The Demon's Angel

Chapter 8

Elizabeth
Kurt introduced me to the circus slowly, which I was extremely grateful for. Although all of the people were very kind, it was a bit overwhelming to meet so many after a lifetime of fearing mankind. Plus it helped us avoid another incident like the one with Lance. He was actually the only person that I disliked. He wouldn't ever leave me alone, following me around, trying to charm me with nothing more than a pretty face. Although I couldn't understand German, I could see that he was trying to get close to me. I had fallen for a man's charms once, and it wasn't going to happen again. I had sealed my heart away.

I had also gotten my collar removed. It was rusty and dug into my skin, rubbing it painfully. When it had finally been cut off, it was a huge relief. However, there was also a large scar across my neck, where the collar had rubbed my skin raw. I hadn't cared, but I noticed that it seemed to bother Kurt a bit. He smiled when it was finally cut all the way through, but his smile faltered when he saw the scar underneath. It had lasted a fleeting moment, but the horror was there. However, he was able to cover it up so easily. It made me wonder if I had imagined it.

Kurt insisted that I watch practices and performances so that I could practice my German. He was teaching me like he had promised. Plus, he wanted me to find an act in the circus that I would like to do. He constantly gave subtle hints that he wanted me to take an interest in the trapeze, which was his speciality. However, I found that I loved the grace of the flying silks. It was hypnotizing to watch. It looked as if the performer were flying, using the silks only to add decoration. When I told Kurt how much I loved them, he was delighted.

The next day, he dragged me over to meet the performer that did the flying silks in the show, Rosalind Wisener. I was terrified. I admired the woman very much. "You'll be fine," Kurt assured me. "Rose is very kind. She'd love to teach ju!" It turned out that he was right. Rose (She preferred this nickname to her real name; she found it too 'fancy') was an energetic young woman and was delighted to hear that I wanted to learn the flying silks. She was only a little bit older than me, probably about two years by the look of her face. Luckily, she had studied dance in America, so she also spoke perfect English. She looked me over. "You have the perfect build!" she declared after a moment. I smiled happily. Maybe I could do this. "How old are you?" she asked. I froze. How old was I? "Um... About sixteen.... I think...." I stuttered, wings twitching nervously. I took a deep breath, forcing my wings to still themselves. Rosalind seemed to notice my discomfort on the subject, so she moved on. "How much do you weigh?" she asked kindly. I shrugged. Once again, I wasn't sure. "Let's get you weighed then!" she announced. She put me on a small scale and gasped. "You are very underweight for your size!" she exclaimed. Rose looked at me worriedly. "Do you eat enough?" I turned bright red and looked around desperately for Kurt to help me explain. However, he had left so that he could go to his own practice. I had never been anywhere in the circus without him before, and it made me feel even more vulnerable than usual. Of course, he was nowhere to be seen.

I cleared my throat. "Well, um, I'm supposed to be that way. My bones are hollow, so that I can fly......." I trailed off, and deciding to get it over with, I took off my sweater and spread my wings. If she was going to work with me, she would need to know eventually. I stood there awkwardly, looking at my feet. I waited for Rose to call me a freak, or even scream and run, but when I looked up, she was grinning from ear to ear. "You're amazing!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe it! Wings.... Can I?" I allowed her to stroke my wing and shivered slightly at the light feel of her fingers stroking my feathers. They ruffled under her touch. "They're so beautiful.... And soft...." she murmured. I blushed. "You don't think that I'm a freak?" I asked. Rose smiled at me tenderly. "No, just different." I gave a sigh of relief. "In fact," she stated. "I think that you're better fit for the silks than even me! You're very light but strong, and you will have your wings to assist with balance. The only problem that needs solved is a way to explain your wings in the show, just like we have to explain Kurt's appearance, but we don't have to think about that right now. Right now, let's get started on your lessons."