Read Online All the Broken Things by Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer - Free Book Online

so he hung upside down. Sweat rolled along the hanging man’s sternum and dripped ontothe mat. The holding man shook his opponent, once, twice, three times, and then threw him to the side and watched as he clutched himself in what must have been agony.
    “Real-life twins,” Gerry said.
    Yes, they were twins. Staring at the wrestlers, Bo leaned on the cage having forgotten what was in it, but Gerry was watching. He laughed even before Bo felt the wet tongue sliding behind his ear and jumped away, gasping.
    Gerry patted Bo’s shoulder. “She wouldn’t hurt a fly once she’s caged.”
    “Will she fight again today?”
    “After the main fights, I offer the crowd a go. You’ll see something then, Bo. A lineup of idiots paying to fight her. Paying good money.”
    Bo held his hand up for Loralei to lick, trying to grab hold of her tongue. It was a game he’d played with the neighbourhood dogs, which they liked. Maybe a bear was a little like a dog. Loralei eye-rolled just like the dogs, and stuck her tongue out for more. “Let me fight her.”
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “You’re not ready.”
    Bo said, “You said she wouldn’t hurt a fly. Please.”
    “It’s twenty minutes I could be earning money. No.”
    Bo searched around for something he could offer, but there was only the crumpled bill in his shorts pocket. “I can pay—”
    “I’ll pay.” The voice came from behind him, and Bo turned to look. It was the boss whose clothing shone. Those shoes scared Bo a little. “I’ll pay to see the bear fight that kid.” The money was already thumbed out of the man’s wallet. A twenty and a ten.
    “Max,” Gerry said, waving him off.
    “My money dirty, or what?”
    “Jesus,” said Gerry, but he took the money and nodded at Bo. “Take a walk, Bo Jangles, and get your mood on. I don’t want to see you for a while. Come back in a couple of hours. Loralei needs a nap.”
    “You’ll let me?” said Bo. “Really?”
    “Go.” Gerry made to chase him, but Bo didn’t stick around, didn’t want any minds to get changed. The fur, he thought, the fur right next to him.

    B O WALKED WITHOUT CARING where he was heading, just away so that Gerry would not have a chance to call him back and cancel. The midway sugar nestled into his nostrils, cotton candy swirling there just as surely as it swirled around its paper hub. Bo jostled through lineups for the bumper cars, the Ferris wheel, the merry-go-round. He did not think these were for him.
    He perched on the rail of a steel fence designed to keep a queue in check, no one lined up behind it. Theride looked busted. A thin boy stood behind it and off to the side. Bo picked a bit at the chipped paint on the rail, blue over yellow. The boy did not seem to mind him being there and so he settled in to watch the surge of young people vying for this or that ride, arguing, gossiping, whatever they were doing. It was about ten minutes before the shiny man, Max, was in front of him.
    “I like your moxie,” he said, extending his hand. Bo did not know what this word meant, and the man must have guessed. “Your bravery,” he added.
    His hand was firm and warm, a good handshake. Bo had never seen a man with more perfect eyebrows. They looked almost pencilled on.
    There was a brush of cloth or skin up against Bo’s back. The boy guarding the ride had come up behind him. “Mr. Jennings?” the boy said.
    “Yes, sir!”
    “My name is Keith. I want to say thank you. I run the whirligig.” He gestured to the ride behind him, added, “When it ain’t broke.”
    “You’re welcome, Keith, though I do not entirely know for what.”
    Max let go of Bo’s hand to shake the hand of the other boy.
    “You own the whole fair, I think.”
    “Well—”
    “The freak show is pure genius, sir.”
    Max nodded curtly at the boy and muttered, “I prefer the term ‘sideshow.’ ” He tipped his head at Bo indicating he should follow him, and left.
    They walked for some time, wending in