An Acrobat's Failure (2)

Note: This Will Be Updated Frequently, and isn't the final product.

Lacking.

I couldn't stop thinking about the argument I had with Vlad. I couldn't sleep all night, and the sky is starting to wake up, going from pitch black to a rich indigo colour.

No motivation.

I'm plenty motivated, though. I work hard, I give a good performance for the audience to enjoy the show so they'd come back again. That's motivation, right?

Speaks to the soul.

Performances don't speak to the soul, it's an act, a show, all pretend, how can it speak to the soul? This doesn't make sense, and thinking so much of it is giving me a headache.

Lacking.

I'm not lacking, I'm the greatest acrobat to ever be, with the best shows to ever put out, and whatever Vlad is asking me to do better I already do, I'm already great, I'm not lacking in anything at all, anything! The birds start chirping their morning choir, and I realise that sleep is not an option anymore. I get up and put on a modest dress, for I'll be back, but I want to wash my face. I brush my hair and leave my caravan, heading to a nearby well. On my way, the sky starts turning brighter, going from the indigo colour to a soft blue. It's quite beautiful, really. I get to the well, helping myself with some water to wash my face, and make my way back to the caravan. I stare at myself in the mirror. Quite beautiful, yes. But this restless night has created dark circles under my eyes, ruining my elegant skin. I huff, as all yesterday's irritation starts coming back. I take a deep breath, and tell myself it's no use being irritated so early in the day; it'll give me wrinkles.

Knock knock knock.

Huh, who'd be awake so early? As I open my caravan door, one of the circus monkeys jumps right inside.

“Wha— get out! What're you doing??”

I chase after the monkey inside my caravan, but everytime I almost catch him he slips again! Urgh! Get over here! I jump to catch him, but I fail, the only thing I achieve is hitting my head on the wall. That's enough! My caravan is now a mess! Everything is everywhere and—

Oh, no, you don't!

The monkey grabbed one of my most prized possessions; my grandmother's show mask. A ballet dancer, she was, and she inspired me. It was pearly white, with red gemstones outlining it. Red feathers came out the top, and the lips were also painted red, and under the eye-holes were faint dark circles, only those in deep red. The cheeks were spheres attached to the masks, painted in red and decorated with a swirly pattern. It was very fitting for the shows she performed, but I never had the opportunity to use it, as it fit none of my acts. The monkey tries on the mask, almost teasing me with it, and at that point I snapped. I launched at the monkey, but he slid out the door of the caravan. I started chasing after him, not a worry in my mind except the ceramic mask, I didn't even notice that I was running barefoot. He walked right inside the woods, and I was left with no options except to go after him; I can't lose that mask. After God knows how long of running, I get tired, and I start to slow down. But I can't let the monkey get out of my sight! I'll lose the mask. I can't lose the mask! Then the monkey abruptly stopped, in an area where the trees where creating a circle, letting the sun fall through. The monkey, seemingly getting bored of that chase, simply threw the mask on the ground, climbing one of the trees and disappearing out of sight.

No no no!

The mask, from the fall, had a crack across it. If to be handled roughly again, it'd snap in two. How could've I let this happen? I trace my fingers alone the now cracked mask, feeling that my heart had dropped into my feet. That cursed monkey! What was all that about?! I thought Vlad kept all of them in cages, how did this one break out?! Without realising, I feel a tear running down my cheek, falling onto the ceramic mask. I quickly wipe the tear away, and try to hold it together, because, I realised, I have another problem; I'm lost in the woods, with no clue on how to get back. I forgot where I came from, and that annoying monkey is gone. I look around for any clue, any sign, but there's nothing, not even the sound of birds, or the sound of leaves dancing in the wind. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I start feeling hot, and my heart start beating against my chest. Where do I go? What do I do?

GOOD GOD!

I jump in my place, as I've heard someone talk behind me, almost giving me a heart attack. What in the world?

“Sorry, m'lady, didn't mean to scare yer,” the mysteriously convinently arriving man says. What is he doing in the middle of the woods?

“What's a lady like yer doing in the middle o' nowhere, hm?” he asks. Good question. The man wore a leather jacket, he had a thick, light brown beard and long hair, and green, sweet eyes, and his face was decorated with freckles. He didn't look like he meant any harm, but you can't trust anyone by their looks.

“Ye okay, m'lady?” he asks again, and I realised I didn't answer the first question, and I must look homeless to him right now. I held the ceramic mask tighter, and swallowed hard.

“I'm— uh... I got lost, is all,” I say, my voice trembling slightly. The man smiles warmly at me.

“Is that so, yeah? Well, don't fret, I've got a carriage right out 'ere, I'll take ye right 'ome, yeah? I'll show yer the way out,” the man kindly offers, and although it's stupid, oh, God, it's stupid, to follow this seemingly good-natured man, but am I really left with any other choice? I'd either starve in the middle of nowhere or follow this man to my doom, lose lose. But at least, if he's really a good man, I have a chance. I nod and thank him for his offer, oh, what am I doing? And I follow the man, as he says he'll lead me out. The man attempts small talk.

“I'm Christopher, and don't worry m'lady, yer not the first one to get lost in these woods, yer lucky ye made it to the meeting point, but I'm afraid it's 'arder getting outta here than getting in,” he speaks in an accent, I can't quite distinguish it.

