Adam's body brushed hers, and she felt the vibrations from his stirring energy while his fingers went tap tap tap on the subtle swell of her hips. “Let’s fly, Charity,” he whispered in her ear before hoisting her with ease above his shoulders. Charity grabbed hold of the wobbly rope ladder, and a hush fell over the crowd as she began ascending with the grace of a ballerina. Her anticipation grew with each step of the tedi...

The midnight, summer breeze felt fresh over her face. The whole world dancing beautiful once more. She was on an adventure – a quest! To reclaim her lost property. What a sensible thing to do. And she even knew the way… to the lake, at least. She smiled sincerely as a giggle of exotically-dressed women frolicked past. The lake was sublime, dark waters wisped in low mist and dotted with islands of magical lights. The colou...

The tall crowd crushed in from all directions. A jostling melee of bodies. Strange faces jumping into her own. The world still spinning as she pushed through the scrum. ‘Well done, Sophie the Brave.’ A drunk, fat man clapped her on the back as she burst out of the crowd and staggered onto the grassy thoroughfare. Her legs seemed to be stuck together. Oh yea, the safety clip on her dress. She removed it, but still couldn’t...

His eyes swirled black magic… and Sophie fell right in. Like being sucked into a whirlpool and dragged under. The Circus Master’s demonic expression remained fixed as the spell bound tighter and tighter. Dmitri bustled to the front of the stage. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we have a volunteer.’ He beckoned with theatrical dynamism. ‘Come on my love. Aren’t you pretty.’ Hand half-hiding his mouth to dramatise the stage whisper....

‘These pills are fucking nothing! Knew he was a bull-shitter. Told you they’d be tic-tacs.’ ‘You said they’d be Rohypnol.’ ‘Then at least I’d be fucked!’ Tanya laughed at her own joke, the hilarity escalating as she realised her serendipitously-distasteful double-entendre. Such a big, dirty guffaw of a laugh – always uplifting – could throw you right up in the air. She jaunted off-kilter, bumping against Annie, who bounce...

The shop fronts streamed past while our taxi made its way through the streets of Paris. We were on our way to what Emily described as an adult circus. She had a friend who was involved with the event and was able to get us prime tickets and it was all very hush hush. Emily gave me a cheeky smile as our eyes met. “Don’t worry, this is going to great!” she reassured me with a wicked smile. My eyes strayed down her long neck...

Spotlights chased the sparkling blur of spandex and ponytails tumbling toward the flaming pit below. A split second more and surely the inferno would devour her. A muscular man swung past dangling from a trapeze, and snatched her by the wrists. Applause erupted from the hushed crowd with the ferocity of a raging volcano. The ovation passed through striped tent walls, rumbled over scarecrows guarding neighboring corn field...