January 26th 2016
It's such a weird feeling. It's all so familiar and homely, the empty circus stage, children no doubt sat behind the chairs at the topmost corner so that they can avoid the cleaning. I used to do it as well, squished next to my friend and talking, sometimes English, but mostly bragging about how many other languages we could speak too, and how good they were for speaking in code.
But then all the years passed, and the ring and chairs have so many other memories attached that I feel sick to stomach. While also being comforted. So that's an odd mixture.
I spin back around to look at Bill, and my heartbeat quickens when I don't see him straight away. He's talking to the ringmaster.
I hear him say that I understand Swedish, and the ringmaster flicks up his eyebrows.
"You have to take her. I can't bring her to the film industry, and you and I have known each other since we were children. She's amazing, I promise you."
"Didn't know you had a sister," he replies smoothly, basically ignoring everything.
"I have two," Bill replies.
"Ah, no, what I meant was I only thought you had Eija. I've never seen this little redhead."
People could point out so many things. The fact my skin is ghostly pale, or that I fluently speak six languages and altogether I either know most, or at some, of fourteen. Or my height. I'm oddly tall for my age. But it's always my hair.
Bill doesn't respond to him, in a sort of 'well, I very clearly have two sisters so now move on' kind of silence.
The ringmaster looks defeated and turns his head up to the roof of the tent, considering. Then snaps his head back to me.
"Show me what you can do."
I don't hesitate. I know this is my chance. Taking in the ring I see there's silks trailing from the roof to the floor, and immediately dart up them like I have so many times before, causing ocean-like ripples through the shining material.
I twist the silk round one leg and let my hands fall into the air, reaching back and pulling out my hairband. The red waves hopefully compliment the sapphire ones. I then climb to the top and leap to the next one before twirling my way back to the ground, pausing to throw my hands up in the air and then throwing myself into a row of cartwheels round the ring.
The ringmaster claps loudly twice. I stop and have to remind myself that I don't have to put a beaming smile on my face and stare around the whole room. I'd look a bit strange.
"What's your name, then, and how on earth are you supposed an adult?"
I pause. "I'm not. I'm twelve. My name's Lana Skarsgård."
He turns to Bill. "Well, I'm sure your sister would make an excellent little actress alongside you."
My heart sinks. I don't terribly want a job in the circus, but I know I've had the right training at the right age and it's the perfect option. And I don't want Bill to have to keep on searching round for somewhere for me to work.
"But it's too late for that because I'm hiring her. Apologies to you when you realise how talented she is and want her for the film business," he finishes, with a kind of scary evil laugh.
YOU ARE READING
my understandings (noahfinnce and bill skarsgård)
Fiksi Penggemara circus girl becomes friends with may, and although noah is unsure about her at first because she doesn't let on a lot about herself, they soon become friends too. but who is her brother and what's the real reason she's working in a circus act?