“What do you mean?” I ask, a little scared, “you said you had a carriage?”

“Yeah, I do,” he reassures me, “and I'll get yer as far as I can, but there's still some ways ye'll have to walk on yer own.”

“What?”

This doesn't really make any sense, and he's speaking in code, and it's so hot...

“Pardon me, but I didn't quite get that,” I ask again. He lets out a great sigh. He's a big man, making me seem small walking beside him. He rubs his beard, looking for the best way to phrase his words.

“Ye see, erm... Well, m'lady, I don't want yer worrying about nothing, don't worry about it, you'll make it out eventually, they all do.”

His voice is very soothing, but his words aren't. Eventually? What does that mean? What's he getting me into? I wanted to slowly back out, but we already made it to the edge of the woods, where, indeed, a carriage awaited. The driver was snoozing up front, and Christopher opened the door of the carriage for me to hop in. It was a modest carriage, like all others, but it had moss and flowers growing on its roof. Hesitantly, I look around, hoping to see anything, any sign of a way to escape, or to run, or hide, but there's nowhere to go, nothing to do, what else am I supposed to do? So, I succumb to my fate, seeing as there's only one way to go; forwards. I hop in the carriage, and Christopher smiles at me and says, “I 'ope you arrive safely, g'luck m' lady,” and gently closes the door behind him.

“WEEEEEHOOOO!” The driver exclaimes, and the carriage starts moving super quickly, from the window I see that the carriage isn't even on the ground anymore! We're floating, oh, God, we're floating, oh I think I'm going to be sick. The driver recklessly soars through the sky, the horses running on thin air, and I could see the endless meadows under me that stretch on forever. Where am I going? I put one hand on my mouth and the other I use to grab the seat tightly, as I brace myself for what's coming.

* * *

BAM! Ouch, rough landing. From the impact, I fly off my seat and hit the roof of the carriage. I desperately exit the carriage, my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from throwing up, and I feel dizzy, leaning on the carriage so I wouldn't topple over. The driver laughs maniacally, pleased with himself, laughing like a deranged hyena.

“Are. You. Insane?!” I scream at the driver, walking over to him but—

Oh, my god! He doesn't have a head! Oh, he doesn't have a head!! Instead, I see a skull. A skull, and bones, and— he's a skeleton, a fleshless human in a driver's uniform. Oh, I'm going to throw up—

“Eaaasy, girl,” the skeleton-human says, still giggling joyously between every sentence, “your little head'll explode!”

“Shut... Up—”

“Nah, lassie, I'm dead serious. Haha, get it? Oh, I do crack myself up sometimes, yeah. I don't think you want yer head explodin' now, eh?”

The pit in my stomach just starts growing more and more, and I don't feel my legs anymore, and it's so hot.

“Where— where are we?” I ask, still a bit disoriented from all that's been happening.

The skeleton driver adjusts his hat, “this place, yeah? We just got outta the meadows, I drove you out of it, yeah, I did,” he says, highly pleased with himself, “and now we're in the Sharms, yeah.”

The Sharms? Is that even a word? I take a moment to look around.

Huge, and I mean huge mushrooms, grew tall and high, creating shade like an umbrella. All sorts of colours there was; red, orange, blue, purple, you name it. Some mushrooms were taller than the others, all of them seemed to be houses, with doors and windows carved through them, and the taller the mushrooms got, the more sophisticated they became; shorter mushrooms had a single door and two windows, while taller mushrooms had more than one door, and many large windows. Many of them were decorated with jewels, beads, flowers and sometimes an orb that, somehow, produced light. It's weird, really, there seemed to be an intire civilisation of people living in gian mushrooms.

Oh, please, everything's been weird.

“Okay, but how do I get home?” I enquire, and as if I said a joke, the skeleton driver starts laughing again.

“Listen, lassie, it'll be easy! Ye just gotta make it to the Pearl.”

“And then?”

“I dunno! What, ye think I've got everythin'? I'm just here to get ye outta the meadows!”

“What? Can't you just drive me all the way home?”

“Heeehahahaha! Awr, look, I don't work for you! And remember, I did this all for free! And anyway, I'm always busy, Christopher's probably needing me to drive other lost folks like yerself! Break a leg, lassie!”

“Wait—!”

And just like that, the driver took off again.

OK. Great. I'm just lost— in the middle of nowhere— with no idea on what to do or where to go or how to get home. It's so hot. Is this a dream? Am I dreaming? Maybe I am, I hope I am. But so far this hasn't felt like a dream, I don't know what to do! Oh, God, I'm sweating, and I can't handle this! My heart rate starts rising, I start shaking, I can't—

I scream, as something pulled on my clothes. As I look behind me, it appears to be a... uhm...

I'm not quite sure what I'm looking at, but it's short, and it's alive, and it's an indigo colour, it has four arms, two green beads for eyes, and two antennas. It grabs my hand, and with its antenna it starts touching my arm all over, the sensation making me uncomfortable. It makes a noise, one that sounds like bubbles popping, and the creature grabs my arm with two of its and leads me forwards. I resist at first, but to no avail, the creature, although small, was much stronger than I am, and pulled me away like I was nothing. My confusion drowns my panic, and now I'm just watching where the creature is taking me.