Destiny by Jinxrox (red white and royal blue hardcover txt) 📕

/> ***
The next morning after breakfast, John and Rina led them to the edge of the lake. Across its sparkling waters rested a caravan of artists, and their ticket to the world. Rina handed her son a small bundle of money, which he tried to refuse, but to no prevail. John put out his hand to shake his son's, but instead grabbed him in an oxygen depriving hug. Melina's mother was also there, giving her daughter a cold stare and an unfeeling handshake before sending her to the small rowboat that awaited. Destiny felt someone approach.

'Father? Is that you?' she was very surprised that he had in fact come.

'Yes, Destiny, It's me. I have something for you; it was your mother's.' Destiny gave him a surprised look as he placed the light object in her hands. She felt it over, to try to feel the shape of it. It was a sphere with a medium sized hole drilled into one side.

'It’s a Voice Projector, when you speak into it, you transport your voice anywhere in this world, just imagine where you want it to be. If, perhaps you would like to...um... talk to me while your gone, just imagine yourself next to me and your voice, along with this device, will do the rest.' Destiny turned it over in her hands, wishing she could see the pearly white surface she felt. Andrew, a friend of John's and the man who would row them over, walked up to them.

'We need to go now', he briskly said. Destiny nodded, and he helped her into the tiny vessel. She heard the sobs goodbye from Leo's parents, and the whoosh of the small waves they were making on the lake as they were carried over it. She needed to do one last thing before she left the Home Tree.
Placing her lips on the hole in the Voice Projector, she imagined herself next to someone. And across the lake her father heard thank you whispered in his ear, before his only child became a speck on the other side.
***
Melina anticipated her new life, it felt as if she had started over. Away from her ruling mother,away from the constant yelling and pity. Now she could start over, be a new person; be herself. When they reached the other sandy shore, she jumped out of the boat eager and excited.

Leo on the other hand, felt like his heart was breaking in two. He had just seen the last glimpse of his parents that he would ever see. Sadness engulfed his mind. He shook his head, he needed to get rid of the feeling. He spotted the caravan in front of them. Made up of three worn down wooden trailers that were pulled by equally worn down horses, it didn't seem like much. On the first trailer it was written in barely noticeable green paint, « Berny's Extravagant Show » and below it, a old painting of what he assumed was Berny. A man of some resemblance, but at least ten years older stepped forward. In his late forties, with barely any hair left on his shiny balding head, and the biggest belly they had ever seen, he was a sight to behold.

'The name's Berny. And y'all what are you called?' he bleated in a strong southern accent.

'Leo' he stepped forward and shook Berny's large red, sweaty hand.

'My name is Melina' she hopped closer, and winced at Berny's tight grip.

'Destiny' she approached Berny and gave him her small hand.

'Oh! You're the blind one, am I right,'

'Yes' Destiny replied, disappointed in his rather loud outburst.

Andrew came up next to Melina. He shared a nervous glance with Leo before speaking.

'I have to get back to the Home tree.' He gave them all hugs and waved to the three children as he left.

‘Good luck’; he called to them, his big voice carrying it over to Melina, Destiny, and Leo. You will need it, he silently added to himself.


Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Hermy didn't give them much instruction, other than that the caravan was leaving tomorrow at daybreak, and to make themselves useful until then. He left them to their own means, and it seemed like every person the walked by shot them a look filled with curiosity. Destiny heard small footsteps scurrying closer, and the short panting breaths of a young child running. The sound stopped in front of them. Destiny swiveled her head around to look at the young child, which she assumed was a girl.

'Hello', a shy feminine voice came from that direction. Melina smiled, and returned her greeting. The girl, who she assumed was about seven years old, quickly jumped up, and hid herself behind Melina's tan dress.

'Don't let him find me,' she whispered, and clutched onto the long fabric. Not five seconds later, a worried masculine voice traveled closer to the new three.

'Evie, where are you? You know I hate it when you hide' A tall, brown haired boy came into Melina's line of sight. He was about fifteen years old, and his emerald eyes were laced with worry. The boy was frantically looking around, his bold eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

The little girl giggled. The boy immediately noticed a fiery headed Melina that had two small hands wrapped around her waist. He sighed.

'Evie, come out, I know where you are.' A small pale face peeked out from behind the layers of brown fabric, then rushed into the boy's outstretched arms.

