Haven

Chapter 1

The sounds of the trampoline creaking under their weight, the swings swishing through the still air under the circus tent, and the girls giving orders to each other - ah, it was like any normal day.

"Come on, Jillian," one girl, Maddie, yelled out across the tent. "Keep your back straight or else you won't be able to hold up Faye's weight." Jillian made a face at her but complied.

The steady rhythm of the girls' workout and practice was a comforting sound to them all. They were preparing for the annual fair in the nearby town that bordered close to the ranch they all lived at. Every year, they would perform for tourists that were travelling through the country, from far and wide, and all the local folks who always enjoyed their acrobatic routines.

Of course, these girls were dreaming for something greater than just performing for their country folks and passersby forever. They were saving up to go to a city to get proper training and hopefully one day perform to a larger crowd. One step further into the world where dreams CAN come true.

"Last run-through, girls!" Maddie called out.

"Yes, captain," Jillian joked over her shoulder. She climbed up the ladder to position herself on a small platform on the left side of the tightrope. Faye did the same on the other side of the rope.

"Ready?" Maddie asked.

"You bet we are," replied Faye.

"I'm coming up then," she responded. She mounted the ladder as well, and passed by Jillian as she grabbed the swing hanging from above. "Go!"

The girls went into action. Faye and Jillian slowly approached each other from opposite ends of the rope, while Maddie flew through the air above them, grabbing onto the next swing as she neared it.

But that's when everything went wrong.

She grabbed the handle, like always, but the swing could not hold her weight as she transferred to it.

The swing's rope snapped from its anchor in the rafters above. Slowly, or what seemed as slow motion to Faye and Jillian, Maddie fell the distance to the protective net below that was there for reasons like these.

They weren't too worried, until Maddie's body crashed into the net which for some reason didn't hold up. Together, Maddie and net fell the rest of the way to the ground further below.

"Maddie!" Jillian yelled. Faye screamed at the top of her lungs as the loud thud of the other girl's body hit the dirt ground.

Maddie never made a sound as she descended, possibly from the misconception that the net would've saved her from that fall. Only, it was too late for her to scream when she realized it wasn't going to save her.

In moments, it seemed like the rest of the ranch had awoken in the early morning light, streaming into the medium-sized tent that held all the girls' practice equipment and training grounds.

Children peeked under the entrance flap to see what the commotion was about but the women shooed them away before they could see a sight they'd never forget. Some of the men stayed in the tent, though, helping the shaken Faye and Jillian down from the tightrope.

One older, grizzled man came to stand next to Maddie's body. He carefully knelt down as he gently placed two fingers on her neck. He shook his head as he looked up to the scared faces surrounding him. "She's gone," he said quietly.

He slowly stood up, his knees cracking with the effort. He took in the scene around him. The wood from the swing handle and its broken rope, the useless net, and the fearful eyes all staring either at the girl at his feet or anything but that.