by Amy Cross
I stop and turn to look back. All I can see is Vigrous Grinde directing the other men to gather up the dead man's body and take it to another tent.
"Her?" I ask. "Who do you mean?"
"Her," Darla says, nodding towards the dead man. "She was driven to kill again. It's in her instinct, she has no choice".
I think about this for a moment, and I look over at the large, ominous tent in which the man was injured. "Who is she?"
"Wrong question," Darla says.
"Okay, what is she?" I ask.
Darla shakes her head. "Don't be in such a hurry to find out," she says. "She's trouble. Unpredictable. Dangerous. I've heard about how she lures men - and women - towards her, and then she just bites their heads straight off. There's something particularly nasty about her. Werewolves kill for food, but this creature kills for pleasure". She almost spits the words out. "Just keep clear, don't go in that tent. You'll see enough during the show, that's as close as you need to get".
"Show?" I ask.
"Tonight," Darla says. "Your first time".
I shake my head. "I won't be here," I say.
"Really?" Darla says, smiling. "That's a shame. The audience is so excited about the idea of a new werewolf joining the troupe".
"What kind of suck fuckers would pay to be in the audience for a freak show?" I ask.
"That's something you'd have to ask them," Darla replies.
"No thanks," I say, heading into the tent. As I go, I swear I hear Darla laughing.
4
I squeeze my eyes tight shut, determined not to give him the satisfaction of hearing me cry out in pain. But as he pulls the blade away, ripping more of my arm, I gasp.
5
I wait, and I wait, and I wait.
I watch the workers putting up a new tent, and I watch the other werewolves as they're freed from their cages and they sit around arguing and wasting time.
I watch from a distance as Vigrous Grinde moves around the site, speaking to workers here and there, checking that everything is ready.
I listen as workers talk about tonight's show. The audience, they say, will be tough to please. They worry that the show is getting old, and that the audience is going to start getting restless if some new tricks aren't developed. They also worry about the worker who died earlier in the day, saying that it's only a matter of time before there's another death.
Finally, when I feel that I've got a fair understanding of the layout and routine of the carnival, I decide it's time to get out of here. I've just seen Vigrous Grinde go ballistic at a worker who made a mistake with a tent, and he hauled the worker into his office so he should be busy for a while. Meanwhile, the other workers are trying to fix the mistake. It looks like the perfect time for me to get out of here.
I head to the back of the werewolves' tent and, when no-one is looking, I duck down and sneak under the canvas, emerging outside near some bushes. I can hear the sound of men talking nearby, but I can't see anyone so I hurry into the bushes and then into forest. Looking back, the tents already seem to be quite far away. So far, so good.
I don't know where we are, so I don't really know which way to go, but I figure the best thing to do is just to get as far away from the carnival as possible and then work it out from there. So I head through the trees, and after what feels like a couple of hours I stumble into a clearing and find a thin, single-lane road. It's deserted, but at least it's a sign of life so I decide to make my way towards what I think (with my limited survival skills) is east.
After another hour or so, during which this road has snaked through the forest, I spot something up ahead. There's a small red truck parked by the side of the road, and there's a man working on something under the hood. It looks like he's broken down, but still, it's better than nothing.
"Hi," he says, looking up as I approach. "I didn't expect to see anyone else here. You got a broken fuel valve too?" He has a friendly face, and he's not much older than me. There's engine grease all over his overalls.
"No," I say. "I'm just... lost. Where are we?"
"Bodmin," he says.
"Right," I reply. Bodmin. That means nothing to me.
"Joe," the guy says, smiling and reaching out a hand for me to shake. "Are you out here alone?"
"Yeah," I say. "I got kind of separated from my friends. My name's Jess, do you think I could get a lift with you when your truck's up and running?"
"Sure," he says, "shouldn't be much longer. Where you headed?"
"Anywhere's fine," I say. "Anywhere busy and populated".
He grins. "Well, we're in Cornwall, so there's not too many busy places, but I think I can help you out. Pop in the front seat and turn the engine on, will you? I think I might've got this baby sorted".
I climb in, turn the key and the engine kicks up like a beauty. Joe slams the hood down and gets in, taking the drivers' seat as I shift over to the other side.
"Good timing," he says as he hits the accelerator and we start moving. "Another couple of minutes and you'd've missed me completely".
I glance over my shoulder at the receding road. There's no-one there. No-one followed me at all. I touch the back of my neck and feel that little implant. As long as the range on this thing isn't too far, I should be home and dry.
"So what are you really doing out here?" Joe asks, glancing over as we drive. He's smiling, but he seems a little suspicious.
"Well," I say, trying to work out what to say, "I'm a werewolf. I escaped from a carnival and now I have to go back to London to save my friend, who's also a werewolf, from his master, and then we have to get out of London again because the government wants to kill us". There's a pause. I smile. "Are you buying that?"
"Not really," Joe says, laughing. "Come on, seriously. You're young, you're pretty, you're clearly not from around here, so... Did you argue with your boyfriend and storm off or something? Some guy's not gonna chase us down, is he?"
