It's All Part Of The Show 'The Carnival Of Glass'

Chapter XXII 🎪Making Our Legacy

Bartholomew stood firmly in one spot of the ring, only moving as he turned around towards me -gesturing to me with the light clasped in his only hand.

"I am Bartholomew! It is my honor to introduce to you the leader of tonight's show... The Master Of Ceremonies, King Of The Carnival, Emperor Of The Night, and Friend To No Man... You may call him, Mister TopHat."

Suddenly, I appeared out of thin air... It was me, Madison's father; Marcus Cochran.

I spoke:

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, cats and dogs, ghouls and goblins, fast zombies, slow zombies, creatures of the night, enemies of the day, lovers of fun and haters of everything good and decent. My enemies, my people, my children... Welcome, to The Carnival Of Glass."

I turned and looked back at Madison... Little lady Madison, when I spoke the words: 'My children and she felt like it was all part of the show. I knew Madison wasn't sure what I was thinking, and she wasn't sure what she was thinking either, but I knew what I was thinking:

'Madison, my lovely daughter -All this is for you.'

"Hush, it's all right. It's all right, you're okay. Oh, don't be alarmed everyone, it's all part of the show. You may experience things here that are going to wow you. You may experience things that will shake you to your very core... right down here." I gestured to the ring below the bleachers with my hand concealed in black leather.

"But just remember, it's all part of the show!"

I made my way back to the circular ring taking short strides down the series of steps that made up the rows of bleachers.

For the audience, it was 'All part of the show', but for I; Marcus Cochran, and my child, Madison Cochran, this was more than just part of the show. It was real.

This was more than just any show, it was our legacy!

I (Mister TopHat) spoke again:

"You came here for an experience, to live your fullest life. You came here because the outside world is dull and dreary, unsafe. You came here because-" Suddenly a voice from the audience: "FREE ADMISSION BABY!"

I bowed my head and smiled. -It was nice to see people still have a sense of humor. Everything had changed so so much since 1944.

"Yes, it did not cost you money. But nothing in this world is free, and it may cost you everything else. So, now that I have your undivided attention, I'd like to ask you for a little bit more! I'd like to ask for your obedience! I'd like to ask you for your alliance! I'd like to ask you, all, to have the greatest time imaginable! Welcome! To The Carnival Of Glass! Now of course you know there will be thrills and chills. But remember, no matter how these things may seem, it's all part of the show. Now among the rides and attractions here at the Carnival, is a very small golden coin. It looks... I patted my hands up and down my torso feeling for the coin before tipping the hat off my head and pulling the coin out from the bottom. It looks a bit like this. This golden coin here grants you admission to a secret part of the Carnival. Will you be the lucky one to find it? Will you find this passage to paradise? Good luck. And remember, it's all part of the show!"

I'll never forget that gold coin as long as I live -It is a symbol of the Carnival, of me, of me: Marcus Cochran, of my father, of us, of our legacy: The Cochran Circus turned The Cochran Carnival to The Carnival Of Doom- The Carnival Of Glass and one last time, The Carnival Of Ink  -And I as he said back in 1944: "I would not jeopardize my good name, by putting people in danger!"

I know Madison realized the irony of that last line:

'I would not jeopardize my good name, by putting people in danger.'

-And I didn't, because after tonight, she never called me Marcus Cochran ever again. -No one did. I was simply: 'Mister TopHat' I was right about the carnival is my legacy, my legacy involved saving kids as I said.

And for every one child saved, there are a some fewer evils.

Madison and I approached each other both with ghastly grins on our faces.

"If Taylor was here, she'd say: Madison, you look so much like your father. You have his eyes and that cleft chin -your grandfather- my father, had the same chin."

Madison smiled at my sentence.

"Do you remember Taylor at all Madison?

-Another 'gray area'.

"Yeah -very vaguely. But yes, I remember Taylor Greens."

I smiled hugging Madison.

"Do you still miss your father?"

She asked.

"Yes. Some days are easier than others. I always keep him close though -Just like I keep you close Tiger. I wish you could have had the chance to meet him."

I told her before she answered:

"I wish that too."

(864 words)