Where's Casper?

Cousins

*Back to Casper's POV*

Tonight's show was a complete success, although the public was a bit too messy, and, now, I have to clean up after them.

They left the circus feeling empty and quiet, and I am beginning to love them, even when I know I won't see them again. I love how they yell for Aric when he finishes his number. I feel they're yelling for me, too.

I go up a few stairs, dragging my broom after me. Dante promised me 10 silver coins if I cleaned up, and I am always in for the money. I pick up a cup. It still has some kind of juice dripping from it, so I put it in the trash bag as quickly as I can.

I drop the bag. I can swear I felt something cold on my shoulders. No, I'm alone -

"Hello, Casper."

He looks just like me: the same shiny, blue eyes, the same black, wavy hair, some freckles on the nose... am I looking at a mirror?

"No, you're not. You know, I thought you were a girl, but I might mistake you for another cousin. We have a big family, and I can't remember all of you, you know?"

Big family? I don't even know three relatives of mine. And why does he think he's my cousin?

"Oh. Yes, you're the girl. I'm Caspar, by the way. I'm the son of your mother's cousin, if I'm not wrong. Wait. You don't know your mother."

Caspar. The famous Caspar, the evil and bad, the spawn of Satan. He's nothing but a little boy. And he's related to me. I smile, analyzing him. He's the same height as me, has my body tipe, and, the most important, he has the same boyish crooked grin.

"I've heard so much about you from... it doesn't matter who I've heard it from, but I did." He shakes my hand. "I'm so glad to finally meet you in person!"

I wonder why he doesn't want to tell me, but I don't need to know.

"Did you come back to the circus?"

He giggles. His gripp becomes tighter, tighter, and tighter. I feel bones crushing in his hand. My bones.

"Can you please let go of my hand?" I ask, trying as hard as I can not to cry. He just smiles sadistically and says nothing, continuing to clasp his hand even more.

I can't do it anymore. I kick him in his stomach, making him fall over three rows of chairs. He lands on his back with his elbows on the ground, his top hat darkening his eyes, and he continues to laugh.

I blink, and he dissappears in thin air. I look around. No one. I sigh. I think I can get to the door fast enough. Wrong. The door closes before I can even take a step further.

I can barely see anything with the weak, red, and white light passing through the fabric the temporary building is made out of. Even though I can't see him, I can hear his devilish laugh. It's an odd version of mine. I guess we are a bit too much alike. If I force myself, I can replicate it perfectly.

"Casper, Casper, Casper. I guess your Meridian roots didn't make you any good." He's behind me. I turn around, just to punch the air. "I think it's normal because us, Northern people, are known to be stronger than you."

I hear his footsteps too late. He puts me down in the middle of the arena.

"I guess I have to take my gloves off." He throws the muddy, white fabric in my face. "See, cous, you're very important to me."

He hesitates for a moment. He passes his hand through my short cropped hair while I struggle to breathe under his weight. And it happens. He puts his hands around my neck and takes my breath more.

"I've always looked up to Aunty Becca, you know, cous?" He says, pushing harder on my neck. "Your mother is a beautiful woman, and she's smart." I feel his palms getting sweatier. "One of the very smart things she did was leaving a weak being like you behind."

I try to breathe again, but I can't. I feel his sadistical gaze on me, and I can swear I see his eyes sparkle in the dark. He lets me go.

"As much as I'd like to continue, I can't, or at least not yet. You're a part of my family, and I swore to respect you, whoever you are."

And he leaves me gasping for air, alone and in pain in the middle of the arena.