Chapter 6

**The Animal Fair**

## Synopsis

Escalating violence from Carl sends Clifford out into the night, where a mysterious witch is only too glad to find him.

## Characters

* Kevin
* Clifford
* Carl
* Nora
* Zulime
* Sylvia
* Oscar
* Darcy
* Eliza
* Officer Jay (Deputy Jay?)
* The White-Faced Bear
* Carnival workers
* Crowd
* Becky
* Richard
* Circus teens
* Thunder Children
* Nancy Wilde (on voicemail message)

Background: Camellia

## Continuity

* Brothers being brothers
* Carl the abusive parent
* Nora stepping up
* Troubled teen disappears
* Magic
* Rougarou
* Clifford's garbled syntax
* Oscar's journal
* Sylvia's audio books
* I FLIRT YOU
* Oscar holding the back of his head
* Clifford's Saturday routine
* The law and missing teens
* Nora's concerns about Oscar
* Nora's gratitude for Clifford doing better
* "Fights at school"
* The White Faced Bear protecting the Podunk woods
* Barbara Yaga and the White Faced Bear
* Eliza and the White Faced Bear
* Shrouds
* Oscar's jackets
* All the world's a stage
* Wolfing out in public
* Magic knife
* Witch of Summer
* Clifford's mark
* Turn into a wolf at her!
* Not telling Nora
* Oscar's halo
* HUGS
* Memories of Nancy

## Locations

* Norman home
* Sylvia's home
* Farmer's Market
* Podunk High
* Downtown Podunk
* Community pavilion
* Woods

## Post chapter

Clifford returns the clothes he borrowed from Oscar, who says goodbye to the red jacket.

## Quotes

"*Clifford!*"

"Pff. Great. What'd I do this time?"

"You know, if you just did what you're supposed to, Dad wouldn't get mad at you all the time."

—Sweet oblivious Kevin (p272)

"Yeah, Carl?"

"What is this?"

[beat]

"That's called a *trashcan*, Carl."

—Carl's not sure which one he's being outsmarted by (p273)

"I'm not making excuses, I'm *explaining*. You're always trying to bust my ass for--"

"You watch your mouth."

"Oh, wow. Look at you, Carl. Getting pretty brave. What are you gonna do?"

—Carl *is* the trash (p274)

"You listen to me good, Carl Hudson. He has enough problems with authority that I'm not about to contradict you in front of him. But if I ever -- *ever* -- see you with your hands on my boy like that again, for any reason, you had better have your suitcase ready."

—Nora lays down the law (p276)

"When I get to a new place, I like to send the moths out to see if they bring back anyone new. But, I already know you. You're the wolf who killed my rougarou."

—Tiny wee red flag from Zulime there (p284)

"I wanted to see what that little hayseed witch could do!"

—Oh, Zulime, no... (p285)

"So, I'm just gonna go."

"No, you aren't."

"Yeah, make me."

—Classic Clifford (p285)

"*Clifford -- I claim that name for my own. Clifford is mine.*"

—Zulime and OH NO (p286)

"Thank you, Oscar. I'm glad you're here. And I don't just mean tonight... I'm glad you moved here."

"I'm glad I'm here, too."

—Flirt flirt flirt (p290)

"I miss... people. But they wouldn't be there even if I went back..."

—Oscar being specific as ever about his past (p291)

"So, I guess you're stuck with me."

"Oh, what a terrible predicament. How will I endure?"

"You really did it this time, Sylvia."

—FLIRT FLIRT FLIRT (p291)

"Earth to Chicago... Come in, Chicago. Hey! Hola! Oscar!"

—Darcy (p293)

"That's like his thing, though, right? Running dramatically off into the night?"

—Darcy's memory is skipping a few details there (p294)

"I was hoping you would be a good beard and take my girlfriend to the circus."

"A circus?"

"I think it's more like a magic show."

"Do witches like magic shows?"

"This witch likes magic shows."

—Eliza knows what she likes (p295)

"Wasn't it just about two months ago you were banging my door down in the middle of the night because he didn't come home? And he called the next day, safe and sound?"

