Chapter 73 - Circus accident

The choreography was taught carefully and repeatedly so that all the dancers gathered on stage could learn together. The music was repeated again and again to the point where it began to get boring for the three people watching from your seats. What saved the doldrums were the producers asking Leonardo's opinion on details of the production.

At every moment someone approached to talk to the brunette. Architects discussed the stage set-up, holding the food court plan. The position of the safety cables, the material of the stage floor and among other subjects that Leonardo seemed to handle well. No matter what they asked, the detective was under the impression that everything had been properly resolved.

It was something that Giovani watched with some surprise. Leonardo seemed to have a good grasp of every subject he was asked about, and he answered satisfactorily.

— He doesn't seem to be just a twenty-something kid like that — the detective murmured thoughtfully.

Vicente looked at him in the corner and then at his young master, and then he opened a thin smile. That smile disappeared as soon as the loud sound coming from the stage startled everyone, with a lighting rig suddenly falling over.

A policeman could rely on his instincts from time to time, being of help to find suspicious people and even to get out of dangerous situations. In this sense, Giovani considered himself someone intuitive, since his intuition never led him to the wrong choices. Thanks to that, there were situations in which his body moved by itself, and even much faster than his reasoning.

This was one of those moments.

The detective immediately stood up and sprinted towards the stage. The spotlight hit a dancer, creating a wave of despair among the others as they saw the blood spreading on the stage. Giovani was quick to pull out his mobile phone to call for an ambulance as he jumped on stage to get close to the victim.

— Mathias, I need you to come in an ambulance here to the circus, there was an accident with a lighting equipment — Warned the detective, watching the spotlight fallen on the dancer's leg and assessing his condition — It's a serious case, I need a qualified medical team, come as soon as possible.

The part of the spotlight that was sunk into his flesh was not to be moved until he was taken to the hospital, but it would be difficult to contain the bleeding if he kept all that weight on the wound. Giovani carefully analysed the searchlight until he found some part that could be removed.

With caution he managed to remove the heavy part of the spotlight, leaving only the piece stuck in the wound. Now it would be easier for the detective to contain the bleeding. He needed to keep calm too so that his hands wouldn't shake, except that his muscles were tense. Taking a deep breath, Giovani turned to the dancer.

— I know it hurts like hell, here bite this piece of cloth so you don't hurt your tongue — Giovani handed a thick handkerchief and put it in the dancer's mouth, then pressed the wound to stop the bleeding around the piece, continuing to hear the victim's whimper — I know, I know it hurts, I've already called an ambulance so you'll be in good hands soon, let's hold on until then, okay?

He continued to press on the wound, taking care not to make the poor boy's situation worse. His head was trying to comprehend the whole scenario, which was a challenge thanks to the chaos of the others. The shouting made him even more nervous to the point that his forehead started to sweat.

— Keep calm! Is anyone else hurt? — Vicente appeared on the stage, leading everyone to the back of the stage — Please, I need you to co-operate and check if there are any more injured.

— What was that? — One of the staff members asked.

— Is he going to be okay?

Vicente looked over his shoulder where the detective was still tending to the injured man, and then smiled slightly at the others.

— We're doing first aid while we wait for the ambulance. Producers, check if there are any other injured people, please. I need you to leave the stage to avoid other accidents.

While the backstage was being tended to by Vicente, Giovani sighed in relief that he could think better without all the racket. But if he relaxed his hands, they would surely start to shake.

Focus, Giovani!

What the hell happened anyway?

Looking up, there was no one on the scaffolding near the lighting, which made it even stranger for a piece of equipment to fall out of nowhere. It all happened so fast.

— That was pretty scary.

Leonardo was standing next to him looking up too. When had he been up on stage? And how could he look so calm in a situation like that?

— Isn't he scared? It's not a very good situation, you know.

— I'm not scared, I'd say I'm more... Curious? — Leonardo tilted his head childishly — The inspection of the circus equipment took place a few days ago and there were no reports of any problems. Why would a spotlight fall now?

— Leo! Are you all right? Are you hurt?

The trapeze artist was running so fast towards his young master, that Giovani could feel the desperation not only reaching the young boy but also in his voice. Returning to tending to the dancer, the detective tried to divide his attention as much as he could. As urgent as someone's life was at risk, he still wanted to know about the trapeze artist.

After all, Benjin wasn't on stage.

— I'm fine, I'm fine. What about you?

— I was training in the gym when I heard the screams. What happened?

Leonardo looked up again, looking worried.

— I'm going up to see, I don't like this story.

— Hey, kid, you'd better avoid it,' the detective warned quickly, 'what if you get hurt too?

— He's right, Leo, it's better to wait...

— I'll be fine, just hang in there. Ah, Ben, the ambulance should be here any minute, could you guide them here?

— But Leo...

The boy stroked the trapeze artist's head while smiling optimistically. Giovani didn't understand how young people could be so stubborn when it came to safety. But he couldn't abandon the dancer just to accompany the boy up the scaffolding.

Before anyone could stop him, Leonardo was already disappearing behind the curtains. The trapeze artist watched him carefully and clicked his tongue before jumping off the stage and leaving the circus tent to fulfil his young master's request.

All right... All right, the situation was under control.

The wound was being pressed down and the pain was still keeping the dancer conscious. The bleeding had slowed, but not stopped completely. Judging by the dancer's appearance and groans, Giovani wouldn't bet on him having any other injuries, which would be very lucky.

All right, it looked like that situation was under control.

Looking up quickly, he could see Leonardo on the scaffolding looking into the spotlights. If his eyesight was good, he wondered what his expression was. It was worrying, if not suspicious, that the boy seemed so calm in an accident like that.

Not only him, but the administrator also seemed fine when he took the circus people to the backstage. Probably Viola went along...

Quickly the detective raised his head towards the grandstand, only to find that the girl had indeed followed Vincent. However, his eyes widened when he saw Viola still sitting in the stands alone.

— What the hell is she still doing here? That clown...

He could feel a vein pulsing in his head. She's probably too scared to run. Vicente should have taken her along, what would he do if the situation was any trigger for her?

— This way!

Benjin appeared in the tent, accompanied by the paramedics. The sigh of relief that Giovani let out seemed to take tonnes of worry off his back. As soon as the dancer had been taken care of by the paramedics, the detective could go to the bleachers where the girl was sitting.

He needed to get her out of there as soon as possible.

There was no way Viola should see that kind of scenario. Giovani would want her to have only good memories, like any other child her age.

Being close to her, Giovani crouched in front of her without hiding his concern. Viola seemed fine, looking at him innocently as if she hadn't understood the situation. Or at least he hoped that was the case.

Extending his hand towards her, Giovani held back as he saw the reddish stains between her fingers. Ah, he was staunching a wound so far, of course his hands were bloodied. How could he touch a child with a hand like that? The detective lowered his hand, feeling unable to help Viola from remembering painful moments in her life.

— Is Gi all right?

When did she start calling him by a nickname? Well... Giovani should be glad she talks. He hadn't noticed the moment they became close, it just seemed natural.

— That's what I'd like to know. Aren't you scared?

The girl denied with her head, making the detective laugh low. Should he feel relieved? His feelings seemed a bit mixed. He was getting used to the fact that the people in that place were completely weird.