Leon slips into the dazzling Arcadia Circus and notices strange signs behind the acts. When he follows a blue glow into the backstage darkness, he finds something he was never meant to see.
Leon had dreamed of seeing a real circus for as long as he could remember. So when the bright Arcadia Circus tents appeared at the end of his street, he nearly forgot how to breathe. Ticket in hand, he hurried beneath the giant striped dome and stared up at the glittering lights. Candyfloss, popcorn, dust, and sawdust drifted together in the warm air, making the whole place feel like a secret about to be told.
The crowd buzzed with excitement. Then the circus director strode into the ring in a red tailcoat and top hat, his moustache twitching as he promised flying acrobats, impossible illusions, and the mysterious Mr Panther, who could speak to animals. Leon leaned forward, wide-eyed. But after every performance, he noticed something odd: one of the performers would flick two fingers toward the backstage entrance, as if giving a hidden signal. And every so often, a pale blue light flashed from somewhere under the arena.
Leon glanced around. Everyone was watching the lion tamer now. Quietly, he slipped from his seat and crossed to the door marked FOR ARTISTS ONLY. It was not quite closed. A soft murmur drifted out from behind it, along with a thin thread of blue light. Leon swallowed, pushed the door open, and stepped into the shadows.
Backstage, between stacked trunks and hanging costumes, he spotted a small metal box glowing with that same blue light. Before he could reach it, a voice snapped out from behind the curtain: “Oi, what do you think you’re doing here?”
Leon froze. The box gave a sharp little hum, as if something inside had just woken up.