Chapter nine – A passing of time
It had been three weeks. Three weeks of watching carefully; learning everyone and their places in the freak show. The lights, the smells, one person's comedic nature to the next's truly saddening gift Once Frank and Kris had approved of the whole situation, everyone suddenly became friendly and Edward felt a sense of resolution and comfort within this new family he had.
The smoke, the claustrophobia, the dirt; he loved it. The night's air brought serenity and calm to his fragile veins, his blood pumped thicker and physical warmth clung around his skin. His smile twitched on the corners of his thin lips. It was far more pleasant to look up to the stars, knowing a comforting smile was always around closely.
Many hours had passed in the time scale of the freak show and Edward had a new sense of family. He'd become better friends with most and Jimmy who had found him had taken it on board to personally over see Edwards day to day life as much as Frank and Kris were developing his act. Edward hadn't been fazed to be naked in front of the kind young man, better a man like himself in his eyes – that way he'd learn more. Questions burned between the two – Edward desperate to know about Jimmy and vice versa. Jimmy had stood naked in front of Edward to prove to himself Edward was the product of some kind of normality and not the figment of his imagination that he was something else."Why do I bleed?" Edward would ask brushing one of his blades over his chest for Jimmy in turn to ask "How do you bleed?" and examining the tiny scratched and instantly picking up his wrists to look at the fused experiment, confused.
Every single second of his existence in the freak show seemed closer to finding answers. All the juvenile questions that had lingered in his mind from learning about life from that fateful day Peg arrived were being answered to Edward's relief. Sympathy of the unknown was rapidly washed away among his fellow company. Many a night Jimmy, the twenty something white male; kind and handsome in own right, spoke with Edward like a father, sharing his knowledge of a man who had had to rely on his own wits and determination because of the judgmental world. Jimmy, who had been very keenly at first into the mystery of the Scissorhands had opted to relax his mind when he truly saw Edward sincerely didn't know why he'd been put into this world and it sadden him to think Edward was perhaps the most deserving of all to escape the term freak and lead a normal life.
Back on the show front, Frank had been desperate for Edward to be a bit more into than was he showing but that perhaps was a factor of time. He didn't mind keeping quiet, twitching his blades as another gel on the light changed colour. And then it hit Frank – the tale would told; love and its danger, a story of passion and jealously.
The whole troupe had peaked into the cautioned area where Edward would be placed into the maze like tent. They watched the dress run with smiles and encouragement. Then the night had dawned, posters had been put up and the local town knew the freak show was in town. To those who didn't know already the freak show only put fear into those who had never seen Frank or Kris' show. They wouldn't understand the complex show that had been put together. The historic tribute to the freak, the comedy, the laughter, the joy and the sorrow. And on this night as the crowds had been waiting patiently for something new, a darkness enveloped the small stage and illumination burned into one spot, then somehow the light sparkled and it was then one would have noticed the light was shining off metal and then a lithe frame of the leather bounded man, revealed his face, white as snow. Dark eyes scanned the crowd before he looked at his blades with a mixture of fear and loathing and adulteration. The woman of the troupe were particularly aware of time standing still as they watched the simple act of the man trying to fathom out why he had scissors for hands.
They watched in fear of their own unique talents as the new 'freak' made his first showing
Edward had found a new lease for life. Moving his bladed fingers, stretching the knives that only he had control of. It felt good. Generally he would have tried as best he could to curl the blades away from sight, even though he knew that wasn't possible.
The light had been gelled to a cool blue making the face of Edward cold and dead, his doe like eyes only focused to his blue like blades.
The audience had been silent mesmerised. They hadn't been frightened by the freak label on this man – quite simply the opposite. Some of the men had scoffed at the pansy quality the act had to it until Edward had proved the blades were indeed real by infamous topiary trick and then the ice sculpture
That night whole troupe had encouraged him to feel free in their presence and at the end of the night the troupe raised a glass to the new recruit, with knowledge that the reports after the show were successful and enjoyable, especially with Edward's act. Split into gangs by the early hours of the morning, they shared a smoke or a drink and Edward was welcome to all. Eyeing up the liquor, he gave the stuff another go and the group gave a great cheer. He began to enjoy the liquor – a little bit at a time, finding himself in a deeper relaxed state of mind when the liquid touch his lips, a secretly kiss in its own right, the intoxicating smoke burning a massage in his throat in a good way.
