Chapter 2
The next few days were dull. We were to rest for a few more days before moving on again. I still could not get that stupid boy and his friend, Darren, out of my mind. What would drive a young man to abandon his friends and family for a life of solitude? Very odd, if you ask me.
Monday night rolled by. I went for a hunt that night. Very pretty woman she was too. I went to check on Madam Octa before I slid into my coffin. The sounds of the day were muted by my coffin and by the earth walls surrounding me. The rest of the Cirque were already fast asleep, but would be awake in a few short hours.
It was around 5 o'clock in the morning when I sensed a disturbance. I heard light footsteps and nervous breathing from down the hall. It was around where Evra was sleeping, but I knew he would not be awake for some time. He usually sleeps late, typical teenage behavior I assume. No, the sounds were definitely not coming from Evra, or anyone else in the Cirque for that matter.
The footsteps were coming closer to my coffin and Madam Octa's cage. They stopped about three feet away. I was quite certain this was a young child. I heard the squeak of the handle on Madam Octa's cage, then the soft fluttering of a paper being put down. Hmm...So we have a thief in our midst, do we?
Retreating footsteps sounded through the echo-y halls of the cellar. I knew Madam Octa was gone—I could not feel her presence—I also knew that I would have some tracking to do tomorrow night. This thief would not go unpunished!
I fell asleep soon afterward. The day was so long at the moment. The night hours were getting longer, but not by much. Once nighttime hit, I sprung out of my coffin and looked at the place Madam Octa used to be. In place of her cage was a note, it read:
Mr. Crepsley,
I know who and what you are. I have taken Madam Octa and am keeping her. Do not come looking for her. Do not come back to this town. If you do, I will tell everyone that you are a vampire and you will be hunted down and killed. I am not Steve. Steve knows nothing about this. I will take good care of the spider.
There was no signature. Steve, who is Steve? I did not remember ever knowing a Steve before. But maybe—then a conversation I had heard came back to me. Steve was the stupid boy who wanted to be a vampire! I had heard Darren talking to the boy before I left the stage! Of course! Darren had heard the whole conversation between Steve and I, so he knew the whole thing! I smirked. This Darren boy would not be getting away with stealing Madam Octa. It would not be hard to track him down.
After smelling the scent left on the note, I started off towards town. This would be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack!
The town was quiet. Hardly any cars were on the roads at this time of night. I was staring up at a house. It was the home of four people: a father, a mother, a young boy, and an even younger girl. The boy was the one I wanted. He had stolen my spider, and now he was going to pay. I zeroed in on one of the windows. I could see clearly into the room and it was definitely the room of a middle school aged boy.
Walking up to the side of the house, I pressed my fingertips onto the brick. Then I shoved my nails through it. The brick would hold my weight just fine. I started climbing up then hopped onto the window sill. The window was locked so I quickly undid the lock and stepped inside the room. I could sense Madam Octa in the closet, and the boy in the bed.
He was asleep, though it was not a very deep one. I stood over him and examined his face. His cheeks were ever so slightly chubby. His dark, black hair was falling in his face and he had a cross clenched in his hand. Ha! Like that would do him any good! Crosses and holy water did just about as much damage as would a peanut!
I leaned over him, he stirred in his sleep. Then I thought, what kind of boy would steal from a vampire? Obviously this boy was worth more study. Punishment would have to wait. Any boy who wanted to steal Madam Octa was more than a little insane. So, I will watch him. Then see if his life is worth sparing.
Okay! This is one of my shorter chapters in this story, so...sorry. That's just how it is!
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