Big Top

Chapter 1

My name is Harry Styles. I am twenty years old and originally from Cheshire, England. My family came to Ithaca, New York in America the year of 1928, the year I turned seventeen, to seek better opportunities. My father thought his veterinary clinic would prosper better in America. However, in the middle of a depression it didn't do as well as we had hoped.

My goal was always to follow in my father's footsteps and become a veterinarian-which was another reason to move. With the better Schools, America seemed like the land of opportunities. I attended Cornell University the fall of '28 and here I am, the morning I am taking my finals to finally get my license. After three years of dissections and sticking my arm up a cow's arse so many times I don't care to remember, I was more than ready.

I walked down the stairs, already hearing my parents voices from the kitchen. My mother singing along with my father to a Louis Armstrong song-What A Wonderful World. They sang beautifully together.

"And I think to myself...What a wonderful world " They sang with the record playing. There was never a sign of any depression in our house, and I admired my parents for that. It pained me to interrupt but if I didn't get going I would be late to class. I walked into the bright kitchen and took a bite of the toast on the table waiting for me. I smiled and told them goodbye as I sprang for the door.

"Harry! " My mother yelled after me. I turn around to see her waiting with open arms. I smiled and moved into her to let her hold me tightly. I moved my arms around her waist and squeezed back. "I love you, sweety" She whispered before kissing my cheek.

"Love you too, mum" I replied before turning to my father. He grasped my shoulders and looked me in the eyes then smiled.

"I'm so proud of you, son. You'll do great" He said as he pulled me in for a hug. After he let go we said our final goodbyes and I made my way down the dirt drive. I was finally going to start my life, and I couldn't have been happier.

All I could think about was the things I was going to accomplish with my degree. I was going to help my father's practice and hopefully one day buy an actual building to move the clinic into. Working out of the house was ok, but not quite convenient. I remember one time my father chased mother around the house with a frog we found by our pond. Mother was so angry about it, especially when frog slime smeared across her yellow sun dress. But just like always they kissed and made up. I love those memories because they never failed to make me smile. I loved my parents with all my heart. With all the sacrifices they made for me, I don't think I could ever repay them.

Just think, I said mentally to myself, by this time tomorrow I'll be licensed and able to help my father...legally now. As I sat to take the test I felt relieved, this was finally happening, my life was great. Little did I know that the opening of a door could change everything.

"Mr. Styles?" I heard the professor call my name, "Could we have a word for a moment?" Everyone's heads seemed to turn to me as I stood and walked to my professor. He led me into the hallway to a man I didn't recognize.

"Harry," The man said softly with a hint of sadness in his voice, "I'm afraid there has been a fire at your home." I felt my jaw loosen letting my lips part. "Your parents, they were able to get out, but..their burns were too severe, and, Harry, I am afraid they've passed away." My knees felt weak and my heart started pounding. A lump formed in my throat, I felt like I should say something, but I didn't know what to say. I felt tears start to flow. "I'm terribly sorry, but the police need you to identify the bodies. Do you think you could do that, son?" I wanted to say no, I felt sick. But I somehow got it through my thick skull that my parents were gone and I had to take the big leap of boy to man in one moment. I know I was twenty, but my mother and father were always there to help me through everything. But now I didn't have their hands to pull me back up if I fell.