The stories and idle chit chat making him feel a little more human.
The Boggs household had pretty much settled from the night Edward had made his appearance. Bill and Peg had watched Kim carefully – Peg with a mother's eye as always. Things had calmed. The neighbourhood had settled.
Kim had been crying. It was becoming too hard, this secret she was harbouring. She'd taken to mentally going to bed and resighting a monologue of how to tell her parents she was pregnant. It was nearly three months and things were starting to show. In an ideal world she'd run away but Kim knew she wasn't as free spirited as Edward. God she missed him terribly, she felt alone. She had no clue where he was or what he was doing let alone if he was alive?
She hated school, she hated her life and she couldn't keep her secret anymore. Things had to change and her secret was going to have to help and not hinder her.
Though the freak show business was booming for the small troupe, they never really stayed in one place for too long and never located to the bigger towns or cities; it kept itself to itself and bothered no one. That was one thing Edward liked about it, the change. The new scenery, the smells, foul or clean – they were all extraordinary. Word amongst everyone was that the show was to be overhauled and made over. With the success of Edwards's beautiful act, the new agents had approached Frank and Kris and were sure it was time for the show to be put into the limelight to a degree.
"Profits up, Jesus we can update the posters, get the bills with some new art work – you know , something that screams traditional and freakish but says – hey freak shows are sexy and mysterious."
"We've always know freaks are sexy Frank." Kris smirked at her husband.
Franks smiled handsomely at his partner.
"I'm just thinking – It's Edward he's drawing 'em in! I'm telling ya Kris, they were all around him like flies to shit and he just was standing there not smiling not frowning – just staring at himself, mechanical like."
"I know what you mean, tickets sales had been up so much after those first few shows with him – people want to see him closer, males and females hanging around the caravans and tents. Guess word is spreading about our dark prince." She smirked again.
"I wonder what is his history Kris – the man is a freak – well and truly, you heard what Sam said and he's been our travelling Doc – 'the man is nothing like I've seen – I don't know how it is possible' – he said that!"
"I've had a call from a medical institution further in, they want to examine him."
"Kris – Eddie's worth a fortune to us."
Kris looked at her husband and sighed. She could see the profitable look he was wearing. Good at the best of times as long as she over saw what her husband did.
"Speaking of which – I'm going to talk to him..." Kris replied, her husband not catching the wringing of her deformed hands – a sign of her apprehension.
"Yep, a can see it!" Frank spoke in his own world lighting up a cigar and tipping his cowboy hat to no one but himself – "His raven locks and porcelain skin, beauty and a beast rolled into one – 'Edward Scissorhands'."
Peg put the receiver down again.
"It's been three weeks Bill, three weeks!?"
Bill looked over to his wife and just sighed as he looked up from the paper.
"We both know she's gone to find him."
"But where is he!? She's gone to find him and she's already missing yet more school – she'll never get anywhere in life if all this keeps going on." Peg sighed. "It's not just about that – I? Well? I think, oh, I don't know Bill, something's wrong. I know it. Why couldn't she have just told us?"
Bill stood up and walked past Peg, kissing her cheek in the process.
"Nothings wrong, she's just crazy for a crazy man. Listen, we've told the police, they're looking for her, perhaps but they'll find him and no doubt where he may be, she may be there too? Maybe she's gone to see some of those mates she was talking to over summer, I doubt she's gone too far Peg, just, listen don't worry honey."
Peg frowned. "Your right, I blame myself Bill, I shouldn't have reacted like that when we saw him and her."
"You can't stop it Peg, you found a young man – a brain to mould and once he'd sipped the wonders of our world, he wanted more. At least we gave him a bit of life to enjoy than when he was up there with that man person, inventor -majiggy."
"I wish I'd never gone up." Peg sighed.
A knock alerted Peg to the door and absently she just stared at it. A million thought swirled into action before the main one rose from her voice – "Kim! Kim?"
Peg flung the door open but was disheartened that her daughter wasn't there. Instead a panic swept through her at the prospect of the couple in black in front of her but for reasons unknown.
"Peg, it's a blessing in disguise, Kim is pregnant with our son's child."