The Circus Master -Part 5

The midnight, summer breeze felt fresh over her face. The whole world dancing beautiful once more. She was on an adventure – a quest! To reclaim her lost property. What a sensible thing to do. And she even knew the way… to the lake, at least. She smiled sincerely as a giggle of exotically-dressed women frolicked past. The lake was sublime, dark waters wisped in low mist and dotted with islands of magical lights. The colourful displays blooming and fading with melodious harmony. Japanese paper lanterns lined the long, wooden bridge – warm, blossom-pink glow. Nearing the other side, Sophie could see the Penis Totem Pole at the top of the hill. And from the top of the hill: the arched entrance to the Fairy Woods.Not so many people in this part of the festival. She passed a couple of stony-faced teenaged girls walking in the other direction. They wore matching angel outfits, and matching expressions, stomping along locked in an evenly-balanced sulking match. An unconscious man lay with a cowboy hat over his face. Sophie was the only person heading towards the woods. Giant Venus Fly Traps guarded the arched entrance – bulbous, plaster-cast heads lolling around on invisible puppet strings.It grew darker as she made her way into the forest – the lanterns few and far between. Rows of stalls lined the wide, muddy path, but they’d all closed for the night – shuttered up with metal fencing. The forest was deserted, atmosphere quiet and still. The lush fragrance of wood and soil. Shadowy trees meshed into a thick foliage above, with silvery ropes hanging from the trunks and branches in vast networks of cobweb.A giant spider Eryaman Escort fighting a couple of velociraptors – this must be it. Although this sculpture depicted the dinosaurs devouring the arachnid. Didn’t Darren say it was the other way around? The woods were strewn with human-sized, plaster-cast models of spiders and velociraptors, locked in combat. Sophie’s bones shuddered. She didn’t much like spiders, especially giant ones… or velociraptors for that matter. And now she came across the macabre spectre of an enormous arachnid wrapping a dinosaur in a strangling cocoon of silk. It was horrible, but it seemed to be the landmark she was looking for.The entrance to one of the nearby stalls was partially covered by a half-size fence. With the tall wall guarding the festival towering behind. The stall was carpeted in colourful rugs and set up as a meditation area, with cushions and mats piled towards the edges. Could see the hole from here, a shallow ditch worming under the great wall. Sophie wriggled past the little fence and moved to inspect the escape route. Good, old Darren had actually given surprisingly accurate directions. Was it a good idea to sneak out of the festival… and head into the forest, alone… to search for a domineering madman with knives and a whip? No, obviously not! But she was here now.She removed her feather jacket and pushed it through first. Not overly graceful as she squirmed onto her belly and slithered under the wall. It was tight, wriggling her hips to squeeze her buttocks through the narrow gap. How on earth did gangly Darren Sincan Escort manage to manoeuvre himself through here? On the other side, she dusted herself down and peered into the forest. There were no lights… and she didn’t have a torch. Shit! She started walking directly away from the wall. At first, the glow of the festival silvered the trees with faint illumination, but the light faded as she traipsed deeper.She stumbled onto a little track that seemed to be heading in the right direction. The path kept her clear from most of the surrounding bushes and brambles, but branches kept reaching down to clip her in the face. It was almost pitch black on the forest floor. Could still just about hear the distant hum emanating from the festival, but the stealthy silence was taking over. The resound of her own heavy breathing and throbbing heartbeat. Every time she stepped on a stick, loud snaps echoed through the woods. Clumsy thuds as she tripped on rudely-protruding roots.Seemed like the whole forest must be able to hear. Could sense the trees leaning in and whispering about her. It would be very easy to track her… to hunt her! All alone out here. No phone. No one around to hear her scream. What the fuck was she doing? This was definitely a bad idea! But she couldn’t help herself. He’d summoned her, with his evil sorcery… and he possessed that lock of her hair.‘Fly to me later, Little Bird.’An instruction, not a request! Maybe the Circus Master was preying on her now? He’d lured her out into the woods, where he could hunt her for sport. Goosebumps prickling on Etlik Escort the back of her neck as she imagined him coming after her with his whip. Expertly tangling her up and dragging her writhing body towards him. Or wielding a tranquiliser gun, posturing tall with the rifle to his shoulder. Keeping her in his sights as she scampers through the woods like a frightened animal. Waiting for the right moment to squeeze the trigger and bring her down. Feeling the dart needling into her buttock and her body crumpling onto the ground. Trying to haul herself along on her elbows to escape. But the numbness filling her up, naked body twitching as he strides to stand over her. Looking up, through fogging eyes, to see the hunter staring back down… calm satisfaction.What the fuck was she thinking?! How long had she been walking? Could be thirty minutes or more. But impossible to tell – time still warping in his mystical gravity. There didn’t seem to be a track anymore and the invisible ground was becoming ever more treacherous. She tripped in another hole, bashing her hands and knees. Could easily have strained her ankle. Then what would she do? She’d be fucked – there was no one for miles. Except… was that something up ahead? Could sense lights strafing up into the sky. She picked her way toward them carefully.It was definitely some kind of camp. This must be it! Sophie’s heart began to drum roll. She moved to crouch behind a bush, concealing herself in the treeline, bordering the clearing. Looking out over a half-moon of grass and mud, sloping down to a silent, country road. The forest continued up the hill, on the other side of the avenue, so the camp nestled discretely in a cosy dell. A few caravans, and some other vehicles, arranged in a crescent, alongside a large marquee-tent – the size of a small house. The caravans were dark, but light radiated from the marquee. Red canvas glowing with the flicker of fire inside. Couldn’t see any movement.