Cherry and Atticus Meet Dumbo

chapter 3

The ringmaster and Atticus then went into his tent/office.

"What did you want to talk to me about, sir?" Atticus asked.

"I would like you to be part of our Casey Junior circus family..." the ringmaster said, he seemed to have a rather fiendish smile for some reason. "After all, you just said you didn't have a family of your own... So, I would like you to become a star attraction for us... Just think about it! We travel all around the country and people will pay big bucks just to see your super and special talent!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I couldn't just leave Cherry and her family out of nowhere." Atticus said.

"Hmm... Too bad..." the ringmaster folded his arms. "I thought we could make something of you... After all, you're an orphan and orphans are just as good as living on the ground forever... You'll get a lot of money, fame, and fortune, anything your little heart desires!"

"I don't know..." Atticus said.

"And besides, if you don't sign, then you'll be known to everyone as a freak." The ringmaster said.

"A freak...?" Atticus whispered, feeling hurt by that term.

"Oh, yes, everybody knows if you're not apart of a circus and have special skills, you're a freak," the ringmaster told him. "You don't want to go back home and have everyone think of you like that, now do you?"

Atticus began to think about that and sighed. "Where do I sign?" he then asked in defeat.

"Just initial here, here, and here, and sign at the very bottom next to the X." the ringmaster smiled darkly, holding out the contract to him and clicked the pen for him to use.

Atticus grabbed the pen and started to sign the contract while regretting to do this, knowing that he wouldn't see Cherry ever again or her family.

"Excellent..." the ringmaster smiled darkly.

Atticus frowned since he was never going to see Cherry again and it made him cry, she may not had been actually, but she was like family to him.

"Now you'll just need a circus uniform like Atlas's." The ringmaster said.

Atticus slowly nodded.

Cherry couldn't help but listen in and she was a little angry. "You can't take my best friend away from me!"

"I can and I will, especially after he signed this legal contract." The ringmaster smirked evilly.

"NO!" Cherry refused. "I won't let you!"

"I'm sorry, Cherry..." Atticus bowed his head with his eyes shut.

"Unless you would like to join him." The ringmaster said to her.

"What?" Cherry put her hands on her hips.

"Join the circus, or leave now and never see your friend again." the ringmaster tempted.

Cherry thought it over and sighed, shutting her eyes. "I know I'm gonna regret this..."

"Perfect." The ringmaster smiled evilly before bringing up the contract for her to sign.

Cherry frowned uneasily, but she skimmed over the words as she gripped the pen and was ready to sign it.

"You don't have to do this..." Atticus said to his oldest friend.

"I must..." Cherry insisted, feeling like a slave. She began to sign the contract as she finished signing the contract her mother came into the tent before gasping.

"Oh, hello there, ma'am, did you enjoy the show?" the ringmaster asked, not knowing her.

"Cherry," Michelle rushed over. "What's going on?"