Freak Show

[buildingaspaceship]

Daniel, while running, couldn't stop himself from laughing at the fact that Lana had hit her father on the nose, and as he ran with her through the house he felt an adrenaline rush. "Remind me to never get you mad like that," he laughs, his cheek stinging from the memory of yesterday's slap, but he was thankful it was only a slap and wasn't a full on punch. When he got into her room he gasped. How could anyone want to leave a room like this? Despite the abusive father, she had a wonderful life that... Well. Daniel wouldn't swap his own life with anyones, but it would be nice to have a room like this, even if it was just once. He walked through her room quickly, unsure of what she wanted him to pack, or where she kept her things. It was so neat in here, she must feel uncomfortable around him and all his mess. He walks over to her dresser and pulls it open, before hopping up and down on his feet. "How about I hold the door shut while you sort through your clothes and, uh, underwear." He says awkwardly, looking down at the drawer he had opened before running over to the door and shutting it, hearing her parents running after them.


He pushes against the door with his back when he feels a push against it, before realising that he wouldn't be able to keep him out for long. I mean, the guy was a walking mountain, maybe they could use someone in the show like him? He chuckles at the thought of Bernard in a costume before realising the severity of the problem that he was in. Taking a moment, he darts over to the nearest chair and quickly pulls it in front of the door that was almost open now that Daniel had left his post. He slams it on Bernards hand, not feeling any guilt over the matter, considering that hand had smacked Lana only moments ago. The chair was making things considerably easier to hold the door, but it wouldn't last for long. "Lana, I hate to make you do this but do you think that you could hurry up?" He says. Granted, he didn't know how exactly they'd get out of her room without facing her parents again, but it would still be a pleasant thing for her to -


Daniel is pushed out of the way of the door when the chair almost knocks him away, and he quickly moves away from the door as Bernard and Trudy enter the room. Bernards face red with anger, Daniel was even more tempted to use the knife, even if it was just a threat. So far, he hadn't had to use it very much, which he was glad for, but he wouldn't hesitate to use it here if thats what was needed. He didn't pull it out of his pocket though, instead moved to the other side of the bed, so at least there was one thing that was shielding him from Bernard for now. "Can't you just accept the fact that your daughter doesn't want to be a puppet anymore?! She's free to make her own decisions!" He says, trying to bargain, his hands held up defensively. He wasn't doing amazingly against this guy, and he didn't think he could do anymore reasoning after this. Soon, he'd have to become the savage gypsy kid that they thought he was. He glances at Lana. He'd pulled her into this mess. He shouldn't have followed her in the mirror house, that was a bad decision. But he should have forced her to leave when she said she was staying. It was no life for a girl like her, and it had just made her relationship with her parents much worse.

 

[Narwhalia]

Lana cried out when the door broke open, her father glaring at her with murder in his eyes and gin in his heart. "IF YOU LEAVE NOW," he yelled at Lana. "I'M TAKING YOU OFF THE WILL AND DISOWNING YOU AS A DAUGHTER" Lana laughed at this, putting the last nit of clothing she could fit in her bag away.


"You think I care? You think I want to live the rest of my life under your thumb just to wait around for someone to snatch up me and your money just to live under yet another tirant? No, father. No more. When I leave, if you choose to no longer accept me, then so be it. I just pray you don't later regret your actions to find you've lost me forever. Goodbye, mother and father. Thank you for all you have done, but I'm afraid i will not be needing it." Im complete shock to their daughters sudden self confidence boost, they stood motionless as Lana took Daniel's hand and walked to the front door.


"Fine! Leave! I shall lose no sleep over it!" Bernard called after her as she walked with Daniel down the road to the main street, leaving the car in the driveway.


"I'm sorry it was like this, I knew we shouldn't have come..." She sighed as they walked, having a feeling of slight joy start to take over her as she realised that, for the first time in her life, she's free.

