The Violet Thread (Part One: Portal Rods)

Chapter Six

The roar of laughter and applause echoed across the fairgrounds as Violet, Sawyer, and Wyeth passed through the enormous green gates that were more for extravagance than for keeping anyone in or out. Violet was confused and amazed by the people she encountered.

"What is that supposed to be?" she asked as a man, at least she thought it was a man, walked by her.

He had his hair configured into five red spikes running down the back of his head. His face was painted all white except for a large yellow mouth and purple circles around his eyes.

"A clown, I think." Sawyer replied chuckling at her. He thought it was cute how she didn't know some of the simplest things.

"And what about her?" she asked blushing.

The woman in question was wearing a top with only one strap running across her shoulder blade and a plunging neckline. Green sequins patterned to look like leaves landed just shy of halfway down her torso. Her bottoms matched in design but covered little more than was necessary. Her face was dusted with green glitter and elaborate pink, blue, and purple swirls. Behind her, gaudy pink wings cleared a path in her wake. Wyeth put his arm around Violet's shoulder and pulled her in towards him.

"That, Vi, is you. At least, it's what the humans think you look like?"

"Seriously?" She replied incredulously. "But those wings...and that outfit. She's hardly wearing anything!" She smiled and winked at Sawyer. This time it was his turn to blush. "Although, you could probably pull it off."

"If that's what you wear back home, it just might be worth it," he replied with a coy playfulness.
She gawked and pushed him, almost knocking Wyeth over with him in the process.

"I would never!" She shrieked in false anger.

The boys stumbled and laughed as they tried to keep each other from falling. The three continued walking among the fanfare engaging with each and every oddity. A strand of games caught Wyeth's attention and cajoled Sawyer into a few competitions. One the third game, Violet noticed a painted wagon with something fluttering inside. Wyeth was tossing some rings at bottles while Sawyer teased him for his misses.

"The game's rigged," she heard Wyeth grumble as she walked over to the wagon and peered inside the bars.

A few small yellow and green speckled bird were perched on fake trees throughout the cage.

"Well, aren't you beautiful little birds." Violet said, smiling.

"Beautiful," one bird echoed.

"Little bird" chimed another.

Violet's eyes went wide. "Your animals can talk? Amazing!"

"Amazing," repeated a third.

She looked closer into their den. "I'm so sorry you are caged."

"So sorry," the first bird called.

"It's hard not being able to fly. At least you all have each other." She looked back at the boys who had now realized she had wandered away and were scanning the crowd for her. She waved them over. "It's important to have friends with you."

They bought popcorn and sweets, played more games, ribbed each other and laughed the whole way through the fairgrounds. For a few hours they were just three friends having a good time.

"I know we're supposed to be searching for something out of the ordinary," chuckled Sawyer, walking away from a man who claimed to be a giant, "but in a crowd full of freaks, how are we supposed to know who's the real deal?"