Chance gave a girlish laugh and twirled. "We're going to have so much fun!" she exclaimed like an excited child. "So many people, so many souls, so many people to roast over coals!" she sang and did a cartwheel, followed by a few backhand springs. "We'll be warm then, but I like my souls raw," she giggled.
Chance was either unaware of the disgust and impatience she caused others or she just ignored it. Or maybe she enjoyed it. It was hard to tell and if asked she would likely not even give an answer. She didn't answer questions she didn't like, merely continued on as though it had never been asked.
"You could always come and play with me," she said flirtatiously, winking at Vol before running the edge of her scalpel over her lower lip. She then giggled and skipped off towards her dressing room. She really had no intention of doing anything with the animal tamer, she just enjoyed flirting with every man in sight. She even flashed a grin at Mortimer before slipping into her dressing room.
Inside was a topsy-turvy array of loud colors, crazy fabrics and various odds and ends. In one corner, propped up in a wooden coffin that looked like it had been finger painted by a toddler, was the mummified corpse of a man, his face contorted in agony.
"Hi hi silly Billy," she said, skipping over and kissing the mummy. "It's going to be such a yummy night. But don't you worry," she said, making a pouty face. "I'm still true to you my lovey bear," she said, pressing her body against it. "Even though you weren't..." she added, her voice changing as her eyes began to turn black.
She suddenly snapped out of it and stepped back with a wide smile. "Time to start the show!" she said, her high-pitched giggle following her out.
-
Esme pulled her coat closer around herself. Her breath formed a cloud in front of her face. Lifting the amulet around her neck in her hand, she closed her eyes and let the magic flow from her and into it.
"Ella ka na... Ella ka na talika... Palaba quana imzi..."
The amulet glowed dark purple and began to float up from her hand. It pulled at the chain that bound it to her neck. She opened her eyes and the amulet floated back down. It was pulling her towards what looked like some kind of carnival.
A lot of people were heading into that carnival. The flyer spoke about making wishes come true.
Wishes...
Could they reunite her with her brother?
Esme eagerly bought a ticket. She didn't have much money left, but if this led her to her brother then it was worth it. He was the only one who would understand her. They would finally meet. He would take her in. She would finally belong somewhere.
As she walked among the sights and sounds of the carnival, Esme brushed her wild and unruly chestnut hair from her face. The owner of the carnival had to be the one who granted the wishes. Now she had to find him.
She asked several people but no one seemed to know where the man called 'Hag' was. The insane laugh of a clown girl made her step backwards and head in the opposite direction.
She ended up in front of a poster advertising some kind of animal tamer.