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| − | '''Background''' | + | ==<div valign="bottom">'''About Penny'''</div>== |
| − | ===<div style="text-align: center;">'''The Orphanage'''</div>=== | + | ===<div style="text-align: center;">'''Growing Up'''</div>=== |
| − | Penny was abandoned on the doorstep of an orphanage as a baby.<br> | + | Penny was abandoned on the doorstep of an orphanage as a baby. She was teased and bullied for being different and dreamed of running away to join the circus. After crying herself to sleep one night after a day of particularly bad bullying, she awoke to find herself around a campfire at ''The Cirque de Folie'' the circus of her dreams. |
| − | The neighbor kids made fun of her red hair and freckles, and for being an orphan. They called her a freak.<br>
| + | |
| − | She tried to fit in, but it never worked. She was different somehow and it seemed like everyone knew somehow except her.<br>
| + | |
| − | She desperately wanted to escape and dreamed about running away to join the circus.<br>
| + | |
| − | Freaks were welcome there...<br>
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| − | [[File:Clowncar.jpg|200px|center]]
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| − | <BR>
| + | |
| − | A funny-looking car arrived one night and idled silently in front of the house.<br>
| + | |
| − | Everyone was already asleep except for her. She'd been up crying from a particularly bad day of bullying.<br>
| + | |
| − | She was curious about the mysterious car and snuck out of her room to go get a closer look.<br>
| + | |
| − | It was just like the one she'd always dreamed would show up to take her away to anywhere other than here.<br>
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| − | It was running, but there was no driver in the seat, or anyone in sight.<br>
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| − | She should have been scared. She was only 8 years old. But she wasn't.<br>
| + | |
| − | She climbed into the back seat. The door closed on its own, like it had been waiting for her, and the car began to drive away.<br>
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| − | She watched the orphanage fade from view and passing darkened windows of the houses of the neighbor kids who had teased her.<br>
| + | |
| − | ''"Anywhere's better than here..."'' she thought.<br>
| + | |
| − | She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep...
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| − | | + | |
| − | ===<div style="text-align: center;">'''The Cirque de Folie'''</div>===
| + | |
| − | Penny awoke lying under a blanket, next to the unmistakable sounds and smells of a campfire.<br>
| + | |
| − | She sat up and yawned, rubbed her eyes, then looked around lazily. She was still tired.<br>
| + | |
| − | A tall, thin man with black boots and a long red coat knelt down in front of her.<br>
| + | |
| − | He had a handlebar mustache, a crooked top hat, and a kind face. He smiled at her.<br>
| + | |
| − | ''"Welcome home, Penny."'' he spoke like a father to his daughter, with open arms.<br> | + | |
| − | ''"Home...?"'' she looked around again as the fuzziness from her vision cleared.<br>
| + | |
| − | She was surrounded by strangers, freaks and carnies, but they felt like family.<br>
| + | |
| − | Tall red-and-white-striped tents stood further out from the fire. A caravan of trolley cars wrapped a ring around the perimeter.<br>
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| − | [[File:cirque.jpg|300px|center]]<br>
| + | |
| − | ''"Welcome to the Cirque de Folie!"'' he waved an arm to the surroundings.<br>
| + | |
| − | The spectacle of lights from the attractions seemed to sparkle and brighten in response to the gesture.<br>
| + | |
| − | It was everything Penny had always dreamed of. She rubbed her eyes again in disbelief.<br>
| + | |
| − | ''"Is this... real?"'' surely she was just dreaming.<br>
| + | |
| − | The man smiled and raised a hand to the colorful flower on his lapel before a stream of water squirted her face.<br>
| + | |
| − | ''"Quite real I'm afraid."'' he chuckled and wiped her face dry with a handkerchief pulled from his ear.<br>
| + | |
| − | Penny giggled and leapt up to embrace the man in a hug.<br>
| + | |
| − | She was home.
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