I didn’t care much for the Daily Prompt today, but luckily I found Daily Inspiration and their prompt helped me think of a scene. It was a rather simple one, “Describe an acrobatic scene.” This takes from the female protagonist in my first WIP after the main action of the novel. Enjoy!
There wasn’t much else to do the weekend the circus came to town. Everyone else was going and David begged and begged for June to take him. She wasn’t one to deny her nephew what he wanted, especially when it sparked her curiosity as well. One day when John and Dot were at work, she gold David to put his shoes on because they were going to the circus.
His little eyes were wide the second the big top came into sight. He wanted to see, touch, taste, and smell everything within the circus’s fence: the bearded woman, the tigers, the small stand selling popcorn. June was afraid his little heart would stop when the ringmaster walked past them.
“Say, young man, are you enjoying yourself today?” he asked David, even though it must have been clear he was with how big the young boy’s smile was.
David nodded, too excited to reply.
“And have you seen the acrobats yet? They’re the best part of the circus.”
The small boy looked up at his aunt, his eyes wide, pleading to be taken to the circus. The ringmaster had a twinkle in his eye as he tipped his hat at June. He had roped her into spending another nickle for the two of them to get into the acrobats tent and he must have known it.
“The show starts in fifteen minutes in the big top,” the ringmaster said and walked away with a smile.
David started jumping up and down with excitement. “I want to see the acrobats, Aunt June! I want to see them fly!”
June gave in easily; she loved to spoil her nephew. They found their way to the big top and found seats in the second row. David was bouncing up and down as he waited for the show to begin. When the ringmaster walked to the center of the sawdust-covered ring, David went rigid.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the greatest show on Earth!” His mustache was moving wildly with the gusto of his speaking and the whole audience was entrapped. “You are about to see amazing feats of strength, grace, and beauty that will astound and amaze you! I ask that you please keep silent and let our performers concentrate on their act. Four people walked into the big top and lined up behind the ringmaster. “Coming all the way from Europe,” he said with a sweep of his arm, “we have four of the finest performers here for you today. Please, give them a warm welcome!”
The crowd clapped wildly as the four acrobats gave a friendly wave to the crowd. Two dashed out of the circle and the remaining two began their routine. The executed cartwheels, back flips and handstands that left David clapping happily next to June. She smiled, reminded of her own childhood and the excitement she felt when something new came into her life.
The spotlight turned off on the performers and shone on the two who had run off. They were standing high above the crowd’s head on small wooden platforms. The man of the pair held a trapeze in one hand as he waved. With a leap, he left the platform and sailed through the big top. On his back swing, he looped his knees over the bar and reached for his partner, who he grabbed easily from the platform. The two of them flew as one through the air.
June’s heart was caught in her throat out of fear. She didn’t want to be a witness to the death of one of the performers. David was clapping while June tried to remember to breath.
The two performers from the ground had made their way up to another platform and one of them struck out on a second trapeze. The swing of the two timed up and with a might grunt, the first man threw his partner into the air.
The second she spent in mid-air made June tense with nerves. What if the second performer’s grip slipped? What if the timing of the act was wrong? What would happen if she wasn’t thrown hard enough? The danger of the moment made her heart stop.
When the flying woman’s hands connected with the second performer’s wrists, the crowd broke into a roaring round of applause. As the crowd around her rose to their feet, June realized she was already standing. The action had swept her up and she was ready to rush to the acrobat’s aid if she should fall.
The crowd slowly began to sit back down and June joined in. She distracted herself for the rest of the performance by watching David’s reactions. She couldn’t bring herself to watch the performers fly though the air. It was a dangerous performance and June had had her fill of dangerous professions when she was in Chicago. Thinking of the voluntary risk only made her think of one person and how his career path had cost him everything he loved.
Taking On a World of Words 