Evil Passion
By
S.G. McKinley
Evil Passion
Copyright 2012 S.G. McKinley
Published by Sharon Watson
Smashwords Edition
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Chapter 1
Buses, wagons, and cars made their way down the old paved highway carrying tents, animals, and carnival workers.
Two of the older carnies, Claude and Shaniqua Robbins, stared out the window of their travel bus, taking in the sight of the wooded areas and the towns they went through.
“I think we’ll like this area,” Claude mumbled to his wife.
Shaniqua smiled, patting him on the knee. “I do, too. We wanted peace and quiet after working all these years. The town called Sinister sounds like what the doctor ordered. Nice and quiet!”
Chuckling, Claude replied, “I hope the rowdy ones don’t get us kicked out before we can establish ourselves. Maybe setting up the carnival will draw a few folks in. After that, we can take over and move into town. I believe Justin will feel better there also.”
Justin, the man he referred to, is much quieter than the others. Young, he’s one of the smaller members of the carnival tour, and stays sullen and sits brooding most of the time.
Everyone calls him Warrior because of his volatile nature. He has black hair that hangs to his waist, and his eyes are dark, accented by the fact he is full-blood Indian. His ears, nose, and tongue are pierced. Tattoos of demons and vampires can be seen along his arms, chest, and left leg, and covering between his shoulder blades there is a larger tattoo of a skull with wings. On his right leg is a tattoo of barbed wire, wrapping around as if someone has taken the real thing and wound it about his leg. He isn’t overly muscled. Girls will swoon over him, but he would eventually have eyes for only one girl.
Others traveling with the carnival talked animatedly with one another.
“I wonder if we’ll be accepted in the town?” asked one small woman whose name is Faye.
Jed, a tall giant of a man, mumbled, “Who cares! We can take over like we’ve done several times before. They won’t know what hit them!”
“Yeah! Rope them in with the rides, and then we can show them what we really intend to do. We want a new home!” shouted Duncan, who has no arms but can do things perfectly with his feet.
Claude raised his voice and told the others, “Now calm down! We’ll go in and set up and reel the people in town into our lair, and only then after we get them to enjoying themselves will we move further into town and make ourselves at home. We don’t want to spook them before we can check the place out.”
One of the trapeze artists named Fran agreed with Claude. “Listen to Claude and Shaniqua! They have never done us wrong. I like it here so far. We’re away from loud cities.”
“Yeah, you’re right, Franny. We’ll do business as usual, then settle down in privacy,” spoke up Brenton, another trapeze flyer. He and Fran are married, and have three children who also work the high ropes and nets. All teens, their names are Cajun, Betsy, and Donovan.
There are smaller children in the carnival family as well. They range in ages from infant to ten years old.
The carnival members appear quiet in their family lives, and won’t get close to outsiders. They have been trying for the last few years to find a place to retire and live out their years.
All of the carnies appear different in certain ways. There are large men over seven feet, and small people who stand two feet at the shortest. Others have deformities. A few have odd-shaped bodies, such as long slender heads.
“Hey, Warrior!” called out Dennis, the talker for the carnival. “How do you feel about this move we’re making? You haven’t said a word since we left Groverton.”
Justin shook his head and continued to stare out the window.
“Well, guess he won’t say a word until we get there. Damn man never says shit! Sometimes I don’t know what to make of him,” Dennis muttered.
In reply, Justin raised his hand without turning around and directed his middle finger toward Dennis.
Dennis saw the gesture and shrank back, mumbling low, “Guess he told me! I better hush while I still have a tongue!”
Claude started chuckling and told the man, “Yep, you got that right. He’d cut it out and not think anything else about it.”
“Yeah!” a young woman spoke up. “Like he stuck that young couple in that town two weeks ago! Or the time he sliced Harvey on his face. That left a nasty scar! Or then there was the time…” and the young woman abruptly hushed as she saw Justin moving toward her.
Justin had eased from his seat and pulled out his switchblade, and he stepped over to the young bleached-blonde woman with only one ear and no fingers on her left hand.
He put the knife to her face and glared at her, whispering, “Would you like to lose that other ear, or maybe some more fingers? How about me carving a new hole in your body? Bitch, you need to shut up. You talk too much. Instead of Dennis losing a tongue, maybe it’ll be you! Can’t stand that high shrill voice of yours, anyway.”
