Freak Show | Multiship [C]

Chapter 1 | New Girl

1952

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause for the Human Pincushion and the Tattooed Woman."

The ringmaster, dressed in stalking black, gestured his cane towards the pair. Graciously, Ryan-Ashley smiled, though a sense of tension rested behind her eyes. Josh was less spiteful towards their cheers. He took her hand, leading her in a bow. They exited the stage with haste.

"We have one last act, but before the night is out, I'd like to extend our gratitude towards all of you for coming to see my freaks." Manson smiled as he adjusted his top hat. His twisting grin was one that sent children and even some parents into an uncomfortable state. A laugh left those very lips to see their fear, "Our show is constantly changing. Please, do come back again. I promise the show will never be the same twice! Now, I'd like you to welcome the world's tallest man, The Giant..."

Many in the crowd had come just for this one act. They cheered, watching darkness fall on the striped stage. Gazing eyes were trapped in the suspension of the show. Fog flooded the wood floor as a monster equally as eerie emerged on the stage. The curtain could barely stand taller than him. His voice broke through the mic as the lights hit his pale skin.

"Mother, tell your children not to walk my way. Tell your children not to hear my words; What they mean, what they say. Mother, Mother? Can you keep them in the dark for life? Can you hide them from the waiting world? Oh, mother."

Chris' deep brown eyes sparkled under the dazzling lights. The cast of characters that made up their band of freaks slowly began to re-enter the stage, in order of how they had appeared in the act that night. He proudly looked over at the faces that he called family. They dawned smiles for the crowd that adored them.

The last lyrics of the song rang out through the circus grounds, "And if you wanna find hell with me, I can show you what it's like. Wo-oh, Mother, yea!"

Soon, cheers accompanied it. The audience stood to their feet and roared for the monsters' performance. Another successful show was closing out. The carnies joined their hands and took a final bow.

"Thank you for coming!" Manson announced, "That, folks, is THE END!"

With his words, the curtains fell closed dramatically. The crew could relax knowing they no longer had to shine brightly for the people. They once again could return to being docile, instead of their overly expressive stage personalities. Chris followed behind Ashley and Nikki as they headed to the backstage area of the tent.

Ash glanced back at him, offering him a hand to help him down the narrow steps. He had to duck his head from a curtain that wasn't hanging unreasonably low. His monstrous height made almost any structure cause him a neck ache.

"Heard there's dumpling stew for dinner tonight." She said.

He glanced across the tent at a contortionist, having a smoke with the fire breather. Hunger lingered in his irises, but he wasn't craving what she was describing... Chris grinned like the Cheshire Cat, "I might miss dinner, actually."

Ashley shook her head with a jester's smirk and fell back against a makeup table. Nikki leaned next to her as the two watched the famous monster cross the tent. One of the contortionists, Ricky, sat on a chest with his legs crossed and a cigarette between two of his fingers. As Chris approached, the fire breather, Ryan, excused himself.

"He's never going to learn." Nikki muttered.

She picked up a carton of smokes on the vanity. Sticking one in her mouth, she responded, "Yeah, but can you blame him for wanting to show off? I'm sure everything is... Proportionate." Her eyes caught Nikki's stare, "What? He's almost seven feet tall. Doesn't mean I've thought about getting with him, I've just thought about those... Proportions. His hand is the size of my head, after all."