Jeremy-Burner

(The Black Candy Circus) There was a loud crash followed by a woman's scream. The sound of breaking glass was muted by the rain and roar of thunder outside, but it had been close enough to be unmistakable. Without thinking, I dropped the meat bucket and ran toward the noise. Had it come from the ringleader's trailer? As I drew closer to the tent's exit, something inside me told me I was running in the wrong direction. That it was dangerous. Overcome with curiosity, I pressed on and stepped out into the pouring rain. If only I had known what awaited me outside. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end when I saw her. The ringleader stood proud and tall over her prey, a whip trailing from her hand. The man before her tried to rise up from the ground. His cloths were soaked, and his arms and face were a patchwork of scraps and cuts. Judging from the gaping hole in the ringleader's window, it was obvious that the man had somehow been thrown through it. That's when I noticed the

Applause reverberated around me, but I tried to block it out. It was sickening. As my eyes met Gabe’s, his pain was like an open wound. His roars were so completely unhuman, so full of anger. Even from the stands, I could see the tears soaking his fur. My heart clenched with a mix of disbelief and horror, watching my once-human brother transformed into a magnificent yet tortured beast. The crowd marveled at the spectacle, ignorant to the tragedy beneath the surface. Each leap and snarl fueled the nightmare. As I sat amidst the audience, I felt overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness. With rage coursing through me, my eyes drifted towards Candy. She was draped in the same attire I had seen on our first day. In fact, she was a splitting image of her earlier appearance, with not a hair out of place. However, unlike before, she was laughing as she accepted praises and applause. Once again, I vowed to set him free. Even with the throes of people separating us, my brother's humiliation

I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. My surroundings blurred as I ran past cages and tents, tears streaming down my face. Desperate, I clutched at the cross my mother gave me. I felt its cold touch against my warm hand as I uttered the prayer like a mantra, “Though I walk through the valley of darkness, I will fear no evil.” Eventually, the surrounding darkness gave way to the main tent. Inside the tent, an eerie silence hung in the air, the only sound being the soft, haunting notes of a violin playing on its own. The air was thick with the scent of aging velvet and wax, and the ground was covered in a carpet of deep, crimson red, threadbare, and frayed at the edges. I tried to think, tried to remember the way out. My mind was a storm of emotions that refused to clear – grief at my brother’s agonizing state, guilt for the consequence of my stubbornness, and, surprisingly, joy for having been able to see him again. As these feelings built up abruptly, my left hand started

(You have reached the end. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thank you for reading) The driver’s side door opened, and the smell of gasoline and warm asphalt wafted into the vehicle. A full grocery bag hung from Steven’s free arm as he climbed inside before shutting the door behind him. “We all ready to go?” he asked, placing the bag in his lap. “You get my apples?” Gabe asked, poking his head out from between the two front seats. Whiskers twitching with excitement. Steven responded by reaching into the bag and pulling out two large green apples. “Yes!” He cheered, snatching both treats before vanishing into the back seat. Turning, I watched as he struggled to make himself comfortable. Despite how big Dad’s old truck was, Gabe’s enormous body made the vehicle feel small and cramped by comparison. Once seated, he snarfed down the first apple like he hadn’t eaten in days. Earlier, the same fate had befallen ten burgers. He was like a bottomless pit. “Get anything for

The last thing I remembered was running. Rachel had fallen, and the monster circus tent was chasing us. Then suddenly, darkness. It was all around me, choking and suffocating me. In the darkness, a voice I recognized whispered to me. “Not much left of him, is there?” The words of the ringleader echoed back to me. I still remembered how it had felt when the beast tamer ran from me. The thrill as I gave chase and closed in. Even before then, when he was helpless on the stable floor. I hadn’t even tried to fight it. Worse, I had tried to convince myself he deserved it. I knew she was right. Had known the truth for a while. Soon, there would be nothing left. Soon, Gabriel would just be the name of a dumb animal. For hours, I struggled with the darkness. It clung to my skin like writhing tentacles made of tar. I pulled and thrashed and bit until all thought and reason abandoned me. An eternity of blind torment passed when, finally, without warning, it peeled away. I emerged from

The next thing I knew, I was on the ground in the darkened wood. The trees around me had grown quiet and still. No wind or birdsong, or even the sound of insects. Was I really still in the forest? Was I alone? The last thing I remembered was me and my brother running from that thing. I had fallen. Where had it gone? What about Steven and Tony? Gabriel? Careful not to hurt myself or make a sound, I sat up slowly. Wincing from the pain in my head, I scanned the woods around me for any sign or clue of what had happened. It was still very dark, but on the horizon I could just make out a faint warm glow. A distant promise of morning. It was then that I saw him. Just a few feet away from where I sat, the prone form of a tiger lay sprawled near the base of a fallen tree. “GABRIEL!?” I cried. Jumping to my feet, I ran to my brother's side. Then I saw the blood. My breath stopped in my throat and my legs turned to lead. Suddenly, I was sixteen years old again. The fire had just

I saw the flash of Dad’s knife, and then everything went white. The next thing I knew, I was standing over the body. I couldn’t deny what I had done. The evidence was there for all to see. The weight of it pressed down on me so hard that I thought it would crush me. I could taste the blood. Feel its warmth. They were watching me. She had seen me. Danger! Not safe. I couldn’t let myself think about it. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t face it. If I let myself, the guilt. I turned to face the enemy. “Gabriel?” her voice came softly. I could feel the judgment and fear. her fear. No, don’t look. Eyes on the enemy. The one responsible for all of this. The chains and cage. Tried to kill her. Made her cry. Made me… No, don't think. Protect. A low rumble built in my chest as a growl escaped my lips. The enemy showed no sign of fear. Only confidence and irritation. Danger. Teeth bared, I crouched low and circled to the right. Away from her. We locked eyes, but the enemy didn’t