THIS HAS MULTIPLE PARTS. THIS IS SORT OF AN INTRODUCTION.
Happy birthday Shammie! I love you I hope you enjoy this.
The Cirque du Freak was never normal. How could it be? It was a circus for freaks, where the unexpected was always expected.
Even though Sam had been a member for almost a year now, everything still shocked her. Truska's beard never ceased to amaze her, and Cormac Limbs was always a joy to see.
But most of all, she enjoyed seeing Larten Crepsley. It wasn't just his act, or his spider, or the fact that he was a vampire… it was something about him.
It was August, and as far as Sam new, they were somewhere in Scotland. The morning rays seeping through the flaps of her tent woke her. As soon as she dressed, she went to the kitchen to cut onions and cook eggs.
That was when she saw him. Tall, radiant, confident, his red cloak flowing behind him. She watched him walk over, run a finger over his scar, and mumble "good morning" to the people around him.
"You seem to be very interested in Mr Crepsley," Belinda, a girl who washed dishes next to Sam, whispered. Sam felt a blush creep to her cheeks.
"He… he's dressed very nicely today." She heard Belinda snicker, then, to her relief, go back to work.
The day was uneventful, and soon, night fell. Sam's hands ached from labour. She trudged back to her tent.
"… it's been twelve years already…"
"…can replace me with someone else…"
"…how long…"
The snippets of conversation that she heard made her halt abruptly.
"... a year at least…"
She tripped over her own feet and fell. She felt agonizing pain on her forehead as she hit it against a metal bar…
… then blackness.
