Chapter One – (Cont.)

     Carefully, she held the piece of mirror in one hand, and began applying make up with the other.
    The white base up to her hairline and down below her chin, then out to either ear was first.  Then she painted a red smile that went well beyond the natural lines of her mouth.  A bright yellow star over her left eye and a blue moon over the right completed the outfit.
     She knew her make up wasn’t traditional of the Harlequinn, but it was the only place she had any freedom over her stage presence.  Giovanni only cared that she had the wide red smile plastered over her lips.
    As she put the finishing touches on her hair and nervously tugged at her costume again, she realized Gwendolyn was staring at her.
    “They’re done with your stage,” she said in her quiet voice.
    That meant as soon as a big enough crowd gathered, it would be time to perform.  Zoe’s knees trembled slightly in anticipation, but she forced herself to walk forward.  Giovanni severely frowning upon late performers.  She shuddered as memories swam over her.  Frowning wasn’t all Giovanni would do . . .  It was never all he did . . .
    The small crowd that had gathered out of curiosity parted for Zoe.  She heard the familiar whispers of “she’s one of them!”  Mothers pulled their children back, men held their coin purses that little bit tighter.  As if she, barely a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet, could overpower even one of them.  Let alone an entire crowd.    But she did nothing except trudge forward.  She took her place on the stage and settled into position before Giovanni even gestured.  She knew which dance to perform, and he’d made sure she knew it perfectly.  It was a pleasant piece, played on a pipe organ.  Very beautiful, though Zoe knew not it’s name or the composer.    For fifteen blissful minutes she lost herself in that pipe organ piece.  Letting the music flow in and attempt to lift her heavy heart.  But it was over all too soon and once again, she was standing alone in front of strangers, never once smiling.  Instead feeling as if she’d like to run away.
    That night, after hearing Giovanni’s usual complaints over things he considered to be wrong with her performance, he decided Zoe’s lack of smiling would be part of the attraction to draw people in.
    “The clown who never smiles!” he roared.  “The painted smile of Zoe–the Harlequinn!”
    He left laughing, but leaving Zoe fighting off tears.    She decided to visit the horses Marose painstakingly trained.  She knew there was a young foal among them, but had yet to introduce herself.
    Zoe crept quietly out to the makeshift stable.  There, right in the first stall, were the mother and baby.
    “Hello, there,” she whispered, reaching her hand in, palm up.    The foal came over, curiously snuffling her hand.  Zoe scratched it’s head until it moved away to rest with it’s mother.
     She sighed, remembering when she could do that with her mother.  Nestle up in her arms, just knowing that the world would be all right because mommy was here . . .
     She wrapped her arms around herself and walked away, finally taking a seat under the night sky.  It was nothing but a mass of bluish-black, with a few dark clouds drifting by, hiding the moon.
    But then, Zoe saw it.  A tiny star, right above her head, shining almost in defiance against the black night.    She could relate to this pinpoint of light, though she did not think of herself as defiant.  She knew she was meek, uncertain, afraid of the anger of others, especially Giovanni.    Maybe then, this star was a sign.  A sign of things to come.
    Zoe sighed again.  She doubted it, but she could hope.    “Hope?” she said aloud.  She looked back up and the star seemed to twinkle at her.    “All right, then.  That’s what I’ll call you.  Hope.”

–Notes–

Hello…I like how you give advice to people in their diarys…you should do that to me….I like your storys -Sam…my diary is kobebryants_girl [kobebryants_girl]
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excellent, i wanna talk to u bout the story im spose to be writing, maybe u can help me since im stuck [lost=one]
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George has an autobiography? That is so awesome. I’ll definitely have to make it one of my books to buy. I didn’t know he hated haircuts, but I do too! George and I are so much alike: spirituality, wry humor, quiet, but occassionally very talkative. I’m going to put his book on my Christmas list. [DorkAlert]
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RYN: Yes I am a big fan of the movie Mermaids AND Wynonna Ryder. Did you know Mermaids was Christina Ricci’s first role? Anyway, whenever I hear the Jimmy Soul song during the credits, I crank my volume & sing! I like your story. It reminds me of the HBO series “Carnivale”. Have you seen it? It’s very good, just like your story, except yours is at a different angle. Later. [Jezzer Jezzeru]