Once (Gypsy Fairy Tale) by Burnett Dana Michelle

Author:Burnett, Dana Michelle [Burnett, Dana Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-03-24T13:00:00+00:00

* * * *

Business dwindled early that afternoon. One after another, people walked by the store and across the street.

Even inside the dusty feed store, I could smell the corndogs and sweet concessions from the fairgrounds. It made my mouth water every time the wind blew in my direction.

It was only a little after two when I began to hear the whistling tune of the Calliope. Now and then, a brightly colored balloon floated up and away, no doubt leaving a crying child on the ground.

Considering my complete lack of customers, I decided to close up the store early. It wasn’t like I was making any sales and the excitement across the street was just too much to resist.

I stepped outside and locked the door. Once outside, the smell of the carnival goodies was even more tempting and I breathed in deeply.

A flutter of excitement raced through me and settled in the pit of my stomach. It wasn’t just the anticipation of seeing Kieran again; it was also just the idea of something different from the day-to-day norm of small town life.

I went next door to the house, for the first time I didn’t pause in the room where my grandmother died. I rushed straight up the stairs and into the bathroom for a shower.

The cool water and rinsed away the musty smell of the store and revived me as if it was the start of the day instead of the end.

Instead of pulling my hair back in a ponytail like I usually did, I left down. Combed out, it reached my elbows and shone beautifully. Because I usually wore my hair up, even in my best tee shirt and jeans, I felt under dressed.

After debating back and forth about what to wear or what to do with my hair, it was just after sundown when I finally set off across the street. The fairgrounds were lit up with strings of lights, making the ordinary seem magical.

I moved along with the crowd, past the cotton candy and funnel cake vendors, feeling the excitement of everyone around me. Everywhere people were shouting and laughing, making me get caught up in the moment and forget about my money troubles or that I should still be in mourning.

The main tent was at the end of a row of food vendors and games of chance. At one time the huge tent may have been a bright red and white, but now the white was a dirty tan and the red was now the brownish red color of dried blood.

I could see the man from the front of the parade, his resemblance to Kieran so clear that he had to be his father, perched above the crowd. He stood on a platform of some sort at the entrance of the tent, announcing the upcoming acts.

“Step right up, step right up!” He called as a crowd gathered around him, “Prepare to see the most amazing, the most thrilling – No! The most fantastical show this side of Dublin.

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