（外文电子版资料）Amy Sterling Casil - Chromosome Circus.pdfVIP

AMY STERLING CASILCHROMOSOME CIRCUSAmy Casils first professional sale was Jonny Punkinhead in our June 1996issue. Since then, she has sold stories to Talebones, Zoetrope: All Story Extra,and several Writers of the Future anthologies and well be hearing more from herin the future (thats a promise). She lives in Southern California, where shehas been working on several novels, teaching writing, conducting onlineworkshops, and raising her daughter Meredith. Her new story takes us to thecircus to look a t some of the outcasts of that same society we firstencountered in Jonny Punkinhead.MACADAMS CIRCUS HAD played out their week in Fontana, forty miles east of L.A.,when Joshie the Clown found Little Bear. Joshie was packing up the VR headsetsin the Tokyo Tank trailer when he heard whimpering. He patrolled the rows ofgummy plastic chairs until he found the source: a boy in a fuzzy blue sleepsuit,huddled in the next to the last seat in the back. The hood was pulled tight overthe kids head. He looked to be about four, and he stared up at Joshie withstill brown eyes.Hey, dont be scared, Joshie said. He put on his best clown grin. The boyshrank away and tucked his chin into the suit.Montego Bay, Macadams hulking lead carny, came up at that moment. Another lostkid, he said. Better call the cops.Joshie said, I dont know, Monty. Look at his clothes.The sleepsuit was smeared with yellow streaks of dried mustard. Joshie caught awhiff of sour child sweat as he loosened the knot at the boys neck which heldthe hood tight. He pushed the soft fabric away from the boys forehead to exposeshort, luxuriant golden fur.Hes a freak, Montego said.Amid the fur were two delicate pointed ears. The boy growled deep in his throatas Joshie touched the tip of his right ear.No point in calling the cops, is there ? Joshie put his arm around the boy andlifted him from the seat. The boy made little hooting noises as he nestled hishead into Joshies white and red striped ruff.Wond