The girl froze, trembling. Her name is Amber. She’s the girl of the carnival who loves sex and gives it out freely if someone wants it. She has been into numerous run-ins with Justin. He harbors no desire to be with her.
“Warrior…look, why don’t we go to the back and I will make it up to you. What do you say? Just once? Then I won’t bug you any more, okay?” Amber whispered.
Justin looked her up and down, bending over closer to her face, and he said to her, “Why would I bed a skank like you, Amber? When and if I find the girl I want in my bed, it will be on my terms…nobody else’s. You need to go sniffing around someone else, because you’ll never have me! Got it, slut?”
Amber smiled seductively at him and ran her finger down one side of his face.
“See, you want me. You would not be so close to me if you didn’t. Warrior, don’t fight it. Give in to me, baby. You’ll have a nice time. I know I will.”
Without another word, Justin’s face became dark and an evil smile appeared. He ran the switchblade along Amber’s arm, nicking the skin slightly. She flinched, but stayed put. Justin took his eyes off her face and looked over her thin body. With a swift movement, he raised his hand and sliced her cheek. She screamed and grabbed her face, blood running.
Stepping back away from her, Justin sneered, “Now you and Harvey match. Keep running your filthy mouth, and you will lose your tongue. Then you can try to do your famous mouth jobs all the guys brag about. If I hear another word out of you, I will be back. Do you want that? Huh, Amber? Answer me, damn it!”
Shaking, her hands bloody, Amber shrank back from him.
“No Warrior. I don’t want that. I’ll be quiet the rest of the trip. Please, I’m sorry. I don’t want to lose my tongue. It makes me money.”
Stepping back and wiping the knife on his black jeans, Justin glared at the girl.
He said to her, “I don’t know why. No telling where that thing’s been.”
Justin looked around the bus at the rest of the carnival people, and then he went back to sit. Everybody grew quiet, and they remained that way for another few miles down the road.
Claude and Shaniqua watched Justin settle down again. They know he’s angry because his eyes are darker than usual. Amber has been pushing her luck, and soon they might lose her. Both know it.
Justin growled to himself, his breath hissing as he mumbled, “When I find her, she’ll know it. Nobody thus far has been sufficient to belong to me. I’ll stay alone until she comes along.”
The older couple heard him and smiled at one another. Maybe he would find a woman in the town they’re going to. The name of it fits his attitude.
The bus driver, Gandy, looked up in his rearview mirror and shook his head. After driving a little farther, he reached and turned the radio on, and some of the carnies began singing. The trip became nice again.
Another ten miles down the road and the outskirts of the small town could be seen. As they drew closer, an old sign came into view. It has been broken at the corners, and graffiti is written over it, but still they can read the main part.
The sign reads…Welcome to the town of Sinister! Come into our world! You won’t leave! A sign next to it read: Population 913.
Justin noticed the sign first, and he smiled. “My kind of town.”
Claude heard the young man, and he laughed. Shaniqua shook her head and watched her young friend as he took in the area they’re entering. He sat up straighter and his dark eyes roamed over the streets and buildings. Every once in a while he would stare intently at something.
Shaniqua felt like this move will be good for not only the rest of them, but also for Justin. The young man never gets interested in anything. Here he is…his dark eyes going over the town with a look that says he’s staying!
“I wonder what all those buildings are. I’ll be glad when we stop so I can investigate,” Justin mumbled to himself. His eyes took in things as they passed through town. He saw the old jail.
“Hmmm,” he said as he raised his eyebrow, “A small jail? Very interesting. That damn building could not hold much.”
He looked out the other side the window, seeing the house that serves as the hotel. A faded sign stating Hell’s Dormitory hung over the front door. A smile overshadowed his dark features.
“Definitely going to like it here.” He stood and walked to the back of the bus, the others giving him room. He stared out the back window. Everywhere he looked, he saw that the town needed some work.
Farther along the street, Justin saw the house that looks to be the Post Office. The small grocery market, a mercantile, one lone church, and a barbershop greeted everyone’s eyes in the buses and other vehicles of the carnival entourage. There is also a bank.
Driving farther into the town proper, the buildings appear old, along with the roads being combined dirt and pavement. The houses dotting the countryside are in dire need of paint. Nearly everywhere they looked, they saw little yards with tiny picket fences wrapping around the neat gardens and flowerbeds. Chain link fencing surrounded the main parts of the yards. Windmills are seen in some yards, their fans spinning slowly.
