Claud Escapes from the Circus

A Gorilla on the Run. A Boy Who Believes in Him.

Claud was taken from the wild and forced into the spotlight—an unwilling star of Dead-Eye’s circus. But behind the growls and spectacle hides a gentle soul who remembers the warmth of the African sun and dreams of something more. When Claud unexpectedly gains the power of speech, a bond with a kind-hearted young man named Ginger sets them both on a daring path to freedom.

Together, they flee the cruelty of the circus in search of a better life, pursued by Dead-Eye’s relentless henchman. Along the way, they’ll face danger, forge friendships, and discover what loyalty and courage really mean.

Follow Claud and Ginger on their unforgettable journey—where friendship, hope, and a little bit of wild magic might just be enough to outwit the darkness.

Excerpt from the book

The young gorilla looked up hopefully as the long-haired youth suddenly appeared outside his cage. But he wasn’t bringing any food, much to the gorilla’s disappointment. He was waving his arms up and down like demented pistons, crooning to himself. ‘Hot diggerty, that's cool, man… fantabulous.'

Wondering what all the excitement was about, the gorilla peered outside, but there was nothing to see. All around, the bustling activity of the circus had come to a halt. The crowds had gone home, the Big Top was down ready for moving on, and the whole place looked deserted. To his surprise, his visitor did not seem to notice. He had that glazed look in his eyes, the look that only a fellow pop addict would recognise. In his defence, it has to be said that he was not a true circus lover. He helped with the ponies, but his heart was not in it. All he seemed to be interested in were the frenzied sounds coming out of a strange looking box he was carrying.

Scratching his head, the young gorilla watched with bewildered interest. After all, was he not supposed to be the most fearsome animal in the whole circus, or so they kept saying? Most people would not come within a mile of him because of his reputation. And yet here was this young lad leaning against the bars, swaying backwards and forwards with his eyes shut, totally oblivious to anything going on around him.

It was all very puzzling for a young gorilla. Shut up behind bars and fastened with chains, he looked a menacing figure. But beneath the thick matted hair, a sad and lonely animal looked out, dreaming wistfully of the wilds of Africa where he had once lived and played with his family.

Although he was in a circus surrounded by animals of every description, he had hardly any friends. The ringmaster was always threatening him, none of the animals took any notice of him, and some of them were positively rude. The elephant was always squirting water at him, the horses were always snorting at him and as for the giraffe – he always had his head in the clouds and ignored him altogether. If it wasn't for Ginger who sneaked him food whenever he could, he would have probably starved.

He sighed and felt very lonely. Then an idea struck him and his spirits lifted. Perhaps the young man might be able to help him. It was a forlorn hope but worth a try. Shuffling closer, as far as his leg irons would allow, the young gorilla noticed that the lad was plugged into the curious box that was now half sticking out of his pocket. Strange sounds were coming out of it, and there were funny looking wires sprouting out of his ears. The gorilla sniffed hopefully. It didn't smell like food, or look like it for that matter. He sighed. What he really longed for passionately were some of those delicious tender shoots he used to get back home in Uganda.