AN: Some jerk just yelled at me for not knowing how to fully use
fanfic.net. Sorry for being grouchy but I didn't see the misc. novel
section. The book is called Cirque du Freak and it's by Darren Shan.
Anyway, I hope you people enjoy it. Go out and read the series. It's really
good.
Cirque du Freak
A New Friend
I have been laying here for the past 20 minutes. Generally I'd be with Evra searching for small animals to feed to the Little People. We would usually do that after all our duties were accomplished but not today. Well, I should really say tonight.
What could be keeping Mr. Crepsley? He told me that he would be here at 10:00 and it's now midnight. I wonder if he encountered some trouble. I grin at the thought. It's not that I hate Mr. Crepsley; it's just that he's part of the reason that I'm stuck like this.
"Get up Darren,' Mr. Crepsley says as he walks into the little tent Evra, the snake-boy, and I share. Evra was out for the night running errands for Mr. Tall.
Evra's my friend. We both travel with a freak show called "Cirque du Freak." Evra Von is one of the performers. He has a giant snake and he himself looks like a snake. He is a few years older than me and is very thin. His hair is a yellow-green color, his eyes are narrow, his fingers and toes are webbed, and he is covered in scales colored green, gold, yellow, and blue. Other than that he's a really great person once you've gotten used to his appearance.
"Come on Darren. There's somebody I want you to meet," Mr. Crepsley says as I follow him to the outside of the tent.
Mr. Crepsley is sort of like my teacher. He's a vampire and I am a half- vampire. I agreed to become his assistant if he gave me the antidote that would save my friend's life. Steve was bitten by Mr. Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa. After that I had to fake my death and leave my friends and family to go with Mr. Crepsley because I would not have made it on my own.
Life as a half-vampire is okay but I'd rather be a normal kid. I especially dislike having to drink human blood. I've only done it once to save the memories of a dying friend. We vampires must drink from human blood to stay alive but we don't need it as often as one would think and we don't kill our victim. Actually, the process is pretty cool. Full vampires can breathe out a gas that puts the victim asleep and then uses super sharp nails to make a cut. Once we've drunk what we need a full vampire can use their spit to fix the wound.
"Why are you walking so slowly?" Mr. Crepsley yells at me. "Are you ill?" I shake my head and pick up my pace. It is not a good idea to irritate him. The only reason I was walking slowly is because I'm tired. I think it might be time for a feeding. I feel drained. After he's done with me I think I'll find a rabbit or something to drink from. Hopefully he won't notice my weakness and try to get me to drink from another human.
We walk through the camp towards the edge of the array of tents and into the forest. My eyes widen to what I see. There are two people standing there. The first character is a man. He's a lot like Mr. Crepsley. He's very tall and pale but he seems to be much younger than Mr. Crepsley. He's smiling and nods when Mr. Crepsley and I walk up to them.
The other figure, a hauntingly beautiful girl, was the first to say something. "Mr. Crepsley," she nodded. "Darren. Hello," her soft voice is very soothing. It made me think of a lullaby and I just wanted to drift to sleep. The girl looked like she was a couple years younger than me but I'm not too sure if that's so. Looks can be deceiving, especially if you're a vampire of half-vampire because you age slowly.
I couldn't stop staring at her eyes. Although she seemed so much younger than me, her eyes reflected many years of life. I was frozen like a deer locked onto the headlights of a car. Her eyes are a pale ghost-blue. Beautiful yet cold and distant. Could she be a vampire or even… a half- vampire like me?
"Darren," Mr. Crepsley turned to me. "This is Tira. I want you two go back to your tent, Darren. They're staying with the Cirque du Freak for a while. I'll talk to you about it later, though. Mr. Grims and I have some business to discuss, at the moment, and it doesn't concern you."
I spoke, "Yes sir." I turned towards Tira and signaled for her to follow me. Tira bowed to the two older men and turned to leave. We then headed back to Evra's and my tent.
