Xavier cannot keep up with Carolota and Carmen who have already disappeared into the chaos of the burning Circus. Engulfed in a the end of a knock down, drag out fight. Huerta’s Government Marines, The Carnival Freaks and Monsters, and the Pancho Villa Northern Army are pummeling each other in a brawl of brutal stabbing, stomping and slashing each other with no defined front line. Unnatural Spirits having fled the scene, leaving startled Soldiers and Soldaderas of both sides huddling with Rosaries, consulting Virgin Mary in hushed prayers. Clowns and Freaks of uncommon strength are wrestling down Soldiers.
On the ground dying men cringe in horror while bayonetted over and over, any thing of value is secreted away from Revolutionary forces already pouring back into obscurity on stolen horses and wagons of the Barstowe European Circus. Looking beyond, Xavier sees the flooded town of Bagdad Beach. It was a major port until hurricanes 20 years before knocked down many of the wood structures. Leaving mostly the ornate neoclassical buildings around the square, now growing forests of trees from roofs and awnings giving the impression of pillars and statued edifices supporting tropical islands. This is what the fall of the Roman empire must have looked like as Wonders of the World were reclaimed by nature. Venturing closer Xavier feels a gothic quality of the place. Marble and fine crafted stone lie half submerged in green algae.
Where once great wealth from being the only international port not blockaded during Civil war to trade with Confederate States of America. Vast funds once poured in building a replica of a great European cities of marble like Vienna or Prague. The decades that followed led to the local denizens to deteriorate from well educated boat captains and travelers, to smugglers, cut throats and whores too riddled with syphilis to turn an honest trade in larger cities. The fabulous architecture and abandoned state drew artists to settle from Europe. That led the locals to flee when it was reveled these eccentrics were actually a clandestine Leper colony. By the time the buildings sank in the mud there were few there to complain. That’s when Barstowe made it’s “sunken grandeur” into his hide out from the light of the world above.
Wading into deep water Xavier yells for his Sisters. Disturbing crows and there is silence. The sound of waves crashing in the distance betrays an ocean tide entering somewhere within. But even in day light Xavier just wants to run the other way. He swims out beyond where he can reach the ground. Never much of a swimmer its all he can do to move at a snails pace and not drown. He hears a commotion as he rounds from rooftops sticking above the marsh. He sees Carolota and Carmen swinging improvised clubs at a number of Government infantry from Huerta’s force, and a Baby Elephant charging at the soldiers who are ready to shoot the poor animal.
Coming to rest on what must have been a colonial church on a hill. The Soldiers turn their attention to him, drawing guns in his direction. He attempts to smile and edge closer to his sisters. The largest and most aggressive soldier is knocked down from the side by a charging Baby Elephant in the chaos. Xavier and his sisters surge forth to wrestle away the rifles. With out much more encouragement the Government Forces are sent to back towards the battle but with out their boots, uniforms and weapons. The men rush off the opposite way to not be executed as deserters.
Finally catching a moments peace, Xavier asks ‘what in the world’ was going on. Carolota explains, “Pepito, our friend, the Elephant helped us escape captivity by the owner of the Circus, he had us chained up in a cellar, this Baby came swimming in from the other side and helped us break down the door. In the battle he ran away, we had to find him so none of the soldiers would shoot him for food or stop him from being injured by the canons. When we returned the Pendejo’s were chasing him trying to eat him. So we chased after. I guess Pepito broke the leg of President Huerta’s brother in-law who was Commander.”
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Laughing Xavier stroked Pepito’s head and said, “Lets get back to Dorotea and Rosita. If Rosita was bitten by one of them, she will die in direct sunlight. I hope the Gypsy woman covered her up with blankets.” Wading out of the flooded town and right into the hands of the Huerta Government Forces. They are outmatched and outgunned. The soldiers try to shoot Pepito right away but both Carolota and Carmen dive in front of him, pleading for mercy.
The Commander of the Huerta forces, Álvaro Obregón demands a trial. Made to seem far more lenient than he is feeling with his broken leg up on a bread cart when he sees the disapproving glare of 30 of Pancho Villa’s Soldaderas, who make an instant decision on the side of the Defense and the man himself. General Villa and dozens of his most seasoned killers join the conversation. Commander Álvaro Obregón who was already missing an arm from an earlier battle is not feeling confident about the nearly equal odds of his forces and Villa’s now face to face.
Seeing an opportunity to diffuse a close range gunfight offers to make General Villa the honorary Judge and offers his finest Cognac to drink during the proceedings. Witnesses called are the Soldiers who have been stripped of their uniforms by Xavier and the sisters. Pleading their case Villa is largely engaged in his own conversations with Commander Obregón, but pausing to laugh at any hint of Huerta’s forces being humiliated by his own.
Carolota and Carmen recite their own story of Dorotea, the Elephant living in the Villa camp and then coming to their rescue and the fact their sister was currently injured and the Baby Elephant was needed to help bring her to safety. That is all Villa needed to hear. He says in English, “Regretfully I must err on the side of my loyal friend and compatriot, ‘General Peptio Hidalgo Galia’, having long suffered indentured servitude and abuse. Risked his life in valiant displays of courage has come to rise as the mascot of our division of Soldaderas. To smooth things over i am sure that our lovely Soldaderas can make your surrender and retreat back to Mexico City more comfortable.”
Amid cheers and rifles firing in the air of the thrilled Soldaderas, Pancho offers his glass in cheers. A gloomy expression of Commander Obregón cracks as he is forced to smile. Pancho whispers to Maritza, “Make nice with them, march them down the road and strip their corpses. Take Comandante Obregón Hostage.” Commander Obregón continues smiling as Soldadera’s stroke his head and gain his confidence.
Hours earlier. Esma, Dorotea and Rosita attempt to sleep but an unnerving sound begins to scare Esma. Its a sound of scratching, while at the same time hearing a melody play slowly and on a broken sounding music box. Looking up, Esma is petrified to see all the Dead Girls from the Circus are surrounding the train. Wearing black hoods and staring with glowing eyes.
Xavier and company, returning down the train tracks they feel good to see the Engine. There is also a disheartening silence. The train looks as if it was picked up off the track and landed wrong. Listing at an angle that moves Xavier and the Sisters to run towards the Steam Engine to discover its empty save for pools of blood and signs of conflict.
Shell casings and bullet holes fill the interior. There is still gun smoke in the air. This must have happened just before they came in eye sight. Finding a spyglass in the cabin, Xavier searches the horizon. Around the ocean gleaming water and rich gold sand are clearly not where they went. Looking the opposite way he sees smoking farms and fields of dead live stock.
A chill runs down his spine as he realizes that while they were pleading for ‘General Pepito’ that Dorotea, Rosita and Esma were taken again by Barstowe’s Cult. Beside the town of Bagdad is a dark swamp, out there beyond the ruins are more colonial Spanish missions and churches. He remembers stories of the Witches who lived there, he also remembers people saying his Mother’s side was connected to them somehow.
Its around 3 o’clock when Xavier and the Sisters make their return down the train tracks to find Dorotea and Rosa. The Sun casting long shadows, 3 hours at the most and they will be in pitch blackness, allowing Barstowe and his creatures of the night to come out in full force. He must burn them where they sleep. If they are lucky they can explain the most unlikely part of their story to General Villa and drive the devils out into the night with Pancho’s Lion Chariot at the front of the fight.