Cirque Periculum

Chapter 3

Connor's heart pounded. Why did he have to go down there? It must be part of the trick, he thought as he stood up and made his way down to the stage. I'm not in trouble, it's only a trick.

Confidently, Connor stepped onto the stage and approached the two men, who were both smiling at him.

"We meet again," Mr. Summertin whispered.

"What are we doing?" Connor asked.

Just then a girl walked onto the stage. She was followed by a small blonde boy who was grinning at Connor.

"Adam!" Connor exclaimed.

"Connor! I thought you didn't show up!" Adam said.

Before Connor could respond, Mr. Summertin's voice boomed through the circus tent. "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for our volunteers!"

The audience roared. After they died down, Mr. Barge stepped in front of the group on stage and stretched his arms out to either side. "Now that we have our volunteers, we will perform our trick. If the thee children would come in front of me and form a line, facing the audience."

Adam gestured to Connor and they walked out together, bright stage lights accentuating their nerves. Connor stood to the far right, Adam in the middle, and the girl walked to the far left.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, I will not be the one performing this trick tonight. I will simply lend the children my power. If used correctly, it will leave you amazed. If not, the children will disappear."

Crap... what did I get myself into now?

Connor glanced back and saw Mr. Barge reach his arms over their heads. A glowing red light seemingly pulsed from his hand. When he passed his hand over Connor's head, he felt a tingly warmth spread from his head down to his feet. He looked down to see he was glowing brightly.

"Now, our three volunteers will exercise their newfound abilities. Each of them will close their eyes, and imagine a scene that relaxes them. Then the magic will happen."

Connor closed his eyes, and a picture popped into his head. He expected to imagine his water tower, but a different scene appeared. He was bathed in a warm, yellow light, standing in the middle of a small living room. The smell of baking bread wafted from an adjoining room.

"Connor?" A soft, feminine voice said behind him. "Dinner's ready dear, do you want to come inside?"

He turned around, searching for the owner of the voice that he had yearned to hear again for years. It was the voice of his mother.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the room disappeared into a blackness. He flashed back into the circus tent. But it was different. Did everything get smaller? He looked down at himself and choked.

He was floating ten feet off the ground.

Fear filled his chest. That's when he began to fall.

A flurry of movement below him. He saw Mr. Summertin run towards him. A flash of light. Darkness.
***
When Connor awoke, the first thing he noticed was the myriad of stars twinkling above him. He twisted his head to see that he was laying in the dirt next to some train tracks. How'd I get outside?

On his other side, Adam groaned and sat up. "What just happened?"

"That was awful!" A whiny voice exclaimed on the other side of Adam.