Freekshow Romance

"Come on Ann. It'll be fun!" my friend Marcie said dragging me toward the elevator shaft.
"Marcie, this doesn't seem right."
"C'mon Antoinette! Haven't you ever wanted to go to a real freak show?"
She caught me.
I always thought it'd be cool to go to one.
I just never thought about how odd it would feel to actually be going to one.
"Fine." I sighed as we got into the elevator.
Marcie pressed the '0' button and we started going down.
When the door opened we were greeted by a man who had to be at least eight feet tall.
"This way ladies." he said pointing to the group of people in front of a stage.
We made our way up front so we had a good look.
"Ladies and gents, welcome to the one and only Dark Hour Freek Show! I am Bertie and I will be your guide for tonight." a thin man with a top hat, white face paint with his features painted black, and long dark brown dread locks said with a devilish smile in a strong almost Italian accent.
The crowd started to scream and cheer.
"For or first act I would like to introduce a very lovely young lady. We met this little ladie in the depths of Paris, France. Please welcome Madame Femme Petite!" a woman that was only a few inches taller than a yard stick walked out on stage.
She had short burgundy hair with a white carnation pinned in it.
She did her act then exited the stage.
A few more acts came on.
The Lobster Twins, which was a brother and sister with hands that resembled lobster or crab claws.
The Modern Day Elephant Man, who was a large man with tumors all over his body and he did magic tricks.
Legaina, the arm-less woman who would do gymnastic and contortionist acts without the benefit of arms.
Patrick and Patrisha, the oxymoron couple.
Patrick was the man that greeted us and Patrica was smaller than the first girl that preformed.
They brought out the other acts and had like a dance party theme going on.
I had to admit I was having a good time.
Patrick and Patrisha exited then the lights dimmed.
Bertie walked out.
"For our last act we will have to warn you this act isn't for the faint of heart. This isn't for the people who get the heebee-jeebees. Basically, if you're a fucking pussy, leave." Bertie laughed.
"For our last act I would like to introduce Diavolo. Diavolo is commented to be our, best act." right then Patrick and the Elephant Man rolled out a large box.
"So what does this Diavolo do, you might ask. This Diavolo doesn't believe in pain. Diavolo cannot feel pain. How, you might again ask. Well, boys open him up." the two men opened the box to show a man chained to the box's floor, with a straight jacket, and a cloth bag over his head.
He was thrashing around.
People started to scream.
"Don't worry you pansies. He is quite secure. Note the straight jacket." Bertie laughed.
I noticed the slack of the straight jacket loosen a tad.
"By the way, Diavolo is Italian for devil." Bertie manically laughed.
The straight jacket was undone now.
He easily slipped out of the chains at his feet and thats when he took off the cloth bag.
His face was a gray like pale.
His eyes were surrounded with red and he had 'stitches' all over his face.
He also had a septum ring and snake bites.
He looked crazy and stared out at the audience.
Scanning the crowd our eyes locked.
He jumped down and started toward me.
I froze.
Right then the lights went out.
I felt a hand gently grab mine.
"Shh, don't scream." I heard a smooth voice whisper in my ear as the rest of the audience screamed.
"Follow me."
The hand led me around the crowd and I heard a door open then a fake manic laughter from a sound speaker.
I was in another dark place until I heard a light flick on.
Standing before me was the crazed man, Diavolo.
"Holy shit." I breathed out.
Diavolo started to laugh.
"We're gonna let them scream it out there for a bit. It gets them all worked up." he laughed again.
I just looked at him.
"I'm Ari."
"Antoinette." I said quietly.
"I'm sorry for kidnapping you."
"No...problem?" I said raising an eyebrow.
"Can you meet me after the show tonight?"
"Uhh, sure?" I looked at him a bit confuse.
"Thanks. Wait till everyone is gone though."
He flicked out the lights then took me back.
He led me away then I felt him let go of my hand.
The lights came back on and Bertie was with Ari or 'Diavolo' as he was called.
There was a box on stage along with two torches.
Bertie took out a set of darts and showed it at the audience.
He then ripped the straight jacket off of Ari.
On his back there was a painted on bulls eye.
He had a slender yet muscular body.
He turned around and I watched as Bertie threw the darts at Ari's back.
Ari didn't even look phased.
Then Bertie grabbed the torches he grabbed them and started to show off his fire breathing skills.
He aimed the fire at Ari's back melting the paint off.
Ari just smirked.
He showed off more of his endurance to pain acts.
Like lying on a bed of nails and letting Bertie smash a cinder block on his chest.
While pretty much torturing Ari, Bertie would talk and say witty phrases to the audience while Ari remained silent.
Bertie then put the straight jacket back on Ari, put the sack over his head, and put him back into the box.
The lights went out and a second later there was nothing left on the stage.
The audience roared with enjoyment and then started to exit.
I grabbed Marcie's arm.
"Marcie, let's wait until the crowd leaves. I don't wanna get smushed." I laughed.
"Well I'm not claustrophobic like some people. I'm gonna go, this place creeps me out."
"Okay well I'll see you in a few."
"Bye, don't get raped!" she laughed leaving me.
Within five minutes the crowds were gone.
That's when I felt someone touch my shoulder.
I spun around to see not Diavolo, but who I presumed was Ari.
"You waited." he smiled.
"You sort of asked me too." I said sort of nervous.
He had on a black hoodie that covered his hair and tight jeans with red converses.
"So, why did you ask me to wait?"
"I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"You know the stuff Bertie did? That's called assisting. Most dangerous acts have an assistant. Bertie has been my assistant forever but it was funny when I was younger. I'm older now and my act has lost a lot of my comical feel. Bertie told me I should start looking for an assistant. A female assistant. You don't have to say yes but if you need a free place to stay in eat, you are invited to join the Dark Hour Freek Show." he said to me.
I was sort of stunned.
I thought about all the things I would have to leave behind.
The only thing I could think of was Marcie.
I had a crap hole of a job as a cashier at Spencer's and I was ready to get out of it.
"What would I have to do?" I asked.
"You saw the stuff Bertie did?"
I nodded.
"You'd have to learn that." he said.
I looked at him with a unsure look.
"Trust me, it's fun. You'll love it."
"Doesn't it hurt?" I blurted out.
"The only thing Bertie lies about is my name. I have a very high pain tolerance. I haven't been seriously injured in years. Once you learn the trick of the trade you'll do fine."
"B-but, why me?"
"Well to tell you the truth, you're cute. It's kind of an oxymoron I guess. The cute sweet girl torturing the crazed freaky guy. Sounds good, huh?" I barely knew Ari and I already enjoyed his sense of humor.
He smiled at me.
I smiled back.
"So is that a yes?"
"I-I guess."
Antoinette!
My mind screamed at me.
You're giving your life away, to a complete stranger at that!
I can't say no to those blue eyes.
"Well, I'll give you a night to get ready. Tomorrow we're heading out. We'll pick you up?"
"Sure."
"Great!"
He gave me a sudden hug then ran off.
"Hey!" I called out to him.
"Yeah?"
"Would you like my address?" I laughed.
He blushed.
"Oh yeah." he ran back.
That was the last day of my life as Antoinette Parrish, normal girl that worked at Spencer's and lived in a crappy apartment in a crappy city.