On the humid month of June in Louisville Kentucky, the circus had come to town. This particular circus hadn’t come to Louisville in years, so when word got out that it was going to be at the state fair people grew excited. Or at least all the older people who were dragged to the circus and feel nostalgic when they drag their kids to it. Luckily for the successful business of the circus, that was a lot of people. The large rainbow tent was filled with millions of people, some not even from Louisville. The first day was packed more than ever, mostly because of the new special strong-man that the Ring-master promised in all the promotion posters. There were the usual clowns, trained Lions and elephants, bearded ladies, and the newly added Lizard-Woman. But the Ring-Master: Stan Lydon stressed the importance of getting this young new-comer introduced. There was a packed tent none the less. All the seats in the bleachers were filled with Kentuckians and by the time the last seat was filled the lights went out, all chatter stopped, and the show began.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and germs, I am proud to present a new edition to our Freak Extravaganza.”
Finally, Stan appeared in front of the ring in the spot-light. Stan was in his purple suit and hat. His old face was caked with clown make-up, a look he has kept since he started the trade in the 70’s. The crowed began to cheer and clap for the suave clown.
“Please audience. I know I’m beautiful, but everyone needs to direct their attention to the strapping young man in tights on the tightrope.”
The spot-light panned quickly up the tightrope with Harlan Quinn upon the pallet.
“Witness what this amazing strong-man can do.”
Harlan grabbed the 300 pound weight bar and slowly began to walk on the very thin tightrope that led to the other pallet. At first Harlan felt a little unbalanced but he eventually balanced out the two heavy weights on each side just like he practiced. The tightrope started to bend with the weight of his feet. Harlan started to sweat a bit, and tried to focus on his balance instead of how uncomfortable he was in those green tights. He got to the mid-point of the tightrope with the 300 pound weight-bar. Now came the real cream of the act. Harlan threw the 300 pound weight up a few meters up in the air, and the strong-man dived down from balancing on the tightrope. A series of gasps and “holy craps” swept the audience. Harlan then landed feet first on a trampoline in the middle of the ring, meanwhile the bar weight was seconds away from crashing to the ground. Jumping off the trampoline, Harlan landed perfectly aside from it, and within only seconds Harlan caught the bar weight with one arm. The crowd cheered, clapped, and howled with amazement. Harlan put the weight down and took a bow for the audience with sweat dripping out of his brown hair. The sweat however was not from being tired, but it was really from Harlan’s natural anxiety of nervousness among crowds. Harlan smiled that big boyish smile. Lydon came out again with the mike.
“Please another big round of applause for Harlan: The Strong-Man!”
And they did as the Ring-master commanded. Harlan loved every minute of it.


After everyone had left the circus and they all had left the bleachers covered with trash such as half eaten hot-dogs, pop-corn, bags, soda cans, and beer bottles, all the cast of the Freak Extravaganza helped the few sweepers Stan could afford to pay. Harlan went to his dressing room along with some of the clowns and cast members. He didn’t get to see the rest of the acts from his fellow freaks. As he was sitting down in his dressing room all the clowns gave him a pat saying things such as “good job” or “Great show”. Carrie: the bearded lady also came to congratulate him, along with the midget clowns, the man with two-heads, and the lion-tamer. After the show, Harlan decided to relax and read the Action Comic he got from a newspaper stand on the way to the circus. As everyone else was cleaning the bleachers, Lisa (The Lizard-Woman) came into Harlan’s dressing room. Although could not tell on sight, Lisa was actually a very recent high school graduate like Harlan was.
“Trying to get some inspiration?” Lisa asked coming into the room.
Harlan looked at the mirror in front of him and saw her in the doorway, and smiled a bit.
“Oh hey, what do you mean inspiration?” Harlan asked.
“Because you’re super-strong, you’re wearing tights, and you’re reading a comic about a dude who’s super-strong and wears tights.”
