Halloween

1952

The tent was small but she didn’t mind. She found it more cozy, though it was cold at times. Sighing, Marie ran her hands through her hair and tried not to think of what was to happen.

Edward Mordrake would be summoned and for the first time, she truly didn’t want him to arrive and take a freak with him.

“Marie, you seem anxious.”

Marie flinched and turned to the entrance of the tent whereEdward was standing.
“You can’t be here,” she said quickly. “You can’t be here.”
“Someone has summoned me, I must take someone with me.”
“But I know these people, you can’t take one of them,” she said as she walked over to him. “I tried to convince Elsa not to rehearse, Ethel agreed too but she’s rehearsed anyway, hasn’t she?”

Edward nodded.

Marie sighed and hung her head.
“Someone dies every time I am summoned, Marie. Knowing these people does not change what I do, what it makes me do,” said Edward as he shook his head slightly. “Tell me, how did you try to convince… Elsa, not to rehearse?”

She clutched her skirt tightly in her fist and followed Elsa.
“If you won’t listen to Ethel’s story of what he did in his life, listen to mine,” she said, desperately hoping Elsa would listen. “When he is summoned, he takes someone with him. Someone will die, I have met him on Halloween several times. I was almost taken one year, it is horrible, Elsa. Please don’t condemn someone here to death.”
“You’re attempts at scaring me aren’t working, Marie,” said Elsa, narrowing her eyes at me.
“I’m not trying to scare you, I’m trying to stop someone from dying!”

“It appears she didn’t listen,” he said. Marie sighed.
“Of course she didn’t, none of them believe I’ve met you other than Ethel,” she told him. She ran her fingers through her hair, wincing as they got stuck on a knot.
“I’m sure they’ll believe you after tonight,” he said, smiling a little.
“I’d hope so, yes,” said Marie.

Maybe if they had also met him, they would finally believe her. Though, the fact that she had first met him in 1913 might not be believed still. She probably wouldn’t believe it either if she was someone else.

“But you have to take someone from here,” she said quietly.
“There has always been a price to pay for appearance, Marie,” he said a little coldly. “Is it suddenly different now you know the people that might be taken?”
Hesitantly, she nodded. “I didn’t know the other people but I know these people. Please, Edward, you can’t take one of them.”
“Not even Miss Mars?” he asked. Marie’s eyes widened and after a moment, she shook her head. No, not even Elsa Mars deserved to be killed by him.
“No, not even her,” said Marie. The freak show would likely fall apart without her.

Her heart felt heavy in her chest. How many times had she summoned him and caused someone’s death.

“Marie, my dear, I think I should move on. There are a lot of freaks here and it wants to hear their stories.”
Reluctantly, Marie nodded. “I understand,” she said quietly as she walked over to him. “Can I kiss you?” Instead of answering, he pressed his lips to hers.

He pulled away and Marie could feel tears in her eyes, one of the people she knew would be found dead tomorrow.
“Goodnight, Marie.”
“Goodnight, Edward.”