I smile for the first time in ages. "No," I say. "I'm just... I was camping, and I got lost, and I figured I hate camping anyway so I might as well go home".
Joe nods. "I hate camping too. Why sleep in a tent when you could be at home, watching the football, beer in your hand, on a nice sofa?"
"Exactly," I say, looking out the window at the forest as we drive along. "I'm not really into the countryside too much".
"City girl, eh?" he says.
I watch the trees as they flash past. "I guess so," I say, but for a moment I can't help remembering the forest near my father's house, where I used to play when I was a kid. My brother and I would have to go and play in the garden, and my brother loved it, but I always preferred staying inside. I used to love it when it rained, so we could stay indoors. Whenever the weather was bad, my father would get annoyed and my brother would sulk, but I'd be happier than ever because I could sit about and read and draw and write. Even today, after all these years, I like it when it rains, because of that feeling of freedom. The time at home with my father, and my brother, and my mother, and all that stuff, feels like it was a whole other lifetime ago. A world to which I can never return.
"You know," says Joe, disturbing me from my memories, "if you're around for a while, and if you fancy hanging out, I know a great little pub and -"
"Thanks," I say, "but I have to get going tonight. I'm sorry". I look at his kind eyes and part of me wishes I could stay and 'hang out'. But I have to go and find Duncan. "Thanks for the offer. Maybe another time".
"Sure," he says, looking a little embarrassed. "Sure".
I return my gaze to the window, to the trees of this endless forest as we head along the road. It's weird, I hadn't thought about my father or my brother or my mother for weeks. There's a part of me, just a tiny part, that feels it would be good to go back and see them. But I can't. That door has closed. That bridge is burned. I'm on my own now, but maybe if I can find Duncan we can find somewhere to go.
"Okay, we're home," says Joe as the truck comes to an abrupt halt.
I lo
ok ahead and see to my shock and horror that we've pulled up right back at the carnival.
"No no," I say. "No, get us out of here. We can't be here!"
"What?" Joe says, seeming confused. "I brought you home".
"No fucking way," I say, opening the door, jumping out and turning to run. But I find that Grinde and some of his workers are standing right behind the truck, waiting for me.
"Hello Jessica," says Grinde, smiling. He has the little device in his hand, the one that causes the implant in my neck to become agonising. He turns to Joe, who is getting out of the truck. "Thank you, Joe. It's very good luck that you ran into our friend, she might have got lost out there. Thank you for bringing her home".
"I'm not home," I say. I look back at Joe. "Do you work for him?"
Joe shrugs. "I thought you wanted to come home".
"Joe," says Grinde. "There's a problem with the main tent. Can you go and fix it before the audience gets here".
"Sure," says Joe, putting his hands in his pocket and shambling away.
"I'm not staying," I say to Grinde.
"As you can see, attempts to escape are futile," he replies. He holds up the little device with the button. "I was subtle this time. I won't be again".
I stare at him, determined to find some way to wipe that filthy grin off his face. Finally, I try to make a run for it, but the pain in my neck hits and I fall to the ground, screaming. This time, the pain just continues.
"Stop!" I shout. "Stop!"
After what feels like forever, the pain subsides, though I'm still sore and tender. I get to my feet, slightly out of breath.
"The show begins at 8pm," Grinde says. "The audience will be here shortly before that time. I would suggest that we all get back to work. Last night's show was a little below par, so we have to make it up to the audience tonight. Everyone must be on their best behaviour". He smiles at me. "Everyone".
With that, he and the others turn and heads towards the tents. I look back out towards the forest. I was so close to escaping, I got so far... But the pain in my neck was intense, I can't let that happen again. Okay, I underestimated Grinde, it's going to take longer to work out how to get out of here. But I will find a way. Duncan, if he's still alive, needs me. And I can't stay here in this freak show, even if my escape will have to wait. Slowly, begrudgingly, I follow the others towards the tents. Back to the carnival.
6
I phase in and out of consciousness. I can hear him nearby, pacing the stone floor. He's waiting, but for what? Part of me wants to raise my head, open my eyes and see his face. But then I remember how powerless I am as I hang here. I am nothing more than his plaything now, and I shall be this way for the rest of eternity.
I hear him coming closer. I tense. What now? What is he going to do? How much more pain is he going to inflict? Is he-
I gasp as I feel his teeth close around the wound on my shoulder. He bites down hard, cracking more bones and sending hot blood flowing down my arm and across my chest. I can feel his teeth inside me, cutting my nerves and tendons. And finally, he rips away and my entire right arm is separated from my body.
7
I spend a couple of hours sitting on the grass near the werewolf tent, watching as the workers erect what looks like a small stage. One of the workers is Joe, who seems totally oblivious to the fact that he betrayed me. He glances over and smiles once or twice, as if he genuinely believes he did me a favour by bringing me back here.
Darla wanders over and sits next to me.
"We've all tried to escape from time to time," she says. "Never works. They're always one step ahead".
"So you stopped trying?" I ask, staring straight ahead.
"Oh, darling," she says, sighing. "Look, I've been here for years. Maybe five years or more. Can you imagine how fucking exhausting that would've been if I'd been trying to escape every day? It's better to just relax".
