Celia
Em’s been kidnapped?!
Celia
How is that even possible?
Jacob
Ugh, I wish it WAS impossible.
Jacob
This last half hour has been a nightmare.
Celia
Yeah, and now I feel like mine’s starting.
Celia
Let me help. Start from the beginning. How’d you learn about the kidnapping?
Jacob tells Celia all about Emily’s texts and his visit to Rosemary’s tent.
Jacob
So I’m getting this weird feeling about this place — the traveling faire.
Jacob
Rosemary said that when the faire came to her town, something forced her to join the performers.
Jacob
And she’s young — she was only eighteen at the time.
Jacob
Now Emily is missing…and she’s young…
Celia
Wait, how could those two things possibly be related?
Jacob
Okay, this is going to sound crazy.
Jacob
But you know how Em always says that her arm makes her look like a freak?
Celia
Yeah, but you and I both know it doesn’t…
Jacob
I know. But this place charges admission so people can view even the smallest deformities.
Celia
What? Are you seriously comparing your sister to the bearded lady right now?
Celia
Because that’s offensive.
Jacob
I don’t mean to be. I mean, what’s so wrong with the bearded lady anyway?
Jacob
She’s a person just like everyone else.
Jacob
What I’m trying to say is that Em looks different — and a place like this might try to profit off her looks.
Celia
Damn it, I guess that makes sense.
Celia
Ugh, I’m just so worried about her. What can we do?
Jacob
Rosemary said to talk to people — anyone who might have seen her at the faire.
Celia
Okay. Who did she see tonight?
Jacob
Hmmm. We’d just gotten here, so the only attraction we saw was the bearded lady.
Jacob
But I guess anyone could’ve passed by and seen Em standing there.
Celia
Okay. Well, why don’t I start by visiting the first attraction and talking to that lady?
Jacob
I’ll keep wandering around and talking to the random people who work here.
Celia
Sounds like a plan.
Jacob
I don’t want to tell my mom yet. She’ll go berserk.
Celia
Em could get seriously hurt.
Jacob
I know, but it’s just…this town is so safe. It’s so lame here that the cows literally outnumber the people.
Jacob
I feel like…nothing THAT bad can happen to Em, right?
Jacob
Not in Bruinsboro, right?
Jacob
I don’t want to get my mom all upset if we can fix this situation within an hour.
Jacob
I want to spare her all that worry and pain. You know?
Celia
Your mom is awesome. I wouldn’t want her to worry either.
Jacob
Thanks — for everything. I mean it.
Celia
Of course. Emily’s one of the most important people to me…in fact, she might be the MOST important person to me.
Celia
Anyway, we shouldn’t waste any more time texting. Lmk if you find anything.
Jacob wanders through the crowds of people at the faire.
From exhibit to exhibit, they move like zombies in the night.
How can Jacob possibly find his sister in a herd of people this big?
He starts to panic, but then he sees a big tent.
While the other exhibits have welcoming open doors and bright lights, this one is dark — abandoned.
Could his sister be trapped inside this cavity?
Jacob races through the entryway, calling out her name.
And yet, it isn’t silent either.
Jacob hears a soft, swishing noise — interspersed with a handful of pats.
He moves closer, calling out into the pitch-black space before him.
But again, no one answers.
Jacob edges toward the center of the tent,
And there, twisting and turning around a bar that’s suspended from the ceiling,
Is a raven-haired contortionist.
Contortionist
I can see you, you know.
Contortionist
I can see you, and you shouldn’t just stand there uninvited.
Contortionist
Your very presence breaks my concentration.
Contortionist
It’s extremely rude.
Contortionist
You’re sorry?
Contortionist
Well sorry isn’t going to help me land a double backflip and drop into a split.
The contortionist lets out a deep, maniacal cackle and then slides to the floor.
Her eyes are now level with Jacob’s, and she glares into them,
Shooting daggers from their gleaming black depths.
Contortionist
You stupid boy.
Contortionist
You think you can convince me to put on a show for you without charging a fee?
Contortionist
You have some nerve.
Jacob
No — please! I’m looking for my sister.
Contortionist
And what, exactly, do you expect me to do about that?
Jacob
N-nothing. I don’t expect anything from you. It’s just…
Contortionist
Spit it out boy!
Contortionist
Let me take a guess here…
Leering, the contortionist slithers toward Jacob.
Contortionist
You’re the outstanding older brother…
Contortionist
An upstanding citizen.
The contortionist reaches Jacob and circles around him, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
Contortionist
You’re the protector in the family…
Contortionist
The one who always takes care of everyone.
Jacob
P-please. I just want to find her.
Contortionist
Of course you do.
Contortionist
And I want to ask YOU a question.
Contortionist
Isn’t it hard to please everyone…
Contortionist
When you’re pulled in every direction?
Contortionist
When you keep stretching to find perfection…
Contortionist
Something’s bound to break.
And before Jacob can answer her, the contortionist lets out a final cackle,
Surges forward, and lunges at Jacob.
Immediately, an animalistic instinct is triggered in Jacob’s brain, and he can’t help it --
He runs like his life depends on it.
