Young Writers Society

*This story is underneath my folder titled “Ferrin’s Circus”. Gacha Club character designs are on my wall. Enjoy!*

Introduction

A long time ago, there was a circus known for taking in monsters. It was owned by Mr. Ferrin, a man with a smile that spread for miles.

He took children young and old, contorting them into creatures of fright, of things undesirable.

Only two escaped. The rest were free.

Saccharine the clown and Marcellina the witch. Both had set the others free. Both had defeated Mr. Ferrin. All should be well, yes?

Alas, that wasn’t true. For Saccharine had taken the lives of his younger siblings, Catrine and Bryn. Both had killed Amira, a little Trick-or-Treater unfortunate enough to stumble upon their cabin.

They all resided in a far off cabin, all together, shaded by the trees.

But each soul had a speck of misery.

Chapter One

“Do you ever think about Mr. Ferrin?” Saccharine asked. He and Marcellina were in their own separate room, the children were playing together outside.

“Yes, I do. All the time.” Marcellina said. Her voice was full of sadness, deep sorrow.

Saccharine clasped a loving hand around Marcellina’s bleeding one.

“I never understood Mr. Ferrrin and why he did what he did. He told me years ago that he needed my mother’s energy to survive, but still…he hurt innocent people. The man was a monster.” Marcellina said softly. She spoke as though Mr. Ferrin was still watching, still listening.

“What makes us different from him? We killed children for the sake of company. What makes us-“

“Don’t ever compare us to him. We are different, okay?” Marcellina asked, turning around to face him, anger in her eyes.

“But-“

“Never.” She said, narrowing her eyes.

“I won’t talk about it right now, but it’s something to think about.” Saccharine said, getting up.

Clearly, Marcellina needed some time alone. Some time to think. He was going to bring it up again later, but not at the moment.

The children needed to be taken care of.

Chapter Two

“Hello!” Saccharine said when he was outside.

The three children turned to look at them. A smile passed through each of their faces. Though they remembered very well what he and Marcellina had done to them, they were willing to bury the hatchet as long as they were noticed.

“Hi, Cyfrin! We’re playing catch, want to join?” Bryn asked with a smile.

Saccharine kept his grin on, but inside of him was a twitching pain, like thorns poking deep into his skin. Cyfrin was his human name. Saccharine had failed as a mortal, he didn’t deserve to be called by his human name. He let Catrine and Bryn down.

Yet Bryn still believed in him.

“No thanks. I’ll just watch.” Saccharine said, taking a seat on the grassy Earth.

Chapter Three

FLASHBACK

Cyfrin lay in his tent, eyes wide open. Again, his parents sent him off to summer camp. Again, they wanted him to “make friends.”

“Cyfrin…” A man’s voice whispered.

Cyfrin curled up and covered his ears. It was just his imagination, nothing more.

“Cyfrin, come here…”

No. It was just the wind. The way it moved made it sound human. Cyfrin needed to cover his ears better.

“Cyfrin, we are the same…”

No. No, no, NO! How could he still hear the voice even with covered ears?

“CYFRIN!”

A gust of wind blew the leaves and twisted the branches of the trees, like waves crashing over each other.

Then, all was silent.

Chapter Four

“Cyfrin?! Cyfrin?!” Bryn asked.

Saccharine opened his eyes. Standing all around him was Bryn, Catrine, and Amira, who all had shock in their eyes.

“You just…you just fell! Are you okay? Do you-“

“I’m fine. I just need a minute.” Saccharine said, getting up from the ground.

The last thing he needed was for his brother to worry.

Chapter Five

Saccharine walked in the woods. Even though Mr. Ferrin was gone, he still sometimes saw his form flickering in the shadows.

Perhaps some of him was still around.

Another thing was that Saccharine could have sworn that he saw the old circus performers pass him by, living their lives.

Wait…was that…Rain?

Chapter Six

“Rain?! Rain?! Is that you?” Saccharine called out.

Rain was a monster clown who performed with her brother, Blair, in Mr. Ferrin’s circus. She could have been any clown, but somehow, her face was…familiar.

The clown woman in the cloak smiled at him warmly, with recognition.

She was Rain.

Chapter Seven

Saccharine and Rain ran up to each other, circus performers reunited once more, friends seeing each other again.

“How are you? Is Marcellina okay? Are you okay?” Rain asked. Her red snake eyes were full of worry, the bright colors on her face contrasting with the sorrowful compassion in her voice.

“That’s…that’s the thing. We’re not okay. I think that Mr. Ferrin is still here.” Saccharine said.

“You think he’s still around?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Huh. Well…”

Saccharine fought the urge to say: “I don’t think, I know!”.

