Cirque Periculum

Chapter 12.1

"Connor, c'mon! We're wasting daylight here!" Adam shouted over his shoulder as he bounded several paces ahead of Connor.

After breakfast and the big announcement, Mr. Summertin had given everyone the majority of the day off. He also announced that they had a show that night, and a rehearsal would take place beforehand.

"Connor! We'll catch up with you later!"

Connor swiveled around to see Kirk, Charlotte, Gavin, and Blake waving to him, clad in their bathing suits. He felt a twinge of guilt. They had invited him to go to the beach, but he declined. Connor couldn't swim, and though Adam suggested that he floated in the air near them, he refused. He didn't feel much like flying anyways.

Meridian entered his mind again, but he quickly pushed her away. With no explanation for the night before, Connor would have rather forgotten her completely.

Adam stopped running and turned back around. "Kirk told me about this awesome joke shop. We need to go there today."

Connor nodded, only half-listening. "I wanted to go to the-"

"The relic store? Do you mind if I join you?"

Riley bounced up next to Connor with a big smile on her face.

"I hate when you do that," Connor said, picking up his pace to move away from her. He didn't know what to think after the night before. She had acted pretty strange...

"What would I have done to influence that?" Riley asked, running up to him.

"Will you stop?" Connor shouted, coming to a stop and turning to face her. "My mind is mine. Just because you can see what's in it-"

"Connor, chill," Riley said, the smile gone from her face. "I didn't have to read your mind to pick up on that. I know, I must look bad after last night, but I'm innocent."

Connor sighed. "Look- I'm sorry... I didn't mean to snap at you. I guess I've just been-"

"Under a lot of stress," Riley finished. "I didn't read your mind that time either."

"I know," Connor said. "So... do you want to come to the relic store with me?"

"Guys..." Adam interjected, but Connor brushed him away as him and Riley gravitated toward each other.

"I would love that," Riley smiled, grabbing his hand.

"GUYS!" Adam shouted. "What about the joke shop?"

Connor rolled his eyes and chuckled. "We'll go there first then, and then the relic store."

"And then the library?" Adam added.

Connor crinkled his nose. "What do you want to go to the library for?"

Now it was Adam's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh, I was just thinking I would look at all the pictures on the wall. We're going there to read books! Sheesh!"

He didn't wait for a response. Instead, he turned and marched toward the joke shop.

"What got into him?" Riley asked Connor once Adam was out of earshot.

"He's always had a brain on him, and a mouth," Connor laughed. "He uses them every once and awhile."

***

Adam was thoroughly disappointed with the joke shop. Apparently magicians had the same kind of humor as the average human. The shelves were stocked with bacon flavored gum, itching powder, and lollipops with scorpions in their center.

The relic shop was even more of a disappointment. After walking three blocks from the joke shop they found that it was closed for the day. Unless Riley and Connor could figure out another place to go, it looked as if they would be spending a lot of time at the library.