CIRCO

by Tara Ellis

The media was more of a circus when it came to Artemis’s condition. El Circo De Fantasias arrived in Denver the next night. The attention was more intense; entertainers left off the train blinded by all the flashing lights.

  With elevated security the entertainers and staff checked in The Ritz-Carlton. It was a fabulous five star hotel within the city; if the Sears tower had a baby that would’ve been it.

  Upon arriving Britney made it clear to Mimi that she would be bunking with her. She was happy that she at least got her own room though.

  Sitting by herself for short amounts of time was enough to summon the demon. The demon attacked her when she was bored. She rubbed her crotch and picked up the phone to call Freddy. “Hey baby where are you?”

  “I’m in my room,” he said.

  “I need you…now.”

  “Meet me in the lobby.”

  Soon after, she left her room. Britney must have heard her footsteps because she came out her room and asked “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Mimi was trying to work up a lie, but it took her to long so she tried the truth. “To see Freddy.”

  Britney smiled. “Okay.” Then Mimi walked out the suite and through the hallway. That little smile played over again through her mind. But she shook it loose knowing soon she would get some sex. They both saw each other in the lobby. Mimi saw his eyes, then she realized her lover, who she kept in the dark, knew her secret. Mimi went in for a kiss and Freddy blocked her.

  “I don’t want to be seen with you anymore,” he said. Mimi wasn’t ready to accept that.

  “Touch me,” she said. She went in for Freddy but he blocked her again. “Touch me.”

  “Stop it.”

  “Just touch me!”

  “No!” She looked up at him and him down at her. Both eyes ready to let it loose. Freddy’s hurt and anger against Mimi’s desperation. “I hate you.”

  “Don’t, not you. Not now.” She started to whimper, sniveling and shaking. It came to him that he was right about her. “She truly is a pathetic person,” he thought.

  “You lied to me… about everything.”

  “I didn’t want to hurt you, or anybody.”

  “You didn’t hurt me,” he said, but his face and body language disagreed.

  “Then love me.”

  “I can’t. I don’t want to. I can’t trust you.”

  “Well I love you.”

  “Stop! No you don’t. You never did… You got a sickness. Cause something is obviously not right with you.”

  “But you fucked me anyway!”

  “Calm down.”

  “And you kept fucking me and you liked it.”

  “Because I thought you were someone else… Someone old enough.”

  “Love me for what you knew me as, love me for what I was to you.”

  “No. Not one of those moments was true.”

  “Yes they were, stop it. You felt it just like me. Don’t do this. We fit in each other.”

  “I fit into your fucking lie.”

  They stopped for a few seconds to gather breath.

  “Tell me your real name.”

  “That’s not who I am, she’s dead, I killed that person.”

  “Tell me your real name. I just want to hear it from you.”

  “I was trying to be someone new. Someone the world would like.”

  “Say it!” She flinched, and then gave into her emotions. “Vanessa. You stay the hell away from me.” The tears flooded her eyes, which prevented her from watching him walk away.

  She found a bathroom, and went into one of the stalls to release it all. She wanted to die. Life was not working out. She always believed her family was the enemy. Right then that relationship she shared with Freddy, for whatever it was worth, was over.

  Luckily for her Joyce was a witness to the whole argument. She watched from around the corner within the hall. Joyce went into the bathroom knocking on the stall that had loud sobbing coming from behind it. “Sweetie?” she said. A sad little pathetic kid with a puckered bottom lip answered. “Oh sweetie.” She took that kid in her arms. “It’s okay, just let it out.” Joyce’s maternal instincts had surfaced, clutching Mimi like an overgrown baby. “Come on we’re going to my room.”

  When they got to the room Joyce placed Mimi on the bed. After a term of crying Mimi asked “Does everyone know about me?”

  “I knew about who you really are because of Andre.”

  “I’d figured he would tell you anyway.”

  “But when Britney pretty much regurgitated the same information to me I knew you were in trouble. Then I was chatting with Regina and a few other techies and they were all talking about it too.” Mimi was lying her head and shoulders on Joyce’s lap.

  “Can I ask you something,” asked Mimi.

  “What?”

  “What do you want to call me?”

  “I don’t know. I’m still not sure who you are really. But when I first met you, you seemed like a really cool person. The times I have spent with you were cool. But when you told me that you pranked Scarlet’s set, I realized that you have a dangerous quality about you.”

  “You think I’m dangerous?”

  “You want me to be honest?”

  “Always.”

  “I think your terrifying. I’m not sure but I think you switch personalities.”

  “You’re right I do.”

  “Why.”

  “Because I don’t like my old self. Vanessa Medina was a waste of life.”

  “I think if you keep on trying to be another person, you’re just going to come across more pain. Try finding Vanessa. Make her more beautiful.”

  “Why should I spend life finding myself when I can just create myself? I’m not one of those people who need others to define who they are.” Mimi sniffled.

  “Sweetie, for lots of people, the harder they try to be different the faster they will realize they are just like everyone else.” Joyce stroked through Mimi’s hair. “Your hair is so soft… Do you believe in god.”

  “I want god to be real. More than anything.”