 

[buildingaspaceship]

Daniel put his hands in his pockets as they walked, but takes the bag from her, figuring it was probably polite and gentlemanly to do so. He wishes that she could have kept the car, not so that they didn't have to walk back, because he did very much enjoy walking, but it was a wonderful car and he wished that they had place for it in the cirque. It was a shame that they didn't use cars of have any need for them, they could have kept it otherwise, but then he supposed he wouldn't find them as amazing. He shrugs his shoulders at what she says, pushing his hair out of his eyes with the free hand that wasn't holding the bag.


"Don't be stupid, you shouldn't have to apologise for that. And besides, you needed to come. Not just for a bag or to tell your parents, but to end that chapter of your life officially. You should never just leave a chapter half finished, and now you can officially start chapter two of your life with a clean slate." He says, smiling and looking at the trees that they walked through. "Hey, I never asked you... What are you... What are you going to do in the show? I mean you're an act right? Not just a worker? So what is it that you're, y'know, doing?" He questions, he didn't know what she was going to be doing and he was curious, but then the thought came into his head that he didn't really know this girl at all. She was someone he met yesterday, who he had helped join the cirque and run away from home. Why did she matter to him? Who even was she?


A car drives past, someone from town that Daniel didn't know, and he sees them looking at him and Lana strangely. There was no town where the people wouldn't make him feel judged when he was out of the camp, because it was their territory, and the police would never be in favour of the gypsy camp that housed midgets and people with no arms or covered in tattoos. Sometimes the show had been forced out of towns within the second night of being there, due to the public's opinion, and they'd had to pack up extremely fast and then were practically chased from the town. So it was natural for him to feel judged out of the camp. But when the public were in the camp, then he could do as he pleased, because they were on his territory, voluntary visitors to his land, and what he said would go. He looks at Lana, she was a curious girl. In his experience, he had never known someone who would give up a life of money for the life of travel. Most of the people who joined the cirque were from poor families, never accepted by their communities for their flaws and uniqueness, or they were born there, like him. But she had money, and she wasn't exactly a freak. He'd never understand why she had joined.

 

[Narwhalia]

Looking in the car that passed by and recognizing the driver, Lana blushed. "That was my recent boyfriend. He and my father work together, so naturally my father dreamed of me marrying him..but I broke it off because..well...let's just say he was just like my father in some ways.." Lana looked at the ground as they walked and heard his question. She giggled. "Oh I ride. Horses that is. I used to do it professionally, but jumping over bars and dodging barrels didn't quiet do it for me. I rather ride the horse and...express the emotion that comes from it. Ride it in style, if you will." She chuckles, picturing the look on her father's face when he first caught her dancing with her horse..that he then proceeded to shoot. She flinched at this memory.

 

[buildingaspaceship]

"You ride horses?" He questions, smiling a little, he nods his head up and down before cocking his head to the side slightly, "In which case you'll feel right at home, Lana, we have plenty of horses at the Cirque. And this also means that you and I will have to go riding some time, that's not got any exceptions, it'll happen..." He says, then his mouth goes into a straight line, "though, don't expect me to 'ride it in style' or whatever, I can only just ride it as a bare minimum." He grins at her, putting one hand in his pocket as they walk.


It didn't take him as long as he had thought to get back to the Cirque, and as they entered Daniel noticed that most of the fairs attractions had been packed up, along with the car park now being filled with wagons and horses. Most of his magician props were piled on one cart, another next to it empty. The horses were eating hay laid out in front of them, and Daniel noted that his two, DJ and JD, (Yes, Daniel James and James Daniel if you wanted to know) were being talked to by Arthur. As he walked up to them, leading Lana along behind him, he noticed that the air of the cirque was quite different to this morning.

 

[Narwhalia]

Lana smiled, seeing the horse. She picked up her pace, heading towards them. The horses seemed startled at first, seeing a stranger practically jogging towards them, but for some reason as soon as she lay her fingers gingerly on their heads, they calmed down. Lana ran her fingers through their manes, closing her eyes as she did so.


Something mystical happened whenever Lana was around horses. She forgot everything else, and simply worshipped the grace of the beasts.


From behind them, Surini walked up with a white and black speckled Clydesdale colt. Lana grinned excitedly.


