In 1966, near the lower reaches of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, lay a desert wasteland. Originally a desolate land where nobody ventured, tonight was different. People were gathering one by one towards a large tent shining like a beacon in the darkness. Their purpose was the same. It was a circus unfolding there.
As the clock struck midnight, the crimson curtains on the stage were drawn apart. Dazzling lights illuminated the stage, revealing the splendid spectacle that had been hidden away. The crowd greeted the night’s hosts, bedecked like peacocks, with cheers. Having paid a hefty price for their tickets, they were about to enjoy a grand pleasure far surpassing the simple joys brought by a cheap bottle of wine. The fervor of the crowd, which had shown no signs of abating, quieted down only when a man wearing a cylindrical hat stepped forward, politely bowing as if paying homage to nobility. With a flourish, he wielded a long cane in the air, presenting a somewhat mundane trick. Disappointment flickered in the gazes upon him, yet he remained undeterred, smiling brightly.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of Portland. Yes, I know. You didn’t journey all this way just to witness such trivialities, I understand that perfectly well. However, if not now, I wouldn’t have the chance to showcase the skills I diligently hone every night before I sleep. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Randall Pierce, your ringmaster. Pleasure to meet you!”
Realizing they had fallen for the ringmaster’s jest, the audience burst into laughter and thunderous applause echoed from the stands. The cane trick was one of Randall’s occasional displays of skill, and despite the effort involved, the reception was not too shabby. It served as a favored opening act, loosening the tense atmosphere before the circus proper began and tempering the inflated expectations of the audience. Randall scanned the stands, playfully wagging his tongue.
“The circus you are about to witness is filled with spectacular performances that far surpass my modest tricks. Our performers are talented artists you won’t find in any other circus in the world. For those of you who are frequent circus-goers, you might think it’s just the same old routine. But mark my words, there’s not a single falsehood in what I say. What we have in store for you is unlike anything you’ve seen before in any other circus. Well, you’ll come to realize it soon enough. Shall we begin?”
The self-assured smile of the ringmaster left the audience swallowing hard. Boom—Boom—. The orchestra struck up.
Contrary to his grandiose assurances, the first act was of a kind commonly seen in other circuses. Dancers clad in flamboyant dresses adorned with frills emerged, fluttering their skirts as they danced. They soon tied one of them to a spinning wooden plank and took turns throwing darts at it. Thwack! Thwack! The dart flew through the air and landed mere inches away from the woman’s head and torso. It was a rather mundane stage, but the dancers were all beautiful, their figures enticing, and the lively music from the orchestra kept the audience entertained, leading to generous applause. Moreover, it was still the first act. After the performance, the women lined up, bowed their heads, and hurriedly retreated backstage.
The next act was magic. A man dressed in a slightly smaller cylindrical hat than the ringmaster’s and wearing a black tuxedo, accompanied by a woman assistant dressed more provocatively, stepped onto the stage. She noticed the gaze of the male audience members and deliberately threw them flirtatious glances. As the magician began his show, the orchestra started playing a tense tune. The sound of a small drum filled the vast tent. When the magician placed the beautiful assistant in a box and sawed it in half, a member of the audience yelled out, knocking over a large popcorn box, and the front-row spectators found themselves dodging popcorn raining down from above.
Afterwards, the traditional circus spectacle continued with a fiery show and a baptism of fireworks, effectively captivating the audience’s attention. An acrobatic show, composed of remarkably graceful movements, also made its appearance without fail. As a colossal human pyramid was formed, the audience erupted into generous cheers and applause, accompanied by resounding whistles echoing enough to send shivers down one’s spine.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
As the enthralling performances continued, slowly diverting the audience’s attention from the ringmaster’s opening remarks, all the lights in the arena suddenly went out. Someone screamed in the sudden darkness. However, the commotion soon subsided with the reappearance of the ringmaster. Standing tall under the dim light cast from above, his face shrouded in shadow, he appeared somewhat ominous. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had greeted the audience with a wide smile just moments ago. A slight sense of dread mingled with the palpable tension, enveloping the audience, as the ringmaster, seemingly savoring the harmony, took a deep breath before speaking.
