Cirque Periculum

Chapter 1

 The morning air pushed against him as he sprinted harder. He would've been in school at that moment if hadn't been so hungry. Connor turned onto another street.

"Stop you little thief!" the man exclaimed as he rounded the corner after him.

The street had the usual people on it, and they were used to seeing Connor running by. Most people frowned at him as he rushed by, but Connor muttered greetings regardless. Finding his usual hiding spot, he turned and jumped inside the musty crate between two buildings that had been his refuge more than once. It was pushed back far enough so that someone would have to stop and look to see it. Trying to control his breathing, he thought of his other troubles as he held the parcel of jerky he stole from the butcher, wrapped hastily in paper.

It was getting harder for Connor to steal in this town. Greenview's population was nine hundred and seventy-three, and they all knew Connor the Con by now. He didn't belong here, but he was stuck with no place to go. He didn't have a family, but he didn't live in the orphanage either. His home was a rather unconventional place on the outskirts of town, and his food was his own responsibility

I'm going to get out, Connor thought to himself as he peeked out of his hiding spot. I'll leave this town and find my family.

He scanned the street. There was no sign of the man that had been chasing him. Trying not to make a noise, Connor climbed out of the box and walked back onto the street. As soon as he was in daylight again, he felt a large hand on his shoulder.

"Got you," the man said as he threw Connor's small frame onto his shoulder.

"No! Let me go!" Connor shouted as he punched the man's back.

"Stop struggling! It's off to the orphanage with you, you lousy little street rat."

As they passed a lamp post, Connor saw a brightly colored poster tacked to it. Connor ripped it off the pole, twisted in the man's arms and shoved the large paper against the man's face, covering his mouth and nose. The butcher shouted as Connor struggled to break free, and the paper ripped.

The man dropped Connor and he sprinted away from the butcher, two halves of the poster still clutched in his fists. He risked a glance back and found, to his alarm, that the man was right on his heels.

"I'm turning you in!" the man yelled between heaving breaths. Connor was thankful that his opponent was an overweight butcher.

He knew where to go. Without hesitation, Connor turned and vaulted onto a drop-down ladder that hung off the town's apartment building. He scaled it with ease, reaching the top without breaking a sweat.

He felt the metal shake as the butcher jumped on the ladder and scaled up after him.

Why can't he just give up for the day?

He was running out of options. Once he was on the roof, he could see that he didn't have a place to hide.

"I'm coming for you boy!" the butcher yelled as he surfaced over the lip of the roof, his brow clenched angrily.

Frantic, Connor looked for a way out. The only thing he could think of is the roof whose ledge sat ten feet away.

He decided to go for it.

The butcher was on his feet and running at him. Connor took no heed as he sprinting toward the ledge...

And jumped.

I'm not going to make it.

He willed himself higher as he soared across the alley below him. The building was coming up fast.