Chapter Five

Lia let out a long yawn as she emerged from the bathroom, fully ready to drift into a peaceful slumber. However, her steps faltered when she spotted a ninja stuffed toy sitting innocently on her bed. With a roll of her eyes, she swiftly left her room and made her way down the hall, taking ten determined strides until she arrived at her brother’s bedroom.

Without bothering to knock, she flung the door open with a shout, “Nate!” Her sudden entrance startled her brother, who had been engrossed in a game on his device, lounging against the pillows of his bed.

“What?! Can’t you come in like a normal person? Why do you have to burst in like some alien going on a war?!” Nate shouted in response; his startled voice laced with genuine fear. The emptiness of their home heightened his unease, leaving him on edge at that moment.

Lia scoffed, snorting dismissively as she retorted, “As if you’ve ever seen an alien going on a war. You, little penguin.” As she spoke, she examined her nails adorned with delicate and pretty flowery designs—an early birthday present that April had gotten her a few days ago.

Taken aback, Nate quickly responded, “No, you’re right, but if an alien were ever spotted going to war, it would definitely resemble you at this moment. And where did the penguin come from?!”

Lia chose to ignore his comment, letting out a sigh as she moved closer and settled onto the bed beside him. With a casual tone, she asked, “Hey, do you wanna sleep in my room tonight?”

Nate sighed before propping himself up and reaching for the glass of water on the nightstand. With a slight stutter, he replied, “Yeah… Mom and Dad aren’t home, and… I just don’t want to be alone, especially since I’m sick.”

Lia hummed thoughtfully before responding, “Penguin, just say that you’re afraid. What are you acting up for?”

Nate felt his face flush at her remark, thinking, ‘She must have devil horns hidden somewhere on her head.’ Before finally, he conceded, “Fine! You’re right, but what’s with the penguin nickname?!”

Lia playfully ruffled Nate’s hair before standing up and beginning to walk away, smiling as she said, “Cheer up! Since you’re sick and all, I’ll help you get your blanket—THUD!”

Before Lia could finish her sentence, she stumbled over a box of toys that had been carelessly left in the middle of the bedroom, catching her off guard.

"Wow... are you okay?" Nate asked, concern in his voice as he watched his sister struggle to push herself up from the carpeted floor. She shot him a sharp glare, her frustration clear as she brushed herself off. "How many times do I have to tell you to clean your room?" she scolded; her tone full of exasperation.

Nate stood up and moved to help his sister, his tone casual yet pointed as he remarked, "Jeez, quit taking your anger out on me when you’re the one stumbling around blind without your glasses." Lia groaned in response, the ache in her legs reminding her of her rushed trip to Nate’s room. It was true—she’d left her glasses on the nightstand in her hurry, and now she was paying the price for it.

Nate reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. Once she was steady, Lia's gaze locked onto the box that had caused her fall, her eyes narrowing with irritation. Noticing her fierce glare, Nate shifted nervously and said, "Hey, quit glaring at my box... you're going to burn a hole right through it."

Lia shot Nate a pointed look and replied, "Well, I wish that were possible. Maybe then you'd finally learn to clean your room after a bad experience." She crossed her arms and added with a huff, "Anyway, since I took that nasty fall because of you, you're going to make your side of the bed all by yourself now. Got it!"

Lia stuck her tongue out at him playfully, prompting Nate to scowl and retort, "Oh, come on, don’t act so pitiful. Look, I’m the one who's sick!"

He punctuated his claim with an exaggerated cough as if to prove his point. Lia simply shook her head in disappointment, ignoring his theatrics. She carefully stepped around the scattered boxes, making her way to Nate’s cupboard. Pulling out his warm blanket, she headed toward her room with Nate trailing behind her, still trying to justify himself.

As Lia helped Nate set up his side of the bed, she added two extra blankets, knowing how badly he could suffer from a severe cold. While smoothing them out, she asked, “Nate, did you take your medicine?” Nate nodded in response, wasting no time climbing into bed. He snuggled under the layers with his stuffed toy, cozy and content as the warmth surrounded him.

After ensuring Nate was settled and ready for sleep, Lia switched off the room's light. Guided by the soft glow of moonlight streaming through the billowing curtains, she carefully made her way across the room. Once she reached the bed, she slipped under her own comforter, finally settling in for the night.

