Never in his wildest dreams had Terry ever thought he would be part of something so incredible. The phone call from his boss Colin, late the previous evening set the stage, so to speak, for the next few months of his life, and perhaps his future, he thought.
The next day he was on his way from Jervis Bay NSW to the Northern Territory’s Uluru, once called Ayers Rock. It was 1999. The scene was like a spectacular painting, the sun rising over Ayers Rock, as the Come Join The Circus production, under the big top, was coming to Australia.
The numerous semi-trailers of equipment had arrived and were waiting to be unloaded. People were arriving from all over the world. That morning a team, of what seemed like thousands, moved as one to unpack and create this spectacular sight. With precision the big top went up and the magic evolved. The hype was high for those involved. The air was electric!
Terry rubbed his eyes. Although he was here to work, he knew how privileged he was being part of this team. His boss, Colin, asked him to assist with the installation and maintenance of the huge air conditioner during the performance. It had arrived on an enormous truck.
Terry, a mischievous youngster, had always had a theatrical bent, so apart from the work he was looking forward to seeing the ‘show of a lifetime.’
It seemed no time at all before their part of the production was ready to go. It was rare when there wasn’t something going on within Terry’s ear or eye-shot distracting from what he was hired to do, but the ‘occasional’ reprimand from Colin bought him back to the world of air conditioners and the reason he was there – the monstrous machine needed tweaks and adjustments before the ‘dragon-like roar’ sounded and the machine came alive!
Terry was dumbfounded at the constant activity as his work days tumbled along. He constantly marvelled at the many rehearsals and, finally, the dress rehearsal.
The matinees were performed for the locals. Children from far and wide clambered excitedly onto their seats with giggles and shrieks. Animal-like humans in stunning costumes purred, scratched and hissed around them and vividly dressed clowns with red noses and long red shoes sprayed them with water pistols, blew horns and juggled balls.
Small planes arrived bringing guests to the nightly performance, the area looking more like a city than the outback.
Days and performances flowed on, Terry was full of admiration for every performance moment. He had never experienced anything like this before. He befriended many of the circus people and production company members. He was inspired by their antics and sense of fun, he wanted to be ‘one of them!’
This fact didn’t go unnoticed by Colin. ‘It may be possible I could lose this young man to the world of entertainment,’ he thought. He had to use the occasional harsh word to keep Terry concentrating on his job.
The end of the season eventually arrived. There was a sense of disappointment all around as the vast team of workers packed up with the same efficiency as they had set up. Colin and Terry made final adjustments to the air-conditioner before it was packed away, both feeling a sense of relief that all had gone well, but a little sadness too.
It was no surprise to Colin when Terry said, “I’ve decided to stay with the circus people. They’ve offered me a job and I can’t resist the opportunity,” he said.
Little by little the production company left, followed by the circus and carnival people moving out, the dust of the semi-trailers filling the air.
Colin sadly bid farewell to Terry, wishing him well, knowing he would have the task of looking for a new apprentice. He shook his head and thought to himself, ‘I wonder where that lad will end up? He has been a good apprentice but is very easily distracted. It’s apparent he can easily be coerced. I just hope he doesn’t get into the wrong company.’
New Zealand was the next port of call for the circus people, The Travelling Toppers. They added some new and exciting acts. Terry was in his glory, he’d made friends with a few of the other circus crew, boys that his old boss Colin had frowned upon, fearful Terry would be led astray by these tear-aways. Terry, however, ignored Colin’s warnings, the world was his and he played the clown as a natural!
The Travelling Toppers made headlines two months later when a very bizarre murder occurred involving a young New Zealand lad who had been befriended by Terry and his mates. The newspapers were full of macabre stories. There was talk of supernatural creatures – Taniwha – being involved in the boy’s death as his body was found on the beach, sharks and whales circling around in deeper water! Terry and his mates were closely questioned by the police. Two of the crew, Terry’s mates, had been arrested for attempting to summon Whiro, the god of the underworld, to appear. This caused an incredible disturbance, the locals distressed and furious at their shocking, disrespectful behaviour.
When Colin read the article in the Sydney Morning Herald he shook his head, fearful Terry may have been involved. Texting him, he was very relieved to learn Terry, minus his two arrested mates, were returning to NSW where they had secured a lucrative circus contract.
A week later Terry was happy to be back in Australia. ‘More fun getting up to mischief on home soil. We had a lucky escape in New Zealand!’ he thought.
