The Adventures of Stunt Boy and His Amazing Wonder Dog Blindfold (11 page)

19

Comfy on a bed of nails

C
aleb doesn't do breakfast, because by the time he gets out of bed it's way past lunchtime. I know because after training I sat outside his room, waiting for him to wake up. He's allowed to sleep in because he's on holidays, as well as being tired from travelling. Caleb has to do back-to-back shows and always has people on his back, hassling him because he's so famous. Last night he told me he hadn't had a day off in eight months! He really needed to chill.

‘What time is it, bro?' he said, stretching his arms out and yawning as he came out of Dad's bedroom. I liked him calling me bro, as I'd always wanted a big brother. It's okay having a sister, but I would have preferred an older brother if I had had the choice.

‘According to my stomach, it's past lunchtime,' I said, looking at him perplexed as he was wearing his white T-shirt, white boxers and a pair of white sunglasses. ‘Do you wear sunglasses to bed?'

‘Nah, I'm a night owl, daylight freaks me out,' he laughed, which meant he was the opposite of Jem, who goes to bed early and gets up early. People just have different sleep patterns, I guess.

‘Want to go to the practise jumps today, Caleb? I'm busting for you to show me how to do a Suicide Can.'

‘I need a day without wheels today, buddy. All I've been doing for months is riding and talking about riding.'

‘Okay. We could go and hang out at the big top if you like.'

‘Yeah, that sounds cool, and then we can work up an act tomorrow.'

‘Really? We're going to do something together for the show?' I said, thinking tomorrow could be one of the best days of my life, if my dad wasn't in hospital.

‘Straight up!' he said, flopping on the horseshoe-shaped sofa and putting his feet on the table. I was glad my dad wasn't here. Not really glad, but glad for Caleb's sake as he would have gotten into trouble.

‘Do you need to take a shower?'

‘No, man, I'm on holiday, but I am starving.'

‘You want breakfast? I could get you something,' I said, hoping he didn't want an omelette or something complicated like that. It was Jem who did our proper cooking when we weren't eating in the mess. I could make cereal and toast, which I never burned because when you make toast it's the toaster that determines how long it cooks for. I can cook baked beans and put them on the toast, but we didn't have any beans.

‘Nah, I'll do a double lunch at the mess! They make great food in there,' he said. We'd had dinner with everyone there last night. Caleb had held court the whole evening, recounting his adventures. He was a showman, on and off stage.

‘I'll just put my jeans on. Although judging by the people I met last night, I could just wear my undies and I'd fit right in!' he said, laughing then jabbing me in the ribs with his index finger. ‘I mean, you Stoked crew are pretty out there.'

‘Well, I'm not sure about walking around in your white underpants, Caleb,' I said, wondering if we appeared weird even to people like Caleb.

After lunch, we went over to the big top. It was a hive of activity as performers honed their new acts and were as noisy as bees, with chainsaws roaring, music playing, Muscly Mike D, the catcher, shouting out calls to the trapeze girls; and the constant sound of
thwack
,
thwack
,
thwack
as Pikelet stood in the middle of the ring, hammering steel spikes into a wooden board with his head.

‘This place is totally nuts, I love it!' Caleb said, looking up into the domes of the big top, where the trapeze artists were swinging and doing acrobatics. ‘When I saw Stoked as a kid it was just bikes, not freaks.'

There was that word again. I wasn't sure I liked the way he said it.

‘Hey, watch out!' I said, grabbing Caleb's arm before he got his head lopped off as Fat Fred juggled a chainsaw, a bayonet and a child-sized teddy bear.

Sue and Leonie were practising their acro-balance act on a bed of nails. They caught sight of us and waved.

‘What's with the cape?' I asked as they finished the routine.

‘It's our new act. We're a pair of vampire bats,' Sue said, shrouding her neck with the cape and resting her incisor teeth on her lips like a vampire, before trying to bite my neck. Her beard tickled and made me break out into a fit of giggles.

‘Hey, get off, Sue,' I said, laughing.

‘Have you ever done any circus stuff, Caleb?' asked Sue.

‘Can't say that I have. I've pretty much just been doing acrobatics with motorbikes and racing on circuits,' he replied.

‘So now's the time to try then,' she said.

Pikelet walked past with a dribble of blood running down his forehead and Caleb started to look worried. ‘Nah, it's all right thanks,' he said.

