The tranquil night sky looked down on the mayhem below with disgust. Fires ravaged the Cirque, destroying the peace which had existed only moments before. Shouts and yells echoed throughout the campsite signalling the various ongoing battles between the freaks and the intruders. The Vampaneze moved as one through the enemy's territory spreading terror and violence in their wake and enjoying the fear they emitted immensely. Every now and then, a section of the gruesome army would break away to engage in fighting, pillaging and feeding on the horrified freaks. This continued so that by the time the army reached Rose's tent on the far end of the campsite, it consisted of just two large and ugly Vampaneze.
Rose was inside her coffin, the lid was down and she was resting though not completely asleep. Memories and persistent worries prevented her from reaching the peaceful borders of sleep so that she lay in a sort of limbo. As she dozed, the Cirque burned around her, its ashes carried by the wind so that the site was hidden in a veil of black smoke which choked and concealed its inhabitants. The two men snuck through the tent's open entrance, intending to surprise its resident but they were surprised to stumble across a closed coffin.
"Ho ho, what's this?" said one, his voice high with glee. His companion circled the tomb and a cruel grin played on his dark lips.
"Let's see who's home!" He grabbed either side of the coffin with both hands and nodded to his friend to do the same. Together they clasped the coffin's handles, lifted it into the air and turned it over. Rose tumbled out, her face a picture of shock, where she landed on the floor with a soft thud. Her astonishment quickly turned to anger as she realized what had happened and she turned to face what she assumed were a couple of practical jokers with a look that could kill. Whirling around, brushing her hands on the back of her faded black jeans, she came face to face with two huge threatening Vampaneze. Fear slowly spread across the girl's face as she measured their intimidating size in comparison with her small and slender frame. She backed away as they advanced.
"Hello Rosie," jeered one. Rose didn't remember him as an individual but there was no mistaking he was part of the Vampaneze clan she had stayed with a few months ago. As soon as she had turned to face them, she had noticed the recognition in their eyes and subsequently a nasty smile had spread across each of their repulsive faces. A series of questions poured into Rose's mind but she was too shocked to voice any of them. Rose began to panic as they approached, their teeth bared and fists clenched in anticipation. Raising own fists in what she hoped was a threatening action, she was rather disheartened to see the two Vampaneze in front of her burst in to laughter. However seeing their spluttering gave birth to a fresh anger inside her and she took advantage of their momentary lapse. Lunging forward she enthusiastically punched the nearest one on the nose causing him to stagger backwards clutching his face. He soon recovered and, eyes watering, he advanced again, furious and red.
"Get her," he growled. Rose ducked, narrowly avoiding a fast closed fist aimed at her cheek. She kicked out with her heel, successfully catching the previously uninjured Vampaneze on his shin. He howled in pain and hit out at the girl in frustration, managing to meet her chin. Rose fell back and stumbled over the coffin lying on the floor.
"Get her!" Repeated the first Vampaneze in irritation. He lurched forward in an attempt to grab the girl's throat but missed, allowing Rose a chance to knee him in the groin. As the man doubled in pain, he received a swift blow the chin and another to his throat, winding him. Rose was about to kick out at the tottering man when she was floored by his companion. Cursing and swearing, she propped herself up and hit out at the Vampaneze with no results. Laughing with manic delight, the man grabbed her collar and pulled her upwards so that his rough, unsightly face was inches from hers. He opened his mouth to jeer, his breath nearly overpowering the girl but recoiled in disgust as his victim took the opportunity to spit in his face.
"Argh! You disgusting little-" Rose hit out again, this time poking the man in his eyes with two of her fingers. He cried out ad released her. Wasting no time, the girl spun to face the other man, ready to do some serious damage but a hard force knocked her head over heels into the pole in the middle of her tent. Her head crashed against the wooden rod, cracking it down the middle. Ignoring the blood gushing out of the fresh wound under her hair, Rose looked at the splintered wood thoughtfully. The beginning of an idea was only just forming when her attacker struck again. This time she sprang from his reach, sticking out her sharp nails as he passed and stabbing the back of his thigh. Yowling in pain the Vampaneze fell into the pole where it split completely under his weight. While he was down, Rose kicked and hit him, viciously tearing his skin with her nails like a talon encrusted beast. Resisting the sweet scent of blood which filled the tent with great difficulty, she managed to focus her attention on the second man who had just recovered his sight. He glared at her with a bloodshot gaze and snorted with rage like an angry bull. Rose found his animalistic frustration almost comical and flapped her open jacket out to the side like a matador's cape. Fully enraged, the man charged, aiming for her throat but to his surprise, the girl suddenly disappeared. A loud snap from above him made him look up, but alas he was not in time to move out of the way. Rose and jumped upwards and hung onto the long thin wooden pole which held up her tent. It had snapped under her weight, causing the two poles at the entrance and back of the tent to fall. Using her nails as a knife, Rose escaped through the canvas and watched with satisfaction as the tent trapped the two men in the folds of its material. Two shapes lay still beneath it. The falling poles had landed as if by some miracle on the back of their heads, knocking them unconscious instantly.
Outside, the night air should have been cool but the fires still burning around the Cirque gave off enough heat to cause sweat to gather along Rose's brow. She wiped the perspiration away with the back of her hand and surveyed the mess around her. Colourful tents lay trampled and scorched in the mud surrounded by broken glass and slumped figures. The air was filled with black smoke which hung suspended above the grass by a few feet. A few running blurry shapes were just visible through it but the night was eerily silent. Rose wasn't sure if the danger had passed or won.
