A Web Of Truth

Chapter 11

Stockholm Syndrome

I looked out the window into the darkness, my breath fogging the window. I sit back and close my eyes thinking of where I am. I look at Monty trying to keep his eyes open as he drives.

"Maybe, we should stop somewhere for the night? Or if you'll let me i'll drive." I say to him. It was like my words had gotten eaten by the silence right after I said them. I started to wonder if I had actually said it. Then he turned his head to me and nodded. Well, as you can assume that wasn't a lot of information.

"Monty? Would you like me to drive?" I ask again cautiously. He stops the car, looks at me and says, "Blazes no! Mel! We'll stop somewhere." So I nod and look down at my hands. Then threw my peripheral vision I see different colored lights. So I turn my full attention to what I think im seeing, and there it is. A huge circus tent and eerie carnival music is in front of us. I'm so absorbed in this sight that I don't notice that Monty has stopped the car. So I look at him and he says to me with a little grin on his face,

"Pop use ta take me to the circus! I was just a lad!", and he smiles at the whole sight and then opens the door. It takes me a moment of watching Monty walk towards the sight to realize I should go with him. So out of the car I hop! I slip though and get my jeans wet on the dirt road. I run after Monty, and follow him silently till he turns and grabs my hand and starts running. Flustered I stumble along behind him in a daze. He stops at the large tent and then goes to the ticket booth and gets us tickets to see the show! Once we are inside I can tell Monty is somewhere else. We watch the ring master and the lions, zebras, horses, elephants, trapeze artists, and juggling clowns.

When the show is over we walk outside and are greeted by a small homeless man. Well at least, he looked homeless. But you know what they say! Don't judge a book by its cover! I did anyway.

"Are yeh travelin' alone miz?" He asked with a greedy smile. I noticed that he had very few teeth.

"Well no actually! I'm with-" When I turned to point at Monty, he was gone. And I was alone.

"Are yeh? Seems like a nice feller!" He taunted with a drunken laugh! He grabbed my hand and dragged me away. So naturally I started to scream. Louder and louder but it was like my words were being swallowed by the silence once again. No one was watching, people who were wouldn't do anything to help. They all started in silence as this man was pulling me towards the jungle of trees.

"Monty!" I cried one last time as I looked back at the circus.