The Midnight Circus

Prologue

Bad Dream

Nyx's heart raced as the crowd's cheers reverberated through the wooden rafters of the Big Top circus tent. On the dimly lit stage, she balanced precariously on the tightrope, her sequined leotard glistening under the spotlight.

"Spectacular!" Mr. Quinn's voice cut through the air. "More danger, Nyx! I want gasps, screams, the lot!"

Nyx forced a smile, her heart heavy with the weight of her captivity. Her eyes scanned the cheering faces, the smell of popcorn and sawdust filling her senses. A bittersweet cocktail of familiarity and entrapment.

"Keep going, Nyx," Mr. Quinn urged, his voice as sharp as a whip cracking against the air.
She closed her eyes, trying to remember the sound of her real name, her real family. But fear clenched her throat, silencing the whispers of her past.

As Nyx leaped and twisted, a new figure caught her eye: Alex, the new performer. His eyes held an understanding that reached into the depths of her soul. After the performance, he approached her. "You don't belong here," Alex said, his voice a gentle hum against the chaos of the circus. "Tell me what happened to you."

Nyx hesitated, then spilled out the truth, her words like a dam breaking, unleashing years of pent-up anguish. "We'll get you out of here," Alex promised. Their plan took root, growing like a seed of hope in Nyx's heart.

The next night, as Nyx balanced on the tightrope, she saw her chance and broke free from her shackles. Gasps and screams filled the air as she thudded onto the ground and sprinted towards the exit. "Stop her!" Mr. Quinn's scream pierced the night, but Alex was there, waiting to whisk her away from the circus and into the unknown.

As they ran through the moonlit night, Nyx felt the weight of a decade's captivity slowly lifting off her shoulders. She was free. Reunited with her real family, the warmth of their embrace melted the chains of her past. They had never stopped searching for her, their love a steady beacon in the darkness.  "I'm Nyx Polaris Starr," she laughed, tears of joy in her eyes as she embraced her newfound freedom. The lessons learned in the circus would stay with her, a reminder of her.

I woke up wanting to cry about the reality of what I was still living in, still a Circus performer in the Ringmaster's messed up idea of a performance that I hope he never makes me perform ever in my life because that was horrible the only good thing about my dream was Alex, but I don't really know him, is he just someone I've made up in my head to help me cope with my current situation or was he really someone who might be able to help me get out of this place.