What managed to get Justin’s attention the most is the bar and café.
“Well, I’ll be damned! What do they call them?” he muttered.
Looking at the top of the door of the bar, he saw a sign that read Evil’s Playground. He noticed the table out front, and an older man sitting in a chair outside the door.
The café had an old metal sign on the sidewalk, and on it are the words The Devil’s Eatery.
“Yeah, this works fine. Everything has an evil and eerie sound to it. Nothing will change.” Justin turned and walked back to his seat and faced Claude. “You and Shaniqua will run the café. This will be home. No arguments!” His hard black stare has always been enough to let the older couple know he means business.
The carnival vehicles drove through the small town and stopped when they made it to the end of town. They saw a good spot in an open field to set up for their carnival. As the carnies stopped and climbed out of the trailers and buses, they stretched.
Dennis whistled low, rubbing his forehead. “Sinister! That’s a catchy name for a little town. Wonder how bad the place is? Looks too quiet for me!”
“Just the way I like it,” Justin growled as he walked by Dennis and started toward the café. Claude began trying to catch up to Justin, and Shaniqua laughed and joined the two as they went across the street.
Dennis shrugged his shoulders.
“Hmm, might as well. We need to eat something! No telling how good the food is.” He followed the other three.
As the other carnies came in and seated themselves in the café, the woman and man behind the counter opened their eyes wide. The woman’s name is Susie, and her husband is the cook. His name is Fred. The visitors intimidated them.
Claude walked over to the bar and asked Susie, “Ma’am, what’s the special today?”
Susie’s mouth hung open.
“What? Special? Umm…who are you? Where did you come from? What is wrong with all of you?”
Justin climbed onto the nearest barstool. He took out his switchblade, considered it a minute or two, but put it into his pocket and instead reached into his boot and pulled out a bowie knife.
As Justin slammed the tip of the blade into the top of the bar, he growled, “He asked what the special is for the day. You don’t need to be so damn nosy. It’s none of your business what’s wrong with us. Just serve us whatever you have to eat.” He jerked his knife out of the bar top when Susie nodded at him.
Susie trembled, casting her eyes back to Fred. “What can we do? They want to eat.”
“Then I guess we feed them, and maybe they will be on their way,” Fred told her.
Susie took out a pad and pencil and went around taking orders, but she still remained afraid of the stranger ones. As she walked by Jed, he pinched her on her butt, and she shrieked and jerked around and stared at the tall man. He winked and made a kiss face at her. She took orders quickly and went behind the bar.
The door opened and an older gentleman walked in. He swept his eyes around the café and nodded to Susie.
As he climbed on a barstool he asked her, “When did the new ones pull in?”
Susie lowered her voice and answered him, “A little bit ago. I hope they leave soon. They give me the creeps. One of the big ones pinched me on my butt earlier.”
The man laughed, spewing out the hot coffee Susie had handed him.
She frowned and told him, “George, it’s not funny! I wish they would eat and leave!”
George sighed and told her, “Susie Q, that’s not very nice. They’re people like us. They deserve to eat. too. There are quite a few of them, so maybe they need some rooms. I imagine they’ll find the hotel easily enough.”
After serving the carnies, Susie stayed at the bar with George.
Justin walked up and paid out, but as Susie handed him his change he muttered, turning his dark black eyes on her, “Now, without me using my knife again, tell me something. If a person wanted to own this café, who would they talk to?”
Susie backed away from the little man, and she stuttered, “My husband and I own it. It’s not for sale. We have owned it since we moved here. I’m sorry, but you need to look elsewhere.”
Justin sighed, reaching back into his boot and pulling the bowie knife out. He walked around the end of the bar and up to Susie. He leaned closer to her, gesturing for her to bend down.
The knife was laid next to her neck and he quietly asked her, “Now, again…how does a person own this bar? Lady, I’m trying to be nice. You’re testing my patience, though. We’re not going anywhere. We like this town. Nice name for it, too. So, what’ll it be? Do you sell me this bar, or do I show you what happens when I get upset?”
Fred eased out from the kitchen, seeing the situation in front of him.
He cleared his throat and spoke, “The wife and I have been wanting to retire lately. Now’s as good a time as any.”
Susie straightened, opened her eyes wider and gasped, “Fred! I don’t want to sell! I won’t sell! Never!” She felt the sharp edge of the blade on her leg and she cast her eyes upon Justin.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your husband wants to retire. I agree you can spend your years sitting on your front porch in a swing. Now…what will it be?” The knife pressed more into her leg and she felt a tiny cut.
