The morning sun pushed through the flaps of the tent. Bright beaming streams of light tip toed across the surprisingly soft mattress and crept up the face of a young boy. Outside the tent was motion and commotion and sounds of laughter. There was whispers, cheers. A great many things happening all around this lonely tent that harbored the guest of honor. Off farther in the circus, in his own trailer sat Gavin Sinclair. He sat at his desk with his tattoo gun. The healer had fixed that blackened necrotic patch of skin; now he sat bringing to life another creation. The soft buzz of the tattoo gun filled his trailer, like a bee buzzing around for honey.
In the big top tent an angel flew around practicing for tonight's show. Tonight was a real show, with actual customers. His name was Samael. He was a former member of the Fool's Dice Club. An outlaw gang of thugs and car thieves and street racers. Fools who had seen sons of anarchy and fast and the furious too many times and decided hey let's combine these two! He was once a prospect member of this outlaw club. He stole, he lied... He even helped dispose of bodies. Samael was not a good person before.
That was until the day that he wandered into Gavin Sinclair's Circus of Curiosity and Wonder. Gavin saw his power. His wings on his back made of the finest feathers. Gavin decided he wanted him for his show. And even though Samael had no interest in joining Gavin's happy little circus, here he was. Flying around the arena like a bird. With no memories of his former life, only the memories Gavin's psychic gave him. Memories of traveling with the circus and finding his place here in the show.
Moving farther down the line is another row of tents. These tents were for the soldiers. Gavin's special ones. Not everyone gets a seat at this table. No, no this place was special. This was where Gavin housed his helpers. There was Mute. A mutant with the ability to cyphon your powers away until they were canceled out and gone. Mute was very particular about who he allowed to use powers around him. He never used his power on Gavin, no, no.
Never indeed, but everyone else spoke to him as a pure and simple human. He had a field around him that radiated outward. He could turn off his power canceling power if he wished, but he much preferred if mutants were not mutants around him. Tempers flare you know. A blue mutant covered in fur, or scales, or feathers or what have you would have his color fade away. It was disappear like the clearing of a bad cough and he would just look.... Human.
There was the mutant known by all as 'The handsome man' He had the ability to push and mold his face like clay dough. If he was blonde and rubbed some red clay in his hair his hair would start to take on the new color. He could stretch and pull his face to look like anyone he wanted. Your mother used to tell you don't make faces it will get stuck like that.... Well in his case it was true. The handsome man was very loyal to Gavin as well. He was grateful to Gavin. If it wasn't for Gavin he would be dead. It was Gavin who had saved the handsome man from being beaten to death by a mob of angry mutant hating assholes. It was Gavin who gave him a home. It was Gavin who he looked to as a father.
Finally in this row of tents housed the most important mutant here. Well, the most important mutant at the circus besides Gavin himself. Her name was Andromeda Cromer. She was the psychic who replaced the memories of everyone here. She wove their thoughts and memories together like the stitching of a fine and elegant quilt. No detail was over looked. Mutants with false memories that had to do with one another had all the same details. They had all the same memories she was meticulous.
It was Andromeda who Gavin found as a girl and brought her here. She did not stay against her will. She did not live here under false pretense and not even Mute could cancel out her powers. She was a phoenix against the sun. She could level this whole circus with a thought. Even Gavin himself was a little afraid of her, though she looked at him genuinely like a father and he to her like a daughter. Unlike Ladainia who only thought she was his daughter. Andromeda knew the truth and she cared for Gavin anyways.
Everyone was prepping for the big show tonight. They were practicing their acts and getting their routines in order. Ghost walked quietly through the row of tents. His blue skin melted away and turned a pale pinkish human color for a moment as he walked passed Mute's tent. When he was far enough way his color returned. Bright blue skin and red eyes deeper and redder than the flames of hell. Ghost walked, whistling as he went. He had a swagger to his stride.
He was going to wake the kid up. Gavin felt that two days rest was more than enough. It was the first show they were putting on since the boy arrived and Gavin wanted to have an act prepared for him. Gavin still wanted him to talk to Ladainia, but there was time for that after the show. Ghost didn't have a tent in that special little row of helpers, though he was very loyal. "Rise'n shine kid!" He said pushing his way abruptly through the flaps. "We got work to do!"
I turned and buried my head deep into the soft bed pulling a small sheet over my head I shouted out the side of my mouth "Mom it's saturday let me sleep in...,"
Before the words finished coming out of my mouth reality began to sink in, visions of the spider, gavin and the big top itself flooded into my mind. What a wicked dream right? It had to be, Jerking the sheet down and looking up proved the dream theory wrong for the second time since I had been here. I jumped back from just one look at the ugly mug of the man shouting at me.
