Circus Diabolique

The main attraction, I suppose. The circus. FYI, it's pronounced Dee-ah-bo-leek...for those of you who care. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYYFOowsFfk&feature=channel&list=UL

Chapter Six: Circus Diabolique

                When we finally stopped running and looked around, we found only two directions were available: turn right, toward the massive circus tent with the haunting music pouring out to assault our ears, or turn left, toward the gaunt, skeletal fortune teller. We chose the circus. Glancing uneasily at each other and at the shadows that seemed to chase us, we moved closer to the oddly colored tent. The  music got louder as we approached, almost loud enough to prevent conversation. But Asher tried to speak to me anyway.

                “I think we should go, Janelle. This place, it just doesn’t seem right. I mean, what circus tent have you ever seen that is green and black! They’re always red and white. This place is wrong,” he argued over the song. I looked at him and shook my head.

                “I know it isn’t right here. This place isn’t natural. Doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Scary as hell, maybe. Dangerous, yes. Not ‘wrong’ though.”

                “You know what I mean.” Another voice, this one from inside the tent, drew my attention from the banter. The music was almost unbearably loud at this point, anything we said devoured by it. It sounded like there was a whole band at work inside that tent. I didn’t hear anyone inside except for who I could only assume was the Ringmaster. I only heard his words once we were inside the menacing tent.

                ‘Ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to direct your attention to the center stage, where you will bear witness to terrifying sights that will haunt you until the day you die. Behold, the Circus Diabolique, and let the nightmare begin!’

                The Ringmaster’s words sent a chill down my spine. I realized there were people in the stands around the center of the tent, each of them a little transparent, their mouths open to release cheers and shouts despite the fact that no sound escaped. The Ringmaster was also transparent, wearing a tattered suit that didn’t quite seem to fit his surroundings. His voice hadn’t come from him, but had instead come from everywhere else. Like it was right behind us, but on the other side of the tent as well. Without warning, he was gone, the ‘terrifying sights’ taking the stage. The creatures from the Freak Show at the Carnival’s entrance lunged into the stands, attacking the phantoms sitting there. It was as if we didn’t exist for this short period of time. However, the spirits vanished within moments of the show starting, ghostly cries echoing through the tent.

                The monsters turned their eyes to Asher and me, stalking forward. The chains around their throats and limbs were broken and useless, dragging silently over the ground as they approached. I grabbed Asher’s arm and backed up. Then I thought of something: the flute! Maybe I could play it. I brought the enchanted instrument to my lips and took a breath to play, instantly feeling drained of my energy. Dropping the flute, I fell to my hands and knees and stared into the eyes of the closest abomination. My vision was fuzzy, blackening at the edges.

                “Janelle, come on. This isn’t funny. Let’s go!” He was pulling at my arm, trying to drag me to my feet so we could run. But the creature’s gaze petrified me, keeping me still. Then, just as the Ringmaster had vanished, so too did they, leaving no sign they’d ever existed. “Come on,” Asher said, pulling me to my feet and bringing me out of the tent. We were both trembling, from some odd fatigue or fear, I didn’t know. I just let him lead me back out of the tent, stumbling over my own two feet until he let us stop. We were lost somewhere in the shadows, the stars twinkling unnaturally above us. That’s the last I saw before I passed out.

Author's Note

Kinda lost track of things at the end, but....I didn't know how else to fade into the next chapter.