Chapter 5: Circus

We didn't leave the paint shop at all. Will Jane and Laura did or else their parents might question where they're at. Charles and I just stay. I slept in the corner with Laura's stuff. Barney slept on a couch I didn't notice along the wall.

Charles is on one of the computers. Searching up a bunch of things I don't know. He says I'll understand when I'm older. I guess that means when I turn seven. Which is soon. I think. I have to ask Charles what day it is. I know it's June. I get up and go to Barney.

He scrolls down quickly. His eyes moving along the lines. I don't think he's really reading. He's going too fast. I pull on his sleeve to get his attention since he seems to not notice me standing right beside him. Barney looks at me and rubs his eyes. He blinks a couple of times then smiles.

"Hey Clint, what's up?"

"What's today?"

"Wednesday."

"Number."

"Oh, it's the twelve."

I count on my fingers to figure out how many days until my birthday. If I count today it will be seven days. On the eighteen. I'll be able to understand Barney and the older stuff he does then. Barney grabs my hands. I look at him.

"You don't need to count the days to your birthday. I know it by heart. Besides this birthday is going to be the best one you ever had."

"You mean the first real one," I say.

"Yeah," he's says sadly. I never experience an actual birthday party of mine own. I went to a couple of other kids, but that was only for our parents to keep up a good reputation. They didn't want people to think that we're trapped inside our home.

"Guess where I'm taking you?"

"The park?"

"No better."

"The zoo!"

"Well that is better, but that's not it. I'm taking you to the Destiny Dreamscape Circus!"

(My brother came up with the name of the circus. 😊)

"Mom and dad said that the circus is filled with bad people and monsters. They said there's a man that hits you with a whip. A man that breathes fire in your face. A man eating tiger. Giant people the step on you and creepy men dressed up in colorful clothes with smiles like the Joker."

"Clint that's a lie."

"Is not! I saw pictures!" I tell him.

"Those were fake. Mom and dad did the same thing to me too."

"I don't want to go."

Barney sighed. Running a hand through his hair. He shakes his head and turns to the computer. I cross my arms and pout. It's the only thing I'm an expert at. Besides looking good for Laura. I go back to the corner and sit. I don't know when Jane and Laura are coming. Jane said that they might not come if their parents do come home early from work.

"Hey Clint," Barney calls me.

"Yes?" I question. Too lazy to get back up now.

"The zoo is closed for two weeks. We can't go for your birthday."

"Can't we just sneak in?" I ask with hope.

"No. That would be wrong."

"You snuck into places before. Why can't we do it now?"

"'Cause it's just wrong Clinton."

He's a jerk. All he can say is that it's wrong. Not a good reason. I get up and go to the computer furthest away from Charles. I press the button to turn it on. Words come onto the screen. I have no idea what it means. I start pressing buttons on the keyboard. The screen changes and turns a blue. I smile then frown. I never used a computer before.

I can't ask Charles since he's a big meanie. I saw him use the mouse, so that's what I'll do first. I move it around and see a small arrow moving around. This is so cool! I press the little button on the mouse. Making clicking noises for fun.

"Clint don't break anything."

"I'm only playing with the mouse."

"Stop playing with it."

He proves my point about being a jerk. He's no fun. I continue to click but not as fast. An image pops up. I found the thing Barney is on. This is the part where he's starts typing. I will look for flowers for Laura. Girls like flowers.

I wish I knew how to spell it. I know it starts with a F, but nothing else comes to mind. I look around the room for something to help me. Nothing here that can help me. I get up and go to the jerk. I shake his arm. He looks at.

"How do you spell flowers?"

"The one that's in the ground or for cooking?"

"The pretty ones girls like," I tell him. He laughs at me. I don't see what's so funny. I just want to know how to spell flower.

"It's F-L-O-W-E-R-S. Can you remember that?"

I nod. I can remember anything for Laura. I run back to the computer and scan the keyboard for the letters. I try typing like Barney, but my hands aren't very big to cover all of the keys. I find the letters and put them in one by one.

