Amelka and Leon visit a bright circus where the acts are only the start. Under the big tent, something strange begins to stir.
Amelka had never been to the circus before. When her dad told her they were going to a show that evening, she nearly bounced off the sofa. She tucked her best friend, the plush lion Leon, under her arm, and together with her parents she hurried off toward the big field outside the city.
The circus tent glowed at the edge of the grass like a giant rainbow. At the entrance, a clown with a red nose handed out balloons to the children. Amelka chose a heart-shaped one and held it tightly as she stepped inside. The air smelled of popcorn and candyfloss, and bright lights swept over the ring in quick, sparkling flashes.
She found a seat in the front row. To one side sat an old gentleman with a bushy beard. On the other side sat a girl with pigtails, clutching a small plush elephant. Then the music began. First came unicycles, wobbling and whirling in circles. Then performers twirled long, shining ribbons that floated through the air like ribbons of fire.
Just when Amelka thought the show could not get any more exciting, a strange little sound slipped out from behind the curtain. The crowd went quiet. A tiny troupe of spotted dogs trotted into the ring, each one wearing something funny and bright. One balanced a tiny hat on his head, and everyone burst into laughter.
Then the ringmaster stepped forward in his tall black top hat and lifted his megaphone. “Now,” he said, his voice booming under the tent, “keep your eyes open. You are about to see something no one here has ever seen before.”
Amelka leaned forward. The lights above her began to blink one by one, as if they were waking up. Leon felt very still in her arms. Then, from somewhere deep under the floor of the tent, came a slow, soft thump.