Circus Freak

The harsh Atlantic wind whipped the McNally girls’ hair against their cheeks. The air smelled of rain and cold, a warning of snow yet to come. The youngest of the three, a little girl no more than five years old, shivered in her sister’s embrace. Tears fell from the little one’s emerald eyes as she watched her oldest sister place roses on their parents’ burial spot.

The oldest sister, hair of fire and curls, felt the burn of the tears slide down her cold, freckled face. Coira McNally, back turned to her two younger sisters, squeezed the stems of the flowers in anguish. She watched the crimson drip from her hand and into the soil as the wet snow started to fall, not feeling the pain. Their parents had been with them just a few short weeks ago. Oh, how things could change in the blink of an eye.

She could see them clearly. Her mam was making tattie scones and sausage while her da gathered eggs from the chickens outside for fried eggs. It wasn’t until she had heard her youngest sister Ainslie scream that they realized anything was wrong. Coira had run out into the yard in her sleeping clothes, dropping to her father’s side. Ainslie, on their father’s other side, was trying to shake him awake when Coira had come to their aid. She vaguely registered the sound of her other sister, Euphemia, running into the yard as well and gasping. Euphemia, long fair hair pulled into a loose braid and sleep still in her eyes, yelled for their mam and helped Coira carry their unconscious father inside. It had been all downhill from there. It wasn’t long before the Winter Fever had taken both their mam and da. They were on their own from here.

“Coira?” Euphemia said gently, putting a hand on her older sister’s shoulder. Her voice was soft; a beckoning in it which Coira knew meant Ainslie probably needed them for something. The redhead took a deep breath through her nose, releasing it slowly, creating a cloud of fog from her lips. Blood smeared against green stems as she pulled her hand away to stand and turn to what was left of her family. Euphemia was clearly trying to hold back tears for fear of upsetting Ainslie, whose face was buried in Euphemia shoulder. Ainslie didn’t even care that her sister’s pretty blonde hair was tickling her nose as her tears and snot ran onto Euphie’s shoulder. Her parents were gone forever and she would never see them again. They were on their own.

“It’s okay Ainslie.” Coira comforted, reaching out her bloodied hand to pull Ainslie’s messy chestnut hair behind her ear. “We’re going to go live with Aunt Olivia and Uncle Jack in London.” She gave the little girl a smile that Euphemia noticed didn’t quite reach her eyes. Maybe, with their aunt and uncle taking them in, they wouldn’t be so alone. That is, if their family would take them. Hopefully they would take pity on three young orphans. The middle child finally let a few of her tears fall as Coira moved in to hug them both, the family huddled together by their parent’s resting place as the snow fell around them.