“I’ll come with you. I think that I can help.” Rain said.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Come on, then.”

What could Rain possibly do that would help him, Marcellina, and the children?

Chapter Eight

“We clowns can do magic too, you know.” Rain said.

“Oh, really?” Saccharine asked. They were both walking through the branches and brambles, Rain right behind him.

“Yes! It’s why Mr. Ferrin picked us. He wanted our magic, our essence.”

Marcellina said the same thing. Saccharine thought.

“I always thought there was something odd about him…” Rain trailed off.

Saccharine was about to ask more, but in the distance was high-pitched, grating laughter.

Chapter Nine

“Oh! That must be Blair!” Rain said, running in front of Saccharine.

“Wait up!” Saccharine said, following after her.

The laughter got louder, but more benevolent.

It’s Blair. Saccharine thought.

There was still a chill to the air.

Chapter Ten

“Blair, Blair! So good to see you! If I may ask, what are you doing out here?” Rain asked.

A green-haired clown in black and white stood in front of them, without a single ounce of cheer.

“I live here. Rain, what are you doing here?” Blair asked.

“Guys, look…” Saccharine said, pointing to the lurking shadow in the woods.

They had to get to the cabin.

Chapter Eleven

“What is that?!” Rain asked as the shadow drew closer.

“I don’t know, but run!” Saccharine yelled.

As the three clowns ran towards the cabin, away from the growing shadow that smelled just like rot, Saccharine thought that he heard the faint screams of a child.

It must be one of the children. Goodness, what is Marcellina doing now?

No matter. They would all make it to the cabin in time. He was almost certain of it.

Chapter Twelve

FLASHBACK

Rain and Blair ran towards the twinkling lights. The man said that they were supposed to go to the lights.

The man also said that he would love them. That he would care for them.

That he wouldn’t call them monsters.

Chapter Thirteen

The cabin was right in front of them, the screams were louder.

Saccharine and the others ran closer, right through the front door.

They had made it.

Chapter Fourteen

Marcellina was playing her chaotic, frenzied, yet glittering violin music. Bryn writhed on the floor, screaming just as he did the day he died.

“Marcellina!” Saccharine called out.

Marcellina stopped, eyes wide with surprise.

Chapter Fifteen

“What are you doing?!” Saccharine asked.

Marcellina looked from him to the other clowns, eyes filled with fright and confusion.

“I…I don’t know.” She said.

The lights in the cabin flickered, as though shadows were dancing in the walls.

Chapter Sixteen

FLASHBACK

“You understand that everyone is afraid of you, right?” Mr. Ferrin asked.

Rain and Blair looked up at him. Mr. Ferrin had given them bright clothes, because “clowns always dress with colors”. Blair didn’t like it much, but Rain thought that they were fine.

“We know that. The reason we came here was so that people would love us.”

Mr. Ferrin laughed, eyes wild like a predator’s.

“Ah! But my circus is for monsters, for freaks! You have to embrace that hunger, embrace the claws!” He said.

“But-“

“Tomorrow, Rain, I want you and your brother to eat someone. Make it bloody. Make them scream. It’s what they deserve.”

“But-“

“Discussion is over!” Mr. Ferrin said, leaving the tent.

Blair said nothing, but his eyes did the talking.

Rain held his claw comfortingly, in an effort to make him forget it all.

But of course, he would remember. He was listening intently.

Chapter Seventeen

“You really thought that I was dead? That I would leave my crew behind?” A disembodied voice asked.

Saccharine’s spine went cold. It was a voice he knew well, a voice he heard in his nightmares.

It was Mr. Ferrin.

Chapter Eighteen

FLASHBACK

“We didn’t mean to! We were just playing!” Rain cried out.

Her claws and Blair’s claws were covered in blood, the bunny lying dead at their feet. Their parents glared at them, hatred in their eyes.

Harper cried, pointing her finger at them. She was their human neighbor. She let them pet her bunny. They tried their best, but played far too rough.

“It doesn’t matter! You still killed it! You made Harper cry!” Mom said.

“But-“

“Rain, it doesn’t matter. You two need to control yourselves.”

“But we said sorry!”

“It means nothing when the bunny is ripped apart! Goodness, can’t you be gentle?”

Harper cried on. She didn’t accept their apology, but that was fine. They’d never see her again anyway, after what happened.

Rain and Blair waved goodbye to Harper. Mom and Dad would take them home.

Why did they have to make friends? They had each other. Wasn’t that more important?

Chapter Nineteen

“All I wanted was for you to understand. To see things from my perspective.” Mr. Ferrin said.

He was beginning to materialize, to show his true self.

“But I guess I’ll have to use force.” He said, a grin on his face.

