Skycircus

by Peter Bunzl

  Robert checked the dials. “It looks correct,” he said. “We could try one more time?”

  “We’ve spent too long doing this,” Lily said. “We still need to break into the circus office and get our things. We can go to the police later, once we’re out of here.”

  When Robert and the others had turned the machine and the light off, Lily opened the door.

  “Lily,” Angelique whispered, leaning on her stick as they were about to leave the room. “I have to tell you something…”

  “What is it?” Lily asked.

  “I…I—”

  But, just then, Malkin appeared in the doorway.

  “I think I heard a sound on the stairs,” he interrupted. “We need to go.”

  “There isn’t time,” Lily said to Angelique. “Tell us on the way. We still need to get the notebook and Robert’s locket.”

  They made their way to the circus office, stopping outside the door. Before Lily started picking the lock, she tried the door handle, as she always did, just in case.

  Only this time the door swung open and the lights inside the room flashed on.

  There, in the centre of the space, sitting in a chair facing the door and waiting for them, was Madame. On the table beside her sat the Moonlocket, Robert’s penknife and the red notebook. Lily’s heart skipped a beat, and the others behind her let out horrified gasps. All except Angelique.

  “Lily!” Madame exclaimed. “And Robert, Malkin, plus Deedee, Luca and Angelique – I wasn’t expecting the rest of you, what a pleasant surprise! I take it, Lily and Robert, you’ve come for your things?” She indicated the red notebook and the Moonlocket and the rest of the items on the table.

  Such insincerity. Robert shuddered. He reckoned she’d been waiting in there all along for them to show up.

  “I hope you weren’t thinking of leaving us?” Madame said.

  There was a creak in the hallway behind them and the Lunk stepped across the doorway to block their path. Slimwood and Joey ducked under his metal arms. “Ah, reinforcements have arrived!” Madame said. “Come in. Join the party.”

  “What’s this?” Slimwood asked, grabbing Lily by the shoulder. “Our two show-stoppers and the troublemaker out of their cells!”

  “Don’t call me the troublemaker,” Malkin barked.

  “I was talking about Robert,” Slimwood snapped.

  “Children,” Joey cried, snatching at Angelique’s arms and folding them over her wings. “What a delight! To meet you all here on this beautiful night!”

  The Lunk just made a horrible screeching sound as he gathered a growling Malkin up in one arm and Robert in the other, clutching them both with his enormous fists.

  Lily tried to run, but Slimwood twisted both her arms up behind her, until she winced and a sharp stitch of pain shot through her shoulders.

  As Madame took the lock picks and her pocket watch from her, Lily turned angrily to Angelique. “Is this what you were going to warn me about…? But how did you know?”

  “She knew because she betrayed your plans to me,” Madame explained as she patted Lily down in one final search. She ignored the ripped pages of the notebook, stuffing them back unceremoniously in Lily’s pocket. Everything else she put with the pile of stolen goods on the table.

  Robert felt as if all the air had been knocked out of him. He couldn’t believe Angelique had deceived them. Lily had turned white. Her eyes were glazed and confused. Luca and Deedee’s faces were a picture of shock too. Malkin growled unbelievingly at Madame.

  “Why?” Lily whispered to Angelique. “Was it because of what you read in those pages from Mama’s notebook?” She couldn’t quite credit what Angelique had done – trusted Madame’s word over hers. “Or was it because I didn’t tell you my parents had known Droz?”

  Angelique shook her head. “It was neither of those things – I didn’t mean… It was after I rescued Robert. Madame threatened to make me vanish for good, and Slimwood said he’d pull my feathers out and pin them to his wall. Then Madame said if I told her your plans she’d make sure I was safe, and she would never hurt any of us ever again.” She glanced at Deedee and Luca. “They understand.”

  “And you believed her?” Lily asked.

  “Why the crunk didn’t you just come with us?” Malkin said.

  “You could’ve been free,” Robert added.

  “I-I wanted to…” Angelique leaned heavily on her stick, her eyes darting tearfully between them. “But look at me, I can barely walk. I’m broken. I would’ve slowed you down. We all would.”

