1 Part 1

I stalked between the many tents and cars through the camp. My heart was pulsating like a machine gun in my chest, my ribs creaking in protest. Yesterday was the last straw, I wouldn't take it anymore.

I just don't understand how mother and father could do that to me, I thought. I wanted to scream out in indignation, but I set my anger from my mind, focussing myself on the task at hand.

The only belongings I brought with me were in my small, black case. There was another set of clothes and a slip of paper, which I couldn't bring myself to look at anymore.

I knew it was petulant to run away with the circus, but I'd had enough of my parent's conniving. As I walked through the camp, the eyes of the performers traced my every move. I felt a shiver run cold down my spine. I clutched onto my necklace. It was a wood carving of a fox, which my sister had made for me when I was little. I smiled faintly at the memory of her. I hadn't seen my sister since she got married and moved to America. I still missed her.

'Now, what's a young lad like yerself doin' out 'ere?' A gruff, thickly accented voice called from behind me. I turned to see 3 men trailing me. The one in the middle was tall, very tall, with a long, tangled beard. The two flanking looked exactly the same, and had to be siamese twins. The one in the middle of the group was looking at me a bit too intently for my liking.

I wanted to respond with a caustic remark that would mark me as a man to be reckoned with, but my tongue seemed swollen in my mouth, and my jaw sealed shut. The leader smirked at me, clearly enjoying my distress.

'Well, ya just gonna ignore me question, or are ya gonna show some respect to yer betters?' The tall man asked, a threatening look in his eyes. I finally shoved clipped words out of my mouth, in an attempt to seem less scared than I obviously was. 'Your not my better, you're just an illiterate performer with a poor sense of dramatic flair.'

Okay, I probably shouldn't have insulted him if I was planning on working here, but I refused to be pushed around. I held the truth of my thinking close to me even as the man pushed me in anger.

'Well, well, well, it looks like the kiddy has a tongue on 'im' The tall man said, glaring at me, the twins, then me again. 'You should teach him some manners.' the twins said simultaneously.

I was about to make another remark when hands clamped hard on my shoulders, holding me still. I couldn't see whoever was behind me, but from the looks on the three mens faces, this wasn't just your average Joe. 'What are you three dimwits doing?' The voice asked, distinctly male and also very annoyed.

The three purported 'dimwits' stammered and flustered, and eventually just walked away without saying anything. The hands on my shoulders eased up, allowing me to turn and face my saviour.

The man looked just like his voice sounded, annoyed. He had bushy eyebrows that seemed to glare at me with minds of their own and stubble that looked like it had been dragged through seven separate hells. His mouth was quirked into an intense glare, but the worst of all were his eyes, which seemed to perfectly convey his irritation.

'Follow me and don't say a word.' He said, eyeing me with a disdainful glare. I was about to question him, but the look he gave me changed my mind, so I complied. Despite the fact that I was just as tall as this strange, angry man, his long strides easily out-paced me.

We walked through the camp with more purpose than I had, and it wasn't long before we entered into an obnoxiously colourful tent. It had swirling reds, yellows, greens and purples. The whole array hurt my eyes just looking at it. The angry man opened the tent and gestured me in with a sharp glower for good measure.

I stepped inside, ducking my head so it wouldn't scrape against the tent roof, which was very low. Inside the tent was a desk made of thin, wooden planks. It had a small amount of papers on it, and a lone photo frame, which was faced away from me, so I couldn't see the photo housed in it.

Behind the desk was a middle aged woman, with a warm smile. She looked at me with curiosity, then looked at the man who had led me here. 'Well, Nick, who have you brought to me now?' The woman asked.

'The kid's come for a job.' The man named Nick said. I shot him a confused glance behind my shoulder, since I hadn't told him anything, mainly because he'd told me not to. He didn't seem fazed in the slightest by my gaze. The woman, however, took on a pensive look, seeming to consider something concerning.

'Well,' She said after a few seconds of this contemplation, 'Are you going to tell me your name?' I didn't want to, but knew that I had to eventually if I wanted to work here. 'Evan, my name is Evan.'

'Well, Evan, do you have any skills that we could use?' She asked, standing up. I was getting more and more anxious as the conversation went along, unsure of what was happening around me. 'I can play the guitar.' I said, not really wanting to mention that I hadn't touched a guitar in a few years.

'We have many musicians here, what can you do that would top what we already have?' Nick seemed amused by something I couldn't understand, so I ignored him and answered the question.

'In all honesty, probably nothing.' I said meekly, coming to realise that I would probably be turned away. 'Do not fear quite yet, young Evan,' The woman said, giving me a reassuring smile whilst circling me, which gave me some conflicting emotions. 'I'm sure we can find something for you to do.'

I snorted derisively. I wasn't skilled in much of anything; I wasn't quick witted, I wasn't fast with my hands, I wasn't particularly funny and, in my respected opinion, I wasn't a very interesting person. My self-pitying thoughts must've shown on my face, because the woman gave my arm a squeeze.

She stayed like that, which was kind of awkward for me, but she seemed unfazed by the silence that had perpetuated itself between us. A look of surprise flitted across her face and she looked at Nick. He looked back at her and shook his head. 'No, I really don't-'

She interrupted him before he could finish, though. 'Evan, I think I have just the position for you.' Nick looked like he was very unhappy with what she was about to say (which was saying something), as he shook his head vigorously. 'Seriously Anna, this is unnecessary.'

A wide smile had spread across Anna's face, though, and Nick cringed at it. 'Evan, how would you like to apprentice under our very own fortune teller, Nick, here?' Nick scowled, clearly very unhappy. In contrast, my face lit up like a light bulb. 'You know I'm not a fortune teller, Anna, and I don't appreciate you teasing me.'

Anna walked up to Nick, a devious smile on her face. She pinched his cheek, cooing to him quietly, subtly questioning his manhood. Nick's cheeks flushed, finally showing an emotion that wasn't anger or annoyance.

Nick grumbled under his breath, most likely cursing his luck and Anna, if his face was any indication. 'Come on, kid, we've apparently got work to do, and I don't want to wait around for you all day.'

I nodded, just happy that I wouldn't be kicked out for the moment. There was always later, of course. Nick walked through the entrance flap and outside, so after I awkwardly waved goodbye to Anna, I followed Nick's trail.