“Gather round! Gather round!” The ringmaster said, his skeleton face gleaming in the fading sunlight.
Slumping forward, Cindy watched as the ringmaster tilted his head and outstretched his arms.
“Hi, kiddies!” He sneered, “Are you ready to see the dance with death and watch a lady vanish?”
Waving his arms around, the Ringmaster laughed and hopped off the soap box which he stood on. Shouting with glee, all the tiny children that surrounded Cindy began to follow the Ringmaster as he entered the Big Tent. Rolling her eyes, Cindy wandered off into the twilight. Passing by the hot dog stands, she inhaled the scent of the meat being roasted on the rotisserie. Spinning slowly, the rotisserie creaked and groaned as the man who was selling the hot dogs called out into the crowd.
“Hot dogs for sale!” He cried, “The best in the world!”
Passing by an older couple, Cindy watched as they walked over to the hot dog stand, paid for, and ate their hot dog.
“Oh my!” the old lady gasped, “These are delicious!”
“Thank you, ma’am.” The seller replied, “I use to be a chef in Paris…before that, it was Coney Island.”
“Are you still working there?”
“Paris? Only in the summers.”
Cindy walked. Instantly, the air was filled with the sound of a steady drumming. Looking around, Cindy began to walk faster. Accidently, she bumped into a clown. Giving a quick apology, she continued onward. Stumbling on the grass in her high heels, she then turned.
“Hello, kiddie!” A voice called.
Spinning around, she began to panic when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Spinning around, she only saw the face of the Ringmaster staring back at her.
“Are you okay?” He asked.
Nodding, she watched as he turned around and walked off. A mirror was placed over the back of his head, causing Cindy to see her fading self. Shaking off her fear, Cindy looked to her right.
“Fortune teller?” Cindy asked, reading the sign.
Shrugging her shoulders, Cindy calmly walked into the tent. The scent of cinnamon filled the tent as she gazed around. The room was a cupboard of a room; small and tight with red curtains that hung down from the roof. Red surrounded the room as Cindy looked into the middle of the room. A single crystal ball sat on a lonesome table that had a chair next to it.
“Hello?” Cindy called.
No response. Shrugging her shoulders, she calmly walked over to the crystal ball and gazed into it. A swirling mass of confusion filled the bottle as she calmly tilted her head from side to side. Placing her hand on the ball, she felt her skin go cold.
“Cindy…” A voice called.
Jumping up, she flew out of the tent. Fire surrounded her as she gazed around.
“Help!” she shouted, “Someone help!”
Voices echoed throughout the air. Running downward towards her rising fire, she watched as ghosts and demons rose out of the ground. Screams emerged from all as she turned and ran faster and faster. Laughter and voices rose from the eternal flames as Cindy tried to escape.
“He’s coming!” A voice shouted, “Death is coming!”
The circus laughed at her as Cindy ran faster and faster.
“Venit cum sumus, movere se, ad umquam ardens incendi,” the voice called, “I am the leader!”
Cindy ran as the chorus of fire began to sing out.
“Cum igne, cum igne, surgmus ad coelum et ardeo ad terram.” The flames sang.
Stopping, Cindy turned around. Death danced towards her with his scythe and hourglass in hand while behind him a line of children giggled and walked on.
“Come my child,” He bade her, “come to me, come…”
Cindy was now running with the fire as she tried to out run him.
“Cindy,” He cried, “Don’t leave us!”
The children began to cry as Cindy ran away.
“Cindy,” Death called, “You can not run away, you are with the fire…”
Sighing, Cindy stopped and watched as Death approached. Smiling, he looked at her.
“Wake up.” He told her.
Suddenly, Cindy was surrounded by red. Standing up, she looked around. Walking forward, she bumped into an invisible force field. She was in Death’s hourglass.

The Ringmaster watched as Cindy tried to break the tiny hourglass. He smiled and put her away before turning around. The crowd did not pay much attention to him as he slipped out and walked over to his room. Opening a cupboard, he placed Cindy’s hourglass next to another hourglass.
“You will make a fine addition to the collection.” He laughed, before shutting the door.