'It was an act, put on for the unsuspecting people. Little did they know about what went on behind the big top of the circus when the show was over'
I screamed in pain, a sound which cut through the air like a knife. My eyes were wide in fear and sweat coated my flanks. I ran forward, only to find myself stopped by the rough rope round my neck, biting my skin. A heavy weight was suddenly flung clumsily onto my back and a strap tightened under my stomach, followed by a man throwing himself onto my back and booting my sides. Leaping forward, I bucked and reared around the ring, desperate to rid myself of this heavy burden, but he clung on, pulling violently on my mouth. Abruptly and without warning, I came to a dead halt. My sides shook. I was completely terrified, when a swishing sound rang through the air and I squealed - a harsh pain on my hindquarters. That sound was to become the sound of my nightmares.
I looked around me at the striped and colourful tent, the hundreds of ringside seats which were currently empty. The scent of sawdust and candy floss hung in the air and bright music played in the distance. An act, put on for the unsuspecting people. Little did they know about what went on behind the big top of the circus when the show was over.
I reared up in distress, finally unseating the cruel creature who clung to me. This seemed to be the final straw for someone sitting nearby, watching. He had a sharp and unforgiving face, and wore a crimson jacket, the colour of blood. He stood and stalked over to me, eyes blazing with fury. I side-stepped away, panicked by what I saw. He harshly grabbed my head and held me still so I couldn't move. Raising his hand slowly, he gave a malicious grin. In a moment, that sound resounded again through the tent and the pain that I now associated with it. With nowhere to run, I was forced to stand there and bear my punishment. I wondered how many horses had stared in fear at him as I did now; how much blood had stained that jacket.
Eventually the man left, his anger all burnt out on me. I still bear the scars. Almost instantly, a boy ran over to me. He had sandy blonde hair, and kind eyes; something which was rarely seen in this prison. He reached for my bridle and I danced away, expecting him to strike me. He grabbed it easily and raised his hand. I closed my eyes and tensed in expectation of a blow, but none came. Instead a gentle touch on my neck, stroking my stinging skin.
"Hey girl" he murmured softly.
I stood stock still, not daring to move a muscle.
"It's ok. I won't hurt you" he soothed, beginning to remove the saddle from my aching back.
Carrying it on one arm, he led me away to my stable. As we walked, a flash of movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Stopping, I turned my head to look. A young girl's head peeped through the tent, her eyes wide in shock and frustration. The man leading me turned to look also, and she instantaneously disappeared from view. He shrugged, assuming I was merely flighty and walked onwards. However my curiosity was now aroused; she had looked out of place, different from the wide family of the circus workers. I stared at the spot where she had been for a moment or two longer before I was led back to my stable.
The man with the kind eyes stayed with me, tending carefully to my wounds and sores. That is, until a heavy step was heard approaching. He darted out of my stable, locking the door and quickly sweeping the barn instead. I looked out, curious to see what made him so frightened. Unsurprisingly, the man with the red jacket soon came into view, a frown on his face. I shrank back into my stable in terror lest he was here for me, but thankfully he walked on by. The man came back now and continued tending to me, talking softly and soothingly all the while.
A little while after he had gone, when the skies had darkened and the stables cold, the sounds of the carnival music began drifting through the air to my ears. I walked to the front of my stable, flinging my head over the door to see what was going on. Gradually, more and more voices were heard walking by our stables, heading towards the big top. The circus was open, the audience were here, and the performers were ready.
Yet in the stables, fear rather than joy hung in the air. Horses kicked and squealed, only to be silenced by hurried calming whispers. Every animal was wide awake and alert; ears pricked and eyes sharp; waiting.
Suddenly the raucous babble of voices ceased; not a voice or cry was to be heard. Everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, was silent. They were also waiting.
A voice bellowed out into the crowd, announcing the acts. He sounded joyful and managed to make everything seem exciting and fun. After listing almost everything else, he called out "Signor Bellini and his magnificent dancing horses!" All at once, there was a great clamour from the stables, whinnying and kicking the doors, almost as if everyone knew: that was us, we were performing. Though to the audience it may have sounded excitable and gleeful, the horses' eyes were wide with unhidden dread at what was to come.
The show began. We listened through clowns, dancers, tightrope workers and trapeze artists. Just as I was beginning to dose off, I heard a soft footfall outside my stall. I jerked awake and peered out curiously. I couldn't see anyone, no one at all! I glanced down, to see if there were any spare scraps of hay, and to my utmost surprise, I saw the same small girl who had earlier watched in dismay.
Staring up at me, she seemed concerned and worried. I think she must have been older than I first thought, maybe twelve or thirteen. She tentatively reached out a hand to stroke me, and I flinched away automatically.
"Shhhh" she murmured softly, and I slowly moved forward again, touching my muzzle softly to her hand. Smiling softly, she stroked up and down my face kindly.
"What have they done to you?" she whispered, obviously shocked at my appearance. There were many cuts across my muzzle, and in one place all the fur had been worn away. However the worst of the damage was on my hindquarters. There were battered and bloody, with little hair in places. My ribs showed clearly through my skin, this was made even more noticeable as I shuddered, my whole body shaking for a while. The girl looked up at me, frightened and with nothing she could do.
*Are you a budding writer or poet? Join the site and send us your scribblings!* Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.