***
Tira stood at the tent flap and I sat on my hammock. So far we had just been there in silence and then I finally decided to make conversation. "Are you," my voice trailed off. I'm so stupid. How can I ask her if she is one? I don't even know if she knows that Mr. Crepsley and I are vampires. That would have been dangerous. I take a deep breath; relieved that I didn't say anything.
"A half-vampire," she finished my question for me. So she did know what Mr. Crepsley and I were. She walked over to me and sat down. "I am." I couldn't say a word. He voice was so captivating that all I could do was stair. On top of that she was the first female vampire I have met.
Since she is half-vampire I bet she's not as old as she looks. Should I ask her? "How," I try not to stutter. I feel very weak. "How old are you?"
She looks at me with what seems to be concern. "I'm __. Darren," her eyes pour into mine, "you don't look well. Have you fed lately?" She looks down. "On humans I mean."
She can tell? Is that something we can do? Tell if another one of us needs human blood. The room gets blurry as I start to feel the effects of not feeding.
"You haven't fed Darren. Stay here, I've got a vile I can give you." She stood up and quickly ran out of the tent towards the trailer Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Tall are in. I lie down on my hammock and begin to worry. I don't want to have to drink human blood. It's not human.
***
I hear a voice through the foggy haze I am now in. "Please drink, Darren." A hand is on my head propping me up and trying to force me to drink something. My eyes will only open a little and I see a form with jet-black hair trying to get me to drink. I refuse. She speaks again, her voice is so soothing, "Please Darren. I know you don't like to drink human blood but you don't want to die either. Drink."
I hear another presence in the room. Is it Mr. Crepsley?
No.
The voice is too young. I finally recognize it. The voice is Evra. He must have came back while I was unconscious. "Why won't he drink?" I hear him ask.
"Would you drink from a human?" Tira answers him. Her voice still has a soothing tone but seems sharper. Is she worried about me? We only just met.
Evra shakes his head, "I guess I wouldn't."
She puts the vile to my lips again. "Darren Shan, I know you can hear me. You have to drink or else you'll die. Don't worry about it being from a human. You are not a human." A drop of warm water falls onto my face. Could she be crying?
"Just drink Darren," another figure walks up to me. I assume that it's Evra speaking but I can't really tell. The figure is too short to be Mr. Crepsley or that other man, Mr. Grims. Who else would be here?
I open my mouth to let Tira ease the red liquid in. I swallow. Slowly after, I begin to feel a little better. I'm still a little dizzy and can't stand up yet but I can clearly see the two now.
Tira is sitting on the hammock with me and she is the one holding my head up. In her right hand is the vile. There is still about three quarters worth of blood in it and she tries to get me to drink again. I easily accept this time.
Evra is standing at the foot of the hammock. His snake is wrapped all around him and he smiles as he sees me coming to my senses. "Are you okay Darren," he asks.
"Yeah," I reply. I try to sit up but Tira holds me down.
"You have to drink it all," she says soothingly. "You'll just be okay for a couple of hours if you don't drink it all." She eases the vile to my lips again and I drink. When the vile is empty she gently puts it in a pouch and stands. She slowly places my head on the pillow. I try to sit up but she gently pushes me back down. "Don't be so quick to get up. You're still weak and it'll take a while until your strength is back." She smiles. It seems to light up her whole face. She no longer looks like that haunted girl I first saw. Tira chuckles and leaves.
***
Evra just stood in front of me. I felt well enough to sit up but I still couldn't stand. "What?" I finally asked him. "Don't stare at me. What do you want?"
"Are you really okay?" He looked at me.
"I'm fine," I didn't mean to snap at Evra. "Sorry," I lowered my head.
"Who's that girl?" He inquired. He walked closer to me.
"Her name is Tira. She's also a half-vampire. Mr. Crepsley says that she's staying with the Cirque du Freak for a while," I grinned. "Why?"
"I was curious. She hasn't been around here before." He grinned, "You wanna go find her and thank her?"
