A Circus in The Woods

A Story by Devon T. Culp

"Greg, hustle up its almost time to leave." My father called from outside as he packed the last of our camping gear in the back of his truck parked out front of the house. "Hold on, I'm almost done. I just have to grab something." I shouted from my window in reply. I feel absoluetly dreadful about this trip. I don't want to go camping, it's Labor Day Weekend, and especially not with my dad. I texted my friend Lake, who i was supposed to be hanging out with all weekend, but then i was told i must go camping with my father, and his friend Aaron. It was absolute bull s**t, me and Lake were supposed to go over to this huge rave that his cousin was supposedly throwing down about four hours east of our home town in Brattsfield, Washington.

I let Lake know that over at the camp site there was probably not going to be very much cell phone frequency, so that he would know that i was most likely not going to get any messages. I put my phone in my pocket, grabbed my backpack, and put on my most excitingly happy face i could, and went outside to meet up with my father."So Greg, are you excited?" My father asked thrillingly. "You know it." I lied sounding foolishly eager. "Great, what do you say we get this show on the road?" My dad said hopping into the drivers side of his truck. I got into the passenger side of the truck, and we pulled out our driveway and started down the street.

"This was one of my most favorite places in the world. It's so beautiful and rich...and secluded." My dad conversed as he let out small chuckle. What the hell does he mean by that its secluded? I know that since its in a forrest at a camp site so it would be secluded of course, but that was just creepy that he said that. "yeah..." i replied awkwardly trying not to be a bit creeped out. "So what do you think about Aaron coming with us?" My father asked questioningly. "He's cool" I answered still staring out the window. The whole scene of houses and markets with streets and ally ways around us had changed to trees and cars as we made our transition from our small town to the highway as we made our commute to the camp site. i slowly drifted off to sleep listening to the sound of the car driving down the road.

i felt my father nudging me and telling me to wake up loudly like he was shouting. my eyes opened and i looked around and discovered that we had stopped driving and i looked out the windows and saw that we were surrounded by trees. "Come on, wake up. We're here." My father said as he opened his door and hopped out. i slowly dragged my self wake to up and got out sluggishly. there were trees everywhere, huge ones bigger than any other trees that i had ever seen. "Isn't it beautiful?" Asked my father as he stood in front of the truck with his hands on his hips as he looked around wonderously. The whole seen was breath taking, the trees so big and tall creating a canopy that was almost like a roof that made the whole forrest into a building.

"Its amazing" i answered still looking around in awe. Me and my father put up our tent and got the rest of our camping gear set up, i made up a the fire pit and filled it with fire wood. Aaron, drove up in his silver Dodge Ram pickup truck. "Hey, what's up?" Aaron announced as he stepped out the driver's side of his truck. " Aaron!!!!! How's it been?" My father called as he walked quickly to meet up with his friend. My father and Aaron began conversing friendly. Suddenly, I saw out of the passenger side of Aaron's truck, stepped out a black haired girl who'm i couldn't recognize but looked strangely familiar.

She was as beautiful as an angel, made personally by the hands of god. Her skin was pale, as white as snow. She wore all black with jeans that seemed to have these slits and cuts throughout them, with patches of multiple colors, and what looked like steel toed boots, and her shirt was black with a red and purple design on it. Her wrists were covered with rubber and studded spiked bracelets. I looked down at my t-shirt that was black and had the logo of one of my favorite bands, hoping that maybe i didn't look like a nerd or something.

"Hey Greg, how goes it? Its been awhile since i last saw you." Aaron said stepping out in front of my view of the black haired girl, almost like he knew i was eyeing whoever that girl was. "I've been fine, how about you?" I answered as casual as i could sound. "Its been good, good...I brought my daughter Catherine with me." Aaron said as he motioned for the girl to come over to us. My stomach was doing backflips inside duplexes as the black haired girl came walking towards us. "Do you remember Catherine from when your mom used to baby sit you two when you were younger?" Aaron asked. "Nope.." I answered nervously.

The girl's beauty made me nervous, she was way out of my league. There was no way a girl like that would ever want to talk to a guy like me, and even if she did i'd have no idea on what to say. "Well Greg, I want you to meet my daughter Catherine." Aaron spoke introducingly as he stepped out the way for me to see Catherine. "Hi, I'm Catherine." The black haired girl conversed welcomingly as she held out her hand for me to shake. "Hi." I replied as i took her hand within mine nervously and shook it. "I'm Greg..." I spat out my mouth. "It's nice to meet you, Greg." Catherine casually introduced herself.

