6. The Call

"....."

"..... He-.."

"... Help..."

"Help!"

"HELP ME!!"

Josh opened his eyes abruptly to the loud voice in his head. He looked around to find the source of the scream. Insted a group of people surrounding him were talking amongst themselves in a relaxed manner.

"Oh my, look who's up." The director's smooth voice immediately voiced his awakening and brought Josh all their attention in a heartbeat. He looked around and recognised a total of four people around him. Aside from the director, both of the preforming ladies were looking at him with slight interest, and the clown from the entrance fee booth was present as well. Apart from them were four other characters he'd never seen before. One was a burly man who reminded Josh of a bear, surely two meters tall and with bulging suntanned muscles. There also was a skinny man with heavy bags under his eyes, wearing a striped suit and sporting some long, black hair. Additionally joining the Josh-observation club an old lady, not much unlike Mrs. Glade, but with a big smile on her face and wearing a long multicolored tunic. Lastly he saw a small boy with red hair stick his head out to watch him with much curiosity.

Josh didn't feel too happy with being treated as an exhibition, but calmed his nerves since he had fainted right outside the tent. He sighed before looking at the director and awkwardly asked:

"How long was I out..?"

The director's eyes lit up before grabbing an old pocket watch. The director didn't even look at it before they answered:

"Approximately two hours and thirty-two minutes, from what I can gather, dear customer."

Josh could see a hint of amusement from those golden eyes for whatever reason, but chose not to be bothered by it. He needed to return home now. This was getting ridiculous.

"Thanks for having me. Sorry I caused a scene, but I really need to return home now."

For whatever reason he got a mixed response to his statement. He looked at the people curiously before standing up and brushing himself off of any dirt he might've gotten on his clothes. As he turned to leave the director started talking, but he didn't want to listen. He needed to go home to his peace and quiet and NOT think about what caused his blackout. 'Bye, Felici-'

*Bonk!*

'..... What the hell????' Josh held his bruised nose as he put his hand up in front of him. He could FEEL something in the air. He didn't know how, but he understood somehow that he didn't like where this was going. And also that he couldn't go anywhere.

Josh slowly turned back towards the people he left behind in a hurry. The director approached slowly and seemed amused, but simultaneously a bit apologetic. This could not be good.

"As I was saying, dear customer, it seems that a situation has come up."

Josh looked at the director like they were telling him the sky was rainbow-colored.

"..... What do you mean." he carefully asked, staring the tall person down with a force he didn't know he had. He felt his pulse quickening and every warning bell within his still sane mind rang like the world was ending.

"The thing is... You seem to have been chosen."

Josh didn't like how the director didn't refer to him as a 'customer' anymore. In almost every other occasion, being chosen seemed like a good thing. How come it sounded like a death sentence now?

".. What does that mean, exactly... "

Josh watched the director carefully like a wild animal being cornered. The director coughed once before answering, simultaneously gesturing at the tent behind them.

"The Circus wants you."