Chapter Twenty

All of them were quivering, shaking, but Saccharine fought the feeling, the feeling of being pushed down by strong hands.

“Mr. Ferrin, please. Leave us alone.” Saccharine pleaded.

“I…I can’t.” Mr. Ferrin said.

Chapter Twenty-One

“What do you mean, “you can’t”? You very well can, you have it in you.” Saccharine said.

All around him, they screamed. The children, Marcellina. All of them.

Mr. Ferrin frowned.

“I need you. I need your energy. I didn’t choose this life, it’s just how I am. You understand, right? Why can’t you let me win?” Mr. Ferrin asked, tears in his eyes.

So what if he cried? It didn’t excuse what he did.

Chapter Twenty-Two

FLASHBACK

From the dirtied Earth, a pale claw emerged. There was but a young gaunt boy, with big, wandering blue eyes and curly ginger hair.

His name was Deveruex Ferrin, a boy who would come to know only fear and pain.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“I come from nightmares, I come from fears. I take energy from those who have it. Saccharine, I saw potential in you. That’s why I made you what you are. Why can’t you see that?” Mr. Ferrin asked.

“You ruined our lives. You trapped us all. You…you…”

Saccharine’s words were cut off by his own scream. No matter what happened, it seemed that Mr. Ferrin would always find them.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Saccharine didn’t run from summer camp to be controlled again.

Saccharine didn’t stay in those places because of “misbehavior”.

Saccharine didn’t spend all his life trying to search for something better just to become a monster again.

Saccharine was Cyfrin.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Marcellina began to wake up, Rain and Blair began to wake up, Catrine, Bryn, and Amira began to wake up.

“What’s going on…what’s…” Mr. Ferrin tried to speak, but what was at loss for words.

Bryn smiled at Cyfrin.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“You can’t control us anymore, Mr. Ferrin. We were never yours to begin with. We’re not monsters and we’ll never be.” Marcellina said.

The violin lay shattered on the floor, Mr. Ferrin looked back at them in disbelief.

The screaming began.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Whoever he was in the past life, whatever he may have done, it’s over now. We don’t have to run anymore.” Cyfrin said.

As they watched Mr. Ferrin crumble away, Cyfrin wondered what brought Rain and Blair to them. He wondered where the others were and what they were doing. Was everyone simply inspired by him to keep going?

Why couldn’t the people at camp see him that way?

Chapter Twenty-Eight

FLASHBACK

Devereux Ferrin, a young boy, walking down the halls of school. No one knew his truth.

He never wanted to hurt a soul, but the urge within called. Created from nightmares, he had to feed.

Devereux could never be like them, no matter how hard he tried.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

FLASHBACK

Rain and Blair held each other’s claw, staring at what lay before them.

Neither had meant to raise their claws at their parents. Neither had meant to cause such blood and gore.

All they did was yell at their parents for not letting them play outside one minute longer…then it got worse…

What had they done? All for being told to go inside? To stop playing? The only people that ever loved them, gone.

“We can’t stay here. Not when we’re like this.” Rain said.

“But-“

“But we’re monsters, Blair. Look at what we did. Mom and Dad never asked for kids like us. We did this. We have to go.” Rain said.

Blair thought about it for a moment, but his sister was right. Just looking at their parents made him want to reel over and vomit.

“Okay. Let’s go.” Blair sighed defeatedly.

Off the children ran, away from the violence and pain.

Chapter Thirty

Mr. Ferrin wasn’t around to follow them anymore. He was left to deal with his own vices.

But the seven of them were still left, the seven of them still stood.

“I don’t get it. Why are you two here? Where are the others? What happened?” Cyfrin asked.

“Me and Blair live around here. We go outside every once in a while, just for the fresh air. I have no idea where the others are, but I can only hope that they are living their best lives.” Rain said.

Marcellina looked down in disgust at the twisted violin that lay on the ground.

“I don’t know what came over me. I think that Mr. Ferrin was whispering into my brain and gave my music the power to kill. Just like my dancing did…” Marcellina trailed off.

“Well, it’s over now. We’re safe now.” Cyfrin said, taking Marcellina’s hand.

Catrine took the hands of Bryn and Amira. Bryn and Amira grinned at the prospect of finally leaving Earth, but Catrine seemed to hold a newfound respect for Cyfrin.

Did she forgive him? He wasn’t sure.

What mattered most was leaving for the afterlife.

Epilogue

No longer does the abandoned cabin in the woods flicker with its lost lights. No longer is there a heavy, lingering sense of sorrow in its walls.

Many who stumble upon the place say that they felt a weight being lifted off their chest, as if all were right with their lives.

And maybe that was so.