Chapter Six

Summoning the last of her strength, Lia managed to push herself up, but as she stumbled off the bed, her legs buckled beneath her fragile weight. Unable to hold herself steady, she collapsed onto her knees. A raw, agonized scream tore from her throat as she pressed her forehead against the cold floor. Her body shook violently, the intensity of her sobs sending a river of tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. Each breath was a struggle, and with every heartbreaking cry, she pounded the floor with her small fists, consumed by the overwhelming pain coursing through her.

RING!

RING!

RING!

The sudden sound of the telephone pierced through the stillness, echoing from the lounge downstairs. Startled, Lia’s heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, she sprang to her feet, her movements hurried and urgent. Racing down the stairs, her pulse quickened with every step until she reached the phone. Barely pausing to catch her breath, she snatched up the receiver and answered the call.

“Hey, Lia, sweetie! Is everything alright? Are you and Nate both okay?” Her mother’s concerned voice came through the line, soft yet filled with worry.

The mention of Nate’s name sent a sharp pang through Lia's chest, her emotions stirring painfully. She hesitated for a brief moment, struggling to keep her composure. Forcing herself to stay calm and not let her mother sense her turmoil, she replied gently, “Mom… we’re okay. When are… you-you coming back?”

Lia’s mom let out a soft sigh of relief on the other end of the line before responding, “Sweetheart, let me speak to Nate first. There’s also something I need to tell you.” Her tone shifted, hinting at something important that lay beneath her words.

Lia swallowed hard, fighting back her sniffles before responding, “Mom, Nate isn’t home. He’s staying over at Billy’s house tonight. I just spoke to him a little while ago. He was telling me all about the games he played today, and now he’s finally gone to sleep… just five minutes ago.” She tried to keep her voice steady, masking the emotions swirling within her.

A brief silence settled over the phone, a pause that felt heavy with unspoken questions. Then, Lia’s mother’s voice broke through, laced with confusion.

“Billy? Who’s Billy? Nate’s never mentioned a friend by that name before.”

Lia brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, letting out a soft sigh before responding, “Mom, he’s… well, there’s a kid by that name. You haven’t heard of him because, well, you’re never home. He’s a new friend Nate made recently. I let him stay over because… Nate was crying his eyes out, begging to go so he could try out his new games or whatever he was bawling his eyes out for.” Her voice carried a hint of frustration, but she tried to keep it steady.

Lia’s mother let out a weary sigh before saying, "I’m sorry, sweetheart, that I’m never home. But I guess you did the right thing. I didn’t want Nate feeling alone, especially not today, alright?"

Her tone softened briefly before shifting to something more serious.

"Ah, the thing I wanted to tell you… your friend April, along with Nate’s friends Danny and Leo, have disappeared from their homes. So, there are cops and detectives swarming everywhere right now since their case has been opened for a thorough investigation."

Lia’s eyes widened in shock, and fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as she stammered, “What? How… and why… April and the others?” Her voice trembled, barely able to process the devastating news.

Lia’s mother sighed heavily before responding, “Sweetheart, I know this is a lot to take in, but just hang in there. The investigation is ongoing. No one knows how it happened, but a witness came forward from one of the nearby houses. A kid claimed her sister was talking about something strange… like a train, just before she disappeared. No one knows what’s going on, and they think the child might be delusional and stressed out at such a young age. So… we’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

Lia struggled to wrap her mind around it.

‘A train, huh?’

The thought swirled in her mind, intertwining with the unsettling notion that the circus might be behind the others’ disappearances as well.

“Mom, you still haven’t answered my question from earlier,” Lia suddenly pressed, her voice tinged with desperation.

“When will you come back?”

Without missing a beat, her mother responded, unaware of the shift in Lia's tone, “I’ll be back tomorrow. There’s been a critical accident involving the higher-ups, and the hospital is short-staffed. Every nurse is needed on duty, and since I’m the Lead Nurse, I have to be there. It’s so hectic right now that I can’t guarantee I’ll make it back by tomorrow, but don’t worry—I’ll swing by the house to check on everything. But I’ll be there most probably… around lunchtime.”

Lia's mind raced with a plan that needed immediate action.

She responded to her mother with a determined tone, ensuring her message was clear, “No, you don’t need to come over. Everything is fine here. Nate is at his friend’s house, and I’ll be going to Olivia’s tomorrow morning. You’re already working so hard, so don’t stress about it. Everything… will be alright.”

Even though her last sentence was aimed at both herself and her mother, Lia's mother failed to grasp the underlying message. Instead, she smiled on the phone and replied, “Alright, dear, take care. And please say hi to Olivia’s parents for me.”

Lia's heart ached with a heavy throb as she nodded and murmured softly, “Okay, I will.”

Once the call ended, she allowed her sniffles to escape, finally surrendering to the silence of that painful night.

Gathering newfound courage and determination, Lia wiped her tears away and rushed upstairs to her bedroom. She quickly slipped into a pair of jeans, layered a sweater beneath a jacket to shield herself from the chill, and tied her short hair back into a ponytail. Just as she was about to step out of the room, her gaze caught a reflecting glass resting on the nightstand.

Though she despised them, she knew she needed them now more than ever. She walked over to the nightstand, picked up her silver round-framed glasses, and put them on before stepping out of the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind her, yet it still let out a short and low ‘creak’ noise.

Lia rushed downstairs, her hands trembling as she opened the front door and locked it securely behind her. She knew exactly where she needed to go, so she made her way to the back garage of her house. After retrieving her bicycle, she climbed on and began pedaling toward her destination.

