Other Short Stories, Competitions and Writing Prompts

Juggling

"Red or white?" Jamie said to himself, unaware that this same decision would affect his future in an entirely different way in the coming days. He pulled out the two bags of juggling balls, hefting them up and down, as if weight might be the determining factor in which set he would chose. He furrowed his brow as he tried to decide, his brown eyes darting back and forth between the two net sacks.

'White as ice, safe and nice' said Jamie's inner clown voice. He looked up at his painted face, the swirling black lines, which turned down his mouth into an impossibly morose visage. A soft squishy red nose completed Jamie's transformation into Kippers the clown, second in charge of comedy in the great Australian Stardust Circus.

"Come on mate," came the muffled voice of the staff director, along with three loud bangs on the side of Jamie's caravan. "You're on in ten."

"Alright, almost ready," Jamie said, stuffing a pillow up his shirt and stumbling towards the doorway in his giant shoes. The door swung open and the humid evening air flooded in, hitting Jamie like a warm sweaty slap. Cursing the heat, his thick padded clothing and his tardiness, Jamie ran towards the big top and hoped his make-up was still intact.

Jamie entered the tent, ran his fingers gently around his eyes to remove the sudden sting of the artificial smoke and adjust them to the brightness of the stage lights. The noise of the crowd's roars and squeals drowned out the fantastical lilting music. Jamie shook himself slightly and became Kippers the clown, he slouched low, pushed out his belly and let his knuckles almost touch the ground. Then he slowly hobbled towards the entry aisle and was just about to make his entrance when a pair of hands grabbed him.

"Kipper you boofhead," said Maddie, with a toss of her pale white locks, "you forgot your wig again."

Kipper grabbed the top of his head with both hands and opened his mouth exaggeratedly as if he was shocked to find he had no hair.

"Here you go gumby," Maddie said, stuffing a multi-coloured wig on top of Kipper's oval head. "Meet you afterwards as usual, eh?"

Kippers nodded up and down like a Jack-in-the-box, while Jamie sullenly thought 'guess that's my night sorted then.'

Maddie spun him on the spot and prodded his padded behind out onto the walkway. Kipper instinctively began his act, he became the sad little clown that the crowd could not help but feel sorry for; he was hit in the face with sweet smelling pies, he was knocked over by the strong man's body odour and he was thrown in the ice-cold dunk tank, completely by accident of course.

Peering out from the dark water, Kippers took a moment to stare at the crowd before him. Children cheered and laughed at his misfortune, parents guffawed and rubbed their flushed cheeks in embarrassment, at finding Kippers bad luck so funny. Many other important people sat in the brightly coloured stands, talking amongst themselves, some watching the show with mock interest and others ignoring it completely. Jamie's eyes overlooked everyone, he only sought one special face, but it was not here on this night.

* * *

"G'day," Maddie greeted Jamie once the show was over, draping her arms over his slight shoulders and pecking him lightly on the cheek.

"Mmmm" Jamie groaned, quickly grabbing a washcloth to wipe away the last of his make-up and the kiss that Maddie had bestowed upon him.

"Why, I'm sure you're the only one in this circus who gets as sad as a clown after each performance," Maddie said, sighing loudly. "Why is that Jamie?"

Jamie shrugged his shoulders, both because he did not want to answer her and because he was not entirely sure himself. Maddie's hazel eyes looked deep into his and Jamie could not hold her gaze, so his head fell. He looked at her long elastic legs and super slim waist; Maddie was a beautiful girl, but she did little to excite him anymore.