‘Don't worry, we won't start you on the bed of nails,' said Sue. ‘We don't need a headline act that leaks. If you can do acrobatics in the air then you can do them on the ground. Come and I'll show some acro-balance.'

I got comfy on the bed of nails to watch. I didn't get spiked because I knew that it wasn't about having a thick skin, but how you distributed your weight across the nails. Once you got used to it, it was actually quite a pleasurable experience.

‘Okay, what I'd like you to do is stand up straight,' Sue said, lying down on the ground, with her feet against his groin. Then she flipped him into the bird position. She called out directions for which arm and leg to move, as she used her feet to manoeuvre him. Caleb was a natural because he was used to spending his life upside down, so for him to be moved through space like this was a breeze.

As I looked up into the rafters of the big top I could see Jem on top of the flying trapeze podium, chalking her hands and looking down as Caleb was standing up straight on Sue's hands.

‘Keep your body stiff. That's it, Caleb,' Sue said, impressed. He was a natural.

‘Hup!' Mike called out as he swung through the air, but Jem's takeoff was slightly delayed, which meant she missed his wrists by a fingertip and came crashing from a great height with an involuntary little scream.

Don't worry, she didn't die! She had a safety harness, so she bounced up and down directly above Caleb. Talk about making an entrance.

‘Concentration, Jem!' Mike called out with a laugh, but the only thing she was capable of concentrating on was Caleb. They did this little wave at each other and said, ‘Hey.'

And that was it. It was Jem who got to hang out with Caleb that afternoon and right into the evening. His entire attention was focused on her. It was like I was invisible and I didn't like it one bit.

At dinner, they came walking into the mess, laughing like they had known each other forever.

‘Haven't you called Benny back, Stunt?' said Jem, sitting down beside me. ‘He just called again.'

‘I don't know if you noticed but I am kind of busy – you know, trying to get this show together,' I said, irked.

‘Yeah sure, but the kid has rung three times today looking for you. Maybe you should call him. He probably wants to come hang out.'

‘Jem, why do you always stick your nose in my business? I'm sick of you thinking you're my mother.' I stood up so the chair made a loud scraping noise, then ran out of the mess, Blindfold yapping at my heels.

20

Inside-out undies

T
he next morning, I didn't go to training at the big top because I was tired and in a super-bad mood. I'd woken up in the night and couldn't go back to sleep for ages. Jem didn't come in to wake me up for training. Maybe she was mad at me. I had been a bit of a brat storming out like that, but I really was sick of her. I got up at 11 am and wasted hours waiting for Caleb to wake up so we could do practise jumps.

Weirdly, there was no sign of Blindfold either. I stood at the door of the caravan and called out to him, but he must have been with Jem. Boy, could Caleb sleep. I rested my head against his door, listening for any signs of life, but couldn't hear anything.

By 1.30 pm I was debating whether to go in and wake him up. Eventually, I worried that the hunger pain that rumbled around my stomach was going to kill me, so I headed to the mess. As I went outside, I noticed Caleb's truck was gone! Where the hell was he? I opened the door to Dad's room and found an empty, unmade bed.

I couldn't work it out. I raced over to the big top but everyone was at lunch, apart from Zoe, who was on the silks. You have to have super strong arms for aerials, particularly the silks as it's like climbing water.

‘Have you seen Caleb?' I asked, tilting my head back and looking up at her.

‘He went to the lake with your sister and Blindfold this morning after training,' said Zoe, who had wrapped the two pieces of fabric around her back and bottom to form a comfortable seat about three metres in the air.

‘What? Caleb was at training this morning? At seven o'clock?'

‘Yep, he's amazing,' she said, swinging from side to side. ‘He loves it. You should have seen him on Sue's penny-farthing. He's quite the showman. He was having the best time.'

He was having the best time without me and I was the one who had invited him to the circus in the first place!

‘But I've been waiting all day for him at home!'
I said, stomping my foot in frustration because Jem had stolen Caleb and Blindfold from right under my nose. ‘We were supposed to be practising together at the jumps. He promised.'

‘I'm sure they'll be back soon, babe,' she said. ‘You want to do some tumbling or something? You seem a little uptight.'

‘That's the last thing I want to do,' I said and stormed off.

It made me really want to speak to Benny. He wouldn't leave me waiting for him all day while he took off with my sister. He was a true friend.

‘Hey, Benny,' I said, after I got home and called him up.

