Again I don't own Cirque du Freak. Thanks to kberrysghost for reviewing!

All Darren thought about that night was the freak show. He pictured all the performers. Wondering what a snake-boy and a wolf-man was. He was really excited for the performing spider. The only person to notice he was acting weird was Annie. His younger sister.

"What's up with you?" She asked him as they were washing plates after diner.

"Nothing."

"Yes, there is." She countered. "You've been acting weird all night." Darren sighed and caved. He told her about the freak show. "Sounds great. But you guys probably won't get in."

"You never know." Darren said though he knew she was most likely right.

Later on Darren popped into his mother's room where she was working on her stamp albums to see if she had any with spiders on them. She didn't. While there he got her opinion on freak shows.

"Mom, have you ever been to a freak show?"

She shook her head, "No they're illegal."

"If they weren't and one came to town, would you go?"

His mother shivered visibly. "No, those things frighten me. Besides it's not fair to the people in the show."

"What do you mean?" Darren asked.

"How would you feel," She replied, "If you were stuck in a cage for people to make fun of?"

"I guess so."

"Why are asking about freak shows anyway?" She said suspiciously. "You haven't been watching horror movies have you? Because you know that Dad and I don't-"

"No!" Darren shouted. "I was just wondering that's all."

"Okay Mr. Grumpy have it your way then." Darren left the room knowing he had upset his mother by yelling at her.

He went to his room and flopped down on his bed. Darren slowly drifted off to sleep, still fully dressed. Dreaming about the Cirque and all of the acts he couldn't wait to see.

The next morning, Darren, Alan, Tommy, and Steve waited outside the door for Elena. So far she hadn't showed. "What if Ms. Beck caught her?" Alan said worried.

"Nah," Steve said, "She probably couldn't get the tickets and doesn't want to show her face."

"Come on Steve, you know she's not like that." Darren defended. When the bell rang and Elena still didn't show. The foursome slumped and headed inside.

A few minutes into their geography class the door opened and Elena walked in with Ms. Beck. Ms. Beck said something to the teacher, Ms. Quinn as Elena sat down. Ms. Quinn nodded and smiled.

"Where were you?" Darren hissed.

"Dentists." Elena replied. "I forgot to tell you sorry."

"Elena and Darren if you would be so kind as to pay attention." They didn't speak for the remainder of the class.

At break, Elena was smothered by her friends. "Did you get the tickets?" Steve demanded.

"Where's my flyer?" Alan asked.

She held up a hand, "All good things come to those who wait."

"Stop messing around," Said Darren. "Did you get them or not?"

Elena paused. "Well, yes and no."

"What?" Tommy asked.

"I have some good news, some bad news, and some crazy news."

"Let's hear the crazy news first." Steve said.

"Well I got the money and I managed to sneak out while one of the younger kids was having a tantrum. I got to the ticket booth, but do you know who else was there?"

"Who?" Steve asked.

"Mr. Dalton!" she said, "He was there with the police. They were dragging a small guy from the booth. Then there was this loud bang, and a cloud of smoke, and the small guy disappeared! Mr. Dalton and the police searched the shed but then they just gave up and left."

"So you didn't get the tickets?" Darren said deflated.

"I didn't say that." Elena said slyly.

"You got them!"

"Yep! The guy appeared behind me, so I held out the flyer and the money and he took them." Her face fell a little. "But there was a catch the guy would only sell me three."

"He only sold you three tickets…." Alan said.

Elena nodded sadly. "That means only three of us can go." Steve said.

It was Friday evening, and they still hadn't decided who got the tickets. "Well Elena has to get one." Darren said. "She put in the most money and went and got the tickets." The boys all nodded. Elena seemingly in shock but looking pleased took one of the tickets. There were now two tickets left.

"So who gets the other two?" Alan asked.

"We could fight for them." Tommy suggested.

"I have a better idea." Elena said. She ripped up two large pieces of paper and mixed the tickets with them. "I'll throw this all in the air and whoever catches the ticket gets it agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Ready?" The boys all nodded. "GO!" She shouted. The air suddenly filled with swirling bits of paper. They jumped wildly each aiming to catch the square cut piece of cardboard desperately.