Tears drifted down Susie’s cheeks, and she nodded.
“Okay, you can have it. We have used it as a supplement to our checks. Do you have any money on you for it or will you make payments?”
Justin began laughing, the evil sound grating on Susie’s ears.
“Pay for it? I have no intention of paying for it. Instead, I will take it off your hands for free. I have a man and woman to take over your duties already. So when you get ready, you can kindly leave and go home.”
Fred took off his apron and nudged Susie.
“Let’s go. Don’t argue with him. I already see we will lose. Take your apron off, and let’s get out of here.”
Susie wiped her eyes and pulled the apron from around her waist, throwing it to the floor. She and Fred gathered the few belongings they have with them and left the café, getting into Fred’s truck and going home. She felt belittled and angry, but the little man made a believer out of her that he would use the knife on her. The scratch he made is stinging.
Claude and Shaniqua, in their sixties, are very good at working things, and they can be friendly to an extent, but then they are the ones who can be often rude and standoffish, and those are the ones to be wary of.
The two walked up to Justin, and he told them, “The bar is yours until you decide to get rid of it. I agree to the person you give it to, though. Understand?”
Shaniqua told him, “Yeah, we will let you know.” She picked up the apron and put it on, and Claude took his place in the kitchen. They will have to stock it soon, but Claude knows they can go to the next town for supplies. The carnies settled and began talking and laughing.
George laughed to himself and pushed his coffee cup forward.
“Got some more coffee, Ma’am? It hits the spot today. Oh! Welcome to Sinister. From the looks of it, you’ll stay a while?”
Justin turned to the older man, nodding.
“Thinking about it. Shaniqua, the man wants coffee. Same prices. Only thing changed is the ownership.”
George told him, “Thanks, I appreciate it. You going sightseeing around the town later?”
Shaniqua watched Justin grow quiet again, and she answered George, “We plan to make it our home. The café is a start. We won’t take over everything…only what suits our fancy. We’re going to set our carnival show up on the outskirts for now. You’re welcome to come check us out.”
“Thanks! I might do that!” George sipped the coffee and quietly sat on his stool.
Chapter 2
After eating, and drinking either coffee or iced tea, the carnies paid for their food and went outside to go through the buildings.
Dennis told them, “We’ll get rooms for now. Tomorrow night we’ll set up the rides and booths. With Warrior on our side, we won’t have any problems taking over. We need to see how the people in town are. Warrior almost goofed taking over the café this quick. We needed to settle quietly, not make waves this early.”
Justin went walking past Dennis, and he told him without stopping, “You tend to your shit, and let me tend to this town. You don’t run this carnival, and you never will. Remember that!”
Dennis rubbed his eyes and chin and sighed. “Okay! Fine! Let’s the rest of us get to the damn hotel and get some sleep or do whatever!”
As Justin walked along the street and started taking in the hotel and bar across from it, he stopped and went no farther. His eyes riveted on something by the bar. The older man was gone, but the figure of a female stood on the sidewalk right outside the door, and she looked very tiny.
Dressed in black from head to toe, even her hair is a deep ebony color, the length of it hanging below her waist. The front hangs over her eyes, and a ball cap adorns her head.
He could barely catch a glimpse of her eyes through the long bangs in front. She carries an air about her; she ignores everything around. The small man saw how her skin is naturally dark, and how she seems alone.
“Interesting,” Justin mumbled to himself.
Dennis heard the small man and looked across the street at the girl. Seeing that is what has Justin’s attention, he watched her as well.
“That girl looks evil. She would fit in with us quite well,” Dennis said in a low voice.
Justin hissed back at him without taking his eyes off the young woman, “Forget it! Leave her alone! Tell the others not to mess with her, either, unless she goes around them. They can talk to her then.”
Dennis started to say, “Now look! She does fit…”
“What did I say?” Justin growled.
Dennis grew quiet and walked off in a huff, leaving Justin alone.
Justin wondered, Where do you belong, Little One?
The female lived in the town all her life. Her name is Candyce Griffin. She has taken to calling herself Blackie because it’s always been her favorite color. She’s quiet, never talking to anybody unless they said something to her first.
As the small woman turned around, she moved her head around slowly, and it looked as if she scanned the town. Suddenly, she stopped and didn’t move.
