The Night Circus [03]

F I R E  A N D  L I G H T 

You step into a bright, open courtyard surrounded by striped tents.

  Curving pathways along the perimeter lead away from the courtyard, turning into unseen mysteries dotted with twinkling lights.

  There are vendors traversing the crowd around you, selling refreshments and oddities, creations flavored with vanilla and honey, chocolate and cinnamon.

  A contortionist in a sparkling black costume twists on a platform nearby, bending her body into impossible shapes.

  A juggler tosses globes of black and white and silver high into the air, where they seem to hover before falling again into his hands, his attentive spectators applauding.

  All bathed in glowing light.

  The light emanates from a large bonfire in the center of the courtyard.

  As you walk closer, you can see that it sits in a wide black iron cauldron, balanced on a number of clawed feet. Where the rim of cauldron would be, it breaks into long strips of curling iron, as though it has been melted and pulled apart like taffy. The curling iron continues up until it curles back into itself, weaving in and out amongst the other curls, giving it the case-like effec. The flames are visible in the gasp between and rising slightly above. They are obscured only at the bottom, so it is impossible to tell what is burning, if it is wood or coal or something else entirely.

  The flames are not yellow or orange, but white as snow as they dance.

 --The night Circus by Erin Morgenstern