“Qfii, tbk vlv sbe fcpbs atf rtbk? Yeg qfgobgwfgr cfnfg ojli ab jwjhf, P’w regf sbe tjv j vfilutaoei alwf. Lbkfnfg, atfgf wluta yf rbwf ktb offi j ajv vlrjqqblcafv. P vlv qgbwlrf, vlvc’a P? Ktja kf kbeiv rtbk sbe atlcur sbe mbeivc’a rff jcsktfgf firf.”
Vbwfbcf rtbeafv, “Eluta!”
Ktf glcuwjrafg cbvvfv lc atja vlgfmalbc, rjslcu, “Tfr, lcvffv.”
“I don’t break promises. What follows now, we call it ‘Act Two’ among ourselves. The performances in Act Two are entirely different from what you’ve just seen. Much more dangerous, gruesomely thrilling, and chilling to the bone. So, if there are any faint-hearted or those with heart conditions among you, I recommend you leave now. We’ll refund half of your ticket price. Our staff will be waiting at the entrance to assist you.”
There was some murmuring, but ultimately, no one left. The ringmaster smiled satisfactorily.
“Very well. I’ve given the warning, so our team won’t be held responsible for what unfolds next. From now on, we’ll be presenting a variety of oddities and monsters straight out of the terrifying tales my mother used to tell me before bedtime. If you’re all ready, please welcome them with a big round of applause!”
The audience applauded with slightly nervous expressions. After the ringmaster exited the stage, the person who took the stage was a towering man of immense size. With scars littering his body like Frankenstein’s monster, he seemed to have emanated an aura of intimidation commonly unseen in ordinary people. However, it wasn’t Halloween, and there was no green paint on his body. Despite the somewhat unnerving reaction from those seated close to the stage, the monster, seemingly unfazed by it all, greeted the audience calmly.
“Hello. My name is Clay, and I possess monstrous strength. If anyone thinks what you’re about to see is a trick, feel free to come forward and inspect the equipment.”
Clay began lifting dumbbells arranged by weight. He showed no signs of strain or exertion, effortlessly lifting the final dumbbell, weighing a whopping ton, with one hand before tossing it into a corner of the stage. Several men, unable to believe his strength, rushed forward to try lifting the dumbbell together, but it didn’t budge. He then proceeded to bend thick iron rods like twigs and smash concrete blocks with his bare hands, proving his monstrous strength. The terrified audience concluded that he was undoubtedly a true monster.
The next act featured acrobats who were conjoined twins. One sister lacked a left arm, while the other lacked a right arm. Despite this, they effortlessly swung on a high trapeze, soaring through the air like swallows, defying gravity. It was impossible to imagine that they had no arms. There was a moment of tension when the younger sister almost lost her grip, sending shivers down the audience’s spines, but it was soon revealed to be part of the act. The mischievous twins, with their playful smiles and exaggerated bows, received cheers from the audience. While their conjoined condition may have been somewhat unsettling, their skills were undeniably impressive.
Next, a seemingly ordinary young boy took the stage. As the audience looked on in bewilderment, a large box covered in black cloth was delivered to him. When he pulled off the cloth, the perilous contents inside, writhing with scorpions and centipedes, were revealed. The audience shuddered as the boy, unfazed, pulled out a rabbit and tossed it inside. The pitiful rabbit succumbed without resistance. Despite the audience’s horror at the grotesque creatures devouring the rabbit in an instant, the show didn’t end there. The boy climbed the ladder attached to the box, courteously bowed at the top, then dived inside. Someone attempted to rush forward, but circus staff intervened. To the audience’s relief, the boy emerged unharmed from the box, covered in scorpions and centipedes, a few minutes later. Thunderous applause erupted. Though he wore a human guise, the boy undeniably seemed like a creature akin to scorpions and centipedes.
Next, individuals with childlike bodies and adult faces emerged, presenting perilous feats involving fire and swords. Following them, a human with gills performed a beautiful underwater ballet in a transparent tank. The audience cheered increasingly as the performances grew more bizarre. Some voluntarily verified whether they were real monsters, but no deception was found. They were true monsters. The audience’s excitement heightened. The monsters were real! After several more acts, the figure who appeared on stage was none other than the ringmaster, Landon.
“Apologies for interrupting your enjoyment of the show, but with this act, the circus will come to a close. Yes, I’m disappointed too. However, don’t be too disappointed. The creature we’ll be presenting now is beyond anything you’ve seen so far, incredibly monstrous. Please, do not provoke it. We cannot predict when it may lose its senses. Of course, we’re always prepared to contain it—”
The ringmaster lowered his voice, his expression serious. There was no hint of jest.