Though the journey stretched out before her, far longer than she anticipated, nothing could deter Lia from bringing her brother and everyone she cared about back home.

Without stopping, she pedaled relentlessly for nearly two hours through the chilly night until she finally arrived at her destination.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her breathing before parking her bicycle outside the Carnival’s gate. After disembarking her bicycle, she clenched her fist in determination, fighting against her overgrowing fear as she approached the entrance, only to find that it was locked and she couldn't pass through.

Resolute in her purpose, she took matters into her own hands.

With determination, she scaled the wall and then leaped inside.

Fortunate to land in the bushes when she jumped, she emerged unscathed. Dusting herself off, she walked toward the circus until she came to a stop right outside its entrance.

The chilly winds picked up, and the only illumination came from the moonlight. Beyond that, an eerie silence enveloped the area, broken only by the rustling leaves and the whispering cold breeze that brushed against her.

Lia steeled herself for what lay ahead and stepped into the tent. As she entered, she found the space aglow with the same enchanting roses that had illuminated the tent during the performances. At first, she was impressed by their beauty, but now, a deep-seated hatred for everything about this circus—and perhaps every circus in existence—flooded her mind.

HAHAHAHA!

HEHEHEHE!

HAHAHAHA!

HEHEHEHE!

HAHAHAHA!

Out of nowhere, Lia was hit by a cacophony of unsettling laughter, sounds reminiscent of a joker blended with the shrill giggles of children. It was clear they were meant to instill fear, but what they didn’t realize was that she was not someone to be petrified enough to back down.

Indeed, she felt fear coursing through her heart, yet… she was also the one who had lost someone incredibly important to her.

Nothing in the world could instill fear in her quite like the thought of never seeing those people she cherished as the “precious treasures” in her heart.

Once she stepped into that tent, she understood that there was no turning back—no matter how terrifying the reality might become.

Lia didn’t bother searching for the source of the laughter; her narrowed eyes remained fixed ahead, behind her glasses. There, on a table set on the stage, sat the Ringmaster, flanked by two chairs—one at the head and the other at the far end. The table wasn’t particularly long, but it was enough to maintain a sense of space and formality.

She couldn’t help but wonder if the circus had been anticipating her arrival. Yet, given the treachery they had been engaged in, it was just as likely they were expecting anyone.

Lia let out a sigh, steadying herself until her racing heartbeat began to slow as she approached the stage. There, the Ringmaster with a sickly smile stretched across his face beneath layers of gaudy makeup, rose from his seat and bowed to her, greeting her with a flourish.

“Welcome! It’s an honor to finally meet you again, sweetheart.”

Lia scoffed as she stepped onto the stage, her voice laced with defiance, “Why? Were you hoping to meet me again?”

The Ringmaster's smile grew even wider, and Lia felt a surge of anger, wanting to punch him as tears threatened to well in her eyes.

“No, sweetheart, but over the years, there hasn’t been a single child brave enough to challenge us. You’re the first... it’s amusing to break it to you.”

Lia frowned slightly, humming in response before flashing a grin of her own to signal that neither he nor his entourage intimidated her.

“And what makes you think I’m... here to challenge you?”

The Ringmaster gestured for the young lady to take a seat at the end of the table, and she complied, understanding that showing respect wouldn’t harm her, especially since she had no idea what she was truly up against at that moment.

Her foremost instinct was to unravel the mind of her enemy—to study every shadow behind their smile, every silence between their words. Understanding them was not just a strategy; it was… survival.

As Lia settled into her seat, offering a nonchalant "thank you" in response, the Ringmaster smirked and said, “You’re welcome. And to answer your earlier question, I doubt you came all the way here just for a midnight tea. Unless... you actually did, Lia Robertson.”

Lia felt a laugh bubbling up inside her as he smoothly uttered her name, clearly indicating that he knew precisely why she was there and everything about her. While it wasn’t entirely surprising, it still caught her off guard... just a bit though.

‘He's one arrogant shark!’ Lia thought, glaring at him as she observed that his horrifying makeup gave him a look that was as sharp as a predator's. The realization of him knowing her name set her on high alert automatically.

She started to believe that this man might know more than she expected—perhaps even more than her name—and that was enough to make her uneasy.

“You’re right. I’m not here for the midnight tea, but I’m not here to fight either. Like hell, if I could even manage that,” Lia replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Just then, as the Ringmaster settled into his seat, the table was magically laden with an extensive array of midnight tea snacks. The spread was a confectioner’s dream, featuring a towering four-tiered cake, cookies, pancakes, ice cream, fruits, and every sugary delight one could imagine.

The circus’s Aerialist poured a cup of tea for Lia, placing it delicately in front of her in a beautifully adorned cup that immediately captivated her. It resembled something straight out of a fantasy cartoon—a coral pink cup shaped like a butterfly, its wings shimmering with vibrant colors, seemed so mesmerizing.

It was such a pretty teacup!

Lia cast a swift glance at the Ringmaster’s cup and noticed it was identical to hers.

“You can enjoy the tea without worry; the glow in the wings indicates that the cup is functioning perfectly. As long as the shine won’t go out, your tea will stay warm. Besides, you’re my first guest in centuries, so if you share a cup of tea with me, I might just go a little lenient,” the Ringmaster said, his smile reaching his eyes, ensuring Lia understood that there was no ulterior motive behind his seemingly innocent offer, but… Lia wasn’t going to let her guard down.

Lia hummed thoughtfully, fixing her gaze on the Ringmaster as she asked her question with a solemn expression, determined to convey her strength and seriousness.

“How can I be certain… that it won’t ensnare me in some deceptive illusions for you to capture me?”