Her voice was so soothing, like the sound of a harp being played by the most beautiful and gorgeous arch angel in all of heaven. "Come on Aaron, let's have a beer." My father shouted from a camping chair captured around the fire pit. "Get to know each other or something." Aaron spoke as he walked away toward the pit eagerly. "I really like that band, they're one of my favorites." Catherine complemented looking down at my shirt. "Mine too..." I coughed. It felt like my throat went dry and that i couldn't talk. "What's your favorite song by them?" Catherine asked. "Uhm... 'The Battle of Love and War'." I answered not knowing what to answer with.

It turns out me and Catherine listen to a lot of the same bands and the same kinds of music. I slowly felt the nervous anxiety beginning to lift the more we conversed...even if it was only small talk. "You don't have to always call me by my full name, just call me Cat." Catherine said invitingly. "Cat" I said just leaving the word to float there for a moment between us. "I like that name, Cat." i repeated again. Cat looked at me with a look in her eyes that i could not quite tell what it was.

It was creepy, she made the hair on the back of my neck stand up with goosebumps. She was almost staring into my soul, it felt like. Suddenly i felt a hand grasp my shoulder and I nearly jumped a thousand feet in the air. I looked behind me and i saw my father behind me standing there chuckling. "Whats wrong, you scared or something?" My father joked. I looked over at my father who was laughing, then i turned and saw Cat was laughing too. Shame of embarrassment overflowed me as the both stood there laughing at me. "Greg, you need to relax... just calm down and chill out." my father chuckled to me putting his hand back on my shoulder. "Greg, I need you and Cat to go and get us some firewood." My father spoke.

My father is acting weird; first, he never would never've walked up to me like he did and request me to do something, since as far as i can remember my father has always called for me to come over to him when he requested something for me to do for him, he's always to lazy to get off his fat a*s and do anything. Second, how did my father know to call Catherine, Cat? She never talked to him in her entire life, at least i hope she hasn't. "Dad...are you feeling alright?" I choked. I was freaked out with anxiety, it felt really weird like I was in a dream almost. Maybe i do just need to sit down and take a couple of breaths to calm me down and just chill out? "Yeah...are YOU feeling alright?" my father answered sarcastically jolly. I nodded and turned back around facing Cat.

Me and Cat set out on the path that led into the forrest from our camp site. It was just about that time when the sun was beginning to set and everything began to look more shadowy. "So, how long are you visiting Aaron?" I asked casually. The path looked like it had been barely used and was aged. There were pieces of dead grass and plants and dirt mixed all together with brush and pebbles. "Well since i go to school all year long we get about a two month vacation during August and September and go back on October third. so i leave in two weeks." Cat answered as she jumped right up next to me as we walked down the path. I've never heard of that, I couldn't imagine going to school all year long, that would be stressful as hell.

"Do you wanna play a game?" Cat asked playfully with a smile of laughter and hilarity. I had no idea what she was asking, was she flirting with me? I didn't know what to answer yes, or no, i was way to nervous. I tried just calming myself down and tried to not get all worked up over nothing. She was just a girl, a really really hot girl that i would only dream of having, but i knew i could never have. "Sure..." I answered. Cat looked at me and smiled. "It's called Question Time. I ask a question and you answer then you ask me a question. Do you understand?" Cat explained as she stayed turned around staring at me as she walked backwards in front of me. "Okay." i answered understandingly. Cat gave me a glance then smiled and giggled.

"So do you wanna go first, or should i?" Cat asked. "You go." i answered. Cat and i continued walking down the path, as the air around us began to get sullenly cooler. "Ok, what is your...favorite color?" Cat asked. "I'd say my favorite color is...purple combined with green." i replied. Cat let out a small giggle, and looked at me and smiled. Something isn't straight here, i mean how is this girl actually talking to me and maybe even flirting with me even, then my father hasn't been his normal "know it all lazy a*s" self, what is going on? Is this just a dream, or is this really reality?

We continued down the path slowly. "So, aren't you going to ask me something?" Cat asked. I had know idea on what to say, i was still stuck in my daze of questioning reality. "Oh, yeah" i coughed. "What is your...hobbies?" i asked foolishly. That was such a stupid thing to say. I sounded like a teacher's question, like one of those questions on a welcome paper for yourself at school when you just came back from summer break. Who says "hobbies"?

"Well, i like to write. Like poetry and stories, and stuff like that, and I'm really into all the arts. I absolutely love photography, and journalism, I want to be a journalist when i graduate." Cat answered. I love journalism too, and i want to travel around the world and see everything for my self. "I love journalism!!!!!!!" I nearly shouted out of sudden excitement. "I like your enthusiasm" Cat laughed. We began talking all about different stuff we liked. It turns out that we really are a lot alike in a lot of ways.

We came to an opening into a clearing of a field, where a very large red and yellow circus tent stood hauntingly. The sky was made of dark colored clouds almost like rain clouds but were not. Chills danced down my spine making me tingle all over, and giving me goosebumps. A cold breeze blew through us that sounded almost like whispers of ghosts and of the dead as it blew past our ears. An eery feeling filled my gut and my stomach began doing even more backflips this time. But as well as nervousness and anxiety i had just the same of curiosity.

