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Luz kicked and Hunter scratched when they were whisked off the stage by two cloaked audience members.
“Hunter!” Luz screamed, doing everything she could to wriggle away from the tight hold she was in and get to her fellow captive performer. She was watching him scratch at his liberator’s shoulders with trembling hands while they were hurried to safety through the dense forest surrounding the tent.
They only stopped moving when the adrenaline had died and the sound of the circus searching for them had dissipated. The two young performers were gently sat together up against a tree and handed cloaks right off of the hooded figures’ shoulders.
“You’re alright,” a bright, female voice assured them. “My name’s Eda. This is Darius.” Eda knelt down in front of them and tried to smile to calm them down. “And we’re here to make sure you don’t have to go back to that circus. Breathe a bit. We’ve got a place for you to stay, but you need to play along with us, okay? Can you tell me your names?”
“How do we know you’re not just going to put us in another show!?” Luz screamed. An abomination quickly snaked over her mouth and drowned out the sound.
Darius hushed her and looked around to see if anyone heard. “I’ve been watching reports of you two being forced to perform get thrown out for months. The last thing I want to do is make you perform again. You need wound care and safe homes. Eda here is able to adopt if you’re willing to let that happen.”
Hunter hugged the cloak in his arms and looked down to the forest floor. “My name is Hunter,” he admitted, his knees drawing closer together.
He was rewarded with a soft, gloved hand on his facial scar. “You seem like a sweet child, Hunter,” Darius whispered. “I’m sorry you’re scared. This was the most elegant solution we could come up with to get you to safety.”
He nodded slowly. Luz piped up after him. “And I’m Luz,” she said.
“Good. I understand. This is a lot to take in,” Darius said.
“But you don’t have to worry about being in that circus anymore, okay? I-... There’s not a proper bed or anything at the house, but we put together a blanket nest. It’ll be warm. And we’ll make sure you get all bandaged up and cleaned. It shouldn’t have to hurt. Are you hungry? I’ll make sure you two get whatever you want,” Eda said.
Hunter and Luz exchanged a glance. “We’re tired,” Luz said, speaking for the both of them. Hunter latched onto her hand. “A blanket nest sounds nice.”
Eda and Darius smiled warmly down on them and offered them hands to get them to their feet. “Then let’s go home,” she said, guiding them along through the forest. “No more circuses. I’m so proud of how strong you two are.”
The praise brought smiles and warm blushes to Hunter and Luz’s faces. They held each others’ hands and accepted the care they were offered graciously. The hoped this was really the end.