His question shocked me. Should I find her now? I put both legs firm on the ground and grabbed onto the hammock. "I guess I should go," I shrugged and shakily walked out of the tent and towards Mr. Crepsley's trailer.
As I had suspected, Tira was inside along with Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Grims. "You're looking… better," she offered.
I gave her a smile. Mr. Crepsley broke the silence, "Tira told us what happened. I am disappointed in you Darren. You didn't say anything and you could have died!" His last words stung. I could have died.
I lowered my head, "I know. I'm sorry. Tira, thank you." I hope she understands how grateful I really am. Even if I had to drink human blood.
Mr. Grims spoke, "If you will excuse me," his voice is very deep, "I have to go meet with Mr. Tall." He and Mr. Crepsley stood up. The two walked out of the trailer.
As the two men left, Tira picked up some dirty vials and began cleaning them. "Tira," I said. She looked up from her work. "What was it like the first time you drank from human blood?"
She looked at me. "My first time?" Her eyes were distant for a moment. "It wasn't a big event or anything. Mr. Grims and I were out on a routine hunt and I drank. It's nothing like your first drink," she lowered her head. "I'm sorry about your friend dying." My eyes widened. How did she know? She chuckled, "Didn't Mr. Crepsley tell you anything about us?" I shook my head. "Well," she sighed and put down the vials, "I've got psychic abilities. I see things people don't normally see."
"Did Mr. Grims blood you?" I had to know about her. Why is she a half- vampire? Did she want to leave her family? "Why?"
Her eyes once again became distant. "Why did I let him blood me?" I nodded. Her voice was soft. She again lulled me into a half-consciousness. "Mr. Grims raised me. I've lived on the streets most of my life. I used my abilities were the only thing that helped me keep living. Then Mr. Grims found me. I immediately knew who and what he is. I asked him if he would help me. He agreed but wouldn't blood me until I was 12. That's why I look so young." I was mesmerized by her voice. Is this part of her abilities, to be able to mesmerize someone like this?
AN: So what do you people think? Is the ending okay? Don't worry, there's more coming.
Cirque du Freak
A New Friend
I have been laying here for the past 20 minutes. Generally I'd be with Evra searching for small animals to feed to the Little People. We would usually do that after all our duties were accomplished but not today. Well, I should really say tonight.
What could be keeping Mr. Crepsley? He told me that he would be here at 10:00 and it's now midnight. I wonder if he encountered some trouble. I grin at the thought. It's not that I hate Mr. Crepsley; it's just that he's part of the reason that I'm stuck like this.
"Get up Darren,' Mr. Crepsley says as he walks into the little tent Evra, the snake-boy, and I share. Evra was out for the night running errands for Mr. Tall.
Evra's my friend. We both travel with a freak show called "Cirque du Freak." Evra Von is one of the performers. He has a giant snake and he himself looks like a snake. He is a few years older than me and is very thin. His hair is a yellow-green color, his eyes are narrow, his fingers and toes are webbed, and he is covered in scales colored green, gold, yellow, and blue. Other than that he's a really great person once you've gotten used to his appearance.
"Come on Darren. There's somebody I want you to meet," Mr. Crepsley says as I follow him to the outside of the tent.
Mr. Crepsley is sort of like my teacher. He's a vampire and I am a half- vampire. I agreed to become his assistant if he gave me the antidote that would save my friend's life. Steve was bitten by Mr. Crepsley's spider, Madam Octa. After that I had to fake my death and leave my friends and family to go with Mr. Crepsley because I would not have made it on my own.
Life as a half-vampire is okay but I'd rather be a normal kid. I especially dislike having to drink human blood. I've only done it once to save the memories of a dying friend. We vampires must drink from human blood to stay alive but we don't need it as often as one would think and we don't kill our victim. Actually, the process is pretty cool. Full vampires can breathe out a gas that puts the victim asleep and then uses super sharp nails to make a cut. Once we've drunk what we need a full vampire can use their spit to fix the wound.
