Firebird

Chapter 18- A Happy Thought

Chapter 18- A Happy Thought

  I rarely had the chance to have the entire performance tent to myself. When that chance arose, I took it and enjoyed the few moments of near silence and seclusion. I didn’t have that joy that I normally did when practicing anything I wanted though. My thoughts were a mix of anger towards Chalavar and so many others, and the devastation of being one of the few that never had the privilege of meeting my mother.

   I swung myself upside down on the trapeze. I loved the rush of air that blew through my hair and whipped at my face as I flew back and forth. It was calming just to stay that way but I interrupted it with a trick. I let myself fly off that trapeze, flip in mid-air and catch the other one adjacent to it.

   I lifted myself onto the bar and sat there, swinging. Closing my eyes, I tried to shove all my thoughts away. All except the dream I’d had last night. It was all so foggy and I scarcely remembered it. I remembered her face though. It was the clearest thing there.

   She’d had pronounced features as I do. Her hair was beautifully thick and the brightest, flaming red. She was very frail and fragile looking. Unlike me, she had a few freckles on her nose.

   The worst part of all this was that papa never told me of her or himself. I hadn’t the slightest knowledge that either of them were performers. It did explain how papa knew how to juggle and do simple magic tricks.

   I sighed and positioned myself to where I let go and leaned against the rope holding the trapeze up. My right leg dangled down and my left was draped over the bar.

   I didn’t notice anyone come in until he spoke. “How do you get down off those?”

   I wasn’t in the mood to talk but it was only Sephton. He was even more oblivious than I. Quite possibly, he was the only one who was. I masked my emotions and propelled the trapeze so I could leap over to the other one. I loved the rush as I flew in mid-air but it only lasted for second.

   The other bar was lower and I dangled down from it then dropped to the floor. It was a long fall and I’d never noticed how effortless it was for me now.

   Sephton applauded with his asymmetrical smile. “I hope to be able to do that someday.”

   “I’m sure you will. You learn many things you never plan too.”

   He put his hands in his pockets and looked around wistfully. I’d imagine that’s what I looked like when I first came. “I don’t think I’ll be performing any time soon. I can’t seem to get anything right.”

   I laughed lightly and gathered my things, shoving them into my bag. He stopped when he came to the small center circle of the ring. “What I would really love to be is a ringmaster.”

   That position wouldn’t be open any time soon. I didn’t tell him so.