“I guess it’s a coincidence really. When I found out I could do all these things, I asked my parents if they found me in a space-ship that landed in a corn-field. They showed me my birth certificate and the pictures of me when I was born. So there was no denying that I was they’re biological son.”
“Were you ever picked on?”
“Not really. I was mostly encouraged to play a lot of sports, which I did.”
“You must have been popular in school.”
“A little, but it was probably because I was good at sports and won the school the championship. I ‘m sure you must have been popular at whatever school you went to.”
“I was mostly home-schooled because we’re a traveling circus and all. When I did attend public school, everyone would avoid me because they were afraid of me.”
“Didn’t you ever get sad or lonely?”
Lisa shrugged.
“A little, but I’ve only really cared about my family here in the circus.”
“Well as long as you feel good about yourself. I’ve been thinking about joining the traveling circus.”
“Really? I thought you wanted to join the police Academy?”
“I wanted to, but I really thought about how my abilities can affect people. Sure I could use them for good, but the government could find out about me and try to use me as a weapon.”
“I think you can do a lot of good with your powers. You could help of people.”
“I have two weeks to decide, so I might change my mind.”
Harlan was about to pick-up his comic again to read and Lisa was about to leave the dressing room. Then suddenly Lisa quickly decides to turn around to say what she really wanted to say.
“Would you be embarrassed if you went to the fair with me?”
Harlan looked-up at her and smiled.
“No, not at all, just let me get out of these tights and I’ll be ready.”
Never has Harlan seen a lizard genuinely smile.

The lights from all the rides, roller-coasters, and merry go rounds were so bright that it even overwhelmed the stars in the black sky. The merry carnival music was over-laid with the conversations of millions of people. Harlan and Lisa had gone through several rides and won all kinds of carnival toys before meeting the hooded-fortune-teller. It took Harlan a while to get used to the feel of holding Lisa’s scaly hand, but eventually forgot the feel of his own hand. To Harlan’s surprise, no one seemed to raise an eyebrow how odd of a couple they looked like.
“Are they scared, or is this just what they expect when go to a fair?” Harlan asked Lisa.
“Who knows? As long as they’re not pitching eggs at me or making threats as us I’m fine.” Lisa said holding the giant teddy bear Harlan won for him in a ring-toss booth.
As they were walking hand in hand deciding on what they should do next, a figure in a hooded purple robe slowly walked in front of them, and with a mysterious and familiar voice asked:
“Would you two like to know your future?”
Harlan was startled, and Lisa was only slightly surprised. The top half of the fortune-tellers face was covered with that purple hood, only revealing his chin and mouth.
“Harlan we should do this.” Lisa insisted excitingly.
“I don’t know, it seems kind of corny.”
“Please, come to my table. The process is free of charge.”
“See Harlan, its free. Let’s do it.”
They followed the fortune-teller to his little chair and table with the purple cloth and crystal ball on top. The fortune-teller sat down behind the table. Harlan and Lisa came forward, and sat down as well.
“Let’s start with you young lady. Let me see your palm.”
Lisa put her palm out on the table and without hesitation the fortune-teller grabbed her scaly hand. He started to rub his finger in her palm and gazed at it calculatingly. Lisa didn’t know whether he was really reading her palm, or just feeling her scales.
“You’re a very a nice and beautiful woman, who will always have a loving family who cares about you.”
Lisa smiled, and if a lizard could blush, she definitely would have.
“Why thank you sir.” Lisa said.
“Now let me see your hand young man.” The fortune-teller demanded.
Harlan put his palm out for the man to rub his finger in them. This time the fortune-teller showed a more concerning expression.
“Hmm, this seems interesting.”
“What’s wrong? Am I going to die?” Harlan asked jokingly.
“Not death, but a life of great adventure.”
“What do you mean?” What did you see?”
“It’s you flying through the air, and you’re punching strange creatures and other men in tights.”
“Are you trying to say that I’m going to be a super-hero or something?”
