In His Way, Mr. K Will Challenge The World...

Julia:"Oh, th-that's good," I replied quietly. I felt a space open up between us. Not physically - we were still sitting side-by-side - but emotionally. How could I relate to someone like that? I was afraid of people like that. Jude was a murderer, too. What had I been thinking? Why was I alone with him in this tent? Why had I stayed alone with him at his apartment? I felt dizzy, and stupidly stood up, practically falling down. I had trusted Jude, bu he was just as bad as the rest of them. I steadied myself "I-I need to go...uh, I promised to...talk to Sadie today. Around this time..."

Jude
I open my eyes, I could feel the space to, a void. "Afraid of me again?" I whisper, my eyes softening and then steeling over "Go then. Fine" My voice was hard and rough, but I still couldn't keep hints of emotion out of it. Why had I told her that? Too much power over me, for one thing. It was a weakness. And...I didn't want her to leave.

Julia: "I'm sorry," I flinched at Jude's tone. "But how can I trust you now? You practically just admitted to supporting the Cirque, by supporting drugs. I don't know what to believe anymore," With that, I ran out of the tent before Jude could see my tears. I didn't want to leave.

If this were a book, I'd read it *nods*
Jude
Then I got angry, slamming my fist against the wooden stage, watching it splinter. "Not a choice" I muttered, my throat tightening. "Think I wanted to do it Julia? But I knew she was far gone. Wood shards pierced my hand, digging deep into my flesh, spilling blood. But I didn't care, and sat there a few more minutes before standing up, and walking out of the cirque. I needed an escape.

((aw ))

Julia: I ran until my legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed and just cried until I couldn't possibly have any tears left to shed. I was in a darkened alleyway, on the far side of the Cirque. Where all the major drug dealers held their black market. But I didn't take note of the people around me. I had deserted my natural family forthe carnie family, a family that didn't even want me. And the carnie family for...Jude. Who I couldn't trust. I couldn't trust anyone. I had no one left, I was alone.

Ahh! I feel really bad for my own character again! >.<

Jude
Soon I'm at my apartment, and scale the black ladder quickly. I unlock the heavy steel door and walk in, shutting it tight behind me. Right underneath the sink, cabinet on the right, was a false base. One guess on what was in the compartment. Picking up the small, white bag I took a good look at it, and opened it slowly. An escape, a relise. Then I quickly change my mind and shove it back in, closing the cabinet door.

Good choice, Jude. Good choice. Lol

Just say no

HUGS NOT DRUGS.


So. Anyway. Hm.

Hmm...

I just saw your comment about if this were a book. I never though of that! This would make an interesting book.

Julia: When the darkness of the alley became inky-blackness I found a cardboard box. Yes, a cardboard box. I lost all my dignity for it, but I had a safe sleep in that cardboard box.

It would be awesome!

Jude
I collapsed on the couch, not wanting to sleep on the bed, and staying in the clothes I had warn all day. This time I welcomed the nightmares. They were as close to an escape as I could get.

Julia: When I woke up the next morning I crawled out of my box and my first thought was if Jude would be coming to the Cirque or not today. But I remembered that I shouldn't care, though I couldn't deny that I did. And what was the point in denying it? No one could rad my thoughts. I could get my own hopes up if I wanted to. That maybe yesterday wa a dream. Or just the part about Jude doing drugs.

Jude
Waking up, I stood, rubbing my eyes. In thirty minutes I had showered, changed, and was out the door. This wasn't healthy- either I made emends with Julia...or I didn't know how much longer I could hold out. Last night had been a close call. But what I didn't know, is someone was following me.

Very ominous last sentence O_O

Julia: It looked like Sadie had another performance today. I leaned against the back wall of the tent and pulled my hood up. If someone saw me then they'd have the information that Jewel had returned, for a visit. And information was power, according to Jude. Power couldn't mean friendship, either. I wasn't sure where that last thought had come from, but it seemed to connect for some reason.

Jude
Then I heard the footsteps, almost eerily matching my own pace. Glancing around, I heard a quick shuffle of feet but saw nothing. Then I continued, and sped up as a test. The footsteps returned, and sped up as well. Soon, I broke out into a run, fear racing up and down my spine. Then I was pulled into an alley

Julia: Sadie once again sang about love and all that. Maybe Sadie's message was what I should believe? I sighed, unsure. There were so many conflictions and contradictions in the world of the Cirque. There had been conflicts where I grew up, but they were more controlled. The conflicts here were chaotic, solved with guns and knives.

Jude
My arms were restrained as I struggled, and a hood slipped over my head. Then I felt a needle sink into my arm, and I found myself back in the world of nightmares

Julia: Something was nagging me at the back of my mind: It was midafternoon and Jude was nowhere to be seen. Granted, the Cirque was a huge place, and Jude said he didn't like being near it. But I had thought…maybe…he would have come to see me. Maybe giving myself false hope was a bad idea, after all.

Jude
I woke up, probably hours after being knocked out, in a dark room. My arms and legs were restrained against a chair, but I struggled anyway. A light flashed on, blindingly bright, and there was a man there dressed in black. He looked about thirty, with stubble growing on his chin. The thing that caught my attention? He was smiling.

Julia: I chewed on my thumb nail nervously, a habit I had broken long ago. It only came back at one of those times when I was feeling particularly anxious. And right now qualified as one of those times. I had a funny feeling, like something wasn't right here. Obviously, there were many things with the Cirque, which could be considered to be "here". But I meant overall. There was trouble...

Jude
"Welcome, Jude" He smiled warmly "We've been hoping you'd join us. Reece tried to run you down earlier...and well, we all know how that went." There was laughing from behind the door, and the sound of somebody smacking somebody else's head. "So this is the cirque rip off?" I ask, looking around. The room was a cold cement, with bags of sand hanging on a string at one end, and what looked like crude weights at the other. The man laughs "No, not at all. When I was your age I was out on the street, and I resolved to help others like me. So I take in talented young men- and one woman- with no where else to go. Like the lost boys of this world." He laughed again at my confused face "Nevermind, forget that last part. But the point is, Jude, we want you to join us"

Julia: What if Jude were dead right now? What if he had taken drugs after I left?What if he were about to do something completely stupid? I slid down the wall, sitting against it on the floor. I bit my lip. What if I never saw Jude again?

Jude
"I don't even know what 'us' is!" I exclaim, struggling again. "We're like you Jude. No family and drug problems, but with great poen..." "I don't have a drug problem" I hiss, and he laughs again "Right, right, of course you don't. But all the boys here have great potential. Listen, I know this isn't a disision that should be taken lightly, so I want you to think about it. Take as long as you need, and contact us if you'd like to learn more about the program. Think about it Jude- the brothers you never had. A family, and guaranteed meals. Safety. Think about it. We have a whole complex underground, totaly unnoticed by the cirque. A kitchen, and bathrooms, dorms, and a rec room...and more. We don't have the gaudy lights or costumes, the fakeness, but we do have talent." Another boy enters the room, the one that chased me down. He's slightly taller than me, with red hair and green eyes. "Ah Reece. Jude was just leaving, would you show him out?" Then, before I could even struggle, the needle went back into my arm

Julia: I began pacing at some point, oblivious to the fantastic acts up on the stage. Maybe I should go and check if Jude's at home? Just make sure he's okay? But what if he was? He might laugh in my face or… shoot me. I stopped pacing as I remembered that Jude was a killer. I shouldn't be thinking about him, because getting close to him would only mean getting hurt. Stop thinking about Jude, stop thinking about Jude, stop thinking about Jude!