Circus Escape by Lilliana Rose Read Free Book Online

hot water. Come on . Just one punch .
    The hydraulics inside Sally strained against the weight of the Crab. Just a little more.
    "I don't think next time Jim will have to tell you to lose a fight. I don't think you have it in you to win," said Kris.
    Joy mumbled obscenities at Kris while trying to concentrate on holding the lever in place to prevent Sally from powering down. Sally shook under the strain.
    "Don't break your machine now." Kris moved Cate's claws to pick up another leg. She was enjoying snipping off the spider's legs way too much.
    Joy put her weight behind the lever while she moved the legs, sending them in a chaotic wave. It stopped any more legs from being cut off—for the moment.
    Kris made the claw slam down on Sally's body, the movement almost knocking the breath out of Joy, tossing her around in the seat like a sideshow ride out of control. Her head crashed into the console as the responses built into the chair struggled to keep up with the rapid and unexpected movement. A sharp pain exploded in her head and a warmth trickled down the side of her face. She lost the purchase on the lever. The hydraulics began to power down.
    No, you don't . She pushed forward to reach the lever before too much power was lost.
    "Good work, Joy. Now let Kris finish things," said Jim. The words fired into her ear through the communicator. A fire flared inside of her. No !
    This wasn't why she had been working so hard for all these years. She hadn't sacrificed relationships or being close to her family to be taken advantage of when she had put her own sweat and tears into Sally Spider. She wasn't about to roll over and be squashed. She deserved to win. Sally Spider deserved to win.
    Come on baby, let's show them who is the real winner here . She pressed the driving stick forward and tried to jump Sally back on her feet. But Kris was ready and pushed her back down.
    "I'm not letting you go anywhere. So stop wasting power and take the loss on the chin." Kris's words fuelled the change of heart in Joy. She wasn't about to turn her chin for Kris or for Jim. She'd take the consequences later, but now she wasn't going to lose without fighting. Really fighting .
    Cate's claws scrapped down the back of Sally, sending sparks into the air and the crowd into a screaming frenzy. Joy's hand, slipping with sweat, struggled to keep purchase on the lever. A claw slammed down on the exoskeleton of the Spider's back, sending heavy shockwaves through Joy. She lost her grip and her head spun from the previous injury. Bile rose to her mouth, and for a moment she closed her eyes.
    "Good girl," said Kris.
    The wave of nausea passed. Joy swallowed a mouthful of bile. She opened her eyes to see Kris moving Cate around to urge the crowd on.
    Joy wasted no time. She wacked the lever up, pressed hard on the throttle, and pushed forward. Get up . She willed Sally to do what she wanted. Please, get up .
    Sally's body shook violently with the strain and lack of power needed to stand up. Joy's body vibrated too, but she kept the throttle on and didn't take her hand off the lever.
    Cate began to turn back around.
    "Now!" Joy screamed. Sally lunged upwards with only six legs. She struggled to keep her balance.
    "Yes!" Joy flicked through the levers and switches like a mad woman righting the Spider's balance so more of the weight was at the front, which meant that she wouldn't be able to do her strike pose. But she had something else in mind.
    "You're making this worse for yourself," said Kris, raising Cate's claws.
    "What are you doing?" yelled Jim.
    "Winning." Joy smiled to herself. "I've got a little surprise for you both."
    A series of razors moved out of the six remaining legs. Then Joy made Sally move around in a circle, getting faster and faster. "You've all heard of a spinning spider. The Golden Orb."
    Joy moved Sally forward. Razors sharp enough to cut metal moved out from each leg, one after the other as Sally spun around. Joy began to feel dizzy and