“Yes. I see it now. It’s your destiny to use your abilities to help mankind.”
“No sir, I’m just a circus performer.”
“So you don’t plan on attending the police academy?” The fortune-teller asked.
“How did you know I was going to join the police academy?”
“That’s what I see in your future. You train as a cop and join the force. But eventually you reveal yourself as a more powerful figure and make a special alliance with the law under unusual circumstances.”
Harlan began to get-up in annoyance and anger.
“I think I’ve had enough of this. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Please boy, listen to me. You’ll change your mind when you find the kidnapped children.”
“You’re a crazy man with a sick sense of humor. Let’s leave Lisa.
Lisa got-up and began to leave the fortune-teller’s table.
“Heed me.” said the hooded fortune-teller. Harlan and Lisa walked farther away from the fortune-teller, and as they could both hear the yells of the fortune-teller’s warnings grow more and more faint.
For the past couple of days, Harlan kept thinking about what the fortune-teller said. He asked Lisa about what she thinks about how he could have known about him planning on going to the academy. She only shrugged and suggested that maybe he really is a fortune-teller. Harlan refused to believe it. As the month of June started to end, Harlan was only going through the motions of his circus life unconsciously. He would be juggling 300 ton weights in the air in front of an astonished crowed. Flipping through the air miraculously, and not even giving it a thought. The only thing he thought about was that strange fortune-teller. What did he mean by “heed me”? Harlan thought. But what really scared him was that one morning when he was first arriving to the circus, and he saw police cars parked in front of the rainbow circus tent. Harlan approached one of the officers who was writing into a notebook.
“Excuse me sir, what seems to be the issue?” Harlan asked respectively.
“Some of the kids that went to the Kentucky state fair went missing; when the parents where they were last seen they all said the circus.”
“You’ll change your mind when you find the kidnapped kids.” The Hooded fortune-teller echoed in Harlan’s memory. For the first time in his life, Harlan felt he had no control over his destiny.
“Do you know anything about these missing children?” asked the officer.
“No sir, not at all.”
“Well if you find out about anything give us a call.”
“Will do sir, can I have a picture of the missing children in case I might see them.”
The officer hands Harlan pictures of the missing children. The missing children were two fraternal twins, a boy and a girl both 10 years old; their names were Wally and Gail Weaver. The third missing child was a 6 year old orphan named Neil Harrison. He took the picture of children with him to his dressing room. It was all he could think about while during the act rehearsals. Lisa came in concerned as ever.
“I heard about the kidnapped kids.” Lisa said rather timidly.
“Then you know that the fortune-teller was right, and you know how scared that makes me feel.”
Lisa sat next to Harlan in front of his mirror.
“You know why I don’t want to help people with my powers? Not because I think I’m above them, or that I’m scared the governments going to use as a weapon, or that I think they don’t deserve my help or anything as selfish like that. I don’t want to be a superhero because I think I’ll fail at it. I fear failure more than anything. Using my abilities to just do some tricks in front of people doesn’t stress me out because I don’t the fear of screwing-up. If I screw-up in a circus act it’ll just be comedy. If I screw-up trying to save someone-“
“It’ll be tragedy?” Lisa interrupted. Harlan smiled a bit at the gesture.
“Exactly.”
“I think that’s very selfish of you anyway.”
“Excuse me?”
“But I just said-“
“Yeah I know what you said, I get it and I still think it’s very selfish. You could help save so many people, stop so many conflicts, and make people’s lives better. You could do so much if you just put your fear of failure aside. That’s what a real hero does.”
There was a long pause after Lisa’s statement. Harlan was contemplating what he should do. Then slowly a smile grew its way on Harlan’s face and he turned to Lisa. He grabbed her scaly hand and kissed it.
“Thank you.” Harlan said.
Harlan got up from his chair with the picture of the kidnapped children and left the dressing room. Leaving Lisa smitten with love.
