Prologue
Start writing here…Aiden couldn’t help feeling a combination of blood curdling fear and wide-eyed awe as he took in the glittering sights and people in the humongous circus tent. He stared slack jawed at a tiny, short haired blonde girl as she stroked a tiger cub and clutched Kai’s rough hand strongly.
‘Kai.. it’s so beautiful, ooh look at that baby elephant Kai! Kai, Kai we need to get back home before Momma notices. Ooh I don’t want her to bring out her wooden spoon on us. Kai!’
’Shut up, you scaredy-cat. I would not have snuck you here if I knew you were going to whine.’
‘B-but, Kai..’
‘It’s not everyday the Remy Circus holds a meet and great with their members. It’s their first time ever! Do you know how lucky we are ?!’
’I-I guess so.’ Aiden stammered, desperate to sound calm and cool in front of his big brother. Kai was a mere ten years old, (‘I’m going to be a teen soon’, he would love to smugly dangle that envious piece of information before Aiden.) but in Aiden’s eyes, he might as well be almost as old as their father, that’s how old he acted.
‘Don’t worry about Momma Aidi,’ Kai’s light grey eyes twinkled, ‘I can handle her. Now tell, who’s booth do we visit first ?’
Aiden looked around once more, that same wondrous, unbelieving feeling ballooning across his chest, constricting his throat in disbelief . How were these people real ? There was Mister Cyrus the clown and here was the small blonde girl enticing the baby tiger to stand on it’s paws with a dripping piece of meat, and now two gaudily dressed men trotted past him on ginormous wooden stilts like it was nothing.
The air in the tent was heavy with candy perfume and smoke and astonished laughter and Aiden wished he could lock the air, the feelings between his hands and his eyes snapped open as he felt Kai impatiently drag him forward towards one of the booths, muttering about how air-headed Aiden was. He looked up affectionately at his brother’s unruly black hair bobbing as they trotted through noisy adults, attached bodies.
Aiden blinked uncertainly as they came to a stop outside the fortune teller’s booth. It was more of a miniature purple velvet tent, dotted with golden stars and crescent moons. Aiden’s hair instinctively stood on it’s back.
’Kai, I’m not going in.’ he stuck his bottom lip out.
Kai let go of his hand and stuck his hands in his pocket, ‘That’s just like you, scaredy-cat. Nevermind, I’ll go myself. I want to know our futures. I want to –’ his dark brows drew together, ‘know if we can ever be properly happy and safe in the future.’
‘But, Kai,’ Kai looked down in irritation towards his younger brother, he knew what was going to come out of his mouth, ‘As long as Momma is with us, we will always be happy.. we’re always safe. What are you saying ?’
Kai stared pensively into his icy eyes, their mother’s sharp eyes and abruptly turned away, ‘You will never get it.’ he said darkly, ‘Now wait outside till I finish, okay ? Don’t go anywhere, please Aiden. Here,’ he drew out a strawberry lollipop from his pocket, ‘for you, Aidi. I’ll be back soon, okay ?’
Aiden’s pout deepened but the sight of the lollipop made him half smile. Kai snorted and went off towards the fortune teller’s tent, his heart beating quickly, and painfully. As he parted the curtains at the entrance, he noticed that there was little to no light inside. Just a string of golden fairy lights haphazardly strung around the tent. Clusters of shiny crystals seemed to be sewn into the fabric walls of the tent, reflecting the dull yellow lights here and there.
‘Well, hello there boy.’
Kai jumped and stared towards the source of the voice – a pile of clothes on the red divan which was at the center of the booth.. The said pile of clothes began to shift and fall apart and he realized it was actually a huge blanket, and there was someone nestled inside. He took a step back as a white arm extended outwards, beckoning him.
‘I don’t bite, boy. Come, let me tell you your fortune.’ The voice was low and smooth.
‘I-I changed my mind.’
‘That’s a pity,’ she continued and stretched her arms and body lazily out of the blanket; a mass of thick curly dark hair and heavily lidded eyes, shimmery pale skin starkly contrasting against her simple, sleeveless black dress. Kai felt fascination towards this dark fairy (?) and felt himself walking more confidently towards her, stopping before the low ornamental table before the diwan.
‘Come,’ she put out her palm like she was sensuously dancing, and froze as she finally looked at Kai. Kai stared at her stiff arm awkwardly.
She suddenly smiled beatifically, ’Your daddy is a very handsome man, just like his handsome little son
‘W-what do you mean ? How do you-’
‘I just can see.’ She simply replied, ‘now, show me your palm.’
Kai laid his palm on the lady’s soft palm and watched her focus on his hand intensely. Up close, he noticed her eyes were a stunning deep violet. She truly could be a fairy. Maybe a demonic one.
‘You-’ she started, her voice breaking,
Kai looked up at her pinched face, alarmed.
‘Oh my poor little boy, what a future God has envisioned for you. Oh you need to protect yourself, yes you do.’ she rambled, here eyes glittering.
Kai shuddered, his mind racing through a million possibilities, but most of all he could feel that familiar despair shooting up his veins, sagging his heart.
He took a deep breath, ‘Tell me all.’
Outside the tent, Aiden was making acquaintance with the little blond girl he had seen earlier.
‘Can I pet the baby tiger ?’ he jumped excitedly
‘No.’ she giggled.
Aiden pouted. He really wanted to touch the tiger cub. Take it home when no one was looking and hide it under his bed and feed it salt crackers.
‘What’s your name ?’ she giggled again, pushing her white blond hair behind an ear.
‘Aiden Lennox.’
‘Oooh nice name.’
‘Thanks,’ he blushed, looking down at his holed up sneakers. That’s when he noticed her bloodied fingers.
‘Arent you..you’ve still got blood on your fingers from feeding the tiger.’
She looked down at her fingers calmly and wiggled them, ‘That’s okay, I’ll wash them later,’ she grinned as her pale eyes latched onto Aiden’s ‘Blood doesn’t scare me after all. Hey, you can call me Lily. It’s nice to meet you, Aiden.’