Blackie appeared to have noticed him as well. She gazed at him from under her hair, taking in the arms, the way his jeans fit his body, and the way his dark eyes seemed to glare.
Wow! she thought to herself, He is something else! She stood still as her eyes remained on him. Saliva began collecting in her mouth more than usual, and warmth flowed through her body.
Justin remained focused on her. Her head dropped, and she lowered the brim of her ball cap over her eyes, tilting her head over to one side. After a few minutes of them sizing each other up, she backed into the bar and disappeared.
Justin swallowed hard, and wiped his palms against his pants legs. He noticed his jeans had grown tighter around a certain part of his body, and the strain felt mighty painful.
Who the hell was that? Where did she come from? Thoughts began swirling inside his head.
Suddenly, he felt strange. He had never encountered any feelings like he has inside right now. It disturbed him greatly. He took off walking across the street, determined to teach that woman not to mess with his mind like she did those few moments ago.
*****
An older man and woman of the town named Foster and Dee Simmons ran the bar. When one entered the establishment, they were greeted by either Foster or Dee in their usual, “Hi there, folks. What can I get for you?” People loved the older couple, sitting and chatting with the two while they enjoyed drinks.
The young female from outside entered the bar and walked up, settling onto a stool. She nodded to Dee, and the woman smiled.
“Well, hello there Candyce! Oh! Sorry! My bad! Blackie! What would you like this morning? The usual?”
The young woman pointed to the coffeepot, and Dee put her hands on her hips.
“Coffee? No fooling? Goodness, it’s going to storm out soon. How about some pecan pie this morning?”
Candyce, or Blackie, shook her head and took the coffee, without putting cream or sugar in it. She sipped it, nodding her head. Smiling, Dee walked away to wait on other customers.
Justin walked through the door of the bar, his dark eyes scanning. Spying the female at the bar, he growled, but found that he couldn’t walk any farther.
When he looked toward the bar, he found the young woman watching him in the mirror. She has an odd look about her, and he glared harder. She shook her head slowly, and raised an eyebrow. Justin felt himself moving slightly, and his body began inching toward a table. As he inched nearer to the table in the corner, his body went back to normal, and he sat on a bench, wondering what just happened.
As Justin glanced back toward the bar, he saw the young woman finish her coffee, and she slid some change over to Dee. Dee chuckled and took the money, going to the register to deposit it.
“Thanks, Hon. You don’t get into too much trouble now. Will I see you at lunch?”
Blackie nodded once, shot a troubled look over toward Justin, and she walked out the door. A chill wind swept over the bar, but quickly vanished as soon as she vacated the premises. Justin knows the signs. The woman is fiercely into the Dark Arts. He is as well.
For some reason, she targeted him already. He meant to give her hell over his feelings, but instead she incapacitated him and made him move to the corner. He knows he has met his match. The feelings began growing deeper inside of him.
“She’s mine. Somehow…someway…that bitch is all mine. Nobody else will lay a hand on her,” Justin growled to himself.
Dee walked over and asked Justin, “Care for some coffee to start with, or do you want a beer?”
Justin looked toward the door. Dee noticed, and her smile widened. It seemed as if Blackie has someone’s attention.
Waiting for him to reply, she mumbled, “That little girl’s our little neighborhood demon child. She’s very anti-social, and doesn’t say much.”
Justin nodded, and told her, “Coffee. Black.”
Dee wrote it on her pad and walked off, but she said to him as she left, “You can sit at the bar now if you’d like. She won’t be back in until noon.”
Justin rolled his eyes and followed her to the bar, settling onto a stool. Quietly drinking his coffee, he pondered the situation about the woman in black.
He knows deep inside he needs to watch out for her.
Soon, the carnies began entering and checking out the bar. The smaller ones either climbed on chairs as best they could, or remained on the floor.
Dee served them all, saying to them, “Welcome to Sinister! It’s nice to have new people coming through. I hope you intend to stay a while.”
Faye, the small woman on the bus, told her, “We want to live here. Will that be a problem?”
A surprised look crossed over Dee’s face, but she said, “Why, no! I think that’s a marvelous idea! This small town doesn’t have many in it; therefore you will be some more revenue in. Stay here as long as you want.”
Justin moved his dark eyes around the room. The others looked at him for guidance, and he nodded. They relaxed, sighing, and ordering more beer or whiskey.
