Big Top Circus

Tea time with the Mad Hatter would perhaps be more comfortable if I didn’t have abnormally disproportionate eyes glaring at me from all angles, looking excited, yet confused at the same time. I raise my cup, the eyes follow my hands. I lower my cup, they move to my face, striking discomfort into my veins. Silence echoes throughout the circus tent as Alice takes a bite of the mushroom, and all eyes shift toward her in moderation. The birthday song begins and all Mods begin dancing and screaming, their words slurred and made up – a language of their own.

As if things weren’t enough, three clowns begin marching in to the circus top, only this time, they’re not smiling. Forget the make-up; these clowns are decorated au natural. Blood drips from the corners of their eyes, down their cheeks, and even out of their big red noses. Blonde curly hair is gushing red – the axe on the top of the leader’s head just adds to the beauty of it. The Mods run up to the Bloody Beauties, and begin circling them, unable to decipher them.

I seize my opportunity to sneak away from Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Mods. I’m stopped abruptly by horrified screams. The Mods are in danger! The remaining two clowns are fighting over the axe stuck in the leader’s head as he tries to march away. The sound of skull cracking open engulfs me and I try my hardest to block it out. But I can’t, as I watch the larger of the two pry the axe free, blood squirting as high as the tent. The leader falls face first on to the smallest Mod and a pool of blood begins to appear. Screeches of panic fill my ear drums and the Mad Hatter smiles, offering everyone tea while Alice tries to eat more mushrooms.

A crash to the left of me – the big goof just missed me by an inch with the stupid axe, and now it’s stuck in one of the poles holding up the tent, so I knock him over and push the leader off of the little Mod, and pull him up out of the crimson. As if chaos hasn’t confused the lot enough . . . goats? Orange and blue Billy-goats are strolling in on volleyballs? Where’s the shrink – I surely need one now!

One, two, three, four, send the Mods out the circus door!

Disoriented clown number one begins fighting with number two to pull the axe free once more, and I hope to God they use it on each other. In panic, I scramble to get the Mods out of the circus tent and somewhere far away. They follow me in circles as I run like a chicken with my head cut off, attempting to gather them all and it is then the Mad Hatter approaches me once more, offering me tea.

“I DO NOT WANT ANY TEA! OFFER IT TO ALICE!” but he cries at my yells, he only wants a friend.

Alice tells me I’m very rude and must learn to use manners. I kick her and she falls, losing three inches and breaking the kettle. The goats fall off their volleyballs as the last Mod makes it outside.

A pink and purple school bus is waiting outside the Big Top and I herd the Mods onto it, telling the driver to get as far away from here as possible as I run to a seat. I tell him to go to the AP Asylum so that they may be safe. I sit down and rest, trying to catch my bearings. The bus stops and I lift my head, looking out the window. Why are we back at the Big Top Circus? What’s going on? I hear someone offering tea . . . I look to the driver and notice the axe coming out of his head.