My god! Can I even think of another time when I was more excited than I am now? Unlikely... It is the day before the circus opens to the public and I'm so excited, I feel as if the carnival has already opened and I'm just waiting for everybody to come piling through the entrance. The only thing that helps me relax and calm down is when Tom offers me a notepad to scribble on or busies my hands with some task that needs to be attended to.
On a different note, things have lightened up now with Precision gone. Nobody feels as if they're being treated like slaves, they're not having their days ruined by distasteful insults, and everyone is generally happy without his presence; we even manage to find humour in mocking his corpse. All in all, the performers' moods have lightened up and they're finally able to focus on doing their best.
Unfortunately, it took a while for the performers to accept my new hairstyle; they were all reasonably outraged and a few members even spat curses. However, after a few days, slowly the artists began to like my hairstyle. In fact, the band, the tamers, and the trapeze twins actually say it suits me; although I think they actually mean that it suits my position in this place... a freak.
I still don't like the idea of me being a part of the freakshow. I know I'm not normal but I refuse to be put on display for not being normal. The other freaks try to assure me and tell me it's not actually that bad but I don't want to believe them; I've been put on display my whole life by my father and I thought I could escape that when I came here, but I guess not. I guess TomCat has other plans after all.
One thing that I find to be particularly worse than my status as a freak, however, is the excessive exercises and rehearsals Tom leads everyone through. The many days that I had to suffer from my muscles in pure agony felt like Hell, especially when we had to rehearse again after a previous painful rehearsal. It's even more excruciating for me because Tom helps me practice my contortionist act in the cabin outside of rehearsals. I'm willing to admit that I'm getting better every day but the achiness in my muscles is going to be the death of me one of these days.
But I can't complain too much about TomCat's gruelling rehearsals... he practices with us and probably suffers just as much as we do. He even gave us an entire day off to relax and rest our bodies (however the sanitation crew and the clowns were still forced to prepare the circus for tomorrow).
All this hard work that we've done has finally paid off because now we were finally going to perform for the city after 3 long, eventful months since Tom first claimed the circus as his own; we were finally going into business. Everyone is beyond anxious and excited; some are nervous, most are pumped up, a few are wanting just a few more days to prepare, but everyone is proud of where they've come and can't wait to show off their work for the city.
...
I wasted no time in leaping out of bed and hurrying out of the small shack to tell the performers to get ready. Many were already up and at 'em, eating breakfast in the cookhouse and setting up their respective attractions. Tom instructed me to wake up all the stragglers and make sure they were ready an hour before the gates opened. Oh, it felt like Christmas!
It wasn't too early in the morning, maybe a few hours till noon, but some performers were still in their beds debating whether or not to run away from the circus to avoid this very day. Excitedly, I would run into their tents screaming joyously and I would shake their shoulder until they groaned and ordered me to "piss off."
Despite their sour attitudes, they all eventually woke up and rushed to get dressed. The circus was scheduled to open at noon and that time was approaching unbelievably fast with our present hurriedness. We knew our minutes were growing numbered by the time the vendors (who Tom later inquired about and decided they could stay) arrived and began setting up their goods.
Everyone seemed to be rushing around at the speed of light, all transporting different items to get ready. FatCat was bringing out his different props while a janitor helped him write out the times for his different shows, the band was moving all of their instruments back and forth between the Big Top and a small clearing near the carousel, the tamers were all helping BeastCat and AdventureCat move the animals (especially the two elephants which arrived not too long ago), and Siamese, Rex, and WolfCat were helping the twins move props to the Big Top.
Everyone seemed to be in a buzz... except TomCat... I hadn't seen him since I woke up and he was in his office. I decided I would figure out what the ringmaster was up to and made my way back up to the shack. However, as I walked up the path, I was surprised by a sight that I wasn't expecting even in a hundred years!
Walking on the path from the direction of where I was going, was TomCat wearing a brown tailcoat and a form-fitted leopard-themed shirt. He wore tan pants, the legs of which were tucked neatly into knee-high brown boots. He was adorned by leather belts that were strapped around his waist and across his chest; their purpose confused me but I never questioned them. However, above all the sandy colours and deep chocolate browns; strapped to his waist was a long black tail with a singular white stripe and atop his head was a pair of brown cat ears. He was certainly a spectacle if I've ever seen one!
"TomCat!?" I called out in surprise once my dear friend had come closer. His face had been elaborately decorated by a layer of makeup. Fanciful leopard spots and markings littered his forehead and the sides of his face. He had coloured his nose black to give the appearance of a cat nose, as well as his top lip. I was awed by this skill that he had never before displayed for me.
