Warning: This work has been rated 16+ for violence.
*This story is underneath my folder titled “The Parrish family”. Gacha Club character designs are under this forum: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=116005&start=1245. Enjoy!*
Introduction
Desmaire had seen a girl she had never met before at the circus and thought that all she needed was a friend.
Well, the girl needed something, but it certainly wasn’t a friend.
Chapter One
“Mind if I join you two?” The girl asked.
Desmaire and her little sister, Helen, were at the circus, watching their father perform as the local clown. A girl around the age of Desmaire had started to speak to them, she was all alone.
“Certainly! I’m Desmaire and this is Helen. What’s your name?” Desmaire asked.
“Lucille. I’m Lucille.” The girl said.
“Lucille, you are welcome to join us any day.” Desmaire said warmly.
Lucille didn’t respond, but she grinned, which was enough for Desmaire.
Chapter Two
“I’ve never seen you before. What brings you here?” Desmaire asked.
“I’m from out of town. I’m going to perform as a singer here, at this very circus.” Lucille said.
A new performer? She was so young, too! Desmaire couldn’t believe it. Lucille’s parents let her travel far to sing at their circus! Desmaire lived in the neighborhood and her own parents wouldn’t even let her sing!
“That’s wonderful! You must be real lucky to have an act here, at this circus. When do you start?” Desmaire asked.
Lucille blushed a little from the interest, then replied with:
“Tomorrow. I start tomorrow.”
“Great! I’ll see you then.” Desmaire said.
Her parents made sure that Desmaire and Helen went to the circus frequently. After all, they were to join it one day.
But why can’t we start now? Desmaire thought sullenly.
Her father’s act was almost over.
Chapter Three
The act had finished after a long while. The audience roared and cheered, Desmaire clapped proudly.
A thought had occurred in Desmaire’s mind, one she didn’t think to ask before.
Did Lucille have a place to stay?
Chapter Four
“Going to this circus sure must have been a long trip. Where are you going to sleep?” Desmaire asked.
Lucille shrugged.
“Here. I’m sleeping here, at the circus. I’m going to perform here, so it makes sense.” Lucille said.
Desmaire frowned. No, that would not do. A new friend of hers would always have somewhere to go. Always, no matter what.
Chapter Five
“Dad, can she stay with us? Her name is Lucille and she’s going to perform at the circus, but she doesn’t really have a place to sleep in expect here.” Desmaire said once Dad had finished.
Dad put a finger to his lips, thinking deeply. He looked from Desmaire, to Helen, to Lucille.
“Sometimes. Not all the time. Our doors aren’t always open.” Dad said.
“But-“
“It’s been settled, don’t argue.” Dad said.
So Lucille could stay, but not every day? What sense did that make? They were a family, not a hotel.
Desmaire would keep fighting for her, no matter what.
Chapter Six
Hours had passed. Desmaire was back home, with her family and Lucille. They were in Desmaire’s room, the two girls. Helen was in her own room, thank goodness.
“Could you sing a song for me?” Desmaire asked.
Lucille grinned.
“You want to hear my voice?” Lucille asked.
Desmaire nodded. If the circus saw fit to hire Lucille instead of her, then she should hear the singer’s voice.
Chapter Seven
Lucille opened her mouth and began to sing:
“I work throughout the days
Waiting for the one who will take me
Is true love still around?
Is there magic to be had?
Call me selfish, but I still want you
Take me to a faraway place
I’ll wait patiently for your arrival
My prince, my monster, my dear, my fear
No matter what you are
My heart only belongs to you”
What kind of a song was that? Was it a song about love or obsession? Was it about death? What was it supposed to be?
No, that wasn’t important. Lucille had an alright voice, but she wasn’t wonderful. Desmaire would be able to perform in the circus one day.
Chapter Eight
“You know when my father joined the circus? Back when I was seven! It was so long ago, but ever since, we’ve gotten money like you wouldn’t believe!” Desmaire said happily.
