"Cool! A freakshow! Let's check it out!" said Joy with excitement as she dragged her sister towards the large tent.
"Um, I don't think that word is acceptable to use anymore. I think you are supposed to call them something else," said Julie nervously.
But sure enough, the sign outside the tent proudly displayed the name is large red block letters:
"The World's Most Amazing Freakshow!"
As they neared the tent Julie began to see other signs, each showing a different grotesque attraction with similar boastful advertising slogans:
"Fun for the whole family!" below the picture of a child petting what appeared to be a small anthropomorphic goat kid
"You won't believe your eyes!" below the picture of an impossibly large morbidly obese woman gorging herself
"All real! All authentic! No Trickery, Chicanery , Fakes, or Phonies! We guarantee all our freaks!" below the picture of some small people dancing
"Interactive exhibits! Get involved! Be part of the show!" below a picture of a man happily milking an anthropomorphic cow
"You'll never .....leave!" said the last one.
Julie gave the last sign a second glance. Some words had faded, obscuring its full message. It was meant to say "You will never want to leave!" Still, the ominous message gave her the chills. Why hadn't they fixed the sign? The picture was faded, too. She had to squint her eyes to make it out, but it almost looked like a pair of girls melted together. Siamese twins, or something. No, conjoined twins was the correct terminology.
It gave Julie a bad feeling and she wanted to leave. But it was too late. Joy was standing before the barker, buying their tickets. His eyes lit up as Julie walked up to join her sister.
"Well, well. What an interesting pair. Have you come to join the show?" asked the man. He smiled widely, revealing crooked yellow teeth beneath his long pencil-thin black moustache. His red coat and black top hat looked old and worn. He reminded Julie of some kind of cartoon villain. She half-expected him to start twirling the tips of his curled moustache.
"There better be cooler stuff than us inside or I want my money back," scoffed Joy.
"Oh, there is, there is. You will not be disappointed, I assure you, my dear. Twins are not that rare, but there are many ways we could make the act more .... unique. Spruce it up a bit. Just let me know if you change your mind, " said the barker. He reached back and held up the flap to the tent.
"Whatever," said Joy as she passed by the man and entered.
Julie hesitated outside. The man leered at her, still continuing to hold his phony grin.
"Go in, my dear. There are wonders to behold. Things that can not be unseen. It is a life-changing experience, I guarantee it," said the man.
Julie still paused, shaking a little after being chilled by a cool breeze. The man's smile faltered, but just a bit.
"Scared, huh? No need to fear," said the man. "And it doesn't seem very nice to leave your sister all alone in there."
As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. She couldn't let her sister wander through that weird place alone. Who knew what kind of trouble she might get into? This didn't seem like the kind of place where you wanted to cause trouble. And she really didn't want to wait outside for Joy to return with this weirdo.
Julie quickly made her way past the barker, trying to stay as far away from him as possible. For some strange reason she was afraid he was going to try to reach out and touch her, and she feared his loathsome touch. The man made no attempt as she walked by him and entered the large tent, however. He just continued to smile at her with that same creepy grin.
"Have fun," he said as he winked at her.
Then the barker let go of the flap. It closed behind her, blocking her exit and trapping her in the confines of the dimly lit tent.
Julie fumbled around, hoping to find her sister Joy, until she stumbled upon the first exhibit.....