He was uh, blue? His eyes looked like lasers, I swallowed hard my mouth dry and parched from the sleep. Looking back and fourth in almost a panic I could feel the energy bubbling around me wanting to come out, closing my eyes I took a deep breath in an attempt to tamper it and keep myself out of trouble. "I think there is a mistake Mister Sir,"
My mother raised me to be polite even to blue people, this was the south after all, Most bigots would hold the door for you with one hand while they tied a nose to string you up in the other.
"You see I don't work here, so not sure why I am here or what happened. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but My mom is sure to be worried sick right now. I mean I've never been out all night without her knowing where I was. So if you need to ask Mister Gavin I am sure he can clear all this up..,"
OH my mama was going to kill me, maybe I could tell her I spent that night at Aaron's house. No NO that wouldn't work, I haven't talked to Aaron in years, why do all my friends have to be online. OHH maybe I tell her Rhys came into town, she knows I meet him once.
"So Uh..," I got up stretched my arms above my head trying to loosen up my back a bit, man it felt like I had been asleep forever "Mind letting me out, I am sure I can find him myself or just tell him Cam said bye and I can find my own way out,"
Ghost seemed to listen patiently. He even smiled at the kid who was stumbling and fumbling his way through his "i'm going" speech. Ghost thought it was almost sweet how this kid thought he was going to turn him down. That wasn't how this worked. Gavin Sinclair gave him a task to perform. Damn it, he was going to do it. "Quit clowning around kid. We ain't got time for stupid jokes, you're not even closed to ready for your debut act in the show." Ghost said. He sounded like he was mumbling and complaining to himself. Woa is me. I have to take this kid who is positively green to the gills and make him a star by tonight. His complaining seemed to say.
Ghost stood there with his arms crossed. He had a look of annoyance on his face. He was defiantly cranky. You would be cranky too if you hadn't had your morning coffee. And if you were blue. Ghost stared at him and blinked a few times. "Well?" He clapped his hands loudly. "Get going!" This kid just seemed all sorts of nervous. He was almost like a little scared bunny rabbit. Ghost would eat a rabbit whole without even skinning it. He would just bite through the neck and chew the furry meat. Ghost was somewhat of an animal.
He didn't actually have to explain anything too him he just had to whip him into gear. Ghost figured he could just about bully this kid into handing over his lunch money if he wanted. Ghost in himself was a cranky mutant with some socialization problems. Not a lot of people wanted to get all chummy with the mutant who was blue and had red eyes and razor sharp teeth. Someone should have raised him with more manners.
"Mr. Sinclair insists that you stay for tonight's show. In fact, you're in it. So guess what sonny jim? You actually do work here." Ghost reached int the pocket of his long flowing leather jacket that reached to the floor. He pulled out two tickets. "Who are these going to? You can invite two people. Now you just tell us who you want to get them and we'll handle the rest."
Ghost was speaking as if everything he was saying was perfectly normal. He was speaking as if Cameron wouldn't have a million follow up questions. First and foremost of them being "What the hell are you talking about?!?!?" Ghost watched with growing impatience. It was already passed noon and they haven't even started his act yet. They had so much work to do.
"What's your stage name kid?" He asked Grumpily. "I'm Ghost. Though everyone here at the circus calls me Poltergeist." He smacked his lips together an clicked his tongue on the inside of his mouth as he looked around in bordum. He asked the question two seconds ago and was already bored waiting for an answer. He entertained himself picking up random things and moving about Cameron's tent while he waited. Cameron's pockets had been emptied upon being placed here to rest.
On the table was a picture of Cameron and his mother. Ghost quietly and discretely put the picture in his jacket pocket without being seen. Gavin would most assuredly want to see that picture. "How about the incredible exploding boy? You explode right? Neat trick. You're still in one piece. You know the problem with exploding right?" He asked casually as he waited for Cameron to figure out what happened to his tongue and actually speak. "It's a trick most people only ever do once. Hard to get good at a thing like that."
He chuckled. His laugh was raspy and sounded like a demonic weasle. Those horrible yellow razor sharp teeth exposed as he laughed. "Hop too it kid we got a lot of work to do." He said and dropped the tickets on the table. From outside the tent he shouted in again. "Give those tickets to Ladainia, she'll see that your folks get'em." He said waiting outside the tent for his young pupil to step outside.
A blue ghost? That seems odd, I mean maybe like if he was pure white, or even invisible but a blue ghost? I didn't get the link to his stage name, but that's also when I had to pull my train of thought back on the rails. He seemed more than determined I was going to work here, and that I was performing tonight?
I didn't even really know what I did, or further more HOW to do it. Still I listened to him ramble and the wheels began to turn in my head. I just needed a second, I was fast now I remebered that much. A big blue guy with razor sharpe teeth couldn't be fast too could he?
