Lucian wasted no time in getting down to business, fixing Avi with a steely look that said any more breaking of desks would not be tolerated. Fair enough.

"I'm going to lay it out straight for you boys," he proclaimed. "You have two options. You can leave here right now and not look back - meaning you will not be allowed back - and try and lead your normal lives as they were. I cannot guarantee how easy that may be seeing as we don't know the full extent of your new abilities. But be warned there are also those out there who would see people like us come to great harm. You may find yourself being hunted, on the run from law enforcements or private agencies."

Evading the law would not be a major upset to Avi, he had done so plenty in the past but the word hunted sent a shiver up his spine. The idea that there were people out there who would look at them as animals to be chased down was sickening.

"Or you could remain with us," Lucian continued. "We would welcome you with open arms and offer you a community where you could learn about your knew abilities and help teach you how to control them. This would mean embracing the circus life as a whole, be it as part of our show or as a stage hand, and it would be a permanent arrangement. I understand this is not the life for everyone and you would have to sign a contract agreeing to our rules." He sent a brief smile Avi's way. "Rules I understand Mr Kaplan, are not your best friend."

Avi wondered just what Kevin had been saying about him. A lot could be said in three days. It wasn't rules as such that he had a problem with, it was the person who made them, and in his life so far those people had more than often been cruel or stupid. Why should he follow the rules of someone he had absolutely no respect for and who viewed him as less than worthless?

At the moment he had no idea what the rules at a circus might possibly be but one thing was for sure, out of the five people he had met, three of them he had apparently terrorised, one had annoying written all over him and the so-called leader - gaffer, whatever - probably didn't see Avi in the best of light right now; what with the shouting and destroyed furniture.

His curiosity had been peaked though. "You said people like us?" Avi queried. "What can you do?"

This Lucian guy was the most normal looking person he'd met so far, and that included his reunion with Kevin!

The man in the trench coat gave a wry smile at the two of them and out of nowhere a gust of wind blasted through the room, blowing out all the candles except for one. That wasn't all though, for a second later tiny specks of golden light began to appear out of thin air in front of their eyes, flickering and zooming around like little fireflies. Avi watched in awe as the specks of light worked together to perform their very own show; creating first a soaring eagle, then a playful dog, and for the finale a lion that leapt towards the two boys before dissipating into the blackness.

Avi's heart was still thudding twice as hard as the light returned to the room and Lucian leaned back in his chair, smiling at the two enraptured boys.

"Some may call it magic, I just call it unexplained science." He grinned. "And to tell you truth I am still learning the extent of my abilities after nearly fifty years."

"That was..." Kevin left his mouth hanging open as his brain tried to catch up with what his eyes had just been witness to. "Mind blowing," were the words he finally settled on.

He turned to Avi once more and the younger boy sighed at the look in his friends eyes. He knew that look and was prepared for the question before Kevin had even uttered the first syllable.

"Can we see the contract?"

Sure. Why not indulge Lucian for a little longer? Avi just suddenly had the thought that both he and Kevin would be fired when they got back to work. Where would that leave them? There were very few places in town who would take ex-foster guys like them and Avi didn't want to go back to his old waiters job. He had quit that place for an extremely valid reason after the staff had been ordered to clean up after a guest who had gotten very intoxicated at a corporate event one night and taken a shit on the floor. No, he would not be going back there. He and Kevin could move towns if needed be.

Lucian returned with two forms for the boys to read. Three pages of thick, expensive looking paper, not papyrus or animal skin or whatever nonsense Avi had been expecting.

The first words put Avi off straight away.

PERFORMERS CONTRACT

Well that wasn't going to happen in a million years. The first part was just a load of crap that sounded like it had been stolen right from an Apple employee contract or something, with a few changes here and there where necessary:

The object of these rules and suggestions is not to limit the employees in the enjoyment of their rights, but rather to promote harmony and goodwill, and co-operate with our employees in conducting our institution in a business-like, high-standard manner.

The personal appearance and behaviour of each individual is important, not only in so far as the relations of employee with employee are concerned, but equally as much for the impression we make on the public. We should want the "town folks" to feel that the "show folks" are real men and women and ladies and gentlemen as well.

Yeah...real men and women, with real scales and real hacked of limbs. Then came the rules, divided into sections for the readers convenience.

PERSONAL

1. Be hygienic and refrain from loud acts of display.

2. There will be no fighting amongst employees.

Avi was pretty certain he'd already broke that one.

3. Any new discovered abilities are to be reported straight away.

LIVING QUARTERS

4. Loud talking, singing, playing upon musical instruments, or disturbing noises in or near the living quarters must stop at 11 P.M.

What is this? Freaking summer camp?

5. No entering another performers room without their permission.

6. Any acrobatic acts may not be practiced in rooms.

Those two right after each other made him chuckle slightly.

DINING TENT

7. Eat what you're given. No one gets any special treatments except for those with allergies.

8. When the green flag is up the meal is ready; when the blue flag is up the meal is over.

That one he definitely didn't like. It reminded him too much of his time in the system.

9. Drinking glasses are thoroughly washed and rinsed. Do not waste water washing them at the drinking tank.

10. No bringing audience members into the dining tent.

TO PERFORMERS

11. Take the same care of company wardrobe as you do your own; do not sit on dirty boxes, pedestals, wagons, on the ground, etc., while wearing spectacle costumes.

