The Way It Should Be

Chapter Twenty-Eight

As I slowly begin to wake up I can hear the chatter from Darren and Evra, but I'm too tired to process what they are saying. So, in an attempt to wake myself up I stretch and turn onto my side, but then I'm more comfortable and almost fall asleep again. I shake my head and bolt upright so that I can stay away.

When I look around I can see the blurry figures of Darren and Evra putting some things into suitcases.

"What's going on?" I ask rubbing my eyes making it possible for me to see the pair, "Is the Cirque moving again?"

"No, at least, not that we know of. We're going on a trip, want to come?" Darren asks while turning to me with his signature smile. Just the look in his eyes causes me to smile too.

"Uh, sure but what about Mr. T-"

"Mr. Tall said you could come along too." Evra informs me.

"Oh well what are you packing? We don't have much."

"Oh well." Darren says.

Oh yeah I never said anything about our clothtes. Over the two years Darren has gone from that awful suit to a pirate costume - a brown jacket over a maroon shirt. Brown pants, brown boots, and a brown hat with a  black feather hanging over the side - though he never wears the hat.

Evra's style is still the same - shorts and a tee-shirt with no shoes.

I still wear my gray skirt and gray vest with mid thigh high socks and knee high boots.

"What about the snakes and wolves?" I ask.

"Hans is taking care of the snakes and Truska is taking the wolves." Evra says.

"Oh makes sense. When we going?" I ask.

"At sunset, with Mr. Crepsley." Darren says.

"Oh so we get to travel with a vampire! Cook." I sit up on my bed. "Wait where are the wolves?"

"Outside playing with Cormac and Hans."

"Oh OK." I stand then walk out of the tent.

Nona jumps me and licks my face. I push her off and start laughing.

"Its funny how she never talked to anyone but Evra until Darren came. Now she talks to everyone." Hans says.

"Yeah, I remember when I first met her two years ago. She didn't say a word to me. She snapped at Darren though." Cormac says.

I scratch the back of my neck.

"Yeah, sorry that's how your first impression of me was." I say.

"No its fine. Why did you snap at him though?" Cormac asks.

"Uh, I was angry at him... Heh." I say.

"Don't let anger ruin friendship."

"Don't lecture the poor girl." Hans says. "Here Cormac and I got to go do our chores."

"Thanks for watching the wolves." I say.

"No problem!" They both call out and the wolves and I walk into the tent.

"You're not gonna pack Tux?" Darren asks.

"I'll just buy some more clothes I guess." I sigh, "Its not like I have much of a variety of clothes to choose from."

"You have a point there."

"What are you gonna pack?" I ask, "You have one outfit."

"My diary... I don't know."

"Exactly, unless you're gonna bring Madam Octa then why you packing? Speaking of which what are we doing with Madam Octa?" I ask.

"Oh she's being taken care of by Cormac." Evra says.

"Oh OK. Did you guys get the food for the Little People?" I ask.

Their faces go white. They quickly run out of the tent.

I chuckle. I walk out of the tent.

Over the years I have learned a bit about the little people.

First off they never talk, you could kick them or something and they wouldn't say a word.

Second underneath the hoods are scarred filled faces, green eyes, and a doctors mask.

Third is they all look the same generally - but they aren't all the same. Some are tall, some are short, some are thinner, and some are wider than others.

The most notable one of everyone else is the one with the limp in his left leg. Darren named him Lefty.

I sit outside of the tent with the wolves until sunset arrives.

When it does Mr. Crepsley comes to our tent. Evra and Darren were at the camp fire talking and chatting about God knows what.

We all said our temporary goodbyes and headed off into the darkness of the night we continued walking until we made it to a bus stop.

It took us a couple days until we actually go to our destination, it was a city. We checked into a hotel and that was that really.

It was close to the holidays, you know Christmas, at the Cirque we don't celebrate holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. There's no point Really there are people from all types of cultures there and if we were to celebrate every single holiday - well... There'd be no Show!

I remember as a kid when we would sit in the living room and open presents. Now that I look back on that, I really see how spoiled I really was. I knew I was spoiled before but man, now that I have nothing, its obvious how spoiled I was.

Once we got to the hotel room I took a shower - desperately wanting to relive one of my favorite part of being home - the warm showers! Taking freezing cold baths everyday for two years really is boring and...cold.

Mr. Crepsley went off to sleep since it was dawn.

We covered Evra head to toe in clothes to not bring too much attention to us.

When we were about to walk out of the hotel room, Darren and Evra left the room first while I put a hat on to cover my ears, Darren stops and turns around to face me.

"I don't think you should go." He says to me.

I narrow my eyes.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"You haven't gotten much sleep, and I worry for you, you should stay and sleep."

"No I want to go explore." I whine.

"Stay." Darren says.

"You're not my father but fine I'll stay." I pout and go back in the room and lay on the couch. I'd love to look out the window and watch them walk and play in the falling snow, but...I'm just too scared.... Height is still my worst fear after Darren's...death?...it just terrifies me.

I finally fell asleep after ten minutes of trying to fall asleep.