Serpentines Debut

Life is speeding by so quickly it's a good job that I am a half vampire and therefore age only one year for every five human years. As I lay on my bunk waiting for Evra my mind went back 5 months, too the day I was made vampire.

My only living relative had just died, the most important person in the world to me…my Nan. She had cared for me since my parents died when I was two, and was the only family I had ever known. My Nan loved me and I loved her, but I knew all was not well. She got increasingly ill and spent more and more time in bed. Eventually she could hang on no more, leaving me all alone.

I packed photos, my pillow and Max (my teddy bear), took one last look around my Nan's house - and then I left. It wasn't hard; I snuck out of my foster parents backdoor with the only things left that were important to me, my memories. I left as soon as they fell asleep; I had the whole night to make my get away.

Just as the sun was rising a procession of circus vans made there way down the curving quiet road. As the last van passed me, I jumped on the back step and slowly opened the door. All was quite except the creaking of the van as it made its way to who knows where?

I found an old blanket, pulled my pillow and Max from out of my rucksack and promptly fell into a very deep sleep. All my planning and then my travels through the night had left me exhausted and I slept all through the day. I remember being half awake as a man with bright orange hair and a rather stern look on his face suddenly lifted me into the air. 'Hello' he said with a half grin on his face…'and who might you be?' I was unable to reply and just clung onto Max in the hope that this strange looking man would put me down so I could run. Sensing my anxiety, he did lower me to the floor and as soon as my feet touched the ground I ran as fast as I could to the van door. Just as I swung the door open, a hand grabbed my belt and brought me to a sudden stop causing me to land on the floor with a bump. The orange haired man seemed to find this amusing and started to laugh, I felt on the other hand scared, embarrassed and rather sore!

He sat me down, and managed to stop laughing at me. After a rather awkward silence I found myself staring at this odd looking man. I started to feel more confident and answered his many questions. Then he answered mine, I somehow wasn't shocked when I found out what he was, and he didn't seem to want to harm me.

After he decided I might be of some use to him a few weeks later he made me his assistant. I was only ten years old but I didn't hesitate after all what else was there for me. After checking my blood was 'good' he proceeded to change me. I found Mr Crepsley kind but hard work, he demanded I learnt the way of the vampires in the evening and Mr Tall expected me to work doing chores around the Cirque in the afternoon. This did not leave much time for Evra and I to rehearse for our 'secret plan'.

Evra the Cirques 'snakeboy' had real snakeskin and was amazingly cool. We became friends straight away and Mr Crepsley had no idea what we were cooking up. Evra was 12 years old and as he was two years older thought that he was in charge. I just laughed at him if he tried to get me to do something I didn't want to do. We spent all our spare time rehearsing for our first gig. I played drums and because of my vampire abilities I found that I had natural rhythm and the strength to play like an older teenager. I hate to boast but I was amazing and Evra was superb on the guitar, which Mr Tall had given him not long after arriving at the Cirque. Mr Tall was Evras guardian and Mr Crepsley was mine so we had to be very sneaky to keep our plan a secret.

Evra had found out that the Cirque would be in a small town, which was only an hour away from the huge arena where the 'Battle of the Bands' contest was going to be held. We registered for the competition on-line at an Internet café and as we travelled Evra and I would find the nearest Internet café and check to see if we got a response.

Last week Evra and I couldn't stop smiling; we had been accepted into the competition. We came back to the Cirque camp late, to find Mr Crepsley and Mr Tall waiting for us and not looking too happy. Do not say a thing about the competition whispered Evra, if they ask what we ve been doing, say playing computer games and we forgot the time.

As soon as I walked into the Cirque Mr Crepsley picked me up and carried me to his van, dropped me into the chair and shut the door. I started to fidget nervously knowing this wasn't good. 'Right tell me what you and Evra are up to' he shouted at me. I flinched back and sat staring at him. I had not seen him so angry and it scared me. 'Mr Tall thinks that you two are up to no good, and Mr Tall is rarely wrong, what have you been doing all afternoon'. I decided that whatever happened I was not going to tell him about our secret plan. I put on my best 'innocent looking' face and opened my eyes wide and said 'we only went into town to play on the computers, I am sorry we got a bit carried away we played games and I am so sorry I lost track of time'. With that I let two tears slip down my cheeks. Mr Crepsley studied my face as I turned to grab Max and hold him tight. Then I felt rather guilty, as Mr Crepsley apologised for scaring me, wiped my tears away and then hugged me. 'Do not cry, I have been worried about you'. 'I was with Evra, you said I could go into town if I wasn't alone'. Mr Crepsley frowned; Evra is a young man and is naturally up to mischief, I do not want you drawn into any trouble he maybe cooking up'.

