Collapsing outside her tent, Rose struggled to breathe. Shock and terror had winded her and she bent over doubled, clutching her stomach in an effort to catch her breath. Even as a child, she had never believed in ghosts or spirits but she could not think of any other explanation for what she had just seen. Hearing voices nearing her, she fled inside her tent where she sat hunched beneath her coffin, shaken. She knew Darren Shan was dead so how was it possible that she had just rugby tackled him to the floor! Flickers of her old life flashed before her eyes as memories came flooding back. Steve's face, full of sadness as he told her his best friend was dead. The school assembly where her old head teacher cried during his eulogy. The funeral and the grieving mourners and his coffin! Rose rubbed her forehead as she remembered how it had been an open casket. She had payed her respects along with the rest of his class, pausing briefly in front of his pale, lifeless body to utter a small prayer. Her new life as a Vampaneze was causing her to question everything she had believed in as a human. Was it possible that the dead could walk again?
Outside she thought she heard a voice calling her name but she couldn't be certain. The voice was so far away, it could be mistaken for the cry of the wind rushing through the trees which lined the campsite's border so close to her tent. Rose tried to brush off her feelings of horror with the fact that she knew it was not possible for the dead to return to life however the fact that her and Steve were living contradictions of this pulled her fears back again. As the voice outside returned, Rose covered her ears in an attempt to block it out.
"Go away," she tried to shout but her tone was feeble and quiet. She hugged her knees and listened but it seemed as though the owner of the voice had obeyed her wishes. Alone in her little black tent, Rose suddenly laughed to herself. Look at me, she thought, hiding from a ghost! Standing up, she brushed herself down and removed a few stray twigs from her hair. Rose grimaced; she was acting like a child. Resuming her usual composed posture, she advanced towards her tent's opening and threw it open to embrace the early evening's setting sunlight. Outside stood Darren Shan. Rose screamed and pulled the canvas shut again. Her heart was in her throat and her stomach was twisted in knots of fear. Panting heavily she tried to scream again but no sound came out of her mouth.
"Rose?" called the phantom from outside. He sounded uncertain and a little embarrassed.
"Um, Rose Leighton? We were in the same class? I think..." Inside the tent, Rose's heart skipped a beat. The ghost remembered who she was? She had thought no one even knew her name in that school. Trembling a little but trying not to show it, Rose stepped into the evening's light with her chin held a little higher than usual.
"Yes?" she said as though nothing had happened. Her calm manner was met with a surprised expression but then Darren grinned.
"It is you," he smiled bashfully, "I wasn't certain. You, um, ran away quite quickly."
Rose stared at the ground and hoped her cheeks had not turned as red as they felt.
"Yes... well..." she muttered, "You fright- you surprised me. You're supposed to be dead remember. I wasn't expecting to see you this side of the ground." Her last comment had an edge so sharp to it, Daren was surprised he hadn't cut himself but he chose to ignore it, sensing Rose was a little fright- surprised to see him.
"Well, yes, I can see that but I didn't really have a choice. I couldn't just disappear. I had to make it look as though I'd died first."
Rose remembered how Steve had explained this all to her after he'd 'died'.
"Oh," was all she could manage. The pain in the boy's eyes clearly displayed how difficult it had been for him to fake his demise. In that way, she and Steve could hardly compare as neither of them had a real family to leave behind. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew nearly blew the two sideways. When Rose had combed her hair out of her eyes with her fingers, she saw Mr Crepsley standing in front of her glaring at Darren with a stern look in his eye.
"What did I say about venturing over here?" he said menacingly looming over his assistant. Darren merely shrugged and studied his feet.
"Um... not to?" he guessed. His answer was met with a stern nod from the Vampire in front of him.
"Correct," snapped Mr Crepsley. Rose sensed an opportunity to wind the man up and grabbed it with both hands.
"Oh, me and Darren were just catching up, you know," she smiled sweetly, "reminiscing about old times and that. Remember that time when-?" she broke off giggling, "Remember when-?" she laughed. Darren merely looked at her in bemusement.
"You don't remember that?" Rose laughed, keeping one eye in Mr Crepsley's growing impatience.
"You two know each other?" reflected Mr Crepsley watching Darren carefully.
"Acquaintances," started Darren but Rose interrupted him.
"Old mates," she grinned, raising her eyebrows. Mr Crepsley said nothing but narrowed his eyes in Rose's direction. It was obvious he didn't trust her, especially around Darren for some reason. Rose enjoyed teasing him but sensed Darren was becoming a bit uncomfortable. She decided to change the subject.
"So any chance of a bite to eat?"
"No!" said Mr Crepsley and Darren quickly but Rose frowned and sniffed the air.
"But I can smell a barbeque," she whined. The two Vampires opposite her visibly relaxed.
"The Cirque is serving dinner. I don't expect they'll be happy to sit with you though but I suppose we can spare a sausage," sighed Mr Crepsley.
