Hey there! :) Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long though :/ But as a present, here's the chapter! XD Lame present, but whatever. Bite me. And no, not literally people! No matter how much I taste like chicken! ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Cirque Du Freak and sadly never will...

Darren shuddered as stumbled away from the wretched hospital building. They did terrible things to him, and it was only his first day! He followed the others to the mess hall, where he could meet everybody and get something (very small of course) to eat. He didn't want Larten to know about what horrible things happened to him –he would be very upset and might do something that might get them both into trouble. He sighed and shook his head when Vanez asked him what they did to him today.

He didn't want to relive the horrors that he had faced, and he knew that talking to Vanez would bring it all back; the maniacal glint in the doctor's eyes as he selected which gruesome experiment to perform first... the terror that rushed through him as he realized that his life was completely in that madman's grasp, there for him to do with whatever he wished... No Darren! Stop! He commanded himself, forcing himself to stay strong.

They were led into the mess hall to get a piece of bread and a cup of water. Then they were forced to leave. Darren's stomach was growling at him for getting so little food, but at least it was something rather than nothing. Vanez sat next to Darren when they got their food and cup of water, and ate with him. Darren and Vanez forced themselves to eat slower than they would have if they were ever this hungry at home.

But they weren't at home. Darren didn't know it yet, but they were all in Hell. Barely anybody lived through this type of Hell. Let alone escape. So many people tried, and so many people failed. And if you failed to escape, death was waiting for you in the form of gunshots.

Darren didn't know any of this, none at all. He grew up in a nice town and his parents were some of his best friends. Darren stopped eating (if you can call it that) and thought back to the day when his parents were killed and he, Annie, and Mr. Crepsley were taken.

A loud knock woke Darren up, forcing him from his bed. He got up and checked on his sister. She had her head on the pillow, sound asleep. He heard his parents go to the door and open it. They suddenly screamed and the sound of glass breaking woke Annie. Darren went down the stairs to see what was going on.

Some soldiers were invading their home, but Darren didn't know why. Annie came up behind him and gasped silently.

"What are they doing, Darren? Why are they in our house?" Annie asked him in a shaking voice.

"I dunno. Stay here and let me look, okay?"

Darren was always protective of his little sister. He loved her with all of his heart and if anybody touched her, he would beat them to a pulp. One time, an old friend of Darren's pushed Annie to the ground and she scrapped her knee, so Darren smashed his friend's face into the sidewalk until he was bleeding.

Darren crept down the stairs until a soldier came around the corner and saw them.

"Hier drüben! Zwei hierher!" The soldier shouted as he ran up the stairs.

He grabbed Darren and literally, threw him down the stairs, where another soldier picked him up and shoved him through the door. Annie was closely behind him. On the streets, a few people were standing, eyes wide with shock, covering their mouths, and in the case of a few, crying.
Darren's mom and dad were being held by some soldiers and were about to be put in the back of a van, when Darren got punched in the gut by a soldier. He yelled something and Darren's mom screamed and started to thrash about, struggling to get out of the soldier's grasp. A soldier yelled something at her, but she kept trying to get to her children.

Then she was shot in the head by the same soldier that was yelling at her a few seconds ago. Then Darren's dad screamed and he was shot as well.

Darren screamed and Annie cried out, "MOMMY! DADDY! COME BACK!"

Mr. Crepsley came over and took Annie in his arms. He spoke something in German and the soldier eyed him with hatred, but let him do what he pleased. came over to Darren and told him to go in the car. He would have to do as he and the soldiers said and not argue about it.

Darren nodded and followed his favorite friend over to the car. He trusted Mr. Crepsley with all of his life. He was even his God-father.

Darren sat down in the car next to Mr. Crepsley, with Annie on the other side of him. Mr. Crepsley put his hand on Darren's back and rubbed his back.

"It is going to be okay, Darren. Just watch."

Though in his heart, Mr. Crepsley knew it wasn't going to be. They took an eleven year old boy and a seven year old girl from their home and killed their parents in front of them. They were monsters, and they were trouble. But he wouldn't tell Darren until the very end what was going on... or when they got back.

That is, if they came back.

Darren snapped out of his thoughts when he saw Mr. Crepsley wandering around the grounds with his food in his hands. Darren gestured for Vanez to follow him and got up to say hi to his friend.
Darren jogged up to his friend and tapped him on the shoulder. Mr. Crepsley turned around and smiled when he saw Darren.

"Oh, Darren!" He breathed and hugged him. "I thought something had happened to you!" He said into his shoulder.

Darren smiled and hugged him a little harder. A few seconds later, Mr. Crepsley stood back up and looked behind Darren with confused eyes. Darren turned to see Vanez behind him.

"Mr. Crepsley, this is one of the people from my house, he even shared his bunk with me!" Darren said, smiling and gestured to Vanez who smiled at Mr. Crepsley and nodded.

"Hello. I am Larten Crepsley. You may call me either Larten or Mr. Crepsley as Darren does. Thank you for taking care of him, I would but this is the first time we have seen each other since we arrived."

Mr. Crepsley smiled and stuck out his hand for Vanez to shake. Vanez nodded and took the hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Vanez. Sure, I felt for Darren. Besides. I don't want him to learn the hard way... or get invited to take a shower."

Darren snapped his head in Vanez's direction.

"What's wrong with showers?"

Mr. Crepsley and Vanez shared a second of a glance. Mr. Crepsley spoke slowly, if not hesitantly. After all, how could they tell him his sister was sent to take a shower and got killed and burned instead?

"The showers...are...not a good thing. If you are ever told to take a shower, make sure that there is somebody you trust with you. Like myself or Vanez. Never go anywhere without us if you can help it okay?"

The two shared a look while Darren nodded and looked down at his bare feet. They didn't want Darren to die without anybody he knew, he was, after all, only a child.

"So, Darren, what did they do to you in the labs today?" Vanez asked again, trying to change the subject.

"Well...they um...put in some ice in my vein and tried to give me frostbite. It didn't work though, but at least we get a break tomorrow and work, right?" Darren said, avoiding all eye contact.

Mr. Crepsley gaze was melancholic as he looked at the young boy. He felt bad, but he had been told about far worse tortures back home.

"Right. It's a good thing unless you just lost an eye."

Vanez smiled at his joke and Darren laughed and shook his head. They were about to talk more when a soldier came out and began shouting things in German. Mr. Crepsley told Darren what he was saying and to follow Vanez back to their house. He would try to see him again tomorrow. If he could. And maybe he would show them his friends that he had made in his bunk. Darren nodded and ran to catch up to Vanez, who was a few feet in front of him.

That night, when everybody else was asleep, Darren was awake, staring at the bunk boards above him and thinking what they said about the showers earlier that day. He knew that something was up and that they weren't telling him anything to do with the showers because of that something. Not even a total stranger (and he did ask one) would tell him. Maybe if he could get a soldier to tell him what was wrong with them, he could figure out a way to get into them and find a way to stop them.

That's what he would do. He would go and ask when Mr. Crepsley and Vanez weren't looking. Then he could find a way to help people and they would be proud of him!

Darren smiled at his dream and closed his eyes,welcome to whatever happiness was left in his dreams.

So...sorry that it's so short...:/ But it's something right? That's a good thing...I guess XD

Annnnyyyywwwaaaay...

Please review :) They make me feel happy ^.^