Walking almost inaudibly along the pebbly beach, Lis noticed a backpack lying near one of the large stones. Regardless of what the brother put there, it is not the backpack itself that matters. What is important is the one who is now sitting in ambush and waiting for the witch frightened by the attack to convulsively grab her belongings. When, looking around in confusion, she moves along the only path that leads from the shore and goes around the Circus, he will jump out and attack. Or will it pop up sooner?The city gradually spread out in mist, observing the behavior of its citizens and those who live on special conditions. Now Fox could feel his movement while outside the Circus. The mist felt like some extra network of nerve endings with which she could feel everything the mist touched. It was like he was part of her skin. Having got out from under the wing of the Man, who reliably protected her from the outside world, she became stronger. Stepping out of his shadow, she felt bigg
“It’s funny,” the artist chuckled with irony, in whose current appearance the Man retained the recognizable features of the former beauty of a bloodthirsty dancer, “that the smallest and most fragile cancer that came from the witch’s brood turned out to be a scorpion!”The desire to feed Jozzie to the ghouls, if there really was one, was completely gone. After all, it was a real recognition of the status of the Mistress of the Circus. Recognition earned by his own perseverance and inflexibility.“The smallest scorpions tend to be the deadliest. Especially if instead of a menacing black color, they wear a nice orange-pink skin, - looking in the direction of the ghouls with displeasure, the Fox muttered.“The man planned to get a weirdo. I'll have to explain!"- Tell me you're addicted! the actress smiled carelessly, her eyes again beginning to glaze over in madness. - The owner loves you, he will forgive such a trifle!"Then I think it's time for us to head back!" - Fox smiled back, fe
On the territory of the Circus during the day there was a revival. A large area required more hard work of weirdos to keep it in proper condition. At the same time, physical work helped to restrain their sadistic inclinations towards their neighbor. Mary and Dary, filled with a constant desire to offend Ajax, were almost crushed several times into a single lump by the hands of the strong man Sisyphus, who was protecting his "younger brother", and Mr. in the Circus, only the strongest freaks survive.While the front of the work drew out all the ardor of the circus performers to perform simple, albeit dreary work, there was always perfect silence around the Master's tent. No one was allowed to interrupt the process of creating another mask, under any circumstances. There is only one punishment for violation - permission for everyone else to bully the unlucky "brother" without any restrictions. What was actually a brutal death.Sitting at his desk, the Man enthusiastically polished a new
“Could it be the Black Hellebore? she guessed. — Sooner or later persistent experiments can give the desired result. I don't doubt it!"“But you can be sure of this only outside the Circus!” she said thoughtfully, quietly, almost in a whisper, not even noticing that she was saying her thoughts aloud.Are you planning to run away?In her thoughts, the Fox did not notice that the Man had returned and, with a smile that did not bode well, was standing right above her. However, her weakened appearance with a wet towel on her forehead partially subdued his anger. Looking at the Fox with concern, he sat on the edge of the bed and put his hand on his burning forehead. A small effort of will gradually drove away the pain that he himself had inflicted on her, not calculating the strength, locking the mental body of the little witch in the tent along with the physical body. As the pain subsided, the Fox relaxed more and more, looking mischievously at the Man.- How did everything go? she casual
"Isn't that the only way to get rid of the threat?" Lis asked carefully.You can't erase their memory. Drive out of the city too. The means available to us are to create a seven of magic-bound freaks, or to kill, - with a note of alarm, he peered into the pale face. “Can you end the lives of six women who have never threatened you and do not want harm?”“Only Claudia is dangerous, but they will follow her. And heads will roll!- I dont know! Lis nervously banged her fists on the back of a lonely standing chair.“Even for you… I don’t know!”“It’s better to start simple: after dinner, we’ll go to the border of the Circus and the city!”Between performances, the Circus and its freaks fell into the silence of the night very early. As soon as twilight gave way to full-fledged darkness of the night, the territory of the Circus calmed down peacefully. With no visitors, no traffic, no frightening lights, he looked harmless . The city was shrouded in fog, as if in a dense blanket. Seeing how
- The city does not know how to build a routine of life for its citizens. Where you can let go, and where to tighten discipline. What people need for life, so that the picture of the world in their eyes is realistic. What you can subconsciously build in an instant is inaccessible to a living city even after centuries of interaction with people. He needs the right example. The standard that he will play for everyone. For this, - the Man summed up, - he needs someone associated with him. Cities without a head in the form of a witch either suppressed everyone who entered their territory to the state of plants, or did not influence them at all. The oppressed died quickly, the too free united and fled.- And without the inhabitants of the City they perished! Alice finished, returning to her favorite "drawing" of the scar map on the Human's skin. “So, no matter what happens, the City will be on my side?”He needs you more than you need him!“On the one hand, it’s frightening,” she breathed
