Sawblade circus

Chapter Fourteen

Their dad put some blankets on the couch. “He can sleep here for tonight. I’ll see if I can clean out a room in the morning.” “Are you hungry?” Their grandmother asked. Snakey shook his head. “I’ve already eaten.” Annabelle gave him a look. “What have you eaten?” She asked. He didn’t answer. “Now now, look, this can all wait until morning. A good night’s sleep will help everyone relax.” Nathan said, stretching. “I agree.” Their father said. They all departed to their rooms, except for Annabelle. Nathan turned when he didn’t see her come into their room. He sighed and went to be anyway. Snakey began to lay down when Annabelle asked again.

“What exactly have you eaten?” “Nothing.” He replied. “Then why’d you say you did?” “Because I did.” “Then what’d you eat?” “Nothing.” She slapped a hand across her face, seeing that she’d just be running in circles if she kept this up. “Why do you care so much?” “Because, we know what happened at the circus. We know what the Ringmaster did to you, and what he does to everyone else there. I’m worried.” “You shouldn’t be, I’m fine.” Snakey said, giving a small smile. “We also know what he makes you eat.” The smile vanished. “Which is why we need to know what goes on there, my Dad, he was the one that locked the Ringmaster up last time, he can do it again!” “No, no you can’t.” “Tell me then, why can’t he?” “Because.” “Snakey!” Annabelle hissed. She sighed when he didn’t give her a response. She slumped down on the chair next to the couch.

“What happened to you? Last time I saw you we were playing in the woods.” “Nothing happened to me, I just grew up.” Snakey was playing with his hands and looking down on the floor. “You know you can still trust me, right?” Annabelle said, about to give up for the night. He just nodded and laid down then. Annabelle sighed and began to walk towards her new room when she heard Snakey say, “They started feeding me people when I was seven.” “What?” She spun around. “It was a sick diet they were forcing on me. They were hamburgers, 90 percent meat, 10 percent people. They started working more and more of the stuff into the burgers until there wasn’t even any cow meat in them.” She slowly walked back over to the couch.

“Did you know?” “Not until it was too late, and I was addicted to the stuff. They said it was the easiest way for me to get used to it, they said it was only a matter of time before the hunger pains kicked in.” “Hunger pains?” “Look at me, I’m  an animal!” He snapped then. “If I don’t eat what I’m supposed to, I go crazy okay? That’s why it isn’t safe for me to even be here!” Annabelle flinched back to the wall when Snakey walked up to her. “When I get hungry I get mad, when I get mad I hurt people. When I hurt people, I end up eating them.” “Well, what if there was a way to switch you back?” “What?” Annabelle’s eyes brightened. “You said that they slowly started feeding you people, right? A bigger ratio each time? Well what if we do the same, but only with beef or something?” Snakey shook his head. “I’m too far along to go back.”

“At least let us try!” She pleaded. Snakey looked down at the ground, then nodded. “Now go to bed.” He said, walking back to the couch. Annabelle was about to say something when a tisk came from the hall. She turned and saw her grandmother ushering her over. “One thing at a time,” She said when she was in hearing range. “He’s more traumatized then you think. Give him time, he’ll talk.” “Do you think we can do it? Switch him back to normal food?” Their Grandmother shook her head. “I don’t know.” Annabelle walked into her room and laid down. She was more tired then she’d thought, because she fell asleep immediately.

At the circus there was blood splattered everywhere down in one tent. Crazy Louis was going insane in his tent trying to get over to the delicious small of organs and innards. The two shadow people that were guarding the circus the other night were thrown in the middle of it all. Almost all of the other circus freaks were going crazy as well. A poor assistant had to watch over the gore and allow the animals to eat everything in the tent. “Wheres the Ringmaster?” Another assistant asked. “Out, getting his rage out.” “She was really back?” “Yeah, that’s why he fed all of these freaks that special meal last time. Supposed to make em hungrier, so if they did take anyone, they’ll get hungrier faster.” “Did they take anyone?” “That snake dude.” The Ringmaster stormed by just then, dragging a body of a girl behind him. He looked hungry himself, and the poor girl was about to have her soul eaten. “What are you going to do about that snake boy?” Pigman asked him. “Nothing, he’ll come running back.” “What do you mean?” “He knows he can’t go far from this place. I know the reasons and so does he.”