Project Cirque P

Prestidigitator (Juggler Necromancer)

Now, when the Prestidigitator woke up, he was confused with a lot of things.

First of all, he did not understand why he was in the circus. Maybe because he could juggle, but that was probably the only reason.

Second, how could he not remember anything before waking up?

What was there to remember? The Juggler then understands that he had missing memories. That he was incomplete.

And lastly, he could not understand the behavior of everyone in this Cirque, how they still all lived in this Cirque that was pure horror and torture. This Cirque was a living, travelling nightmare.

The Cirque’s most talented performers engaging in its nightly business. The Cirque’s genuine workers and their horrid and insane pasts.

Even Pulcinella’s real job, the Juggler had seen all.

He could not bear it, as first he wanted to run away, but who was he to think of escape when these people carried on with their lives here in the incarnation of hell?

He sympathized with the Cirque folk and tried to make it less badly, the Juggler; the Prestidigitator, earned a resolve.

Serving hot dinner and meals as soon as the Cirque’s “Night Performers” came home. Helping the Cirque’s mechanic in his works, cleaning the Freak and making sure it was eating well. Even pushing the Pulcinella to be friends with a certain Knife Thrower.

Now of course, the Pulcinella and the Peilis Metikas would never know whom each other was; the Peilis Metikas being blind and the Pulcinella being clueless, but if they had found a friend within each other.

Then the Peilis Metikas and the Pulcinella would never need to know anymore, the Prestidigitator was done.

As the Juggler was contented with carrying for everyone in the Cirque, he could not help being curious still of his past. His true identity.

He’d asked everyone he knew, but no one could supply him answers.

But maybe the Peilis Metikas could be some help.

“Have you heard? Apparently there was a necromancer in the Cirque. A sorcerer of the dead.”

“He’d dig up fresh graves, dissect and acquire their organs and put it inside himself.”

“Why would he do that” the Prestidigitator asked.

“He’d be able to live a second life. After his first death, he’d be able to live another one.”

“How would he put it inside himself?”

“By sewing it up, of course.”

The Prestidigitator’s stitches were as visible as day.

Now that he realized it, they were exactly a person’s major internal organs were.

The Prestidigitator refused to believe it.

Was he the necromancer? Only one way to find out, right?

As the Prestidigitator opened his stitches again with a borrowed knife from a friend, he saw his proof. The half rotten organs in replacement of his old ones, the stitches that connected them together. Hang on! What was that?!

The Prestidigitator pulled out a blood-soaked picture out of his pungent body display. After he’d sewn himself up again, he observed the picture. A picture dated 10 years ago.

It was of him and other people, smiling happily. He did not remember these people at all. Were they people of this circus as well?

He’d asked the Ring Master, and with a wicked grin, the beloved Ring master explained that everyone else in that picture was dead.

Then everything came back to Prestidigitator, one by one. The smiles and stitches started dictating his story.

He was supposed to be dead along with everyone in this picture but there was a promise made. A promise made for the Juggler to live a second life.

It was a promise with a certain Trapeze artist for her daughter. A promise with a mechanic’s mother for her son. A promise from a sister for her knife-throwing brother and his lovely little brother. AA promise with a certain musician for his wife and child.

A promise between dear friends.

Because somehow, someway, they has predicted their sorry fate and wanted to protect their loved ones. To do that, of course was almost impossible, unless…

“We kill the Ring Master.”

The Juggler was everyone’s last fight to save everyone in this nightmare.

But, the cunning Ring Master is always a step ahead, for as soon as the Juggler remembered, a bullet was put through his head.

“The circus is mine forever.” With again, he crucified the Juggler’s body outside, like a joke, as he was almost the Cirque’s messiah.

No one was allowed to touch it for they would have the same fate as the Prestidigitator, so they all kept their mouth shut.

So, tell me, how do you like the new circus attraction?

*At the side is a picture of Pestidigitator. All characters were drawn by the author, Chantal Margaret U. Liporada