"Relax and be a prisoner," I say, turning to her.
She smiles. "We're all prisoners, darling. Wherever we are, whoever we're with, we're all prisoners of someone. At least here we get fed and looked after".
"Sounds like a good deal," I say. "All you have to do is give up any thought of ever being free again".
"That's not true," Darla says. "If you win the support of the audience, you're free to go".
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"The audience," she replies. "If the audience chooses for you to be released, you'll be released. It's the only way".
I think about this for a moment. "So it's like a popularity contest? Or a vote? If you please the audience, they say you have to be released".
Darla nods. "The audience has ultimate power around here. Without the audience, there'd be no money to keep the show on the road. Grinde knows he has to please the audience". She points at the workers as they continue to build the stage. "Why do you think he's got 'em all working so hard? The audience reaction has been disappointing over the last couple of days, and Grinde knows he has to buck his ideas up and find something more... spectacular".
"So we're going to be the stars of the show, huh?" I say, sighing.
"Oh no, darling," says Darla. "We're the support act. Just the support act. Always have been, always will be. The main act's in there".
She indicates the large tent on the other side of the clearing, the one where that worker was killed earlier today.
"What's in there?" I ask.
"You'll see tonight," Darla says.
"I want to see now".
"You can't," Darla continues. "You just have to be patient".
I sulk for a moment, staring at the 'forbidden' tent. "The fuck I do," I say finally, getting to my feet.
"Don't do anything stupid," says Darla. "Not again".
"Don't worry about me," I say. "I can take care of myself".
Without waiting for Darla's next attempt to stop me, I march across the clearing.
"Hey, Jess," says Joe as I walk past him.
"Drop dead," I say, keeping my eyes focused on the tent ahead. As I reach it, I glance back and see that the only person watching me is Darla. She looks concerned and a little frightened. But there's no point living in fear, is there? Taking a deep breath, I walk into the tent.
At first, it's hard to see anything. This tent is much darker than the others, and noticeably emptier. Gradually my eyes adjust to the low light level. It also seems to be colder in here, and I make my way carefully into the main section, which is large under the domed roof. There's a strange sound, a kind of mechanical hissing, and in the centre of the tent there's what seems to be a large raised water tank which casts rippling dark blue light all around. As I approach the tank, I hear what sounds like something moving in the water. I stop at the bottom of the steps, wondering whether it's safe to go up.
"Who's there?" calls out a voice, a female voice. I look around, but then I realise that the voice is coming from inside the water tank. "I know there's someone there," the voice continues. "I can hear you breathing".
I turn, thinking I should go. But something keeps me rooted to the ground. I look back up at the top of the tank, unable to stop wondering what exactly is in there. It's so dark and cold in this tent, why would anyone be kept here?
"It's okay," the voice says. She sounds young, maybe my age, and sad. "I understand why you don't want to come up. Don't worry, I'm not offended".
I pause, wondering what to do. I still have time to get out of here, to just turn and leave the tent. But whatever's up in that water tank, it's something that seems to strike fear into the hearts of all the men around here, even Vigrous Grinde himself. If I want to get out of here, I need to find out what's really going on.
"Hi," I call out. "My name's Jess".
There's a pause, and I hear something splashing gently in the tank. "Hi, Jess," says the female voice eventually. "Are you new here?"
"Yeah," I say. I look around, making sure that there's no-one else in the tent. "But I won't be here for long".
"Tha
t's good," says the female voice. "You shouldn't be here. No-one should".
I walk back towards the steps, but as I get there I notice a patch of blood on the ground. Great, someone obviously didn't clean up properly after the little incident earlier. I take a deep breath and look at a small sign fixed to the side of the tank:
CAUTION
Do not enter the water
Do not speak to the creature
Do not obey the creature
Do not touch the creature
Do not believe the creature
Well, I've already ignored the rule about not speaking to the creature, and I have no intention of entering the water or obeying anyone. I guess I might as well go up and at least see this thing face to face. She sounds nice enough, although I've learnt not to judge a book by its cover. I'll stay smart, and I'll keep my guard up.
I climb the steps and soon I'm near the top of the tank. Taking one more deep breath, I go all the way up. At first it's hard to make out exactly what I'm looking at. The water tank itself is about ten metres by ten metres, and there are eerie green and blue lights shining under the water. There's a railing all the way around the edge, though it doesn't look very strong. Near the top of the steps, there's a box with the word 'Feed' written on the top.
"Hello, Jess," says the female voice.
I scan the water, looking for the creature, and then I see it moving gently towards the edge by my feet. At first, it's almost impossible to believe what I'm seeing. I put both my hands on the railing, to keep myself steady. In the water, smiling up at me, looking calm and peaceful and beautiful, is a real, live, actual mermaid. She has medium-length dark hair and the biggest, most beautiful brown eyes you can imagine, and a stunning smile. She's naked from the waist up, and her large, wet, round breasts glisten in the low light. I can see that beneath the surface of the water she has a long tail with a flat fin at the end. She uses her arms to support herself at the edge of the tank, and she looks up at me.