Life was hectic as the ‘big top’ was erected on parkland on the NSW Central Coast, oddly, or was it a good sign, a kilometre away from a cemetery! A few days before the opening of the circus unexplained things started occurring, troubling management. Two rows of the ‘big top’ wooden seating were found alight one night by the security guards. This was followed by a trapeze artist’s ropes mysteriously snapping, plunging her to the ground, resulting in a broken leg.
Terry was constantly in the company of his new mate, Logan. “Call me Loki, though,” he told Terry. “It means God of Discord and Mischief,” he explained. Terry laughed, thinking how true that was! He thought about his previous employer Colin. A sly smile crossed his face. Colin would not approve of Loki!
Following the failure of the ‘big top’ burning down and the trapeze artistes refusing to leave, Loki called his mates together later that night in the nearby cemetery. “I’m your leader, your Prince of Darkness,” he shouted to get their attention.
The boys stopped chatting and gave a loud cheer. Loki continued, “Our circus life has become pretty tame. It’s time we caused some real action, just like we started in New Zealand.”
Terry, stood up and fist-pumped the air, the moonlight streaming down, focusing on his face, giving him a ghostly appearance. “Let’s collect a few relics from here and cause a stir under ‘the big top!’
Cries of ‘yes’ echoed around the cemetery disturbing a white owl, who descended from the branch of an overhanging tree and rested on a tombstone close to Loki. “Well, fellow-devil makers. How amazing is that, a creature of the night has come to help us,” he said, walking over to the owl. “You’ve come along at the right time, Drefan,” he said.
Terry joined Loki. “What the hell does Drefan mean?”
“Troublemaker, my friend,” replied Loki, his full gaze on the owl’s face. Drefan, the owl, tipped his head to one side, shook his feathers and morphed into a human – a male, with long hair which covered his odd-shaped ears. He plunged his claw-like hands into his denim jeans and gave a loud cackle!
“Bloody hell!” screamed Terry.
“Just thought I’d exhibit some of my powers,” replied Loki. “Come on, my friend,” he said, his dark eyes focused on Drefan. “You are coming back to the circus with us where I’m certain you will cause havoc all in the name of Satan and further our cause to rule this planet. Follow us, devil-makers.”
Terry and his mates grabbed small branches, brandishing them in the air as they followed their leader and Drefan back through the whistling trees to their circus vans.
As the sun rose next day, the sky above the circus tent was filled with monstrous, ugly, black fly-like creatures diving bombing the ‘big top,’ gnawing their way through the canvas. Management and artistes alike attempted to shoo them away. The creatures retaliated spitting at the circus crew.
Loki, Drefan, Terry and the rest of the ‘devil makers’ watched on for a while.
“Good one, Drefan,” said Loki. “I think that is enough malevolence for today. It’s a great start.”
Drefan laughed. “Before I morph,” he cackled, “get the hoses out and my friends will retreat. I’ll return tomorrow with more fiendish ideas to please you, Loki.”
The circus crew watched in amazement as Loki, Terry and their mates sprayed the ‘big top’ with water, the black creatures flying off accompanied by a white owl. “See you tonight for more fun and destruction,” Drefan cackled.
Terry knew he was travelling down a dangerous path, in a world he didn’t know or understand, but it was exciting. How boring his life had been before, installing and repairing air conditioners but never again. There’s magic, another universe, and I’m part of it. Loki had told him he was going to find a place in their act for him, so he wouldn’t only be the general dog’s body at everyone’s beck and call.
A dog’s body is what Loki had planned for him though – literally. He’d woken Terry at daybreak. “Come on, we’re off to the cemetery, I need Drefan’s help to get you sorted. The other guys have gone on ahead.”
Terry pulled on his clothes, excitement building. “What you got in mind?” He asked, rubbing his hand through his hair.
“Dog, definitely dog, jump through hoops of fire, leap outta the way of swords I’ll throw at yer, appear and disappear in the blink of an eye, the audience will love it, they won’t know about the rabies of course, we’ll save that for later.” Loki gave a throaty chuckle. Terry looked at him, not sure if he was joking or not.
“There’s no rabies in Australia,” Terry said.
“There will be,” Loki chuckled. Terry wasn’t sure whether he was serious or not but alarm bells hadn’t started warning him off. He was still in ‘this is exciting mode.’