Barney then presses 'enter', so I do the same thing. The computer slowly changes. I wish computers were faster, but I don't think that will happen. Unless I can make them faster. I can make the world's fastest computer.

"Charles, Clint, guess who's here," Jane calls out.

I'm out of my seat in no time and run to the stairway. Laura has a piece of paper in her hand. Jane rubs my head. Messing up my hair. I try smoothing it out again. Jane laughs and moves on. Laura puts the paper in my face. I grab it and look at it. It's two people. One boy and girl. Our names under each of them. On the top I think it says friends.

"I drew it for you," she says jumping up and down.

"I love it Laura," I tell her with a huge smile on my face. Laura hugs me and gives me kiss on the cheek. I know my face is really red.

"They're so cute," I hear Jane say quietly.

I hug Laura back. I grab her hand and pull her over to the computer. Hopefully the flowers came up. I grin at the sight of the pictures. I tell Laura to sit down.

"I can find these flowers for you."

"They're pretty."

"Like you."

Laura looks at me and laughs. That cute laugh of hers. It makes me so happy! Laura gets out of the chair and to her corner. I follow her and sit down with her.

"Jane says a circus is coming!"

"You- you like the circus?" I ask.

"Yeah! I saw a pretty white horse," she said excitedly. Why does she like the circus? The zoo is a better place to be. I tell Laura I'll be right back. I run to Charles. He stops talking and looks at me. Jane smiles at me.

"I want to go," I tell him.

"Go where?" he questions.

"To the circus," I say. Where else would I like to go?

"Why? You said that you didn't want to go," Charles points out.

"I have to go and bring Laura. She likes the circus."

"She loves going. Especially when the horses come out. She really wants to get a pet lion now too after seeing one last year," Jane says smiling.

"But you're scared," he says with concern in his eyes.

"That doesn't matter."

Jane nods. "Tons of girls like it when a man faces his fears. Especially when he goes shopping with her," Jane says looking at Charles. His face turns red.

"Um.... I guess. I'll get the tickets."

"With what?" Jane questions. "No offense but you guys don't have money to spare like that."

"I'll figure it out. Go play with Laura," Barney tells me. I nod with a smile and go back to Laura. She's going to be so happy. Jane said girls like it when a boy faces his fear. Laura will be proud of me and love me. This plan will work or sure.

"Laura what else do you like about the circus?"

"I like all the animals there. The lion roars loudly. He's a king of the jungle. I also like those people the do flips in the air. It's like they're flying."

"That's cool," I tell her. Mom said those were evil flying monkeys. Maybe I was lied to. I should trust Charles. He's the only family I know that is close and alive. I listen to every word Laura says. Trying to remember everything she likes.

{}{}{}{}{}

Laura and Jane had to leave once again. This time Charles and I go back home. Instead of going to bed like my brother said to do, I sit on his bed until he comes out of the bathroom.

He comes out wearing his pajamas and his hair still wet. He notices me and sighs. He sits down on his bed. I crawl into his lap. He wraps his arms around me. I start crying. Barney rubs my back.

"I promise we'll get better. We won't have to hide. We'll be rich and happy. I promise you that Clinton."

I nod not wanting to speak. I just instantly felt sad when we came home. I wanted to have a happy life like Jane and Laura. They're so happy. I don't think they ever experience something really bad before.

Charles told me something Grandmother heard and told him before she died. Sometimes, the biggest smiles holds the most pain. That could be Jane's and Laura's case or not at all.

"Charles?"

"Yeah?"

"How much longer do we have to smile?"

"I don't know. I really don't know," is all he says and holds me tighter.

💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎

I feel so proud of myself for getting another chapter out! Anyway, there will be like five more chapters or more of Clint as being a little kid. Depends on how I feel. I feel like I'm the only person who gets sad about a B for a grade. Bye!

~Iron Hawk 🎩