The onlookers, Part 1
1067 Words
“Welcome one and all! Step right up and tonight, for one night only, see the greatest human oddities from the four corners of the world!!” He lifted up his cane. “See the world’s strongest man and for the first time since 1865 see the real mermaid!” He pointed his cane at the painted canvases strung up to his left. “See Cain and Able! Two brothers, one angel and one demon.” Then he pointed at another. “Meet Reptillia! The snake woman” The banner flew to one side reviling the striking red head in the white dress. She strut over to the ring master who glanced at her over his shoulder, by the looks of things she wasn’t following the script. “Right this way to the most extraordinary sight you have ever seen! The greatest mysteries of the modern world lay just ahead. Are you brave enough to face what lay and wait in the dark?” Reptillia wrapped an arm around the ring master’s waist and another around his shoulders but she was staring at Brian. He, however, didn’t seem to notice. Not one to be ignored she set her sights on Allen who was cat calling her. Michael stared her out of her dress and Tom whistled but Allen was taken with her the most. He gave her all his attention, which was exactly what she wanted. The ring master slammed his cane down on the ground and as if on his command an aberrational hoard of tiny clowns on unicycles materialized and circled the group before riding of ahead as to lead them. Danielle was the first to follow. “What are you lot waiting for? This show is for one night only!” All but Allen followed. He watched as Reptillia slowly walked up to him. However, after running her sharp finger nails down his arm she walked away and subsequently disappeared. Leaving him high and dry. He wanted to follow but Bob grabbed him by the collar and pulled him in the direction the group was moving. “Son, that girl will eat you alive.” Allen followed without protest even though that was the second time he had been warned. His head was spinning and his skin seemed to be on fire. Eyes blazing he searched for her among the booths and steal beasts, but she was gone. The thought of her being gone for good made his chest ache. He needed her and he needed her now. The only reason he didn’t rip free from Bob’s grasp was because he felt he would collapse. This wasn’t like him, he wasn’t dependant on a woman. He was the one who left a string of broken hearts where he went, he wasn’t the one left feeling broken. How the hell did this happen? As they were being entertained by the tiny clown’s one of the banners flew open with force. A bald man the size of a small house dressed in a red leotard stepped out onto the platform with a ten inch piece of wood. Danielle cheered as he flexed showing his strength and he seemed to feed off of Danielle’s attention. When he was done he took the wooden board in both hands and snapped it in half with little effort. In fact he smirked as the splinters fell at his feet. The banner behind him read ‘Lucian – the world’s strongest man’. “Anyone can do that. It’s all trickery.” Tom protested but was ignored. They were applauding. Lucian retrieved a metal rod at his feet and presented it to the crowd, to Tom in particular whom he had heard. The group stepped closer to the platform and watched as he bent down on one knee and rested the rod on his shoulders. He took a deep breath before bending the thirteen inch rod right down the middle. Taking the rod from his shoulders he folded the two ends in half again before holding it out for the crowd to inspect. They were amazed, except for Tom whose ego forced his disbelief and Allen who was hyperventilating at the thought of never seeing that woman again. Further down another banner flew open and the sound of clicking heals filled the air. Itching with curiosity and excitement everyone huddled further down. Painted on the banner was a portrait of the girl and above it ‘Lu-Ellen – the amazing camel girl’. She walked out from behind the banner on all fours as easily and comfortably as if she was a born quadruped. The congenital genu recurvatum bended her knees outward and left her audience both emotional and cringing. Her elbows also seemed to bend outward and her hands boasted a collection of scars from a lifetime of walking on them. About halfway down the platform she stopped and got up on her feet before walking the rest of the way. Although she smiled seeing her walk looked painful and at the least uncomfortable. Their shocked expressions did nothing to deter Lu-Ellen. She put one hand on her hip and another in the air as she strut her stuff. She turned and posed and smiled from ear to ear. She revelled in the attention and their shock did not seem to matter to her. “f**k. No one should be left to life when they are born looking like that.” Tom was disgusted. He couldn’t stand the sight of her deformity and didn’t hesitate to let his concerns be heard. Danielle, however also had an opinion and didn’t mind sharing it. “Don’t think you get to have a say in the matter, your parents seemed to have made the same mistake.” Laughter erupted from the group as Tom glared at Danielle. She, on the other hand, hardly paid him any attention. She was more focused on the girl who was also giggling. Before Tom could muster a comeback a loud snarl came from the platform next to Lu-Ellen. She smiled while her onlookers took a few steps back. “I question if I want to know what made that sound.”
- Writer
