Norfolk

Chapter 6

The high black gate greeted her, with two metal curved carousel horses facing each other at the top. From where she stood on the outside, Ceesta could see some of the tents with their iconic white and red stripes color.

“Sa circus. Hanapin niyo ang tent ni Olia.”

The place was clean, the atmosphere was still and quiet, the air still and crisp, and the sounds distant and muted which was a stark contrast to the circus lively atmosphere.

Kumalansing ang metal na materyal nang gate pagkatapos ugain ni Apollo. She did the same thing just to confirm the gate was locked.

“Tao po!” He yelled. 

“Silence...”

Ceesta copied him. Nagsisigaw sila roon. But no one answered. She took a step backwards while she scanned it again, and suddenly, the place felt empty and lifeless, as if it were dead.

Naaninag ni Ceesta ang pag-alis ni Apollo sa gilid niya hanggang sa tawagin siya nito.

“Sarado ang Circus hanggang matapos ang taglamig.” Pagbasa nito sa isang papel na nakadikit sa pader at pumamewang nang makabalik sa tabi ni Ceesta. “Sa tingin mo, naloko tayo ni Erna?”

She sighed and kicked the small rock. “Hindi 'to sasabihin ni Erna kung wala rin siyang kailangan dito.”

And yet, hindi man lang na banggit ni Erna na sarado ito. Ni hindi niya sigurado kung may tao ba talaga sa loob nito.

“Maybe we could climb there.” She suggested after a few silence. Bahagya niyang siniko ang kasama na walang imik. “You go.”

“Wait, why me?”

“Mauna ka lang. Susunod ako.”

“I believe it's always the ladies first.” He argued, and surrendered eventually. “Such a gentleman, Cee.”

Ceesta gave him a pursed, taunting smile.

“I swear to mother whale, if I fall--”

She watched him gripped tightly to the metal railings, habang maingat na inaapak ang paa sa bawat curve nito.

When he reached the very top, he hop his leg to the other side of the gate. Ceesta scoffed with a laughter when she'd found Apollo's current position. Animoy mangangabayo nang sakto pa itong naupo sa disenyo sa itaas. And luckily, he was too high to hear her cracking when the gate suddenly moved.

Nakita niyang napayakap si Apollo sa padiretsong metal na konektado sa katawan ng kabayo at maliit na tent sa taas. Ngayon ay mukha na talaga itong nakasakay sa carousel.

“Cee!!” Mahabang sigaw nito mula sa taas. “Anong ginawa mo?!!”

“Wala akong ginawa!--”

“--Make it stop makeitstop makeitstop-- ”

Ceesta didn't move when she had realized that the gates were parting ways and about to open. Luminga siya sa paligid ngunit walang sensyales na may iba pang tao bukod sa kanila.

“Just hold tight! She shouted.” Apollo screamed.

“Maari ko bang malaman kung sino kayo at bakit kayo naparito?”

The man with a black hair and bronze skin showed up. He wore a cascade collared long-sleeve shirt, a black trouser and polished boots. Sa tingin niya ay hindi nagkakalayo ang edad nito kay Apollo at sa kaniya.

The man look above and yelled at Apollo, “I am afraid to tell you that the carousel is over there. You rode the fake one.”

“Shut up.” Apollo shouted back habang pababa.