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Chapter Thirty-four
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Oliver
I looked up at the cold metal ceiling; black spots freckled across my vision. An angry humming echoed in my ears. A salty iron flavor rolled around in my mouth. Every breath hurt. My body felt so heavy; my head felt like I had split it open.
“Oh, honey, don’t move.” A voice called out to me, but I couldn’t place them because their voice almost seemed to be muffled, like I was listening to them through water. Was it Elsie? I hoped it was. I just wanted to focus on those beautiful eyes and get lost in them.
It wasn’t Elsie, though. My heart and hopes shattered. “Pepper?”
“Oh, they did a number on you—poor thing.” I squinted up at her; yeah, that was Pepper, alright. I shifted and tried to sit up, but pain rushed over me. “Careful, take it easy.”
I blinked my eyes as I tried to figure out where I was. I was on a hay-filled mattress on the floor in what looked like a kitchen
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OliverThe days seemed to grow longer, and everyday time passed slower. I stopped trying to seek out Elsie, and I pretended like we never existed together. If this is what I could do to make her safer, then that’s what I had to do. I would never forgive myself if I were the reason she got hurt.I spent my days doing my job, avoiding Jules, Eddie, and Elsie. It’s not like I could avoid Grady. I felt like our dynamic didn’t change much, and I think that confused me more than anything. If anything, I swear his stare had softened, and that just gave me the damn shivers.John and I were out under the stars, breaking down the last tent with other roustabouts so we could leave yet another town. We hastily made our way around, untying ropes until the tent started t
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Elsie The spotlight didn’t feel the same anymore after Jules tried to red light Oliver. It was as if the world part had lost its luster and sparkle. My heart wasn’t in life like it used to be. I swear the colors grew dimmer, and things I enjoyed seemed to fizzle. I found myself sinking deeper into myself and spending more and more time alone in my compartment. One of the few things that I liked to do was sleep. Sleeping let time run through my fingers like sand. I didn’t have to think or focus. It was just me and a darkness that didn’t want anything from me. I hadn’t felt this way in a long time. My body felt heavy, and I was so tired all the time. When I looked in the mirror, I saw dark puffy bags and gaunt skin. “You know you are looking worse every day.” Shirley sat in front of me, stirring a cup of steaming tea. Her face was twisting as she painstakingly scrutinized my face. “Thanks,” I mumbled as I fell backward onto Shirley’s bed. Her sh
Cirque du Lune Chapter Thirty-seven
Elsie I clenched my teeth and tried to stumble away from my attacker. I could feel a fiery sting with every breath I took. The knife wound was angry and painful, and just moving stretched the skin, making it feel like I would rip in two. “Where do you think you are going, little wolf?” I never expected out of all the people in this damn troupe to hear those words for him. “Stay away from me, John.” My hands gripped my side, trying to keep my skin together, hoping I would heal. Sticky warm blood slipped between my fingers, and I winced. “Where would be the fun in that?” John chuckled in a demented demeanor. He raised the knife and lunged at me, but I was able to dodge. The smirk that was plastered on his face
Cirque du Lune Chapter Thirty-eight
Oliver A rumble of thunder shook the train as rain hissed against the roof as it came down in sheets. Dried blood was caked into my clothes and hair, the stale metallic odor lingering in my nose. In front of me, Jules sat puffing on a cigar, and his hair lay in greasy strands on top of his head. The lights shook with every crack of lightning. A thick fog of smoke filled the car, intertwining with the fragrance of Jules's top-tier bourbon. The ice in my glass clinked as I brought the amber liquid up to my lips. I let the warmth of the booze burn my throat as I tried to numb away the evening's events. "So, what is going to happen to Pepper?" I finally asked the question that had loitered in my mind since I plunged the knife into John. Jules blew out white wisps from his nostril and then knocked off the ashes in the tray in front of him before he spoke. "Pepper is with Birdie. She will be continuing her position in the troupe." "She will?" My eye
Cirque du Lune Chapter Thirty-nine
OliverI grunted as I rolled over onto my side and stared at the door. How many people knew they had moved me into August’s old room? Why couldn’t they just leave me alone for a little bit?“Coming,” I breathed out as I pried myself from the bed. Whoever it is better have a good reason for coming here so damn late. I swear if it was Jules, Eddie, or Grady, they might as well just red light me for real this time.You could have knocked me down with a feather when I opened that door. I think my jaw was on the ground somewhere.“Elsie,” before I even had a chance to ask what she was doing there, she shoved me back into my room. Immediately, she stepped in and shut my door behind her. With the flick of her wrist, the lock clicked into place.“What are you doing, Elsie?” My mouth was so dry I could have coughed up dust. I had to force myself to look at her face and focus on her eyes.“Do I nee
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Cirque du Lune Chapter Forty-one
Elsie “Oliver!” I hastily ran past Jules to follow Oliver, but Jules snagged my wrist, yanking me towards him. I willed myself not to spit in his face or stomp on his foot because the bastard would just get off on it. “Oh, did I forget to tell you that he was there?” Jules’s eyes gleamed with malice. He rolled his tongue between his lips, making me want to heave all over his perfectly fitted suit. “You piece of shit!” I hissed as I yanked my arm away from him. “What is wrong with you?!” I didn’t wait for a response as I bolted away from Jules, leaving him snickering. It was clear his goal was always to trip me up and trap me. He would never clip my wings, though I refused to let him.
