Looper Circus

Chapter 1

My breath came in short, shallow pants. I couldn't will my legs to move any faster than they already were. I had an overwhelming sense of dread in the pit of my stomach, I knew something absolutely horrible was happening, but I couldn't seem to comprehend what it was. All I knew is I needed to hide, and quickly. I quickly swiped at my eyes, trying to clear my vision from the hot tears spilling down my face. I heard their heavy footsteps behind me, they were getting closer and closer and I was running out options. I hurriedly glanced around me, I was in the woods; I saw a tree that had a small hollowed opening, just big enough for my petite frame to hide in. I hastily made my way towards the tree, tripping on a fallen branch. I cried out in pain, before righting myself and hiding in the hole. I tried to quiet my breathing, but it was no use. I just had to pray that my captors would run past and not hear me. I spent a few agonizing minutes calming myself down. I strained my ears, the woods was eerily quiet. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

             "Found you." I felt someone grab onto my hair and wrench me out of my hidey-hole; I screamed and fought before I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head, then everything went black.

            I woke in a cold sweat. I tried to shake the anxious feeling I had, making my stomach feel like I had eaten rocks the night before. I heard yelling and the sounds of hungry elephants outside my tent. I wasn't a normal eighteen year old girl, I was raised a carnie. My parents died in a tragic car accident, my uncle, Lucas Looper, had been nice enough to take me in and raise me himself. I was eight years old at the time, I suffered brain trauma and don't remember that day or anything from my life before the accident. Lucas and his brother, Thomas, owned a circus called Looper Circus. We traveled the US, staying in cities weeks at a time before packing up and moving again.

"Hailey!" I heard Lucas yell.  My uncle was a scary man. He truly looked like your typical carnie. He was probably in his late 30s; he was tall, lanky, and pale. His black hair was slicked back with grease and he had a small mustache. His cheeks were always scruffy and unshaven; his piercing gray eyes were cold and empty. You really didn't want to be on his bad side.

            I jumped out of bed and threw on jeans and my tennis shoes, quickly locating where Lucas yell for me.
             "You called for me?" I asked. He was leaning up against a metal tiger's cage, his arms were crossed and he was scowling at me.

            "You were supposed to be up an hour ago. Thomas needs your help with the elephants. Gunda won't let him near her so he can practice her new trick with her. You're the only person that oversized beast will let near." He rolled his eyes, "Honestly, I don't know why we decided to keep you." He muttered, walking away, "Go help Thomas now."

            I sighed and headed over towards the elephant tent. I liked my Uncle Thomas much better than I liked Lucas. Thomas was a large man- round was about the only way you could describe him, he was the older of the two brothers, but he hardly spoke. He had red bushy hair, multiple chins, and a large, fat nose. He was constantly wearing plaid shirts, he always frowned, and he rarely uncrossed his arms. He only talked to Lucas and I. He mainly dealt with the animals; feeding them, watering them, and he was the one in charge of coming up with new tricks for them to perform. 

When I entered the tent, I couldn't help but chuckle at the site in front of me. Gunda was standing in the corner, refusing to move and Thomas, who was red in the face and drenched in sweat, was pulling and pushing the elephant with all his might to try to get her out of her spot.

            "Hey, Uncle Thomas," I greeted, walking over towards him.

His frown deepened as he nodded at me.
             "This fuckin' elephant," He mumbled, crossing his arms tighter across his chest. He raised his eyebrows expectantly at me.