She, her family, and Lucille were all at the dinner table, eating what Mom had cooked. Desmaire was telling Lucille the story of Mr. Carver’s circus and how it became apart of their lives.
“That must be nice, to see your Dad perform at the circus.” Lucille said.
“It’s wonderful!” Desmaire gushed.
Some people thought that performing as a clown wasn’t much, but she took pride in her family. It wasn’t like every girl had a clown for a father.
Chapter Nine
“What is your family like?” Desmaire asked.
Lucille stared at all of them, thinking deeply, her eyes seemingly lost in thought.
“They’re alright. There’s nothing interesting about them.” Lucille said.
Her words were innocent enough, but there was slight, faint bile in her voice.
They didn’t talk about it anymore.
Chapter Ten
Desmaire watched as Lucille sang, her voice high and musical. In that moment, Desmaire wasn’t jealous. She only admired how lovely her new friend sang, how the audience admired her.
Lucille suddenly stopped. She looked at Desmaire with wide, fearful eyes. The only sound Desmaire heard was petrified, frenzied screams that chilled her to the bone.
“I’m sorry.” Lucille said.
Desmaire woke up with a jolt.
Chapter Eleven
It was all a dream, but still, Desmaire looked at Lucille worriedly.
Lucille slept in a sleeping bag in her room. She tossed and turned, mumbling to herself.
Just who are you? Desmaire thought to herself.
Chapter Twelve
“Wake up, Dessi! Wake up! We’re going to the circus!” Helen gushed happily.
Desmaire groggily opened her eyes. Helen was jumping and down on her bed, eyes alight with excitement.
It was the weekend, but Mom was certain to take the girls to the circus after school.
Why Helen was still overjoyed about it was beyond Desmaire, but at least Lucille had left to do her act.
Chapter Thirteen
AT THE CIRCUS
Helen and Mom were watching Dad perform, but not Desmaire. Desmaire was looking for Lucille, trying to find her tent.
The crowd of people walked past her, eager to see the show. But no, Desmaire had to find Lucille.
It was all a dream, but still…
Why would she dream it?
Chapter Fourteen
Aha! There it was! A pink and white striped tent, with a hanging sign that read: “Lively Lucille”.
Desmaire walked towards it, just to see what she would see. Lucille was her friend, but still.
It was good to check.
Chapter Fifteen
“Lucille? Are you alright?” Desmaire asked.
Lucille had thin skin over gaunt bones, her eyes were wild and frenzied, her ginger hair hung stringy and corpse-like around her neck.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine. Just…just go.” Lucille hissed.
“I-“
“Go!” Lucille cried out, pushing Desmaire out of the tent.
Chapter Sixteen
Desmaire’s head felt woozy with confusion. First there was the dream, then there was Lucille’s appearance. There was more to the story, but so little time to ask.
No matter. Her father was almost done. Helen was waiting for her.
Lucille was her friend, she couldn’t end all because of a dream, that was just absolutely irrational.
Chapter Seventeen
“Where were you, Dessi? You missed out! You missed out on all of the fun!” Helen said.
Helen smiled at Desmaire as she bit into cotton candy, her teeth holding pieces of the sugary confection.
“It’s alright, Helen. She’ll come next time.” Dad said with a smile.
The two laughed, Desmaire saying not a word of what she saw with Lucille. What they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them.
Chapter Eighteen
Frederick, Helen, and Desmaire walked through the carnival, small children eager to speak to Frederick.
Lucille’s voice flowed like a lullaby throughout the carnival, a sharp contrast to the disorder and mess of the atmosphere.
But everyone is happy here. Surely, that makes the carnival somehow peaceful, right? Desmaire thought.
Still, self-doubt sat at the pit of her stomach, an ugly, repulsive creature.
Chapter Nineteen
Desmaire walked into her house, but all was silent. All lights were turned off.
However, in the pale moonlight, she saw the bodies of Mom, Dad, and Helen lying together, covered in blood.
Lucille stood next to them, singing her sweet song.
Desmaire couldn’t move.
