Freak Like Me [American Horror Story Freak Show]

Chapter Two

After a lot of convincing from Stanley, I agreed to visit the freakshow. He claimed that he had a friend that worked at a museum and they would pay good money for freaks, mostly dead though. I cringed at the thought, but it didn't bother me. I didn't know those people, plus the world would be way better off without them. We pulled up in a taxi, not wanting to appear too suspicious.

I stepped out, pretending to be nervous by fiddling with my brown purse. Stanley went off to find the owner while I went off to examine my new surroundings. I jumped back at a small little human being that reached my knee. She waved her hands at me and a bearded woman came over, swooping her into her arms. If I wasn't nervous, I was now. I cleared my throat, forcing a smile. "I'm the Mystical Miss Esmeralda," I said, holding my hand out to her. "I'm a fortune teller. My uncle, Stanley, is talking to the owner about putting me on stage." She nodded her head and took my hand in a firm grip.

"Well it's mighty nice to meet you, Miss Esmeralda. I'm Ethel and I hope you get to know Miss Elsa yourself. She's a mighty fine woman Miss Elsa is," she replied in a Southern drawl. She reminded me of my grandmother, God rest her soul. I nodded my head and glanced around, curious of what other creatures resided here. "You should really meet my son, Jimmy. You two would get along just fine." I smiled at her.

"I bet we would," I replied. When I burn in hell. I still hadn't spotted Stanley with this Miss Elsa character and she must've been a freak herself to put up with such people. I bid Ethel a goodbye and walked off. I turned a corner and bumped into someone, falling back into the dirt. I looked up, ready to shoot a rude comment at the person, but my words died in my throat at the sight before me. It was not one person, but two, I think anyway. It was one body with two heads. One had a sneer while the other held a sweet smile. "I-I," The head on the left stopped me.

"Clearly you know no manners if you can't apologize to a lady. Don't you have eyes?" she said rudely and the head on the right looked at her in surprise.

"Dot! Be nice to her! It's not like we were watching where we were going either," she said. She looked down at me, smiling as she held a hand out to me. "Let me help you up." I took her hand, staring at them in bewilderment. I felt another hand on my lower back as the other half of the woman started to help me to my feet. I smiled at them, unsure as to why at the time. "I'm Bette. This is my sister, Dot. Are you lost?" Her voice was music to my ears, and my palms were sweaty. Why am I nervous?

"I...I'm Mag-I mean Esmeralda. Mystic Miss Esmeralda. I'm a fortune teller. I'm hoping to join the show." Dot rolled her eyes, but Bette's smile held true. I glanced down and looked into their two sets of eyes. "I'm sorry for being so careless I should have been watching where I was going. I just wanted to have a look around." Dot nodded her head, her hand resting on her hip. Bette tilted her head to the right. They were both beautiful. If only Dot would smile.

"Where have you come from?"

"Hollywood. Uncle Stanley thought that my talents were being exploited over there."

"And how is being in a freak show any better?" Dot asked, a brow raised. I shrugged my shoulders.

"People made fun of me," I lied, looking down and Bette cooed. She reached out, resting a hand on my shoulder.

"Well now you are around people just like you!" Dot scoffed, mumbling under her breath.

"I don't see an extra head on her shoulders." She looked off in the other direction. Bette gave her a dirty look and I shrugged my shoulders when she looked back at me.

"It's alright. I'm used to it by now. In all honesty I wish my inner freak would show," I said. "That way people could tell that I was different." Dot's head shot back over to look at me.

"How is being a freak good?"

"'Cause you can be proud of who you are. People call me crazy...my own mother had me locked away in an asylum." That part was true. I had broken out and made it about six months before Stanley had found me. Dot's face softened and Stanley came over. Damn you old man! He was smiling from ear to ear with a beautiful woman trailing behind him. Her blonde hair was short and curly, and her lips were painted a bright red. Too much makeup.

"Esmeralda, this is Miss Elsa, the owner. She wanted to have a word with you. I thought I told you to stay by the taxi," he said. I cleared my throat.

"Sorry, Uncle Stanley, but my visions said that I would journey through these grounds and run into someone special. I was tempted, I must say, and couldn't fight the temptation to see it come true," I replied, forcing a smile. Stanley chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"My niece. Can she predict the future or what?" Elsa nodded her head, and glanced back at Dot and Bette.

"Girls," she spoke with a strong Russian accent. "I take it you have met with Miss Esmeralda?" she asked. I looked over my shoulder at them as they nodded their heads, Dot looking rather annoyed to be in Elsa's presence. "Well what do you think of her?" I looked down, expecting for Dot to pipe up with some rude comment.

"I think she's rather nice," Bette said. "and pretty too." She gave me a sweet smile and bit her lip.

"And you, Dot?" Dot glanced at me, her gaze hard. I gulped and was surprised as she stepped closer, resting her hand on my shoulder.

"I think she's rather sweet. We could sure use another girl like her, Miss Elsa," she said in a soft tone. I felt my cheeks grow hotter and I smiled at them both.

"Can she stay, Miss Elsa? Please?" Bette asked, biting her lip. Elsa smiled at them both.

"Of course she can. Welcome to the family, Esmeralda. I hope to be seeing more of you. Meanwhile your uncle and I have some more talking to do." Stanley nodded his head and walked away with her. I turned around to face them, Dot's face still soft.

"Thank you," I said softly. "That means a lot, and if anything, you both are more beautiful than I could ever hope to be." Dot and Bette both smiled.

"Dot! Bette!" a voice from behind them called. I spotted a young man approaching us, and stared at his massive lobster hands. He gave them a smile and Dot's smile grew even wider.

"Hello, Jimmy," Dot replied. Her eyes were twinkling. So she likes Jimmy then? Bette gave me a knowing look and winked. She reached out, taking my hand in hers.

"Jimmy, this is Esmeralda. Miss Elsa just gave her permission to be a part of our family," she said. Jimmy looked at me and smiled, holding out one of his "lobster claws." I was nervous to touch them, afraid that they would hurt me or something. Jimmy's smile faltered, but it remained on his face.

"I won't hurt you, I promise," he said kindly. I nodded my head and shook his hand, the texture feeling weird against mine. "I'm Jimmy Darling, by the way. It's nice to meet you, Esmeralda."

"You too, Jimmy." I cleared my throat, feeling rather strange with him standing there. Ethel came waddling around the corner and smiled when she saw all of us.

"There you are, Jimmy!" she shouted. I looked between him and Ethel as she slapped his shoulder. She looked over at me. "I see you found my boy!" I started to get nervous again with two freaks around me, I really wasn't counting Bette and Dot. "Jimmy, why don't you show Miss Esmeralda to her tent?" Jimmy nodded and took my arm, walking away with me while I stared back at Bette and Dot.