Take A Chance

Chapter 9

WARNING:violence but not to much.

Lettie stares at the door hurt in her eyes. "I am not a stranger to the dark. Hide away they say cause we don't want your broken parts." She starts to sing. "I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars. Run away they say cause no one will love you as you are." Then I join her. "But I won't let them break me down to dust, I know that there's a place for us, for we are glorious." We make our way into the lobby. Everybody stares at us but we don't care. We are in our element. "When the sharpest words wanna cut me down." She sings. Then I sing "I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out. Then we all sing,"I am brave I am bruised this is who I'm meant to be." We walk out and sing our hearts out in front of the protesters. "This is me!!" When we walk back into the circus we finish off the song. Proudness bursting through us. Before the show we made up a dance to This Is Me and sang it in front of the audience. When I looked up I caught Phillips icy blue eyes and stared right into them singing "I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies. This is me!" If he couldn't accept being seen with me then he won't accept me.

I did my regular trapeze act with Anne and W.D and then ran backstage. I gave W.D a high five."Good job!" I praise him. He has  never been much of a dancer so seeing him dance was rare. As I walked home I heard someone called my name. I knew exactly who it was so I didn't bother turning around. I ran back to the house and slammed the door behind me. Tears streaming down my face. No matter how much I told myself I hated him it never worked. I would go back to the circus at midnight and just hang around on the hoop.

When I slammed the door I heard little feet pattering on the floor,coming towards me. "EMBER!COME LOOK WHAT DADDY GOT US!" I quickly wiped the tears from my face and went upstairs. The girls told me to close my eyes and that they would lead me into the room. "On the count of three open your eyes okay? One,Two,Three!" I opened my eyes and there sits the most gorgeous doll house I have ever seen. It had  Georgian style rooms. "Oh my god it's beautiful!" I exclaim. "I know said Helen excitedly. "Will you play with us?" Asked Helen. "Of course girls but only for a few minutes as I am very tired." We played for awhile just laughing and playing. Somehow we ended up in a pillow fight.

"I think it's time for bed!" I said just wanting to go to sleep. "Awwww!" They both said as the reluctantly jumped into bed. I walked up the stairs slowly towards my room. I thought had of what had just happened in the past night but my brain was to sad and tired to think. As I am nearing to my bedroom I catch Phillips glance but he just ignores me and walks forward. I don't think I can live here anymore. As I rush back to my room I quietly close the door. Then I walk around my room and start shoving anything I see into my suitcase. I go downstairs as quietly as possible and sneak out the front door. I ran and ran until I get to the museum.

When I get inside I see my trapeze has not been put away so I have a go of it. I flipped and spinned and nearly fell off my hoop. Once I got tired I went backstage and set out my blanket on a haystack. I listen to  the rain pattering on the roof until I hear running outside. 'Oh no' I thought,getting up to go have a look at who it was. "Come out come out wherever you are!" Said a deep voice. "We saw you run in here." Suddenly someone grabs me from behind and drags me down the stairs to where the man was. "Oh there you are!" He said an evil smile across his face. He took a pocketknife out of his jacket. He started to carve the word freak into my back my blood dripping out slowly. I screamed. The pain was to much. "Oh am I hurting you?" He said with a laugh.

All of a sudden he gets up and runs with his friend out the back door. Someone had come to help me! But I couldn't tell who it was as I passed out at the loss of blood. I woke up lying on a blanket but still in the ring W.D was leaning over me. "Are you okay?" He asked before I shook my head. The pain was to much to handle. I screamed again letting all my emotions drain out of me from last night. Sadness,happiness,disappointment and confidence.

Soon the rest of the crew came running in. "No Ember!" I heard Caroline scream. Then Phillip and Mr Barnum came rushing in. "What happened?!" Mr Barnum shouts. "That's the problem I don't know"said W.D confused. "Back" that was all I could manage to say. Mr Barnum carefully turned me over onto my stomach. Everybody gasped once they saw what was carved into my back. FREAK. "Hey your alright." He said trying to calm me.

"No.." said Phillip." Not you too." "What do you mean?" Asked Mr.Barnum. then everybody in the rest of the group lifted up a piece of clothing to reveal scars saying freak. Even Phillip. We were being aimed at and Mr Barnum was next. Soon my eyes closed again as I went unconscious for another hour or two.

This has happened to everyone. And they didn't tell anyone? This was bad.