Cirque du Lune Chapter Forty-two
Oliver The train rumbled down the tracks, horn blasting before the hiss of the brakes filled the air. The cars lurched forward as we came to a stop. The smell of smoke permeated the station, declaring our arrival as if anyone who was deaf or blind didn’t know we had arrived. I peeked out behind the flimsy aged curtain, examining the stop. I had never been to Baton Rouge, much less Louisiana in general. It was a different world compared to where I grew up. “You coming, kid?” Shirley asked as she came up behind me, causing me to jump. “Shit, you scared the piss out of me.” I hissed as I stumbled away from the train car door to face her. Her long black hair was loose curls, and her makeup accentuated her
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ElsieA flood of familiar scents washed over me as blurs of browns, creams, grays, reds, and blacks lept through the gaps in the trees like a mighty rushing river. There they were, my chosen family, the rogues who banned with each other, searching for a safe glimmer in this dark world of ours. I felt my throat contract as I caught sight of Carl clinging to Shirley's fur while he whipped a rusted metal pipe through the air. There was a fire in his eyes, which was more potent than any flame he breathed.Jules's whole body stiffened from the crown of his greasy hair down to his toes. It seemed he hadn't prepared for the potential of the entire circus following him into the woods. The reassuring sight of Carl and Shirley proved that the pack of wolves wasn't coming to help him; they were coming to aid me. Jules was no longer in control of all these rogues, and I knew that simple fact had to scare the living shit out of him. I saw the irritation flick across his face as his skin tightened
Cirque du Lune Chapter Fifty-two
OliverAs the last wolf disappeared into the thickets, I waited as the last snaps of twigs and crunch of leaves faded. I expected a cold crash of fear to overtake me as I looked at Eddie. Unexpectantly nothing even remotely resembling fear licked at my belly. There was an eerie calm seeping out of the earth and weaving through the trees. I swiped my tongue across my cracked lips, dampening them to ensure we were still operating.I let my eyes fall back on Eddie; I only felt a wave of anger for every second, every minute, every day his existence had plagued me. From that wave, adrenaline raced through my whole being. He had to be stopped now, and it didn’t matter what he did to me; he just had to be stopped.“What’s it like to know you weren’t good enough for that bitch of a broad?” Eddie flashed his teeth, stained with a grimy yellow film from years of smoking and drinking. I knew that cold, cruel smile plastered on Eddie’s face was only to get a rise out of me. From Eddie’s eyes, I k
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Cirque du Lune Chapter Forty-nine
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OliverI looked at Birdie in disbelief. This dame ran so hot and cold; it was a miracle when I could actually figure out what she was thinking. This time was not one of those times; when I searched her for any indication of what was happening inside her head, Birdie’s eyes gave nothing away.Just because Elsie had left the circus and left me didn’t mean I would throw her away. Elsie would always hold a piece of my heart in her hands, and besides my own attachment to her, I had made a promise to look after her. I would keep my promise to Milton.“It doesn’t matter if she has a mate, Birdie. Whether or not you like it, Elsie will always be one of us, even if she isn’t here.” I scowled at Birdie before chasing after Carl and Shirley.“I did it for you!” I heard Birdie call after me, but I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of me turning around to acknowledge her. Besides, I didn’t even know if I bel
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OliverI whipped around to find Eddie peering at me from a tree. The moonlight didn’t do much for his appearance. The dried residue of his makeup was flaking off, almost like his flesh was peeling off his face.“Oh, Eddie.” I gulped. “You startled me; I didn’t know you were there.”My eyes glanced around from Birdie, Carl, and Shirley; their expressions screamed they hadn’t been aware of his presence. That caused a pit to form in my stomach.Eddie slithered into view. “Who’s gone?” I hated his voice so much; it was so ragged it made my skin crawl.“No one is,” Carl quickly muttered before reaching into his pocket to pull out a cigarette.“Don’t lie to me, Carl.” Eddie hissed as he stalked closer to me. “Where is our star? Is she who is gone?”“I-I don’t know what you ar
Cirque du Lune Chapter Forty-six
OliverNelson dropped me off on the edge of town closest to Cirque du Lune’s setup but far enough away where no one would catch a whiff of his scent. As I went to slam the door shut behind me, Nelson cleared his throat.“Yeah?” I ducked my head down as I looked back into the car at him.“If I were you, kid, I would get the hell away from those rogues; the sooner, the better.” Nelson’s voice was gruff; the way he talked about the circus and the rogues was like someone had squeezed lemon juice in a cut in my mouth.“Isn’t your future Luna one of those rogues?” I glared at that sad excuse of a man. “Have a nice evening Nelson.”I slammed the car door and started towards the soft glow on the lights, beaconing me home to the circus. I was tense until I heard the roar of the automobile rumble away. Only when I was sure he was gone did the tension in my body leave.No matter how long I wa
