The Circus Came To Town

When I was a child, I did something terrible. I did not speaking up when I should have. I saw something that frightened me and I was to tell anyone. I suppose today it would be something I would report right away. But, back then, I didn't understand it. I just knew it was scary.

It has haunted me from time to time throughout my life and I have seen her face a few times in my dreams. It's happening more and more lately. There must be something I can do.

As an adult, I live everyday with my cowardice, knowing that I allowed the unspeakable to continue. I'm sure now, something unspeakable was indeed happening on those dark, backrooms. I'll never be able to take my mistake back, I will never live it down, but I can hope she got the help she needed.

Please, God, say you saved her from that life. Give me a sign!

The Circus Came to Town

by Thadd Presley

Damp, dark,

a clank, a spark

a white light,

so bright

my eyes

shut tight.

It was years before,

when I was only a boy

a circus came to town

with elephants and joy

A tent

so large

all the people in town

could come right in

and laugh at the clowns.

In my delight, I got lost

For my family I looked

and down a dark hallway,

I saw a little girl was took.

A thick curtain came down,

and covered the way.

I didn’t see anything

But I heard the man say.

“Come one, come all,

Gather around ya’ll.

See the beautiful Chinese

and the Japanese dolls”

But the girl I saw

was so skinny, so thin,

with long, black hair

a chain under her chin.

She was scared and so young.

She spoke up from fear

she whispered:

“Please let me leave here!!”

My eyes were so wide,

from the shock of that sight

her locked in a cage,

with a necklace of chains

“RUN!!” I thought,

“they’ll be back again!”

Afraid for my life,

Finally I did.