|
CHAPTER ONE
“Do you have any experience?” She asked the boy. He flashed her a grin.
“None whatsoever. I’ve never worked a day in my life.” “Your quite the humorist. I think you’ll fit in fine in our production,” She responded with a smile. “You’re hired. This,” she paused to reach into a drawer, “Is the key to your room. I’ll have someone help get you accustomed to our schedule tomorrow.” “Thank you very much.” “It’s not a problem. It’s surprising- we haven’t had any applications for a new announcer since our last one disappeared.” “So you were so desperate you decided to hire me?” She laughed. “No, not at all. You intrigue me. I like to think that you were brought here by your chi.” He stared at her, confused. “Chi?” “Yes. It’s a personal god, of sorts. Your destiny,” She responded. “Oh. I see.” He got up and shook her hand before leaving. After he had left, his head popped back in the doorway. “Ma’at, just out of curiosity- why didn’t you just take the announcer position for yourself? I mean, you are the manager of the carnival.” “I guess I’m just not good with people,” She told him. “Oh. All right then. I’ll see you soon!” She waved with one hand as the boy left a second time.
“If I had taken the job, then we never would have met you, now would we?”
Aten stared in marvel at the sights and sounds around him. The carnival was lively, full of laughter. Rides sparkled and glowed, bright colored banners waved in the breeze. Carrying his trunk, Aten approached the large cube shaped structure, supported on four massive wheels. It was divided into compartments- four levels with five in each row. Aten looked at the number on his key- 3-3. The dead center.
“How am I supposed to get my trunk up there?” Aten wondered allowed.
“You don’t,” replied a feminine voice from behind. “That goes in storage- the room is only for you to sleep in.” Aten spun around to meet the speaker. She was fairly tall, but the huge coat she wore dwarfed her body. It’s many folds of fabric draped over her body, held together by a single belt, which looked rather strained by the pressure. It was short, revealing her well toned legs, as well as a long, twitching, whip-like tail and hooves instead of feet. The most noticeable of her animortal characteristics were the long, curling horns protruding from her flowing black hair. Her face, however, was human, and stunning at that. She was naturally beautiful- here eyes were a brilliant mixture of colors, her lips were full and luscious, her face sculpted in perfect beauty. Her wild makeup- bright lipstick and all matters of eye shadow and mascara- did not make her look gaudy, but instead, appeared as if they were as much a part of her face as the features they accented.
“How long have you been standing there?” Aten gasped, not remembering her presence when he first approached the portable quarters. “Quite a while, actually,” she laughed. “I always love to check out the new additions to our happy little traveling family.” Aten was baffled. “If you were there, then why didn’t I see you before? I know I couldn’t have missed you.” She giggled. “It’s my animortal ability. I can turn invisible. But that’s not what I do in my show,” she quickly added. “I’m a dancer,” she whispered with strong sexual emphasis. “You really should see me sometime. I assure you you’ll love it.” “I’m sure I will,” Aten agreed. “I’m Aten, by the way,” He said, extending a hand. “I’m Hathor. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aten,” she replied, reaching for his hand. At their touch, there was a pause, neither really sure what to do next.
“Well, um, Hathor. Ma’at mentioned that I would need someone to help get me acquainted with the carnival- you know, like routines and where everything is and stuff. Would you like to-“ “Show you around? I’d love to!” She giggled.
“I’m afraid that won’t be necessary, Hathor. Ma’at has asked me to educate our new friend,” Spoke a tall man approaching Aten from behind.
“What is it with everyone sneaking up on me today?” Aten muttered under his breath as he turned, yet again, to face the newcomer.
The man was taller than Aten, which was impressive, because Aten stood at 6’1. Aten gazed up at his face. A long, frail, curved beak extended above him. His face was mostly masked, leaving nothing more visible than his deep red eyes. Long navy blue hair fell around him, cascading past his shoulders. The man was thin- most likely another byproduct of his animortal nature.
The man looked downward, extending a feathered hand. “Greetings. I am Toth, the clairvoyant. Welcome.” His voice was deep, and somewhat monotonous. Aten reached out to shake his hand. “I’m Aten, the new announcer. But I guess Ma’at already told you that.” Toth said nothing, he only nodded. “Well, If you’d like, I can begin showing you around now,” Toth said, as he walked past the two of them and proceeded to head towards the central fairgrounds. “I guess I’m following,” Aten said with a sigh. “Maybe I’ll see you at your show,” He offered to the woman. She smiled happily. “That sounds great. I probably should be practicing anyway,” She said. With that, Aten turned to run after the ibis animortal.
“She is rather loose, I wouldn’t get your hopes up about her,” Toth droned disapprovingly. “She flirts with anyone who is the slightest bit attractive. And she loves human boys.”
Aten definitely fit Toth’s description, although most would say he was beyond “the slightest bit attractive.” Aten was tall. He had a gorgeous, lean, physique, and a face to match, with pale blue eyes and loose dirty blonde hair.
He was human as well, a strange occurrence seeing as both of his parents were animortals and it was assumed he would be as well.
“Yeah… but she seems nice,” Aten meekly refuted. “She is nice… if you like contracting your gonorrhea from a cow,” Toth dryly replied. “This is my studio. You won’t need to come here- I’m not part of the main show.” Toth paused. “Would you like to come inside for a tarot reading? I like to give them to our new recruits.” Aten was unsure. He had never had his future told before. But he liked to try new things. “Sure, why not?” He smiled. Toth opened the door to the trailer and walked inside, with the younger man following.
The most noticeable thing about the room was it was very dark. Heavy, multicolored fabrics were draped over the windows. The lone light shone from the table in the center. A deck of flashy tarot cards lay on the paisley patterned tablecloth. A scythe lay propped up against the back corner of the room. Ravens sat in the cages suspended from the ceiling.
“You’ve certainly made this place creepy enough,” Aten joked, taking a seat at the table. Toth said nothing- he only glared.
“Well then, lets begin, shall we?” Toth sat in the seat opposite Aten and folded his hands on the table. Suddenly, the deck hovered in the air, and began shuffling itself. The cards spun around in the air, whirling around their heads like hummingbirds before they reconvened in the center of the table. Three cards from the top of the deck floated off and lay themselves face down in the table’s center. The rest of the deck hovered to the side.
“Now let’s see the first card, shall we?” Toth asked. The card turned over, revealing nothing more than a blank face.
“It’s a blank card. Are you sure you took all the jokers out?” joked Aten. But Toth found nothing funny. “That’s impossible, there are no blank tarot cards. None at all.” He turned over the next card, revealing, again, nothing. The third card proved the same. “This cannot be happening,” Toth muttered in bewilderment, turning card after card over, showing a blank face every time.
Aten was nervous as well. “What does it mean, Toth?” He asked tentatively. Toth had gathered all the cards into the deck again and proceeded to leaf through them again. “The pictures have returned… But they vanished for you.” He placed the cards back on the table. “This sounds absurd… and I want you to stay calm. I don’t know if this is the truth or not- it is only a guess, but I am a professional…” “Cut the shit. What’s wrong with me?” Aten half screamed. “It appears that the cards drew blank because your future is certain. It is unpredictable, and that is because it doesn’t exist.” “What do you mean it doesn’t exist? Like, I’m going to die or something?” Toth shook his head. “No, no, that could be predicted… What I’m saying, is, Aten, that you were forgotten by fate. You see, at birth, each person is given a chi- a personal god that chooses their destiny.” Aten nodded, remembering Ma’at using the term earlier. “But you did not receive chi- you received no fate. You have no destiny.” |
