Carnival of Youth
By: Nataliia Feuchtwanger
Tags: Short Story, Carnival, Science Fiction, Youth

Carnival of Youth

- Ladies and gentlemen, I’m inviting you to become the part of something mystical and unusual.

A young fellow wearing Mr. Top Hat outfit was standing on the main square and announcing delusional news on the megaphone. A couple of people paid attention to him but only because the guy looked confident and unbelievably handsome. His voice was strong and loud.

- Youth. Oh, I bet most of you miss the time when they felt much healthier and younger. I bet some of you wake up — this time he pointed on the bunch of wrinkled ladies in cashmere coats and tons of make-up –look at yourself in the mirror and wish you were twenty-five again.

It seemed like his voice was getting more convincing when it got louder.

- What if I told you I could make you young again. We all are in power to destroy all the laws of biology and end up becoming fit, beautiful, healthy and young again. No more wrinkles, only scoop-neck dresses, and fancy tuxedoes. No more pain in the back, legs or head. No more fears of death. Youth is possible to be back and I can prove it to you.

A flock of middle-aged and older beings sharped their ears and stood blindsided. It was just too good to be true even for those who craved the youth.

- Raise your hand if you want to soak the youth in your body again. Raise your hand if you want to open your eyes and never recognize yourself. You become faster, you become stronger, and you become wilder.

Several raised their hands shooting suspicious grins on their faces. But Mr. Top Hat controlled the whole situation. He knew how to convince the dumb skeptics. He put the megaphone on the ground and fished out a big photo of a wrinkled old man who looked more like his grandpa.

- This old sad man on the picture is me a couple of years ago. I couldn’t help thinking about the protest against nature and I finally created the magic place where paradise becomes reality.

Then he ripped off the photo and took off his hat. He did it in such a posh way that everyone started hating him but no one dared to leave.

- Look at me now. I am young, I am handsome, I am strong. Sir, how much can you pay for the youth?

He addressed a wrinkled man who stood in front. He was poor, wearing a stained shirt and torn pants. He seemed to be paying no attention but Mr. Top Hat noticed him.

- I could give my soul to the devil.

Mr. Top Hat smirked and replied:

- No need to do this anymore, my old fellow. You pay only two hundred dollars and your youth belongs to you again. But you will be the first, so it’s for free but only for you.

The old man smiled and entered the big, dark box. After a few seconds, a super handsome, playboy-like guy in the torn and frayed clothes came out. The crowd clapped in bewilderment.

- This is the example of science against nature. Everything is possible for such a small price. In the central circus, there are dozens of these dark boxes which change your life forever. The show will get started after two hours.

All the past skeptics and naïve geeks shoved their doubts and ran to the central circus area. They counted their money. Their eyes, full of sparks and hope overshadowed the fireworks. They held the money in their shaking hands, waiting in the long eternal queue. Mr. Top Hat was delighted as never before.

- “Be prepared to change your appearance forever.”

He collected all the money from everyone and opened fifteen dark boxes which could fit seven people each. And the whole crowd moved to an invisible shining path, full of stars and was closed in the dark boxes as naïve prisoners. Circus was now empty. The entire crowd was hidden in the boxes. Only the wind and smile of Mr. Top Hat were floating around the circus ménage.

Dozens of voices still could be heard. Dozens of laughs could still not be stopped. Jokes in the boxes took over the seriousness of the whole atmosphere. A lot of people decided to become a part of it just for fun.

- Now, ladies and gentlemen. You will catch a glimpse of the light in the box. It will mean the metamorphosis began.

Flash of light in the boxes looked like the flash from the photograph. In a few seconds, silence banished all the shouts and screams of pain. Mr. Top Hat opened the boxes and waited.

Clucks, moos, chirps, bleats, growls, barks, bells, brays, quacks, buzzes, grunts, snorts and many other “voices” were addressing Mr. Top Hat.

- Congratulations, ladies and gentlemen, now you are free and young again. Enjoy your life and solitude. Because the youth is as short as the existence itself. Set yourself free.

All the cows, pigs, horses, birds, foxes, dogs, flies, donkeys and many other residents of the Planet ran away from their dark cages chasing for food.

They felt strong, young and hungry.

- We are rich geniuses, Nathaniel.

He looked at his friend who recently took off the dirty old torn clothes and washed off the last make-up spots.