They arrived at the cemetery and joined the rest of the gang. ‘A motley looking lot but such fun,’ Terry grinned to himself.
The white owl flew down and landed on the tombstone again. He tipped his head to one side, shook his feathers and morphed into Drefan again. “What are you doing here so early? You know I work at night, gotta feed myself and meet with the other creatures of the night, those with a mission anyway,” he grumbled. “How’s the new boy coming on?” He enquired, looking at Terry.
“ Good. Great. He’s just the new blood we need, but he needs a new bod. Make him a dog’s bod, can yer Drefan? A big’un, vicious, we got some work to do.” He turned to Terry giving him a ‘thumbs up’ sign.
Drefan lowered his head and went into a trance, a low growling song emanating from his mouth, his claw like hands pulling at his strange ears. Terry felt a warm tingling sensation, not unpleasant at first, but as the chant increased in tempo and the other gang members joined in and began circling him he felt as if his very blood was heating and then becoming uncomfortably hot, coursing through his veins in an increasingly painful flood. The world turned red as he started to scream and then went black as he gratefully sank into unconsciousness.
Terry woke up back in the dressing area beside the ‘big top’. The pain had stopped and he felt fine. He was lying on the mat which covered the sandy floor. ‘What am I doing lying here? This is a bit odd,’ he thought, shaking himself into a sitting position. Well, he tried to sit up but nothing felt right. He looked down to see what was stopping his hands pushing him upright and was startled to see he was wearing a costume with paws and long shaggy black hair. There was a strange smell surrounding him too. He struggled to his feet but his back legs wouldn’t straighten. He plopped back down and tried to use his hands to pull the costume off. It was then the situation hit him. He didn’t have hands, he had paws, in horror he realised he didn’t have feet either – more paws. He looked up and saw Loki and the other mates standing back watching him.
“Hi Bozojo, like your new look?” Loki grinned and a few of the others chuckled. “You’ll be a class act. World stage here we come. “Bysuki,” he yelled pumping the air. “Bysuki,” yelled the rest of the mob.
‘Bysuki must be a cheer word,’ Terry thought, but he didn’t feel much like cheering.
“Come on Guys, change me back, I can do a dog act in a costume,” well, that is what he tried to say but it came out more as a growl.
“Nope,” said Loki, “you won’t be convincing enough, besides there’s more than a circus act we want you to do. I’m the Prince of Darkness and you are my followers … my forever followers,” his voice took on a threatening tone, “and we are going to create the new world order. I promised Whiro, the god of the underworld, in New Zealand we would prepare the way for him in Australia, and I don’t want to cross him and have the Taniwha come after us. The gathered followers murmured in assent and for the first time Terry wondered if he’d been foolish getting involved in the occult. It had seemed exciting and mysterious but now it seemed downright scary.
It was then Terry heard a distant whooshing sound, the others didn’t seem to hear it, or they weren’t reacting if they did, his canine ears were sensitive though and he could hear an angry hissing noise as the sound drew closer. He turned towards the noise and was surprised to find himself growling viciously. ‘I’m a dog, I’m really a dog,’ the thought frightened him, ‘what if … what if Loki doesn’t change me back. God. Whatever have I done?’
He didn’t have time to wonder for long because a black cloud of the monstrous, ugly, black fly-like creatures from yesterday appeared overhead, they were hissing and spitting boiling hot liquid at the assembled group of Loki followers.
“Water, get the hoses,” Loki yelled, but it was too late, the creatures were not going to be deterred from their mission. A white owl led the onslaught, swooping on one friend then another, seemingly showing the flying hoard who to attack next. Terry watched in horror as the group he had wanted to be friends with were felled one by one, Loki looked pathetic cowering on the ground with a dozen black fly-like creatures seemingly trying to devour him. They left Terry alone and when the last follower was still the owl morphed into Drefan and he strode with confidence to where Terry was standing.
“A canine, just what I need. Terry would be useless but a canine, a dog I can train, your powers I can create and teach you to unleash on my bidding. You will help me take this planet … you will help me a great deal. Come Tezza. Follow me. Do my bidding and I will feed you a nice bone.” He cackled gleefully. “There are plenty of bones lying about for the taking.”
Tezza quite liked his new name. Terry was a bit wimpy he thought. He sniffed at the bleeding bodies then followed the black fly-like creatures chewing at the flesh. ‘Delicious,’ he thought. ‘What would Colin think?’
DoubleSpeak 