As far as Baylor was concerned Malone’s Magical Circus had lost its magic. It was bad enough that Sword Swallowing Swealwe, Fire Eating Paowl and Te-Te the Fat Lady were forced to live together in one car that now reeked of honed steel, charred flesh and donuts. But people had a say, could leave if they liked. The animals troubled Baylor. Thelma – Elephant – Bleeding ankles. Bobo – Orangutan – Open sores on his chest. Giselle – Giraffe – Neck bent, wedged inside her crate. Baylor looked across the prairie, hummed It’s now or never, hefted the bolt cutters, started with Thelma. She never looked back.
Freedom
Posted: April 8, 2015 in Friday FictioneersTags: Circus, elephants, fat ladies, fire eater, freedom, giraffe, orangutan, prairie, sword swallower
Comments
Up From the Ashes 
Thankfully I cannot imagine what honed steel, charred flesh and donuts smells like, but it doesn’t sound good. Great piece.
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Might be a very nasty combination. Thanks for reading.
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Good for Baylor. I’m glad he freed the animals, but I’d be a little concerned about them wandering the prairie. Anyway, great take on the prompt and I’m glad they’re not being “circus-tortured anymore.” 🙂
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I worried about that, too, but one can only do what one can do in 100 words. Thanks. I saw part of a video about the horrible things that happen to “tame” baby elephants – could NOT watch the whole thing. So I let Thelma go free.
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Still a good choice! 🙂 I’d do the same, especially after reading Jodi Picoult’s “Leaving Time.”
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A story after my own heart. I hope there’s enough for them to eat in that barren scrubland. I shall pretend there is. Lovely!
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Indeed – I thought about that, but Baylor didn’t. Thanks, Sandra.
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I wonder if Baylor would’ve done the same thing if the circus hadn’t lost its magic…
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The magic was lost when the animals were no longer treated well.
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The Great Escape!
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Yep! I can see them thundering across the plains.
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LOL..I can too! (Now that you mention it)
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Survive or no I think they will enjoy their freedom. This is a good piece!
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Thanks. It’s kind of crazy, but . . . Hopefully Thelma, Bobo and Giselle will have fun while it lasts. Appreciate your stopping by.
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Even if their life in freedom should be short, it is a life. Great story.
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Thank you! I hope they have at least a couple of hours of fun. Then get whisked away to live somewhere they can move about. Glad you liked Freedom.
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I’m glad he let them go, and I hope they’ll be okay. I’ve always hated circuses which keep animals.
I like the smells in the carriage associated with the different performers. Sounds like the fire eater has had a few mishaps along the way 🙂
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I’m glad you caught the associations. I wasn’t sure if they went too far afield. Thank you for stopping by and letting me know they worked.
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Run Thelma, Run! Great story! Nan 🙂
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Kind of a goofy story this week. At least I hope the animals have a good time for awhile. Thanks for reading and commenting, Nan.
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So, Te Te has donut breath, eh? I knew there was something I liked about that girl.
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Te-Te is desired by many but accepts few. Thanks for reading, Russell.
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Ew, quite the mental picture you conjure here. I like how he’s freeing the animals, even if their future in the wild is by no means certain.
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Thanks for this week’s picture. Those creatures deserve half a chance even if it’s only for a bit.
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Yay! Freedom. Many circuses used to travel by trains, didn’t they? I love the combo of smells you have here: honed steel, charred flesh and donuts. I don’t know about you, but I’m out of there. You made every word count here. I could really feel the pain and misery. Great story, Alicia. Have you ever read “Water for Elephants”?
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Yes and loved the story. Saw the movie but it wasn’t half as good. Have you read The Electric Michelangelo? What happened to the elephant in Sarah Hall’s story was extremely sad…. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. I know you have a lot on your plate.
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I’ve never read The Electric Michelangelo. I’ll add it to my list. Thanks, Alicia. 🙂 It helps to do the normal stuff.
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The Liberator! Loved it. Something happy to read this week!
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I’m so glad you found this an uplifting tale. Exactly what it was supposed to be.
