Big Top

Chapter 7

"Now, Cornell, I told you I had some business to discuss with you." Richard announced after we finished the meal. He patted his mouth with a red handkerchief then placed it back in his lap. Out of the corner of my eye I would catch Louis sneaking glances at me every now and then, but I can't say much because I've been taking every chance I can to look at him too. "It's concerning Rosie. I would like you to be her trainer, you'd have full control of her and you will have a raise. What do you say, Cornell?" I gulped nervously and looked at Louis across the table.

"Look, there's something I need to tell you...and it may change your mind about me." I said slowly, gaging their reactions. But the only real reaction I was concerned about was Louis's, I didn't want to lose him. Confusion was etched across his face and I finally bit the bullet and confessed. "I-I never finished Cornell...I-I'm not licensed." Louis looked over at Richard and Richard back at him. Louis nodded to him. What did that mean? Had they decided to kill me? What's going on?

"Harry," Richard started, "Do you really think Margret the fat lady weighs eight hundred pounds?" Louis laughed.

"She's four hundred tops!" Louis giggled.

"Do you think the tattooed woman was really tattooed by headhunters in Borneo?" Richard asked.

"She's from Chicago!" Louis laughed, "It took her ten years to ink herself." By this point I was laughing with them.

"My point is, Cornell, everything is not as it seems in the circus, we're not perfect and most aren't what they appear to be." I sighed in relief. "The job offer is still on the table."

"I'll take it! Thank you, Sir!" He shook my hand and I turned my attention back to Louis. He had the biggest smile on his face. That's all the confirmation I needed to know I hadn't lost him.

~*~

I opened Rosie's train car door, exposing her to the bright sunlight which she didn't appreciate. I laughed as she tried to flop her ears in her face.

"Good morning, love!" I pulled the ramp down and walked into the car, "Wow, I forgot how big you were." I mumbled mostly to myself but she must have heard it because she made this grunting noise that sounded much like disapproval. I just laughed and grabbed the chain attached to her leg. She stood up as soon as I tugged a little on the chain and followed me outside. Luckily, we didn't have a show tonight so we just stopped to work on training Rosie.

"Ah! Cornell!" Richard exclaimed, walking towards me with Louis by his side. As soon as Rosie heard him she stopped dead in her tracks and wouldn't move at all. "How is our shining star this morning?" He patted Rosie's trunk.

"Good I suppose, we haven't started training yet, though." He looked down at my hand and furrowed his eyebrows.

"You seem to have forgotten something," He walked back into Rosie's car and grabbed this wooden rod with an iron, pointed tip, "you'll need the bull hook." He handed it to me. "You use it behind her shoulder to make her move." I didn't want to use this thing on Rosie, it would surely hurt her.

"Can't I just tell her to walk?" I asked, trying to find any other avenue for Rosie's sake.

"She needs to know you are in command" I gripped the rod in my hand and hesitantly did what Richard wanted, I moved back beside her shoulder and lightly prodded her with the tip.

"Rosie, walk!" I commanded, "Rosie, move!" but she wouldn't budge. Richard's face contorted into anger as he strode to where I stood and grabbed the rod from my hands.

"Like this, watch me!" He gripped it and jabbed her with it hard, enough to break her skin, "FORWARD! MOVE!" He commanded, continuing to jab her while she wailed in pain, but Rosie walked along like she was told to do. My stomach felt like it was in knots, I couldn't stand seeing animals so mistreated. After they walked off I saw Louis with his hand covering his eyes and his head facing the ground. I walked over and grasped his shoulder.