“Look who was released from the Dark Lord’s abode!”Jenny, it's like you've been gone forever!"You ran away from him?!""Come here, I'll kiss you!"- And what is it, the life of the Princess of the Circus?— And what is he, the Man in the Mask?Are you wearing dresses now?Questions, as if from a cornucopia, turned into white noise, to which the Fox was in no hurry to answer with a laugh, only mysteriously fighting back with ambiguous phrases. Warmly hugging her "brother", she did not stop smiling. Having unwittingly become a local star due to a near-scandalous elopement at the Circus, she was uncomfortable with all the attention.- Well well! That's it, let's not try to crush me! she tried to get some space with a laugh, which was only possible with the help of Kenny and Andy. I didn't run away, I just came to say hello. No one is holding me by force, I am releasing myself. Yes, I now go in dresses. No, Patrick, you can't kiss me!— Everything-everything! Give the woman space! - Ken
While the Fox was mentally setting herself up exclusively for contemplation of the map with the compilation of a list of further tasks, the Man imperceptibly appeared behind her back. The girl did not even flinch when hot fingers closed around her neck, pressing her back against his chest. Without blocking access to oxygen, without squeezing the thin neck, he held it tightly. Don't break out. But she wasn't even going to try.“Should I put you on a chain so that you don’t run away to the City without a trace?”From his angry whisper, the air in the tent began to sparkle, and from a black wave of rage, his head was spinning. Goosebumps ran down her skin, lifting the hairs on end. It's time for animal horror, but the Fox smiled, blissfully closing her eyes.“I like the chain more than your indifference!” she answered in a barely audible voice, opening her eyes and completely relaxing. “Devil, I believed that you didn’t care!”Sharp reversal. Burying her forehead on her beloved shoulder,
Over the years, I have long understood that the provision of choice is only a play of his own composition. Man really likes the behavior of his toys in those moments when they think that they still have freedom, but in fact he has been pulling all the strings for a long time. Everything will be just the way he wants. And these "certain conditions" will be fulfilled by me regardless of what I say or do.- The very first thing - together forever, my dear! A blanket falls off my shoulders. His cloak flies to the floor.- Easy! I smile, straightening the buttons on my vest.- And the second, - his hand, bypassing pajamas, moves along the spine, causing pleasant goosebumps, - to the King and Queen ...- Oh no!" ...should..."- No, no, no!- ...to be husband and wife!- Somehow without me! - I try to get out, does not allow.Several years have passed since Kenny's opaque hint, and each time this intriguer, in any case, specified the nearest date of that very day. Over time, Man began to th
For a month, Lis loaded herself with work and new projects so that the breaks between activities were only for sleep. She even preferred to eat food on the go, which could not but worry her friends. But it was easier that way. She did not ignore the support of her brother and the company, and almost every November evening she called to her gatherings with or without an overnight stay. It was more difficult with the nightmares, which instantly returned without the Man. Bypassing the subsequent revival in Brantford, but just as disgustingly detailed. Nights without their King literally became torture.- Would you like to visit me today? - suggested the Fox, locking the doors, although the very idea that someone would break into her cafe in her City caused hysterical laughter.“Actually, we wanted to invite everyone to our place today, Kenny will again liberate modest Wendy,” Trisha smiled, “but if you yearn for the Man, then we can organize gatherings with you!”“I miss you madly,” the
"Month of the Unknown. What if another Four comes along and challenges him and destroys him? Or will the old one gather and, shaking her gray hair, avenge her ruined lives? Or will he find himself another young sweetheart? – the last thought harassed more than others.She had no doubts about the ability of her King to foresee all possible outcomes and become invulnerable for a month with full replenishment from the Circus. As well as how greedy for his mysterious image of girls of all possible ages. And if she could tolerate the townspeople, realizing that they were of little interest to the Man, and if they wished, they would simply go to dinner for the ghouls, then the events of Saintfor ...“All his women are from this Devil City, come to think of it. Even me! she thought displeasedly, looking through the audience from behind the scenes, in search of a potential weirdo with whom the Circus would go on tour completely full. - Devil! Am I like Persephone? Will I strangle any one for
The door bell chimed cheerfully, letting in strangers.– Welcome to Nightingale City! Lis smiled.The city whispered to the girl behind the counter that the customers weren't local. But no hint was needed. It was enough to see their faces. All new people have anxiety, loss and hopelessness in their eyes. Like all guests of the city, they are confused by how exactly they ended up at the doors of the themed cafe. But they couldn't get in. The one who can is not yet born. The trinity of young people is slightly older than Alice herself.– We are glad to welcome guests of the city in our cafe “Alice in the Land of Teas¹”!She politely invited those who entered to sit down at the bar counter, into which the counter passed.Let me offer you tea. For guests of the city, absolutely free! – warning their refusal, she added.“Thank you,” one of them said in a trembling voice, “Miss…- In our small state, you can call me Alice! she winked with a smile on duty as she prepared welcome tea for them
The man sincerely grinned, gently unhooked the pale girlish fingers, dragging Lis forward to hug her from behind. Feeling the familiar warmth in her shoulder blades, enveloping her with a mute promise of protection, she closed her eyes in bliss.- Unusual. Very nice variety!Today the townspeople have outdone themselves! In a good way! she chuckled. – I think this day has become a pleasant change for everyone!“And for you, my singing queen?”“You have hearing like a bat?” she wondered, adding, “Kenny and his brother decided to have a therapy session to get rid of their sad thoughts through public humiliation. By the way, effective, although I could do without it. Holidays are great medicine in and of themselves. And I prefer to sing only to a narrow circle of the elite." Chosen, you mean? - Alice's words thrown as an excuse for timidity were very flattering.Will life be much more boring now? the girl asked, smiling when a scarlet maple leaf fell on her face in a gust of night wind.
