Come One, Come All

Gabriel

It was a full house tonight. Adults and children alike sat in awe as the show progressed, their eyes full of wonder, mouths agape. I smiled slightly to myself as I pictured the pile of money tonight would bring and turned my eyes back to the center of the ring where Emily still hung suspended, introducing the next act.

Drina walked out to scattered, unsure applause. Her performance began, and by the end it had everyone clapping and cheering. I turned from where I stood near the back of the tent and walked out into the crisp night air. Scattered clouds hung lazily in the sky, black against the night.

I pulled out a cigarette and lit it, exhaling a breath of smoke with a long sigh. The show still had another hour to go, at least, and I had already seen it enough times to know exactly what was going to happen. And if anyone was hurt...well, that was their problem, wasn't it? Doc would take care of whatever it was if that happened.

With another sigh of frustration and boredom I retreated to my trailer and turned on the small TV, waiting for the show to end.


Doc

Tonight wasn't my night as a clown, which was a relief. I stood just outside the big tent, where from inside the gasps, murmurs and cheers of the audience could be heard as my friends began to perform. My hands moved automatically, throwing the brightly colored balls I held into the air and catching them again before the fell to the ground. Not that there was anyone around to see it. Everyone was still inside, as the show had only just started.

I figured it would probably be better for me to be backstage, just in case someone was hurt. Not that I didn't have complete faith in my friends to pull off yet another flawless performance, but accidents happened. And the fact that they were practicing highly dangerous tricks and stunts, usually many feet off the ground, only made accidents more likely to happen.

I pocketed my juggling balls into the loose, baggy pants I wore and walked around to the back of the tent so that I could slip backstage without disturbing the show. A few of the performers who had yet to go on hovered near the large flap leading into the main ring, while others who had already finished were either changing or talking quietly with others.

Georgie appeared suddenly, coming back from her performance. There were quiet, murmured "Congratulations," and "Good job," from a few of the others near her before everyone fell quiet again as Emily's voice drifted faintly to where we all stood, now introducing Dani.

"Georgie," I called quietly, trying to get her attention. She turned at the sound of my voice and skipped over lightly, her head tilted to the side.

"How did it go?" I asked quietly.

Georgie

"Georgie," I heard someone called quietly, trying to get my attention. I turned at the sound of the voice. I smiled when I saw it was Doc.
"How did it go?" he asked quietly.
“Well,” I began. My wrist hurt a little bit, but not so much, so I decided not to tell anybody about it.
“It went very well, don’t you think?” I whispered. “No damage happens.”
He stared at me. I’m sure he knew that I wasn’t completely fine.
I smiled innocent.
“How are you, then?” I asked him. “I’m fine,” he answered.
I decided to go and change to my casual clothes. My costume was a bit annoying sometimes, so that’s why I only wear it at the show.

*I know..It's short but I have homework to do -.-*

Okay, all, I have, dun dun DUUUUUUUN... a new rule. I would really, really like for you all to post at least once every two days if possible, especially during the first show where we establish characters and that sort of thing. If this is hard for you, you can do two things. One, you can PM me and tell me your situation and we can get it worked out, or two, you can partner up with another writer that you feel comfortable with. If you can't post for a number of days, you can PM your co-writer and have he or she carry on for you. If you have any other questions, just PM me and I'll get back with you ASAP.

can someone please bring Jaelle in?

-Cari-

I listened outside the tent of the sound of roaring tigers and felt Marshmallow squirm in my huge coat pocket. Chuckling, I stroked the fur ball. Since my act was right before the grand finale, I had plenty of time to kill. Glancing around I saw Jaelle sharpening a knife as quietly as possible. Placing a protective hand around Marshmallow I headed over. Where there was Jaelle, there was a hungry Radu looking for something meaty and smaller than him.

"Hey, Jaelle," I said, smiling. "Have you seen the crowd?"

She glanced up at me and said, "No, why?"

After a pause, I stared with blank eyes and said, "I was, uh, hoping you could tell me what kind of audience to expect, actually."

She chuckled lightly. Sitting down beside her, I tried to stoke up a conversation.

"Sooo... Ya nervous?"

