Page 22 of Circus From Hell

“You’ve been stalking us,” I finally say, still trying to locate where exactly her voice is coming from. It sounds like it’s enveloping us.

“You are interesssting to watch. But you ssshouldn’t have come here.”

“Can you tell us what you want?” Arlo asks.

There’s a long pause before she says, “I want many thingsss that I ssshouldn’t.”

“Like what?”

Another long pause. “Get out. You are not wanted here. And I am finding it hard to control mysssself.”

“Control yourself from what? And where are you?”

“From you two. And I am hiding from Ssssspiral.”

She’s hiding from someone? Who would she need to hide from? She has knives for teeth, for shit’s sake.

“You don’t need to hide from us. We’ve seen you.”

“Yeah, we know you’re a monster.”

Arlo slaps his hand against my chest, mouthing, “Stop it.”

“What makesss me a monssster, Micha?”

I’m not sure why my name coming from her mouth feels so shocking. “Err, you kill and eat people? Pretty self-explanatory.”

“Stop it, Micha,” Arlo sighs. “Please, ignore him! He struggles with manners.”

“You need to leave, Arlo,” the voice replies. The hushed tone and lack of echo make it easier to locate.

My heart drops when I realise where she is.

Above us.

Tilting our heads back, the dark abyss isn’t so dark anymore, with the faint silhouette of that familiar hair and green eyes hanging above us. She’s wrapped in her silk, her legs and arms entangled.

As soon as she sees us looking back at her, she unravels rapidly, spinning down to the floor with concerning speed as bells jingle. There’s no time for me or Arlo to move out of the way, but we don’t need to. She stops in front of us suddenly with a tight hold on the silk, her face inches away from ours.

“I sssaid get out,” she spits. “You are not sssupposed to be here.”

“Tell me why you didn’t eat me like you ate that lady,” Arlo demands bravely.

“People don’t ssspeak to me. They don’t asssk questions. Why are you?” Arlo tilts his head aside, thinking of a reply, but he sneaks his hand into mine, gripping tightly and communicating his silent fear. “Ssstop that,” she demands, flipping over and pulling herself up a few feet.

“Stop what?” I ask.

“Arlo’s fear. Ssstop it. Or I will eat him.”

“How do we⁠—”

“Your arousssal,” she grits out. “It overpowersss it. That is why I didn’t eat you.”

“This is ridiculous,” I grunt, tightening my hand around Arlo’s and tugging him. “Come on, let’s go⁠—”

“You little shit! Where are you?” a voice shouts from outside the tent, stomping closer. “You’re not in your fucking tent. You know you’re not allowed out tonight. Kreo’s orders. It’s not a show night.”

The circus girl releases the silk and jumps down on lithe muscles. She drags Arlo and me by the wrists and pushes us underneath the benches. She forces us deeper until we’re nestled in a small alcove, and we both go willingly because neither of us want to be stuck around someone this thing is afraid of.