Chapter 3- Dreams
She looked up at him, her green eyes boring into his black. Her golden hair shone brighter than the morning sun but her usual smile was gone. “Don’t worry Arielle. I’ll be home soon.”
The small girl wrapped her small arms around him, burying her teary face in his shoulder. “Don’t leave, papa. Please.”
He hugged her tightly. “I have to. But I’ll be back…” He lifted her face to his but couldn’t find the words to say. He gently wiped the tears from her away. His hated leaving her. “I love you Arielle.”
“I love you too, papa.”
He stood as a woman started towards him. “Clara…” But before he could see her, she began fading away…
I sat up, confused as to where I was. Then it all came back to me. The circus, Chalavar, Astley, my neck brand… I shoved those thoughts aside and replayed my dream.
I’d had it so many nights for the past nine years along with many others of the same sort. I wondered who Clara was and had always hoped to see her but the dream always ended before I could.
Some of the performers still slept in various places. Some sat in small clusters eating breakfast from the snack bar. The sun shone brightly outside over seemingly endless fields. Long tufts of white clouds were scattered about the pale blue sky. Simply gazing out at it all gave me a pensive feeling.
“Good morning, love.” Said someone with a heavy British accent.
I spun on the cushioned bench where I had slept last night. I could’ve sworn he wasn’t anywhere near me when I had first awoke. But there he was, his hat sitting lopsided on his blonde hair. A long wooden pipe hung from his lips. “Sleep well?”
“Oh…yes.” I stuttered, still not used to the way he could appear and disappear. But being a magician, it makes sense that he would.
Astley handed me a plate of food from the bar. It was loaded with fruit beside a small bowl of oatmeal and a slice of toast. A decent breakfast for being on the road. More than decent. It was great. I suddenly realized how hungry I was. I hadn’t eaten since early the day before.
“We should be in Warbrooke within the hour.” Astley said blowing a green smoke ring.
I popped a strawberry in my mouth. “What do we do when we get there?”
“We set up, practice, and then perform tomorrow.”
My stomach churned with nervousness and excitement. That didn’t give me a lot of time to practice. I didn’t even know who I’d be performing with.
Astley sensed my discomfort. “You probably won’t be performing here. You’ll have to be placed in a group, practice their routine with them and more than likely perform in the next city.”
“How long until then?”
He thought a moment. “Well… we practice in between shows and usually we stay in one place three to five days at a time. I guess it’ll depend on how fast you learn.”
A thought suddenly crossed my mind and my heart sunk. What if I can’t learn anything? Maybe I’ll be so bad at everything that Chalavar will send me away. What would I do then? I was already so far from home…
YOU ARE READING
Firebird
Fantasía"Despite how you feel about this circus now, never join. Please. Don't make the same mistake I did." Bella wanted to join Chalavar's circus since she was six years old. After seeing the forever enchanting magic there was no changing her mind. Unti...
