Chad Jefferson's Story

The Psychic
Dialogue Color: #cc00ff
Location: Samantha's Tent

It's been almost a month since the tragic passing of her dear friend, Samantha Huggins. She decided it to be best to keep how she died a secret from the others and whomever she decided to hire to take her place. Everything about this was going to be highly emotional for her, but honestly, as long as she can keep herself held up without letting the others know that there was a murderer on the loose, then she most likely would be fine. Heidi didn't want to upset her family or make them constantly worry that they might be next.

Heidi sat in Samantha's tent, starting to go through all of her things, getting it ready for the new general manager. She only talked to the man on the phone, so she hoped he was going to be well worth her time. At any time now she was awaiting his arrival. When she came across Samantha's diary, she couldn't help herself but to open it and begin reading it. Though as she was doing that, an entry caught her interest more than any of the others.

Dear Diary,
Ever since I started working at the carnival with Heidi, I couldn't help but to feel very jealous over her. She's successful, beautiful and has everything going for her. I wish I could be like that, be able to take on all of the responsibilities she has. Though I have a feeling she won't be around long enough for me to tell her.

There is a murderer in our midst and I know this because multiple times I've come into contact with them, though I was never able to see their face because they were always dressed in order to keep their identity a secret. I really hope I'm wrong about this, but I believe it might have been Heidi. Ever since we started working together, she kept seeming like she was trying to push me out of the business, so that she would have complete control over everything and anything.

I only hope she will for

And that was the end of the entry. The last entry of her life, she was killed while writing this. Heidi just knew it was true.

Tom sat in the only chair in his trailer working on a very strong martini, of his own concoction. He was reading The Shadow of the Wind for the third time that week. It was likely one of his favorite contemporary books and he read it whenever things got a little tough or confusing. Confusing. That's probably how he'd describe the last couple weeks. Ever since Samantha had died, he had staid in his trailer mostly. Not bothering to leave even to eat. He hadn't been particularly close to the girl, only talking to her professionally, but death always upset him. He had learned that he had an aversion to it while he was in the Army, and that aversion had stuck with him his entire life. So, he had staid inside eating the food he had stored in the boxes beneath his floor, using the microwave when he needed to, and making his own gin with the still he had built himself. It wasn't exactly "healthy" or "sanitary" but his books kept him company. They took up most of the room. Every wall was lined with a bookcase, from floor to ceiling, except for the corner where his tiny microwave, still, bed, lamp, and nigh table sat. On the night table was the phone that the boss called him on when something broke. There were also five bookcases that took up the center of his room. Tom was viciously proud of his library and protected it with his very life. He had collected everything ranging from horticulture, mechanic manuals, history books, to religious texts. He had a respectable comic book collection and a more than respectable textbook collection. He often allowed people to come read them in his trailer, but no one had ever taken one of them out of his little heaven.

Today was the first day he was going to have to leave his trailer. He got up, walked to the door, and went out into the sunlight. He headed straight to showers, that were near to his trailer. He was at the very back of the carnival, all the way behind the tents and rides so that the rubes wouldn't see him. No one liked to see a normal person at a carnival, they only wanted to see the freaks. He took his shower and put on a fresh pair of clothes (he kept them underneath his trailer). Tom almost always wore the camo-jacket that he had been required to wear in the army, a plain colored T-Shirt, a pair of jeans, and chucks. After he was dressed he went around the outskirts of the carnival, wanting to avoid everyone even if it was closed for the time, to get to what operated as the meeting place for their bunch of misfits. He lifted the back of the tent and went under it to sit on one of the benches that were arranged in a semicircle around it. He didn't quite know who had called the meeting, but he did know that it was the new general manager. The guy's name was something something that reminded Tom of some lame male super-model name. Blake or Chazz or something like that. Tom didn't really have respecting authority figures in his repertoire, but he would likely put on an act until the horribleness of Samantha's death wore off. "What a drag" he sighed halfheartedly "where are they?"