"Hey, Lia… don’t tell Mom I went out today," Nate whispered, looking at her with wide, pleading eyes. Lia sighed softly, turning toward her younger brother. With a gentle, sincere tone, she replied, "I won’t, penguin."

Nate grumbled at the nickname, realizing she still hadn’t let go of the time he wore those ridiculous penguin clothes. He knew she’d keep teasing him about it until she finally got bored. It was clear she found him particularly amusing at that time.

Lia was about to close her eyes from tiredness, but a thought suddenly crossed her mind, and she wondered if Nate might have any answers.

"Hey, Nate... what's a 'Whimsical Train'?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. "The Ringmaster mentioned it at the end of his speech."

Nate hummed thoughtfully for a moment before his eyes lit up with enthusiasm. "Oh, it's just a metaphor! The 'Whimsical Train' is actually their logo—a royal train topped with a hat at the front and adorned with angel wings in the middle. It symbolizes how, whenever a huge crowd gathers for their performance, it’s like a train of joy and fun bringing everyone to them. There’s really nothing more to it. I guess it's just a catchy slogan for their business."

Lia hummed thoughtfully as the meaning began to sink in. She wasn’t sure why, but it felt like a nagging concern. Maybe she really would become a fan and start digging for more information about them tomorrow.

An inexplicable curiosity was bubbling up inside her, and she couldn’t shake it off.

"Hey, you enjoyed the circus, right?" Nate asked softly, his curiosity getting the better of him. After all, Lia had never been one for traditional entertainment or vibrant spectacles; her tastes were rather unusual for someone her age.

Lia nodded in agreement and said, "Yeah, I did. But now it’s time to sleep; it’s already past midnight."

Nate nodded, a small smile gracing his lips as he shut his eyes, clutching his stuffed toy tightly as he drifted off to sleep. Lia watched him for a few minutes before she too closed her eyes, attempting to find her own rest. It wasn’t until five minutes later, when she heard the rustling of the sheets, that she was pulled from her semi-conscious state.

Lia pondered whether Nate was struggling to fall asleep due to his worsening cold. Rubbing her eyes, she called out, "Nate... what's wrong?" When there was no response, she turned to look at him and found him sitting up on his knees, widely smiling all the while gazing out the window with big, sparkling eyes, lost in a trance.

Lia leaned over to look out the window, but all she could see was darkness; the blinds obscured most of the view, leaving her with little to gaze at. But she was certain that there was nothing to see.

Huh, what has got him so excited about? Lia wondered as she glanced back at her brother. She called out, “Nate. Nate… what are you looking at? Nate! Come on, it’s time to sleep now. Nate!”

When she still didn’t receive a response, worry began to creep in, and so did an ounce of fear. Finally, he spoke up in a whisper, his gaze still fixed on the window. “Look, Lia… it is the… ‘Whimsical Train,’ look.”

Lia furrowed her brow in confusion and stammered, “A… a what train?”

Lia didn’t receive an answer as Nate continued to act strangely, a wide, eerie smile on his face. He climbed out of bed and made his way to the double-door window, which slid open on its own to reveal the attached balcony.

Lia swiftly climbed out of bed and grabbed his clammy hand, her voice filled with concern as she asked, “What are you talking about, and where exactly are you going?”

Lia observed the back of her brother, a feeling of unease settling in as she pondered, ‘Is this… his fever? Is his fever causing him to act like this?’

A sense of trepidation began to creep into Lia as she considered her brother’s condition. She wondered if the fever had escalated to the point where it was clouding his mind and affecting his behavior.

“Why can’t you see, my dorky sister? The ‘Whimsical Train’ is here to take us! Come on, let’s go to a land filled with nothing but fun and joy!”

Lia’s eyes widened at the mention of the ‘Whimsical Train,’ and a sense of dread filled her as she thought, ‘What is wrong with him? Why is he acting this way?’

Before Lia could gather her thoughts, the window banged shut, only to swing open again, startling her. She instinctively turned to look outside, and through the billowing whitish-grey blinds, she could barely make out the silhouettes of a group of people gathered on her wide balcony.

‘What… what’s going on?’ Lia thought, gulping nervously as she pulled Nate toward her by the hand. The winds picked up, causing the curtain to sway back and forth as one of the figures from the shadow of the group stepped into the room and revealed himself.

Her eyes widened even further as she recognized the man standing before her.