Before the eyes of Alice, who was rapidly blushing with embarrassment, everyone who heard Andy's loud announcement, as well as everyone who knew one of them, pulled up to the small stage. Friends with hyenas' hysterical laughter pushed the girl onto the stage, taking away her bag and broom. The band members, meanwhile, descended from the stage, took large lanterns and, for the effect of bright spotlights, began to illuminate the girl from large spotlights.“Brother,” Lis sang with a wide smile of shock, “I hate you!” I'll go down from the stage - I'll kill!“Relax, Kiki,” Kenny winked at her, “consider it part of therapy. We treat despondency with public disgrace!- That's not how it works! - hissed the girl, getting a guitar in her hands. Correcting the instrument, she timidly turned to the crowd, expecting either a song from her, or ... she didn’t even want to think about the second. - Okay, hello people! You know, in my memory - this is the best holiday in our city! I'm right?The
- Why is Robin Hood not included in the support group? Andy asked, looking to ensure that the preparations were going at the right pace, but a boot flying in his direction made the guys step back from the tent one more step.- Don't peek! - the girls printed their will in unison.All three voices were clearly heard in the angry trill.– Because he performs the most important mission – guarding the entrance to the territory of the Circus! Pirate Roberts grunted, brushing off the broomstick.- And if there are no jokes?- If no joke, then with all his inclinations towards your sister, multiplied by his pathological inability to keep his mouth closed and his hands to himself ... think for yourself! Kenny answered in the tone of a mentor explaining something obvious. - Here they will pull out his arms and legs and change places, and deservedly so, and I will also assist!Three girls emerged from the tent. Sarah in a classic ghost costume and Trisha in the image of Rose Cotton paired with
The Man in the Mask himself found himself in a spiral of difficult questions. Does the King need a Queen after a complete and unconditional victory in the last chess game? As it turns out, more is needed. Which for the pragmatic part of his essence seemed strange. When the enemies stopped brightening up the dullness of loneliness, Alice's halo of "usefulness" almost completely melted away. And now that the Mask had no plans left for her, the Man's attitude towards the fragile little witch became even more reverent. As soon as all plans to conquer the city and eliminate the last coven were completed, the temporarily suppressed desire for the constant closeness of the Foxes returned. The fistula called "loneliness" did not poison his existence only with the full presence of his beast in his life. Her presence nearby, when only the body is close, and the soul is hidden in darkness, forced him to make a decision that was unexpected for him.The sun began to move towards the horizon when a
The morning of the last day of October, almost until breakfast, Lis spent in tears. The whole "raw period" Man did not leave her a single step. As in the case of her exhaustion after the first merger with the City, he could not influence the girl. All that was left was to watch helplessly. In the end, poured into the girl by hook or by crook, a transparent liquid with a cloyingly sweet and sour taste managed to stop the endless stream of tears. However, this author's sedative lasted only a couple of hours.Upon awakening, she wanted only one thing - to fall into a dream and not wake up for at least a week. However, the dream waved its tail and left the Fox, gloatingly endowing her consciousness with crystal vigor, with which it became impossible even to doze off. It was comforting that the tears had ended, and clarity appeared in my thoughts, albeit a sad one. Under the soothing roar of the Human's heart, she opened her eyes. Feeling the weightless movements of his fingers on her shou