Fools Between The Moons Ep.1

Episode 1: The Touch Will Haunt You…
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Somewhere in Southeast Missouri, October 1st 1911…

I was only a little ol’ boy just about to leave behind twelve years of memories and prepare room for a thirteenth, because like many other little tykes my age, that’s when a child starts to become a man. My father and mother wanted the best of me as I wanted this birthday to be something special I keep telling them, something for the scrapbooks to be worth opening in another twenty years or so just to make it worthwhile to open such things that I thought were ridiculous. We were right about to ride in to this little travelling carnival that’s been popping up in the most unlikely places, two black horses, one I was on with my ma, and my pa to guide us as he rode his own. This carnival, as my pa told me, had its own little private history about its origins and where it came from, saying that it one time showed up in New Orleans, and then showing up the next season in Texas without notice of arrival. And it is massive says my pa, and the only poster that the kids and their mothers and fathers and elder siblings gathered around at the local taverns and saloons dubbed on this poster: The Most Unique Show in the world! I was not one to be easily entertained as we rode on into the deep woods of southeast Missouri from Houston town trying to make it there for my birthday, it was actually scarier than fun and was not enjoying the looks of the dark trees as we rode on in the night and fearing that we might be attacked by bandits or some other monster lurking in the thickets. And besides, I never was the outdoorsman type; the woods always scare me like a doe running off when the birds start flapping their wings out of the trees to make a rattle in the rickety old branches. Hell, what was I thinking when I saw the gates that connect the walls to block the other kiddie heaven as we rode on our horses with my ma and pa. It was a bit of a slog, but though we were out here in the middle of nowhere, a haven was within our sights as we traversed through the weedy dirt road and up to the gates we rode to. No one was around, but ol’ pa had the bold idea to open the gate himself. It was a big thing and looked heavy; it was three times as tall as a man comparing to my pa as he pushed his old arms while me and ma waited. Sure enough he got that thing open and on we rode in with pa directing the horse to follow him with his grip on the reins. Walking right in was like passing through the gates of heaven themselves, my heavens at the time anyway. I saw tents, performers, rides, countless people; it was like the whole state was here for my birthday! As we came in while taking the awesome views, I saw someone come to us in hurry from afar past the crowds of people, a clown or something as I pointed at it coming at us much to my ma’s disdain of my rudeness for pointing. She corrected me that it was a young jester, female too with her black hair obviously longer and straighter than a man’s by some inches and bearing a small bust to signify her appeal as a young lady who could possibly be just a few more years older than me, and I then thought she was the goofiest looking lady in the world when that word ‘jester’ came to mind. But her costume was really impressive in my opinion. She wore a tight one piece get up with a ruffled collar around her neck, one side was half black and the other half a dark gold, the trademark black and gold hat with the two floppy horns with bells attached with the colours on opposite sides that contrast to her outfit, and her hands were covered by satin white gloves connecting to ruffs, and for her feet, she wore gold satin cloth held with bindings like a rope or something to hold it that corresponded to the pattern of her outfit. But what caught my attention the most was her ghostly face when she came up to me and my ma. Pure white skin like snow, white lips with a thick black line coming down in the middle, her ice grey eyes looking like they are peeking out of shadows even though it was actually only make-up behind her eyes, but it still left me wondering if the white skin is too, because even though I had the eyes and mind of a little boy, it sure as hell didn’t look like make-up to me when she looked at me right in the eyes like a rattlesnake. I was uncomfortable about it, and I started to become afraid of her with a blank face looking away from her stare until my father stepped in.
“Whoa-ho there little vixen!” My pops said stepping over to the jester with his smoke filled lungs that give him a raspy. “Beggin’ your pardon, but careful you don’t spook the young man here. First time he ever set foot in a carnival you see, so we made the first time to be on his birthday.”

But my mild mannered ma didn’t approve of this approach my pa was making towards the carnival resident.  “James, is that how you give your greetings to young girls?” Ma scowled at Pa. “Beg his pardon dear, we are grateful for you to greet us.” She said at the white skinned jester. “Dalton, why not say hello to the little golden star here and show your father how a real gentleman greets another lady.”

