Tales of the Travellers

2

I swayed with the cart as we continued moving. I had been on the back of this cart for a few days now, we hadn't really stopped moving except to shoot the tired horse and buy another one. I was a brutal act that, sadly, I didn't have much empathy towards.

I managed to keep myself warm with odd sheepskin blankets they seemed to have in the back of the cargo that Shadow said I could use. He gave me some cheese and some bread and offered me some wine as a drink.

I didn't drink it though.

And I didn't eat the bread and cheese for a long time after he had given it to me.

My muscles were sore from lying on the wooden surface, and I made myself sit up and look to the view again. Night-time cloaked the land that surrounded us, I no longer knew where we were. I was dressed in a tunic and tights, and only had a small leather pouch to my name, all that was in it however was a picture of my family.

I'm glad James was dead...

He wouldn't have enjoyed being separated from me or being dragged to whatever this Cutthroat Carnival was. The view of the stars were just as good as everywhere else, so I mainly focused on that for as long as I could. Occasionally I was greeted by birds who were attracted to me because I called them, as soon as they landed they tweeted their tunes before flying off again.

"Whoa! Whoa!" the man yelled to the horses, it sent the cart to an abrupt stop.

I nearly fell backwards in the cart. My curiosity came to view and I stood up to look around. From the back I couldn't see anything, but when I looked up I saw an entire carnival seemed to exist before us. I went wide eyed upon seeing it.

Like most children, and even adults, my expectation of carnivals and circuses has been that they are happy places full of colourful lights, carnival games, clowns and happy stilt walkers. I was expecting tents and tents of acts and busy games and happy sounds of laughter or shout-men announcing people and games.

But I was greeted with the sight of something much more ghastly. The tents, even in the twilight setting, were a purple navy colour decorated with rather gloomy coloured Christmas lights. The games were not games you'd win fluffy toys or goldfish on, the act of the game seemed good enough for the people participating in them. I watched as knives were thrown at animals tied to the ground and muscly looking men that seemed to bare the wounds with a laugh. Woman walked around laughing and smiling, their arms and upper back forced upright as they seemed to be walking candlesticks that people roasted nuts lightly on.

I was picked up from behind, making me yelp in surprise as the burned man practically slammed me on the ground and kneed me forwards. I stumbled forwards into submission as Shadow held an arm out for me to come to him.

I gulped as I composed myself and approached him. He patted my back like an old friend, but the motive behind it was to keep me moving forwards.

My heartbeat bounced out of my chest to the point where it was hardly beating.

The customers of this carnival were grim looking, but it seemed to be intentional. I was watching woman smoke long pipes full of what I could smell to be most likely cocaine. Men and women towered over me and smirked at my little form, some even going so far as to check me out. It sent a great deal of discomfort through me.

Shadow's appearance seemed to make people part in the crowd. I couldn't see beyond the next person. Out of nowhere, someone let off a loud cackle making me scream when the yelling man blew flames.

People around me laughed. The sudden fright of the man yelling and people laughing made me fall backwards and practically in amongst Shadows cloak. He snickered at my fright and picked me up as if I was a ragdoll. He forced me onto this small wooden stage, I stumbled for a few moments and eventually fell to my knees to keep from moving.