Actually he probably was, I don't think speed is that uncommon with mutants right? I remeber reading an article once about the most common abilities of mutants strangely enough odd color skin came in third so I shouldn't be as surprised as I was. Well actually i believe it was "physical mutations" that came in third with odd colored skin counting for over 50 percent of them. I looked at my host again, laser eyes, blue skin, sharp teeth, funny hair this guy got a grab bag full of physical mutations didn't he. At least I am still the same pastey white I had always been, wonder how long it took after his mutation to develop for his skin to change? OR was he born that way? I should ask...
NO NO NO, crazy talk why on earth would I ASK. This guy might eat me, still a stage name is like a code name right? That would be kind of cool, I ran one post on this pro mutant site online about Mutant names and how they help to break away from the chains the man tries to keep on us to make us feel inferior to them.
Forums, Magizines, Television, and Youtube videos had pretty much been the most exciting part of my life up until yesterday. I had lived my life through others eyes, listening to others words and admiring pictures taken as glimpse of others lives. It was time to start taking my own pictures, my own risk, my own challenges. First I had to get out of this freak show, two tickets? Well that might come in handy I guessed. He finally left, leaving me alone in this tent. My hand almost unconsciously grabbed the tickets and pocketed them. If I were to be stuck here this may be the only way to get help.
"Think cam, think cam..,"
Then it hit me, the own westerns my uncle would watch used to really get my interest. So much I read about two dozen books on native Americans and cowboys, several went into the nomadic nature of some of the Native americans and how they had to picture their homes and pick them up . Pretty much like the carnie tents, so that means this thing was just barely held down. I looked across the ground and found a loose flap, i got on my hands and knees pulling the flap up and crawling under it. Standing up on the other side I looked in both directoins, no blue people to be found. Good, now it was time to get out of this place!
Ladainia was walking through the row of tents. She could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin. It was how she told the time of day. Through smell, though feeling and the intensity of the sun. It was one of the man work around she learned being a blind woman. She was enjoying the song of a nearby robin with the young boy knocked her over. Ladainia had heard him running. The sound of his breathing, his footsteps and his startled cries were not hard to place. She even knew what direction it was coming from, but he was so fast. He closed the distance faster than she anticipated.
Ladainia fell to the grass with a started cry of her own. Her eyes were monstrous. She didn't like people to look upon her face. She kept her hood up over her head. It was made of a black lace and woven fine. Ladainia pulled at her hood to make sure it hadn't fallen away from her face. It was still covering up the majority. She sighed. "You should be more careful." She scolded. Though her words were critical they were not harsh.
It sounded more hurt than anything. Ladainia was embarrassed that she allowed herself to be surprised. She was blind to the world, but she prided herself on her hearing. Her sense of smell and her general gut feelings about things. She was capable of getting in Gavin's area during the big mutant fight part of the show and holding her own against super powered mutants. She was gifted with visions of the future. She would predict their movements and counter attack with her bow staff. It was as much a weapon as it was a walking stick.
Ladainia picked herself up. Brushing herself off she kept her head low. She turned her face away from the young boy. She did not wish to frighten him with her face. She was very pretty, except for those eyes. Those large sinister looking eyes. The edges around her eyes the skin was cracked and broken. It looked like black liquid oozed into the cracks and hard lines of her face. Ladainia was a very sweet person in general. "I'm sorry, you frightened me is all..." She admitted. "You. You are the boy that everyone is talking about!" She said as if she was just realizing it. There was a bit of acting at play, but she was not a bad actress.
"Come, you must let me see your future. I am Lady Ladainia. Fortune teller and future seer. I can see the future. It is my humble gift. It is what makes me a mutant, like yourself." Her words were soft, honest. She still didn't look at him. She turned to face him though her head was lowered and her hood covered everything aside from the lower part of her jaw. "Will you have your destiny foretold to you? Will you allow me to glimpse into the fates of your existence and show you what lies in the path of your destiny?" Ladainia held out a slender beautiful hand for him to grab, her hand was palm up.
Somewhere behind them Ghost was shouting angrily. He just realized that he had been given the slip. "The one they call Ghost is not a very nice man. He will not find you in my tent." She assured him. Ladainia smiled. Her light pink pouty lips curled into a grin. She hoped that was enough to convince the boy. She had much to show him. He had much to learn.
I was free for all of maybe 10 seconds before my thoughts of escape were wrecked as I ran head on into a young woman. She hit the ground hard and I automatically started spouting out apologizies. I didn't mean to hurt anyone, and I was scared of just about anyone in this crazy circus at this point. I quickly got up and went to help her but she was already up, that's when i remebered her. She was the one lurking around and talking to Gavin before I passed out yesterday.