"I hope this is alright, I couldn't find either of you, and we needed to get things moving before the sun sets." He smiles, handing the reigns over to Lana who took them in her hands firmly, afraid someone might take her prize. She shook her head at Surini, squeeling with joy.


"No, sir! He's perfect! Or she?"


"He," Surini chuckled m


"Oh he's gorgeous, isn't he Daniel?!" Lana's face lit up like never before. "I'll name him after I've gotten to know him more. We're going to be best friends, arent we?" The colt licked her hand and whinied. She giggled excitedly.

 

[buildingaspaceship]

Daniels own face lit up at seeing Lana with the horses, it was like seeing a child with a new toy on their birthday. He grins, though doesn't reach out to touch the horse. It's not that he was afraid, or didn't want to, it's just from his particular experience he didn't really have a way with horses, and they didn't seem to particularly like him much. The two that he had now weren't even happy with him around, and the older of the two was the only one who would let him ride them. He looks at the horse though, he was perfect for Lana, and indeed, very gorgeous. He nods his head slowly in an agreement with her, before narrowing his eyes at Surini.


Taking a few steps away from Lana and the horse, he takes Arthur by the arm and walks out of earshot of Lana, before beginning to speak in a hushed voice. "We don't leave on Sundays. We never travel at dark. What's going on?" He asks him, cautiously, crossing his arms across his chest. He had sensed something wrong. Not at the sight of the packed up fair, because that was usually done on a Sunday, but the air of the cirque felt wrong to him.


Surini leans in closer to him before making sure Lana or anyone else wasn't listening. Yes, the others would know that something was wrong, but a lot of them didn't ask questions like Daniel did, and Surini didn't often enjoy causing a commotion in the camp. "There was a threat," he says, and before Daniel can start asking questions he holds up his hands in defence, "nothing major. We're just taking precaution by leaving early."

 

[Narwhalia]

Lana sees Daniel walk off, and frowns at his facial expression while talking to Arthur. She wished she knew what they were talking about, but could only wonder. She pet the young colt, talkimg to it. "You are so mystical, you are. Ah yes. Oh and your eyes are the most beautiful blue. Oh we're going to be great friends. Just like..." Lana wondered to herself...


Why was she so comfortable around Daniel, so easily had she gone from curiosity to hate to attraction...attraction? It seemed strange to think she was attracted to him, but why should it be? It's not as if he was cruel, in fact he had shown her queit some bit of chivalry, with a dash of a rebellious streak that she found herself admiring. She led the colt to Surini's wife, asking where to load up the colt.


"Oh, my dear, come with me I'll show you," she smiled warmly. Leading her to the third to last car, the helped her bring the fearful colt up the ramp and into a pen. "You may sit with it if you like until we take off, and then ill show you to the crews cars." She smiled. "We're having a party tonight. In celebration of our newest member!" She threw her hands up in the air and Lana blushed.


"Oh you don't have to do that!" Lana said bashfully.


"Oh don't be silly. It's a tradition! Your...indoctrination into the family, if you will."

 

[buildingaspaceship]

Daniel nods, and before he can ask any more questions, Arthur excuses himself with the reasoning of going off to help some other performer with their cart. Left alone and slightly confused, he wanted to know what the threat was, but decided to ask later as he shrugged his shoulders, walking over to where he had left Lana and her colt. He was surprised to see her gone, and widened his eyes, before listening to voices anywhere nearby. He stopped panicking when he heard her and Annie talking in one of the carts, and mentally slapped himself for being so afraid in the first place. No harm could come to her here.


He walks in the direction of the cart, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking up at the slightly grey sky as he went. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to the previous days events, and todays, and he feels slightly puzzled by the fact that he was so... He couldn't describe it. I mean, he liked her, he really did, but he couldn't admit that to even himself. She was something different.





Walking up the ramp to the cart, he sees Annie and Lana. He smiles and leans against the wall of the horse cart, looking from Annie to Lana, pushing his hair out of his eyes. He crosses his arms across his chest, "What's this about a party I hear, ma'am?"