The Secrets of the Circus Drafts

Yesenia's Childhood Fable (an Old Draft)

"There was once a woman-"

"No, no, NO!" Yesenia said, cutting her mother off. Her mother simply chuckled, once again tucking her precious into bed. "Mommy! You can't just start a story like that, you need to start with 'Once upon a time'!" Yesenia whined, her tail flickering like someone's quickened heartbeat. Aina gently ran her hand through Yesenia's hair, smiling warmly. "My dear... you've heard the story so many times... you already know how I'm gonna tell it." Yesenia crossed her tiny arms, pouting. "Well, I forgot." Aina chuckled again, filling Yesenia's with a heartwarming feel. "Come on! I wanna hear the story!" Aina smiled, and started all over again.

"Once upon a time, there was a woman named Yamiko Saushi. She was very beautiful, but her beauty was forced.

"She was never loved truly by anyone she knew, or met. Not even her parents." Yesenia's mouth turned upside down and Aina smiled. "You always get upset here... do you want to go to sleep?"

"No, please keep going mama. I cannot survive the night if i don't hear the story."

"Alright then.

"Yamiko's parents were, although short," Aina and Yesenia giggled. "Although Yamiko's parents were short people, they were people with the highest standards. Hence, Yamiko often hated how they had the most impossible expectations for her, and that she never got to feel any of their affection for her.

"One day, Yamiko was sent to pick the freshest of herbs in the highest of the mountains, and she must return before the sun sets.

"She did, and whilst picking the herbs, she found a hut."

"As Yamiko was tired, she decided to rest at the hut for a while.

"Little did she know...

"A wicked witch lived there. She went in, and the witch zapped her with her wand, turning her into a dark velvet ribbon necklace. The witch picked up the necklace and wore it, and Yamiko was never seen again."

Yesenia hugged her pillow and buried her nose into the softness of it, her eyes filled with remorse. "Nooooooooooooo." Aina smiled, and stroked Yesenia's hair. "Oh, but the story doesn't end there.

"The witch wore the necklace, but due to how old the witch was, she forgot the most important part of performing the transforming spell -- to burn away the soul of the item.

"She forgot to burn away Yamiko's soul, and when she wore her, the once kind and beautiful Yamiko was gone, influenced by the negativity of the witch and her past.

"As the years went by, Yamiko got tired of being unloved, so she tightened herself, choking the witch. The witch died, and Yamiko loosened, dropping herself onto the ground.

"Years passed, centuries went by.

"Yamiko waited patiently, until finally, one day, a young little girl found the necklace, and put it on.

"The little girl was once, like Yamiko, unloved. But over the years, Yamiko has learnt to master her powers, therefore making her a cursed necklace. The young girl put Yamiko on, and she was startled to see Yamiko in front of her. Yamiko put the girl into a trance, promising her that she will receive affection from everyone around her.

"Forever.

"And indeed, did the young little girl receive love from the people around her. But as she grew, the necklace tightened, and once she stopped receiving love and affection from the people, Yamiko strangled her, moving onto the next victim.

"And the story goes on, just like that."

Yesenia frowned, knitting her eyebrows. "But if the story goes on... when will it end?" Aina stared at the blankets of Yesenia's bed, her eyes coloured with a shade of mystery. "The story has ended... a long time ago. But we don't know what happened to Yamiko. Just don't pick up any necklaces on the floor, my dear. Yamiko may have changed her appearance a long time ago."

"And that's how my mother told me. It all ends just right there with no proper ending," Yesenia said, staring viciously at the spirit of Yamiko. Yamiko smiled down eerily at her, her pupils glimmering velvet and her scleras swirling black. "It's good you found the choker Kanye, thank you. If Yamiko went on and on...." Yesenia made eye contact with Yong, and the two of them looked at the rest of the circus. "I'll be keeping the choker in empty floor number one. I planned to make it a security room for valuables anyways," Yesenia said, looking back at Yamiko.

"Meeting dismissed, and you must not tell anyone about the choker. And under any circumstance, don't put it on yourself. Remember that we all love each other, and no one will ever feel unloved. Yamiko has grown too powerful, and now if anyone puts it on, you will die in a blink of my eye. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."