Night had fallen, and it was time. The circus had been erected on top of the tallest hill in the district. The tents could be seen from miles around, their vivid yellows, magentas and royal blues advertising a good time to the downtrodden peasants and farm workers. On the surrounding streets, the performers skipped, jumped and danced while handing out free tickets to see the strong man. The locals were dazzled by the sequinned costumes and elaborate make-up. They were flattered by the attention of people so beautiful and bright. Children eagerly pulling at the arms of impatient mothers longing to see the inside waited in line
Once the warmth of the breathless crowd simmered, everyone settled in. This was the monthly entertainment for men, their wives, and even their mistresses. The darkness kissed up to their skin closer than a mother that whispers excitement into numerous ears.
The Ringmaster cracked his whip, and with that leotard-clad trapeze artist swooping above him, and colorful clowns cartwheeling around him, the tall bronzed muscular figure stepped onto the central podium and gripped the rope firmly between his teeth.
He looked at the group on the opposite end and laughed inwardly to himself. It would take far more than this to pull him down from his pedestal, for he was the Strongman.
As the crowd madly cheered and applauded the sensational work put together, all music, lights, and joy were sucked out the air. The only thing people could now hear was the sound of thoughts flashing back and forth, wondering what was to come. Now, was the time the real show began. The Ringmaster, whose name was not known but knew all names, walked up slowly, almost like he knew he had nowhere else to be, to the center where he knew, all attention would be on him.
He raised his hand up, gracefully, as his offwhite stained glove was exposed to now mere thousands. He did not say a word, partially to keep the audience on there toes, almost begging to find out whats next.
He then uttered "Proceed" in the most ambitious way.
Just that word alone resulted in all the children in the crowd to get up, imitating that of what would be considered mechanical or robotic. The ringmaster had now his choosing for his next grand performance.
"You, tall one come here" The demanding voice commanded. A tall thin boy about the age of 13 walked reluctantly towards the center.
"Now, ladies and gentleman, I will perform the most mesmerizing act of the night, boy stand in that ring for me" The ringmaster followed.
Confused and naive, the little boy stood in a ring about the size of a mirror you would hang in one's bathroom. No one in the crowd understood the purpose of this trick but they didn't need to. The ringmaster lifted his tall dark wooden stick up to the boy's chin and simply smiled.
"IS EVERYONE READY!" He yelled.
The crowd blindly, oblivious to what was about to happen started a riot of excitement in their seats. The wooden stick struck the edge point of the ring and the child inside was gone. All that was left was a pair of worn shoes with the engravement of stars on them. The ringmaster laughed uncontrollably as the wrinkles on his worn out face slowly disintegrated and resembled that of a young man in his mid 20's.
"MY SON!" A woman screeched in panic from the crowd. Parents of the children who stared into the abyss of nothingness stood up with her in just utter worry. This, of course, did not alarm the ringmaster as he had done these thousands of times before. The mother ran down the stairs and collapsed into the ring, clasping onto the pair of shoes. To anyone it looked like a woman worried for the safety of her child but to the master himself, she was a mere doll, an object of no use.
"He's dead," The master said with not a hint of emotion.
The mother cried as if the ferocity of it might bring her son back; as if by the sheer force of her grief the news would be undone.
"Now these kids are next, I don't have all night," He said smirking as he lent out his hand to help the woman up. No one from the crowd would remember this, he had his ways to make sure. The only thing they would remember was the legend of The Ringmaster.