'Sorry about that,' he addressed Melina and the others,' Evie is a little wild. My name is Quinn by the way', and he held out one hand, the other still trying to hold back Evie.

Leo took his hand and shook it firmly, ' Leo's the name. '

'I'm Melina', she said and embraced her small hand in his tanned one. Destiny, however, didn't make a move to greet Quinn. Instead she stared at his face, as if searching for something.

'D,' leo said. Destiny turned her unblinking eyes to Leo.

'What?'

'He wants you to shake his hand.' Leo answered, used to Destiny's blank moments, moments when she just couldn't understand what was happening.

'Oh,' she searched for his large hand, and soon found it due to the warmth radiating from it.

'I'm Destiny', she said. Quinn had a very puzzled look on his face, consequence of Leo and Detiny's strange exchange. Destiny sighed a knowing sigh.

'In case you are wondering, I'm blind.' There, she thought, I hope that solves his curiosity. With a surprised look on his face, he noticed things about Destiny like he didn't before. Like she never blinked, or didn't look him in the eye, or how she flinched at every sound. He sister, however was confused.

'What's blind?' The innocent Evie asked. Destiny bended over until she had become her height.

'Blind means you can't see' she said very seriously. Evie's rosy lips formed a small 'o' before confusion took over her angelic face.

'But, you knew where I was, I-I saw you look at me' Destiny smiled, she liked this young girl.

'I heard you come, when you are blind, you're other senses,' and to Evie's confused look she explained,' touch, smell, hear, and taste, are magnified, made bigger' that last bit was for Evie to understand the word 'magnified'. Evie appeared to be in deep thought, and Destiny straightened.

was watching this exchange with interest. He took his sister's hand,' Come on, we'll show you around.'

***

After a long day of a detailed description of all thirteen wagons in the artistic caravan, Leo was exhausted. Evie was with them the whole time, and always ran ahead, her long black hair streaming behind her as she ran.

They had started with the first wagon, Hermy's wagon, the one they had seen earlier. It was his living corners, and hosted important documents as well as the income of the caravan. The second wagon, or the Magician's House as everyone called it, was painted midnight blue, with stars decorating the outside, and a full moon in the front. Two magicians,the 'Fantastic Fido and 'Ravishing Riley, along with their assistants, the 'Amazing Amelia' and the 'Exquisite Emily', mad the Magician's House their home. The third wagon, bright red with gold trimmings, was the acrobat's home. The normal bunk beds that all the wagons had were pushed to the side, leaving space for a small trapeze area. Six or more acrobats lived there. Wagon four held all of the food and a grumpy cook, who, behind his back, everyone dubbed 'Chocolate Chip Cookie' because of his severely freckled face. Wagon five, more commonly known as 'Michelle's' was the wagon of none other than the physic fortune telling Michelle. Her black wagon gave off a mysterious vibe that only increased as you entered her blue silk draped wagon. Although very nice, Michelle seemed creepy to Leo. Wagons six and seven held animals. Zebras, lions, giraffes, panthers, and many species of tropical birds were held here. The eighth wagon also held and animal, but no one was allowed to see it accept Hermy. The ninth was the home to painters and sculptors. Wagon number ten, a silver painted wagon, held archers, and sword fighters and its neighbor, wagon ten, held wrestlers. Leo had made sure to keep a distance from them. Wagon eleven was the theater wagon. Actors and writers stayed here, along, with Quinn . The next wagon Evie was thrilled to present. Pure white, it shined in the sunlight. Evie had pranced inside and had showed them her bunk with a flowery cover. A tall grey haired man had come in to escort Evie to her singing lesson, for this was the wagon of the singers. They waved goodbye, and Quinn showed them to the last wagon, a beaten down old thing, that was the home to the newcomers before being placed in one of the other twelve wagons.

Leo sat by the fire with Melina and Destiny. He wondered where he would be placed. An animal tamer? No, he never got along with animals. Cook? No, the only thing he could make was water, and he had trouble doing that. Singer? he chuckled to himself, he couldn't sing to save his life. As he fell asleep other ideas whisked through his mind, all of them getting denied by himself. Actor? No. Acrobat? No. Sword fighter? No. Wrestler? Definitely not. Archer? Magician? painter? No, no and no. He was still denying himself when sleep overtook him.