At noon, the sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue, like a vast ocean. A large stretch of pure, white clouds drifted in silently, slowly veiling the sun. In an instant, the vast fertile plains were cloaked in a layer of gray gauze; shadows swept across the earth like a tide lapping at the shore. A few minutes later, the clouds drifted past, and the blazing sunlight returned to the ground—as if nothing had ever happened.
"Daddy, can Mr. Klein drive a little faster...?"
Arcia leaned forward from the back seat, hands clutching the passenger seat, craning her head eagerly.
"Don't be in such a rush. Once we get there, Daddy will buy you a lollipop, okay?"
The man in the passenger seat turned to her, gently patting her head.
"Okay..."
Though she replied obediently, Arcia still found it hard to contain her excitement. She sat back down, restless, her little feet wrapped in white stockings swinging impatiently beneath the seat.
"Here, Mommy has a butterfly hair clip."
The woman sitting next to Arcia noticed her growing impatience. From her small white handbag, she took out a blue bow-shaped hair clip. Something on the bow glinted under the sunlight, and the gems embedded on it—turquoise and white—shimmered with a glassy brilliance.
"So pretty!"
As expected, the hair clip captured Arcia's attention instantly.
"Turn your head, let Mommy put it on for you."
The woman smiled as she opened the clip. Arcia quickly turned her head and leaned closer to her mother.
"All done."
With a soft "snap," the clip fastened securely into her golden hair. Arcia eagerly took the small mirror her mother handed her, wanting to see how it looked, her fingers lightly stroking the bow.
"It's so pretty—I love it!"
Setting the mirror down, she beamed with a radiant smile and leaned her head on her mother's shoulder. The woman opened her arms and drew her into a warm embrace. Nestled against her mother, Arcia felt only peace, only joy.
…
Crowds swelled around them.
Even just outside the circus gates, the ticket line had already grown long. Beyond the entrance, the venue was teeming with visitors—some strolling in pairs, others in boisterous groups. Vendors with pushcarts lined the roadsides, their stalls surrounded by eager buyers. Further ahead, near the towering main tent flapping with colorful flags, the crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder. Circus staff had to stand on elevated platforms with megaphones just to maintain order.
"Hello, we have three Box Ticket tickets."
Bypassing the congested front gates, Arcia's father led the family to a less conspicuous side entrance. He handed over the pre-purchased tickets to a staff member, who then led the family toward the massive tent that was visible from far away. They entered through a narrow passage at the side.
At this hour, the tent was still mostly empty. The seats were bare, and after a short walk, the family arrived at a private box. Though modest in size and built from simple wood panels, it was decorated in the circus's style—colorful flags inside and out, and a small golden candelabra resting on a table in the center. Once seated, the staff member lit the candle, casting a gentle glow over the dim interior.
"There's still some time before the show begins. I'll step out for a bit."
Though Arcia might've forgotten about the lollipop, her father hadn't. He left the box, his figure vanishing around a corner. Not long after, other guests took seats in the surrounding boxes, followed by ticket holders with regular or standing-room admission. In no time, the previously empty tent buzzed with life.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you so much for coming to support the Abinen Circus!"
A rotund man in a black tailcoat stepped onto the stage, hauling a microphone behind him, its long cable trailing like a tail. The amplifier allowed his voice to rise above the din of the crowd, and as he appeared, the audience gradually quieted, focusing their attention on the stage.
"I know you're all eager for the main event—but please be patient. While we prepare, we've got some exciting warm-up acts for you. Enjoy!"
With a bow, the host stepped aside. Music burst from the band, light and jubilant. From both sides of the stage, performers in colorful outfits dashed in—some with hoops, some with juggling balls, others bearing torches, and still more dragging massive props requiring teamwork to move. Despite the cumbersome equipment, their rhythm never faltered. Once in position, the show began.
Performers in the front rows assembled dazzling formations with their hoops, while agile acrobats leapt through them in dazzling displays of balance and flair. Nearby, jugglers tossed balls into the air in a blur of color. Soon, six fire-jugglers entered from either side, spitting some unknown substance onto their torches—igniting six brilliant fireballs that brought the crowd to a frenzy of cheers.
