the greatest showman ◆ imagines

p.t. barnum ◆ the greatest show [prt. 1]

the intro, the first show

---

The moment he'd dreamed of... putting on the greatest show in the world, everyone cheering, the girl of his dreams next to him. He looked down and there you were, having a smaller version of his hat on and a red dress to match his signature red tailcoat. Suddenly, he heard people stomp their feet, once, then twice, signifying the beginning of the show. His girl looked up at him and smiled; once they stomped their feet again, he turned himself to the side and crossed his leg over one another. Closing his eyes, he began to speak.

"Ladies and gents, this is the moment you've waited for..." The crowd responded with a cheering of their own, once again stomping their feet, seeming to have their own signature beat. 

"Been searching in the dark, your sweat soaking through the floor." You chimed in, holding one hand above your face and the other on your hip, taking your own position. Barnum could barely believe this was happening, taking deep breaths as to remind himself that he was really there. 

"And buried in your bones there's an ache that you can't ignore." He switched his cane to the other hand, smiling. "Taking your breath, stealing your mind, and all that was real is left behind..." He tossed his cane to you, expertly catching it and beginning to walk away with it to the center of the bleachers, gesturing towards the opening.

"Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at you. It's only this moment, don't care what comes after. Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer. Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over." She did a small twirl with Barnum's cane, smiling as she did. That smile he'd always dreamed of seeing, the smile of his perfect girl.

"It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open." He chimed in as you threw him his cane, him doing a small twirl with it before taking his hat and tilting it down.

"It's a preacher in the pulpit and you'll find devotion." She began to walk through the opening, jumping over to her post, just to the side of the very center of the stage. Barnum knew that was his position, the center, right where he belonged, right where he knew he belonged. 

"There's something breaking at the brick of every wall it's holding I'll let you know..." He ran to the center, "so tell me do you wanna go?" He outstretched his arms and suddenly a burst of fire erupted from both sides of him, the rest of his oddities coming out and sharing what they had to say. They followed his movements, cheering and dancing just in time with the beat he conducted. 

"Where it's covered in all the colored lights. Where the runaways are running the night." You said, walking up to Barnum and taking his hat off of his head, causing him to giggle and try to chase you through the flying fire and knives. "Impossible comes true, it's taking over you." Just when he thought he had you, you grabbed a rope quickly and pulled it up slightly, just enough to send you flying into the air. Gasps from the audience could be heard as you began to swing around, taunting him with your smile.

"Oh, this is the greatest show." He sighed in exasperation, running towards one of the posts and pulling down one of the ropes, causing you to stop in place, startling you. You just merely smiled when you saw him gently lower you to the ground, catching you bridal style and swinging you around, distracting you and taking the hat. "We light it up, we won't come down." He put you down but still held your hand, swinging you towards his chest. 

"And the sun can't stop us now." He swung you away from him so you were both at arms length, smiling as you pulled away. You outstretched your arms causing some people to come behind you and outstretch their own arms. "Watching it come true, it's taking over you."

"Oh, this is the greatest show." You both whispered at the same time, so close but so far. 

"It's everything you ever want... it's everything you ever need..." He put out his hat, spinning around to make an effort to sing to every single person in the audience. 

"It's everything you ever want... it's everything you ever need..." His vision seemed to fade in and out, almost like someone had slowed everything down. Black began to make things fade away, some of the audience members fading out of view; had someone messed with the lighting?

"It's everything you ever want..." He began to look around, no trace of you, some of the circus members had even disappeared from his line of sight, "it's everything you ever need..." He found his voice fading, more and more people fading from his vision until the black engulfed him, all the lights had turned off. All but one, one on him and his confused face.

"It's everything you ever want...?" His voice had faded to a dull whisper, everything was gone. It was himself in an empty circus, no lights, no people, no you. Nothing, "it's everything you ever need... and it's here right in front of you..." He paused you for one more look around, finally realizing what was happening. "This is where you want to be..."

Everything was gone. Even the circus. He saw his true self standing in the window of a tailor shop, the most beautiful suit on display. Looking down at his shoes, the soles ripped and torn, he sighed.

Still just the tailors boy, Barnum.

---

more parts coming!