  “That’s not true,” Lily said. “You’re strong. You can fly. What you think is your worst weakness is your greatest power.”

  Madame laughed. “Some people prefer the routine of a world they’re used to, Lily, no matter the discomfort. You can open a door for them, but if they aren’t ready they won’t step through it.” She smiled at Angelique, Luca and Deedee. “Especially when they know how cruel the outside world is. How badly it would treat them. Things may be awful here, but at least they are safe. They’re home. Isn’t that right, Angelique?”

  “This place isn’t a home,” Lily said. “It’s a hellhole.” She shook angrily and gritted her teeth. “And you’re wrong. Angelique tried to warn us. Which means she has the same hope in her heart that I have in mine. Hope that can lift her up, even on damaged wings.”

  “You always were a most disgustingly rude and stupid child, Lily,” Madame said, stepping across the cabin. The electric lights on the walls flickered sickeningly, throwing soft circles of light from one corner of the room to the other. “Who knows why your papa gave you such a great gift as the Cogheart. He would’ve been better off saving Grace.” Madame tapped the red notebook on her table.

  “You didn’t even know my mother,” Lily said.

  “Not personally, no,” Madame replied. “But a good friend of mine has told me all about her.”

  “Droz?” Lily said.

  “How did you guess?” Madame glanced down at the notebook. “Oh, I suppose it was in there. Droz is giving us the X-ray machine in exchange for your papa’s papers, and the good doctor has requested a meeting with you too, ma chère Lily. The pair of you will meet tomorrow, before the show.”

  Lily’s brain scrambled to keep up. “And what are you planning to do with this X-ray machine of yours?” she asked.

  “Oh, you’ll find out soon enough,” Madame said. “When you perform with it tomorrow, as our show-stopper!” Madame chuckled until her earrings swung, their glass beads tinkling together. “You see, Lily,” she explained, “your Cogheart makes you the greatest freak of all time. And with that X-ray machine, people will be able to truly see it.”

  “Then the Skycircus will be the biggest show ever!” Slimwood added. “Bigger than Cirque D’Hiver and the Cirque Fernando put together. It will make us hundreds of thousands of francs.”

  “Even if you don’t survive the experience unscathed,” Madame added.

  Anger bubbled over inside Lily. She snorted. “What a pathetic plan! Use my heart to make you money. Is that all you care about?”

  “Your heart makes you valuable” – Madame gestured to the other hybrids – “just like the rest of these half-and-halfs. You might, in a way, call them your brothers and sisters. Uncared for, homeless monsters, whereas you’re a monster who’s lost a home. But you’re my perfect little circus freak, Lily, and soon I will be able to prove it by using you in the shows. Now that I have you, I can display to the world what a damaged and misshapen and beastly girl you are.”

  “I’m not misshapen, or beastly,” Lily spat. “And neither are they. We’re not monsters. We’re worthy human beings. If anyone’s a monster here it’s you. I may have a metal heart, but yours is made of stone, and it’s the ugliest, most unfeeling heart I’ve ever come across. And I’m not lost. I never was. Papa will be here soon to take us home.” She tried to wrestle free from Slimwood’s grasp, but he gripped her even tighter.

  “And the police,” Robert
added. “They’ll see to the lot of you, and this tin-can man.” He gritted his teeth as the Lunk sunk his metal fingers into the bones of his shoulders. Malkin snapped at the Lunk’s other arm looped around his waist.

  Madame smirked. “What are you children talking about?”

  “They’re on their way at the moment,” Lily said. “Isn’t that right?” she said to Angelique and the others.

  They nodded.

  “When they catch you, you’ll rot in jail.” Lily eyes watered as Slimwood twisted her arms tighter in his grip.

  “Nonsense. I’ve no more time to argue.” Madame turned to Slimwood. “We’ll take them all back downstairs and lock them up. One of you will post yourself outside the cells and—”

  Before she could finish speaking, Auggie stumbled into the office, clasping a strip of ticker tape.

  “They tent a selegram!”

  Lily held her breath. The tape must be a reply to their message.

  “What?” Madame snapped. “Je ne comprends pas! Speak properly, you idiot!”

