Happy Noko
Torture Circus-Performance Tent
After a final spin, Happy bowed slightly before skipping to the back, unable to get rid of the snakes fast enough. But she knew that her act was only half over. With hidden dread, she walked briskly to the other side of her 'stage', towards an even larger basket.
Even though the boa wasn't exactly poisonous, it was still quite dangerous. Happy had been lucky so far, but she knew it had killed people before. Other mutants, and some humans, who had the misfortune of startling the great snake, and being too far away from any sort of help when it happened. Despite its bulk it could move quite fast, and once it started coiling, it was very difficult to get out.
Before pulling it out, she stepped to the front, closest to the audience, and bowed. "Before next act," she said in her falsified broken English and exaggerated accent, "I ask you please remain complete silence." She could see the heat from the stagehand on the other side, arms reaching outwards. She imagined he was holding a sign saying the same thing. When the crowd had dimmed down to an acceptably hushed volume, Happy returned to the basket.
Carefully, she draped the giant reptile around her shoulders and about her waist. He was a heavy one, and a snake she had the least experience with because of that. It was only a few years ago when she was strong enough to even pick him up. The large snake had a low body temperature as well, making him difficult to see since all that heat had to spread out, and didn't always reach the ends, making the tail, and sometimes the head, invisible to her. She stepped a bit closer to the audience to get into the sunlight, hearing a collective gasp and feeling that large wave of heat move away from her.
Slowly, laboriously, but ever graceful, Happy danced with the giant snake. He was less a prop than a living costume, and it sidled along her body slowly. Happy tried not to flinch when she felt its tail wrap around her thigh. Even with the heavy constrictor, she still moved lightly, as if she and the snake weighed less than air. About the stage she'd prance, her face smiling, but internally entirely focused and serious, feeling and watching the snake's every movement with intense concentration.
Happy was nearly done with her dance when disaster struck. Somewhere, near the front of the audience, a little boy who had been hugging his balloon to his chest in the anticipation and slight boredom, accidentally squeezed too hard and popped the balloon. The loud noise startled everyone, including Happy. And including the snake.
Immediately, Happy tried to wriggle free from the knot she had put herself in, but the frightened snake wasn't having it. The coils immediately tightened around her slender frame, and she could feel the squeeze working the air out of her lungs as it continued to wrap her. She heard the sounds of a boy crying loudly and his parents trying to comfort him. It wasn't until she fell to the floor when the crowd finally realized something was wrong. And then they just got louder.
Happy had her hands pressed against one of the largest coils, protecting her neck. She was frightened, but forced herself to stay level-headed. The snake squeezed again, even tighter, causing her to cough loudly from the air forced out of her. She had no choice, and she didn't even know if it would work or not. Frantically, she sunk her teeth into the great snake.
She tasted blood--ugh, disgusting!--and continued biting. The snake must have felt pain, even through all that muscle, and began thrashing. Luckily for Happy, the thrashing--which could have been disastrous--loosened the coils just the slightest. Acting extremely fast, she grabbed the edges of the huge coil on either side and pulled herself out. Her tiny feet slipped out just as the snake returned to tightening, and she was free. Without further ado, she grabbed the enormous, bleeding snake, ran to the basket, and dumped him in before slamming the lid down. With a toss of her head, she regained her composure, walked steadily to the front and took a bow, smiling despite the angry, fearful emotions she felt inside.