by Sarah Earlene Shere, ©2023
(Oct. 20, 2023) — [Read Part 1 of this story here.]
“Try your luck!” With a toothless smile, the old woman offered a putrid green potion. The awkward youth lifted his shaking hand to accept the glass bottle. Suddenly, the curtains to the striped tent flew open. A tall, slender figure of a man stood silhouetted against the moonlight. Lifting his head, a right monogoggle glowed red beneath his top hat.
The boy’s face grew as pale as the sheet he had flung over his shoulders as his disguise of choice. He gave a high-pitched scream, “The Ghost of MacNora! It’s real!” Dropping his turnip lantern, he raced past the “apparition” and back to the village.
The old hag snorted. “Django! I should have known you’d spoil everything.”
The ringmaster smiled amusedly as he watched the boy in flight. “What did you promise this time, Cornella? My guess, masculinity?” He lifted his walking stick and waved his hand over the marble handle, causing the blue color to swirl, then appear as sand. “Fear not, lad. You will only remember this as a dream.” He then turned and steadied his gaze upon Cornella. “Don’t forget, you are on probation. I can always use another mechanical doll in my show.”