Freak Show Chapter 3

They all gathered around, gazing down at his broken figure."Mmmmohhwww" Martin groaned. "Are you all right?" Dsadi asked concernedly, her great red hair curtaining the side of her face as she leaned down to his face. Martin's green eyes gazed up at her. he was still on his stomach where the workers had dropped him. His back bore open whelps where he had been striped of his shirt. He slowly lifted onto his hands and knees crawling over to the side of the pit he leaned against the wall. Wincing in pain he stole a quick look up at his companions. The humiliation was still fresh on his mind graveling for mercy, crying, and being beaten. "Are you alright?" Dsadi asked again. "I'm fine" Martin replied through clenched teeth. "Mhmm" said Caiulimous throwly unconvinced. "Let me bandage that" said Dsadi. "Really, I'll be fine" insisted Martin. "well that may be but, I'm going to help you anyway." smiled Dsadi. The blood made a small pool at the edge of the dirt wall. Martin reluctantly turned on his stomach letting Dsadi bind his whelps with scraps from her skirt ends."Hi," came a small voice by his face. Maurice's big hawk eyes gazed right into him. "i didn't see" he said nodding his head. Maurice always seemed to have a sixth sense about things that were bothering people. "That's good" Martin replied smiling, he stretched as far as his chained wings would allow. " So," said Irily slyly "where did he take you? YOU know before...." she was at a loss for words not wanting to offend. "I went to a kind of alleyway behind one of the tents, there was a man in an imperial uniform saying something about his master contacting the ringmaster. Do you know what it means?" he asked questioningly. They all looked at one another in an awkward silence "what, what is it?" asked Martin quickly looking around."You are to be sold, probably after tomorrows show." came a voice from the back of the crowd, Marqui. His hair drifting down around him swirling under him like a chair. The other strands formed into four great legs carrying the cross legged man to a seat in front of Martin."Just after you escaped the ringmaster came and was speaking to a guest outside the costume tent. A man in an imperial uniform, asking about....buying you. I am sorry" The old man's face gazed kindly down at him with a hidden knowledge. Martin sunk down into the dirt feeling that low. Sold, he had lived here ever since his uncle had sold him all those years ago. Everyone slowly slipped away giving space.He slept that night his mind swimming with thoughts.1