‘Hey, Stunt,' said Benny.

‘Sorry I didn't call back. Things have been super hectic here with Caleb arriving and the show and everything. What have you been doing?'

‘Nothing,' he said, but it was a nothing that sounded like he was pretty mad with me. I didn't know why he was mad. Maybe he was jealous because he wanted to meet Caleb?

‘Are you coming to the show on Saturday night? I can get your whole family free tickets, even though it's sold out. You've got to come. You're going to love the new show. Fat Fred's got this new act where he hangs a car battery from his nipples!'

‘I'm busy. Maybe I got other things to do, Stunt.'

‘Really, like what?' I said, thinking what could be more important than coming to the circus.

‘Just other stuff!'

‘Well don't say I didn't invite you.'

‘Yeah, Stunt, thanks, very nice of you. I gotta go. Bye.'

And he just hung up. What was his problem? Whatever it was, it wasn't my problem, so whatever. Everyone was annoying me.

It was nearly 3 pm by the time Caleb arrived back at the trailer with Jem and Blindfold, who jumped up onto the sofa and licked my face.

‘Blindfold, get off me, your breath stinks,' I said, pushing him away for being disloyal. Blindfold slotted his tail between his legs and whimpered, going over and sitting at Caleb's feet for a pat.

‘So, little guy, do you want to go learn some new tricks?' Caleb said, running his hand down the length of Blindfold's spine. ‘We can get in a couple of hours before you go off and see your dad tonight.'

I didn't want them to know that I even cared that they had abandoned me.

‘All right,' I said, but in a moody way. I didn't make one bit of eye contact with Jem whatsoever as we left the trailer. However, from the corner of my eye I saw Caleb shrug his shoulders at Jem.

‘Hello, baby,' said Caleb, releasing his motorbike from its constraints of the cage and kissing the engine. I loved my bikes, but I never made out with them.

Caleb jumped on his bike and Blindfold jumped on the back and assumed his riding position. What the hell? Was everyone trying to steal Caleb from me?

We got to the bike shed to find Lefty Blue Eye and Biker Pete chatting. They quickly shut up as we walked in.

‘Stunt, Caleb,' said Lefty Blue Eye with a nod. ‘How's it going?'

I just kind of half nodded but didn't speak.

‘Caleb,' said Bike Pete, being super friendly. ‘We thought we'd lost you to the big-top crew. We've been hearing that you're a natural.'

‘Never. I'm a bike guy through and through. Me and the young stunt man here are just going to start working something up so we can perform together during my headline act.'

I'm sure I saw Biker Pete bristle at the words ‘headline act'.

‘If you'd like me to do a once-over on your bikes, Caleb, I'd be delighted,' said Lefty Blue Eye.

‘That would be great,' said Caleb. ‘Thanks, Lefty.'

When we got to the practise jump and were out of earshot of Lefty Blue Eye, I said, ‘You do not want that guy anywhere near your bike, Caleb, I'm warning you.'

‘Why? The old dude told me he's been here for twenty-eight years. He worked for your grandfather, then your dad. He must be a master mechanic by now.'

‘Maybe, but he didn't know that my dad's bike was faulty before he had the accident.'

‘Yeah, your sister was telling me about your conspiracy theories this morning. She thinks it may have to do with the fact you're not getting enough sleep. Maybe you've just got to let this stuff go, dude. I'd tell you all about the bad accidents I've had, but I don't want to put you off. This stuff happens.'

Maybe he was right, maybe I was just being paranoid. I was pretty exhausted. Maybe I was telling myself all this because I was scared that what had happened to my dad could happen to me. Maybe I just needed to understand that everything in life came with an element of risk.

We went to the jumps but I was distracted. I didn't feel like riding at all. I told Caleb I just wanted to study his form. He sat on top of the jump, staring down the ramp, the revs of his bike filling the silence as a plume of smoke escaped from the exhaust.

I shielded my eyes with my hands as the bright sunshine was shining directly into them, making me squint. Then my head suddenly started throbbing with a terrible headache.

Caleb punched the air and let out a ‘YEAH!' that came out all muffled from his helmet.

He let the engine rip and sped down the ramp, his bike airborne in seconds. He let go of his handlebars and touched the seat, then grabbed the handlebars before flipping the bike into a double spin. It was beautiful to watch but scary as well.

‘Sure you don't want to make some jumps, Stunt?' he said, skidding to a halt next to me.

