The Marionette [Black Butler, Book Of Circus]

Book Of Circus ~ 4

'14. . . 15. . . 16. . .17. . . 18' I count the seconds of each minute that passes by, also counting the the hours once again. 3 hours since Joker left me in the nursery tent. 3 hours that I haven't moved. I think it's safe to say that I won't be moving ever again for Joker's benefit. '19. . . 20. . . 21. . . 22. . .23. . .24' I continued to count in my head until Joker returns to the tent. It's time. 

Joker removes the needle form my neck and picks me up, then walks to the performing tent. As usual, I am tied by the wrist, arms, knees, and ankles, then raised up to the ceiling and wait for my cue. Joker does not say a word to me because he is disappointed in me. The audience arrives and everyone has their turn to perform. I am saved for the last part of the performance. 

After Joker makes his announcement, I am lowered to the ground like the lifeless Marionette that I am as the song comes on. Joker makes me move and bend in all sorts of ways as the music plays. I notice Smile and Black are watching and Black whispers something to Smile that makes his eyes go wide. Can they see it? Can they see the strings that are tied on me?  

The crowd cheers wildly and the show is over. I am placed back in my tent and back in my black nightgown. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, lass. But it's for the best." Joker tells me as he dresses me in my night clothes. "The others and I are going to gather more sweets. Remain quiet in here, do you understand?" I nod my head in understandment. How can I talk when they used the whole dosage on me? But doing what he says is the best thing for me right now. "Good girl. I'll come back sometime tonight." That said, he kisses my forehead gently and leaves the tent. 

'Love me, hate me. Can't you see what I see? All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to live if you seek Amy. . .' I sing in my head as the long night continues on. It's all I can do. 'Love me, hate me. Say what you want about me. But all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to live if you seek Amy. . .' 

I hear footsteps coming towards me tent. Are Joker and the others back so soon? But they left 3 minutes ago. My eyes wander to the entrance of the tent and wait to see who is about to enter. It was Smile and Black. 

Smile runs over to me and holds up a photo before looking back at me. "Moon Coleman, are you alright?" Smile asks me. I do not say a word. All I do is continue to stare up at the ceiling of my tent. "Don't worry, I'm here to help you." 

"She has been drugged, sir. It appears she has taken a higher dosage." Black tells him. Why is he calling Smile sir? 

"Then get it out of her. Make it quick." 

"Yes, sir." Black leans over to me and gently grabs my arm, bring it up to his mouth. His fangs pierce my skin, drawing blood, and I am able to move again. I am a little weak at the moment, so I cannot bring myself up. "Easy now, my lady." Black helps me sit up on the bed and I look at Smile. 

"Moon, my name is Ciel Phantomhive. I know what they've been doing to you." Smile tells me. I give him look that says 'What do you mean?' and he says, "They drug you every day so you won't have to move and they control with strings. That's why you could hardly speak, yes?" Okay, maybe he does know. "Don't worry. I'm going to get you out of here." 

"You can't. . ." I shake my head. "They will know that I am missing. I have to stay here. . ." I say with my voice laced with fear. 

"But we can help you. You don't have to stay here any longer." Smile continues to help me, but he does not understand. 

"You don't understand, Smile. . ." I shake my head again. "I can't leave. He will know. . . The Mad Man will come back." I knew this wasn't making an sense to them because they didn't know. 

"My Lord, look." Black notices the scars on my body as they become visible to their eyes. Smile's eyes widen with shock and grabs my hand. 

"We are leaving. Sebastian, take her back to the manor-" I cover Smile's mouth as I look at the entrance of the tent with my eyes widen in alert. Black and Smile look what I am looking at and become alert as well. 

"It's one of Snake's snakes. He will be coming here if you don't leave. Please, go. . . !" I tell them desperately. Within seconds, Smile and Black leave right when Snake comes in. One of his snakes slither their way over to me and wraps itself around arms tightly as it hisses at me. 

"I heard voices in the tent. Are you alright, my dear? Says Emily. . ." Snake speaks for his animal. 

"Y-Yes. . ." I slowly nod my head. 

"We're not idiots! We know someone was here! Who was it? Says Oscar." 

"I don't know." I try to stay as clam as possible. Snake leans his face close to mine, trying to tell if I was lying or not. I hope I am not giving him any hints. 

"You better not be lying to us. If it was nothing then it was nothing. Sleep well, dearie. Says Emily. . ." 

"R-Right. Goodnight, then." 

"Night kiddo, Says Oscar. . ." Snake and the rest of his snakes leave. That was too close. I lie back down in my bed and stare up at the ceiling as I slowly fall asleep. I can only get at least 2 or 3 hours because of the noises outside. I keep thinking that Joker and the others are back or maybe it's just few people passing back like the other circus people. 

"Morning, Mari!" Joker walks into my tent and sits on the edge of the bed. "Did you have a good night?" He smiles. He knows I cannot answer him or move my head. So, he assumes the best for me. "I'll be right back with your breakfast." He says when he is done sitting me up straight on the bed before leaving the tent. 

He doesn't know that I can move. But if I were to able to leave now, I will be back in that IV again. What can I do? What should I do? Make a run for it and get help? There's no way. Beast, Dagger, Peter and Wendy, or Jumbo will catch me and I will be punished. There is no other way around it. Think Moon. Think! 

"Here we are. It's your favorite. Fish and chips. Black really cooked up a meal this morning." Joker returns to the tent and sits on the edge of the bed and feeds me. I am too focused on my escape, but at the same time, I am more worried that Joker will find out that I can move my limbs. "What's wrong, Mari? You seem out of it today. Did something happen?" He gives me a serious look. He reaches out and touches my forehead then pulls away. "Sweat?" He glares at me. Oh no. . . "Nervous aren't we?" 

Before I knew it, Joker grabs my thigh and squeezes it tightly, making me yelp and jolt a little from the pain. I grab onto his hand and whimper, begging him to remove his hand. "J-Joker. . ." I whimper out. 

"You're able to move again. Which is weird because it isn't suppose to be wearing off until this afternoon. My, aren't you a fighter. I never seen this side of you, Mari. Looks like I have to take things up a notch." He lets go of my thigh and I sigh in relief because the pain has ended. However, I am suddenly pinned down on the bed and my arms are pinned above me. He has my hands pinned with one arm. He leans down to my ear and whispers, "I'm sorry, lass." Then 

SNAP

I scream but my lips are connected to Joker's. He is muffling my screams with a kiss. Joker broke my left leg. Tears stream down my cheeks as I am whimpering and weakly struggling underneath him. 

Joker pulls away from the kiss and sees the pain in my eyes before resting his hand on my right leg. "J-Joker, please!" I cry out. He silences me again with another kiss and, 

SNAP

My right leg is broken. I scream in the kiss and squeeze my eyes shut as more tears fall down my cheek. A few moments later, Joker pulls away and I am left weeping in pain. "You have given me no other choice, Mari. If you continue to behave this way, I will have to break another limb. So," He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. "Behave yourself now. Got it?"

I nod as I whimper again. He lets go of my chin and covers my body with the blanket. He attached an IV to my arm and hides the bag under my bed. Soon after he leaves. The drug works in no time and I am left like the broken doll that I am. The tears have stopped falling and my eyes become dull once more. . .

'So tell me if you see her. . . Because I've been waiting here forever. . . and ever. . .'