Chapter Text
Without dreams, can humans truly perceive the scope of reality and possibility?
-Encrypted
⋆｡°·☁︎ ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ ⋆°.☾⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ
I woke up dazed.
Warm sunlight shining through leaves onto my face. I’m propped up against a tree that's probably seen many over the years. In front of me lies a meadow that looks almost endless, it’s calm with the only sound heard is the wind blowing through the leaves. Standing up I brush off any dirt that lingers from my nap. Looking around I don’t see anything ahead so instead of staying around to find out I set off. Walking through the field feels straight out of a dream. A calming silence only broken by the wind against the grass, the sky slowly getting darker fireflies become visible. I follow their light, guiding me endlessly almost. As the lights grew dimmer the trail that could be compared to golden sparkles came to an end. Light reappeared in my field of vision, a small looking town.
Entering the town it seems almost no one's out right now, an eire silence fills the town. I start to wander as I've done a lot today. It's a nice town. Their market looks like it would be lively, there are some toys scattered around in some patches of grass. Looking around more I found a flyer… it's for a traveling circus act. They have 3 shows. It seems that today is the 1st one, which explains why it's almost completely empty. The warm light of the sun slowly starts to fade. I suppose it's time to find somewhere to stay for a bit. Glancing around for a few seconds I spot an inn to stay at. Inside the small inn there's a check in desk with a lady staring directly at me? She gestures for me to come over so I do.
“Hey there kiddo! How can I help ya today?” she says with a smile.
“I’m looking for a place to stay for a few nights,” I replied.
“Well you're in luck I just so happen to have a few rooms available! Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect with the circus in town.” she says, we make small talk while she is grabbing a key to a room.
“Your room number is room 34 here's the key, enjoy your stay in Stillville!”
So that's what this place is called, I took the key out of her hand and went up to see the room. Looking closer at the key it has a beautiful design on it. It's your basic key but the bow of it is square rather than round. The bow itself has a square inside square design but it's tilted so it looks a bit like a diamond as a base with a sunflower carved on top of the base. A few leaves around the borders and a small loop for a string or keyring at the top of it. After climbing up the stairs to the 2nd floor I found my room and unlocked it. It was a simple room with a small bed in 1 corner, 1 desk with a candle lamp. Thankfully, I passed by a public bathroom on the way up. I think back to the poster… maybe stopping by wouldn't be so bad. I make my way out of the inn with the key now attached to a necklace chain around my neck hidden by my sweater. It doesn't take long for me to find the performance venue as it's your classic circus tent. A shorter line in front of the entrance. I guess everyone's entered already as I walk into line. Slowly everyone else(including myself) filed into the tent and found seats. I find one in one of the middle rows and the lights are dimmed.
With a sudden appearance of confetti and smoke someone in a masquerade mask appears obscuring their face.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to our show performed by THE OUTCASTS!” The ringmaster said with your classic show voice.
As quickly as the ringmaster had appeared they disappeared. The performers slowly started to emerge with beautiful black and white costumes with some rainbow details, I guess that was their theme. They truly stunned the crowd from their costumes already embodying ‘oil spill’ in fashion. Frills, tassels, lace and ribbon the costumes had it all. The next hour passed by in cheers from the crowd and awe. It was hypnotizing to see people in their craft. Occasionally the ringmaster would reappear in the shadows of the performance. I guess I was so distracted by the confetti and smoke that I didn’t notice the eye on their chest. It was a bit bigger than your average human eye but with their costumes the eye blended in as if it were a tattoo. The eye had black 2d looking spiky eyelashes, white waterlines, black sclera, white grey iris and black pupil. The show continued on with the crown mesmerized until it ended. The confetti reappeared. The crowd cheered
“AUDIENCE! I would like to thank you for coming to the first night of our show in your town. I hope you come again to our show. Our crew had a lot of fun tonight getting to perform and interact with you. Thats it for night one and i’ve been your ringmaster, Jester”
With that he disappeared but it felt eerie. The crowd started to funnel out quickly as it was definitely late. When the market reopens in the morning I should invest in a watch. Children, parents, everyone was happy leaving the tent. I looked back at the tent once again while I was leaving. It was dark outside now with no stars to be seen. I head back into the inn, the lady who’s name is Kathy seems to have left her desk at some point while I was gone. I head upstairs back to my room. Opening the door I find the room looking seemingly like I left it. Filled with sleep in my eye bags I collapse onto the bed and fall asleep again.
⋆｡°·☁︎ ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ ⋆°.☾⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ
I start waking up, it's still dark outside? Then I heard it quiet shuffling and then a figure appeared in front my desk putting a letter down?
“Hey! What are you doing here!” I shout at the mysterious shadow who seemingly disappears in front of my eyes in a split second. I get up to look at the letter. It's not addressed to anyone but inside the letter are the words
Help us.
I look at the words again bewildered. Who, how am I supposed to help? Looking at the letter again properly this time is a meet up address.
Meet after 2nd show stay close to the tent entrance
Not one to shy away from aiding someone in need, I decided to do it.
⋆｡°·☁︎ ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ ⋆°.☾⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ
I wake up again the next morning with sunlight shining through the singular window. I guess I just have to wait it out till tonight so I might as well explore. I go downstairs to the bathrooms and freshen up. Afterwards, I went to the inn’s small mess hall where there was warm food waiting buffet style. Walking through I pick up 2 waffles, some kind of syrup with a spiky looking leaf on the bottle and blueberries. The food was absolutely amazing and it felt like my day started great.
Walking out of the inn to the market I remember I wanted to buy a watch so it'd be easier to keep track of time. It took some time browsing through open stalls with sad scams till I found an old pawn shop.
It was packed but I was looking for watches and only that. The items around me fascinated me, a big jeweled egg, a dusty mirror. There were so many things in this tiny shop but I quickly found the jewelry. Looking at the jewelry there were some beautiful things I would totally buy like this set of 10 rings, looking to the left I see watches. It was honestly a quick pick for me, a simple black leather banded watch with a silver border. Easy to look at and simple. I headed for the checkout where an old man was sitting.
Without missing a beat he said “consider that watch free i’ve been trying to get rid of that old thing for years. Now skedaddle"
I still managed to say my thanks and quickly left. Once I was outside again I realised I had no money… How was I gonna pay for anything? Time for operation makes money fast. Finding small jobs in this town was surprisingly easy. Carrying groceries, helping agriculture, cleaning up peoples houses. By the end of that whole speed arc I had made a total of 112 silver coins. It was only afternoon and I still had 9 hours. I guess a few more odd jobs would hurt… right?
For the next few hours I went around town looking for more jobs and that's how I ended up finding some desperate mother looking for someone to dress up as her kids favorite character and that's how I ended up spending 4 hours as a human pinyata… at least it payed well enough with my re embersment being 200 silver coins for the trouble.
Walking around fully beat up I walked into a random alley where there were some stray cats. I looked at them and they looked at me. I sat down immediately and started to spend time with the strays for the remaining time. After begrudgingly getting up I got to the circus and stayed in line until I was let in and found a seat. Funny enough it was the same seat from the first show. The lights dimmed again and Jester appeared.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2nd show performed by our lovely crew THE OUTCASTS! I’m your host and ringmaster Jester and we hope you have a pleasant time…”
“With that LET THE SHOW BEGIN!”
Let the show begin, I repeated in my head…