I startled awake, after once more drifting off on the steps of Dr. Celestine’s trailer. I couldn’t keep doing this. This wasn’t right. None of this was right. The Time felt right, but the Place was wrong.

I took the torn pieces of G.A.’s Golden Ticket and pressed them against Dr. Celestine’s door. I was no longer surprised that a small metallic webbing sprouted to hold the Ticket pieces in place. Maybe the good Doctor would understand why I was here now.

I had just had a dream. You know the kind that just hover on the side of your memory? I had dismantled a giant model I had made of the Carnival. I had come to a grim realization that this place was destroying me. The me that I was in the dream. Or, maybe this was the dream. It didn’t really matter. I had to do the best for whatever me was awake at the moment. I had apologized to my roommates and decided to turn my life around, in that dream. I have decided to take similar control of my own situation here at the Carnival.

I had already gone to the Divine Gallery, before my ticket had started glowing pink. I had already visited the Acrobat. Mr. James’ booth had been closed for the majority of their time here in Caro. This morning, The Games of Skill were also closed. So much for those. That left the Hall of Mirrors, the Wax Museum, The Fortune Teller, the Freak Show, and the Big Top. I couldn’t remember when the next Big Top show was.

Best option seemed to go to the Big Top and find the time of the next show, then head to the Hall of Mirrors if I had the time. So I stretched my legs and strolled over to the Big Top.