I looked over at Cat who looked mesmerized by the scene. "Do you wanna go check it out?" Cat asked still staring at the tent. The thought of going up there gave me a feeling of unexplainable anxiety. Something in the back of my head kept telling me to just say no and turn around, but a much bigger thought of curiousness over flowed my mind. "Sure...If you want to?" i answered stepping forward. Cat grasped my hand and dragged me with her as she quickly forwarded through the thick grass on up to the tent. Now I know if this is all a dream, it surly has turned into a nightmare.

We went up to the entrance of the tent where there was a white ticket booth that was empty. On both sides of the entrance were very large bill boards with all sorts of paintings of clowns, and demonic creatures, with purple and green question marks all over. Above the entrance a big sign that read; "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls of all ages, and everyone from near and far, Welcome to the Circus of Darkness and Light."

"The Circus of Darkness and Light..." Cat said aloud staring up at the sign above. "This is so unreal." i said as i went up to the entrance. The entrance was all locked up by a black barred cage door equipped with huge chain and lock around the door handle. "How may i help you?" A voice said from behind us. Quickly we both turned around and saw a man standing just a few feet behind us. "What the..." I said as i turned around. "Hmm?" The man replied walking forward slowly with his hands around his back.

Fear ran through my entire body as he approached us, just the sight of him was frightening. The man wore a black top hat, with a purple raggedy belt wrapped around it. He had long black hair, that trickled out the sides of his hat like vines, and his face was like a dark tanned human goblin face with a long black goatee, and he wore a black and white striped tuxedo that was all raggedy and worn, and had on white shoes. "What is all this?" Cat questioned as she looked around with her eyes. The man walked up and stopped right in front of us.

"This is the Circus of Darkness and Light, a magical place that features the creatures of hell and heaven....and beyond." The man answered revealingly. "My name is Santillado Maria." The man said as he took a bow and lifted his hat. Santillado held out his hand which was clothed in a purple glove for us to shake. "My name is...Greg." I answered nervously as i shook Santillado's hand. He shook my hand oddly, he slid his hand into man and shook then slid it out, like snake. Santillado looked over at Cat who looked like she was in a daze of confusion. "My name is Catherine." Cat said calmly as she gripped his hand. Santillado then shook her hand and leaned in and kissed her hand. "Such a lovely name, its a pleasure to meet you madame." Santillado replied as he gave us an evil grin, spreading from ear to ear.

Santillado walked right in between us and went up to the gate and turned around in a slick twist like a dancer. "Im sorry, but our show is not scheduled to perform until late tonight." Santillado said as he put his hands behind him again. "Its the only time many of our performers can play." He added giving a great big terrifying smile. I wanted to just run away from a creep overtaking me, but also i felt a strange sense of peace and serenity talking to Santillado. It felt like i was being protected from an unknown source, my body wanted to run but my mind and heart wanted to stay awhile.

"What time exactly?" Cat asked sounding impatient. "Hmmm...I would say When the clock reads twelve." Santillado said as he looked up towards the sky then back at us. I looked into Santillado's eyes, and i saw something strong within him, something...no human could ever hold. "Well, i'm dear sorry, i must go get ready for tonights special event." Santillado said stepping forward and breaking in between me and Catherine. "It might be hard for us to come tonight, for we may not be able to sneak away." Catherine shouted. i felt a sense of relief that Cat may have used an excuse for us not to come. "Don't worry, im sure that wont be very hard." Santillado answered back loudly as he continued walking away and giving a loud chuckle.

We began walking back to the camp sight astonished about how all that really just happened. Looking back at it just felt like a dream. "Did that just happen?" I asked Cat as we headed down the path. Cat gave out a couple of deep breaths and sighed. "Of course it just happened." Cat answered just staring forward. The sky was just starting to get dark, with the sky turning to purple and we could see the moon shining brightly down on to us like the nightly sun. "So do you wanna go?" Cat asked excitingly as she turned to me. I felt a tad bit freaked out at the thought of going to see "the circus". "What?" I asked stupidly. "You know, go see the circus, it would be so cool." Cat answered. Cat was evidently excited about the circus and Santillado, and i was freaked out by just the thought of it all.

"...Sure" i lied. "Awesome" Cat answered smiling. We walked back to the camp site right as it had just got dark. Both, my father and Aaron were both sitting across from each other laughing away by a great blazing camp fire that seemed to glow like a christmas tree in the darkness. The nightly air was just setting in with its cold embrace, and it smelled of smoke and beer, and both me and Cat quickly grabbed our jackets and sat down next to each other.