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“Are you alright?”
The boy looked up from the ground, meeting the eyes of the man who spoke to him.
“I’m fine.” He replied, quickly breaking eye contact.
The older gentleman sighed, hoping he could break the tension.
“What’s your name?”
“Will.”
“Will what?”
“Dunno.”
The stranger’s eyes glinted behind his glasses at the response. Will pushed some of his pink-red hair out of his face, looking back to the ground.
“My name is Todd.”
“And?”
“I’d like to recruit you. How old are you?”
“Recruit me for what?” Will scowled.
Todd pushed his round glasses up the bridge of his nose, revealing silvery-blue irises behind them.
“I run a circus, you see. We’re in need of another trapeze artist.”
Will’s eye twinkled ever so slightly.
“Not interested.” He responded, taking great interest in the cobblestone path beneath them.
“That so? You can’t fool an expert on foolery.”
Will finally looked back into Todd’s eyes, swallowing both his pride and excitement.
“Fine, I’ll bite. How much does it pay?”
“Pay?” Todd laughed, an almost menacing sound, tossing his head back to allow his pine green hair to shimmer in the light. “You needn’t worry about pay. Our circus is a home , you’re paid in food and shelter and companionship. Again, how old are you?”
Will assessed his options before answering. It was true that he had nowhere else to go, no money, shelter, or family, but a circus? Not even one that pays? It all sounded suspicious, but what other choice did he have? He squared his shoulders, straightening up a little.
“Eighteen. And I’ll take the job.”
“Wonderful! You’ll have a lovely time here, I promise.”
Todd stuck out his hand for Will to take, pulling him up, then wrapped an arm around his shoulders, guiding him by his back as he went on and on about how incredible his new job would be. Well, more like home.
Or, unbeknownst to Will, what would become a prison.
_________________________________
Once they arrived at the caravan, Todd took the time to introduce Will to each and every member of the troupe until he stopped at one in particular.
“Will, I’d like you to meet Greg.”
A young man, Greg apparently, perked up at the sound of his name. He set down what he seemed to be fixing to turn to the pair and introduce himself. He wore his striped purple circus uniform, complete with a jester’s hat. The shades of the outfit clearly complimented his yellow eyes and light purple hair. As he approached, Will was quick to notice the yellow triangle painted onto his cheek, almost like a signature.
“As he said, I’m Greg, nice to meet you.” He said pleasantly, briefly shaking hands with Will before addressing Todd. “I’m assuming he’s our new trapeze artist?”
“That is correct. I trust you’ll take good care of him.”
“Of course.” It was only then that Greg smiled. He was quite mild-mannered compared to someone as extravagant as Todd, making him easy to relax around.
“Wonderful.” Todd replied, before turning back to Will. “Your training will start tomorrow, so be sure to rest up. Come, follow me.”
Will nodded, dutifully following as Greg gave a slight wave after them.
The next day was painful, to say the least.
It started early with very little to eat as Todd explained the day’s agenda. For Will, that meant beginning to learn to fly and watching the troupe’s show that night. As it turned out, that would become his schedule for merely a week before finally performing.
Once their leader dismissed everyone, Will followed Greg to the tent and up to the trapeze.
Oh, God. Nobody told him it would be this high. He could feel his hands getting clammier by the second.
“Okay. This is our lowest swing, plus there’s netting, so you should be fine. I’ll demonstrate what I’m going to teach you, got it?” Greg explained, his voice firm, but retaining that mild pleasantry Will had come to recognize.
“Got it.” Will replied, trying not to sound scared shitless.
Merely a second after his student’s reply, Greg leaped off of the platform, soaring to the first swing, gaining momentum, then flipping to catch the second between his knees. Will couldn’t help but gasp, terrified for his own safety. Then, Greg sprang off of the second swing to return to the first, and landed safely back on the platform. Will clapped quietly.
“Thanks. Now you try.” Greg said flatly.
“Wait, what?”
“You try. Did you not hear me?”
