Chapter 12: No one knows
Jane watched patiently from behind the curtains as guests filed into the tent set up for the performance. They came somewhat loudly, excitement electrifying the air. Jane smiled as she watched the people to continue to come in and take their seats. She had to admit that this was, in fact, her favorite part of the show. That and when Hibernius sometimes performed. He was always so mysterious and captivating.
She looked over her shoulder and saw Hibernius give her a nod, giving her the signal that it was time for the show. She nodded and straightened out her clothes before walking out onto the stage, the crowd becoming quieter with every step she took until finally she was center stage.
She looked among the faces of the crowd and smiled at them all.
"Hello everyone, my name is Jane and I would like to welcome you all to the Cirque du Freak and would like to thank you all for coming out here tonight. Now, before we start the show, I must warn you…this show is not for the light hearted." She said, making her voice get lower and darker towards the end. She looked among the crowd and watched as a nervous light came to their eyes. "This show will be rather frightening, maybe disturbing, and even dangerous. If this frightens you, you may leave now before we bring out the danger." She said.
She heard drunken laughter from the front row and looked down to see a couple of drunk guys a year or two older than herself laughing. "Only if you come with us, sweet cheeks!" they called, causing the rest of the crowd to laugh. "Yeah, come on now, girly, such a pretty thing like you shouldn't be at a place like this."
Jane simply smiled at them and walked off the stage and right up to the men and leaned in close, in between their heads and whispered. "I'll give you until the count of three to get the hell out of here of your own free will. If you don't leave now while you have the chance, you will regret it." As she finished, she felt her cousin materialize next to her, glaring dagger sat the two men.
That's when the brasher one grabbed her arm and tried to pull her towards him. "Hey, who do you think you are? Talking to me like that?" he asked angrily. She glared at him and said. "Three."
Mr. Tall and the rest of the performers watched in confusion as Jane walked away, back up onto the stage…while some invisible force was dragging the two men out of the tent and threw them outside.
Jane turned and looked at the audience with a bright smile on her face. "Anyone else?" she asked pleasantly. The audience was quiet. She smiled, "Well then, without further ado, I'd like to welcome our first act onto the stage, the Snake Boy!" she announced, as said snake boy slithered on stage, around her in a circle, and then stood up, smiling. "Why thank you, Madame." He said, before she walked off stage.
She walked around, checking her clipboard, checking with the performers, making sure they had everything they needed, before Hibernius finally got to her. "Jane, what was that?" he demanded. She turned to him and flushed, hiding behind her clipboard. "Umm…nothing…?" she said hesitantly. He glared at her. "Jane, this is important." He said angrily. Jane looked down and he saw she was kicking her feet. "A deady." She said quietly. Hibernius blinked. A lost soul had dragged those men off? Not her? "Interesting." He murmured, before starting to walk off. "What? What did you expect? That I somehow did it?" she laughed. He turned to her and raised a brow. She blushed. "Oh…you did."
Hibernius nodded slowly and sighed. He just messed up big time. He was trying to protect this young girl from not only her mother and the life her mother had…but also from herself. But he found it harder and harder to continue to lie to her.
Jane looked at her watch and sighed. "Well, half time is coming up and then it's my turn. Look, Hibernius, we need to talk." With that she turned on her heel and walked away and towards the stage. Mr. Tall sighed at this.
Jane smiled as she found herself on the stage once again. "Hello again, everyone. How have you all been enjoying your evening so far?" she asked, she smiled and laughed as she heard cheers and applause from the audience. "Why thank-you! We all appreciate your enthusiasm! Right now, we find ourselves with a fifteen minute intermission. Feel free to walk around the tent, stretch your legs, and take a look at our merchandise and candies that will be coming through the rows."
Jane sat on the edge of the stage, answering any short questions people had for her. That's when she met him. A very interesting looking man walked up to her, a fond look on his face. "Hello, Jane, correct?" he asked, extending his hand. Jane nodded. "Yes sir, that would me." She smiled. The man just stared at her for a long time. "You look so much like your mother and father." He noted. Jane blinked, shocked. "Excuse me?" she squeaked. He smiled and laughed. "You act more like your father, though." He noted. Jane cocked her head to the side. "You knew my parents?" she asked curiously. The man nodded and leaned against the stage with her.
