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Chapter Thirty-six
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Elsie
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
Z TimeWho do you think is with Elsie?
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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
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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
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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
