Small little story

Okay so I had asked a friend to give me a writing prompt and this is the result of that:

Prompt:
Child Lost at a Fair
Addition: Parents Divorced


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Round and round, circles within circles a dizzying dance surrounded and spiraled its way through the stagnant and odorous bodies that stood in a stupor watching with an awe unbefitting their unintelligible faces. Reds and browns mixed with a clamor so strong it made him sick to his stomach, but he must remain where he was; safely ensconced within the pudgy and slick womb that spiraled upwards and connected itself most grotesquely with the bleeding tent.

Tentatively he poked his head out of the folds that hid him from view and watched shakily as the twisting and warping figures danced their way through the entranced men and women. It was as a fleshy snake with a monstrous head with teeth the size of swords and a snarl as frightening as death. It bobbed and swooped, circled and overbore those that watched. A slight cry forced its way through his throat, a quick jab of a sound that broke even through the constant pounding and drumming.

Instantly he threw himself back into his shelter; a few of the stupefied men and women broke free of their trance to glance around in wonder at the sound they had heard but all too soon the monstrous bloodied snake returned and once more consumed their minds. The creature began to pass his shelter with a horrible and slow pace; he held his hands to his mouth forcing back tears and another scream. He had to stay quiet he had to stay safe.

Just as the creature fully passed his haven a piercing scream interrupted the procession. A scream so horrible it broke his nerve and he yelled as he threw himself out of the shelter and he hit the floor hard; tears flooded his vision which distorted the dirty and bloody scene; the people twisted and blurred and he watched, paralyzed with fear as the creature began its way to him as the entranced people reached thin and clawed hands towards him. One grasped him hard on his arm and yanked him up to his feet. He cried but the man would not lessen his grip.

A collective murmur of laughter broke through the lips of the onlookers. The demonic thing began its spiraling dance toward him now. He begged to be released but the laughter only continued, he screamed and beat at the man but a twisted smile was on his face. The room became a raucous cacophony of mirthless laughter. The long fangs and snarling face zoned closer and closer, he could practically see the throat within already.

He struck at the man in one last act of desperation and for once the mark was true. The man released with a gasp of pain. He didn’t hesitate to run then, he needed to get away before the thing ate him, before it could get to him. He passed cloth doors and brass poles and the only light from the torches cast a bloody glare within the tents.

There was nowhere to run where the demon couldn’t find him nowhere to go that could get him to safety. He ran straight into something both hard and soft. He landed hard onto his bottom and before he had time to think or see he was whipped off of the ground and held gently in the arms of some person. A calming voice shushed him and he wiped his tears away; there he was in his mother’s arms. He cried and clung to her and wailed his fright as she rocked him still shushing him.

“Now now, why the tears?” she chided him with a little kiss on his cheek.

“Mommy!” he exclaimed clinging to her for dear life.

“Come now, let’s calm down hun. I think we should go home, don’t you?” she asked in her lulling voice.

He nodded into the corner of her neck, still refusing to relinquish his group of her. She held him strong and comforting in her arms and then she was off. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see the red tents or the warped creatures. He didn’t even open his eyes until his mother opened the door to their small house. She set him on the couch and walked to the other side of the room to fill a cup with water. She handed it to him and as he drank it and calmed she whispered to him that she had to leave soon.

He was a big boy so he could watch himself, but he wanted her to stay. He was scared the thing was still coming after him. Not for the first time he asked for his father but as always his mother gave a little shake of her head and said he was a big and brave young man. He didn’t feel all that brave though.

But as always she left him all alone. He walked meekly over to the only bedroom and peered miserably through the blinds to watch her walk down the street and out of sight. The house was bright and warm but without her here it was barren and lonely. He was always by himself so he did what he always did; he ran to his shelf and grabbed the one thing that he had left of his father: a picture book. He opened it up and looked hurriedly through the pages of the monsters and demons found within. The colors invoked fear and made him tremble but he had to know.

His fingers hastily scratched the pages in his effort to find what he needed but all of a sudden as he made it halfway through the book he stopped turning the pages. Splashed across the open pages was a creature of such vibrant colors; a creature with a hundred torsos, a rakshasas. Rather than frightening him as it normally would have done, a smile crept its way onto his face as he thought back to the blood red tent.

He may have needed his mom in the end but he was alone and though his fear clouded his mind and affected his vision; he knew deep within that there was nothing more to fear. Alone yes, but not scared.

So what are your thoughts?

By the way, I have not abandoned the other story I just have it on the back burner for the moment.