Fall and Rise

Chapter 1

Using all my energy, I opened my heavy eyes, blinded briefly by the bright light.
A faint morning breeze brushed over my bare legs, the paper like blanket draped over my body. Through the bars of my cage I could see the sun rising over the mountains in the distance.
I dragged my numb legs over to the side of the circus cage, tugging on the worn rope causing the small tarnish bell which hung near the gate to ring. A tired and disgruntled looking guard trudged over, unlocked the chain around my ankle, freeing me to go practice at the top of the hill on the outskirts of London.
I walked up the hill, gnawing on the edges of a stale roll. The rags I called clothes hung loose on my body.
I was greeted by Spencer, my only friend at the circus; we trained together all day, practicing our acts.
Blood rushed to my head as I hung upside down on the rafters. Spencer was upside down too, but that was only because he had nothing else to do.
"'Ey, Ash, can I ask ya somethin'?" He asked in his strong English accent. I was once told you could always tell what level of society someone is by the way they talk. It's not his fault, he can't afford a real education. Most of us can't even read or write, but who would need reading and writing in a circus?
I turned my head to look into his deep blue eyes. "Yeah, sure."
"If ya weren' at this 'ere circus, where would ya be?"
"Umm, probably in prison for stealing the crown jewels."
Spencer laughed, shaking his head. "Of course ya would, with wha' you can do."
"Alright, smart guy," I said, turning my neck to see his face "Where would you be?"
"Easy. I wanna be in a small country place, nice an' fancy like, on the top of a 'ill, over lookin' a large field, filled with beau'iful flowers."
I laughed so hard I almost fell from the wooden beam ten metres off the ground. "I think you've been spending too much time with all the other girls. You're starting to go soft."
He poked his tongue out at me. Spencer had been my only friend at the circus for as long as I could remember. He was so much fun even though he can be a wimp sometimes.
When we first met, eleven years ago now, he was only seven. I was five. I was scared, alone, and didn't trust anyone, until one day, Spencer came over to me and shook my hand, like we'd known each other for years.
"Spencer Mcklaggen's the name, at ya service," he had said with a bow. "An' wha' would your name be, ma dear?"
"A-asha, s-sir" I said, trying to suppress my giggling. I was starting to like this game.
"Sir?" He looked behind him, thinking I was referring to someone else. "I'm pretty sure that 'ain' me," he said with confused look on his face. Looking back on it now, Spencer was very witty for a seven year old boy.
"So, Asha, was it? Can I call ya Ash?" he asked.
I nodded, still trying to get over this boys strange accent.
"Well then, Ash, do ya now wha' the name Asha means?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me. "It means, 'ope"
"Ope?" I asked.
"Na, na, excuse me accent. I mean . . ." He tried to get the H sound to come out of his mouth. I didn't think he'd made that sound very often. "Heh . . . hoh . . . hope. There! No' so 'ard," he continued, looking rather pleased with himself. "Wha' I'm tryin' ta say is, no matter 'ow bad things migh' be, there will always be 'ope, wherever you migh' be."
That was a long time ago, a distant memory, but I can still remember every detail. I'm sixteen now, and Spencer turns seventeen in one month. I still can't figure out how seven year old Spencer knew all that stuff about my name, if he had never been to a school. Yet even now he surprises me with his random, yet surprisingly helpful knowledge about the world.
Finally we were called down to the creek to get washed up and changed for today's show. Crouching next to the water I scrubbed all the dirt and grit off my skin, while one of the maids helped wash my messy hair. I envied the maids, being how they were treated better then I was. To the carnival, I was just a pet to be taught tricks.
"There will always be 'ope, where ever you migh' be". I wish I could agree just as easily as Spencer did.