Ashlyn

Outside the tent I was really working the crowd. The tiger, the one I named Alli, was roaring happily. Most would think she was angry, but she loved people, and despite her violent nature, was actually quite gentle.

I stood on her back and balanced myself as Alli ran around the ring. I knew I didn't hurt her, I made sure to always stay thin because of that. I jumped off of Alli's back and landed in front of her. She roared when I cracked the whip over her back. I would never hit her with the whip and she knew it. I laughed and she lunged for me.

I backed away and put a hand in front of her face. She froze in mid pounce. I straddled her again and rode out of the arena, listening to the roar of applause.

**Sorry. I don't want this to die.**

*Emily*


As I watched the clowns do a little act from my perch up on the bar, I felt something jerk me down. I looked up in surprise, and felt a sinking feeling in my stomach when I saw one of my guy wires starting to break. It was coming apart quickly, so I had to think of something, and fast if I wanted to live to see the end of the show.

I looked around me and tried to get Anton's attention, but he wasn't looking, so I had to look elsewhere. I looked down to see the clowns finishing up one of their little acts and got an idea.

"Excuse ,me." I shouted down to them. them looked up in surprise. "Have you showed these good people your trampoline act yet?" I asked them. When they looked up at me in confusion, I said, "Go and get your trampoline quickly. Show this good audience how well you jump and don't break your neck!" It sounded ridiculous, but they finally looked and saw the wire and scrambled off to go get it. While they did that, I took off my heels and threw them down into the ring. I was so nervous right now. The audience was looking around in confusion. "Dearest people," I said when I heard a little bit more sound from the back door. "How are you enjoying our show?" That got me a few cheers. "Madame Drina, could you come out here for just one moment?" I called and in seconds she was out, looking up at me with fear in her eyes. "Tell me, Madame Drina, could one survive a fall from my height if they fell onto the clown's trampoline?"

She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them. "It would be a difficult task," she said with her stage voice, "But it is not impossible." Seconds later the clowns brought out the trampoline and positioned it under me and the last of the guy wire broke. As I fell, I heard the screams of people and said to myself, "Please let me hit the trampoline."

Drina~

"Madame Drina, could you come out here for just one moment?" Emily's voice echoed through the tent. I looked around the changing room and people looked just as confused as I felt. I sighed. My job was never done. My head set was heavier than I remembered as I tossed it on my head and trudged to the flap. It led to the circus ring.

"Tell me, Madame Drina, could one survive a fall from my height if they fell onto the clown's trampoline?" Emily asked as I peeked my head out and saw her dangling.

What was I supposed to say to that?! Yes. No. I shrugged,"It would be a difficult task," I paused, "But it is not impossible."

The clowns brought out the small trampoline, just as Emily's las tcord snapped and she plumeted to the ground. The fall was terrifying. At least to me. I hated heights and to just see someone living my worst fear was enough to give me a migrane, but to see Emily fall while doing it...it was beyond words.

I squeezed my eyes shut and flinched when the crowd erupted with applause. "Hey, you okay?" Georgie asked, she was out of her costume now. "What's going on?"

I nodded and gestured to the scene in front of us. Emily was standing now and bowing.

Anton

“Hey, Anton, what’s going on?” One of the others in the techie booth asked, “Is this part of the show?”

I turned from what I was doing to see Emily asking Drina if someone could survive a fall from her height to the trampoline, and frowned, “No…maybe it’s improv.” I leaned forward, hands resting on the back of a chair “What on earth is she playing at?”

Moments after the clowns had placed down their trampoline below her, one of the wires holding Emily up snapped, and she dropped down a few inches. A moment later, the others unravelled in the same way, and everyone backstage, myself included, flinched as she dropped downwards.

Thankfully, she landed just fine and bowed to the crowd. I didn’t take things quite so well as she seemed to have. I turned to the others, “Alright, what the hell happened there?”

“I dunno,” one of them said, “I guess they weren’t secured properly or something…”

“The hell they weren’t,” I growled at him, “I checked them all before the show, and they were fine then. Perfectly secured and everything.” A few of the techies paled at what I was suggesting, and I nodded, “Someone tampered with those between when we brought her up and just now.”

