ALICE
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After I had some tea with the girls and small number of guys, I decided to go for a walk again. I was somewhere in the middle of the woods lying in a patch of grass. The sun shone over the canopy and passed over my face in scattered shadows. I took a deep breath in, meditating. A squirrel scampered past me swiping up an acorn as it made its way back up a nearby tree. I shut my eyes and disappeared into an unconscious sate.
After I had escaped the hospital I started walking. I wasn’t sure where I was walking to, but my legs weren’t in pain. They were so numb I couldn’t feel them anymore. I collapsed on the side of the road, my face covered in dust and sweat. I needed to get out of this hospital gown and find some shoes. My feet were blistering and bleeding. It was dark. I hid in a storage room for six hours because the sun was too hot to bear. I felt a rumbling on the road and tried to turn my head to see what it was. I could hear a horse but couldn’t see anything yet.
A motor wagon was approaching at a rather moderate speed until it became so loud I’m sure it was beside me. I felt a hand poke my back. I felt my senses heighten for a second.
“Don’t worry,” The stranger said in a soft tone of voice, “I’m like you.”
What did he mean like me? The next thing I knew I was laying in the back of his motor wagon falling asleep to the loud hum and rickety movements of the wagon.
I woke up in a soft bed. Where was I? I couldn’t remember what happened. I just knew someone had saved me. I lifted myself up slowly to a sitting position and cringed slightly. I noticed some clothes lying on the back of a wooden chair in the corner. I moved the covers back and saw that my feet had been bandaged. The bandages were stained slightly red. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I made an attempt to stand up and went to change into the clothes.
The dress was blue with and fit me perfectly with a black lining. I found a brush on the vanity and tried to make my hair look more decent as I tied it into a braid with a clip I found. The door was slightly ajar and I pushed it open to look around. As soon as the hinges squeaked there was a man standing in front of me.
I jumped at the sight of him. “Sorry, you startled me.”
“You must be Alice.” Was all he said.
“How do you know my name?” I asked.
“I know of all new vampires. You had quite and change. I’m sorry that you were bitten like that. When I found the culprits they will be brought to justice.”
I was quiet.
“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. If you’re wondering where you are, you are on my train. I run a circus here that travels around Europe called Starry Night. You’re welcome to join if you want.”
“I don’t know.” I say. Part of me wanted to rejoin my family, and the other part wanted to stay away from them. I was somewhat conflicted.
My mouth suddenly started hurting again. I must be hungry.
“You must be hungry.” He said immediately as if he could read my mind. Could he?
“I think I can stay for a few days.” I say quietly.
“That’s nice to hear. I’m Nathanial.”
“How long have you been a vampire?” I was somewhat curious.
“For a very long time, actual. My whole life.”
“Wow.” I couldn’t imagine never being human. Nathanial had a somewhat eerie vibe to him. Maybe it was the creepy red eyes or the deep haunting voice.
He held his arm out to me. “Shall I take you on a tour, mademoiselle?”
“Sure.” I found myself saying. I took his arm and we began walking from car to car. The train was obviously at a standstill.
“As you know, you cannot go outside during the day. I’m sure you have figured that out by now. While you’re here, try to stay close to family, as I call everyone in the circus. It’s a dangerous world out there as well as dangerous vampires. I can’t protect everyone, therefore you are always and will always be at risk. Your powers are unstable, it’s base that you learn to keep them under control.” He smiled barely, if you could count his expression as a smile. “In time, in time. Learn to embrace what you are now because there’s nothing you can do about it. Do you understand?”
I nod my head in agreement.
We passed into a car which was full of girls running around in leotard and tutus; their makeup making them look like porcelain dolls. They stopped their frantic preparation when I entered. I looked around the room.
“Who is she?” One of them asked with a scowl.
“This is Alice, she’s new.” Nathanial introduced me. I could take it they don’t like me already. I was ready to go. Nathanial nodded his head when the girls immediately went back to what they were doing and led me into another car. The smell of smoke filled the air and I coughed into my hand.
“Sorry about the air, I keep telling them to wait until night.” I shook my head and couldn’t wait to move onto the next car. The smell of animals wafted in. I pinched the top of my nose. A giant elephant was laying in the corner, its ears swaying back and forth.
