The Circus’ Cerberus

“I have an idea,” Brenda told me, flipping her brown-black hair and blowing a bubble with the ever-present pink gum in her mouth.

“For once,” Lucky grumbled, rolling his hazel eyes.

“Trust me,” Brenda insisted, once again snapping her gum. “If this works, we can finally get outta here.”

“Don’t you like the circus?” I questioned, turning my piercing amber eyes on Brenda.

“I hate being a freak,” Brenda whispered.

“You’re not a freak!” I exclaimed, shaking my head wildly, causing my flaming red hair to shake wildly, even in its loose pony-tail. “You are not a freak Brenda, especially not here. We all belong here, no matter what.”

Lucky glanced at me, shaking his head and flipping his sandy-blonde bangs. “Yeah, sure,” Lucky drawled sarcastically. “Everyone else just doesn’t like us because…”

I slumped, and my friends gave me the I told you so glance.

“So, what’s the plan?” I asked.

“We run away,” Brenda said simply, her blue eyes showing her determination. “Don’t give me that look, I know that Cerberus will come chasin’ after us, but not if he is too busy rounding up the lions.”

I smiled at that. I always had a way with lions, considering I was one eight the big cat. “He’ll know it’s a ruse,” I said suddenly. People had tried to escape the circus before, bur Cerberus had always caught them.

Brenda, Lucky and I had grown up here, hearing stories about those who tried to escape. Every time, they were caught by a monster that had been dubbed “Cerberus.” As children, we had never considered escaping; we were told of how horrible the outside world was. We were told how we would always be judged, and scorned upon.

We had believed them, of course, until we heard a couple of kids talking about a girl named Rapunzel. We were going through the same thing she was.

“We have to try,” Lucky decided.

Brenda and I nodded, and we grabbed our few things and folded them carefully into our hammocks, and tied it around our waist. Brenda grabbed her swords, Lucky grabbed his fencing gear, and I reached for a whip. We all nodded at each other before walking to the lions den and setting them free and taking off like the world was on fire.

My side seemed to have torn, and my legs were screaming in pain, but I kept running, Brenda and Lucky at me heels. I had almost thought we were going to make it when Brenda screamed “Léaina! Help me!”

I spun around just in time to see one of my best friends fall to the ground in a pool of blood, her eyes bulging.

"Keep running!” Lucky screamed, shoving me forwards. “She’s go-”

Lucky’s eyes suddenly widened and he fell to the ground, moaning. “Run, Léaina,” he hissed, shoving me forwards with his last bit of strength.

Yet, I did not go. I grabbed him in my arms, dragging him along with me, even though I was slowing myself down.

“Leave me, please,” he ordered.

“No, I can’t lose both you and Brenda!” I whispered, but Lucky barely had time to attempt at shaking his head before he slumped over completely. I had known this was a crazy idea but I had said nothing- and now my best friends were dead. Both of them.

I whimpered before dropping Lucky and returning to my running, only to bump into something invisible and feel teeth digging into my throat.