FreakShow (a hamilton curcus au)

Mythic Ones

James Reynolds:
-Fuckboy
-Hunter of mythical beings
-Con-man

That was the resume of this tan skinned menace. Always claiming to find unicorns, and selling deformed goats instead.  It was a miserable, lonely job. But, it was the family business, and it was the only thing that stayed the same in his hectic life.

Today he was to visit a small village that was "stuck in time" and haggle out a decent price for whatever treasures he could find. Which would most likely be a jar of dirt or a stuffed jackalope; but if he came home empty handed one more time....
Let's just say, he would have to drink at the end of that day.

James dropped his hat as his van wobbled terribly when the paved streets turned to dirt roads and then cobblestone paths. After so long his tires began groaning and he stopped, walking the rest of the way through a huddle of people dressed like it was the 1800's. James observed the cottage-style houses with wide eyes. They literally were stuck in their ways. The more people he asked about technology, the more sorry he felt for the poor little society. He approached a decent looking maiden and attempted to engage conversation.
"G'day Madame. Do you happen to know what facebook is?"
She smiled slyly and replied. "That's one of your fancy words the young ones are using, right? Well I know exactly what you mean."
She proceeded to hit him in his face with the dusty book she had in her hands. "See? Face-book!!" She exclaimed, proud of herself.

After James stumbled away the grinning woman, he went into a bar that he heard someone call "The old tavern" or something like that. Nevertheless, he marched in proudly and commanded the attention of everyone in the small room.

"GENTLEMEN, YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!" All bearded faces looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Might I ask if any of you have ventured beyond this village?"
The room erupted in laughter causing some to choke on their beverages.
"Aye 'lads, some odd child in a trechcoat wants to go to the woods!" One of the men said, causing them to laugh even harder. Their heckling was silenced when the bartender piped up and responded to his serious question.

"The woods that surround our town are like a cage. The foliage is so dense, no one can find their way out of here. They always get turned around and wind up back in the village. And even if someone knew the way, they would never make it past...the mythic ones."

A shudder of terror washed through the room. While every male in the room was built like a lumberjack, they all feared these so-called "mythic ones".

"Who's that?" James questioned.

"They are magic beings that have been known to kill our kind. You'd never survive a day in there. Any one of us that goes in, goes missing. All of our tourist, our citizens, anyone can get lost or devoured. We don't know what happens to anyone in there really. Stay away from the woods, weirdo."

James scoffed, "I've searched all my life for even a hint of  magic beings. They don't exist. It's probably a wolf or some predator like that. And i'll prove it to you!" James knew of course he was scared to death. But there shouldn't be anything magic in that forest. There is a scientific explanation for whatever is happening. And in the back of his mind, was a get-rich-quick scheme in case they really were magic!

But of course that's nonsense!

Right?