"Alo, Tae!" he greeted, tugging on the stiffened collar of his tailcoat, a long wooden cane was in his left hand and it was topped by a bronze-coloured cat head. I smiled in awe and felt the fabric of his leopard-printed top. It was smooth to the touch and stretchy, which led me to believe that it may have been a trapeze suit like the twins wore.
"I like your outfit," I complimented, transfixed by the details in his costume. He chuckled and said, "Thank you very much... but I suggest you think about getting ready now."
I nodded, the thought knocking me out of my trance-like state and pulling me back to reality. He ruffled my hair and walked off towards the Big Top, a joyful bounce in his step that made his artificial tail swing rhythmically. He twirled his cane in his hands like a baton over and over, practising a skill he was clearly intent on learning.
I hurriedly raced towards the shack and sped to get my costume on. I struggled to lace up the back but once I thought I had it situated, I ran right back out the door to meet the other performers and see if they had a task for me. In everyone's hurry, it wasn't long before I found something.
"Oi! Tae! Run and find Cheetah, tell 'im he's in charge of the ticket booth." FatCat instructed me as he passed by carrying large dumbbells on his shoulder. I nodded and quickly ran off to locate the young tamer. He was a little tricky to find and by the time I actually did locate him, Tom was already telling people to be ready when the gates opened and the band was tuning their instruments.
"Cheetah! You're in charge of the ticket booth!" I announced, breathless from a hasty journey around the circus. The young man nodded and hurried off towards the front gates. Tom was occupied in the Big Top so I couldn't hang by his side until the circus opens; so, instead, I decided to follow Cheetah to the front gates and see how much of a crowd we had gathered from months of advertising.
I had never really acquainted myself with Cheetah before. I've heard from the others that he was a fairly quiet gentleman. Not boisterous and loud like Tom nor was he reserved and allusive like the two-headed man. He was still a curious fellow; similar in appearance to Tom but much shorter and younger by a few years. Still, he was strong and carried a calming aura to him that could put anyone at ease in his presence.
I walked up beside him and, upon noticing me, he gave me a soft smile, "Hi, Tae, decided to come along?"
"Mmhm!" I hummed with a nod.
"Are you nervous?" Cheetah wondered.
"Nope!" I answered, smoothing out my cobalt-blue ruffles that had found themselves in my skirt. The young man nodded and let out a deep breath.
"Can't say the same for me," he told me honestly with a breathy chuckle.
I looked up at him for a moment before eventually saying, "I think you'll do well." Cheetah flashed me a smile and he thanked me. I nodded, smiling back; he was a nice man after all. I feel I could trust him.
The entrance to the circus came into view, and we were both frightened by the surprisingly large crowd that had accumulated at the gate, anticipating the opening of the small carnival. I heard Cheetah inhale sharply and let out a shaky breath and I couldn't help but suddenly share in his nervousness. There were more people than I anticipated and it worried me.
"Would you like to be the one who opens these gates for the first time in this circus' history?" Cheetah asked. His words sounded unthinkable to my ears; The one performer of the Nočne Mačke to open the gates for the first time in History?? That's unreal!!
Still awed by the realisation that I had the chance to be the one to open those gates for the first time ever, I wordlessly nodded my head and unconsciously quickened my pace as adrenaline fueled my system. The guests saw the two of us coming and their excitement grew; they all piled to get in line at the ticket booth while antsy children huddled at the bars of the locked gate. Some appeared to be no older than me and the light in their eyes made me somehow feel as if I were in a higher position than them. I was the one providing the entertainment and the children of the town were anticipating the joy and adrenaline that I would provide.
"Well, here goes nothing..." Cheetah mumbled as he handed me the key to the padlocked chain on the gates and stepped inside the ticket booth. I waited awkwardly, standing in front of the monstrously tall gates that were adorned by a beautifully painted banner displaying our name. I met the eyes of the anxious children who squealed with elation and called out to me with curious questions. I felt as if I were a celebrity of sorts even though no one knew my name.
At last, Cheetah poked his head out of the ticket booth and shot me a thumbs-up. The gates could now be opened. I breathed deeply, fueling my confidence by plastering a friendly smile on my face. Carefully, I unlocked the padlock and pulled open the heavy gates. I struggled but I managed and once both gates were opened, I took pride and revelled in the fact that I was officially the performer who first opened the gates on the Nočne Mačke's Grand Opening.
The line began to move as tickets were purchased and guests began to traverse down the dirt path and explore the many wonders our macabre circus held. I lingered for a while more by the ticket booth, greeting people as they entered the gates before I eventually ran off towards the Big Top to prepare for our opening parade... I knew deep down in my gut that this would be a day to remember.