rested his chin against them. "Not…on purpose."
He had tried so hard to find someone—anyone—that would just be a friend to him. And found no one. So he had locked himself in the Opera House, watching people from a distance and wondering what it would be like to live a normal life. To be normal.
Perhaps, at least, it was better than the circus…
Although, at the circus Kurt had known other people, had contact with the other acts…they weren't friends, but they were people he could talk to sometimes. When he wasn't locked up in a cage he couldn't escape from.
Kurt moved away from the window, going over to his old mattress and pulling out a very crinkled, very faded and sad looking photograph.
It was black and white, of a pretty girl with dark hair and eyes….Kurt remembered her very well.
….
"Boys and girls, I present to you the incredible Nightcrawler!"
The blanket over the cage lifted, revealing the blue creature who was curled up tightly, yellow eyes just visible above his tail that draped over his nose and curled around his body. He was shaking like a leaf, eyes darting around the unfamiliar, staring faces that whispered.
And then it happened, the long stick. It struck him in the flank and sent a bolt of electricity through his blue body.
Kurt disappeared like he always did, crashing into the side of the cage he couldn't escape from, and scrambling to get away as it chased him and the crowd cheered and giggled and laughed and tried to grab him.
And then it was over, and he curled up in the corner, chest heaving and tailed wrapped tightly around himself as the children and adults were bustled away.
All except one.
A small girl. She stood silently, staring at him, but not laughing, not pointing. Just watching, almost sadly, until she too was dragged away.
The blanket was thrown over and Kurt pushed his hand through the wire, lifting the blanket just enough to watch her small figure disappear out of the tent.
He thought about her a lot that night, couldn't sleep.
It was cold too, which didn't help. It was snowing that day, and even with the text above them Kurt was shivering, curled up as tightly as possible and thinking about that girl…one girl who hadn't reacted like the thousands of other people he'd seen. One girl…
He pricked his ears, lifting his head hearing footsteps crunching on snow outside. The tent flap peeled back and a soft shadow slipped in.
Kurt got up as the blanket was pulled from his cage and he saw the same girl. She stared at him again, almost without blinking, for a long time.
"What's your name?" she asked quietly.
Kurt blinked hard, struggling to remember. He did…have a name. From before. But memories from before were shadowy and vague. "K-kurt." He whispered finally, shakily. "My name is Kurt Wagner."
She smiled, a beautiful smile.
"That's a nice name."
And she almost, made Kurt smile too.
"I'm going to get you out of here, Kurt Wagner. No one should live like this." She looked angry all of a sudden, angry and sad. "You should be able to live like everyone else. Happy, free, with friends."
"Friends…" Kurt murmured to himself, under his breath. Friends like this girl!
He watched as she darted away, unplugging the cord that powered his cage.
And with a deep breath Kurt was free! Out of his cage, on the soft, cold ground. He gazed at her triumphantly. "You will come with me?" he asked hopefully, shyly.
She smiled again and offered her hand.
A gun exploded.
Kurt dived to grab her but it was too late.
The dark haired girl lay still on the ground, eyes closed.
Kurt flashed a quick, angry and fearful glance over his shoulder at the men in black firing at him, and vanished into the night.
….
That night was when he escaped into the sewers, found the opera house…
It was the loneliest night of his life.
The next morning the papers had read the story about the demon who had escaped, and a shot girl.
Needless to say, the circus quickly left.
After some long searching, Kurt had found the girl's grave, and waited until after the funeral to quietly walk over and thank her, and say he was sorry…that it shouldn't have happened. "I will make friends, and live the life you wanted me to." He promised gently.
The photograph had been at her gravestone. Kurt had tucked it away and kept it, as a reminder.
And he had tried to keep his promise.
But that girl, was still the only one.
The only one who didn't scream, or laugh, or point, or try to shoot him and grab him.
The only one.