Missed My Stop

Chapter Seven: It Was More Like Whack at First Sight

Otto and Cook cursed under their breath.

I looked at them in confusion. “A storm? That doesn’t seem like a big thing.” I said, then noticing the worry on all their faces. “Is it?”

“A storm is very bad, very bad,” Cook said.

“The circus is in pretty bad shape as it is,” Otto explained. “The box cars are in poor condition, water would leak through the roofs, things like that. Sure, we can take a little rain or snow, but if it’s a big rain storm or blizzard, we barely survive those. I still remember the rainstorm a couple years back, the Big Storm we called it.”

All three of their faces, Cook, Otto, and even Snuffles- which was quite weird seeing a clown like that –wore dark looks on their faces.

“It was terrible,” Cook said. “The animals were freaking out the whole night, roaring, trumpeting, so scared the whole night. Most of us couldn’t sleep already because of the rocking of the train, and the cold, wet conditions we were in. Many tried to calm down the animals, but three people were badly injured, especially when the lightning started. No one had a wink of sleep that night. At the end of the storm, two roofs were torn off and we lost a car full of animals. We had a funeral for all of those animals. And we also lost a month’s worth of food supplies.” Cook took his chef hat and lowered his head, as if he was having a moment of silence for both the lost animals and food.

“Storms are a pretty big deal for us.” Otto told me. “We’d always check weather reports to see if any storms are coming our way. Most of the time we’re able to outrun it safely, and if we can’t we’ll be able to prepare before it comes. But this is last minute, we won’t be able to waterproof everything by the time the storm comes.”

“Then what are we doing sitting around here for? We better hurry up and help out then,” I said, standing up from my seat.

Otto looked at me in surprise. “But you barely know us, you’re not even circus. Most of us didn’t even want to take you in. But you’re still willing to help us out?”

I glared at him. “Of course I am. I’m not going to sit here eating Cook’s delicious gumbo-“ even in the current situation, Cook was able to smile “-when your circus is in trouble. Who cares if I’m not circus, I’m human.” I crossed my arms. “Now are we going or not?”

“I like her,” Cook said, looking at Otto. “You got spunk.”

I smiled at that. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“I need to pack everything up move the trailer into its box car,” Cook told us. “I’ll be able to help you after that.”

With a final nod, Otto and I with Chuckles the clown left the trailer car and headed into the clearing. My eyes widened, my brain processing what I was seeing. Everyone was in a state of panic, all wearing the same frantic, worried faces. Acrobats, clowns, work men, and animals were running all over the clearing. People were trying to pack everything back into the circus train. They were putting the trailer cars, supplies, tents, and animals into the box cars. Animals were freaking out already when groups of people tried to lead them back into the cars. The calmer animals helped out, carrying supplies and putting them into its cars, animals like elephants or horses.

I looked up to the sky and saw dark grey clouds off in the distance. There were low rumbles and flashes of light in the clouds as if someone was taking a picture. Some people paused working to stare at the storm that was coming before running even faster than before.

Otto made a low whistle. “That’s gonna be a big one alright.” He commented towards the storm, then turned to me. “C’mon, we have to help out with putting the animals back in their cars.”