"Thanks Crepsley," sang Rose. She walked over to join Darren and prodded him in the direction of the Cirque.
The autumn sun took its time in setting, as if reluctant to leave the world and hand the day over to the darkness of night. The residents of the Cirque took advantage of the extra hours of light and stayed out later, chatting and eating. Rose sat a little way from the rest, deep in thought, giving the others around her plenty of time and opportunity to discuss her presence behind her back. The only two not in attendance at the campfire were Mr Tall and Mr Crepsley. Darren sat with his friends, Erva and Rebecca, who were eager to hear about his encounter with the Cirque's most recent guest.
"Weird, huh?" said Erva, "Do you think she was a Vampire-"
"Vampaneze," corrected Darren.
"Vampaneze at your school?" Darren looked over his shoulder to where the violet skinned, red eyed Rose sat and shook his head.
"Nah," he said turning back, "she was different in school. She was in all my classes but I never spoke to her. She seemed really shy and kept herself to herself. Didn't have any friends, I don't think but Steve mentioned her sometimes. I think she knew him." Rebecca peeked over Darren's shoulder to look at Rose.
"Doesn't look shy to me. Just bored and a little annoyed." The trio turned to face Rose again but this time she caught them looking before they could avert their eyes. She raised her eyebrows in acknowledgment and went back to snapping twigs between her fingers.
"Yeah, she's changed. She used to be all polite and timid. Now she's acting sort of like..." he trailed off before shaking his head. Erva and Rebecca leaned forward in curiosity.
"Like who?" they asked in unison. Darren looked up to meet their inquisitive gaze.
"Well," he said, "kind of like how my friend Steve used to act. He used to be kind of cheeky and sometimes came across rude. He meant nothing by it though," he added quickly, "actually, he was quite funny sometimes. He used to call our teacher, Mr Kersey, 'Kooky Kersey'," He laughed at the memory but his friends said nothing. Rebecca just raised an eyebrow and looked over at Rose. Rose, who had grown tired of being constantly watched by the group, got up as she saw Rebecca staring at her and joined them.
"Where's Creepy Crepsley?" she asked as she sat down. The group looked at her in surprise.
"What?" Rose laughed at their bemused expressions, shrugging when they didn't reply. She turned to smile at Rebecca and introduced herself when she noticed the girl was looking at her guardedly.
"Don't worry, I just fed," she grinned toothily but unsurprisingly, the sight of her long and sharp incisors didn't put Rebecca's mind at rest.
"Err, Mister Crepsley is with Mr Tall in his tent I think. Did you want to speak with him?" asked Darren, indicating the man's tent and whereabouts.
"Nah, it's just nice to know he's not constantly watching me. Unlike some," she added meaningfully, eyeing the group next to them, "You'd think he suspected me of some horrible crime or something, the way he acts," She laughed at the three's awkward expressions and guessed that they were probably imagining what horrors she was capable of.
"Don't worry," she said reassuringly, "I only kill for food." Rebecca looked sideways at Erva who made a face.
"Sometimes for fun," furthered Rose, enjoying the uncomfortable silence immensely. Suddenly Darren stood up and beckoned for Rose to follow him.
"Um, can I have a word Rose?" He waited for the girl to stand before leading her away from the group. With no idea how to approach the subject tactfully, he decided just to jump in and speak his mind.
"Look, Rose, it's not that we don't enjoy your company, but..."
"You don't enjoy my company," stated Rose.
"No, no, we do," said Darren hurriedly, "but sometimes you make people feel a little, well, uncomfortable. I know you don't mean to though," he finished quickly before Rose could interrupt. However Rose simply smiled and nodded graciously.
"Of course Darren, I understand," she smirked as Darren sighed with relief, "Do I make you feel uncomfortable?" Caught off guard, Darren said nothing, only opening and closing his mouth several times.
"Well?" probed Rose patiently. She noted somewhat proudly how red the boy's cheeks were turning. Annoyingly, Darren was saved an answer by the intrusion of Mr Crepsley. Not even bothering to acknowledge Rose, he swept over and hauled Darren off, muttering something about lessons in learning to flit.
"Bye then," Rose called after them. She turned on her heel to march back to her tent but nearly fell over something when she tried.
"What the -?" she muttered, looking down at her feet. A pair of bright green eyes stared back at her. They belonged to a grey-skinned, short, hooded monster. The little thing looked up at Rose with an enquiring expression. It had no nose and its mouth was a jagged cut across its face stretched into a seemingly friendly grin.
"Oh, um, hello." Smiled Rose awkwardly. She bent down to pat the creature on its head but it dodged her hand and ran away.
"Strange thing," she mused. She straightened up and groaned inwardly as she saw Darren's friend, Rebecca, coming towards her. Plastering what she thought was a friendly smile on her face, Rose walked over to greet her, secretly wishing she were anywhere but there.