“Wow.” I’d never been so close to an animal. Save for the smell, this place was amazing.
“Well, this is where you’ll be working.” Nathanial’s arm slipped out of mine as he handed me a pail and shovel. “Start cleaning. As long as you stay here, you will pitch in.”
Really? He was going to leave me here to work? I’m exhausted and a bit disoriented and he leaves me here.
“And don’t feed on the animals.” He was gone in an instant and I was left standing in the room. I wanted to throw the bucket across the car but instead, I got to work. After all, I owed him. But I was determined to work my way up, whatever it took.
It’d been a month since I had begun working at the circus. The place really comes alive at night. I’d learned that most of the people here at the circus are vampires, like me. Most of them don’t like me because I was the first rung of the ladder. No one wanted to talk to me. The humans at the circus would set up and do all the tasks during the day that we couldn’t do. While I cleaned day and night, the performers dirtied up their rooms just to keep me busy. And if I had to feed one more lion, I was going to lose it.
Tonight was when we were performing the opening show in Munich. I’d never been here before. I wasn’t sure what anyone was saying half the time. They all spoke different languages and my brain was about to explode. Tonight, I was cleaning the thing, smoothing out the dirt from earlier practices. There was one boy still practicing on the trapeze. He resembled an angel flying through the air, always wearing such a determined look.
“Will you stop staring at me?” His voice broke me out of my trance.
“Huh? Oh, I apologize. I did not mean to stare.” I grabbed my broom and started smoothing the dirt again.
“I am joking!” He hopped down from the swing and started walking over to me.
“Sorry.” I apologized again.
“I’m Alex.” He held his hand out to me. I looked at his outstretched hand. I finally shook it.
“Alice.” I looked up from my sweeping.
“Hey, two ‘A’s.’” He laughed. “You are a new vampire?”
“Yes.” I say, “Are you?”
“You can’t recognize other vampires yet? It’s not that hard.”
“It’s not my fault. I never asked to be this! I had dreams. Not dreams of cleaning out animal stalls and picking up after spoiled brats twenty four hours a day!”
“Sorry for getting you all worked up.” He cleared his throat. “Well, do you not have any talents?”
“I dance and I was into acrobatics for awhile.” My fingers were clutched so hard around the broom stick, it was beginning to break. My strength was one thing I could barely control. I nearly took someone’s eye out handing them a book.
“How about this. If you promise to train hard, you can become my new trapeze partner and you’ll never have to clean again.”
“Oh, no. I couldn’t possibly-,”
“Just try it. You said yourself that you hate cleaning.” I did say that. I took a deep breath.
“Deal.”
He held out his hand again, and I grabbed it.
My eyes opened up and I noticed that it was already dark out. How long had I been asleep? I brushed my clothes off as I got up, pulling leaves out of my hair that had blown over me while I slept. My eyes adjusted to the darkness and my senses began to heighten again. I heard a twig snap nearby. My head jerked to its origin. I tried to catch a scent off the breeze to see if I could tell if someone was there. I didn't pick up anything. I pulled out my cellphone. No signal. Just great.
Another twig snapped behind me. I began to back up slowly into a run, but as soon as I started running, hands grabbed me from behind sending me sprawling back onto the ground. There was a howl in the distance. There were wolves here? My fangs came out so fast as I kneed my attacker in the stomach. I heard a rib crunch and a gasp of air and I took off running again. I heard noises around me, coming from all directions. I lost my footing a bit along the path back to the house. Leaves could be so slippery. I fell forward onto my hands, scraping them in the process. They bled a little and then the wound quickly closed up.
My breathing was heavy and I could feel the adrenaline racing through my body.The next thing I knew I was being dragged by my feet across the forest floor. I struggled to break free of whoever was holding me. I was on my stomach so I couldn't see. I didn't recognize the smell either.
"I wouldn't try that if I was you." It was a male voice. A female voice followed with a sinister snicker. I turned my head just enough to see what was in his hand. One of my worst enemies. A stake.
TBC
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Okay, that's the end of Alice's flashback. Hope you liked it.