“Greetings, sweetie! As you know, I’m the great Ringmaster. We believe it’s time for us to go,” the man announced, his eyes narrowed and his unsettling makeup unchanged, though he wore the same clothes from the earlier performance. Lia glanced behind him and was taken aback to see the entire circus standing there.

“What… what are you talking about? Go where?” Lia asked, stepping back alongside her brother, who remained entranced—God only knew what had put him in that state.

In Nate’s eyes, the room had vanished entirely, replaced by a magnificent vision: a vast, sparkling blue and gold train soaring through the sky, supported by enormous golden wings. Bold letters on both sides read "Fabled Whimsical Train." He found himself in a breathtaking, fantastical garden with other children around his age, laughing and having fun, with the train hovering above them, waiting for him. A bear held his hand, and other animals dressed in circus costumes and makeup strolled around with children, chatting with the bear as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

The Ringmaster burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the room,

“HAHAHAHA!”

He took a step forward, his movements deliberate and eerie, causing Lia to instinctively step back, her heart pounding faster with every inch he closed.

“Oh dear, there’s no need to be frightened,” the Ringmaster cooed, a sly grin spreading across his face. “You see, you're not on the list. It’s your brother we’re here to take with us.”

Before Lia could even react, the Ringmaster snapped his fingers.

In an instant, the Aerialist swooped down from the ceiling, appearing as if from nowhere, and snatched Nate up by his arms. Lia blinked, her mind spinning—when had the Aerialist even gotten to the ceiling of her bedroom?

In Nate’s eyes, the world was entirely different. Instead of the Aerialist, he saw a gentle, soft panda dressed in the same costume, cradling him tenderly in its arms. A delighted giggle escaped his lips, completely unaware of the dark reality around him.

"No! Wait—" Lia's voice faltered as she tried to rush forward, her instincts screaming to protect Nate, but her feet wouldn’t budge.

She was frozen in place, paralyzed by an overwhelming fear. The ground beneath her suddenly split open, jagged cracks spreading as fiery bursts of flame shot up. One lick of heat seared the tip of her toe, and she winced, feeling the alarming, all-too-real burn. Her eyes darted upward, only to see the Illusionist standing ominously beside the Ringmaster, his violet eyes glowing brightly with a dark, sinister intensity.

‘He’s the one… trapping Nate in some kind of illusion, keeping him locked in this dream-like trance,’ Lia realized, her throat tightening with fear as she gulped. She had no idea how to undo what was happening, no clear path to follow.

‘How am I supposed to break through this?’ Her mind raced, but her body remained frozen as she shot a sharp glare at the Ringmaster, desperate for a solution.

As they began to retreat toward the balcony with Nate in tow, Lia’s desperation surged. She fought against the paralysis that gripped her, willing her body to move. Somehow, due to her strong will, she broke free from the frozen state, surprising not only herself but the Illusionist as well, whose glowing eyes flickered in shock at her sudden burst of movement.

"Let him go! Now! Why are you even doing this? What did we ever do to you?" Lia screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice shaking as she chased after the circus. In her panic and the heat of the moment, she completely forgot about the Illusionist, her focus only on rescuing Nate.

Just as her fingers were about to grasp the corner of the Ringmaster's coat, the ground beneath her cracked wide open. A piercing scream tore from her throat as she plummeted, falling into a forest through the sky in broad daylight.

She gasped in horror as she realized she was descending straight into the open jaws of a massive T Rex dinosaur. Her heart pounded in her ears as the dinosaur's enormous teeth closed in on her, her screams growing more desperate.

Over the roar of the wind, she could still hear the Ringmaster's haunting voice calling after her, "Goodbye, sweetie! Hope to see you on the next Whimsical Train."

Just as the Ringmaster ended his sentence, Lia fell into the dinosaur’s mouth, all the while screaming as the T-Rex's jaws snapped shut, enveloping her in eternal darkness—but in an instant, Lia found herself crashing onto her bed, drenched in sweat and sobbing uncontrollably.

The terror still clung to her like a shadow, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she clutched the sheets, trying to ground herself in the reality of her bedroom.

For a full minute, she lay frozen, her body trembling as she took in her surroundings. The vivid experience of the illusion still echoed in her mind, and her heart raced as she glanced around her bedroom in fear.

It dawned on her that she was utterly alone; the circus had vanished, taking her brother with them, leaving her in a frigid silence that felt all the more haunting.