"Yes!" It seemed Steve had caught one ticket. The others were in more of a frenzy now. There was only one ticket left. Darren stopped jumping. His instinct told him to wait. Closing his eyes. Darren stuck his hands out and waited. "Is he crazy?" Steve asked Elena.

A voice in Darren's head screamed "NOW!" And Darren's hands closed. He opened his eyes. The last bit of paper fell gently to the ground. Neither Alan nor Tommy had the ticket.

"What's that in your hand Darren?" Elena asked smiling. Darren opened his hand. On a small square the words CIRQUE DU FREAK was printed. He had the other ticket.

The tickets were for Saturday so Elena had arranged to stay at Darren's for the weekend. And the two of them were staying at Steve's Saturday night. Her and Darren lounged around on Saturday, watching T.V, and just relaxing.

Annie asked Darren to bring her back something. Elena told her they'd try to get her a souvenier but she'd have to hide it from her parents.

Darren's dad dropped the off at Steve's at 6'oclock. "Have fun you two."

"We will." Elena said cheerfully.

"No horror movies you understand me. You'll get nightmares."

"Okay dad." Darren rolled his eyes. If only his father knew what he would really be doing that night.

Steve opened the door the minute Darren knocked. "About time you got here." Mrs. Leonard came in from the living room. She smiled when she saw them. When she asked if they'd like anything to eat or drink Steve told her he'd like some caviar and champagne. But the way he said it was nasty and taunting. Elena grabbed both of our arms and dragged the boys upstairs before Steve could start a fight with his Mum.

"How are we sneaking out tonight?" Darren asked.

"She's going out." Steve replied nonchalantly. Elena frowned. Darren knew she hated the way Steve treated his mom. She didn't have a mom.

We passed the time by reading Steve's old vampire comics. Even Elena read some. She was one of those girls who were one of the boys. "Does it have to be a wooden stake to kill a vampire?" She asked Steve.

He shook his head. "No, it just has to be hard enough to go through the heart."

"What about werewolves?" Darren questioned. "Do the bullets have to be silver?"

"Nope." Steve said, "Normal bullets would do it. But you'd have to use a lot of them."

The show was being held at an old theatre on the other side of town. We left early to get there on time, but Elena entertained us on the walk telling a story about a boy who was killed on the balcony of the theatre that the freak show was being held in. Supposedly, he still haunts the theatre.

The theatre had no name, there were no cars around. Steve pushed us through the hole where the door used to be. "What should we do?" Darren asked.

"We've come this far," Elena said.

"Let's go." Darren agreed.

The three friends found themselves in a long dark corridor. Steve pushed aside a curtain. It was the stairs to the balcony. "Is that the way?" Elena asked shivering. Darren wrapped an arm around her to stop the chills.

"I don't know." Steve said, "Maybe we could-"

"Can I help you children."

They nearly jumped out of their skin. Turning around they faced the tallest man in the world looking down at them. He had bony fingers and dark eyes that were almost black.

"We." Steve licked his lips. "We're here to see the Cirque Du Freak."

"Do you have tickets?"

Steve held his out for the tall man to see.

"Very good. And how about you Darren, Elena, do you have your tickets?"

"Yes," Elena said. Pulling them both out. Darren wondered how this man knew their names.

He smiled, a yellow and black smile. With gaping hole where, if his other teeth were anything to go by, several teeth had rotted out. "My name is Mr. Tall. I own the Cirque."

"How did you know my friend's names?" Steve demanded.

"I know lots of things." Mr. Tall replied mysteriously. " I know your names, I know you don't like your mommy or your daddy, I know Elena doesn't know her parents. I know that Darren doesn't know the truth about himself." Darren wondered what he didn't know about himself. After all, he should know himself very well, shouldn't he?

"Hurry now, the show is about to start. We don't normally welcome children, but we'll make an exception for ones as courageous as yourselves."

"Do we walk straight on?" Elena asked.

"Of course."

They walked on past a set of curtains. "How did he know all that stuff about us?" Darren asked.

"He must be able to read minds." Steve said.

They sat in the middle of the third row. They were excellent seats. They had a perfect view of the stage and nobody too tall sat in front of them. A green light filled the stage making it look eerie. For a while nothing happened. Then two men pulled a cage onto the stage. Trumpets blew and the cover was pulled off the cage. The first freak had been revealed.

And that's when the screaming began.