"Why are you walking so slowly?" Mr. Crepsley yells at me. "Are you ill?" I shake my head and pick up my pace. It is not a good idea to irritate him. The only reason I was walking slowly is because I'm tired. I think it might be time for a feeding. I feel drained. After he's done with me I think I'll find a rabbit or something to drink from. Hopefully he won't notice my weakness and try to get me to drink from another human.
We walk through the camp towards the edge of the array of tents and into the forest. My eyes widen to what I see. There are two people standing there. The first character is a man. He's a lot like Mr. Crepsley. He's very tall and pale but he seems to be much younger than Mr. Crepsley. He's smiling and nods when Mr. Crepsley and I walk up to them.
The other figure, a hauntingly beautiful girl, was the first to say something. "Mr. Crepsley," she nodded. "Darren. Hello," her soft voice is very soothing. It made me think of a lullaby and I just wanted to drift to sleep. The girl looked like she was a couple years younger than me but I'm not too sure if that's so. Looks can be deceiving, especially if you're a vampire of half-vampire because you age slowly.
I couldn't stop staring at her eyes. Although she seemed so much younger than me, her eyes reflected many years of life. I was frozen like a deer locked onto the headlights of a car. Her eyes are a pale ghost-blue. Beautiful yet cold and distant. Could she be a vampire or even… a half- vampire like me?
"Darren," Mr. Crepsley turned to me. "This is Tira. I want you two go back to your tent, Darren. They're staying with the Cirque du Freak for a while. I'll talk to you about it later, though. Mr. Grims and I have some business to discuss, at the moment, and it doesn't concern you."
I spoke, "Yes sir." I turned towards Tira and signaled for her to follow me. Tira bowed to the two older men and turned to leave. We then headed back to Evra's and my tent.
***
Tira stood at the tent flap and I sat on my hammock. So far we had just been there in silence and then I finally decided to make conversation. "Are you," my voice trailed off. I'm so stupid. How can I ask her if she is one? I don't even know if she knows that Mr. Crepsley and I are vampires. That would have been dangerous. I take a deep breath; relieved that I didn't say anything.
"A half-vampire," she finished my question for me. So she did know what Mr. Crepsley and I were. She walked over to me and sat down. "I am." I couldn't say a word. He voice was so captivating that all I could do was stair. On top of that she was the first female vampire I have met.
Since she is half-vampire I bet she's not as old as she looks. Should I ask her? "How," I try not to stutter. I feel very weak. "How old are you?"
She looks at me with what seems to be concern. "I'm __. Darren," her eyes pour into mine, "you don't look well. Have you fed lately?" She looks down. "On humans I mean."
She can tell? Is that something we can do? Tell if another one of us needs human blood. The room gets blurry as I start to feel the effects of not feeding.
"You haven't fed Darren. Stay here, I've got a vile I can give you." She stood up and quickly ran out of the tent towards the trailer Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Tall are in. I lie down on my hammock and begin to worry. I don't want to have to drink human blood. It's not human.
***
I hear a voice through the foggy haze I am now in. "Please drink, Darren." A hand is on my head propping me up and trying to force me to drink something. My eyes will only open a little and I see a form with jet-black hair trying to get me to drink. I refuse. She speaks again, her voice is so soothing, "Please Darren. I know you don't like to drink human blood but you don't want to die either. Drink."
I hear another presence in the room. Is it Mr. Crepsley?
No.
The voice is too young. I finally recognize it. The voice is Evra. He must have came back while I was unconscious. "Why won't he drink?" I hear him ask.
"Would you drink from a human?" Tira answers him. Her voice still has a soothing tone but seems sharper. Is she worried about me? We only just met.
Evra shakes his head, "I guess I wouldn't."
She puts the vile to my lips again. "Darren Shan, I know you can hear me. You have to drink or else you'll die. Don't worry about it being from a human. You are not a human." A drop of warm water falls onto my face. Could she be crying?
