Puppet [LGBT - POLY - Complete - Edited]

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Kacey pulled the flap open for the rest of them.

Varian stuck close to Mary and Padriac, still unsure if he was about to have another panic attack. He figured it out right after the attack what it had been. He'd had them before, back when he was still cutting his thighs and wrists, but they hadn't been as bad as that one.

He didn't know if it was because of how many people there were, if it was because he hadn't been outside with strangers in so long, or if it was because he was getting used to being held against his will.

He didn't want to put a label to it—he knew what he would call it—but saying what it was would be calling defeat. Once he said it, he would have to admit he was weak enough to fall into that kind of trap.

He wasn't going to do that to himself. He was strong enough to resist acting on the dark thoughts. If he could do that, he could overcome this.

Even if it meant sacrificing the new feelings he had for Mary, Padriac, and Kacey.

Thinking of it in that way made it clear he needed help.

The inside of the tent wasn't at all what Varian was expecting. The front was sectioned off by a deep navy blue curtain made of velvet. A man sat on a stool, smoking a cigarette, and counting tickets.

"Ah!" The man stood. He was a thin and tall with a light dusting of hair on his chin. He looked old and young at the same time. He couldn't have been younger than thirty however.

He tucked the tickets away. "Good afternoon! Are you ready to be amazed and dazzled by the illusions of this world?"

Kacey snorted. He handed the man three tickets. "Yeah, sure."

The man took the tickets with a delicate hand, slyly grinning. "Have a splendid trip through the wonders of the mortal world."

The man slithered away back to his seat. He sat and used a cane he had at his side to open the thick dark curtain for them. As they walked through, the man caught eye of Varian.

He tilted his head, as if he knew something he wasn't sure he wanted to speak aloud.

Varian quickly looked away.

He wished he still had the cotton candy to busy his hands with. Or to snack on just so he could do something. He didn't like that he actually had to pay attention as he entered the "illusions of the mortal world".

Or whatever the man had said.

The world he'd been boasting about looked nothing more than a dark tunnel.

"This looks interesting," Padriac said. He was gazing up at the ceiling which was more of the dark fabric.

It looked as though the tent was sectioned off by this fabric and they were currently walking down a dark hallway. The further they went, the darker it became. The glow from where they had entered carried only so far.

Varian was stuck in the middle of their small group. Mary and Padriac stayed behind him while Kacey ventured out in front of him. They came to the end of the "hallway".

Kacey laughed. "Oh. You guys are going to love this."

Kacey gave one glance back at them and then stepped through into another area.

Varian walked up to the space. His hand touched the fabric and was surprised when he felt a sturdy frame beneath. There must have been collapsable walls put up to create the space inside of the tent.

What he saw was a room full of mirrors. Kacey was nowhere to be found.

Padriac and Mary came up behind him.