Running as fast and as quietly as possible, Rose headed in the direction of Mr Tall's tent. If anyone knew what was happening, it was him however she hadn't even run half way there when she heard a scream ring out from a nearby tent. She re-routed her course and hastily made her way over to the source of the noise ready to aid whoever was in trouble. The tent was slashed and ripped and its contents cluttered the floor. Rose hoped over a fallen clothes rail and discarded ironing board and spotted a hunched figure amidst the debris. His face a picture of shock and grief, Evra lay huddled in a corner clutching his arm. Blood seeped through his top and Rose had to pinch her nose to prevent herself from lunging at the wound. She was growing hungry after the fight.
"What happened?"She asked in a rush seeing the boy's expression of utter despair. Evra turned to her with wide eyes, unsure he could trust her.
"You... the Vampaneze!" He gasped. Rose frowned at his half-hearted accusation.
"They attacked me while I was asleep," she breathed, "I've only just got away." The bruises on her bare arms acted as evidence of the Vampaneze's betrayal. Nasty dark blue and black marks were spreading along her arms and Rose could feel the beginnings of a shiner forming around one eyes. She winced slightly as she brought her hand to her face where the bump was already clear. Evra sat up and peered closely at the girl's face. He seemed satisfied by her excuse and the marks on her body and torn clothing only justified her explanation. He proceeded to tell her exactly what had happened.
"And I don't know where they took her," he finished. Rose sat back, her head reeling with new information yet she was frustrated that she had no real answers. Why had the Vampaneze attacked? Why had they taken Rebecca?
"That's not all," whispered Evra. He looked around him nervously as if he expected to be attacked again at any minute. Rose lent towards him as he beckoned her closer.
"They asked me to give a message to Darren. They said to tell him to go home."
"Home?" Repeated Rose loudly. Evra shushed her and begged her to be quiet. Sitting beside him, Rose reassured him they were gone but she was too preoccupied with thought to be any real comfort. So it was Darren the enemy was after. They had destroyed the Cirque to simply deliver a message. And kidnap one of his best friends.
"They want him to find them," she reasoned aloud, "why?"
"I don't know," shrugged Evra, who seemed to have got over the worst of his shock and anxiety. He nursed his bleeding arm and drew breath harshly through his teeth as fresh pain shot through the cut. Rose noticed, mostly due to the sudden rush of the sweet smell of fresh blood as it pulsed through the boy's veins and leaked through onto his clothes. She held her breath as she moved nearer the door.
"You need to get that seen to," she remarked, leaning further out the door, "I'll go and find someone that can help."
"Can't you-?" began Evrabut he was interrupted almost immediately.
"No," said simply as she exited through a hole in the wall. Outside Rose inhaled deeply, letting the biting cold air fill her lungs, dispelling any scent of blood that hung in her nostrils. The smell had been too much and now she feared she was more bloodthirsty than ever. After not tasting any fresh blood in weeks, Rose felt herself beginning to grow physically and mentally weaker. Her physical strength had deteriorated even more in the last hour after the fight with the two Vampaneze and had left her sore and bruised. Mentally, she was struggling with the idea that blood vials were enough to satisfy her hunger. The congealed mess in the small glass bottles were barely a child's portion of meal!
Around her, thick black smoke still hung in the air though it was partially dispersed by the cold winds that ravaged the Cirque's remains. Freaks were beginning to emerge from their hiding places or else picking themselves up off the floor. Rose headed over to the man nearest her.
"Rhamus!" She cried. The man was brushing himself off and he looked up at her with a similar expression to Erva's.
"You!" He began but an exasperated Rose cut him off.
"Evra's hurt Rhamus, he's bleeding. Please...? I can't..." She broke off and stared at the large man pleadingly. At last he seemed to reach the conclusion that his fellow freak's wellbeing was more important than securing Rose and that any possible lynching could be done later when a mob could be fully assembled. Rose hurried in the opposite direction to the man, certain he would entertain his notion of her being an enemy as soon as he had finished tending to Erva and would undoubtedly rope in a few more angry freaks who also sought justice for the night's events. Rose knew she was not safe at the Cirque for the time being. Even Mr Tall would not be able to calm the furious crowd if they decided to punish her for the Vampaneze's attack.
She weaved in and out of burning and burnt tents, staying low and alert until finally, an exit to the Cirque revealed itself through the disorder no fewer than a few hundred yards away. Seeing no one was around, Rose made a break for it. She hurdled several broken pieces of furniture and dodged any collapsed caravans in her way. Suddenly she felt something grasp her ankle. What felt like two tiny hands closed around her leg whilst she was in mid jump and Rose fell to the sodden earth with a thud. She looked down at her leg in confusion and then proceeded to glance around her when she saw that there was nothing holding onto her leg. She decided she must have only tripped and that panic had deluded her into thinking someone was pulling her back. She crawled onto her knees, still crouching low when all of a sudden there was the sound of tyres crunching gravel and a car's headlights swung into view illuminating her in the darkness. Smoke swirled in the beam light and Rose closed her eyes against the unexpected brightness. Caught like a rabbit in the headlights, Rose squinted up at the sound of a car door being slammed shut and could see a dark figure moving towards her ominously. As the figure stepped in front of the light, blocking it, Rose stood up hastily and forced her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
"Oh no!" Cried the voice of the man in front of her, "I've missed the fun!" Rose gasped at the familiar menacing tone.