The Psychic
Dialogue Color: #cc00ff
Location: Samantha's Tent & Performance Tent

Heidi sat there reading the same entry over and over again. What was it that made her think that she was the one who was trying to murder her and probably thought she was the one who murdered her when it happened. Heidi was so lost in these thoughts that she hadn't even heard anyone come in.

"Hey Miss Heidi, what are you doing?" she heard Frank's voice. At the very first word she caught herself jump from the sudden company.

In turn the female closed the book and set it back down where she found it and turned towards the man as she answered him, "I'm just cleaning out the tent so it will be ready for the new manager to stay by the end of the day," she responded before standing to her feet. "As a matter of fact, he should be here shortly. We should get to the meeting, it'll be starting soon," she added as she stood to her feet and began walking out of the tent.

This was going to be a stressful meeting, she thought to herself. Everyone is probably going to think I'm trying to replace Samantha, which was something I clearly wasn't doing. Heidi just needed a bit of help running the place and she couldn't do it alone.

With a sigh the owner stepped into the tent where the meeting was being held and sat down on the edge of the stage as she noticed that Tom had already arrived. "Do you know where the others are, Tom?" she questioned with a concerned and worried sort of tone. Usually there were a couple others at the meeting before Heidi even had time to show up. Which honestly brought more concern to herself.

---

---

Nikki stretched languidly, groaning with the effort of finally moving after a long, deep sleep.An object in motion tends to stay in motion. An object at rest... Rubbing her eyes, she listened to the sounds of everyone up and at 'em outside. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide and she gasped, realizing what day it was. Today was the meeting with the new general manager! She'd overslept!

Jumping out of bed, Nikki raced to get ready. Most of her wardrobe consisted of the color black, so it wasn't terribly hard to find matching pieces on the rare days she was running late for something. She pulled a black tank top and fishnetted fitted shirt from her clean clothes basket. Cleaning clothes Nikki could handle. Putting them away was another matter entirely. From a trunk of clothes she'd managed to put away a few weeks ago she pulled out one of her favorite red plaid skirts and slid it on over her thigh high black stockings and garter belt. Mornings like this, she was glad to be ambidextrous. While she ran a brush through her two-toned hair, she simultaneously brushed her teeth using water from a water bottle she kept on her nightstand and spitting into the trash can.

Glancing around her room, she tried to think of anything else she needed to do before she left. Nikki never made her bed. She felt like well made beds were not as inviting or comforting as beds that were already mussed and ready to be nestled into. Generally she kept everything else clean, though. Even her aversion to putting away clean clothes didn't leave her room messy, it just kept her clean clothes hamper full and meant that every new load of laundry she did was motivation to put away the previous load. Her room may look busy, but it was actually well organized.

Grabbing her black parasol with the white lace trimming as she ran out the door, Nikki couldn't help but to see Samantha everywhere she looked. The meeting today was about whoever was taking her place, and even though it had been almost a month since the awful tragedy that had rocked their little world, it seemed like only yesterday they had discovered their friend to be deceased. The wound was still very raw for everyone. Even though Nikki hadn't been exceptionally close to Samantha, the woman was still family, like every one in their little caravan.

As she entered the performance tent, Nikki saw Heidi and Tom, and very cross looking man on the stage glaring down at Heidi and yelling about something. Oh, this guy was gonna be fun. The ones that seemed to be overcompensating by raising their voices always were. Didn't he know real power came from a silent place within? Nikki had always had a strange attraction tomen with a silent dominance..."Well, I can't speak for the others, but you've got me here now! Nikki Francis, knife thrower extraordinaire, at your service!" She took a sweeping bow, hoping her cheerfulness could bring up the mood, even for a moment.

