The Ringmaster

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NEW SERIES! Even though I have so many drafts and unfinished stories- anyway, enjoy!

Tears leaked from Ranboo's closed eyes as his mother dropped 3 keys into his hands. She cupped his face weakly, a small smile on her face.

"Ranboo, look at me please." She said softly, a few tears falling from her green eyes.

Ranboo looked up at her, gripping the keys tightly. He was sobbing, looking at his mother through his tears.

"Ranboo...I love you. Do you know why your mother and I named you Ranboo?"

Ranboo shook his head, still crying.

"Ranboo means you're a gentle and intuitive young man. It means you mesmerize others when you elaborate on the truth. You are strong, kind, and perfect. I'll be fine, so stop crying over me, alright? Go live your life the way you want...don't let me affect your life."

"But you're like...the most important thing to me! I need you."

"No, Ranboo. The only thing you need is yourself." She said, wiping a tear from Ranboo's face.

She sighed, and rested her head on the pillows behind her. Her hand went limp, and the heartbeat on the monitor flatlined.

"Mom? Mom!" Ranboo stood up and rushed to the hall. "Help! We need a doctor, a nurse, anything!"

A few nearby doctors and nurses sprinted into the room, while a nurse held Ranboo in a hug, preventing him from entering.

"Let me go! I need to see her!"

"I can't let that happen, I'm sorry."

Ranboo shouted at him, demanding to see his mother. Suddenly, the nurse was pushed away from him and a firm hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned around immediately, and hugged the person behind him.

"My little Ran...you need to face reality. She's gone."

"I still need her though, mom!" He cried into her dress.

"Ran...please." She pleaded. Ranboo eventually fell asleep in her arms.

"Mrs Void?" A doctor approached Ranboo's mother.

"Yes?" She stood up, a sleeping Ranboo in her arms.

"So your...wife?"

"Correct. What about her?"

"She has sadly passed. Our medical team had tried our best to prevent it. Although Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome is difficult to cure or prevent, she lasted longer than expected. Your family was luckier than most to have her around longer."

"Luckier?" She raised her voice. "Luckier? Luckier to watch my wife die slowly and suffer for months? Luckier that my son was the only one around to watch her die?"

"Well, ma'am, we apologize for the misinterpretation in this conversation. We didn't mean to-"

"You mean you didn't mean to. Can't even use proper English. We are leaving." She turned on her heel and left the doctor staring at her, shocked.

She walked through the lot of parked cars, quickly navigating to her own. It was a deep red, as if blood had been thrown onto it. Ranboo stirred and opened his eyes with a yawn, looking up at his mother.

"Mom? Where are we?" Ranboo asked, not bothering to look around.

"We're going home. It doesn't matter where we are right now." His mom said after a few moments of hesitation.

"Okay." Ranboo closed his eyes again, falling asleep as he was placed in his car seat. She got into the car and placed her head onto the steering wheel.

"We need to improve his memory..." his mom muttered, starting the car.

The drive home was a long one, the car seemed to be inching along, as if it too was filled with grief. They approached their house, which was now filled with a sadness that would remain forever. Ranboo's mother unlocked the door, fumbling with her keys as she did. Ranboo walked inside with her at his heels.

"I'm going to be...in my room." Ranboo said, making his way to the steps leading to his room.

"Alright. I'll order some pizza or something." She responed, making her way to her office.

Ranboo slowly trudged up the steps and closed the door to his room. He went and sat in the small loft area of his room where he kept all of his plushies. He curled up amidst the large pile of plushies, and started closing his eyes, but then something caught his attention. It was a small bear plush with a tall colourful hat and coat that had tails. There was an envolope tucked under its paws. Ranboo picked it up and took the note, reading it aloud.

"Dear Ranboo, if you're reading this, I'm most likely dead by now. I'm surprised you didn't notice this earlier, as you were supposed to. Anyway, the circus only needs two keys. I gave you three. There's a box in my office under a few loose floorboards. Once you find it, read te rest of this letter once youve opened it."

Ranboo looked at the keys, and snuck into his dead mother's office. He tapped on the floorboards until he found a hollow sounding spot. He pulled on the boards and they came off. Inside was a box, which was too big for him to lift, so he just unlocked it inside the floor. He teared up as soon as he layed eyes on the contents. Inside the ches was a black hat with a green and red ribbon around the base, a half black half white coat with green and red highlights, and finally, a masquerade mask which was white and black with a gold outline. One of the last things was a stick, no, it was a cane. Then there was easily 100k in cash at the bottom.

"Mother left me everything to be a ringmaster...even the funds to hire. She was ready to go." Ranboo said, attempting to pick it up.

He suceeded, and although he needed to set it down many times, he got it into his loft under his plushies. He then picked up the note again, and read the last of it.

"You deserve all of it, my sweet boy. And yes, I know what you're thinking. I was prepared to die...it was my time. I'd been sick for months before being diagnosed. I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you, I just didn't want to stress either of you out and worry you. You'll be the best ringmaster in the family, I know it. You're probaby reading this at night, so go to bed. Goodnight, and try not to miss me too much. -Mother End."

Ranboo chuckled at the last part, and nodded, although nobody saw him do so. He fell asleep quickly that night, dreaming about the circus he woud soon be running.