Dennis eased over to Justin and asked him, “Well? This one, too?”
Justin frowned and said, “No. She welcomed us. She keeps her bar.”
Dee heard this exchange, and she felt glad she has been nice to them. With just this little bit of talk between the two, she gathered they’re going to stay put indefinitely. She didn’t want trouble, and they’re people like herself. They’re only a little different. She held no anxiety toward them.
*****
The carnies bedded down in the hotel for the night, but early the next day they were at the edge of town building their carnival. Once the show started every evening, the carnies used their lingo amongst themselves. Otherwise they talked normally.
Dennis yelled out, “Okay, let’s get this show on the road! You bigger men get the rides up while some of the rest of us get the tents together. The younger members will tend to the animals. Faye, you’re the designated baby-sitter for the little ones today. That will keep them out of our way.”
Faye nodded, saying, “Done deal. Come on, babies; let’s go to another area where we won’t be in the way of the rest of our family.” She gathered the youngest children and went to a far spot of the field, but yet stayed close enough to listen to Dennis or Justin should they call.
The younger members too young to help set up the booths and rides romped and played. The older children did their chores of arranging the food booths and helping the adults set the toys on the pegs or behind the counters. The men erected the tents and rides.
Some of the younger children in town walked over to watch the carnival tents going up.
One of the boys asked Dennis, “Sir, when will you be open?”
Dennis glanced over at the teenage boy, saying, “We should be come nightfall.”
“Thanks, mister! I’ll go tell my parents,” the boy replied. He raced back along the street.
When they saw the toys and food booths, the younger residents in town ran to their homes to tell their parents about the circus coming to town.
After setting everything like usual, and having the carnival vehicles parked behind the carnival, the signs were placed close to the street. Dennis and Justin placed signs at each end of town pointing to the carnival.
“Well,” Justin mumbled, “that should do it. Now we have to drive a while to the other towns we wanted signs put around in.”
With the tents like they are, the carnival was easy to spot. Dennis and Justin rode in a fifty-mile radius to advertise the show. Someone will definitely come to ride or check things out.
Dennis told Justin, “If this doesn’t help us, nothing will. You’re positive about this town of Sinister? You think it’s for us?”
“Have I ever steered you wrong before, Dennis? It looks like it’s a farming town. I’m willing to bet the men and women who do work other than farms go out of town for their jobs. Their children are schooled at the next closest town. A bus picks them up. You sit back and watch,” Justin assured the man. “Of course, it’s for us! It looks like it has waited for us to take over for a while now. Some buildings need repair, but we can do it. We started over so many times, this will be a piece of cake.”
“Yeah, somehow I feel you’re right. I liked Sinister when we first came into view of it. I knew the final word was yours, though. I have to say…I’m glad you decided to make it home, and the rest of the family loves it as well,” Dennis told the shorter man. “Incidentally, Amber hasn’t been seen since we arrived. Would you know anything about that?”
“She’s taken care of. She didn’t want to stay in Sinister with us. Oh, and it looks like we won’t have to go looking for animal food for a little while. I found some.”
Dennis nodded, not saying anything else. They climbed into the old truck used for supply runs, and drove back to Sinister.
*****
The first night of the show, the town came out in droves for it.
Dennis called out, “Come on, everybody! Come see the sights! Come see the marvels of the carnival world!”
His booming voice began to collect crowds of people. They lined up to get on rides, and quite a few visited the animal tent. Most of the younger residents went through the food booths and prize areas.
Things looked good, with nobody in the carnival group causing problems. They sold candy apples and cotton candy until they were almost out. It appeared the town has never had a carnival or circus before. A few games were won in order to make the people keep coming.
After the carnival shut down that first night, a lot of the town’s people called relatives.
“We have this little carnival here. You should come see it! They have rides, and lots of prizes! The food is terrific, too! The animals look as strange as the carnival people do. You ought to see the oddities!”
Over the next few days, more visitors rolled into town. As they drove toward the city limits, the same sign for the town greeted them. This sign should have warned incoming vehicles of possible dangers ahead, but instead it made them more curious about everything they have heard. Why would people not leave? Sinister is a town like any other!
The carnival started bringing people from miles around to check it out. Suddenly instead of a few days, the carnival extended to a little over a week, but the carnies continuously raked in money. If they need supplies, they went during the day to the next bigger city to restock, either for the carnival or the café.