I shoved my hands deep in my pockets as my eyes darted back and fourth while I listened to her. Looking for any way out, the area was pretty wide open with several tents lined up. Still there was circus crew i could only pray they werent all as evil as Ghost looked. That's when I heard her ask me to come with her. Tell me my future? Anything at the moment to bid some time and get away from the crazy Ghost guy.
"Oh yea, that sounds fun," I smiled "Also I think I am supposed to give these too you,"
I reach in my pocket and pulled out the two tickets "I want one to my mom and another to my friend Lily please," Lily wasn't exactly a friend, but a girl I had kind of a crush on. Still maybe if this HAD to happen she would think I was some sort of celebrity. Honestly I didn't have any other friends anyway so it wouldn't hurt.
"But yes please, lead the way I would love to hear my fortune,"
"Come quickly." She said in a stern and demanding voice. Ladainia whirled around. Her long flowing cloak followed her in a graceful swooping motion as she made her way over to her tent. Without turning to discover if the boy was still following her she quickly ducked inside. It was dark inside her tent. She had no real use of lights. She quietly reached over and found a box of matches she had for visitors. She struck a match and lit a candle on the center of the table.
"Sit." She called out. She spoke as Cameron entered the tent. Ladaina's face, her eyes were visible under her hood now. The flames of the candle jumped up and licked at her face. It illuminated what was hidden before. Slowly, carefully she removed her hood. Her eyes were wide and unblinking. "Do not be afraid." She said softly. She grabbed a crystal ball from under the table and set it on the center of the table.
She did not need such things to read the future, but showmanship could never be understated. She knew that he was more likely to buy into her routine if he had some familiarity. Who hadn't seen fortune tellers reading from a crystal ball before? It was so cliche it almost made her stomach tie up in knots. Ladainia set the two tickets on the table. With a snap of her fingers the tickets were gone. A bit of slight of hand street magic to impress a stary eyed boy. "I see great things for you..... Cameron." Her voice was confident.
Something about the crystal in the crystal ball did react to her powers though. As her eyes began to glow whiter, so did the ball. It lit up and brightened the tent much more than the candle ever had. Ladainia's hands swirled around the crystal ball as if she were conjuring some emotion. As if she was working some dark acient magic.
She closed her eyes and saw flashes of the future. A city burning. Ashes rained from the sky. Great plumes of smoke drifting into the air to be carried on the wind. The cries of people haunted the vivid image. A boy laughing hysterically and swelling with evil pride in the things he had done. Ladainia's mouth hung open. She couldn't conceal the horror she saw. Her lip quivered slightly. " I see you!" She started. "You are very powerful. Very feared."
There were slight pauses betweeen each new bits of information. "You become very famous, infamous for your deeds. You do not yet pocess the ability now, but one day you will be a leader of mutant rights. Many will look up to you. Many will fear your power." She cried out suddenly tired from her vision. As she cried out the candle blew out.
Suddenly she looked fearful. "You must leave this place! Go now! While you have the chance!" She knew this vision was because Gavin Sinclaire had got his hooks into the boy. She loved her father, but sometimes.... She feared him. She lifted the back of her tent and allowed him to escape. Ladainia told him how to get out of the circus and she warned him not to return to see the show. No matter how much he might be tempted he was not to return to see the show. Or her premoniton would come true..... That was the part she left out.
"You must leave this place! Go now! While you have the chance!"
The Crazy eyed lady didn't have to tell me twice, as I sit almost frozen at the future she had foretold for me I sprung right into action when I saw her open the flap of her tent. Her tent was nestled in the corner near the woods towards the start of the whole ordeal. I remeber it being one of the first I saw and knew with a fair amount of certainity which direction would lead me back to a regular world or at least one more normal than this. As I ran past her I managed just above a whisper to speak
"Thank you,"
As I ran out the memories of the spider flooded my mind, I had flew hadn't I? Or at least something similar. As I ran I jumped into the air and focused hard the energy covered me and I thrust through the air at a crazy speed over the trees for a while until i started to lose altitude and ended up knocking down 4 trees before crash landing on the side of the road. As I sit on the road looking myself over I realized that no harm had been done to me despite the crash course with the giant pines.
"Wow thats cool..," The Spider had made me bleed but it seemed while flying I was alot harder to hurt, I should remeber that. I got up and brushed myself off walking down the road to a convient store. I knew the owner and he let me use his cell to call home.
"Mom its me cam,"
"Oh my god cam its been two days where have you been..,"
Two days?!? I was asleep for two days!! "Its a long story, Im at Maple street corner storre please come get me and Ill tell you everything..,"
