The buzzing of the lively performers halted when someone stepped into the room. Cosette strained to see who it was from her hidden position.

“Alright everyone, it is time to get this show on the road and head to our next city,” the Ringmaster said. She orchestrated their movements in the performance, and she seemed to here as well.

Cosette remembered her from the shiny purple and gold jacket that glittered under the light. She had this magnetic, captivating energy that had the audience not only listening to her but wanting to listen, hanging off of each word.

“I can feel your excitement, but we have to keep moving,” the Ringmaster said with a kind smile.

“Get out of our heads, Nessie,” the fire eater stated, with a laugh. Cosette didn’t know what was so funny, but everyone joined in on the laughter.

“Well stop feeling your feelings, and then I won’t sense your emotions,” Nessie retorted.

Cosette couldn’t believe it all. No–she did believe it. The biggest grin grew on her face.

All of this meant she was right!

“Cosette!” “Cosie, where did you go?” Cosette heard her mother and brother faintly call for her.

With all the clattering noises that resumed, she figured no one else could hear them, so she snuck out from under the table and went to leave.

She glanced back just to witness the magic for another moment. Everyone was buzzing around, in the air and on the ground, not noticing her small form.

The Ringmaster and the magician chatted when Cosette saw the Ringmaster gaze at her. Her lips curved into a smile and winked at her.

A little gasp escaped her lips but a giggle quickly followed. She turned her back and scurried out to her worried family.

“Cosie, please!” her brother yelled. She never heard the pleading tone in his voice before.

Her mom was talking to a small group of people. “She is wearing a pink floral shirt and denim shorts with these rainbow shoes that she had just gotten for her birthday,” her mom said. Her mom sounded concerned.

She skipped over to her brother whose back faced her. “Hi Barry!” she said happily.

“Oh my gosh! Cosie!” he exclaimed. He swept her off her feet and hugged her tightly. His strength in this embrace surprised her.

“Mom, she’s right here!” he called out.

“My baby! Don’t ever do that again!” her mom said, tears in her eyes as she joined the hug. Cosette swore Barrett’s eyes were glassy too, but maybe that was a trick of the light.

After her mom let her go but not out of her sight, she went to thank everyone who were going to help her search for Cosette.

She stood off to the side outside the circus tent with Barret holding her hand to keep her in place. His eyes still held that sad look, so with her other hand, she reached into her pocket for a napkin she had from her buttery popcorn. Her fingertips hit something else though.

It felt like a coin, cool to the touch. She took it out, and it looked a bit bigger than a quarter.

A shiny, gold token laid in the palm of her hand. Engraved on the face was a circus tent. She fumbled to turn it over with her one hand to see the other side.

In tiny print, it said, “Magic is everywhere for those who believe.”

Her eyes went as wide as the token in her grasp. Was this a gift from the circus?

“So where were you?” Barrett asked. His secure grip on her hand tightening. Her brother either didn’t see the token that she hid in her fist or didn’t feel like questioning its existence.

He looked to be actually curious. An expression she wasn’t used to seeing on someone else.

She wasn’t sure how to respond at first. Usually she was the one pestering him with questions. He never asked her anything in her whole life that she remembered at least. Then she felt the token in her fist warming up from her hot skin. She felt the circus imprint on her palm and the words etched in her mind.

“Looking for magic.”