• [Roger]

    I was talking to Lucifer, the man in the red suit, about how great the show was. I was going to ask him why people wouldn’t come to watch the circus but then Kert spoke.
    “What happened years ago that made this place end up like this?” his voice was firm.
    There was a long silence. A girl that came with him was about to reply but someone stopped her.
    “It was just an accident” Lucifer said. “A performer died, along with an audience. All is forgiven and forgotten”
    Kert’s eyes narrowed, it was like he was scanning Lucifer’s mind. “How did they die?”
    “Well, bullets”
    “From where?”
    “Well…I don’t know, I wasn’t there when it happened twenty years ago”
    “Really, twenty? Tell me, how old are you?” there was suspicion in his voice.
    “I…twenty-seven”
    “Stop it!” Revillia, one of the performers, shouted out before Kert could speak. “Boss didn’t do anything, nothing at all!” she was huffing, glaring at him.
    I didn’t want to listen to this anymore. Jen didn’t want to, either, so before the tense silence was broken, we tip toed backward to the hall, unnoticed, and ran outside once the argument began.
    “Brrr!” Jen shivers. “What’s wrong with Kert? And what was he talking about?” he paused. “Maybe we shouldn’t have left…maybe we should go back” he looks at me, waiting for my opinion.
    “I…” I paused, thinking. I guess we should go back in. There must be something important going on if Kert was willing to behave like that. “Yeah, I think—“ a voice spoke, cutting me off.
    It’ll be alright, don’t worry. It was a girl; her voice was soft and gentle, echoing slightly. I looked at Jen who didn’t seem to hear the voice. Trek. She sounded deeply worried, as if a tragedy was about to happen. She says it again, Trek.
    Jen stared at me, placing a concerned hand on my shoulder. “You okay? You look kind of pale”
    I blinked. “What? I just…” I looked down. “You didn’t hear anyone talking, did you?”
    He opened his mouth to talk but then closes it, rethinking. “Well there is a lot of people around”
    I smiled to show him I was okay now—which was a lie. “Oh, you’re right! Well, I think Kert could handle his problems on his own, he always had. How about we go look for Trek, instead?” I bit my tongue for speaking too quickly.
    He grinned slightly but I could see the suspicion in his eyes. “Okay, sure. I meant to search for him after the circus show, anyway” he points forward into the town and starts walking.
    I shake my head, following him, eyeing everyone around us. I know none of these people were the ones talking to me because the voice was very close, yet faraway and unreachable. It was in my mind. She spoke to me in my thoughts, but how, and why?
    We got out of the grass onto the stoned road. Six separate roads lead out from around the water fountain. Jen was muttering to himself the whole time, so was I. we were completely lost in our own thoughts. I noticed it a few hours later, when the sun was halfway down and the sky was turning neon orange, that we were walking unknowingly to where we were going and somehow ended up in the middle of a dark, damp ally.
    “Where are we?” I asked, still following Jen. “It’s going to be dark soon” I say as he didn’t answer me. “Hello, Jen, I ought to think you should listen to me” I stopped and grabbed his shoulders, making him stop too.
    “What?” he says seconds later, still looking dazed.
    I didn’t reply, just glared at him, waiting for him to figure it out himself.
    “I…I…” he blinked twice then a look of shock and stupidity ran across his face as he finally noticed the surrounding. “Where are we?!”
    “Gee, I don’t know!” I huffed. “You’re the one leading!”
    “Well don’t get so angry! You’re the one that followed me, so ha!”
    I sighed, annoyed, releasing my grip from his shoulders. “Okay, let’s just go straight. I see a road right—“ I gasped as I looked forward, seeing a carriage. It was white and hade gold swirls, wind, embodied on the sides.
    “What’s wrong—“ now it was Jen’s turn to gasp.
    We both stared at the carriage, eyes wide, mouth open. Even after it left we didn’t drop our gaze.
    “That was—“ we said at the same time, with the exact same astonished tone. “It—he—how” we turned to each other “What is Trek doing in there?!”
    “How’d he get in there?” I asked quickly.
    “I don’t know!” Jen replied just as fast.
    “And what’s with those four ten ton, body muscled, club carrying guys?”
    “Guards? Assassins?”
    “Why is he cuffed?”
    Jen shakes his head crazily. “That dope got himself arrested!”
    I gaped. Trek got arrested? That’s impossible! No matter what kind of trouble he was in, he always got out of it because of his child innocence. His whole personality practically screams ‘sorry, sorry, I’ll never do it again! I promise’ in such a sad kid-ish way.
    “We got to go get him!” I yell. “We’ve already wasted time. Hurry, before we lose him!” I dashed ahead without a seconds thought. I don’t even have a plan.
    I turned left once I was out of the ally to the direction the carriage went. I couldn’t see it but it didn’t faze me. Jen comes running to my side. This must feel like a jogging pace for him. I hear people cursing and yelling as we ran recklessly around them. I lift my head to see past the towns people. But I still don’t see the carriage. Maybe it turned somewhere and it’s on a different road? Maybe we already passed it and we’re just moving farther away. I felt like surrendering, like hope was lost, but then my mind spoke—she spoke. Don’t worry. Don’t give up. You’ll find him, just be patient.
    “Halt!”
    I skid to a stop, almost running into scythe-like spears that crossed to form an X. Two men, dressed the same as the ones that were with Trek, were holding it; blocking me from entering through the arch door in the gray bricked wall—fence. I didn’t realize that I was heading here.
    “What business do you have here?” the man in the left demanded.
    “I…uh…” I stared at the building inside the stoned fence wall. It was huge, like a mansion or a palace.
    “What business do you have here?” he asks again, more fiercely.
    I looked at him, clearing my throat. “Did a white and gold carriage come in here?”
    His expression didn’t change. I glanced over to the other man—his expression was fixed, too. Neither of them answered my question.
    “Leave” they ordered, tightening their grips in their spears, eyes blazed with threat.
    I gulped. “S-sure” then I turned and left.
    I stopped once the palace was out of sight. What was I thinking? Trek could be in there! I chewed on the bottom of my lip nervously. I have to go back, but I can’t if the guards are there. I took in a deep breath then slowly released it. A sudden realization jolted through my entire body.
    Where’s Jen?! I scanned the crowed—not here. I turned to a different road—not there either. I hopped onto the nearest and tallest roof and searched the grounds—he’s nowhere. I sighed, looking up. I could see the palace here, and the tall, thick wall shielding it from the outside.
    “Don’t tell me…” I squint, focusing on a blue-black figure. “Oh man!”
    Jen climbed up onto the wall from the sides where the guards couldn’t see him.
    “Wait, don’t tell me he’s—“
    Then he jumped off the wall into the rich field inside, heading for the palace.
    “No! What are you thinking?” I put my face into my hands, groaning. “Now someone’s gotta rescue you”

    click to read the next part