Chapter 3
Blackie had seen the new people who belong with the carnival when she walked around town, and they immediately intrigued her.
I wonder where they came from? she thought to herself. They seem really nice. I hope they stay a long time.
Blackie loved it in Sinister. She thrived in her dark world. Nobody bothered her…until recently, with these new visitors coming into her town. The problem is, the only one that troubles her is the little man. He has this aura about him. She feels a magnetism surrounding the two of them.
He’s like me in spirit. He lives in the darkness.
Seeing the group of oddities moving around, and seeing some that only have arms and no legs or vice versa, she smiled.
I feel a kinship to them.
Long ago, her family skeletons had come out. Nobody talked about them much, but Blackie remembered the older family members discussing things.
“We have six toes and fingers in our bloodline. Some of us have more hair covering our bodies than other people, and dwarfism is deeply embedded in our heritage,” her great-grandfather told her one day. “We also have Native American, which is on both sides of our family. It’s prevalent, showing up every four years in offspring. You will see on down the line. Most will be ridiculed for our looks, or the odd things about us.”
Blackie began sneaking around where the carnies went, not caring if they are dangerous or not. She began wanting to talk to them, be nearer to them. When they set up the carnival, Blackie sauntered closer, roaming through the pasture. She noticed the tents, booths, and animals. Her dark eyes scanned the rides. They didn’t interest her.
The animals did. She eased closer to the animal tent, quietly sliding under it and stepping over to the pens. She looked around, and climbed over one of the board fences, and the small two-headed calf came up and nuzzled her.
“Well, hello there, little one. You’re odd like I am. You’ll live. Only the normal die.”
Blackie sat on the hay, playing with the small calf. Another one came up, only this one has four legs in the back instead of the normal two. She loved this one also. After a while, she stood and walked over to another pen. Seeing a three-legged goat and a sheep with no tongue, she gave them attention. She opened the mouth of the sheep and saw that it is indeed a birth defect. She mumbled low, “You shall live also.”
Two of the carnies in charge of the animal exhibits saw her roaming. They left her alone when they noticed her around the animals. It seemed as if the animals connected with the small woman.
They looked at one another and one man said, “Cagey, she’s special. She’s like no other.”
The one the man called Cagey nodded, replying, “She’s the one Warrior saw. It’s his say in what we do about her. I doubt she’ll be a problem for us, though. If anything, Drew, she’ll be trouble for the town. She seems to be like Warrior.”
Blackie continued drifting through the pens. Finally, after seeing all of the open ones, she came across the cages. There, in front of her, lay the biggest python she has ever seen. It has a head at each end, with the middle of it being joined together but with an obvious tail protruding from it. She opened her eyes wide and a huge smile crossed her face.
“Now we’re getting somewhere! You shouldn’t be in a cage.” She looked around and slipped her hand through one of the small chain links, and she petted the snake, which curled up and lay still for her. Drew saw it, and he swallowed hard.
“We need to tell Warrior. Dakota never allows any of us that close. We have to feed him by forcing food through the wire mesh. She’s all over him!”
Cagey nodded, but said back, “No, like I said; leave her be. She’s proven how different she is. She might do something to us. Think of the things Warrior does when he’s angry. She could do worse.”
Drew closed his eyes and thought it over. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe she’ll be nice to us.”
“Leave her alone, and I guarantee she will. Be mean to her and there will be Hell to pay. I, for one, don’t want her for an enemy,” Cagey mumbled.
Blackie finally finished petting Dakota, and she went over to a cage that held a small tiger. The little cat has been blind from birth, and has paws with two toes. The cat’s tail is noticeably split at the end as if it were originally two tails.
Blackie rolled her eyes around the tent, mumbling, “None of you should be held captive. Your souls should be free. Before you leave, you shall be set free. If any of them gets in my way, I’ll go right through them. I promise!”
Her low hiss came out like a snake sound. She closed her eyes and threw her head back, mumbling in a non-coherent language. Drew and Cagey looked at one another, and Drew saw smoke encircle the pens. After Blackie grew quiet, the smoke dwindled and she eased back out of the tent the way she came in.
Drew felt the hair on the back of his neck bristle. He shuddered, and Cagey glanced at him and asked, “You okay? She’s gone now.”
The man beside him shook his head. “No…I don’t think so. What was that shit she was saying? Where did that smoke come from? She does things like Warrior does. Man, she’s creepy. She’d fit in with us perfect!”