The Littlest One

by Vaughan Grey

Andrei sat down in his chair just as the four-minute lockout began. The Company did not want anything interrupting their dark Magic Pageant introduction. It was not exactly the strongest introduction, but he had no say in what The Company did. 

The lights dimmed and Andrei viewed his colleagues making their entrance before the Queen, bowing before her in a circle, once the red scarf blew off to the side of the stage. A pulsing ball of energy manifested in Andrei's stomach. The stitches on his left hand began to irritate him like a hoard of fire ants devouring human skin. He then glanced into the branches of the stage and spotted a small, gaunt, child-like male performer standing next to a tall, blonde woman of Amazonian stature dressed in a Genie-like costume that didn't leave much to the imagination. Andrei began tapping his foot aggressively remembering how he got here.

Andrei was a juggler. One of the best. He had been recruited by “The Company” when he was a street performer in his native country of Haiti. Andrei won competitions and made his living off prize money. He could even juggle balls that were lit on fire. News of this had caught The Company's attention, won him an audition, and got him on “The Show.”

When he joined The Show in Los Angeles, a ghoulish and demure acrobat known as, “The Littlest One” was the first performer who stuck out to him. No one, who wasn’t an executive, knew the acrobat’s real name. He was Russian and the star acrobat in a Banquine troupe known as “Vnezapnaya Konchina,” which translated to “Sudden Demise,” a very Russian-sounding name. He appeared to be fourteen, but actually suffered from panhypopituitarism, which made him appear much younger than he was. Andrei was stunned when he saw The Littlest One with his normal-sized wife, holding their infant daughter backstage. 

That day he also met, “The Balance Goddess,” the stunning replacement for an Asian performer who did the same act previously on world tour. No one knew why she’d left, but The Balance Goddess was a perfect fit for the Los Angeles market with her long blond hair and voluptuous curves. It wasn't long before Andrei and The Balance Goddess found themselves sleeping together. They began making love in the empty laundry room. Eventually, they moved to the backstage area known as the “Artistic Tent.” One night, The Littlest One caught them together after a show. Not surprisingly, he decided to join the attractive couple. This is when Andrei discovered that, though he looked like a little teapot, he had a big spout! Between the two men, the Balance Goddess earned her stage name. 

Andrei's legs involuntarily kicked as The Show went on, annoying patrons who moved away from him. He felt as irritated as his injured hand as the Balance Goddess did her hula-hoop act on stage. The cast had gone out to explore the LA nightlife the night before. When it got out that Andrei was a juggler everyone in the nightclub wanted to see him juggle. All Andrei cared about was impressing his Balance Goddess. After several mundane feats, The Littlest One produced five of his personal switchblades, basically daring Andrei to juggle all of them with blades unsheathed. As the Balance Goddess gave a come hither nod, Andrei lost himself in her crystalline eyes. He barely felt the blade that  sliced open his palm, spraying blood all over the bar, and the Goddess.

In the following days, Andrei was out of the ER, but could not juggle until stitches were removed. He was offered smaller non-demanding roles on stage as he recovered, but was too forlorn to accept. It was while he recovered that the Stage Manager leveled with him. She told him how The Littlest One was actually married to the Balance Goddess, how he only kept his ex-wife around to raise their child, and how jealous he was of their connection. She told him that they used to live in a two-story dilapidated house in Russia that was collapsing. The Littlest One formed the Banquine troupe in hopes of auditioning for The Show when it came to their area. The stage manager told Andrei she thought The Littlest One was involved in Russian mafia, might be secretly financing The Show with blood money, and that Anrei’s injury was not accidental. How The Littlest One knows how to read performers and to never trust him. 

During intermission, Andrei walked outside to stretch his legs thinking nobody would recognize him without makeup. He met an elderly couple at the entrance and purchased two dolls, one male and the other female. These dolls had been blessed previously using personal items Andrei had provided. 

As the troupe came out for their death-defying climatic act, Andrei's anxiety subsided. He knew the Head Usher was watching him since an empty circle formed around him, making him persona-non-grata. As The Littlest One did his show-stopping flips, Andrei held the male doll and began silently squeezing it. Suddenly, The Littlest One missed a cue and slipped between his partner’s arms - recovered and went on with the act. Suddenly, the Head Usher approached Andrei, telling him he had to leave with her. Andrei obeyed and followed her. Security officers appeared between the two tent doors, and grabbed Andrei, smuggling him through a secret exit and out of the tent. They brought him to The Artistic Tent. When the officers left Andrei, still holding the dolls, The Littlest One appeared. Andrei barely noticed the blades as The Littlest One started cutting.

Back at The Show, the audience stood applauding the ensemble and band, a final guest descended on a wire from the overhead carousel to make his entrance. The Balance Goddess stood beneath him to present him to the crowd. Blood dripped on her like a special effect. She looked up at the carousel and regarded The Littlest One looking down upon her.

She never felt more loved.