Frank "Samson" Hudson

Frank raised his hands in assurance and calm gesture as to say he will not harm her. He nodded, "It's okay....Just thought you maybe forgot the meeting." He nodded at Miss Heidi and for the first time this day he gave a smile. "Yes, we should get going". Frank watched her get herself ready, she seems very stressful, but I guess anyone will be stress at this meeting . As she was about to leave, Frank looked behind himself at the tent, making a mental note of that book she was reading. Than he walked after Miss Heidi, walking right behind her, looking like a famous woman and her bodyguard.

When they entered the tent, it seems they were not the only one who were late, except Tom. Frank gave a finger salute to Tom and was about to sit and relax when he heard the new manager screaming at someone and than came rushing inside the tent. Frank stood up and narrowed his eyes as he started scolding Heidi about everyone tardiness, He stepped next to Miss Heidi and just lightly poke that new manager, if it was more stronger he might will be breaking a rib to that guy. "Excuse me, Sir, we know it's not polite to late, but it's not Miss Heidi's fault, ok? so when everyone will come you can scold us, got it?".

Right then, others started coming in. First came Nikki, very skilled knife thrower, and her cheerful mood. A minute later, Fleur, the acrobat artist, came very elegantly. He smiled to the new girls and looked back at the new manager, "So you see? we still following the rules, we are coming to this meeting. You may be the Big Boss, but it's not giving you the right to be an asshole" . Probably it won't be too good to start being on the wrong side of the new manager, but he won't be a wall flower when someone get offended.

The Psychic
Dialogue Color: #cc00ff
Location: Performance Tent

Heidi sighed and just balled her fists up as she listened to the new general manager. Ohh, she was going to definitely have a talk with him once this meeting was over. Yes, he may have been the general manager and needed to be sure everyone was on time and that everything was taken care of but he had no right to talk to her that way. Does he not realize she could take his job away from him just as quickly as she had given it? But still, the female tried her best to keep calm, wanting to keep their problems to themselves and away from the others.

"Excuse me, Sir, we know it's not polite to be late, but it's not Miss Heidi's fault, ok? So when everyone will come you can scold us, got it?" As much as she appreciated Frank for standing up for her the way he was, she knew it wouldn't have been a good idea right now.

Heidi held her breath as she watched two of the girls step into the tent. Nikki, the knife throwing expert and Fleur, the acrobat. She couldn't believe the two of them had greeted the man that way. She knew she was going to have her work cut out for her, on top of dealing with the death of her one and only best friend. Samantha and Heidi had known each other since grade school, and now she was taken away from her....

"So you see? We still follow the rules, we are coming to this meeting. You may be the Big Boss, but it's not giving you the right to be an asshole."

Heidi cleared her throat after hearing Frank's words and thought to herself, Technically, I'm the big boss, I own this place,. "Frank, thanks but I'd suggest you sit down for right now and just listen to what the man has to say," she stated in the most polite of tones she could manage. Besides, the woman had to play nice in front of everyone.

---

Jacque had to take a small detour to give his monkey companion some water before they sat and became insulted at the new manager. He wasn't a fan of these meetings, and Heidi knew that. He'd much rather be parading around his animals for the world to see. It's the whole reason why he was here.

Jack made a whistling noise as he and his master entered the tent. But, upon the new face, and the already aggravated atmosphere, Jack hid behind Jacque as he strode in, happily late. "Ladies.." He gave a warm smile to Fleur, Nikki, and lastly, Heidi. "and gents." He nodded to the other men in the room, then gave Tom a wave. "My Spidey sense are buzzing. Should I come back later?" He, like a jackass, smiled towards the unknown man in the room, which he could only guess was the manager.

"I'd tell you what I do around here, as I'm sure the ladies have, but I think you can guess." [/color]Jack popped his head over Jacque's shoulder, and made a hissing sound. "Ey, little man. He's alright." Jack then stopped the noise, but he still had his ears twitched back. "Well, we at least have majority here, Sir Douche." Jacque couldn't help his personality, much less his ice breaking humor.