When I was about 13, I went with my mother, father and brother to a circus.

We left early in the morning and

went to the park and had a picnic lunch before going to the show. As we were walking to the venue I remember
a tree being snapped in half. I felt unsettled by this, but the circus was in town, so I thought nothing of it. The
circus entrance was a large arch that was overkill, especially at a show in a park. As we entered the tent I was
amazed at how big it was, even though it was a small circus. The tent was tall and had a narrow passage way,
like a tunnel and it was so wide that everyone could get in. As we walked along the aisle I could tell where I was
going because there were huge elephants either side of me. The events were at different times and I remember
feeling nervous, not because of the show, but because of the animals. What if something happened and one of
them got loose? I would have been trampled. As we were walking along in to the show, I could smell the
elephant dung. It was a sickly sweet smell. It must have been left there from another show. I moved closer to my
mother and nearer the entrance of the tunnel to get away from it. By now we were near the front and I remember
people collecting water at giant drinking fountains in the front of the rows. The smell of the circus was getting
stronger. I was praying this show wouldn't let me down, especially as the smell was getting stronger. All the
while, I had been walking through the tunnel, down the aisle. The tent was starting to feel smaller and smaller
and the smell was so strong now. I could feel my father behind me, but it didn't matter as long as he didn't put
his hand on my shoulder. Suddenly, the tent was very small compared to how it had looked. I didn't understand
this, but I knew where I was. The elephants were all walking down one of the sides and they were so close now.
As I got closer, I could see the scars on their faces. They were dirty and were barely held together, but for a
second I didn't think about it. Then as I got even closer, I could see their faces in more detail. They had spots,
cuts, infections and blackened scars; it was so disgusting. Huge oaks like legs, with thick claws and hooves,
brown slowly rotting-through sheets of skin and huge, though not so bright, eyes that seemed to have the saddest
demeanour anyone could have. Although they had long, sharp teeth and long military-grade, jagged nails and
had pock marks all over their faces, they were very gentle in their movements.