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Lazarus
"Have you ever thought of leaving?"
The candlelight flickered across her pretty face as she placed a piece of grilled steak into her mouth.She shook her head, chewing. I waited for her to swallow while devouring my own steak.
"Never. I'm a part of this place. I grew up here. The Ringmaster is…”
She hesitated, but I knew what he meant to her. A father who cared for her and watched out for her safety. I nodded, fully understanding her position more than anyone.
"But have you ever wondered, what waits for you out there?"
"Death, poverty, suffering. I've got everything I need here."
I set my fork and knife down, folding my hands above the plate and focusing on her.
"Have you ever ventured out of this tent, Imogen?"
She didn't look at me, just continued to chew, turning her head toward the open flap. The rain had begun to fall, a soft pitter-patter of raindrops that both lulled you and offered comfort.I looked down at my half-eaten food and lifted another piece to my mouth. It was unexpected when she spoke.
"I went out once. The Ringmaster took me. I was sixteen years old at the time and up for any adventure. He brought me to this seedy place in a dingy town where he was conducting business."
Her eyes seemed far away as she remembered the events that transpired.
"I hadn't grown into my powers yet, just an inkling of them. Nor did I know how to use them. I wouldn't fully get them until I turned eighteen."
She looked sad as she continued to look out at the rain.
"He told me to stay in the car."
Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Why didn't I listen to him?"
"Because you were a normal, curious teenager," I responded.
She shook her head. "No. It was because I was stupid and rebellious. I wanted to experience something new. I wanted to see what the world entailed."
"And what did you find?"
Her pretty green eyes fixed on me. "Cruelty. Pain. And suffering."
I watched her closely as she lowered her gaze, a tendril of dark hair floated down over her shoulder.
"I was just waiting for him. Leaning against the old truck and staring up at the stars. Some guys passed by and one saw me and smiled. He seemed charming enough, so I smiled back."
Her voice quivered slightly. "I should have never smiled."
I had a feeling I knew where this was going and I clenched my fists tightly, pressing them against the table.
"A smile should do no one any harm, sweetness."
Her eyes shot up to mine, glimmering with unshed tears against the candlelight.
"But it did. Because it welcomed them to do the unspeakable to me."
She fell silent and the rain drowned out the looming silence, easing its intensity only slightly.
"I tried fighting them. I called out for the Ringmaster, but they’d dragged me too far away for him to hear anything. For anyone to hear my screams. I sobbed and begged them to stop. Kicked, scratched, pinched, but they were stronger. Three strong men who had power my fragile sixteen-year-old body didn't."
A tear escaped down her cheek, and she brushed it away quickly before taking another bite of her food.She swallowed hard, as if forcing down that lump that was building in her throat.