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Dear Alicia,
The only animals that belong in cages are humans and though they little realize it, they are part of the greatest and most tragic circus of all. Your wonderful story is a shot of good medicine for all of us. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
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Dug, I so agree with you . The things we inflict on our fellow creatures are atrocious. I needed a thousand (two thousand? three?) more words to express what I really feel about humankind’s treatment of animals. Mahalo. Alicia
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Well done Baylor, now he just needs to jump out and look after them. A great cast of names too.
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Thank you, the names of the circus people represent their acts – all except Te-Te, couldn’t resist a corny name for the fat lady. Appreciate your stopping to read and for leaving a comment.
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I just read a similar story earlier today. Loved it. Let ’em go! They don’t belong in cages…
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Thanks. I have no idea why we cage our fellow creatures….
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Those poor animals. You paint a picture of their mistreatment and confinement so well. I know that sometimes, when animal activists have released battery hens from their cages, that the poor creatures stagger about in a state of total disorientation, their legs collapsing under them, and they need to wear little knitted coats to stop them dying of hypothermia because all of their feathers have fallen out, or been pecked out. This being so, I fear for the fate of your unhealthy animals in the wild. I hope that someone good found them and nursed them back to health.
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I’m afraid they’ll be rounded up and put right back where they were. Hopefully they’ll enjoy their tiny moment of freedom. Thanks for your thought-filled reply.
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Thank goodness someone took the situation into his own hands. At least Baylor cared about the animals. And what ideal terrain on which to free the suffering creatures. I suppose it’s inevitable they’ll be rounded up again, though. Let’s hope the circus bosses don’t find out who was responsible for their escape. A very well described scene, Alicia.
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Thank you, Millie. Hopefully Baylor can stay under the radar.
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Hooray! Although I’m a little worried about the circus animals starving out in the wilds. Maybe a kind cat lady will take them all in.
Be well,
Tracey
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I don’t think they’ll get too far. They’ll probably wander onto someone’s farm. Thanks for worrying about them, though. Alicia
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The smell association with the people is very clever. I hope the animals survive, though by the looks of the barren land behind the train, I have my doubts.
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Thank you , Francesca. I’m awfully glad the smells worked.
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Dear Alicia,
Your story left me smiling. I imagined BoBo, Giselle and Thelma bounding free across the prairie. Humans don’t seem to know how to treat animals or each other. What’s up with that? This is one of my favorites this week. (as I slowly get around to them 😉 )
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, your words have made my day. Cheers! Alicia
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I loved it!
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Thank you.
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Sounds like a gritty, nasty situation. Hopefully they can find relief in their escape.
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I sure hope so. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, Miss Tiffany.
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I always had a problem with circuses featuring animals, it is appalling. This happy end put a smile on my face, thank you for that.
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You’re welcome! Thank YOU for your time.
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Good for Baylor! Great characters – human and animal – and I hope somebody puts that circus out of business. An enjoyable story.
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I’m glad you liked the cast of Freedom. They were fun to create. Cheers. Alicia
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The thought of all those animals have made me sick at circuses.. hope they get a better life in freedom.
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Me, too, Bjorn!
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Slowly, but surely this week, Alicia… love the creativity and originality of this story! I think this could really be a bigger story– that I’d love to read! Wonderful!
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Thank you, Dawn. Baylor has a lot to flesh out. Like what will the animals eat? Where will they sleep? Appreciate you working your way to my story…. Cheers, stay well.
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Yep, the circus has seen its day now that small-town isolated America no longer exists, and the animals have more than served their time. Great job, Alicia.
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Thanks, Perry! Good luck to them all.
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Sounds great to give animals freedon, but I don’t think it would work well for many domesticated animals. Where would an elephant find food on the prarie, or the other animals he set free for that matter. He should have given them to an animal shelter. He’s going to have a side show rather than a circus. Well done, Alicia. 🙂
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Suzanne, I just read an article that said zoos in Costa Rica are freeing all their animals. They don’t say where or how, but I kinda’ wonder what will happen to them if they are freed in the wild. Maybe not such a great idea – who knows. Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Alicia
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Those poor people and animals. Great imagery.
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Thanks!
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