ALIVE ON THE INSIDE …Torturo shook his hand, his grip firm, but he lingered just a second too long, as if reluctant to let go. “Hello, Nicholas.” Nick, lost in the large changeable hazel eyes, almost lingering himself, barely noticed the delay in the grip. “I’ll definitely hike out. Probably not tonight. I work late. But tomorrow.” Torturo smiled a dazzling smile and produced four red pieces of pasteboard. “I’ll see you tonight.” Nick wondered privately if he realized that sounded more like a date than a show. At least everyone else was out to lunch and he was minding the store alone. Nick looked at the free passes Torturo was offering. “I only need one.” “We’re here four nights, or share them with your friends.” Nick smiled. “Maybe I should bring my fiancée.” Torturo’s smile widened. “The more the merrier,” he said, so cheerfully, Nick wondered if he’d imagined the flirting. “Thank you. Would you like to approve placement?” He hung a couple of the posters in the front windows and one on the bulletin board beside his desk. “That’s perfect.” Torturo’s smile still looked inviting. “Thank you, Nicholas.” This time, he held out his hand to shake. When Nick took it, once again, Torturo lingered too long and parted with something that was almost a caress of the back of Nick’s hand. “You’re very welcome.” He tapped the passes. “And thank you.” Torturo shot him a quick backward glance at the door and Nick smiled. He watched the performer ride off and looked more closely at the passes. Good for one admission to general show or adult show. He wondered what that meant… ALSO BY ANGELIA SPARROW & NAOMI BROOKS The Curse Of The Pharaoh’s Manicurists ALIVE ON THE INSIDE BY ANGELIA SPARROW & NAOMI BROOKS AMBER QUILL PRESS, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com ALIVE ON THE INSIDE AN AMBER QUILL PRESS BOOK This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental. Amber Quill Press, LLC http://www.AmberQuill.com All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. Copyright © 2009 by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks ISBN 978-1-60272-614-7 Cover Art © 2009 Trace Edward Zaber Layout and Formatting provided by: Elemental Alchemy PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Welcome to the funhouse of our minds. There is a lot to see here, so step right this way. Mind the geography of Peculiar, we’ve taken a few liberties. First, we owe thanks to Ray Bradbury, the late Tom Reamy and Bryan D. Smith for their inspiration, and to Bryan and Brian Keene for good advice. We owe special thanks to the following people: The Raymore Peculiar Class of 1986 for volunteering to die hideous deaths as needed. Harrisonville Girl Scout Troop 119, of which Angelia was an honorary member. (Love y’all—A.) Kiwi Carlisle for letting us borrow her dream of the Peculiar Tea Shoppe and correcting the Tarot reading. Our early readers: David Tyler, David Kopfer, John Lucas, Drew Wallace, Kiwi (again) and Cat Grant. Every one of you contributed on this. The Memphis NaNoWriMo support group and Word Catchers writers’ group Extra thanks to Trace Edward Zaber for encouraging us to submit this and doing the wonderful cover, and to Catherine Snodgrass, our editor. This book is dedicated to the memory of Clyde Montgomery, who did not get a hideous fictional death as he requested, but for whom Death did indeed come calling in the fall of 2009. Now, get comfortable. The show is about to begin. —Angelia and Naomi ALIVE ON THE INSIDE FOREWORD There had always been a Phantasmagoria. Somewhere, in the dim, dead remains of the past, it began with a juggler in Babylon or a dancer in Crete, a snake charmer in Memphis or an acrobat in Palmyra. One by one, they came together and the Phantasmagoria took on its own life. It watched the pyramids rise and Troy fall. It entertained as Alexander swept east and the Visigoths swept west. The dead carts rolled and the Renaissance revitalized Europe. And always, the Phantasmagoria was there. The acts came and went, dwarfs and dancers, giants and storytellers, freaks and fortunetellers, but the Show continued on. The Enlightenment and Industry brought new techniques to the ancient Show and the Phantasmagoria carried these, as well as 1 ALIVE ON THE INSIDE knowledge and disease wherever it traveled. To India, to learn the secrets of the fakirs and China where pretty girls touched the tops of their heads with the soles of their feet. To Russia, amid fire- eaters and fortunetellers, and into Africa, where men grew tall as trees. In America, the railroad sped the travel and the Phantasmagoria learned and created anew the vaudeville show and traveling carnival. Times changed and the Phantasmagoria roared through the twenties, horrified through the fifties, and endured the arrival of movies and television. But always, there was the Show. Always, there was the Phantasmagoria. 2 ALIVE ON THE INSIDE PROLOGUE Hitchcock, Oklahoma August 12, 1925 Jacob Plum settled the outhouse over the new hole. There. Perfect. Mama wouldn’t complain at all. She’d been after him to dig a new one for a week now. “Move the backhouse every three years,” he could hear her saying just that morning as he’d finished washing the dishes. Mama didn’t get up much anymore. She didn’t walk too well after the last baby had slid out of her much too early, a raw-looking thing not able to live. She’d almost bled to death. So these days, Jacob handled the cooking and washing up and what little housecleaning got done. He was the only child, too big 3