Harlan went out into the Kentucky state Fair where everyone was out, a little less because of the kidnapped children scar that swept the ears of protective parents Louisville. What Harlan was looking for was the purple hooded fortune-teller. Funny enough the man was still sitting at the same table with the same fake crystal ball. He was palm-reading some other giggly couple and probably telling them lies whether they know it or not. Still he was hiding his face in that purple hood. Harlan rushed over to his fortune-telling booth.
“Excuse me sir and ma’am, I need to talk to this gentlemen, it’s very urgent.” Harlan said to the couple.”
“Aw so you did heed my warning.” The fortune-teller said maniacally.
“Can you cut the act please this is serious.”
“What act?”
“Never mind, we need to talk privately please.”
“Yes of course, be gone you two. We have to discuss something of grave importance.”
“Now hold on.” The man said.
“If we have to leave at least give us our 20 dollars back.” The man demanded.
The fortune-teller got a $20 out of his pocket and threw it the couple as to get rid of them like a dog to the bone.
“Here, now get out.” The fortune-teller demanded.
The couple left, but not before the man could slip in the remark “Rip-off artist” while he was walking with the young woman.
“You knew that those children would be kidnapped, and so I’m going to assume you know where they are. Correct?” Harlan asked.
“Correct”
“I may not agree with you that I’ll become a superhero, but I at least want to save these kids now. I need you to show me where they are and find the bastered who kidnapped them.” Harlan demanded.
“Okay my boy, follow me.”
Harlan and the fortune-teller went out into the dark woods that were at least a mile away from the fair. The fortune-teller had a lantern that lit the way to this abandon looking dirty cabin. As they went deeper and deeper into the woods, the lantern’s beam became more apparent and Harlan grew more suspicious about the fortune-teller’s intentions. Finally they came to a view of the cabin atop a steep hill.
“There is where the kidnapper is keeping the children. They’ll be in the basement caged up, unconscious and mouths ducked taped. You’ll find the kidnapper in their as well.”
Harlan only looked at the fortune-teller with broodingly, and super-leaped down the hill to the front of the Cabin. The fortune-teller followed slowly. Harlan busted through the door into a dark living room. He bathed the room with his x-ray vision and through the back stairs that led to the basement where he saw three skeletons lying down in small cage. With a burst of speed Harlan ran down the stairs to the cage that contained the children. Their mouths were duck taped just as the fortune-teller said. With his bare hands he bent the bars of the cage, but before he could grab the kids he had to stop and be surprised about how quickly the fortune-teller came behind.
“Good, now all you need to do is find the kidnapper and bring him to justice.”
“Yeah, and I’m looking at him right now.” Harlan said.
Harlan ran for the man to tackle and punch him, but the unexpected strength of the fortune-teller showed when he pushed Harlan straight in the chest causing him to fly through the wooden walls like paper to outside the cabin. Harlan was scared, no one has ever pushed him that far. Harlan was down on the grass in a brief but effective shock. The fortune-teller walked outside through the giant hole in the side of the cabin.
“Yes my boy I kidnapped the children. I wanted you to realize your true calling, what you’re supposed to be doing with your powers.” The fortune-teller explained.
“Why should you care? Who are you?” Harlan asked hesitating to get-up.
“I’m you from the future.” The fortune-teller said.
The fortune-teller finally took his hood off, and revealed grey-haired, older, and more dangerous looking Harlan Quinn. The younger Harlan was in shock and remained on the wet grass.
“How is this even possible?” a bewildered Harlan asked.
“By my time, the world has created the technology that helps us achieve time-traveling capabilities. I come from a grim future plunged in massive war from alien invasions and a group of super-villain metahumans.”
Harlan got up quickly and proceeded to tackle him, but Harlan prime pushed him back with a burst of fire out of his eyes that burnt Harlan’s jacket.
“How were you able to do that?” Harlan said taking off the burning jacket that didn’t bruise his skin.