Then, a towering metal scaffold was erected at the back of the stage, held steady by two burly men. An acrobat scaled it with ease and began a breathtaking juggling act from its top.
"Hope I didn't miss the good part."
Arcia's father returned to the box, straightening his rumpled suit. He handed her a large, round, rainbow-colored lollipop. Arcia's eyes sparkled with delight.
The performance continued. The acrobats gradually cleared the stage—only for a majestic golden lion to leap out, prompting gasps from the crowd. It circled the stage beside its trainer, occasionally unleashing earth-shaking roars that startled the audience. Some children even burst into tears, drawing amused laughter from those behind them.
The trainer guided the lion through a series of steps, up and down a set of staggered platforms. Then came the fire hoop. The lion, undaunted by the flames, leapt through it with grace and ease. More hoops were brought forth, arranged in a sweeping arc. With a short run-up, the lion soared through them all, landing smoothly. Applause erupted.
"Bravo!"
Even Arcia stood up, leaning on the window of their box to cheer, while her parents applauded beside her with gentle smiles.
The lion and its trainer took their bows and cleared the stage. The props were removed, leaving a wide open space.
Then it came: a trumpet-like bellow cut through the tent. Three massive elephants adorned in vibrant decorations slowly made their entrance. Atop their backs, performers continued their act, while the music shifted to an exotic, foreign melody.
As the elephants claimed the spotlight, the lion disappeared backstage. The acrobats on the elephants began a new performance—leaping between the moving animals, forming human bridges between their backs using ladders, juggling atop a living, shifting platform.
"Boom—"
A strange, abrupt sound rang out, drawing confused murmurs from the audience. Within ten seconds, a change swept the stage.
The elephant on the right side of the stage collapsed without warning, throwing its performers to the ground. Sharp-eyed onlookers swore they saw something fall from above—but whatever it was moved too fast, just a blur in the air. As people began to rise from their seats in concern, a horrific sight became visible: a massive, gaping wound had split the elephant's side. Blood poured across the stage.
The remaining elephants grew agitated, swaying nervously. More acrobats lost their balance and tumbled down.
"What's going on?"
From their angle, the family in the box couldn't clearly see the injuries, but Arcia's father instinctively pulled her back, watching the stage with unease.
The host in the black coat stepped back onto the stage to investigate—but barely had he taken a few steps when an explosion tore through the tent.
Even buried under the stage, a 500-kilogram bomb ripped everything within thirty meters to shreds. The tent exploded outward in a blast wave. Screams, cries, and panicked shouts filled the air.
More bombs followed. The whistling shriek of falling ordnance tore across the sky as the earth trembled again and again. Those who survived the initial blast trampled over each other in a desperate bid to escape—only to find that outside was no safer.
Incendiaries hidden among the high-explosives ignited entire sections of the circus grounds. The gel-like flames sprayed far and wide. People engulfed in fire ran screaming into the streets, some collapsing, some rolling on the ground—but nothing could douse the flames. Not even a full bucket of water helped; instead, the fire spread along the trails of water.
Soon, they stopped struggling. Their bodies burned alongside the ruins, until the two were no longer distinguishable.
Terrified animals burst from shattered cages, throwing themselves into the chaos. A white horse with a shattered leg limped along with the fleeing masses, its right flank torn open by shrapnel, intestines dragging on the ground. It collapsed by the roadside, gasping—and then it moved no more.
When Arcia regained consciousness, everything was over. She pushed away the soft, foul-smelling thing weighing down on her—sticky and warm—and looked around in confusion.
Debris and shattered limbs were strewn across the ground, mingled with corpses. She didn't know what had just happened—but she knew those people were dead. She saw no sign of her parents. No bodies, either.
"Hey! We've got a survivor over here!"
Rescue workers spotted her and hurried to lift the debris from atop her. Only then did she realize the soft object had been an elephant's belly—still attached to a severed leg.
"Quick! Get her to the ambulance!"
They laid her gently on a stretcher, her face blank, her body drenched in blood.
The sky remained blue, dotted with drifting white clouds. A soft breeze brushed her cheeks, stirring her messy hair. She stared up in a daze, her mind sluggish, unable to think. She didn't search for her parents. She didn't react to the carnage around her. None of it felt real. And yet, all of it had happened.