Carnival Souls

The Choice Is Yours

Owen followed Bebinn back down the throughway and into the funhouse. Sweat trickled down his neck despite his pretense of a calm demeanor. What was going to happen to him?

Bebinn said nothing as she walked up to a mirror and placed a finger on the glass, causing the surface to ripple like water. She walked through, leaving Owen to follow, and they emerged into a spacious sitting room. It was nothing like what he had imagined, for he had come to think of Bebinn as a witch who worked in a dungeon full of hazardous magical artifacts and slimy potions full of pickled animals and body parts.

Instead, there was a large bookcase full of dusty, moth-eaten tombs in strange languages. A large, old-timey couch that may have once been red but had faded to a pinkish-orange, complete with a matching foot stool, sat across from it. An ornate wooden desk heaped in sheet music, indiscernible ciphers, maps both recognizable and foreign, and sketches of different types of carousel horses, was tucked in a corner. Behind the desk was a huge oak door studded with iron bolts, on whose handle hung a massive padlock. The sight of it made Owen swallow nervously.

Bebinn went to sit behind the desk and clasped her long-fingered hands in front of her. Owen had forgotten how striking she was with her pale porcelain face and auburn hair. Her red lips were a taut line of anger and her eyes still sparked.

"So," she began, her voice silken with fury. "Would you like to tell me what you were talking about with the forest spirit?"

Owen sensed it wasn't a question that he could refuse. The real question was—did she know already and simply toying with him? Surely she did if the demon carried the spirit away. But if she didn't know, then Owen was playing right into her hands. He decided to start with the obvious.

"I wanted to know if there was another way home."

"And what did the spirit tell you?" she asked. Her anger was still barely in check.

"She said humans didn't belong here, but she didn't know how to get me back home."

Bebinn's eyes narrowed to mere slits. If possible, Owen was sure her gaze would rake him open so she could see if he was lying. Instead, Owen was astounded to see the tense lines of her body lose their rigidity. Her mouth relaxed, and she sighed as she lifted a hand to release her hair from its strict up-do.

It floated gently around her face in loose waves, softening the angularity of her cheekbones and jaw. She suddenly looked ten years younger. 

"What is it that makes you want to return home so badly?" she asked, turning her hands open as if she expected Owen to place the answer in her palms. "Surely it can't be for your mother who pays you no attention, or the brother you must take care of like your own child?"

Owen opened closed his mouth like a fish, completely taken aback. "How do you know about that?"

"My dear," said Bebinn sweetly, "I know about everyone who works for me." She stood up and glided around the desk to stand beside him, placing a light hand on his shoulder. "Is your life really so much worse here?"

Owen stiffened at her touch and resisted the urge to swat her hand away.A subtle scent of cinnamon seemed to cling to her clothes. "They're my family," he managed to spit out through gritted teeth.

"Is a family that doesn't uphold their values really a family at all?" asked Bebinn. "Have you asked Lira, whose parents can't see her isolation? Or Jacks, who never had enough to eat? What about Atlas whose own father almost killed her and whose mother failed to protect her?"

Owen shifted uncomfortably. "Just because they—" he began, but Bebinn cut him off.

"Yes, I know. Ever though they are unconventional, they still care about you." She leaned close enough that her breath tickled his ear and he felt goosebumps crawl up his arms. "It's sort of a strange way to show it, isn't it?"

Owen fell silent, his jaw aching from his clenched teeth. It wasn't fair to say Ethan didn't care about him or needed extra help. Ethan was his brother and Owen had always believed that Ethan loved him in his own way. When it came to his mom though, he couldn't help but think of all the times he wished his mother would look at him instead of through him. After all, it wasn't his fault his dad had decided to leave.

As if she could read his mind, Bebinn said, "Here, you don't have to worry about that. You can have friends who care about you, who can become a better family than you've ever known. You can spend the day doing what you love, what you were born to do. You never have to worry about paying bills or going hungry..."

"So I'll just spend the rest of my life in this stupid carnival?" snapped Owen.

Bebinn straightened and came around to stand in front of him. Her smile was still sticky sweet. "No, dear. Not your whole life. I always reward those who work hard. And those who don't—well, I'm sure your brother would love to come for a visit."

Owen went cold all over as Bebinn's eyes hardened to ice once more.

"The choice is yours, dear." 

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Thoughts anyone? What do you think of Bebinn's comments about family? Let me know :)

Thanks as always for reading!!