“Vulture,” hissed the Fox, trying to control the pain and keep outwardly impregnable. - Scavenger!For some reason, the legs themselves began to measure the distance between the walls of the tent, the voice became more insinuating, and the posture was proud.- Grave thief. "The dead don't need treasures," is that what you said?From the sudden change of image, the weirdo stared at the Fox with a glazed look, dropping a chicken leg from his hand. When the girl took a step towards him, he jumped back with a squeal, as if he expected her to at least punish him.He left his family to die of hunger. And he spent the loot on good food, corrupt women, booze and gambling! - with a venomous grin, the Fox looked at him carefully, considering him for the first time, not as a terrible creature, but as an image invented by the Man for punishment. With a smooth gait, she slowly approached him. - It's a good mask! Ideal for you. Do you justify yourself at night while everyone is sleeping? Do you kee

But the main action takes place not in the heat of battle. A grown-up girl with aquamarine eyes stands in front of a man. She is again out of place in a formal dress. The girl herself is disheveled and exhausted. The man is completely in his element. Predator movements, imperious voice, seductive notes. There is an offer to join the Circus in exchange for saving everyone else. Yes, the years go by, but the methods do not change. Again, dirty blackmail and a game on the girl's nerves. However, boldly looking into the slits of the Mask, she refuses.- What a disappointment! - despite the image of the imperturbable Dark Lord, the refusal responds with a painful prick.Then, having taken the disagreement to heart, the Man makes an even more obscene proposal to the accompaniment of the increased screams of the girl's friends.“You will live your worthless life and after death you will join us as a freak!” Choose or all your friends will die! - a wave of burning hatred becomes a bold allusi

V The second night repeated exactly its predecessor. The beginning nightmare, this time with a lobotomy, instantly ended with a dash through the ice barrier, after which, with the Mask of the Man on her knees, Alice found herself alone in a clearing under the stars. In this realm of dreamless sleep, she mentally tried to tame the memory of others still spontaneously surfacing in her head.However, attempts to curb foreign memories led to the opposite results. Awakening Lis met in a broken state. The man was not in the tent again. Spots danced before her eyes, turning into another frightening scene from his life when she closed her eyes for more than a second. With difficulty, she forced herself to stand up. Every step, every movement seemed like an incredible feat based on overcoming oneself.“Apparently, this is how my stay at the Circus will alternate: either everything is fine, or immediately very bad! - Through the hum of voices from someone else's memory, she thought, putting her

The fingers blocking the view parted slightly, and something could be dimly seen in the gap between them. The fox strained her eyes with all her might, involuntarily moving her head. Finally, the eyes caught the man's face. His gaze was worried. The lips are compressed into a thread, the movement of the facial muscles is visible on the jaw. The eyes are sad. Almost like the day when ...The girl staggered in the Headmaster's arms, momentarily limp like a doll. His hands instantly moved to her shoulders, carefully supporting her in an upright position.- Devil! she breathed involuntarily.- One day I will start to punish you for bad words! the Man promised in a hot whisper with a smile. – What did you see?“He…” Alice shook her head, pushing away the vision. He was a teacher, I think. Worked with young children. He was expelled from his hometown. Friends and family turned their backs on him. He was accused of seducing the little five-year-old daughter of his friend. She said that he to

With a swift step, the Man went to the exit from the Tent, not letting go of the Foxes. With the inequality of strength and height, it seemed that he was dragging a large doll, which, nevertheless, found the strength to fight back with his feet. Kicking in vain with the desperation of a hare, the Fox did not notice where they were going. The large dome was replaced by a dark sky with a scattering of stars, and then again the dome of the tent, much smaller than the previous one. The same tent, the purpose of which in his excursion Man did not reveal. Table with tools. There is a large cage in the center. In the cage sat a newly minted weirdo.“You forgot, Alice, the main rule of this City,” the Man whispered angrily in her ear. It's time to remember and fix it!The steel grip disappeared, and the prisoner was free. Jumping away from him, she involuntarily jumped to the cage. The strongman stood at the entrance. Don't run away.“Time for the red vial. Too bad he's not here!" Alice allow