Ashlyn's heart was pounding.

"Hi", she heard a whisper next to her ear. This somebody stood just behind her, holding her arm like she was a little kid who wanted to steal candy from a story. What wasn't so different from the truth. "Admiring the kingdom of trash puppets?"

She wanted to smash that person in the face and run away. But she knew she would be screwed then.

What should I do?

"Beautiful place, isn't it?" chuckle.

He was a guy, she knew it now.

"You shouldn't be here, ya know..." he continued. "We don't give autographs this late. You should have come earlier, lady."

He was still holding her arm. But not tightly.

Something was odd in his behavior.

"Do you hear me?" he asked and she suddenly turned to him, seeing the outline of his head.

It took her several seconds to realize it - he was as high as her.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"Shouldn't I ask that?" he moved several steps away and reached for something aside. A dim light came on in the carriage.

Ashlyn closed her eyes for a second, and when she opened them, her sight landed on boy with curly, blond hair. A mask was hiding an half of his cheek and a corner of his mouth, his eyes were painted in the shape of crosses - like those of doll clowns. His clothes looked like half ripped-off, dark red, black and purple. His ears was pierced with ear cuffs. There was something dangerous, almost wild in his look... except his face.

His smile was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen.

But his eye color was even more striking - intense red. As intense as his gaze when he looked at her.

His mouth twitched as he noticed to ballet shoes tied to her backpack.

"You don't look as anyone from the town."

She knew exactly what he was talking about - a large flat cap on her red hair, an old jacket mended many times, baggy pants and ragged boots. She didn't look like she was from this town, one of those rich girls wearing clean, pretty dresses with ribbons and lace.

She felt her face getting hotter.

"We won't sell you anything now." the boy leaned against the wall and reached for a puppet with its head torn-off. "Why did you come here?"

"I am..." she tried to come up with something.

...No.

It's not going to work.

I have one chance and I won't lie. He'll eventually find out if I do.

"I am an orphan", she threw the words out of her throat." And if I don't leave the orphanage now, they'll kick me out."

He stared at her in silence, playing with a detached doll's head. The smile on his face still hadn't faded.

"I came here with my brother Logan... I mean, half-brother" she continued, trying not to blush. "We both escaped the orphanage cause we know we'll end up alone on the street. I don't want it. I thought we could hide here and wait for the train to leave our town, then you wouldn't throw us away. I can do ballet and I could perform to earn money for us."

He was still silent and Ashlyn had to force herself not to scratch her hands with her nails nervously. She looked away, not being able to bear his gaze.

This felt so humiliating.

"Can you please say something...?" she whispered, ready to hear the refusal.

"What's your name?" it wasn't the question that she expected.

"Ashlyn."

"So pretty, I like this name. I'm Aiden by the way..." he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Is your brother here with you?"

"He's waiting outside." she couldn't extinguish the hope burning her inside. "his name is Logan."

"Tell Logan to come here then" he put the puppet aside and reached for a key hanging on a wall next to the door. The doll's head rolled along the ground and stopped right at Ashlyn's feet. She looked up at Aiden.

I misheard.

"Can you... can you repeat?"

"Tell your brother to come here."

She didn't move.

"Are you... going to help us?"

"I'm not going to help you. I will help you." he smiled. "Go tell him."

Ashlyn exhaled slowly.

She slowly walked to the door.

And slowly opened it.

"Logan?" her voice shaked.

Silence.

"Logan!"

"Ashlyn?"

"Are you here?!" she stared at the darkness. "Come here!"

She saw a shape moving among the shades and the boy emerged from the dark.

"Do we..."

"Yes!"

He climbed upstairs on a balcony and came into the carriage. He stopped as he noticed Aiden.

"He'll help us", Ashlyn said quickly.

"Really? Oh, thank you", Logan smiled shyly.

"No prob", he shrugged. "Come with me, but be quiet. There are some people who don't like new visitors here, so we'll convince them later."

"Thank you." Ashlyn couldn't say anything else.

He leaded them through the carriage, and passing a big table for wood planing opened the next door. They went down several steps and found themselves in a small room filled with shelves full of various things. There was an armchair and a desk covered with papers, and an another, this time small, table for whittling.

"You can sleep here the whole night, it's safe here. No one will find you", he promised. "I'll bring you blankets, wait a moment."

"Hey, Aiden?" Ashlyn wait for him to look her in the eyes. "Why are you helping us?"

His irises shone in the dark, his smile wide.

"It just so happens that I also ran away to stay here."

________

Fun fact about me. I'm afraid of clown dolls with thin lil crosses on their eyes. funny, isn't it?