The Circus

Dent looked at Kaiya, soft, beautiful red eyes concerned. He wanted to be comforted by her, wanted...

No. She thought he need comfort because he was weak. His face flushed. The first day she met him, and she had seen him crumple under Rusty. He wasn't weak, he didn't need comfort.

"I...I'm fine," he said quietly, then brushed past her towards the exit.

Lark called out in a trembling voice, "Hey everyone, come here. I want you all to read this and sign this."

Dent stepped up behind her, tears brimming his eyes as he saw the outline of Cowboy's hat. He had learned to read a little bit, and there were some words he couldn't sound out, but he understood the meaning very well. He looked away, trying futilely to keep the tears at bay. Then he knelt and began to write "Dent," the only word he could write well, then stopped, erased it, and wrote, in halting, half-legible letters, "Jacob Ludland." It looked as though a half-learned child had written it, but he didn't care.

He stepped back, wiping tears from his face. "Is there any way to make it permanent?" he asked. It sounded childish, but he was passed pride at the moment. No doubt it would hit him later, but now, nothing mattered.

~Jewel~

"I do know." I whispered to Robyn. "Robyn, you must know... I can read minds. I-I knew, even while I did not know what her purposes were, that his mother was here...."

I choked up, and Robyn rtied to console me.

"Jewel, honey, you're in shock. We all are. You should get some sleep. God knows Rusty's still gonna slave drive us. He never gave a damn about our welfare, least of all Cowboy's...."

I drew in a rasping breath. I knew what was going to happen even before it did.

I passed out. Again.

*Cowboy dying makes this SO much more melodramatic*
*Is that a good thing?*

*I don't know. It makes things fun. Haha. We should probably start the show soon, though. Let everyone sign, and we'll start.*

** Sorry I haven't been on. Father's day weekend.**

Adeline~

I had been in shock from Cowboy's death. He was stabbed and it didn't even seem like he fought back. I had heard all the shouts and crying. Rusty hadn't even cared, no surprise there. We were still expected to go on as if nothing had happened.
I signed what was being passed around and then I went to my tent. I cried softly as I pulled on the stupid frilly dress I wore for my act. My tears became sobs of hate as I sat down and pinned up my long black hair.
How could someone kill Cowboy? He was a kind hearted person. He helped everyone out.
I stepped out of my tent and wrapped my arms around my shaking body.

Lark

After everyone had signed and Jewel woke up, I asked if anyone wanted to say something about Cowboy or say goodbye. We all said a few words and said how much we missed him. Even the new girl Kaiya said that she was sorry she couldn't meet him. After that, Jewel and I gathered some wildflowers and carefully laid them beside our homemade memorial.

"Jewel, would you play the piano for us while I sing, in memory of Cowboy?"

"Yes, please Jewel!" several begged.

Jewel shook her head at first. "I can't; not after we kissed the last time I played. It's too painful."

"Please Jewel, Cowboy would have wanted it," I whispered and squeezed her hand.

Finally, she consented. She played a slow tune and I sang the words with all my might as tears trickled down the faces of all. I let my eyes focus on one person every time, settling on each teary face and lingering there for a few seconds. I felt the tears flow freely down my face, yet I still belted out the notes stronger and better than I ever have before.

Dent turned away. It was impossible to keep the tears away, now, but he couldn't let anyone see him cry. Not now. He pulled the leveling board higher on his shoulder and left before the song even ended and headed toward the Gunner's tent, not even looking back, swearing to himself to find some other way to honor Cowboy's memory.

The Gunner was still in his tent when he entered, leaning back on a chair, smoking a cigar. He took it out of his mouth. "You took your sweet time, didn't you?" he snapped.

Cowboy would've popped him one... The thought made him smile. It was a bitter smile, but a smile nonetheless.

The Gunner's eyes narrowed. "What are you smiling at?" he said. Then he caught a better look at his face and grinned coldly. "Been crying much?"

The smile dissipated. Dent looked him full in the face, fists clenched and face white with fury.

The Gunner laughed, then gestured to the floor. "I assume you're here for this?" he said.

Dent didn't answer.

"Well, get to it. I need it done before I come back." He put his cigar back in his mouth and stared Dent down with glittering eyes.

He didn't really want the floor leveled. He wanted to see Dent on his knees before he left.

"It will get done," he growled, dropping the board. "But Rus...Master Red will want you back there before the show starts. Better get started, or he'll get mad."

The Gunner gazed at him coldly for a while, then stood and left.

Dent sighed and rubbed his face, then strung the rope around his neck and started to work at the dirt floor.

A glint of metal cauhgt his eye, and he stopped, squinting under the Gunner's cot.

It was a gun.

Dent scrambled towards it and picked it up. A polished gun, loaded and ready.

It truly was a treasure; he gazed at it for a dangerously long time, trying to decide what to do with it.

