Categories > Books > Cirque du Freak > Freak
Freak: chapter 8
We traveled on foot for the entire way up to the mountain. Darren told me stories about how when he had first traveled up the mountain it had been the middle of winter! Sucked to be him I guess. It was late spring, early summer now. Bugs and heat were awful but I took it like a vampire. We'd been traveling for... Gods I really can't remember, nights just kind of melted together. But we were about 30 to 40 miles off before we would hit the very base of the mountain and about 50 to 60 miles off from the first cave that'd provide us with shelter.
I'd been awake for an hour or so, looking at the sky, wondering where the cirque was now, what my friends were doing... I deeply regretted not saying goodbye to them. It was odd, maybe I chose not to do so because I hated to say the words. I still do. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I had forgotten something...
I was broken out of my thoughts by the sound of movement. I jumped up, my staff out and ready to fight. Another sound, this time it was closer, I sniffed the air like Mr. C had showed me. All I could smell was dirt and vegetation and maybe some kind of large animal. It might be a deer, but then again it might not. It wasn't about to take my chances.
I tapped Mr. C with my foot as I made my around camp trying to properly pinpoint the sound, it seemed to come from everywhere. "Wake up!" I pushed him a bit. He grumbled. "I heard something moveing. It's getting closer!" another sound, like a footstep. Closer still. That got Mr. C up; he looked around, and then woke Darren. We all stood back to back, turning our heads as much as we could to see around us. I heard a twig snap just beyond the corner of my vision. I froze; out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow jump out of the bushes. I swung around as fast as could, I hit the figure over the back of its head and neck with a resounding crack!
"Ah! Son of a..!" the figure was caught off guard, he cursed and fell. I pounced and held my staff to its throat. Not much of a weapon for slitting a throat... but better than nothing. "Larten! Darren! It's only me!" the male figure choked out. "Vancha!" Darren questioned. "No it's Arra! Yes, Darren it's me, Vancha! Now get this staff off my throat!" Larten pulled me back. "All is well, Nyx, it is only Vancha, he is prince, like Darren and he is a friend of ours." Mr. C explained. I watched as Darren helped Vancha up. As he walked in to the moon light I saw that Vancha had green hair, wore purple fur clothing and was very filthy. No wonder I couldn't pick out his scent from the forest around us, he smelled just like it!
He rubbed the back of his head and winced. There would be a lump there soon, but he was smiling. "Sire Vancha, this is Nymphadora, my new assistant. The first born vampire..." I sent a small glare towards Mr.C; I hated being called by my full name. It was just too long and formal for my taste. Vancha smiled widely at me, and shook my free hand. "Well I'll be... The first born vampire... A pleasure to meet you Nymphadora. Don't call me Sire, no matter what these two tell you. Call me Vancha that's one hellofa swing you have." he chuckled softly. Vancha seemed like a raw kind of guy, and he knew how to take a hit without holding a grudge. I took an immediate likening to him. "Pleasure, sorry for the blow. Call me Nyx." I smiled back, returning his firm grip. He nodded. "You smell like metal. I believe in hand to hand combat." he spoke bluntly and disapprovingly.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "And you smell like shit warmed over. I believe in taking baths." I shot back. "Nymphadora!" Mr. C growled, scolding me. Vancha looked at me for a moment and laughed. "The girl has a dagger tongue! That is good she knows how to walk and talk at the same time. She'll do well with us." he laughed, and clapped me on the back. "Oh, I can tell you two will get along famously! May the gods have mercy on us all!" Darren groaned. Vancha was traveling with us, and Darren was right, we did get along. But I still didn't trust him, or Darren. Mr. was acting a little strange, but I figured he was just happy to be coming home and seeing old friends.
It was I believe a few weeks later or maybe just a day or two I don't know, we made it to the first way house. It was just a cave with four coffins in it. Vancha refused to sleep in one. He thought they were too comfortable. He also walked in the sun to strengthen himself so to defeat the sun. I think he's nuts, but I'm not one who can pass judgment, I mean I once dated a guy covered in scales!
Well, once again I was awake before everyone else, looking out at the early evening sky, a mix of deep blues, and purples, covered in sparkling stars, a full moon and wisps of clouds. I found that again I was thinking about Shanus. I missed him. I missed him a lot. I shouldn't but I did. Why? I sighed, so lost in my thoughts; I didn't even hear Darren Shan approach.
He placed a hand on me. "Penny for your thoughts?" His hand gently squeezed and rubbed my shoulder as he sat next to me. I didn't answer; I really didn't want to say anything. "Homesick." It was more of a statement then a question. "I suppose." I felt a slight squeeze on my shoulder as he rubbed it with a little more vigor. "You're thinking about Shanus are you not?" Darren looked at me in earnest, he'd know if I lied. We'd got only slightly more comfortable with each other over the past few months or was it weeks? "A bit." I responded. "It gets easier to deal with… the hurt, I mean. The pain, never fully goes away, but it hurts less and less as time goes by."
That was all he said, and that's all he really needed to….
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ok peoples! Chapter 8 for ya, chapter 9 will be up soon.
Remember tip your writers! So scroll that mouse down and R&R!