The girl looked at my parents left and right all puzzled with a cocked thin black eyebrow after hearing them both talk without any of their words in their sentences a hello. She must’ve thought that they were an odd couple after those first impressions, but she was more interested in me when she looked back to me again as I hid behind Ma’s blue corset and dress so vexed and fearful of an appearance I never saw before. I was told to say hello, and I thought: Why should I have to say it first? But I did summon the courage to greet the harlequin that keeps on staring by looking directly in her eyes, lifted a pathetic wave, and said, “Hi there.”

And the jester grinned sharply when she heard those words, but never greeted back for her lips are like they are stuck together with glue. She hopped back and gave an extravagant bow, her way of greeting I suppose, but I sure felt like quite the big shot when I saw that amount of respect right before my eyes, quite flattering too for it made me blush a little when I noticed some folks were watching as they walked by. While keeping herself in her noble position, she offered her hand up to me while she kept her head lowered. It clicked right there. Timidness was a strong piece in my personality puzzle, and I thought this fool was totally missing the point that I don’t want to reach out to her.
“Go on boy!” My pa whispered to me. “Go right over! None of that shyness should be present.”

I saw the jester look up, wondering what was taking me. Naturally, I was embarrassed, cause’ what the hell was a ten year old kid gonna do at a situation like this? Like the stubborn mule I was, I refused with crossed arms to hide my hands.
“Nuh uh! She’s weird, pa!” I said to my father.
The pale faced girl looked crossed, and retracted her hand back as she stood up straight. Now I felt intimidated when I noticed that she was much taller than me by just a head taller. My big mouth got me in a dumb situation again all because I spoke my mind. Of course my parents were not pleased with this kind of behavior.
“I won’t have it said that ya’ll gonna be here for a short while. Be a good young man and apologize.” My fathered ordered.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry!” I swiftly said in fear that I will leave right away to the jester.

One thing I didn’t like was disappointing my folks, but it annoyed me that at the time that they both don’t agree on what the people around here looked like, such as the jester for example that still does not say a word. When I apologized, of course didn’t mean it because of the persuasion of my big boss of a father, but it was more than satisfying enough for the jester was pleased with a smirk and gave me a few pats on the head while in my head she is literally saying ‘good boy!’ like I was some misbehaving mutt trying to beg its master for forgiveness. It was embarrassing when I heard my ma laugh a little under breath, and right there in the aftermath of the event I stirred up, I didn’t like this lady. The silence from the jester was beginning to arouse suspicion from my parents when the noticed that they didn’t hear any words from her that involve acceptance to my apology. So my father, he asked as he curled his handlebar moustache, “Mind tellin’ us about the silent treatment ya’ll givin’ us? I done did notice that you didn’t say a word, or even open your mouth. A thousand pardons for pryin’ about this thing, but it’s giving my head a few kicks every time I think about it.”
“It’s obvious, honey.” My ma said.
“I-it is?” Pa replied.
I looked to ma to what she had to say. “What’s wrong, ma?” I asked if there was a problem.
“Not a problem, Dalton.” She assured me. “I think this girl is a mute. Am I right, young miss?”
“Moot? What’s a moot?” I asked.
“A mute, son.” My pa says coming in. “Means that our little friend here ain’t got words to say.”
“Uh…” I spaced out.
“She can’t talk.” Pa simplified for me to understand.

I looked to the jester that twirls her own hair and looking shifty now that her secret is out thanks to the cunning of my ma and clarification of my pa, I’m very glad that the both of them were well educated. I could tell she looked upset when she pulled down her floppy horns by the bells, so I believed my parents that she really can’t talk instead of asking her if she was, or maybe she is just really shy that she couldn’t talk.
“Uh, excuse me ma’am?” I asked her attention.
Her quiet pouting immediately stopped when I spoke, and looked to me with eyes like a cat all big and still as she waited for me to continue now that her attention is received. She let’s go of her bells that jingle slightly from the release of her tight grips, and waited. I was a bit embarrassed to do it, but I raised my hand with my palm facing up and fingers far apart. This sign to the jester made her feel cheered up that I was ready to accept her, even if I was looking away and blushing too, much to the glee of my parents of this little scene of awkwardness. The jester reached out to grab the top part of my hand with her silky glove rubbing smoothly on my white skin and gripped lightly. My ma squealed with glee when she saw this.
“Isn’t this just darling? Look at our son now, Frank!” She called to pa.
“Haha! There you go boy! like a real gent ought to act when offered companionship!” My pa laughed lightheartedly.
“Aw, pa…” I groaned embarrassingly.
But the jester was having too much fun when she saw my face and covered her mouth to hold her giggles. She gave me a light tug when she finished, still giving her lip smile as if she is telling me to come with her into the carnival town ahead. I was unsure if I wanted to because of my parents not being there with me for the sake of being my guardians, but they seemed to have passed that on to the jester. “Go on!” my ma and pa both said out of synch.