“I did, it’s just that you expect me to do this with no experience?” Will asked, terribly hiding his fear.
“You can at least get to the first swing, right?”
“Uh…”
“Just go.” Greg ordered.
Will’s eyes widened before stepping up to the platform.
The trapeze sways back and forth gently, waiting for his approach. Was the ground swaying as well? He couldn’t tell. God, he was sweaty. Could he do this? He wasn’t the most active person…
“Did you hear me?” Greg pressed, a little agitated, interrupting Will’s spiral of thoughts.
“Yessir.” Will replied, trying desperately to keep his composure.
He took a deep breath, straightened up, and leapt, reaching for the swing.
Unfortunately, he didn’t reach far enough and was sent plummeting to the ground with a scream.
After having a split-second vision of death, he found himself safely cradled by the netting.
“What was that, dumbass?! Did you not play on monkey bars as a kid or something?” Greg snapped from above, sounding almost like an entirely different person.
“I told you I didn’t have any experience!” Will called back.
“Then get back up here, don’t just sit there like a dead fish!”
“Yessir.”
Will wanted to cry. What happened to the kind teacher that was there not even a minute ago?
The jumping and missing continued endlessly, with each one gaining an insult and more anger from Greg.
After countless tries(with some actually managing to catch the swing only to have it slip from his hands immediately after), Will finally managed to keep a hold on the first swing. He looked over his shoulder at Greg, elated.
“So you can handle simple tasks! You took so long, the dinosaurs evolved into birds! Now get some momentum and go to the other one, feet first,” he snapped, his voice remaining sharp.
There went that moment of joy for the first time in weeks.
Will did as he was instructed, using his legs to propel himself forward only to have the bar slip from his hands, sending him back to the floor.
“God DAMMIT, you can’t do anything, can you?” Greg screamed, frustrated.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry isn’t going to cut it! You’re performing in a week! You can’t do the most basic thing and Todd’s just gonna put you on stage? What is wrong with him?!”
“I’m….sorry.” Will repeated meekly.
“Shut up. Our call time’s in fifteen minutes, so just leave. We’re done.” Greg stated with a sigh.
“Okay.”
That night’s show was a spectacle to behold.
The ring was lit beautifully as the acts performed, showing off every last bit of their talent. Will hadn’t even realized how many people there were, even if he was introduced to all of them. Sword swallowers, beast tamers, clowns, dancers, practically any talent he could think of was here.
Yet Greg was the only trapeze artist. It was odd seeing him smile as he flew across the rig. He looked so free, you wouldn’t even imagine he was the one so harshly scolding Will not too long ago.
The audience cheered as he left the stage, and, before he know it, the show was over. The cast took a final bow as the audience gave a standing ovation, Will jointing them.
“We’d like to thank you all for coming today,” Todd started, silencing the crowd, “as well as introduce a new cast member! Please give a warm welcome to WIll!”
The spotlight moved from Todd to WIll, who waved sheepishly to the crowd as they cheered him on before Todd was the center of attention again.
“Once more, thank you all for coming, and goodnight!” He shouted, waving the audience goodbye.
After everyone was gone, the cast began preparing to shut the place down, making sure everything was safe before they slept.
As Will headed back to his area, he passed Todd having a conversation with Greg.
“We need to cu him, the kid can’t even hold on!”
“That’s your job to teach him, isn’t it?”
“I mean, seriously, did you pick him up off the streets? He’s useless”
“Greg. He can learn.”
“He has no potential for that!”
Will didn’t want to hear any more. This shouldn’t concern him.
The next morning, the routine began bright and early.
He’d jump, fall, be old he was fine, and come back to the platform.
Jump, fall, reassurance.
Jump, grab, praise.
Jump, fall, dangerously calm.
Jump, fall, insult.
He caught it. Still an insult.
The process was grueling, and Greg didn’t seem to let up at any point. He’d even gotten permission to train before and after regular hours and showtime.
Will just wanted out.
Or, rather, he wanted some approval for once in his life, and he would risk everything to get it, including his sanity.