We traveled on foot for the entire way up to the mountain. Darren told me stories about how when he had first traveled up the mountain it had been the middle of winter! Sucked to be him I guess. It was late spring, early summer now. Bugs and heat were awful but I took it like a vampire. We'd been traveling for... Gods I really can't remember, nights just kind of melted together. But we were about 30 to 40 miles off before we would hit the very base of the mountain and about 50 to 60 miles off from the first cave that'd provide us with shelter.
I'd been awake for an hour or so, looking at the sky, wondering where the cirque was now, what my friends were doing... I deeply regretted not saying goodbye to them. It was odd, maybe I chose not to do so because I hated to say the words. I still do. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I had forgotten something...
I was broken out of my thoughts by the sound of movement. I jumped up, my staff out and ready to fight. Another sound, this time it was closer, I sniffed the air like Mr. C had showed me. All I could smell was dirt and vegetation and maybe some kind of large animal. It might be a deer, but then again it might not. It wasn't about to take my chances.
I tapped Mr. C with my foot as I made my around camp trying to properly pinpoint the sound, it seemed to come from everywhere. "Wake up!" I pushed him a bit. He grumbled. "I heard something moveing. It's getting closer!" another sound, like a footstep. Closer still. That got Mr. C up; he looked around, and then woke Darren. We all stood back to back, turning our heads as much as we could to see around us. I heard a twig snap just beyond the corner of my vision. I froze; out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow jump out of the bushes. I swung around as fast as could, I hit the figure over the back of its head and neck with a resounding crack!
"Ah! Son of a..!" the figure was caught off guard, he cursed and fell. I pounced and held my staff to its throat. Not much of a weapon for slitting a throat... but better than nothing. "Larten! Darren! It's only me!" the male figure choked out. "Vancha!" Darren questioned. "No it's Arra! Yes, Darren it's me, Vancha! Now get this staff off my throat!" Larten pulled me back. "All is well, Nyx, it is only Vancha, he is prince, like Darren and he is a friend of ours." Mr. C explained. I watched as Darren helped Vancha up. As he walked in to the moon light I saw that Vancha had green hair, wore purple fur clothing and was very filthy. No wonder I couldn't pick out his scent from the forest around us, he smelled just like it!
He rubbed the back of his head and winced. There would be a lump there soon, but he was smiling. "Sire Vancha, this is Nymphadora, my new assistant. The first born vampire..." I sent a small glare towards Mr.C; I hated being called by my full name. It was just too long and formal for my taste. Vancha smiled widely at me, and shook my free hand. "Well I'll be... The first born vampire... A pleasure to meet you Nymphadora. Don't call me Sire, no matter what these two tell you. Call me Vancha that's one hellofa swing you have." he chuckled softly. Vancha seemed like a raw kind of guy, and he knew how to take a hit without holding a grudge. I took an immediate likening to him. "Pleasure, sorry for the blow. Call me Nyx." I smiled back, returning his firm grip. He nodded. "You smell like metal. I believe in hand to hand combat." he spoke bluntly and disapprovingly.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "And you smell like shit warmed over. I believe in taking baths." I shot back. "Nymphadora!" Mr. C growled, scolding me. Vancha looked at me for a moment and laughed. "The girl has a dagger tongue! That is good she knows how to walk and talk at the same time. She'll do well with us." he laughed, and clapped me on the back. "Oh, I can tell you two will get along famously! May the gods have mercy on us all!" Darren groaned. Vancha was traveling with us, and Darren was right, we did get along. But I still didn't trust him, or Darren. Mr. was acting a little strange, but I figured he was just happy to be coming home and seeing old friends.
It was I believe a few weeks later or maybe just a day or two I don't know, we made it to the first way house. It was just a cave with four coffins in it. Vancha refused to sleep in one. He thought they were too comfortable. He also walked in the sun to strengthen himself so to defeat the sun. I think he's nuts, but I'm not one who can pass judgment, I mean I once dated a guy covered in scales!
Well, once again I was awake before everyone else, looking out at the early evening sky, a mix of deep blues, and purples, covered in sparkling stars, a full moon and wisps of clouds. I found that again I was thinking about Shanus. I missed him. I missed him a lot. I shouldn't but I did. Why? I sighed, so lost in my thoughts; I didn't even hear Darren Shan approach.
He placed a hand on me. "Penny for your thoughts?" His hand gently squeezed and rubbed my shoulder as he sat next to me. I didn't answer; I really didn't want to say anything. "Homesick." It was more of a statement then a question. "I suppose." I felt a slight squeeze on my shoulder as he rubbed it with a little more vigor. "You're thinking about Shanus are you not?" Darren looked at me in earnest, he'd know if I lied. We'd got only slightly more comfortable with each other over the past few months or was it weeks? "A bit." I responded. "It gets easier to deal with… the hurt, I mean. The pain, never fully goes away, but it hurts less and less as time goes by."
That was all he said, and that's all he really needed to….
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ok peoples! Chapter 8 for ya, chapter 9 will be up soon.
Remember tip your writers! So scroll that mouse down and R&R!
Sign up to rate and review this story