Friday, March 4, 2011

Freaks

I had not been to a carnival since I was a girl. I remembered the sights, the smells, the gay little cries of children rushing past with balloons and cotton candy in hand as carnival music played in the background...
Gilbert's Carnival at Watershed Heights could not have been more different. It was dingy and dirty, with stale food and out of tune music. Sword eaters and flame breathers walked around in the crowds, sineging peoples hair. A little girl was walking around with a prize she had won that looked like a shaggy pillow with teeth. I was presently trying to leave, but the enterance had been only one way, and the exits were no where to be found. The only reason I had come at all was to ride the ferris wheel as I had done as a girl, but that looked so dangerous that I dared not even step near it.
Corbie, watch out, Koraki cautioned. I looked to see a little monkey in a suit sticking his hand in my purse. Koraki cawed with rage, and pecked the little theif until he ran back to his organ grinder with a scream.
I do not like this place, Koraki confided as I skirted around the town mutt.
"Niether do I." I agreed.
The trailer of freaks caught my eye.
COME ONE COME ALL
TO THE LARGEST COLLECTION
OF GOD'S MISTAKES THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN!
BEHOLD
THE GIANT
THE DWARF
THE ALLIGATOR GIRL
THE BEARDED LADY
THE TWO HEADED MAN
AND SO MUCH MORE!
"How horrible." I noted with a shiver.
No one should have to endure this, Koraki said sternly.
"All of those poor people..."
I will be very thankful when we have left this place.
I nodded in agreement.
Come. Let us keep looking for the way out.

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