—If Jay only knew the truth (p296)

"Listen, we've already got all our guys out searching for those hunters who went missing last weekend. I'll have them be on the lookout for your boy. But that's really all I can do right now. Call if anything changes or if you get reason to suspect something else, all right?"

—Aw, Jay... (p297)

"You know... I was worried when I found out he was hanging out with you. I thought you were buying him alcohol or something. But... he'd been doing better these past couple of months. No more fights at school. Home by curfew on the weekends. His clothes don't smell like smoke all the time. So, thank you for that. For being a good friend to him."

—Aw, Nora... (p299)

"If you do not know where he is, then I have no further use of you."

—The White Faced Bear has thoughts about Oscar (p303)

"Your presence here is tolerated as a favor. But if your actions put those I would protect in danger... you will find the sharp limit of my patience."

—And spells them out further in case anyone is doubting him (p304)

"So, you think the person who made the rougarou took Clifford?"

—Connections (p309)

"Witches can sense the presence of animal people, but the White Faced Bear shrouds Clifford, so I don't think it is likely this witch came here targeting him. Most likely, they stumbled upon him and took advantage of the opportunity. This witch is using a shroud as well, a powerful one, so we can't sense their presence either. Shrouds don't work in the line of sight, though. That's how I saw through Clifford's shroud for the first time at the market. So, our only move right now is to look everywhere and hope to see through the shroud."

—Eliza summing things up for Oscar (p309)

"Why doesn't the White Faced Bear want me to help?"

"He doesn't trust you."

"But why? That's not fair. I haven't done anything. And, this is about finding Clifford."

—Oscar might be having trouble with the concept that he's not at the centre of things (p311)

"I'm not a danger to him. I wouldn't hurt Clifford."

"Not on purpose."

"Not on *purpose?* Eliza. You know me. Not by accident, either."

—Oscar's *really* having trouble with the concept (p311)

"It's getting windy. Do you want my jacket?"

—There's no end to the things Oscar is useful for (p314)

"That's the witch."

—Shouldn't've put yourself in the spotlight if you wanted your shroud to hold, Zulime (p320)

"Shh."

"Uh--"

"There you go. We don't want to ruin the surprise."

—If Zulime only knew (p326)

"My mom is watching Tyson for the evening so we could have a little date night."

—Catching up with Becky and Richard (p334)

"The boy with red hair from the end of the show, where is he?"

"He's new. We don't really know him. He always stays with Zulime. She runs everything."

"He doesn't talk much. We don't even know his name."

"Zulime said he wouldn't be staying with us very long. I think she said we're taking him to Missouri?"

—The real show's about to start (p336-p337)

"HOLY FUCK! Get away from me!"

"*Clifford -- I claim--*"

"No! Shut-up! *Help!*"

—Clifford's awakening (p341)

"If you let him go right now, I'll give you a thirty-second head start."

"Ha ha ha! Head start? Who do you think you are? I have him and I have your name! *Eliza. I claim that name for my own. Eliza is mine.*"

—Zulime fighting with magic (p344)

"Twenty seconds."

—Eliza has more (p345)

"Did you honestly think that you were the only witch capable of shrouds?"

"*E-Eliza! Elizabeth?*"

"That I would leave my full power out in the open? I leave just enough to lure in anyone who thinks they can take advantage of it. Now do you understand what you've done? I am a witch of summer, and you have no power over me."

—Eliza by a unanimous decision (p345-p346)

"Listen, you didn't do anything wrong, but *never* bite a human ever again. Human blood can make animal people very sick. Do you understand me?"

—Things Clifford's father never told him volumes 2-37 (p349)

"She, uh... dressed you up, a little."

—Clifford has QUESTIONS about how he finds himself (p351)

"I know we're not always speaking the same language, but you've got to know that I'm always on your side. Even if we disagree on something. I'm so sorry if I made you feel like I wasn't going to listen to you. You and your brother are the most important things in the world to me. But you've also got to stop running away when you get mad."

—Nora's superpower (p360)

"Hi. You've reached Nancy Wilde. I'm sorry, I'm unable to answer the phone right now. Please leave a message and I'll get back with you."

—Oscar could listen to that all night (p362)