Finished Word Count: 27,193 words
Written: School year of 2010 and 2011, summer of 2011
Revised: Summer of 2011, (scheduled for) summer/fall of 2012
Genre: Fantasy

The synopsis:

In a world where strange creatures are common and normal animals are all but extinct, Danie is sent to work for the East Circus. She has a gift–one the circus needs to survive. But someone else wants her gift…and he’ll do anything to get it. Will Danie stand strong long enough to help the circus, or will the mysterious man get the better of her?

The main characters:

• Danie Last (heroine)
• “The Man” (villain)
• Reyn Aduis (mentor)
• Wrell of the East Circus (ally)
• Mikka of the East Circus (minor ally)

The story clip:

“If you’re part of the circus, I don’t want to talk to you! Go away!” I shouted.
I’m in your head, silly girl.
I let out a soft gasp and released Lylla’s teats to grip my temples. Impossible!
Not nearly, the thing said.
I recoiled from it, but as far as my mental self ran, the presence paraded along in my wake.
Who are you? I asked, and black spread through my mind. The thing didn’t reply.
No, this is impossible, I insisted, fighting against the darkness. What was happening? Was I hallucinating, delirious?
The smug little thing sighed snippily. This is possible, of course it is, stupid girl. It’s real and, I suppose, dreadfully shocking. But that’s life. What can you do about it?
But–
Don’t contradict me, the thing said nastily.
I felt like smacking whatever it was, hallucination or no. Don’t tell me what to do.
Oh, and you’re going to stop me? A derisive note edged into its voice.
Yes! Yes, I am, I told it, but when I racked my brain for any plausible idea of how to rid myself of this bizarre thing, I couldn’t find anything. The urge to smack it grew.
How exactly? Never mind, it corrected itself, I have better things to do. By the way, let the poor unicorn go now. You’ve exhausted her.
The thing left.

–Copyright 2010 through 2011 by Haniya