/ phantom /
a figment of the imagination
"She was like a dark wave crashing upon the bright shores of his horizon."
Anne Wheeler. An outcast. A loner. A street orphan. A disregarded, disgraced child born out of wedlock. A broken girl waiting for a s...
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For the next two weeks, the museum doors were open every afternoon and evening and the Barnum Show performed their acts for various numbers of cheering, stampeding audiences.
Phillip, eager to hear from the citizens of New York, set up a voting system to discover the spectators' favourite acts. Anne's trapeze performance was the highest on the list, followed closely by Charles, Lettie and Deng Yan's.
Barnum, knowing that more and more people came, mainly to see Anne, set about reforming her act and giving her more show-time.
By the end of the second week, before the Barnum Show took some time off, Anne found herself at the front of the stage dancing alongside Barnum and Lettie.
Her act had been a major hit!
Even though Anne had really enjoyed the two weeks of busy thorough-fare, she was relieved when the weekend rolled around so she could take a well-deserved break.
After the last show had come to a conclusion, Anne exited the arena amid the wild cheers and yells of the audience. As she walked towards the dressing room, she was stopped mid-stride by an overly-excited Phillip.
"You were amazing out there!" he breathed as he surveyed her. "The people...they love you and frankly enough, I can see why."
Anne chuckled, trying to brush off his flirtatious comments. "Ah. Whatever, Phillip. They don't like me, they like the trapeze. I'm just glad I get paid for it."
Phillip let out a loud laugh. "Wow. Anne. You're a savage. Just tell that to Barnum."
Anne rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint. Anyways, I'd better get going and take this ridiculous make-up off."
"Wait!" Phillip quickly leaned forward to grab the crook of her elbow. "I - I was - er - wondering..."
"What?" Anne furrowed her brow at him.
"I..." Phillip swallowed nervously before asking, "Would you - ahem - like to go to the theatre tonight...with me?"
Anne raised her eyebrows in surprise. "The theatre? I've never been there before."
"Which is why I would like to take you there...on a date."
"Oh." Anne's eyes widened with shock and her throat turned dry. Phillip was a kind, civil gentlemen and was entertaining company but she had never thought of him as more than a good friend.
Had she been giving him the wrong idea all along?
"You're hesitant to accept my offer," Phillip piped up, sounding disappointed. "It's okay if you're not feeling up to it or if you're not quite ready to take the next step..."
