Tales of Petupia: Fundy & The Wandering Sideshow By Marten Go Page 1

Fundy & The Wandering Sideshow		Page 1
	1 ALL IN THE FAMILY ──────── The squeaky wheels of The Wandering Sideshow came to a stop near the port of San Francisco. A large man came out of the front doors wearing an expensive red coat and an awfully stern face. They called him, Magnificent Wintia, the biggest penny-pincher in the traveling sideshow business. As he scanned the busy port filled with fishermen, sailors and cargo workers, Magnificient Wintia drew in a deep breath and snarled: “Ah, the sound of money. My next fortune will be found here!” But one question nagged in the back of Magnificent Wintia’s mind: How on Earth could he find the next fortune with the same old group of performers? “A new sideshow act!” He said, as if a switch went off in his head. “That's it! I’ll give them one nobody has ever seen before.” So he thought and thought as dark clouds muddled the sky. And at last, the solution came tickling his brain. Magnificent Wintia was ecstatic. He had never felt so happy. Not since he inherited the Wandering Sideshow from his uncle. But strangely, a smile was no where to be found on his face. It remained stern. Strange... well, not exactly. Magnificent Wintia, just hates smiling. Later that afternoon, down by the docks, the sideshow clown named Tavio was busy loading huge, heavy suitcases onto a boat. “Work, work, work, that’s all I ever do,” he mumbled. “I shovel coal in the morning, run around town in the afternoon, and perform in the evening! If he weren’t my brother, I’d... well, I would tell him I qui...”

	“Quit?” said a menacing voice over his shoulder. It was you know who. Startled, Tavio spun around. “Big brother, you're early!” Tavio, said nervously. “Take a look, I’ve finished loading up the boat just as you wished.” “Why yes…” Magnificent Wintia said wryly, “looks like you have. Then we shall board Gedly, my trusted animal trainer. And my dear little brother, I expect this list in my hand should keep you rather occupied.” Tavio took the long list of tasks fighting back tears. “On to the expedition!” Roared Magnificent Wintia as he jumped into the boat. “I will scour the globe if I must for the greatest sideshow act man has ever laid eyes on!” And just as Gedly was about to jump aboard, he whispered into Tavio’s ear: “Maybe it’s a werewolf from India—a man-eating werewolf.” The coldness in his voice sent chills up and down Tavio’s spine. “I like it!” Added Magnificent Wintia. “How about an ominous cave ghoul from Malta? Whatever it is, it will certainly bring me my fortune. All that glittering gold fortune! Ah-hahaha.” Just as the boat sailed away from the dock, Tavio took a peek at the dreadfully long list. Before he knew it his tears began to wet the list. “I'll show you, Tavio said to himself, I’ll have my own sideshow one day, and then I’ll be free.”