It's New Year's Eve and this year things will change. A New Year's carnival is in town and there's something not quite right about it. People are disappearing and no-one is noticing. No-one except you...

-

Canada

1890s

"Rosalyn... Please? Why can't we go?"

Ash was pulling on her arm in a last, futile, attempt to convince her to accompany her to the New Year's circus show. Her parents didn't want their youngest daughter walking around town on her own, unless Rosalyn accompanied her. 

"No, your parents said they would take you this weekend. I was not to accompany you to the ground beforehand to not ruin the surprise. Now come here and let me help you in your dress."

After a lot of grumbling and some attempts to get away from Rosalyn's capable hands, was Ash in her dancing clothes ready for her first lesson of the day.

"Come, mister Dunoir will arrive in a few moments, after that you can play in the garden."

Rosalyn led the girl towards the ballroom where the dance lesson would take place. Usually it was a nice reprieve of her usual work where she had time to read a book. 

Mister Dunoir stepped inside the room and for the next hour and a half commanded the world they lived in. 

"Miss Ashley, please you have to focus more or otherwise you will never learn. Mrs Rosalyn could I bother you to shown the young miss how it's done one more time?"

Rosalyn stood up with all the grace she could muster to show the proper dance moves, long forgotten from a life time ago. 

"Yes, this is it. Do you see it miss Ashley, grace and peace, flowing through the motions. It's not a farmers dance, you don't have to stomp around."

Ashley's face fell at that last comment but didn't retort, the lesson was over after all.

"I'll remember mister Dunoir, it won't happen again."

She ran over to Rosalyn with all the grace she didn't show during the dance to drag her outside for the promised game in the sun.

-

"Tonight you are free, we will look after Ashley."

The words rang in Rosalyn's ears as she watched the master and mistress of the house ride down the street with Ash in a carriage, they were going to the circus to watch.

It would turn out alright, no one would go after the richest people in town to make them disappear. No one would care if the poor disappeared, at least no one in power. 

Ash would be alright and come home safe. 

-

The streets were dark and cold as Rosalyn sneaked through the streets towards the illuminated circus tent. 

Getting inside was surprisingly easy, as was the lack of total security. There wasn't a lot worth stealing, but you would still assume there was someone watching the more dangerous animals when everyone else was inside.

Rosalyn didn't dare venture farther into the circus territory than the actually tent where the show was. 

There were people locked up here, people who had disappeared during the three days the circus had been in town. It couldn't be a simple coincidence, and neither the total lack of notice by the townspeople.

Rolf had disappeared from his house and neither his partner nor children remembered him, they acted like he had died during an accident several years ago. 

Elvia, Rosalyn's half sister, had only come home for a day when she went to their old mother and never returned. When Rosalyn herself had went to look for her she could find neither her sister nor mother. 

Renate had never come to work at the house, yet the housekeeper hadn't said a word about it. While when something similar had happened with a lazy stable-boy everyone had to hear the story for weeks to come.

There were more that Rosalyn didn't personally knew or knew the name of, but there were to many for it to be a coincidence. 

The circus people had to be responsible.

-

Ash and her parents had safely returned home, but of the two stable boys that had accompanied them only one had returned. 

-

"Naya, the horses need to be checked before we leave, you'll never know if one managed to get away."

Rosalyn had hidden herself under one of the wagons and was watching the circus tent being dismantled. 

"Odiane, do you check the felines? Me and Alvar will make a round to see if nothing's being left behind."

The artist were swarming around checking and double checking all the equipment and animals, to make sure nothing was left behind.

She hadn't seen any of the missing people, yet they had to be here. They couldn't have just disappeared.

The leader of the group was coming her way with big confident steps. Hands in his pockets and long auburn hair flowing in the wind. 

He more than any of the other artists looked inhuman, dangerous. The only other whose looks were even farther apart from the humans living in the town, was a woman with silver hair and eyes, that glowed in the light of the moon.

She couldn't be found.

Rosalyn was slowly crawling backwards towards the other side of the wagon to sneak away, when a pair of boots appeared in front of her.

She slowly lifter her head till her eyes locked with the man that had only moments before had been on the other side of the wagon. He shouldn't be able to be here, as the wagons were connected to each other.

"Looking for something?"

The smirk the man had on his face disappeared when, with a well timed kick of Rosalyn's leg, he was lying flat on his back. Rosalyn's skirt flowing behind her as she was halfway across town, running toward the house.

 "I think we missed one, Avery."

A hand appeared in Avery's line of vision, and he pulled upright by a man with equally long red hair.

"It appears so. Take Elvia with you and take her away before sunset, she's strong with a bit of practice she can start helping us next town."

Alvar nodded his hand and was off, getting Elvia so they could get the last inhuman that lived among humans in this village.

-

January 26, 2023