The obnoxious circus music played as I twisted around hoops and did somersaults into the air. The audience around me cheered in awe as they shouted my name.

Vic-tor-ia!

Vic-tor-ia!

Vic-tor-ia!

I smiled as they all called out to me before doing a few more flips; the crowd went wild! People screamed and shouted in amazement, some even standing up and clapping like wild seals. Final scene and I gave my best impression. I gave a smirk before bowing and leaving the stadium. As I walked back to the changing tent, the ringmaster brushed past me and said,

Well done. Come to my office as soon as you have changed.

I kept a straight face, but the twinkle in my eyes was very visible. I pushed past some of the other crew-members, giving snarky comments on how they did in the performance. Some nodded nervously and rushed away, some possibly sighing in relief to thank god I wasn’t there to rant at them, while others didn’t even bother to listen, seething with anger inside. What a waste of time. I rolled my eyes and went to my changing area, thankfully it was isolated and mine. All mine. I walked to my mirror; finding bunches of red roses and other beautiful flowers. Except one, it was all black and wilted and its stem all wrinkly and dry. I gave a grimace and threw that rose away, thinking what kind of would send me this. I was beautiful, famous and on the road to becoming rich. Why the hell would anybody send THAT to me? I grunted as I sat down and removed the make-up caked on my face, thinking about the next moves I could pull off in the next show. But in the back of my mind, I’m somehow getting the feeling I’m being watched. I turned around but no one was there, no one in the cast would dare go into my space and yet I still shouted. A small beat began to throb in my temple and I turned back around to continue removing my make-up.

I screamed. I screamed a blood-curdling scream. Nobody heard.

There was a girl in a grey dress with porcelain skin and blood red lips that were curled in a wide smile that gave shivers down my spine. Her hair as dark as the wilted rose she was holding in her hand. Her reflection on the mirror was walking up to me. I was too scared to turn around and my throat was dry. So I watched her, creeping up slowly behind me, I could feel cold sweat beginning to form on my forehead. My hands were trembling as she came closer and closer forward, her right arm extending to touch my shoulder. Her pale slender fingers were icy cold to the touch and her temperature surged through my nerves, making me squeak in surprise. My eyes quickly glanced to the side and there she was, holding the wilted rose whilst smiling madly at me. I felt it there, that sudden rush of energy, it made me burst out of my seat and run to The Hall of Mirrors. Of all places, why the hell did I run to The Hall of Mirrors? I regretted my decision as soon as I was lost at the very heart of the maze. Voices were calling after me.

Victoria…

Victoria…

I can see you…

I turned around yet I saw no one but my own reflections, all mimicking every action I make from every angle. I kept spinning around in circles, desperately trying to find the exit, nearly up to the limit where I’m about to cry. I stopped once I had a look at one of my reflections. The sight was horrible, my skin…. All torn, rotten and jagged in a sickly yellow colour, my hair... Messed up and thrown in all different directions and my face. My face, I touched it and looked at my fingers. There was blood. Half of my face had been ripped apart and bits of skin were dangling, as if hanging on for dear life. I turned around once more and saw the same repeated reflection of myself as a sickly corpse. The shock gave me massive shudders to the bone and I began to run once again. Soon enough, I had found the exit and I ran to the stadium to catch my breath, thinking that I wouldn’t be harmed.

The spotlight of the stadium lit up and focused on me, I blinked and looked around for anybody and saw people dressed in some sort of hooded cloth. I squirmed as they held my arms and dragged me to the center of the stage.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are here to see the peculiar talent of Victoria Song. Her flexibility!

I squinted as the brightness of the light attacked my eyes and heard loud cheering from the empty stadium. A strange mechanism was pulled out and set on the platform.

Shall we see how far she can go?