(Not exactly the prompt, but it involves a circus tent which is close enough. This will be in three parts because of the limited word count. It’s already fully written. I wrote this for thing for my school.)

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“How do they do it?”

ooooooo

Circuses amazed the young Cosette Chiman. Her aunt told her stories of when she was Cosette’s age and witnessed its magic. Every retelling of the dynamic acts mesmerized her. For her 8th birthday, she had pleaded to go to the traveling circus.

Her mom granted her wish.

The acrobats soared, cutting through the air as if they defied gravity. Courageous lion tamers risked their lives all to get the lions to do a simple task. Magicians seemingly teleported from one box to another without any sign of trickery. Fire performers swallowed fire like it was the sweet popcorn served in the stands.

The circus was magic.

ooooooo

Curious Cosette was what her family called her. She would question everything from why the sky is blue to how Santa or the Easter Bunny could get to every house in one night.

Her family enjoyed and feared her desire for knowledge.

After a drawn out pause, her mother said, “They practice and train for each performance I would think.”

They strolled towards the exit along with throngs of people leaving.

“It isn’t real. The tricks are so obvious,” her older brother added with a roll of his eyes. Her inquisitive thoughts were always too loud for him.

Her mom stroked Cosette’s twisty licorice hair. “It is as real as you want it to be,” her mom stated, glaring at Barrett. Cosette stuck her tongue out at him when their mom's sharp eyes gazed at him. He shrugged unbothered.

She felt the breeze from the evening weather cooling her rosy cheeks as they left the warm, bright tent.

“Do either of you have to go to the bathroom before we are in the car for a while?” her mom asked. Both children shook their heads, shiny black hair swishing in their faces. Cosette glanced at the porta potties when they first arrived, and there was no way she was going in one of those.

“Barrett, watch your sister. I’ll be in the bathroom for a second.”

The moment she left, Cosette turned to her brother. “Barry, why can’t magic be real?” she asked with her big chocolate eyes peering at him.

“Cause the circus is full of tricks. They just try to take advantage of little children’s belief in it like you,” he said, patting her head gently.

Cosette’s face became thoughtful as she looked down at her rainbow sneakers.

“Are you sure that—” “Yes, I’m sure, Cosie,” he said in exasperation. She was very familiar with that tone. He used it a lot with her.

“I’m actually gonna go to the bathroom. Just stay right here for Mom,” Barrett said, interrupting her inquiries. She watched her towering brother get smaller as he joined the neverending line to the smelly restrooms.

Magic wasn’t real? At least according to her stupid brother. Barrett acted like he was an old, wise man when he was just seven years older than her.

A booming thump brought her attention back to the tent. She could still see the stage from the large opening that she was ordered to stay put at. “Sorry!” the strongman act exclaimed. The circus was packing up their props and dragging them behind a curtain.

Barrett’s denial of magic rang in her ears. She heard whispers of his declaration in the slight wind.

He was wrong. He didn’t have proof that there wasn’t any magic in the entire world, but then again, neither did she.

Barrett always thought he knew more than her, but she was right about this though. She just needed undeniable evidence.

She took off running back into the scarlet curtains that held all of her answers.

The long red and white stripes of the tent seemed to stretch so much bigger to Cosette when it was empty. She skipped down the stairs, running her little fingers along the tent’s soft fabric as she went.

Popcorn and other pieces of snacks were strewn across the ground. It crunched under her small feet.

She neared closer to the doorway that all the performers had been exiting through.

Her heart was beating so loud that she thought that booming noises were footsteps. Her sandy skin was flush from anticipation.

She was finally going to get answers.

There was the entrance with bright lights right above, flashing to invite her in. She took a deep breath like she was winding up to blow out the candles on her birthday cake.

Then she walked in.