I let out a huge yawn and Mr Crepsley picked me up. 'No lessons for you tonight, get some rest and try not to get into trouble'. He carried me to my bunk and tucked me in, I closed my eyes and hugged Max and drifted off to sleep. Evra walked slowly into the tent and bumped straight into Mr Crepsley. 'A word if I may master Evra', with that Mr Crepsley grabbed Evras shoulder and lead him back outside. 'If I find out you are dragging my assistant into anything dodgy I will not be happy!' 'Mr Crepsley I have just been telling Mr Tall that we have just been playing on the computers in town and Jessie is very capable of looking after herself'. 'Master Evra, you are two years older and a boy, if any harm comes to Jessie, I will hold you entirely responsible'. With that Mr Crepsley marched off to find Mr Tall. Evra came over to my bunk and poked my shoulder until I woke up. We grinned at each other then both started making plans for Battle of the Bands.

As I sat waiting for Evra my mind came back to the present day. We didn't have to worry about drums as they would already be set up on stage, I only had to bring drum sticks and Evra was taking his own guitar. Evra walked in and said 'ok Jessie act sick'. Mr Crepsley would be expecting me to have vampire lessons with him tonight so Evra had gone over to tell him I was feeling unwell. We both knew he would be over to check on me, so this was crunch time. Mr Crepsley flitted into the tent and straight to my bunk. 'Hi Mr Crepsley' I said, Mr Crepsley was feeling my forehead and lifting my eyelids. 'Have you been drinking blood? What is wrong Jessie?' He looked so concerned, I wasn't sure I could pull this off. Evra butted in 'she's been feeling tired all day and has been very pale, I think she just needs to sleep'.

Thankyou doctor Evra, but Jessie is half vampire, and has my blood, I think I will decide what is best for her'. 'Now Jessie how are you?' I think I just need some blood, I have been tired but I am feeling a little better having rested'. Mr Crepsley pulled out a small bottle of blood from his pocket and watched as I drank. I gulped it down, smiled at him then layback and closed my eyes. I felt Mr Crepsley push my hair off my forehead and then gently kiss me, 'goodnight little Jess, sleep well'. Then Mr Crepsley turned and walked out of the tent.

After Mr Crepsley had been gone ten minutes Evra jumped on my bed. Come on Jess we have to leave. 'I don't know Evra, I kind of feel bad now, I'm not sure its such a good idea'. 'Mr Crepsley was so nice to me, I don't think I can let him down'. JESSIE move yourself now, Serpentine is you and me not just me, this is my dream I cant do it without you. I couldn't win, either way I was going to let someone down. 'If we are going to do this lets make it worth it'. We had everything ready, we crept out the back of the tent and headed across the fields. We had spent all our spare money on our outfits and needed the rest to get back so we walked and ran most of the way. We arrived with 30 minutes to spare which gave us enough time to pull on our outfits…..I had a black cut off jeans with red scales sewn on, red face paint on my face and body and I had sprayed my hair red and spiked it. I had no idea how I would explain this to Mr Crepsley if it didn't all wash off! Evra had cut off jeans on as well with green scales to match his natural body colour. The act before us hadn't gone down very well, and plenty of booing could be heard which made us very nervous. Then they announced us…Welcome to the stage, lets hear it for Serpentine….Evra and I walked on, to my horror people were still booing and I glanced over to see Evra looking very nervous. I sat at the drums and started beating to the sound of the 'slow clapping' from the audience. Suddenly the crowd got into it and I speeded up then Evra started playing and finally singing. I couldn't stop beaming the crowd loved us, Just then I noticed something out of the corner of my eye

…I turned to see Mr Crepsley standing in the wings staring at me with his hands on his hips and boy did he look mad. I nearly lost it on the drums, but decided that as this was probably my first and last performance I had better make the most of it. We finished with my drum solo, which I put everything into and the crowd went wild as we went to the front of the stage and bowed. I whispered to Evra 'Mr Crepsley is here I'm going to make a run for it will you be ok getting back?' 'Oh God we are dead said Evra, good luck, don't worry about me'.

Evra turned to walk towards Mr Crepsley trying to cover me as I ran off the stage behind me. I ran as fast as I could and made it out of the door, only to run straight into a red brick wall. Oh god it was Mr Crepsley with Evra under his arm. He grabbed me under his other arm and started flitting back to the Cirque. 'If Mr Tall wasn't so worried I would make you both walk back, you are both in serious trouble'.

As we arrived back at the Cirque Mr Crepsley dropped Evra off in front of Mr Tall and then carried me back to his van.