I looked back to the jester who was waiting for me to take that first step. I gripped her hand a little tighter and began to move with her until I was farther and farther away from my parents at the gate and into the carnival town where I couldn’t see them anymore.
Pretty soon my worries were all gone as we journeyed throughout the town together hand in hand like we were in a relationship. I sure felt it was like that at first given my age and lack of logical thinking at the time to deduce that it wasn’t like that. The whole place was bright and full of life, the thrill of even being here was enough to fill me with such incredible energy. But when I saw that big Ferris wheel up ahead, I knew that I just had to get on that and catch a view of the whole place around me. But the ground was where all the action was at, and the most intricate things to look at where all the other carnival folk dressed up in the manner like the mute that still drags me. I assume that they were jesters as well, and each one I saw looked completely different than one another. There was one that dressed in baggy clothes and rags that made her look like a poor version of the mute I was with, and she was acting in a stall show and acted like she is a puppet being controlled by invisible lines. She was very good at it with all the fumbles and splits she was able to do no problem in front of a crowd of people that blocked most of my view, but it was only a glimpse of what I saw from her as we carried on throughout the town. I felt like the jester was taking me somewhere since she was being a bit rough on the walking as I was right behind her hardly matching with her speed.
“H-hey! Where you taking me? Slow down a second!” I requested as I began to speed up.
But the eccentric girl just kept on speeding and ignoring my calls until we stopped at one particular spot in the town. It was big blue tent with lantern poles on each side with sign next to the red carpet leading into the tent entrance saying: Mirror Nexus, the Realm of Everything and Nothing! I had no idea what this means, so I asked my guide.
“What’s in here, mirrors or something?” I asked.
The jester shrugged.
“What do ya mean you don’t know? I thought you knew the place!” I said rather disappointed that she isn’t a very good guide.
She broke it down for me. She pointed at herself, then to the shadowy entrance, and then shook her head.
“You never went inside?” I asked.
The jester nodded yes. She then stepped in front of me but off the carpet and presented me the entrance with a bow and both her arms and open hands pointing to it to present the attraction to me as if she is letting me go inside first. There was no line, and no one coming out of it, so it seemed convenient enough to go. I wasn’t sure what to expect in it, but I wanted to say one thing. “You’re comin’ aren’t you? I don’t want to be alone in there!”
The jester dropped her pose and hopped back to me in surprise with her hand behind my shoulder and gave it a few pats. She will be right behind me is what she is trying to say so I started to walk after a light push of encouragement from her. I looked back if she was following, but she just stood there with her arms behind her waiting for me to go in. What was I thinking when I went in that maze not knowing what was really in there? But it wasn’t the attraction that was bothering me; it was the silent jester that watched me go in. She seemed innocent enough, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something lurking in the tent that shouldn’t be there to begin with. I could feel it hitting my spine, the mute jester’s dagger smile revealed behind my back. After a minute or so after entering the tent, the jester began to follow as she promised. But as she stopped at the entrance, she looked back to check if anyone was looking, which were none as the numbers were few in this part of the carnival. She then went inside, but before delving any further, she closed the curtain that was being held above by a rope tied to the lanterns for support by untying it and letting it drop to the ground to ensure that no one else goes in. While I was traversing through the darkness unaware of what the mute was doing, I saw a blue light up ahead leading to a new room other than this borderless corridor of darkness, and as I got closer to it, I thought I could hear someone’s giggles echoing from all sides which made me gasp when I heard it from all directions, making me hurry on forward before I start hearing screams next.