he Carnival’s been getting busy again. When we last left our intrepid adventurers, we’d just finished Tales of Delgato, Alice had been in a fight with Tiffany and Ania, Todd the Apocalypse had crash-landed in the Carnival’s underside while Duxtor the Scribe learned of the Sinister Saint, Thunk got a new arm, Becky developed a crush, and Dr. Celestine came up with a plan to deal with the mess in the parking lot. Here’s what you’ve missed since then:

Conning the Rubes — JavaElemental

     The cops and the firemen were amazed. They stood around, shining with their amazement. There were a couple of photographers from the local newspaper, too. The photographers took pictures, and the cops took notes and scratched their heads a lot, and Stevens stood around, jacket aglow with color, and generally made himself available to answer questions.
     The good Doctor stood well back in the shadows of his carnival and giggled to himself. He had one hand over his mouth to keep the sound stifled. The show would be spoiled if the cops caught him back stage, as it were, giggling at them.
     Right on cue, B.B. sidled up next to Stevens and said, sotto voce, “Hey boss, they going to let us keep that thing?”

Untitled — Aniasch

     She could feel herself being lifted, carried. The pain consumed her mind as her body had already begun to mend itself, slowly. She opened her eyes to see who was carrying her, but no one was above her. She turned her head to look below and saw the ground moving beneath her, past the grass, dirt, and blood. Blood… She grabbed out at it scooping it up shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes rolled in extacy of it.
     She started to mutter, her mouth full, “something for the pain, something for the pain, something for him, something for the pain, for the pain.” It continued in repeats past the floating pieces of flesh in clown costume covered in blood.
     She was placed into the car. “Something for the pain, something. Have to tell him. Tell him.” As the car was lifted, watched Tiffany’s head roll in the front seat. “Tell me something. Tell me what she said.”

Alice at the Gates — JavaElemental

     Entering through the Carnival’s main gates, one steps first into the mouth of the midway, a large, sprawling cross of paths that twist and turn out from a center like the star-struck arms spiraling away from the black heart of a galaxy. It’s easy to lose one’s way in the chaotic midway, full of the barking shouts of carnies and the roar of the crowd, easy to lose one’s bearings staring at the dancing wonders of the Carnival of Souls, drifting from game to food stand to attraction, wandering down the paths to the vast mechanical sculptures that are the rides. There are shows and stands where balloons wait to be popped by darts for a small fee and a chance at an even smaller prize, animals to watch, clowns capering back and forth, slinky dancers in even slinkier outfits hawking their shows, acrobats twirling on high. Somewhere near the center, the peak of the Big Top soars over the other tents and stands, and from it issues the gasps and screams of the crowd.
     The paths between the stands are wide, made of dirt packed down by hundreds of thousands of feet beating trails between the shows of Carnivals both mundane and even more fantastic than this one, and they’re layered in sawdust and bits of discarded food wrappers, forgotten prizes, empty paper cups, cigarette butts, and other drifting detritus.

Right, Where Were We? Oh, Yes . . . — MrJames

     Now . . .
     Todd felt as though he’d exploded. Power radiated out of his body, blinding him with its white-hot fury. He was falling, and all around him, stars blazed and dazzled him. Far below him, he could make out a warm, welcoming light, and he fell toward it, laughing at the sheer joy at the feeling of his power flying out into the night sky.
     Ribbons of white flame flew across the sky. Greasy smoke dimmed the stars.
     ”I’m here, Sheila. I’m here to save you.” The way he’d felt, he’d half expected his voice to shake the firmament. To echo throughout this plane. Instead, his voice cracked a little, and he sounded, even to his own ears, like a boy in out of his depth.
     A whimper answered, soft and afraid and perhaps a mile away, but Todd heard it, heard her, as though Sheila were right next to him. He ran, and the very air around him trembled at the power of his presence.

Meeting Memories — JavaElemental

     Above the Carnival, the hill rolled away into woods, and within the woods, the wolf pack lay in lazy piles, eager pups stumbling over their kin. The pups were wild, pouncing each other and snarling, little coal-black noses quivering with excitement, stubby tails like whips. The uncles and aunts batted them around as they stumbled close, watching with idle amusement as the pups played. Their tongues lolled out, their eyes occasionally darting towards the big alpha bitch as she stood guard over her pack.
     The one-eyed female stood only a little away, staring out of the woods and down at the Carnival nestled in the valley. She could hear the chaotic noise drifting up from it, and the cool breeze brought the smells, food and meat, sugar and cinnamon, sawdust and blood. The she-wolf’s nose twitched in the breeze as she read the scents.
     So close to the Carnival, and she found her thoughts arranging themselves in odd, but not entirely unfamiliar, patterns. It had been so long since she had thought anything but wolf thoughts. Woman thoughts felt strange in her mind.

     (Photo credit: Big Top.) Unless otherwise indicated, all writing property of the original owners.

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