He could track down Cowboy's killers, but he chuckled as that thought came to mind. He was as bad as the others. He wouldn't be able to track him down before Rusty caught him, and anyway, what did they have to start with?

He could shoot Rusty. That was a savory thought, and he almost went with it, except....

Except Lark had told him they'd escape if he'd let out the lions....

He thought about it, then placed the gun inside his shirt, the metal cold against his skin, but invisible. This was too good an oppurtunity to waste, and needed more thought.

He went back to work.

Chase

I wrote only my name in the dust, tracing the words "Chase Harris" in the dust. I paused for a moment, considering writing more. But I didn't want to overdo it, to write something that would appear disrespectful, and so I left it at that. Nothing more needed to be said.

I stepped back from the circle as Jewell began playing, starting to walk back to my tent. I'd just passed Adeline's when I heard her come out. I turned to see her in costume, crying softly with her arms wrapped around herself.

I froze at the sight of the costume, then cursed myself for being so weak, so scared. Now was not the time for that. I stepped back to her, eyes closed to avoid having to look at the costume, and wrapped my arms around her, "It's gonna be okay, Adeline. It'll be okay."

Rogue (Robyn)

I looked down and put my hand in it. My hand was the smallest even though I was one of the oldest girls. I didn't let any tears fall, even though it hurt like hell. Jewel stopped playing and Lark stopped singing, when I finally said.

"I think it's time we get back to work." I said with tears in my eyes. "People are lready starting to arrive."

Kaiya

The show was about to start, Kaiya went to where all the costumes were located, and grabbed hers and changed into it. She searched, and finally found Dent.

“Dent..I want to talk to you after the show.” She said, she then ran off to the show.

Adeline~

I looked up at Chase and sobbed even more. I hugged him tightly. I'd never really experinced death before this and it ws hitting me hard. I saw people starting to sit in the stands but I didn't care. I wiped away my tears with one hand but kept the other around Chase.
"Thank you," I whispered to him.

Dent leaned against the rafters, watching the candles. The crowd was getting excited--children laughing, parents scolding, happy, inane chatter--it was enough to make him scream.

Dragon was there, too, as Rusty said, but Dent wasn't acknowledging him. Chase wasn't there yet; he wondered if anyone told him.

Well, didn't matter. Wasn't as though Rusty was going to come back and check, and he could always say that Chase was there.

He turned his thoughts onto Kaiya, instead. Those were the only pleasant thoughts he was granted lately.

Kaiya

She stood backstage. This was her first show.

First time..have to do good. But..when do I go?

She saw someone running her direction.

"Hey! I need some help-" The person passed her and went on the stage. After all this that has happened, like the death, she never managed to figure out what time she was supposed to go on. Kaiya began having second thoughts, not wanting to do this.

~Jewel~

I hated that piano. Utterly hated it.

I wandered back to my tent after the little memorial service for Cowboy, and wondered.

There was only one thing I knew about my parents. They had been the darkest of Enchanters, specializing in necromancy.

It was the only way to get my heart's desire back. I almost laughed when I thought of how, the night before...it...happened, I was resolved not to ever have anything to do with Cowboy again. And look at where I was now.

Truthfully, I missed everything about Cowboy. His warm, solid chest, his musty scent, his silky hair, his rugged, hand-me-down polo shirt....

I began to cry. I heard someone enter the tent and sit beside me. I felt their comforting arms around me, and I knew it was a male just by the delicious scent coming off of him. I didn't care who it was.

Dent sat watching. Rusty came out, dressed in fine red silk and a large, Santa Clause smile. The crowd went wild.

He simled grimly. Parents, hold on to your kids, he thought bitterly. Or they'll be kidnapped and sent to hell.

Rusty greeted the audience, cheerful and jolly, and introduced the first act.

A flicker of orange caught his eye, and he cursed. The canvas tent was on fire. He had no doubt it was Dragon; wasn't fire his trade? It was probably unfair and irrational, but it felt good to blame everything on something.

The fire was spreading fast. Dent scrambled towards it, not knowing exactly how he would put it out, only knowing that he had to. It wasn't that he cared about Rusty's tent or what punishment he might get for it, but there were hundreds of innocent people down there, and if the tent went down, who knew how many would get out of there alive?

Also, the lions were backstage.....and Kaiya, and Adeline, and Rogue....

He scrambled faster...and misplaced his hand....

Dent gasped as he fell onto the temporary rafter, slamming his chest and driving the air from his lungs. He tumbled from the top, still grappling for the beam that wasn't there, and hit the ground hard, behind Rusty, just in front of the tent flap.

He lay there, stunned for a moment, then sucked in a breath and closed his eyes. Everything hurt...he couldn't move...

Hopefully the audience doesn't see me...

Kaiya

She watched from backstage, then saw something fall.

Dent!

She quickly made her way to him, trying to stay more hidden. When she got to him, she grabbed his arm.

"Are you okay?" She whispered