The Marionette [Black Butler, Book Of Circus]

Book Of Circus ~ 1

I lied in the bed in my tent, lifelessly, as my dull eyes stared at the ceiling. It was useless for me to move or scream for help. This drug they inject in me did not allow me to talk. All I could do was say a few words in a low voice/whisper. 

I hear the entrance of my tent fold open and I hear footsteps walking over to me. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. "It's show time, Mari." Mari was my nickname since Marionette was too long. I slowly opened my eyes to see Joker looking down at me. "Yee must hurry. You are the finale for this show this time. Come along then." Joker scoops one arm under my back as his other arm scoops underneath my legs. He picks me up bridal style and walk out of the tent so we can go to the performing tent to get myself ready. 

While we walk, I can only wish for this to be over and done with already. My body was very limber, yet it seemed so lifeless. Joker and I were the only ones in the performing tent right now. He tied the strings around my wrist, arms, knees, and ankles. During my performance, he would be at the ceiling, moving the strings, controlling me to what he wanted me to do. 

"I know you don't like this, Mari, but try to pull it together until the end of showtime." Joker frowns. I wasn't sure if he was upset about drugging me every 2 hours or tying me up like a rag doll. Like I said, I can only wish for this all to be over very soon. "She's all ready now! Ring her up!" Joker shouts to Dagger. 

I grab onto Joker's arm tightly and try to move as much as I can. A small whimper escaped from my lips as I managed to say, "Pl-Please. . . Stop. . ." 

Joker looks at me with a frown and takes out a syringe from his pocket. "Forgive me, lass." He bring my arm up to the syringe and he injects me with the full dosage. Right then and there my body becomes numb once again and my eyesight becomes blurry.  

Dagger pulls on the strings from his end and lifts me to the very top of the ceiling. I was left hanging there for hours until it was show time. I was so high up that nobody could notice me. That's what Joker liked best. He didn't want anyone to be suspicious about a girl dangling from the ceiling like a dead body. How old am I again? . . . 12? Yeah. . . Probably 12. And I was taken at the age of 10. 

I can tell it was night time because my eyelids were heavier than usual. I saw nobles walking into the performance tent and take their seats. 'Please. . . Somebody notice me. . . Save me. . .' I can only think because the words cannot come out. But I knew it was no use. Nobody could see me from so high up. All I have to do is wait until it's my turn to perform. 

After Joker's announcement to Jumbo, Peter and Wendy, Dagger, Snake, Doll, and Beast with her tiger, Betty, it was finally my time to shine. "And for our final finale, I give you our special performer: Her body limber, beautiful as the night sky, and the cutest thing you'll ever seen, The Marionette!" While Joker screams this out, Dagger lowers me to the ground and my body lies on the ground like a broken doll. 

The music started to play and I am lifted onto my feet and I begin to dance to the music. Joker's presence is above me while he moves the strings around, making me move around like he wanted me to. The audience stares in awe and gasps with delight as I 'dance' to the music. 

When the music stops playing, I do a final pose, and the audience cheers wildly. As the spotlights go out, I am dropped to the ground like a lifeless doll. When the performance is over, I see the nobles starting to leave, but there is one boy who stays. He is also a nobleman for someone so young. He is around my age and a man dressed in black is there with him. They are the only ones sitting down, staring at me. 

I don't know what they are thinking and I can only ask myself, 'What are they still doing here? . . . The show is over. . .' I can read their lips, but because of my blurry eyesight, I cannot make out the words. What did I did catch was, 

"She looks awfully familiar." From the boy and the man in black says, 

"She hasn't moved yet since her performance." After a few moments have passed, they finally take their leave. The lights are out and I am still lying on the ground. 

"Alrighty, Mari, time for bed." Joker walks over to me and picks me up. He takes me back to my tent and lies me down on the bed as he removes my clothes. He takes off my hat and black dress, my performance clothes, and dresses me in a black nightgown. 

Joker washes off the make up that covers the bruises and scars all over my body before tucking me in bed. I was beaten by the mad man who forced me to become his puppet and to prove that I couldn't escape and that I belonged to him, his acquaintance, the Doctor, stabs and cuts me up to teach me this lesson.

I am controlled by the strings from the mad man. I move against his will because, after all. . .

I am the Marionette.