Mouse

chapter one

ONE

I had a few vague memories of my mother. They were happy memories of her smiling face, whilst she read me stories, and tucked me into bed or sang to me.

I was six, almost seven when she died, due to complications with her second pregnancy. The baby inside her died as well

My father was too grief-stricken and distraught by her loss to want to care for me. He could not cope without her.

That is when I remember my Grandfather George, and my Aunt Lizzie coming into my life. They arrived for my Mother's funeral. Up until then, I had never realised these relatives even existed.

Grandfather George was a large man, with a mop if ginger hair and moustache, He was an imposing figure, and he spoke and carried himself with a certain commanding air, as if he was used to giving orders and having them obeyed. His green eyes were alert and sharp, never missing a thing, and you imagined that if you looked into them too long they could read into your very soul.

Yet when he smiled his expression became more kind and approachable, his booming laugh was wonderful to hear, making you want to laugh along with him.

My Aunt Lizzie was my mother's older sister, she reminded me of her a little, only she was taller and a little plumper. Her hair was a shade darker, and longer than my mother's. Her countenance was not as pleasant, and her expression always seemed more dour, like general attitude, as if she had all the troubles in the world heaped on her shoulders.

My mother and father had never mentioned them before to my knowledge. Though I always wondered with a child's curiosity, why my mother didn't have any parents to visit like my father did, and I was pleased to discover they had existed somewhere after all

After the funeral ceremony I believed there was some sort of argument between them and my father. But as I was sent up to my room for an afternoon nap after the stressful sad day, so I was never sure what it was about.

But then two days later Grandfather George and Aunt Lizzie told me that I would be going to live with them, and they would be taking care of me.

It was only whilst Grandfather George was driving me to my new home, I discovered he and my Aunt belonged to the circus, that he was the Ring master. Even more amazing, was the fact that it seemed my mother had grown up with the circus herself..

I had felt a little bewildered and disappointed that she had never told me about it. And now she was gone, I could never ask her either.

So that was how I came to be part of the circus, a strange new world that I found all a little overwhelming.

Under any other circumstances it might have been an exciting event.

But after just losing my mother, and being wrenched away from my familiar surroundings at such a young age, to go and live with unknown relatives who where practically strangers, it had been a little traumatic.

Perhaps that was why I became withdrawn into myself, and found it difficult to socialize with others around me.

Being young, I did adjust to my new life to a certain degree. I lived with Grandfather George; who, although strict in many ways, took very good care of me. Also my Aunt Lizzie, and her husband, Uncle Hugo the fire eater; He was one of the few who seemed to really like me and have time for me. Then there was their own children, my three cousins, the twins James and Alex, and also Lisa.

Lisa was a year younger than me, the other two boys were older at the grownup age of ten.

But they showed little interest in me after the first wave of curiosity my arrival had caused.