The boy didn’t sleep.
There were several occasions where he’d sneak out to the tent in the middle of the night just to fly. The pain didn’t matter. The blood, the sweat, the tears he shed on the net in ungodly hours of the night were nothing. All he wanted was to prove that motherfucker wrong. He was better than what his mentor believed him to be. He wasn’t talentless. He could do this.
So he sucked in a breath, wiped his bloody hands on his pants, and climbed up the stairs.
_________________________________
That week felt like a month, but passed in what seemed like a day.
His time had come. He was going to perform.
Will stood at his platform, looking over the audience as they gathered. Men, women, children all looked around the tent in excitement for what they were about to witness. He fiddled with the top of his yellow jester hat, hoping it looked right.
Will glanced across the tent to Greg who stood on the opposite platform in his identical purple costume. He gave WIll a dead stare that said “don’t screw this up.” Will gulped, hoping the same.
The lights dimmed, and he wiped his sweaty palms on his thighs.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! We welcome you to Cirque Manifique! Please enjoy the show!” Todd announced.
The audience’s applause was thunderous, and WIll braced himself.
The opening number was simple for him at this point. He had relatively easy choreography, just jumping to grab Greg’s hands, leaping to the second swing, and landing on the opposite platform. He’d done it a thousand times. He thought he had it down, even if Greg disagreed.
The spotlight flashed to the highest point on the tent, highlighting Greg as he flew across the trapeze, until he finally reached the point where Will was meant to enter.
He felt like he was in slow motion.
Greg swung towards him, that uncharacteristic smile on his face, arms open wide as he hung from his legs. Will swallowed his fear and jumped, reaching for him. His hands made contact with Greg’s forearms, gripping them tightly.
Until they didn’t.
Will fought the urge to scream with the audience as he plummeted towards the ground for what felt like hours.
Looking up at Greg, his expression went from a trained smile to a split second of anger, then to feigned panic.
That little shit never cared for him, Will thought to himself as he finally reached the netting, shutting his eyes to block everything out.
The lights rose to their standard brightness. Will’s vision shifted to spots of red.
Todd tried to calm the audience and pause the show. Will fought back tears.
Greg asked if he was okay, but all he wanted to do was disappear.
The rest of the night was a blur.
Even though he wasn’t injured, Will didn’t continue to his second act in the show and was sent straight back to his quarters. Despite this, the only person angry at him was Greg, who gave him a piece of his mind after he was sure Todd had left the vicinity.
“What the hell was that?! You’re telling me you trained constantly but can’t even put on a decent show? What am I to you, a mother? Someone you take suggestions from? Is that it?”
Will shook his head.
“Let me hear it. What am I to you?” Greg pressed on angrily.
“A teacher.” Will replied meekly.
“That’s right. And you have shown that either I’m not doing my job correctly, or that you can’t be taught. Which is it?”
Silence.
“Which is it? That wasn’t rhetorical.”
“The latter.” Will chose the safest option.
“Right answer. We’ll start again tomorrow, from the basics.” He closed the statement by swiftly leaving.
Will wanted to do nothing but let go of those tears he’d been holding back. Instead, he went back to the trapeze.
________________________________
The cycle continued another week. Will fell during a performance and was screamed at.
Another week, same result.
It had taken a full month for him to put on a successful show, but even then that wasn’t enough for Greg.
Three months, 45 more successful shows, 92 days of pain as payment. Will had enough. Without a word to the rest of the troupe, he left. He was almost sure Greg would kick his ass, and Todd might be a little sad, but this didn’t bring him any happiness.
This wasn’t the home he was promised.
Anther week passed. He barely managed to survive.
Leaning against the wall of a building, he stared at the sky, hoping for some sort of miracle.
“Excuse me,” came a man’s voice. Will looked to meet it, finding a tall man holding a cane and wearing a large overcoat. His hair was cut in uneven strands around his face in a pretty plum color that almost matched his red eyes.
“Would you be interested in joining a circus?”