‘Maybe tomorrow. I've got a bad headache,' I said. Maybe it was because I was so angry at everyone, including Blindfold.

I went home and had a little sleep, but nothing could dislodge the weird feeling inside me. I took a shower, thinking maybe a blast of hot water would make me feel better but it didn't. As I dried myself I could hear Jem and Caleb chatting and laughing, which was annoying. Back in my room, I went to get dressed but even my dirties were dirty, because every pair of undies I owned had been worn inside out. What sort of older sister would forget to wash her brother's underpants while their dad was in hospital? I stood there in the nude as rage bubbled up inside me.

‘Jem!' I called as I stormed out of my bedroom, a towel wrapped around my waist.

‘What?'

‘Why have I been wearing inside-out underpants for the past five days?'

‘I don't know, because you're Superman?' she laughed, and Caleb cracked up as well, which got me super mad.

‘This isn't funny! I need underpants and you haven't done any washing!'

‘Well I have, I just haven't done your washing because you told me to butt out of your life and to stop mothering you, so I stopped picking up the clothes off your floor as well as doing your washing. Anyway, you're nearly thirteen, you can wash your own undies. It's sexist to think that the women in your life should have to do stuff like that for you.'

‘But you should. I don't have anyone else. Benny's mum does his washing,' I said as the image of Benny in his Christmas undies passed through my mind. ‘And you go around telling everyone I'm some weird kid who is paranoid.'

‘What are you talking about?' said Jem.

‘You told Caleb that I'm crazy for thinking something is going on at Stoked.'

‘I was just explaining to Caleb how hard it's been for you lately.'

‘You went to the lake with my friend and my dog and you didn't even care that I was left here all by myself, hanging out the front of Caleb's door like some kind of loser because he said we were practising together today. That's why we changed the visiting time for Dad.' I said, shooting Caleb an evil look. Everything was pouring out and I didn't know how to stop it.

‘I thought you needed the sleep. I know you haven't been sleeping well since Dad's accident. When you weren't awake by eleven, I thought it was best to leave you,' said Jem, trying to explain.

‘Yeah, right, sure you did. I hate you for leaving me by myself. I hate you!' I shouted.

‘You shouldn't speak to your sister like that, little guy, it's not cool.'

‘Stop calling me little guy!' I said, turning on Caleb. ‘Do you think I need to be reminded that I'm little every five minutes? And who are you to tell me how I should speak to my sister? Anyway, Jem, what are you doing hanging out with a guy who thinks everyone at Stoked is a freak.'

‘What?' said Jem, a look of confusion crossing her face.

I gestured at Caleb with my thumb. ‘He keeps saying we're a freak show. You pretend you like our circus, Caleb, but you don't. It makes me wonder why you're really here.'

‘Dude, seriously. I love your circus. I love the people. I feel like I'm home.'

‘But it isn't your home, it's my home, and people are trying to destroy it and no one believes me!' I said. ‘They just make out I'm some weird little freaky kid.'

‘That's why I'm here, bud, to make sure it's always your home. Besides, everyone here loves you! They've been raving about you to me the whole time. You're a star, kid,' said Caleb quietly, a look of genuine affection crossed his face that made some of the anger I was feeling dissipate. It was true he didn't have to come to Stoked. ‘Come on, let's go outside. You need to chill for a second.'

We went onto the deck and looked out over the circus.

‘Stunt, what's up?' he said. ‘I know you're dealing with a lot of stuff, but you seem pretty angry.'

‘I don't know,' I shrugged, feeling exposed that not only was I wearing just a towel but Caleb was asking me about my feelings.

‘Yes, you do. Come on, tell me.'

‘Everything is going wrong in my life, and it's just not fair,' I said. ‘I already don't have a mum then my dad ends up in hospital. Adults expect kids to be happy all the time but we're not. Sometimes we've got a lot to be upset about. You wouldn't understand, Caleb, because everything in your life is perfect.'

‘Everyone has a story, Stunt Boy,' he said, placing a hand on my shoulder and leaving it there. ‘You're not the only one. My mum died when I was seven. I think that's why I became a daredevil, because I didn't care about anything for a while. But then I came to realise that you never know what is going to happen in life. You know how I wrote on your poster “live fearlessly”? That doesn't mean you should be an idiot and take stupid risks. It means you've got to live in the moment and deal with the moment.'