Web of Dreams (Casteel 5)

for the simple life he had led and the simple world he

had grown up in.

He made a few turns and soon I saw the orange

circus tents ahead of us. There were crowds of people

coming and going. Luke waved to a man directing the

traffic and turned so he could drive through an

opening in the barriers created with ropes and posts.

We bounced over the field, past the elephants that-

looked at us with little interest, and then stopped

behind a smaller tent.

"I work here," Luke explained. "I care for the

animals, feed 'em, wash 'em down. It ain't much, but it

keeps me around the circus. Come on. We can put

your suitcase and your doll in the tent. I have a

mattress in one corner. That's my space. Nobody bothers it." He saw the hesitation in my face and added, "One thing about circus people; they never steal from each other. That's what I like about them-- their code of ethics. Much better than the world

outside."

I got out and followed him into the tent. There

were pails and cleaning equipment, bags of feed,

ropes and other tools stored in it. In the rear was a bed

of hay with an old mattress dropped over it to form a

makeshift bed.

"I sleep here," he explained. "That's my stuff."

He pointed to a duffel bag. "Why don't you put your

doll into your suitcase and just leave it right there next

to my bag."

I nodded and opened my suitcase. He stood

over me, looking down as I carefully wrapped Angel

and placed her in the suitcase. I closed it and he put it

beside his bag.

"There. Now let's go have some fun. I don't