freckleddoll: (Freckles - [child] sheltered)
Doll ([personal profile] freckleddoll) wrote2010-01-14 12:20 am
Entry tags:

21 tightropes walked - dream vortex

[Slums. A deserted alleyway, dingy and dirty, not much to be seen but piles of refuse left lying around. And a small group huddled under a blanket, children, too young to be left on their own but alone all the same.

At a closer look there's more wrong with them than the dirt and hungry faces and torn scraps of clothing. A boy with one empty sleeve, and a boy and a girl with the remains of a leg wrapped in strips of cloth. An even smaller child with a partly burnt face being held by a boy too large for his age.

A dog runs around them, barking - Tiger, for those who'd recognize him, even though in the strange way of dreams, Doll clearly doesn't know him. The children are too miserable to pay him any attention.

And standing for a while in that alley, one will be able to hear the strain of circus music filtering in, perhaps even the reflection of bright lights.]


((ooc: the way the dream goes depends on what visitors do. Anyone welcome!))

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-14 11:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey... where're you going?

[identity profile] backseatangel.livejournal.com 2010-01-15 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
[Anna steps over to the broken body that's been left behind, unsure if she understands the metaphor she's been offered. Did someone, or some part of Doll die so she could be up on that wire? She's not sure, but she looks up to watch the show anyway.]

How's the view up there?

[identity profile] backseatangel.livejournal.com 2010-01-15 02:07 am (UTC)(link)
Nice to hear.

[She's still crouching by the body, trying to get a better look without having to actually touch it and trying to block out all the extra clamor. She looks back up.]

Hey, Doll? I think there was an accident, here. [She motioned to the body.] Do you know what happened?

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-15 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
All by yourselves? [It's more of a thought than an actual question. Penny hurries after Doll.]

[identity profile] backseatangel.livejournal.com 2010-01-15 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Doll. There's something here.

[Her voice is stern, but still kind. There's something here Doll doesn't want to face and Anna doesn't want to hurt her, but she has to ask.]

[identity profile] backseatangel.livejournal.com 2010-01-15 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Why would who? The man who took you in? Did he do this?

[Anna's trying to understand, if it's important enough for Doll to dream like this, it's important enough for her to learn.]

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-15 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[Penny can't argue with that logic. She stays just outside of their circle, ogling the circus grounds. The kids seem excited, but the circus? Is that really a good place for kids?

...And doesn't Doll already have a name?]

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-16 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
[No wonder Doll misses her circus family so much.

Penny follows Doll quietly, not even sure if she's still a part of the dream. Whether Doll can see her or not, though, she wants to see more of her life. Is that invasive? Maybe, but she wants to see some happiness in her friend's dream.]

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-16 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
[Penny smiles back, glad that the tightrope isn't too high up. How anyone can walk across them escapes her; Penny wasn't even that good at walking across the balance beam in school.]

You're not afraid of heights?

[Not that this tightrope is high. She's thinking about the tightropes she's seen Doll walk across at the circus.]

[identity profile] backseatangel.livejournal.com 2010-01-16 01:16 am (UTC)(link)
[Anna moves over to Doll, placing her arm around the other girl.]

You didn't know - it's easy to miss things when we don't want to see them.

What did he do? Your father?

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-16 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
[No, not potential crying! Penny sits on the ground by Doll, concerned.]

Are you okay? Did you scrape up your knees?

[identity profile] horrible-penny.livejournal.com 2010-01-16 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
It takes practice.

[Penny smiles at the boy, wondering which member of Doll's family he is.]

[identity profile] backseatangel.livejournal.com 2010-01-16 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[She gave Doll a squeeze.]

But it wasn't you, and you didn't know. You're a good person, Doll.

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