The 12th Midnight Circus

The Bell

-Evelyn Nightshade

So, when I heard it, I was scared.

Hi, I'm Evelyn Nightshade, and I live the weirdest life. Ever. As I walked back home from my job as a cashier at a cafe, I got a notification on my watch. Full moon tonight! Huh? I thought it wasn't happening for another week. 

The moment I got home I immediately went to my room. I flopped onto the bed. I mean, if I was going to be leaving then I should get ready, right? But should I curl my wavy hair or straighten it? Should I make myself look like a clown or-

"Are you going to get up and pace your room like that till 12?" 

I turned to look at my friend, Lyra Lumina. "You know what Lyra....I might just do that!"

She slapped her face and spun around the chair at my desk, her brown hair whipping everywhere. Her blue eyes shone from the light of my desk as I walked to her.

"Do you know what I really want to do? I really want to style your hair! Maybe two long braids and white bows?" I tapped my desk with my nails as Lyra rolled her eyes.

The remaining 7 hours passed by quickly. As I opened my eyes, I was standing... on clouds?!

"Hey! I've heard stories about this, but what if we just plummet down!?"

I hear no voice in response.

"Lyra? Lyra? Lyyyyy-"

"I can hear you!" She stood up from a pile of leaves, her two brown braids (that I personally braided) covered in leaves. "We only have 5 minutes to go back home or else we wont forget about this."

I gulped. Nodding my head, I followed after her, the direction we always took. The way to the hole. When we got there, we heard the soft ticking of a clock. Just as we descended the slope, the hole closed shut.

We were transported into a big blue tent that reached high. When I say high, I mean really high. It was like a skyscraper! Then, an old looking dude approached us and reached out his arms. 

"Hey, man, can we just go?-"

"Welcome to the Midnight Circus! It seems the bell has rung 12. Meet our array of performers! There is the twins, Felix and Fleur! If I were you, I wouldn't mess with Felix unless I want a heartbreak. Fleur is 10x better. Then there is Mara Solstice, a fortune teller! Don't forget Aurek Locke, oh wait, that's me hehe! I'm not that old! I just love wearing costumes! Oh, I almost forgot about Zinn Malachai! He doesn't really perform much and is really stubborn. But he can be very kind depending on how he takes you."

Just like that, Aurek disappeared?! 

"Good evening my ladies," a tall guy with ash colored hair and brown eyes extended his hand towards us. His puffy white sleeves accented his brown plaid vest, his golden pocket watch, his black pants and black shoes laced with white.

"Agh! Felix! Don't listen to him!" A girl grunted as she pushed him away, her flip-flops squeaking. She was in some sort of beach themed outfit with khaki shorts and a t-shirt." Sorry about him, but I'm Fleur! You guys must be part of the Old! We're getting someone from the New today!"

"Uh-huh. So, what is this place exactly?"

"Oh, no one has told you?" She gave me a silly expression like I knew nothing about a circus. "Well let me explain to you the...concept. Your trapped here for 3 days, or was it 3 weeks? Months? Years? Decades? I still forget, I'll have to check. All you have to do is either perform 10 shows well, solve the mystery, or escape! The only thing is, once you start, there's no going back."