Helen Parrish’s origin

*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=1335. Enjoy!*

Introduction

Helen Parrish loved her life. She loved watching her father perform at the Carver circus, she loved kids coming up to her and asking what being a “Circus Girl” was like.

She loved her life, she loved her family. Never once did she dream of what was to occur…

Chapter One

Helen woke up to the sunlight streaming through her white cotton curtains.

She grinned, for she knew that it was another day at the Carver Circus, another day of joy and fun.

Another day that no other child would get to live but her.

Chapter Two

Helen ran down the stairs to the breakfast table, where Desmaire and Mom were eating their plates full of eggs. Dad had already left for the circus, for his job was very important.

“Can I perform with Dad today?” Helen asked as she joined them. It always came up in her mind to wear clown makeup, just like him. The audience would like her, she was sure of it.

“No, you’re too young. The circus isn’t going to hire a child.” Mom said.

“But it’s the circus! They should hire me!” Helen argued. There was no way they wouldn’t accept kids, that was impossible.

“It’s still work.” Mom said.

No it’s not. Helen thought, but didn’t dare say it out loud. Mom wouldn’t listen, Mom wouldn’t change her mind.

What was said was set in stone, no further questions.

Chapter Three

ON THE SIDEWALK

Helen ran throughout the sidewalk, towards the circus in the distance. She had finished eating her breakfast and wanted to explore what was out there, what the circus held.

As always, Desmaire couldn’t keep up. Mom said that it was because Desmaire was older and wasn’t as excited as her, but Desmaire was only fourteen. Fourteen wasn’t that old.

Maybe she didn’t have enough energy left in her body.

Helen hoped that it wouldn’t be the same for her, that she would always have energy no matter what…

Chapter Four

AT THE CARNIVAL

Helen pushed past the people, holding her cotton candy in one hand. They groaned when she pushed, but no matter. She had a place to get to.

The cotton candy sweetness on her face looked like makeup. Clown makeup. Soon, everyone would love her.

If only she performed.

Chapter Five

Helen stopped, right at her father’s stage. There he was, getting pied in the face. There he was, earning love from the crowd.

Briefly, Dad saw her and winked. Helen could not be any happier, could not be any more free.

That was, until Desmaire made a friend.

Chapter Six

“Who was that?” Helen asked once the other girl was gone. She tried her best not to pay attention to the other girl Desmaire was with, but she couldn’t help but catch bits and pieces of their conversation.

“She’s Lucille. She’s going to be singing at the circus real soon.” Desmaire said with a smile.

“Really?” Helen asked with wide eyes.

Desmaire nodded.

“Why can’t we perform?” Helen asked.

“We will one day.” Desmaire said.

Desmaire didn’t say another word, she only bit into her corn dog.

Chapter Seven

“Can we let her stay with us? Please?” Desmaire asked.

The performance had ended a long time ago, and Desmaire was telling Dad about Lucille and how she had no place to sleep.

Helen looked up at Dad, studied how he was deep in thought. She hoped that he would make the right decision and wouldn’t let a stranger into their home.

“Just for this day. Then, she has to sleep here.” Dad said.

Just for one day? Why couldn’t Lucille stay away? They didn’t know her!

Well, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

Chapter Eight

LATE AT NIGHT

Lucille had come over to stay at their house. She ate dinner with them, and didn’t make much of a fuss.

Yet Helen lay wide awake in her bed, staring at a corner in her room. A form was beginning to take shape there. It was a misty, indistinguishable form, but it looked like a person.

Helen wanted to scream, but her mouth wouldn’t let her.

Only her heavy eyelids closed…

Chapter Nine

Helen was walking through the local carnival, but no one was there.

Only the Ferris Wheel creaked. Helen listened closely, to hear for other sounds.

An inhuman, guttural scream shrieked throughout the carnival. Helen hastily covered her ears, but even then, she could still hear it.

Chapter Ten

Helen woke up with a jolt. Sweat wasn’t just on her head, but covering her whole body.

She pushed the covers off of herself, feeling the frightful urge to crawl out of her skin, to leave behind an unsightly, uncomfortable carcass.

The shadow was gone.

Helen didn’t know how, but she sensed that morning would come soon, that considerable time had passed.

She got up from bed and pushed her window open a crack. The cold air was welcome in her room, the symbol of freedom.

