Foraine ( Eng)

Chapter 2 : No name arcana

- Do you know what the next city is? I asked Emilie
She handed me her cigarette, which I accepted, and answered, closing the last box of sweets.
"I don't know exactly, but I think the Boss wants to stay in Arkansas." He says that the weather is better for the customers and he's probably right.
She wiped her forehead and picked up the cigarette before breathing in the smoke, her eyes closed.
"I'd rather go to Louisiana." Arkansas is depressing. No party, no life, no debauchery.
She laughed giggling her pretty breasts, which could be glimpsed through her ill-buttoned man's shirt. Emilie was in charge of all the sweets stalls which, if you asked most men of the Carnival of the Fireflies, suited her like a glove. She was a sparkling, lively young woman who couldn't care less about conventions and mostly did as she pleased. She was not born a fairground, but felt at home as soon as she arrived.
"I was born in a family of bigots," she told me one day between two mouthfuls of marshmallow. My mother went to church every day of the week and ruled the house with an iron fist. Our entire life was ruled by the Bible and the slightest breach of the rules was severely punished. We had to live in fear of God and even more in that of the devil. You bet ! As soon as I reached twelve I became a pretty little bundle and I soon realized that the love of men appealed to me much better than respect for God. When my mother discovered it, she flew into a rage so intense that in less than thirty minutes I packed and ran away. It so happens that at that moment the Carnival of Lucioles was in town.
"Your never miss your family?"
- My sister, sometimes.
She had swallowed a piece of marshmallow and then said in a smile:
"But it was worth it." I love my life here, I love my freedom and not having to be submissive because I am a woman. I earn my own money and I do not depend on anyone. I take the men I want and reject those I don't. This is worth a few regrets from time to time.
Then she kissed me and her lips were as sweet as the candy she had just finished.
- You should sleep with me one day Snow. You'd probably learn a thing or two, "she laughed.
I just smiled as she walked away with a wave.

"Perhaps we will go to Louisiana after that," I suggested, pulling hard the lace which surrounded the canvas awning I had just rolled.
" I doubt that. I think we'll go to Texas instead. It's going to be the right time.
Josh suddenly appeared and grabbed Emily by the hips, kissing her in the neck. She jumped and then laughed and pushed him away.
- Come on Emy, be nice.
- You've got some nerve Josh Hummer! She said hands on her hips.
- Why not ? I know you do not have a lover at the moment and I'm worth another.
She laughed and said:
- But I do !

Josh glanced suspiciously at me and asked, incredulously:
- It couldn't be Snow, right ?
- Why the hell not? He is way more beautiful than the whole bunch of you carnie guys, "she explained, throwing her arms around my neck.
"That's not the point," Josh interrupted.
"Oh don't sulk," she joked, kissing him on the cheek. You know that Snow has turned me down for years.
She pinched my arm and I looked away. Josh stared at me as if I were the strangest creature in the universe: The idea that anyone could say no Emilie was completely beyond him.
"Come on, take him, since I suppose your boss sent you to bring him back."
Then turning to me:
- Thanks for the help Snow.
And to aggravate Josh, she kissed me furtively before turning away. I shook my head, amused.
- Eliot wants to see you, we've already started to dismantle and he's curing because you're not there to calm down the horses.
Then he snorted with a glance:
- But I see that you've got better things to do.
- Don't be jealous Josh, it's stupid. Haven't you been here long enough to know that I've never known anyone but Leaf?
He shrugged and replied,
"Nobody knows anything about the two of you, you are constantly seen together, but you are not particularly tender with one another. We see you with Emilie as often as he's seen with Elaine and none of you ever seem jealous. Only God knows what's going on between you, you might as well be brothers.
I didn't add anything. There was nothing to add. Josh then shrugged his shoulders again and started humming a probably kinky song.
When I reached the stable, I heard Eliot give orders in all directions, his voice whipping like lashes. Eliot was not a bad man, far from it. He simply wanted things to be done as he required and when he required. He loved his employees and his horses but was uncompromising with anyone who did not follow the rules he had enacted. Fortunately most of his rules were just and relevant, which meant we could follow them without too much constraint.
- Snow! Where the hell have you been ?
- I...
- Don't tell me shit, hurry up and put the horses in the damn truck !
Then he spun to shout other orders, giving a hand to disassemble the gear. Most of the horses were relatively quiet and I had no trouble getting them into the different trucks that would take them to our next destination. I took this opportunity to check that each one was doing ok and that D-Day's wound healed well. Then I returned to help others fold and disassemble while listening absent-mindedly the jokes that they threw at each other while working. When everything was finally packed and loaded in the trucks we rewarded ourselves with a steaming coffee that Leah and Lotta served us in iron cups. I drank my cup with the others and then asked Eliot for permission to leave.
"Yes, of course. But return before the departure, I need you to check that the horses are still ok.
I nodded and smiled inwardly telling myself that Eliot really loved his animals. After checking that Emilie no longer needed anything, I went to Leaf's trailer.