Lita Burke

Cirque du Méchant has come to Halloween Town, close enough that you hear the calliope’s screams in Lita’s castle. Not all fantasy worlds are bright and full of whistling elves. This Evil Circus is a dark carnival filled madness, magic, and grinning clowns.

Previously: Your Wildest Desire

Youth is a dark time for some, and the children of the Cirque du Méchant are the darkest. It is difficult to tell if they are the offspring of the glittery carnival adults or if they are runaways. Some plain boys sweep away the dirt and haul buckets of manure. The beautiful children fly on the trapeze. We see a motionless girl with long hair covering her face.  Hello, sweetheart. What’s wrong?  She ducks into the shadow of the fortuneteller’s wagon and vanishes.

Let us follow this carnival boy of about ten years. His steps are so light; the lad’s feet seem not to touch the ground. Will he float away?  He pauses at a tent flap, sees us, and points inside.  I have my treasure to show you, he mouths before he slips into the tent.

Oh, let’s go see.

This little boy has stuffed his tent with broken dolls. He heaped them everywhere. Look at this shelf–all heads.  He tossed the bodies over there. Such an odd child. We back out of the tent.

Next Time: Madness is Saving You a Seat