"Just drink Darren," another figure walks up to me. I assume that it's Evra speaking but I can't really tell. The figure is too short to be Mr. Crepsley or that other man, Mr. Grims. Who else would be here?
I open my mouth to let Tira ease the red liquid in. I swallow. Slowly after, I begin to feel a little better. I'm still a little dizzy and can't stand up yet but I can clearly see the two now.
Tira is sitting on the hammock with me and she is the one holding my head up. In her right hand is the vile. There is still about three quarters worth of blood in it and she tries to get me to drink again. I easily accept this time.
Evra is standing at the foot of the hammock. His snake is wrapped all around him and he smiles as he sees me coming to my senses. "Are you okay Darren," he asks.
"Yeah," I reply. I try to sit up but Tira holds me down.
"You have to drink it all," she says soothingly. "You'll just be okay for a couple of hours if you don't drink it all." She eases the vile to my lips again and I drink. When the vile is empty she gently puts it in a pouch and stands. She slowly places my head on the pillow. I try to sit up but she gently pushes me back down. "Don't be so quick to get up. You're still weak and it'll take a while until your strength is back." She smiles. It seems to light up her whole face. She no longer looks like that haunted girl I first saw. Tira chuckles and leaves.
***
Evra just stood in front of me. I felt well enough to sit up but I still couldn't stand. "What?" I finally asked him. "Don't stare at me. What do you want?"
"Are you really okay?" He looked at me.
"I'm fine," I didn't mean to snap at Evra. "Sorry," I lowered my head.
"Who's that girl?" He inquired. He walked closer to me.
"Her name is Tira. She's also a half-vampire. Mr. Crepsley says that she's staying with the Cirque du Freak for a while," I grinned. "Why?"
"I was curious. She hasn't been around here before." He grinned, "You wanna go find her and thank her?"
His question shocked me. Should I find her now? I put both legs firm on the ground and grabbed onto the hammock. "I guess I should go," I shrugged and shakily walked out of the tent and towards Mr. Crepsley's trailer.
As I had suspected, Tira was inside along with Mr. Crepsley and Mr. Grims. "You're looking… better," she offered.
I gave her a smile. Mr. Crepsley broke the silence, "Tira told us what happened. I am disappointed in you Darren. You didn't say anything and you could have died!" His last words stung. I could have died.
I lowered my head, "I know. I'm sorry. Tira, thank you." I hope she understands how grateful I really am. Even if I had to drink human blood.
Mr. Grims spoke, "If you will excuse me," his voice is very deep, "I have to go meet with Mr. Tall." He and Mr. Crepsley stood up. The two walked out of the trailer.
As the two men left, Tira picked up some dirty vials and began cleaning them. "Tira," I said. She looked up from her work. "What was it like the first time you drank from human blood?"
She looked at me. "My first time?" Her eyes were distant for a moment. "It wasn't a big event or anything. Mr. Grims and I were out on a routine hunt and I drank. It's nothing like your first drink," she lowered her head. "I'm sorry about your friend dying." My eyes widened. How did she know? She chuckled, "Didn't Mr. Crepsley tell you anything about us?" I shook my head. "Well," she sighed and put down the vials, "I've got psychic abilities. I see things people don't normally see."
"Did Mr. Grims blood you?" I had to know about her. Why is she a half- vampire? Did she want to leave her family? "Why?"
Her eyes once again became distant. "Why did I let him blood me?" I nodded. Her voice was soft. She again lulled me into a half-consciousness. "Mr. Grims raised me. I've lived on the streets most of my life. I used my abilities were the only thing that helped me keep living. Then Mr. Grims found me. I immediately knew who and what he is. I asked him if he would help me. He agreed but wouldn't blood me until I was 12. That's why I look so young." I was mesmerized by her voice. Is this part of her abilities, to be able to mesmerize someone like this?
AN: So what do you people think? Is the ending okay? Don't worry, there's more coming.