Crazy In Love | Buggy

t h r e e

After they had collected all of the townspeople in chains, we were herded off. There was something so humiliating and degrading about being chained up this way. It made me feel like a sheep, like an animal. I felt anger bubbling inside of me, but I did my best to suppress it.

I couldn't fight back: not again. Once (well twice, technically) should have been enough to get me killed. Especially when I had fought back against the Captain. I had to play nice.

As we walked, panic began to rise in me. I had no idea where we were being led to. When I saw it, I was left confused.

It was a large tent - a circus tent - which they had somehow erected in the short time that the clowns had been in my town.

It was almost impressive how quickly they had managed to set it up. They had only been in our town for an hour, or less, yet this tent was already pitched and filled with rows of seats.

Once we were inside, people were directed to their seats by the clowns, who attached their shackles to the seats. This way, absolutely nobody could escape or run. We were truly locked in.

This made me realise that this was most definitely not the first time that the clowns had done this. How common was this for them?

I eyed my family, who were all shackled up near the top of the seats. Desperately, I wanted to join them, to be able to talk to them.

We met eyes, and I could see the fear in all of theirs. I needed to be near them, to talk to them. I wanted it more than I had wanted anything else in my life.

I chanced my luck, attempting to walk towards their seats in the hopes I would be shackled near them. Of course, one of the clown pirates grabbed me roughly and reminded me that Buggy had specified for me to be seated in the front row.

So, I was. I sighed deeply. All I wanted to do was make sure my family was okay, to apologise to them for my little act. I could have gotten us all killed.

Plus, most likely, I would be killed or punished for what I had done. This could have been my last chance to talk to my family. I wondered at that moment if I'd ever be able to talk to them again.

Over the next hour or so, every single person in our town was loaded into the tent until all the seats were occupied.

As more time passed, the fear that I felt just kept mounting until it felt like it could suffocate me. I imagined all of the horrible things these clowns could have planned for us.

These clowns had a reputation. If they lived up to it, we'd all be dead or wishing that we were dead, soon enough.

I had read many books on pirates - the things that they did to people could be pretty horrific. Maybe I would be forced to walk the plank, be plunged into shark infested water.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed. The darkness made my heart swell in my chest, feeling like it could burst free.

There was mumbling amongst the crowd, people wondering what would happen to us, what this was all about, but they were drowned out when suddenly music began to boom out of speakers the clown had set up.

It startled me, too. It was deafeningly loud. I waited eagerly to find out what would happen, practically on the edge of my seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may we welcome you to the best show in the East Blue!" A voice screamed, in a cheerful tone, as if this were really a fun show that we had chosen to attend rather than a hostage situation.

"Show?" I muttered to myself, confused.

It turns out it was literally a circus show. I couldn't have predicted that. I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised - they were all dressed like clowns, after all.