Circus of Death - Candace Wondrak Page 0,2

detailed the abuse the animals of circuses had gone through with their training and all that, so I understood it. However, there was something to say about the way you felt when you sat in the darkness and watched both people and animals perform.

The stage was a clusterfuck of people and animals, everybody on it at once, all doing their own thing. The music playing was loud, but it helped to create this almost otherworldly, old-timey atmosphere. I didn’t know who to look at first, frankly. Everyone had shiny, cool outfits, and the animals? Even the animals had sparkling collars.

And then, in a matter of seconds, the mayhem stopped, the music dying the moment a man walked through the back curtain, heading to the center of the stage. He had a top hat on, along with dark pants that hugged his legs tightly, knee-high boots and a waistcoat with an over-the-top trail behind his ass. Even though it was the kind of costume you’d see hanging on a rack near Halloween, even though I was nowhere near him, I still found that the man took my breath away.

Everyone lined up behind him, the lights focusing on his tall frame. He wore gloves, holding nothing as he stood there and took a bow. The only bit of skin showing was his face, and I was too far away to tell what kind of face it was. Craggy from years of smoking, wrinkled with sunspots because he was old, or—

“Welcome, welcome, one and all,” he spoke, his voice low, fluid, the kind of voice that took you by the throat and refused to release you, demanding your full attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, welcome to my little slice of paradise in this crazy world.” As he spoke, he gazed out into the audience, scanning from one side of the risers to the other.

I’d be the first to admit, I was intrigued. He didn’t seem nearly as old as I would’ve assumed he was, and when his head turned in my direction, I could’ve sworn he locked gazes with me. Impossible, since I sat in the shadows, but I was able to see he wasn’t old at all. Still probably double my age, which put him in his mid to late thirties, but not the old, wizened master of the ring I’d been expecting.

“My name is Nigel, and I’ll be your guide to another world today,” he went on, lifting both hands to bring attention to the lineup behind him. “I do hope you enjoy the show.” Even though I wasn’t up close and personal, even though I didn’t have a front-row seat directly before him, I could see the smile spreading on his face, and it was a smile that caused my stomach to churn.

Almost eerie, almost creepy, but I guess that was part of the show.

The crowd of performers hurried off the stage, exiting through the back. They had their lineup down pat. Nigel didn’t leave the stage; anytime there was a performance, he simply stepped to the side and spoke during it, his voice booming without the need for a microphone.

It was… it was something else, let me tell you. Tightrope walkers, acrobats doing unbelievable and super dangerous stuff, even a girl who could literally twist and bend her body to make herself a pretzel.

And then the animals… there were many, all of them doing tricks and acting like trained dogs rather than the wild beings they were born to be. A part of me was ashamed humans could train wild beasts like this, but another part of me was just like every other person in that audience—amazed at it all.

The most incredible animal, in my opinion, was the tiger. A great, thick feline with muscles so bulging it looked like it could rip anyone apart. Beautiful with its black and orange colors, the animal drew my attention immediately.

Even when its handler made it do tricks of all kinds, when he stuck his head in its wide-open jaw, I could hardly blink. To be so close to an animal like that, to depend on it to not snap its jaws down and literally tear your head off in front of an audience that was made up of families with wide-eyed children, it was utterly amazing.

And then, somehow, someway, time passed too quickly. It was over too soon. Before I knew it, Nigel was on the stage again, his crew shuffling out behind him, taking turns bowing. Nigel