**Does that work, Alice? I was thinking it might have been Gabriel as a way of punishing her for not doing as he asked and such, maybe a way of making sure she wouldn’t have to help out with the circus on the next night. Of course, it could’ve been someone else.**

* I'm going to be gone for like three days now.. so can you please keep Georgie alive? *

*Emily*

We wrapped the show up pretty quickly after that, telling everyone that we would do a free show tomorrow because I wasn't capable of doing anything else. I fell as soon as I got behind the backdoor I was shaking so badly. Drina and Doc grabbed me and led me back to the trailer where Mama was waiting anxiously for me to get back.

As soon as I was in the bed, she started to fuss, making sure I was okay and comfortable, and Doc finally had to usher her out so he could have room to look over me.

"You realize how lucky you are to survive a fall like that, don't you, Emily?" he asked and he checked my legs.

I nodded shakily. "I don't even know what happened." I said. "Anton checked the wires before I went up and they were perfectly fine. Wire doesn't rust in two hours, Doc, it just doesn't happen."

"Anton is trying to figure out how that happened right now, Em." he said soothingly, easing me back down onto the bed. "Now, I want you to stay here the rest of the night and I don't want you doing anything else all day tomorrow so you can be ready for the next show." he said. "You may experience some trouble sleeping, but nothing should be to-"

Doc was interrupted by Gabriel bursting through the door, looking pretty pissed off.

"What the hell is going on?" he screamed at us. "Why are you not doing the show? Why has everyone gone home?"

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at the vein that popped out of his head when he got mad.

"Emily's high wire broke." Doc explained calmly. "She was lucky she didn't break anything, but she was shaking so badly we decided to call it a night."

Gabriel got close to Doc's face. "You don't call those shots, boy, I do." He turned back to me. "And how exactly did you fall?" he asked.

"Doc just told you." I said in my normal smart ass tone. "My guy wire broke and I almost died."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed. "Doc, leave us for a moment." he hissed. Doc nodded and left the trailer, leaving us alone. Gabriel sat down on my bed and I scooted away.

He smiled. "You always do push me away." he murmured.

"Because I don't like you." I said. "Why are you even here? You don't even like the circus, so why stick around?" I asked.

He looked into my eyes and I couldn't help but feel hypnotized. He had that effect. That is how he got the job he has now in the first place. "Because, my dear Emily, I want to make all of your lives miserable and," he said leaning in ever closer, "I have a slight infatuation with you."

Ew, that is just beyond gross.

Drina~

My foot tapped anxiously as I sat across from Emily's mother in her small trailer. She was practically my own mother, after raising me my whole life. We stared at each other, hoping Emily was alright. Of course me and Emily had never gotten along well but I didn't want her to have a heart attack. That's why I hated that as soon as Doc kicked me out of the room, Gabriel came strolling right in.

I could hear him yelling through the thin wooden door, then Emily's voice was audible. Of course she has to be sarcastic.... I thought. Whenever Gabriel was around she got like that.

"She's probably fine,"Emily's mom, who everyone in the circus called Mama, said,"I'm sure he's just mad about closing the circus early..." Mama finished, nodding her head as if she were assuring me.

"I know it's just-"I started.

Doc barreled through the door to where Emily was with a glare on his face. I stood as he continued by and out the trailer door towards the fire pit.

"Doc!" I shouted, he didn't turn. I had to run to catch up with him. "Doc,"I said again when I was right behind him. Again nothing."Dammit Doc!" I grabbed his arm and he whirled, finally. Before I could speak he went on a rant.

"Who the hell does he think he is, huh? That low life scum! I can't believe he could be such.....such a bastard! I mean-"

"Doc! Whoa. Slow down...please..." I exclaimed with my hands raised defensively. I had never before heard Doc talk like that. He looked at me with big apologetic eyes and sighed.

"Sorry Drina." He took a seat near the fire that most people were starting to group around, as the sun began to set. Doc ran his fingers through his shaggy brown hair and I couldn't help but watch him.

I didn't know what it was, but something about him right now....just felt different....I smiled at him and took a seat on a log next to him.