Spectacle costumes? Surely these freaks were enough of a spectacle already without a fancy frock.

12. Do not bring liquors or intoxicants into the dressing rooms.

13. Do not chew gum while taking part in spectacle.

14. Do not practice or rehearse in main tent after 6:30 P.M

15. Do not play ball in the main tent or "back yard."

16. Do not loiter about the "front" of the show grounds.

17. Do not interact with audience members for any other purpose other than "show" purpose.

Those all sounded pretty standard, even if the last one did seem a bit strange. Avi had no idea what "show purpose" would be.

The last paragraph was another load of jargon in his eyes:

Since you have chosen to travel with Circo Di Freak, it is evident that your success depends upon the success of circuses in general, and the one by which you are employed in particular. Therefore, the greater the success of the circus, and especially the part of that success to which you contribute, the better it is for you and the more valuable you will be in your profession. - Don't overlook this point - do your best - it is for you first and the company second.

They seriously referred to this as a company? Below there was a line for a name and a signature. Avi thought it looked perfectly fine without his own name on it. Now they had heard everything, and got all the facts like Kevin wanted to, they could leave.

Screw being hunted by some mystery forces he had never heard of, Avi would take that over being a performing monkey and spending his life amongst these freaks any day of the week.

"Doesn't seem too bad, does it?" he heard someone say beside him. The voice couldn't possible be Kevin though. Kevin could get easily excited about stuff and could get very passionate but Avi knew his friend had more sense that to agree to a contract that involved basically signing their life away.

"You can't seriously be considering it?" he asked incredulously. "You're not thinking straight," he decided.

"No you're not thinking straight," Kevin interrupted him. "The way I see it," he speculated, "is we either leave and go back to our dead end jobs in a town where nothing ever happens to people who look at us only as ex-foster kids and possibly get chased by some crazed and misinformed hunters." Avi tried to interject to say tell him that story sounded more like a load of crap each time he heard it but Kevin was having none of it.

"Or," he raised his voice meaningfully, "we can take a leap of faith with these guys Avi. Face it, we're not normal any more, I especially don't look normal, and I intend to do some thorough research on it, and I believe this is the safest and best place for that. Who cares if he have to abide by a few rules while we're here?"

Avi shook his head adamantly. "But a freak show Kevin," he argued. "Forever."

He didn't want to be stuck here forever on a whim. He had plans. He had absolutely no idea what those plans were yet but he was sure he could make some up when they got back.

The older boy gave him a side glance. "Y'know I thought you were always the one who yearned for an escape," Kevin declared. "A chance to get away from our pitiful existence; our monotonous jobs, our pasts that follows us everywhere. I thought you would be the first one to jump at the chance to exchange your life for a more exciting one."

He would. He had always wanted to, ever since he had been a tiny child watching horror movies to escape from reality. But he had always thought if that chance did come it would be more...not like this. This was all so sudden. One moment he had been climbing along the cliff ridge and the next moment he had awoken in a completely new world.

It was damn scary, that's what it was. Avi was scared.

"I think this is it Avi. I think this what we've been waiting for."

Meeting Kevin's pleading gaze Avi realised he didn't really have much of a choice. The older boy was right, they had nothing and no one waiting for them back at home. He also didn't think his friend would ever truly forgive him if he walked away now, and that he couldn't have. Plus the fact that they both now had something...something wrong with them.

Turning a steely gaze to the man who had been watching their exchange in silent interest. "You promise you can help us?" It was more of a demand than a question.

"It's in our best interest to," Lucian vowed.

"Alright," Avi let out a huff of air. "It's clear you want to stay," he said to Kevin. "And I guess someone has to keep an eye on you."

Avi couldn't remember Kevin ever looking more delighted.

"You keep pens in this joint?" he asked Lucian, who merely smiled and gestured down towards their hands. There were already fountain pens there. "Yeah," Avi muttered, "figures." Magically appearing pens were the least astonishing thing he'd seen today.

Before his pen touched the paper Avi had one last moment of hesitation. There was still time to back out... No. Kevin was right. This could be their ticket out. Just do it you coward! His subconscious shouted at him.

Avi neatly jotted his name and his signature along the line and the two boys handed the contracts back to Lucian, who inspected them briefly before filing them away in that massive trench coat of his.

"Boys," he beamed at them. "Welcome to the family." That was kind of a dead greeting. Family didn't exactly mean much to Avi or Kevin. The intention was there though, Avi supposed and Lucian appeared very energetic all of a sudden, leaping up and spreading his arms wide like a man half his age.

"Now that you're both up and at 'em, how about a grand tour?" he asked.

The two shared a look with each other and shrugged their shoulders. Sure, why not?

"Excellent," Lucian clapped his hands together. "Mitch!" he shouted. "Get in here, I know you've been eavesdropping."

Oh please God no, Avi thought with dread but his prayers went unanswered as a familiar little head poked itself round the door.

"You'll show these two around won't you?"

"Of course!" the boy exclaimed ecstatically, giving Avi a cheeky wink. "Looks like we're gonna be friends after all kid!"

Avi wondered how long it would take for him to break that no fighting rule.

We'll be seeing a few more familiar faces in the next chapter :)