The first page of a new novella called sideshow heart.

 

A lake of black glittering with stars and a smiling moon seemed to watch over the hills on the way to the graveyard. The dead trees of the season leafless in the cold. The headstones of the forgotten or barely remembered. Zip was carrying a shovel on his shoulder that was twice as long as him. The twelve-year-old looked closer to nine in age—Lankey and thin but not tall.

 

"Adelinda, how much farther do we have to go?" said Zip

 

With her blue skin and red eyes, she didn't turn back; she seemed like she was trying to ignore the child. So he responded the way he always did...with persistence.

 

"Adelinda? I am tired and hungry. You said we would have supper tonight, not like the three nights all hungry and hurting but food. Adelinda, I know you can hear me?" Said Zip.

 

Adelinda looked over her shoulder, still walking forward, and said, "we are going to get food, something delicious."

 

Zip did not like the sound of that; he started thinking we are heading to the old village's graveyard. I have a shovel. My mistress is a witch. Oh no. But then he told himself no; she wouldn't...we couldn't. Then he was trying her diplomatically with the design that people don't eat rotten old corpses, so he said.

 

"Adelinda, I sure am glad to have you as a master. You never cruel and so so sweet." as Zip spoke, she looked over her shoulder and looked down at him. "and" he continued, " you have raised me like I was your own."

 

Adelinda said, "don't worry, child, I will season the stew so that you will not mind that the meat is grizzled and rotten. besides," she smiled over her shoulder at him, "it's a right of passage."

 

Zip took swallowed a nervous gulp and, with eyes wide open like saucers, Said. "Oh God, I never wanted to be a cannibal."

 

Adelinda smiled, dressed in her red dress with a black cape and pointy hat; no one would have mistaken her for anything but a beauty and a witch.