"Yes, I knew them rather well, actually." He glanced around the tent and smiled. "Nothing has seemed to change," he murmured. Jane rose a brow and was about to question his statement when Eric came up to her. "Jane, who are you talking to? You look like a loony." He snickered. Jane looked at him confused, then froze and whirled around to look at the empty space that the man used to occupy. She shivered.
"I…I guess he was a deady…" she trailed off, scanning the crowd for the man. She saw him in the back, standing close to a woman. She locked eyes with the man and felt some strange pull towards him, like she knew who he was, although she was positive that she had never met the man in her life.
"Jane?" She looked away and into Eric's concerned eyes. "Are you okay? Should we tell Mr. T?" he asked. She shook her head. "No, don't tell him about this, okay?" she begged. He nodded slowly. "Whatever you say, Jane…"
She stepped back up onto the stage then and addressed the crowd. "Alright everyone, now it's time for the show to begin yet again!" there was a polite clap from the audience as the crowd began to buzz with curiosity and excitement. She, once again, met eyes with the man. He was staring at her intently as the woman by his side searched the crowd.
"Now then, for this performance, I need you all to remain quiet for a few minutes." Everyone hushed down and Jane closed her eyes and focused intent on finding a deady that wasn't the two in the back. She raised her hand and let it wander along the audience until her hand stopped towards a strong aura. She opened her eyes and saw a young man staring at her.
"You, you have been chosen to be a volunteer for this act. Do you mind coming on up here with me?" he smiled softly, as though he had a secret, and walked up. She examined him. He seemed to be around 27, wearing dark wash pants and black and red plaid shirt. He had dark eyes that almost seemed to be red, and his skin was so pale, it looked slightly purple.
She extended her hand to him. "Jane." She smiled. He clasped her hand and she couldn't help but shiver at his cold, scarred hand. "Anthony." He said, his voice low and dangerous. Jane felt Kurda materialize beside her and walk around her and Anthony.
"Jane…I don't like the looks of this…" he trailed off. She blinked twice. Explain. Kurda hesitated. "Jane, it's about time I told you about who you are. If Mr. Tall won't, then I will…" She frowned when Anthony clenched her hand. She tried to take her hand from his and couldn't. She frowned. "Do you know why you've been chosen?" she asked, ignoring Kurda's glare. Anthony shook his head. Jane nodded and told him.
"I chose you…because you have a rather violent, dangerous life. You cloaked in a black aura. DO you know what that means?" By then, the audience was absolutely quiet. Anthony furrowed his brows. "You better be quiet if you know what's good for you, Shan." He hissed. She rose a brow.
"Because you're a cold blooded killer." She said.
"JANE! LOOK OUT!" she heard a man shout. She looked up to see the man from before yelling at her. "JANE, TO YOUR RIGHT!" he shouted. Jane ripped her hand from Anthony and ducked to the left…just to avoid being sliced in half with a large axe.
She turned to the audience, who seemed rather alarmed. "Everyone, run!" she shouted as Anthony growled and made a go for her. She squeaked and got to her feet and ran to the other side of the stage…just to be caught by a man with silver hair. He flipped her over his shoulder and behind his back. She turned to see him slam Anthony to the ground.
"Who the hell do you think you are? You dare disobey a direct order? A direct order from me?" he roared. Jane felt strong arms pull her close to a warm body. She looked up to see Mr. Tall…who was livid.
"What is the meaning of this?" he boomed. The silver haired man stopped and looked up at Mr. Tall. He threw Anthony on the ground. "Mr. Tall." He greeted, the man's eyes darting towards Jane. "Mr. Tall…is that…is that her? Is that Vanessa and Darren's kid?" he asked. Mr. Tall nodded. "Yes, her name is Jane.
The man approached her slowly and stared at her. "you look so much like her…" he trailed off before turning back to Anthony, who was trying to sneak off. "You didn't answer me! I said by no means are you permitted to come even within a ten mile radius of this place! Why did you defy me?" the man roared, holding Anthony by the neck. Anthony laughed. "Her mother has a pretty hefty price on her pretty little head." The man glared and snapped Anthony's neck so fast that Jane didn't know it happened until Anthony's dead body fell to the floor.
"What just…" Jane trailed off as the man from before came up, staring warily at the silver haired man. Kurda came back to her side and gaped at the new man. "Larten? My gods, what are you doing here?" Kurda laughed, launching himself at this Larten. 'Wait, you know who this is?" Jane asked, tearing herself from Mr. Tall. Kurda grinned at her.
"Jane, this is Larten Crepsley and Arra Sails. These are your grandparents."
