Maledictus

Ch.39 - The Show

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"PUT THIS ON"

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Tonight was the night the circus resumed normality.
Tonight was their opening show for the year.
This was the night that Alice was dreading.

Transforming on command was shortening her life.
She already didn't have long left.
She didn't want it to shorten any further.

"Where's your dress!?"shouted James, an hour before the show was about to begin.

"I don't have it!" she said calmly.

"Why not!?"

"Well when I met you, I wasn't expecting to be kidnapped!" she said, trying her very hardest not to shout.

James muttered something and wandered out of the small dressing room.

Alice curled up and tried to stay warm.
Her room no longer had a bed or a dresser, just a bare coat rack and a mirror.

The shackles on her wrists were as heavy as lead and she could hardly lift them.

She knew bruises would be left behind, but really, that was the least of her worries.

"Put this on" scoffed James, throwing her a dark green dress with magenta flowers along the bottom.
It was beautiful.

Once James left the room, she quickly slipped on the dress, but it fell right off her.
It was much too big.

"You ready?" he asked.

"It won't fit" she said, holding it too her body so that he wouldn't see her without clothes on.

"If it's too small, don't breath!"

"No, it's too big. It won't stay on me!" she protested.

"Give me a look" he sighed, coming in.

He tightened it, and soon it was just right.

"Thanks Mr. Baxter" she said quietly, folding her clothes.

"James is fine" he mumbled.

Alice pretended not to hear him.
She always addressed them as Mr. Baxter and would continue to do so.

"Show starts soon, you're on last" James said as he closed the door behind him.

The dress really was very beautiful, but she knew every time she put it on, pain would be thrown her way.
It was always like that.
And it wouldn't be nice for long.
Soon enough it will be ripped to shreds by her transforming.

She waited patiently, shuddering every so often as the sight of the rusty cage flooded into her mind.

She could hear the cheers of the audience.
She could hear the performers having a blast.

Everyone but Alice loved the circus, because they had talents.
Alice on the other hand had a super-natural ability that caused her pain and suffering.

"You're up" sighed James, grabbing her wrist and almost dragging her to the cage. "In you pop"

Alice stared at the cage.
It was still the same old rusty cage she had known for so long.

She didn't want to resume that life.
She wanted to run, but what was the point when someone knew where you were at all times.

"Why are you still standing there?!" he said, trying not to shout.

"I don't belong here!" she said, again, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Well you don't have a choice"

"You don't know-" she began, shouting, but James clasped his dirty hand over her small mouth, muffleing the sound.

David heard her.
He was fuming already with stress, and she only made it worse.

So, once the strong man was beginning his act, he stormed back stage, just as James let go of Alice.
She wanted to smack him, but the urge disappeared when she saw David out of the corner of her eye.

"What is the meaning of this!?" he whispered angrily.

"She doesn't want to perform" said James.

Alice was trembling.
Her hands her shaking.
By defending herself, she only became a stronger pain magnet.

David bashed his cane into her stomach and she fell to her knees and with the help of James, they pushed her into the cage and locked it.

She bashed up against it and David gave her a death glare.

"Just go out and do your thing" said James softly. "He' ll have no reason to hurt you then"

He gave her a small smile that was gone in an instant as she felt the cage take a lurch forward and she gripped to the bars for support.

She promised herself that this would be the last time she would transform for him.
She had better things to do other than stay here.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!" boomed David's voice over a loud speaker. "I give you, the Maledictus!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and many fathers took out there video cameras, the anxious children sitting on their shoulders.

"She will now demonstrate what people of her kind becomes at night" he finished mysteriously, eyeing Alice as a cue to transform.

"THE BLACK MAMBA!" he bellowed just before Alice's dress slipped off her small body as her skin turned into the coils of a vicious snake.

Screams and gasps could be heard throughout the crowd as Alice banged against the bars, making people jump back.

Soon enough she was wheeled off and she took her normal form, a great deal weaker.

She didn't have the strength to move.
She was panting and out of breath.

David opened the cage and pulled her out, wanting her to stand, but she was too weak.

"Get up mudblood!" he shouted, holding her by the collar, but she still couldn't stay on her feet.

He smacked her her across her back with his cane and tears forced their way out.

He laughed and left her there, wanting James to do the rest.

But once James came over, he didn't hit her, he helped her up and brought her back to her room, closing the door behind him.

Alice thought it was very weird.
She was awaiting pain that never came.

As much as she loved it, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Yesterday James was beating her like there was no tomorrow, and today he's the complete opposite.

She curled up into a ball and buried her head in her knees.

She was here for life.
She wasn't going anywhere.

Unless someone came to rescue her.
But who would notice she's gone?