Angel's ringing

The clock read 11:57. Eterrai was on his way to Wonder City on that infernal sunny day. He had managed to catch a ride with a circus troupe leaving Mériti and heading to the destination city. With a despondent expression, he stared at the wooden ceiling covering the carriage. Sitting in the right corner of a large wagon, Eterrai was surrounded by a group of gypsy women, each with distinctive hair, conversing and laughing. One of them, wearing a bandana, was seated on the other side of the wagon, casting furtive glances at the temporary passenger. Her companion, who seemed to be around 30 years old with long curly hair tossed to the side, turned her attention to Eterrai and started talking.

— So, tiger, what makes someone like you hitch a ride with a circus troupe? What's so special about Wonder City that interests you so much? — said the gypsy woman with a sarcastic smile and narrowed eyes, clearly trying to decipher his soul.

— Bethy, be quiet! What if he's from the government? Some things are better left unknown — said a short-haired gypsy sitting beside her.

Eterrai gave a slight smile and replied:

— It's alright, I'm not from the government.

— You worry too much, Ann... see? So, what brings you here? — asked Beth, enthusiastic.

— Nothing much, I'm just looking for a future. I feel kind of lost and... well, why not let the wonderful city show me what's ahead? — said Eterrai timidly, gesturing with open hands.

— I know what you mean. Usually, people like you either get rich or end up in a circus like us, lamenting their whole lives for not following in their parents' footsteps — said Beth.

— I don't thi... — Eterrai began to reply, only to be suddenly cut off by Beth.

— But if you want to find out and save some time, that weirdo over there can see the future — said Beth, pointing with her left thumb at the bandana girl.

Eterrai, curious, asked:

— What are you talking about?

— I'm telling you, come here, Bell — said Beth, gesturing with her extended arm, calling her friend.

Eterrai didn't look very confident and was visibly uncomfortable. He didn't want to be rude and didn't know how to end the conversation. The girl stood up and took two steps towards him, gesturing for the other gypsy women sitting next to him to move aside so she could sit.

— Your hand — she said.

Eterrai cautiously opened his hand. Bell then touched it delicately. Both felt a strong headache and many colorful flashes, each representing emotions, destinies, pasts, and conflicts. Bell knew this well, and then... nothing. Just white, totally devoid of emotion, nothing written, nothing to show, and nothing to say. Bell stared at Eterrai with a worried expression and said:

— I see nothing; it's all empty. It's a blank future.

Eterrai replied with a sad smile and looked down:

— So, it means that destiny has truly abandoned me.

All the gypsy women were briefly silent. Very likely to break the heavy mood, Ann began to hum a beautiful melody. Soon after, all the gypsy women started to sing a beautiful song in perfect harmony, like beautiful sirens seducing foolish sailors. The song spoke of a boy who traveled to a world that didn't belong to him. He was very kind and helped everyone like a hero, a true beacon of hope thrown into a decaying world very conveniently, almost as if it were fate. Then, he fell in love with seductive death.

Eterrai stopped paying attention after this part. He rested his head against the wall, adjusted his shoulders, and then slept for the rest of the journey.

A few hours later, the moon was already high in the sky, and the sun had already departed. Finally, they arrived in the city.

— Hey, tiger, wake up. We've arrived — said Beth, giving light taps with her fingertips on Eterrai's face.

Eterrai opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the moonlight that now illuminated the wagon. He stretched, feeling his tense muscles relax a bit. The city of Wonder City stretched out before him, a labyrinth of lights and shadows, with narrow streets and tall buildings that seemed to touch the night sky.

— Welcome to Wonder City, the place where dreams meet reality — said Beth with an enigmatic smile, as she waited for Eterrai to get off the wagon.

Eterrai looked around, absorbing the vibrant atmosphere of the city. The streets were full of people, each with their own story and destiny. He felt a mix of excitement and apprehension, knowing that his journey was just beginning.

As he got off the wagon, Eterrai encountered the gypsy circus, a spectacle of colors and shapes that seemed to have come out of a horror movie. The tents were being set up in their respective areas for performances, each more bizarre than the last. The gypsy women, with their exotic outfits and enigmatic looks, moved with an almost supernatural grace, while the non-gypsy circus members, grotesque and frightening figures, worked around them.

There was a tall, thin man with pale skin and deep-set eyes who seemed to have come out of a nightmare. He carried a large wooden marionette, whose empty eyes seemed to follow Eterrai wherever he went. Beside him, a woman with disheveled hair and a sinister smile adjusted the ropes of a tent, her skeletal hands moving with frightening precision.

Further ahead, a wrinkled-faced dwarf with a malicious expression organized a collection of torture instruments, each more macabre than the last. His eyes gleamed with a malice that made Eterrai's spine shiver. Nearby, a burly man covered in tattoos that seemed to come to life in the moonlight easily lifted a tent with superhuman ease, his muscles standing out under his tattooed skin.

Besides these, there were four other circus members who seemed to have come out of a distorted fairy tale. One was a medium-height man with a disproportionately large top hat and a smile that stretched from ear to ear. His eyes were different colors, one blue and one green, and he carried a pocket watch that always seemed to be late. He moved with surprising agility, almost as if he were dancing to the sound of an inaudible tune.

Next to him, a tall and slender woman with flaming red hair and a dress that seemed made of flower petals walked with ethereal elegance. Her eyes were an intense green, and she carried a cane adorned with precious stones.

— What kind of circus is this — he thought.

Eterrai, feeling the weight of the approaching night, turned to Ann and Beth, who were nearby, and said with a tired smile:

— Thanks, I think this is my cue.

As he walked, he kept his right arm half-raised, with his palm open, in a gesture of farewell. Ann, with a warm wave, exclaimed:

— Goodbye, if you need anything, just talk to us!

Beth, with her usual enthusiasm, shouted:

— Tiger, come back to see our show!

Eterrai smiled and replied:

— I'll think about it.

As he headed toward the exit of the circus area, he felt the gazes of the gypsy women on him. Bell, in particular, kept staring at him fixedly, her eyes following Eterrai's every move until he finally disappeared from sight, blending into the crowd on the horizon.

As Eterrai walked, the gypsy women's song and their faces still echoed in his mind, like a distant melody that refused to fade away.

The clock read 19:22 hours.