“Over the years you’ll develop many abilities, abilities that could have saved millions of lives. I came to show you you’re potential. As I continued to waste my powers on performing in circus acts I could have become a hero and rally other people like me to use their abilities to defeat those who use their powers for evil and genocide. Only when they had killed half the world’s population is when we realized what we should have been doing with our powers. I came to the past so I can convince you to join the police academy as I originally intended to do.”
“And you wanted to do that by kidnapping children? That doesn’t sound like something I would do to prove a point.” Young Harlan remarked.
“But you realize what you have to do. For all your life you’ve underestimated yourself, never applied or challenged yourself. In my time you’ll learn that drastic times call for drastic measures. I knew that a dramatic kidnapping of children would call you into action. I wanted to shake you up a bit to scare you into heroics.”
“So you think that I’ll just let you get away with this?”
“I want to prevent me from ever happening Harlan. I want you to prevent the dark twisted future I come from. That future has made me do kill and do other things that I can’t even stomach. I’ve seen all my loved ones die, including Lisa.”
Young Harlan’s eyes grew a tad bit wider at the thought of Lisa being killed.
“What I want you to do is to bring the children to the authorities; you’ll say that you haven’t found the kidnapper, and before all that you’ll kill me with your bare hands. Do not argue with me, and please do as I say.” The fortune-teller explained.
Harlan wanted to argue with him, he really did, but if the future he says is true he’s the only person and can prevent it. Even if it wasn’t he was right about him not applying himself. It was time he did something meaningful. Harlan balled up his fist, closed his eyes, and with great force Harlan punched his fist through his older self’s gut. He pulled his arm through the blood and guts. Harlan prime fell down with a hole in his stomach.
Harlan brought the three kids to the authorities and made sure they were safely returned to their parents. Harlan apologized for not being able to find the kidnapper, but the officers congratulated him never the less. It was only a week after that Harlan decided to make his way to the Police Academy. It was a very somber early morning when Harlan packed his things to leave. It was the last day the circus was going to be in Louisville as well. The academy he wanted to attend was in New York, a wonderland of industrial living, business, crime and that entire good metropolitan city jazz, the perfect place to start a superhero career. For the plain trip Harlan packed a few pairs of clothes that’ll last for at least a week until he can get a job somewhere. The ring master had already given him his $200 check for his performances. Stan shacked his hand and gave Harlan a hug goodbye. Harlan walked to the bus stop that was located nearest to the circus tent and Fair site. As he sat his suit case down on the dusty ground, he heard a shriek “hey” come from behind him. It was Lisa still wearing her stripped pajamas from still sleeping.
“I told you I was leaving in the morning.” Harlan said in a snarky fashion.
“I know, but I was still asleep, I’m so sorry.” Lisa said.
Harlan was just about to say something else Lisa wrapped her reptilian arms around him and squeezed him as tight she could. Harlan raised her up to the air by her waist and kissed her snout out of a great release of love. She landed back on her feet in a springing motion, and a single tear trailed down her scaly beautiful face.
“I’m really going to miss you. Are you going to come back and visit anytime when you’re done?” Lisa asked wiping some tears with her sleeve.
“I told you about what future I told me, you know it’ll probably be awhile until I come back.”
“Were a traveling circus so we might cross paths again.”
Harlan grabbed Lisa by the waist again and drew her closer to his waist.
“Why don’t you come live in New York with me, it’ll be fun.”
“Harlan, what am I supposed to do their? I’m a lizard freak; no one wants to hire me at some restaurant. I belong here; I just wish you would stay here with me forever.”
“Believe me Lisa; this is definitely for you and another cause. I’ve told you about it.”
“Can you at least write?” Lisa asked giving out another single tear from her reptilian eyes.
Harlan answered Lisa by lifting her by the waist again and kissing her ten times more passionately than the last. As they kissed the day brought in a new bright and red dawn that over shadowed them.











The End