Free The Tiny Ringmaster by Jennifer Clark

works.”
    Ruth slowly nodded as she realized the game that they were playing. Eritol wasn’t going to give her answers easily. “So do I get to learn magic too?”
    Eritol sighed, “Well, perhaps… a little.”
    Ruth stared at Eritol, determined to get a worthwhile answer. Eritol didn’t budge.
    “Hm... You won't learn any hocus pocus magic tricks here…No siree. And our magic only works here. You won’t be able to do anything I show you at home.”
    Ruth was defeated and angry. What was the point if she couldn’t go home and confuse her brother and win the talent show? She held back an eye roll.
    “Eritol, do you mind if I take a walk?” Eritol pursed his lips sadly and shook his head gravely as Ruth slumped out of the room.
     

     
     

 
    Ruth wasn’t sure where to go, so she just kept walking down the hall. She wasn’t paying attention to the many rooms she passed; she was just searching for a place to hide. Finally, she reached the end of the hall. To the right was another long hallway that stretched on for days. To the left was a door to the outside. She walked out of the doorway into the daylight. She realized that she hadn't taken a look at the outside of this place since the day she arrived. She spotted a rock underneath a tree about 50 yards away. She walked out to it, took a deep breath, and sat down. She was content to sit here and wallow in her pity until she woke up at home.
    She could here all the practicing going on. That's the only reason that they had all been so nice to her - they needed something. Ruth thought they were all her friends and now she wasn't so sure. From the doorway, she caught Eritol, Ginger, and Tryfod peeking out at her. They were probably about to march over and give her some lecture about how important she was. It didn’t matter though, because she didn't want to hear it. To her surprise, all three disappeared.
    “Figures.”
    She looked down at her feet and the grass. The grass was especially green, and she liked this tree she was sitting underneath. It felt cozy. When she looked up, she saw a little girl standing a little further out in the forest. She sat up straighter. She definitely hadn't seen any other children. The little girl giggled and gestured for Ruth to follow as she ran off deeper into the forest.
     

     
    The girls continued to giggle as they ran. The trees were much larger than Ruth realized the first night. They stretched into the sky as far as the eye could see. She stopped momentarily to look up. The other littler girl stopped ahead. “Ruth!” Ruth smiled at the mention of her name and began following once more.
    The little girl ran ahead quickly, and Ruth struggled to keep up. The little girl knew every branch, log, and fallen limb, so she jumped and dashed around with ease. Ruth, on the other hand, had to slow down every time she noticed a new obstacle.
    The little girl suddenly stopped, and Ruth halted right beside her. At first, Ruth didn't know why the little girl had stopped, and then she looked ahead. A large misty pond with a ring of waterfalls sat serenely between the dense trees.  A taller waterfall fell from the side of a cliff, and it was surrounded by other smaller waterfalls. All of the water fell softly into the pond, making tiny tinkling sounds like a piano.
    Ruth walked quietly around the pond. She was memorized by the water. The pitter patter of the pond and the cover of the trees made her feel happy and safe. Ruth sat down on a stump while the other little girl splashed in the water. She signaled for Ruth to join her, but Ruth didn’t want to get wet. A goofy grin came across Ruth’s face. She felt like she just had some of Eliza’s hot chocolate. The waterfalls were just so pretty. The lights peeking from the trees created a dazzling glow around the spot. Ruth just couldn’t tear her eyes away. The pond was her new oasis.
    The little girl skipped across the pond on a little path made of rocks to a tunnel between the