Chapter Eleven

“Hello, Helen.” Lucille said.

Helen turned around. She didn’t expect Lucille to be in her room, and up so early in the morning.

“You’re not going to talk about that bad dream, are you?” Lucille asked.

Helen sensed an otherworldly undertone to Lucille’s voice, and robotically shook her head no.

“Good. I’ll see you at the circus.” Lucille said with a pointed grin.

Helen watched with wide, frightened eyes as Lucille walked away.

She’s not going to hurt me…is she? Helen thought with a note of panic.

Chapter Twelve

AT THE CIRCUS

Desmaire and Helen were at the circus yet again. It was the weekend, so they had a free day to themselves.

But they weren’t watching Dad perform. He wasn’t ready yet. Instead, they were in line for cotton candy, the sweet, slightly melting treat.

“Do you think that Lucille is a monster?” Helen asked. Even though it was just a dream, she couldn’t shake it out of her mind.

“A monster? What makes you believe that?” Desmaire snorted.

“I had a bad dream last night. I had a dream about a monster and I think that it was Lucille.”

“You’re talking about a dream? It’s just a dream, Helen. Calm down.” Desmaire said, shooting her a glare.

Helen kept quiet. Desmaire wouldn’t listen, and there was no use talking to her.

Perhaps Dad would be different.

Chapter Thirteen

AFTER THE PERFORMANCE

“Dad! Dad! Last night, I had a dream that-“

“Later, Helen. I’m tired.” Dad said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Helen wouldn’t be fooled.

“But-“

“When we get home, okay?” Dad asked.

When they got home?! When they got home?! But he was done!

Lucille wouldn’t be home, maybe Dad would listen then. He better listen, because she wasn’t tolerating the wait much longer.

Chapter Fourteen

At the entrance gates of the circus, far from the performers and the food, Helen caught a glimpse of a hulking mass of darkness, the same shadow in her dream.

She felt her throat clamp up, her eyes grow heavy, her chest constricting within itself…

The pipe organ music was not a welcome sound, but a bellow of dismay in her ears.

Chapter Fifteen

Dad had finished with his performance. Many walked up to him, congratulating him.

But Desmaire took Helen’s arm and dragged her away, back home.

She fought to escape her, but it was a no go. Desmaire wouldn’t let her go.

Chapter Sixteen

BACK AT HOME

Desmaire was in her room, Mom was at the kitchen. Helen and Dad were in the living room, Helen’s annoyance at Desmaire was fading away slightly. Slightly.

“I had a nightmare last night. I saw a scary demon, and for some reason, I think it’s about Lucille. You don’t think that Lucille is a demon, do you?” Helen asked.

No, she couldn’t believe the words that came out of her mouth. But it was said, and there were no take backs.

“Demons aren’t real. Demons aren’t going to come for you. Don’t worry about it.” Dad said, hugging her.

The hug was nice, but why didn’t he believe her?

Chapter Seventeen

Helen didn’t bring it up during dinner. She didn’t bring it up the day after that, the day after that, and the days after that. The dream was nothing more than a mere blurred memory.

Why should she? Demons weren’t real. Dad said so. Dad knew what was best, he knew everything. Lucille wasn’t a demon, she sang sweetly.

Desmaire was still friends with her, so she couldn’t be that bad…right?

Chapter Eighteen

It was a few days after Helen had told her Dad about Lucille. She was upstairs in her room, playing with her dolls.

Footsteps resounded on the stairs, getting closer…closer…

Helen tensed up. The door creaked open.

Chapter Nineteen

“Goodnight, Helen.” A hollow, shallow voice whispered to her.

She couldn’t move. Helen couldn’t even lift a finger. She sat completely paralyzed as the thing got closer…closer…

Closer.

Chapter Twenty

The thing pushed Helen to the ground, its claws digging deep into her brain. The voice vaguely sounded like Lucille, but contorted to inhumanity.

It’s…so…dark…so…much…hurt…

The piercing claws dug so deep that she couldn’t scream.

Epilogue

Helen’s thoughts were right. Her dreams were connected to Lucille, and she had to find out all too late.

Her small, child spirit lingers in her father’s carnival. Sometimes, she’s at her old, depleted home where most of her family resided.

But deep down, in her still, silenced heart, Helen longs for her father again. Why, oh why, did they accuse him of the crime?