  “He is real.”

  “This isn’t his world though. Too much pain. Unless that is all what god is.”

  “You have to let him in. You can’t meet him half way, just let him in. I was taught if you seek god he will handle all your burdens.”

  “What about those people who try and never find him.”

  “God is all around you. The only place god doesn’t not exist is in hell. You should go to him so you don’t ever have to see it.”

  “I’m not afraid of going to hell. There is enough hell on earth. I will enjoy my hell here.”

  “People like you don’t go to hell. God is not a bully. I think deep down your good, but you do confusing things.”

  “I believe no one is good or bad in this world… Even though we aspire to be good… we do bad… It’s all perception… That’s all it ever really was… Because we really can’t agree on what defines either.”

  “All this talk is really depressing. Let’s go out and party with Andre.”

  “I can’t, I’m under Britney’s jurisdiction.” Mimi chuckled just a little. “She almost slapped me.”

  “I know, I saw that.” They both laughed hearty.

  “Where were you?”

  “Around the corner, with Andre. We thought it was funny.”

  “I thought it was funny too, but I was scared if I laughed in her face she would actually do it.” They chuckled even more.

  “All right I’m going meet up with Andre and Jake.” Mimi got off her lap. “The door locks on its own, so you can head out whenever.” Joyce planted a kiss on Mimi’s forehead, and then she was gone.

  Sa
dly the demon came shortly after. She knew her fingers weren’t going to be enough. On the night stand there was a brush with a wooden handle. The demon told her to use it.

  Jake walked into the Starbucks down the way. He spotted Joyce, sat across from her. He asked where was Andre.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I thought he was with you.” She started to dab her thumb on her smart phone.

  Andre was actually walking through the halls trying to find Joyce’s room. He found the room and number he was looking for. Suite 16. He slipped the spare card into the door. He called out the name of his girlfriend as he entered. After he got his reply from dead silence he moved towards the bedroom. As he got closer he heard Mimi’s happy noises. The curiosity lead him to peak through the cracked door. She was right there on the bed performing her little puppet show. He turned away. He knew peeping was wrong.

  Andre was heading out when his ringtone sounded off. He squeezed his pocket in a bad attempt to silence it. He aimed for the exit.

  “Andre!?”

  He stopped. He turned around to face her.

  “Were you watching me?”

  “No,” he said, putting his hands up. She was wrapped in a white hotel towel. “I was just looking for Joyce. And I see that she is not here. So I’m going.”

  “You were.”

  “What?”

  “You were watching me, I saw you through the door.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay. You flattered me.” She smiled moving in closer to Andre. His curiosity was pulled even more. She took a seat on the couch and he stayed in place. “Did I ever thank you?”

  “No. For what?... Oh that’s right. No you didn’t.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You don’t have to thank me.”

  “Why.”

  “Any man would have done that.”

  “You’re not any man. At least I don’t think so. You saved me.”

  “I got three little sisters. Instincts kicked in I guess.” There was a brief pause but her eyes never left off his frame. “You should come join us. Since you got that fake I.D.”

  “I don’t have anything great to wear,” she said. “That’s why I have this itty bitty towel.” She threw it at Andre revealing everything.

  “What are you doing,” he asked. His eyes traced her form. “If this is you trying to be seductive then you are not good at it.” He started to back his way to the door. “I’m going to head out now. And I’ll forget about this.”

  Andre went out the suite heading down the hallway. He couldn’t believe her. He wondered how she could be so open sexually after recently being sexually attacked. He pressed the elevator button to send him down. He saw his own reflection in the doors before they spread apart. He entered right as another ringtone sounded from his pocket. He saw two texts Joyce sent to him. They read:

  Where r u

  me and jake are in a taxi headed to the club we will send you the address

  The pendulum was swinging to and from both sides. He was weighing all the possibilities. He saw the worst possible outcome, and then figured a way to negate it. Deep breath, slow exhale. His hands were on his face as “ah shit,” mumbled out between his lips. He stepped back into the hallway, slowly walking through. Liquid drops of guilt were already on his face. The little angel and devil were having a tug of war on his shoulders. He came to suite 16.

  He opened the door and she was there standing by it. She was waiting for him; she didn’t have anything on except for the dim lights. As if her own demon let her know. Andre went straight for Mimi. He got himself a taste. A taste of her lips. Thoughts of fruit evoked within him, grapes, cherries, apples, peaches. Her lips were that sweet. He paused the kiss with his forehead touching hers. She grabbed him by the hand and took him into the bedroom.

  Andre was well aware that he was taking advantage of this underage girl. That little devil on his shoulder was pleased. But the little angel wasn’t through yet; it was kicking and screaming in the walls of his conscious. So conflicted as he was pursuing this act.

  She was sitting on the bed as he stood. Mimi was unbuttoning his shirt, then undoing his belt and pants. They engaged in to each other.

  The demon would suffocate and thrash around like a drowning victim, tearing her on the inside. Because it needed to breathe, so she allowed it to come up for air. And after Andre would be done it would go back inside of her until it needed to breathe again.

 

 

  The Grand Finale