"EW!" Everyone in the entire camp turned toward the sound of the scream. It was Emily's vocie coming from her trailer. Next thing I knew she came bolting out the front door with her mom in pursuit.

What did Gabriel do this time?

*Alice I hope u dont mind if I add tention between them and May, I hope it's okay if Drina has a cruch on Doc. He's only 4 years older then her...*

Also I might not be able to get on as much. I'm grounded and not even supposed to be on now!

Anton

Emily's shriek echoed through the entire camp, bringing me to my feet with a start. I'd been inspecting all the rest of the equipment, wanting to make sure there were no more 'accidents' the next night. But the thought of Emily being put in further danger stopped my work dead in its tracks.

I rushed out of the big top and towards her trailer, others seeming to fly past me in a blur of colours. I almost ran straight into Emily at the fire pit, seeing her mother close behind her.

I stopped, suddenly realising that I had no idea what to do. Demand that she tell me what was going on? Go straight after Gabriel and pick a fight with a man who was not only bigger than me, but who employed me? After the moment's deliberation I had, I decided to pursue amtoned down version of the former.

"What happened, Em?" I asked, "Was it Gabriel? Did he try to hurt you?"

Ashlyn

I stood in the shadows. Quiet, clam, unlike the others. I looked around. What had happened? My exotic eyes never missed anything, but tonight I was confused. Was someone tring to hide something?

"Georgie," I whispered. "Do you know what's going on?" She shook her head.

"I only know that Emily lmost died. Nobody knows what happened," she replied. I nodded. The wasn't good!

"Thanks," I said. I strode fowards to where Emily and Anton were speaking.

"I'm fine," she replied. Anton waited for her to elaborate.

"Hey Emily," I said. We never really talked, but I wasn't the shy type so I might as well get to the point.

"Hey Ashlyn."

"I was with the tigers when apparently everything happened. Al I know is that your wire broke. Everyone started freaking out. You don't think that someone did this to...hurt you did they?" I asked. That would be horrible. You would be unable to trust anyone. Maybe that's why I felt so close to the animals.

"I don't know," she said slowly. Well obviously something had happened.

*Emily*

After what Ashlyn asked me, it got me thinking. What if someone had messed with my wires? It made a little more sense, but the only person I didn't get along with here was Gabriel, and I didn't think that even he would try and kill me, no matter how much he disliked all of us.

After everyone calmed down, I decided to go on a walk to clear my head. I was just leaving when Anton came up to me.

"How are you doing?" he asked softly.

I gave him a small smile. "I'm doing okay."

He pulled me to him in a friendly hug and rested his chin on the top of my head. "What happened? You never really told me."

I sighed. "It was nothing, really." I said, trying to get him to put it behind him, but he was having none of it.

"Em, your scream was heard around the camp. You need to tell me what happened." he said pulling back from me.

I looked away from him. "Gabriel kissed me, that's all." I mumbled.

"What?" he asked. I knew he hadn't heard me.

"Gabriel kissed me." I said a little louder.

Anton looked stunned, and then angry. "That son of a-"

"Anton, please don't do this, not now." I pleaded. "It's done and over with and I think that he regrets it."

"I'm going to kill him!" he said vehemently. "He had no right to do that!"

"I know, I know, but like I said, it's done and over!" I grabbed his hand. "Anton, please, just let it go."

He looked at me for a moment before nodding.

I smiled at him and started back to the trailer. So much for a walk.

I said goodnight to Anton and went into the trailer I shared with Mama and Drina. They were both sound asleep. I sat down on my bunk and turned on my light I had installed above it. I reached under my bed and took out the photo album that Mama made for me after Daddy died. I looked through the photos and remembered so many of the things that Daddy and I had done together. He taught me how to throw knives and ride elephants. It was he who taught me to never take shit. It was also he who I missed everyday.

Tears ran down my cheeks as I looked through the pictures. There was one of me and him sitting on top of Liza. Another was of me, Drina and Daddy in the ring together. He was announcing and Drina and I were his two 'lovely assistants'.

I closed the album and returned it under my bed. I turned out the light and after many hours of tossing and turning, finally drifted off into a fitful sleep.