I screamed in pain, a sound which cut through the air like a knife. My eyes were wide in fear and sweat coated my flanks. I ran forward, only to find myself stopped by the rough rope round my neck, biting my skin. A heavy weight was suddenly flung clumsily onto my back and a strap tightened under my stomach, followed by a man throwing himself onto my back and booting my sides. Leaping forward, I bucked and reared around the ring, desperate to rid myself of this heavy burden, but he clung on, pulling violently on my mouth. Abruptly and without warning, I came to a dead halt. My sides shook. I was completely terrified, when a swishing sound rang through the air and I squealed - a harsh pain on my hindquarters. That sound was to become the sound of my nightmares.
I looked around me at the striped and colourful tent, the hundreds of ringside seats which were currently empty. The scent of sawdust and candy floss hung in the air and bright music played in the distance. An act, put on for the unsuspecting people. Little did they know about what went on behind the big top of the circus when the show was over.
I reared up in distress, finally unseating the cruel creature who clung to me. This seemed to be the final straw for someone sitting nearby, watching. He had a sharp and unforgiving face, and wore a crimson jacket, the colour of blood. He stood and stalked over to me, eyes blazing with fury. I side-stepped away, panicked by what I saw. He harshly grabbed my head and held me still so I couldn't move. Raising his hand slowly, he gave a malicious grin. In a moment, that sound resounded again through the tent and the pain that I now associated with it. With nowhere to run, I was forced to stand there and bear my punishment. I wondered how many horses had stared in fear at him as I did now; how much blood had stained that jacket.
Eventually the man left, his anger all burnt out on me. I still bear the scars. Almost instantly, a boy ran over to me. He had sandy blonde hair, and kind eyes; something which was rarely seen in this prison. He reached for my bridle and I danced away, expecting him to strike me. He grabbed it easily and raised his hand. I closed my eyes and tensed in expectation of a blow, but none came. Instead a gentle touch on my neck, stroking my stinging skin.
"Hey girl" he murmured softly.
I stood stock still, not daring to move a muscle.
"It's ok. I won't hurt you" he soothed, beginning to remove the saddle from my aching back.
Carrying it on one arm, he led me away to my stable. As we walked, a flash of movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Stopping, I turned my head to look. A young girl's head peeped through the tent, her eyes wide in shock and frustration. The man leading me turned to look also, and she instantaneously disappeared from view. He shrugged, assuming I was merely flighty and walked onwards. However my curiosity was now aroused; she had looked out of place, different from the wide family of the circus workers. I stared at the spot where she had been for a moment or two longer before I was led back to my stable.
The man with the kind eyes stayed with me, tending carefully to my wounds and sores. That is, until a heavy step was heard approaching. He darted out of my stable, locking the door and quickly sweeping the barn instead. I looked out, curious to see what made him so frightened. Unsurprisingly, the man with the red jacket soon came into view, a frown on his face. I shrank back into my stable in terror lest he was here for me, but thankfully he walked on by. The man came back now and continued tending to me, talking softly and soothingly all the while.
A little while after he had gone, when the skies had darkened and the stables cold, the sounds of the carnival music began drifting through the air to my ears. I walked to the front of my stable, flinging my head over the door to see what was going on. Gradually, more and more voices were heard walking by our stables, heading towards the big top. The circus was open, the audience were here, and the performers were ready.
Yet in the stables, fear rather than joy hung in the air. Horses kicked and squealed, only to be silenced by hurried calming whispers. Every animal was wide awake and alert; ears pricked and eyes sharp; waiting.
Suddenly the raucous babble of voices ceased; not a voice or cry was to be heard. Everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, was silent. They were also waiting.
A voice bellowed out into the crowd, announcing the acts. He sounded joyful and managed to make everything seem exciting and fun. After listing almost everything else, he called out "Signor Bellini and his magnificent dancing horses!" All at once, there was a great clamour from the stables, whinnying and kicking the doors, almost as if everyone knew: that was us, we were performing. Though to the audience it may have sounded excitable and gleeful, the horses' eyes were wide with unhidden dread at what was to come.
The show began. We listened through clowns, dancers, tightrope workers and trapeze artists. Just as I was beginning to dose off, I heard a soft footfall outside my stall. I jerked awake and peered out curiously. I couldn't see anyone, no one at all! I glanced down, to see if there were any spare scraps of hay, and to my utmost surprise, I saw the same small girl who had earlier watched in dismay.
Staring up at me, she seemed concerned and worried. I think she must have been older than I first thought, maybe twelve or thirteen. She tentatively reached out a hand to stroke me, and I flinched away automatically.
"Shhhh" she murmured softly, and I slowly moved forward again, touching my muzzle softly to her hand. Smiling softly, she stroked up and down my face kindly.
"What have they done to you?" she whispered, obviously shocked at my appearance. There were many cuts across my muzzle, and in one place all the fur had been worn away. However the worst of the damage was on my hindquarters. There were battered and bloody, with little hair in places. My ribs showed clearly through my skin, this was made even more noticeable as I shuddered, my whole body shaking for a while. The girl looked up at me, frightened and with nothing she could do.
*Are you a budding writer or poet? Join the site and send us your scribblings!* Reported by guardian.co.uk 7 hours ago.