The scent of warm popcorn filled Lani's nose as she lifted the flap to the circus tent. Amidst the cheering and music, she easily slid underneath the wooden bleachers and watched the show through the spaces between over-shoes and silk gowns. The prancing ponies and astonishing acrobats won a standing ovation from the crowd as the performance ended in a graceful finale. As the showman thanked people for coming, Lani heard a muffled scream behind one of the burgundy curtains and bolted to investigate. Peeking past the velvet fabric, she caught the glimpse of another girl from her orphanage lifeless on the floor. Lani gasped as she noticed a large bulky shadow looming over her. A sharp pain pierced her head as she fell to the floor.

A/N: KathleenJennings is helping so much cuz I'm a doofus and I can't spell/edit. A huge thanks to page_by_payge and Kat_Erick for being putting up with me and my geekiness. So go check out their stuff! Anyway, I hope you like it, please comment on what I can do to improve cuz this is is a test run and I'm a newbie. Bon Appétit!