'Im sorry, really sorry please forgive me'. All of a sudden I fell onto the floor, with my cheek-stinging…god that hurt. 'Don't ever do that to me again, I had no idea where you had gone, and then I find you playing a gig to people who are much older than you, half drunk and smoking god knows what. I looked up to see that Mr Crepsley was far from calm. 'I really am sorry I know I've let you down'. 'I cant trust you anymore Jessie, you will have to sleep in the daytime in my van, and stay up all night so I can keep an eye on you'. You will have to do your jobs for the Cirque quietly at night and you will regret your decision to trick me'. 'Get to bed, I will fetch your pillow, you will no longer enter Evras tent, he is a bad influence on you'. 'But what about my things, and Evras my best friend'. 'Do not talk to me anymore until I have calmed down, or believe me you will be sorry'. Mr Crepsley left and I could no longer hold the tears in. I turned with my face to the wall and my arm over my head, I couldn't believe how much my cheek hurt. Mr Crepsley returned and threw my pillow at me. But he hadn't brought Max, I always needed Max to get to sleep, I dare not ask him. When Mr Crepsley left I creeped out of his van and shouted to Evra to throw Max out to me. He wanted to talk as he threw Max and popped his head out, but I just picked up Max and ran. In my hurry to get back to Mr Crepsleys van I tripped and landed on a tent spike. The pain shot up my leg, I shrugged it off and made it into Mr Crepsleys van. I grabbed his first aid kit and quickly wrapped my leg in loads of bandages to stop Mr Crepsley smelling the blood then put away the kit and jumped under the blanket just before Mr Crepsley opened the door.

I pretended to be asleep and when he called my name I did not answer. I heard Mr Crepsley go back out of the van and quietly shut the door. Mr Crepsley went to chat to Mr Tall who told him how Evra was behind the band idea and how he had told Mr Tall that Jessie hadn't wanted to let Mr Crepsley down but he kept on at her until she agreed to go with him. Evra took the blame for everything and Mr Tall was going to punish him. Mr Crepsley started to wish he hadn't been quite so hard on Jessie, but what was done was done and he didn't believe in backing down once he had made a decision. Mr Crepsley made sure Jessie worked hard, and when she showed signs of tiring he pushed her all the more. Jessies leg was agony, but she was to frightened to mention it to Mr Crepsley, she had her trousers on most days which she wore tucked into boots. To be on the safe side Jessie changed her bandages twice a day in the ladies loos but it didn't seem to be getting any better, only worse. After two weeks Mr Crepsley had decided Jessie had learnt her lesson and he was going to get her up to tell her she was forgiven. 'Wake up Jessie' said Mr Crepsley, but she didn't even stir, Mr Crepsley kept calling Jessies name until he realised something was not right. He picked Jessie up and carried her to his coffin. Once inside the coffin Mr Crepsley felt her forehead, she was burning up. Mr Crepsley checked Jessie over till he felt her leg and even in her unconscious state she cried out in pain. Mr Crepsley cut Jessies Jeans off above the knee with his long nails and gasped at the huge bandage. Carefully he removed the bandage and was horrified to see a large infected hole in Jessies leg. Mr Crepsley applied healing spit onto the wound and sucked out the infection, then wrapped the leg back up in clean bandages. Mr Crepsley stayed with Jessie until she woke. Jessie was very surprised to wake in Mr Crepsleys lap, and this showed on her face. Mr Crepsley couldn't help but laugh, 'ahhh awake at last little Jessie'. Jessie knew when he called her Little Jessie not just Jessie that all was forgiven and she gave him a huge smile. 'I think it is time we talked don't you?' said Mr Crepsley, 'Ok then' replied Jess. Mr Crepsley wanted to know exactly what Jessie had done the night of the battle of the bands and how she hurt her leg. Jessie told Mr Crepsley how she fell getting her teddybear but hadn't gone in the tent, for a moment Jessie looked worried but Mr Crepsley just held her tighter. 'You must tell me if you are hurt straight away, I could of healed your wound and you would of felt no pain, by leaving the wound it got infected and could have been very serious. Jessie looked to the floor, Mr Crepsley held her chin to make her look up. 'Jessie I have not told you this before, but you are very very special to me, I have grown to care about you deeply. When I found you gone I felt utter dispair, I could not calm down till I saw you on stage. Please never do that to me again'. I looked into Mr Crepsleys eyes and told him I would try my very best to stay out of trouble.

He just laughed and said 'well I can only hope your best is good enough' and with that he lifted me up and swung me into his coffin. 'Sleep well little Jessie'.