“It’s extremely dangerous. We release it with considerable caution every time.”
The audience swallowed nervously. Ah, finally, the worst monster will appear!
“Now, allow me to introduce… Sixx!”
There was not a single clap in the silent stage. Standing there was a young boy who seemed barely in his teens. Wrapped in a black cloak, his notably pale skin and fluffy white hair, untouched by sunlight, stood out. Placed in front of the boy was a young goat. Maa—a, as if sensing its impending fate, the goat trembled and bleated pitifully. Sweat beaded on the audience’s foreheads. What kind of monster is this boy…? He did nothing, just stood quietly on stage. However, there was no one urging the boy on. How much time had passed? When the moonlight poured through the hole in the tent and touched the boy, the transformation finally began. Tufts of ashen fur sprouted from the boy’s body, and his torso gradually leaned forward. His small hands transformed into large, blunt paws. That’s right. The boy was not human. The creature was a wolf. The boy had turned into a wolf!
The creature was much larger than the gray wolves commonly seen in zoos, but its appearance unequivocally proved it to be a member of that species. The audience held their breath as they watched the wolf prowling the stage. Thud, thud… The sound of the wolf’s paws treading softly on the sawdust seemed to echo throughout the tent. However, it was merely the terrified audience’s imagination, as the wolf moved quietly, even more so than the shadows. Its pumpkin-colored eyes soon turned pitifully towards the young goat. The pathetic bleating continued. Yet, no one among the audience witnessed the hunting scene properly. The wolf’s movements were too swift. Like watching a movie where the film abruptly cuts off in the middle, by the time they realized it, the wolf’s sharp fangs had already pierced the goat’s neck. As proof that life had left the body, drops of red blood dripped onto the ground from the limp, lifeless form, creating small puddles. The hunt was successful, and the victor earned the right to feast. Its jaws stretched wide open. Soon, the prey’s blood stained its lips crimson, and the tender flesh disappeared into the wolf’s maw. Someone who couldn’t bear to witness the cruel scene screamed.
“Monster, a monster appeared—!!”
As if understanding those words, the wolf lifted its head abruptly. Its black pupils contracted for a moment, then in the next instant, it was right in front of the audience. Growl… a threatening sound emanated from the wolf’s throat. Though there was a sturdy fence between them, due to its imposing presence, most of the audience in the front row fled in fear.
However, there was one who did not. The man, seemingly undaunted by the predator before him, remained seated calmly, without flinching. Hm… the man’s gaze, filled with obvious curiosity, turned towards the wolf covered in blood. For a few seconds, a tense standoff ensued, but surprisingly, it was the wolf that lowered its tail first, conceding defeat. Quietly, it backed away. However, just as some restless audience members were about to cause a commotion, circus staff appeared. Threatening the wolf with sharp spears, they herded it into a steel cage. Clang, and as the thick lock was secured, the audience finally breathed a sigh of relief and returned to their seats. But some, having witnessed the unpleasant sight, hurriedly rushed to the restroom, their faces flushed. At some point, the ringmaster reappeared on stage and gestured to the staff to take the steel cage inside.
“Didn’t I warn you? Even the most monstrous creatures can be hurt by such words when faced with them. So, how was it? Our circus’s monsters?”
No one spoke, but the ringmaster muttered as if he already knew the answer.
“Have we given you enough terror? Stories of such monsters existing in our world are unbelievable. Yet, for those of you who want to meet them again, I’ll tell you this. Our circus doesn’t stay in one city for long. Nor do we accept just any audience. In that sense, you are very lucky. We only entertain those who have watched our first performance and their acquaintances. We perform only twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tickets sell out quickly, so hurry to buy them. Well then, I’ll bid you farewell here. Good night, everyone in Portland.”
my usual editor is busy so there ought to be mistakes! anyway, the prologue seems intriguing, right? i really liked the novel when i read it for the first time haha so please look forward! comments are always welcome :))
Intrigued… can’t wait for next… Thanks for the translation ❤️
This is definitely different and while I love slow burns, it’s also nice to have a shorter, more fast-paced novel to mix things up. Thanks for the chapter!
Very interesting first chapter. Looking forward to the development of this novel 😊