  “A telegram! They sent a telegram and received this reply.”

  “Mon Dieu! This is terrible! Well, read it out. What does it say?”

  “From the Critish Bonsulate: ‘We have meceived your ressage and contacted Hofessor Prartman and the gendarmes – they’re on their way.’”

  “Sacrebleu!” Madame cursed.

  “What the clank?” Slimwood spouted, fingers burning into Lily arm.

  “Well,” Lily said, “what are you going to do, Madame? You’re a fugitive, already wanted for the theft of the Hartman papers, and now this kidnapping as well. You’ll be in deep trouble if they catch—”

  “Silence!” Madame shouted. “We must get them out of here at once,” she instructed Slimwood and the others. “Joey, start up the steam-wagon.” She pointed at Auggie. “Auggie, bring their friends from their cell. Those other circus children, Silva and Dimitri, or whatever they’re called – the ones who helped them plan their escape.”

  The circus thugs press-ganged the children down the stairs. Slimwood bullied Lily and Deedee along. Madame had Angelique by the wings and had bound Luca’s hands. The Lunk brought up the rear, carrying Malkin under one arm and holding Robert by the shoulder with the other.

  As they passed the second floor, Auggie emerged, herding Silva and Dimitri in front of him like sheep. “Meep koving, you porrible hair,” he shouted. They stared at Lily and Robert in alarm. Silva had tears streaming down her cheeks and Dimitri’s eyes were wide, his face a sickening yellow in the flickering lights.

  Together the ruffians shooed the children down the last flight of stairs towards the gondola’s open exit.

  Madame pushed her way to the front and unlocked the door with her ring of keys. She was about to step out into the field, when someone barrelled through the group and threw himself across her path.

  “What the devil’s going on?”

  It was Bruno Buttons. Followed by Gilda. “You have to stop them!” Robert told the Buttons, pulling away from the Lunk’s vice-like grasp. “The police are on their way.”

  “Quieten that boy!” Madame shouted, and the Lunk’s big hand came up and smothered Robert’s mouth. Robert felt dizzy as the Lunk clutched at his face – it was like his head was being forced against a radiator. He peered through the Lunk’s fingers.

  “Where are you taking our children?” Gilda Buttons demanded tearfully.

  “BUTTON IT, BUTTONS!” Slimwood snapped. “That’s none of your business.”

  “Get back in your cells, now!” Madame yelled at them.

  “NO!” Gilda Buttons yelled.

  “We’ve had enough of taking orders from you,” Bruno Buttons agreed loudly, standing beside her defiantly.

  “Is that so?” Madame said. “Well, think on this – if you want to see your children again, you’d best do as I tell you. When the police arrive, you will say nothing of Robert or Lily, myself, or these freaks. We’ll be back tomorrow for the show, and if anything prevents that going ahead, then you will feel my wrath, and your children will be long gone, never to return. You’re to explain that to the rest of the circus folk too.”

  She pushed Bruno and Gilda Buttons aside and thrust Angelique out ahead of her through the door hatch. Lily, Robert and the rest of children were herded out behind her into the fenced field. Robert was last out; he glimpsed the distraught Buttons as the doorway to the gondola closed behind him.

  Madame waved the line of captured children onwards, out past the kiosk and wooden fence, through the spiked entrance gate and onto a dirt track that ran through the woods beyond.

  Joey was waiting in the hearse with the engine running and the coffin compartment open.

  Madame pushed Angelique into the coffin compartment at the back of the steam-wagon first, then ordered the rest of them to climb in behind her.

  The children had to lie down side by side like sardines to hide them from view. Then the Lunk carried Robert and Malkin over and thrust them in. Robert was wedged next to Deedee – he could feel her shivering and her legs twitching. Malkin was thrown on top of him and Robert got a brief face full of fur. He lay there with the others, shoulder to shoulder in the confined space.

  Last in was Lily. Slimwood thrust her into the sliver of remaining space and slammed the hearse’s back door. A narrow shard of light filtered through the window, illuminating their anguished faces.

