Their laughter made Abe feel a little encouraged. Even if he humiliated himself they might assume it was another part of the comedy and give him some leeway. Right? Ugh, he was tying himself in knots and he hadn't even gone onstage yet.
The tank was wheeled up and Abe obligingly slipped into it. The top was covered with a cloth, to be whipped away by the MC as she presented "The Human Eel" to the crowd. (They were still working on the name.)
Abe began the act curled into a ball in the corner of the tank. The MC tapped on the glass as if to get his attention and he slowly uncurled, turning his masked face towards the crowd. A few bubbles came from his lips and exited through the narrow mouth of the mask. Eerie music played in the background, full of airy woodwinds and chimes, as he went through a series of elegant bodily contortions that twisted his joints in ways impossible for the average human. The set ended with him bent fully backwards, belly raised and his head between his feet as his arms stretched out behind him.
A whistle from the crowd nearly distracted him, and a quick check with his senses indicated it was a woman. She was grinning and red-faced. Was she aroused by the act? Impossible, he was far too inhuman, nothing like the oiled man with muscles and perfect skin. It must be a taunt.
But laughter was better than nothing. He held the pose for a few more moments and then came forward onto his knees, fists crossed across his chest as he bowed his head to the audience. The cloth fell over him again and he felt relief at the removal of the audience's gaze.
As he was rolled away, he could hear the sound of their applause. Not as much as they'd given the more risque acts, of course, but it was...pleasant. He'd never gotten applause before, little more than a grunt of approval from Manny and that for far larger accomplishments than a bit of twisting about in a fishtank.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2013-09-17 01:22 am (UTC)The tank was wheeled up and Abe obligingly slipped into it. The top was covered with a cloth, to be whipped away by the MC as she presented "The Human Eel" to the crowd. (They were still working on the name.)
Abe began the act curled into a ball in the corner of the tank. The MC tapped on the glass as if to get his attention and he slowly uncurled, turning his masked face towards the crowd. A few bubbles came from his lips and exited through the narrow mouth of the mask. Eerie music played in the background, full of airy woodwinds and chimes, as he went through a series of elegant bodily contortions that twisted his joints in ways impossible for the average human. The set ended with him bent fully backwards, belly raised and his head between his feet as his arms stretched out behind him.
A whistle from the crowd nearly distracted him, and a quick check with his senses indicated it was a woman. She was grinning and red-faced. Was she aroused by the act? Impossible, he was far too inhuman, nothing like the oiled man with muscles and perfect skin. It must be a taunt.
But laughter was better than nothing. He held the pose for a few more moments and then came forward onto his knees, fists crossed across his chest as he bowed his head to the audience. The cloth fell over him again and he felt relief at the removal of the audience's gaze.
As he was rolled away, he could hear the sound of their applause. Not as much as they'd given the more risque acts, of course, but it was...pleasant. He'd never gotten applause before, little more than a grunt of approval from Manny and that for far larger accomplishments than a bit of twisting about in a fishtank.