Chapter Twenty
Desmaire woke up. It was all just a dream, but…
She lay on the floor, Lucille standing over her body. Vaguely, Desmaire remembered Lucille clawing at her flesh, breaking her apart, and then falling asleep…
Lucille grinned as she plunged her claw into Desmaire’s heart. Desmaire didn’t even get a chance to scream.
Epilogue
Even in her doubts, Desmaire still cared for Lucille. After all, she was just another young girl trying to navigate the world.
Some can find her ghost lingering in the circus, a girl left to rot, a girl who loves her family dearly, and will never leave their side.
Not even in death…
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125,021 Literary Works • 672,739 Reviews
Hia!!
Oha, that is kinda mean. No wonder the kids go behind your back if you don’t explain things to them or let them even finish their thought ☹Went ahead and looked at the gacha designs and I just love Frederick’s clown outfit and hair~
Onward to the story!
I have a vague memory of Lucille being bad news….
“Desmaire lived in the neighborhood and her own parents wouldn’t even let her sing!“ PLUS one of her parents is a performer even!
“My prince, my monster, my dear, my fear” Oh that is an interesting line! I wonder if Desmaire picks up on it? 😊
Love how she immediately makes this about herself xd “Lucille had an alright voice, but she wasn’t wonderful. Desmaire would be able to perform in the circus one day.“ As in she’s happy that there’s basically no competition and that if Lucille can make it, so can she, easily ^^
I am curious that not even the parents wonder abt Lucille’s living situation. Not even a lick of interest abt where this girl lives when she’s not with them? (I know this is from Desmaire’s perspective so she probably misses a ton, but a hint that she hears her parents being worried or smthing would help?
“She only admired how lovely her new friend sang, how the audience admired her.” Oha, that is different from Lucille being “just alright”—makes me wonder if there is magic in her voice that you only feel while she’s performing but not after the fact?
Especially because she apologises afterwards?
Wait, the brief look into Lucille took all performance? She didn’t have time to rejoin her family? Or… was she so distraught that she needed a moment to collect herself? Maybe you could mention that?
I find the ending for this story a bit too abrupt. The hints that something’s wrong with Lucille are too far and in between.
I know this is covered in the other origins and the main story but wouldn’t it be nice if this also worked as a cohesive whole and there isn’t much you would need to do. Just some more foreshadowing and to lengthen the ending scene, to linger on the reasons of why Lucille did this etc?
Hope you have a great day ~
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Hai again :3
Ooh, I love how this starts with Desmaire being sweet and welcoming, only for that kindness to become the very thing that leads her into danger... Really a common theme in your stories, but it works!!
The opening works really well because it immediately tells us that Desmaire misunderstands Lucille, but not exactly how. That creates a nice little dread-cloud over the whole story. I understand she lives/works at a circus; there’s something naturally unsettling about performers, tents, songs, costumes, and crowds, especially when Desmaire’s family is so emotionally tied to the place. The contrast between the happy carnival atmosphere and Lucille’s increasingly corpse-like presence gives the story a really eerie vibe!!
I really liked the song Lucille sings, too!!
This line feels like the key to her character!! It suggests love, hunger, fear, maybe obsession all tangled together, which makes Lucille feel more tragic than just evil. I also love how Desmaire notices that the song might not be romantic at all ~~ That little moment shows her intuition working, even if she keeps overriding it because she wants Lucille to be her friend.
^^^ My biggest suggestion is that the chapters are extremely short, which gives the story a quick rhythm, but sometimes events move so fast that the horror doesn’t fully settle!! Like, the ending is brutal and interesting, but I wanted more time with Desmaire’s fear before Lucille attacks her. Her dreams are doing a lot of foreshadowing, and I think you could make the final reveal even stronger by letting the reader feel trapped in that “is this another dream?” confusion for longer ~~ Spend more time setting the scene for bigger moments!!
The ending was sweet though!! Desmaire stays near her family, which fits her character so well. She was loving from the beginning, and even death doesn’t change that. I'll have to read more of her stories!! Yay!!
- Payton
I%u2019m glad you enjoyed it. :>