Chapter 13

He still hadn't explained how he could move so fast. It wasn't that he ran quickly; it was more like the world slipped by as he ran. He said all full vampires could flit. It was nice, watching the country side drift away behind us. We ran up hills and across the vast plains, faster than the wind. There was total silence while we were flitting and nobody ever noticed us. It was like we were surrounded by a magical bubble. While we flitted I thought about what Mr.Crepsley had said, about keeping people's memories alive by drinking from them. I wasn't sure how that would work, and made up my mind to ask him about it sometime later.

Flitting was hard work; the vampire was sweating and I could see him starting to struggle. To help, I took out a bottle of human blood, uncorked it, and held it to his lips so he could drink. He nodded his silence thanks and his mind saying it, wiped the sweat from his face and continued on.

Finally, as the sky was beginning to lighten he slowed to a halt. I slid down off his back and looked around. We were in the middle of a country road, fields, and trees all around us, with no houses in sight.

"Where's the Festival Du Immortel?" I asked

"A few miles farther ahead," he said pointing.

"Wow this is beautiful can I sketch it out real fast, while you sit and rest 'cause I think you ran out of steam." I asked holding back my laughter.

"Go ahead and I didn't lose all my steam. I could have made it, but I didn't want to arrive looking flustered."

"Ok sorry, but you better not rest too long, "I said sketching out the scenery and warning him. "Mornings on its way."

"I know precisely what time it is!" he snapped. "I know more about mornings and dawns than any living human. We have a hole forty three minutes yet."

"If you say so." I said closing my sketchbook and putting it away.

"I do."

He stood, annoyed, and began to walk. I waited until he was a little in front, and then ran ahead of him laughing.

"Hurry up old man," I teased. "You're getting left behind."

"Keep it up," he growled with a smile. "See what it gets you. A smack on the ear, a kick in the pants, and maybe a tickle on the sides."

When I heard that I playfully screamed loudly and ran faster.

"You know you can't beat my speed," he said laughing and coming after me.

I blinked for a second to find Mr.Crepsley nearly in front of me, so I turned again but he just laughed and appeared in front of me again but this time I wasn't quick enough, so he caught me.

I slid to the ground laughing, him holding, and tickling me. I laughed so hard that my stomach was hurting. When he stopped, I got up and we continued to walk toward the Festival.

Ten minutes further Mr.Crepsley noticed that I was getting tired so we stopped and he let me hop on his back again, then he continued to walk. I was in a good mood, happier than I'd been for months. It was nice having something to look forward to. We passed a bunch of camouflage campers on our way. They were starting to wake up and move around. A couple waved to us. They were normal people; long/short hair, strange clothes. They looked like hunters. There were banners and flags all over the place. I tried to read them, but it was kind of hard to focus on them when the person you're on keep stepping unevenly in and out of holes and uneven ground, and well I didn't want to annoy him by asking him to stop just to read a few signs.

The road was very curvy and I felt a little sick from it. After the fifth turn, we finally spotted the Festival Du Immortel, nestled in a clearing by the banks of a river. It was quiet everyone was sleeping, I imagined- and if we'd been in a car and not be looking for the vans and tents, it would have been easy to miss. It was a weird place for the circus to be, there was no hall or big tent for the immortals to perform in. I figured this must be a pit stop between two towns.

When we go there I hopped off Mr.Crepsley back and followed him. He weaved between the vans and cars with confidence. He knew exactly where he was going. I followed, less sure of myself, Mr.Crepsley stopped at a long silver van and knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately and the towering figure of Mr. Tall appeared.