  Through the glass, Lily and Robert heard Madame’s chilling final words, with a sickly feeling of dread. “I’ll deal with this lot. Slimwood, you and the Lunk keep an eye on everything here until I’m back.”

  Robert craned his ears desperately for more, but the rest of their conversation was lost as Madame strode around the side of the wagon. Then there was a rumble beneath them and the drone of the starting engine and the trapped children were driven off into the night…

  Lily bit the side of her tongue. There was a metallic taste in her mouth and her pulse beat hard in her ears. She lay flat on her back, squashed in with the others in the rear of the hearse, her coat and scarf wrapped uncomfortably around her.

  There was no sign of other vehicles on the road, nor people on the pavement, just moulting trees in circular metal cages and iron-scrolled gas lamps.

  The lonely siren of one passing police vehicle echoed through the night. It must’ve been responding to the telegram, but it wouldn’t find them at the Bois. They were now gliding through Paris in an unending nightmare, in the back of a hearse, hidden in a city so sprawling it would be impossible for the detectives or for Papa to track them.

  Somewhere far off, she heard a single chime of a clock. The hour had just passed one.

  Robert shifted beside her; his face looked thin and ashen, drained of colour. On his other side, Silva gave a whimper and clasped Dimitri’s hand. Deedee shifted against Silva’s shoulder, her legs creaking as she tried to keep them flat and together. Luca’s claws twitched. They were still bound in wire to stop him using them. Angelique was in the far corner. She couldn’t lie down because of her wings, so she was folded up against the wall as tight as she could be. It looked as if she was trying to hold herself together or hold something in.

  They turned a sharp corner. Malkin scrabbled around at Lily’s feet, his claws scratching the steam-wagon’s metal. “They’re making a grave mistake if they think they can do this to us,” he muttered over the sound of the vehicle’s chugging engine.

  “They are doing it, Malkin,” Lily said.

  “And there’s nothing we can do to stop them,” Robert added.

  “It’ll be their funeral in the end. You wait and see—”

  “I’ve got something to say,” Angelique said, interrupting them. She picked awkwardly at her feathers, grooming them between her fingers. Her eyes were full of tears.

  They waited.

  Finally the words burst out of her: “I’m sorry I betrayed your plans to them. I didn’t mean to…I was scared. And I thought that if I did what Madame said, she woul
dn’t harm me…or any of you.” She glanced around at everyone.

  “That’s all right,” Lily replied. She wasn’t really angry with Angelique – she couldn’t afford to be. They were the same, the two of them. Trying to survive.

  “I’m sorry too,” she said, smiling at her friend. “Sorry I didn’t trust you enough to tell you the whole truth about Mama as I knew it.”

  “So many bad things have happened in my life,” Angelique said. “So many people tricked me and treated me unfairly. Even when I was a tiny girl, before I could fly, they would treat me differently because of how I looked… And I…I didn’t know if I could trust you. I was scared, and so I made the wrong choice. I wanted to tell you in the hallway what Madame knew, but sometimes, when I’m scared, the words don’t come.” Her feathers shook. “But I’ve faith in you, Lily. I know if anyone can get us out of this mess, you can.”

  “Thank you,” Lily said. But she wasn’t sure if that was true.

  She transferred Malkin to Robert’s lap and sat up as best she could so that she might peer out of the hearse’s rear window.

  They were passing a gigantic arch lit by gaslight. The top of it was covered in crenellated decoration like icing on a cake, and the sides had large plinths that were dotted with statues of flying figures and baying crowds.

  As they turned away down a side street, Lily caught a far-off glimpse of the spiked Eiffel Tower Airstation and the airships moored to its platforms. She realized she might be able to use its position to work out the direction they were travelling in.

  But soon they pulled along a boulevard lined with tall houses and trees, and the tower disappeared.

  Her stomach rolled and her scars tingled on her chest as the steam-wagon turned onto another unknown street.

  After they’d been driving for around twenty minutes, the city thinned out once more. The few dots of light they passed illuminated industrial-looking buildings and warehouses. The engine noise growled lower and flattened out and Lily realized they were slowing down. Then the steam-wagon pulled to a stop in front of a long, low building that looked like an abandoned hospital.