Circus De La Freak, Piper [summer reading list .TXT] 📗

at top speed. Her eyes were wide and terrified as she raced past us, not even pausing for a heartbeat. I tried to step forward so as to assist her, but Wisteria pulled me back into the shadows, shaking her head at me. Wisteria wasn’t one for ‘lost cases’.
Wisteria bit her lip and looked away as a Fallen loped out of the alley, its rotten skin hanging off its hulking form, not wanting to see the carnage. I turned and started out of the shadows to help the girl but I was too late. The girl had picked up a stray pipe from the ground and was trying to fend it off. She managed to hit it in the side of its head, knocking it a hundred and eighty degree turn. She let her guard down thinking she had won. I jumped out and ran towards her, knowing she was going to get herself killed. She looked like she nearly had a heart attack when I jumped out and started racing towards her. I shouted at her to run but she couldn’t understand what I was saying and gave me a confused look. I tried to reach her but the monster’s head revolved back into place and it lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. I bolted towards her, leaping over debris in my rush to get to her. She struggled valiantly, kicking and punching but it overpowered her with smooth ease. She let out a blood curdling scream as it slashed and clawed at her stomach and chest, cutting through her dirty dress and leaving a bloody trail in its wake. As if powered by superhuman strength, she wrenched her arm away, grabbed the pipe that she had dropped beside her and stabbed the Fallen right through the eye and it protruded from the back of its skull. The Fallen gave a great shuddering groan before dropping on top of her. She was trembling as she skirted out from underneath it. She was splattered with blood, both of her own and of the monster’s. She looked horrified and was shaking from head to toe as she brought a trembling hand to her stomach and pulled it away covered in scarlet blood.
Wisteria emerged from the shadows, giving me a death glare that I ignored. I ran to the girl’s side. Her green eyes were glazed from shock and she looked as if she were about to faint. Her straggly hair was brown with dirt but you could see the blond sheen underneath it. Even under all that grime, blood and much, you could see her sharp, elegant features. Her dress, although torn and covered in blood, one could tell it used to be covered in lace and made of the most expensive fabrics. She looked up to meet my gaze, her eyes full of horror and confusion. She then proceeded to say the thing I expected her least to say.
“That used to be my gardener, Ted.”
Chapter Three (Alice's POV)

“That used to be my gardener, Ted.” Were the first words I sputtered out to the white haired boy, not realizing the stupidity of it until I said it. He blinked a couple of times before he shook his head at me.
“Not what I was expecting you to say, but are you alright?” he asked, glancing towards the bloody claw marks. On my stomach. I glanced down and my eyes went even wider.
“Oh right…” I said faintly, trying to clear my blurry vision. There was so much blood. I had been in such complete shock that I had forgotten that I had just been clawed up by my gardener turned Fallen.
“Right…” I said again in a shaky voice, clutching my side as I swayed and started to fall over. The boy jumped forward and grabbed me around the waist, keeping me from toppling over. I grimaced in pain as his hands pressed down onto the gaping wounds in my stomach.
“Thanks for keeping me from falling over, but until I know your name. would you be kind enough to remove your hands from my waist?” I asked sharply, my brought up mannerisms kicking in as I frowned up at him. Even in the dim light that obscured his face, I could tell he was blushing.
“Oh, sorry.” He muttered as he quickly let me go and stepped away. At the sudden loss of support, I lost my balance and with nothing to hold onto, fell to the ground, struck my head on the curb and knocked myself out.

Chapter Four (Zephyr's POV)

When I saw the girl crumple to the ground, I leaped forward in an attempt to catch her, but I sort of missed and winced when her head hit the curb with a sickening thud. Wisteria peered over my shoulder at her and shook her head, her ebony curls bouncing.
“That was idiotic, Zephyr.” She said bluntly as I leaned down and scooped the unconscious girl into my arms.
“I had to at least try.” I said calmly, choosing not to react to her rude comment. She rolled her eyes at me, a frown marring her pointed pixie like face.
“What exactly are you planning to do with her?” she asked suspiciously, trotting after me as I started down the street.
“I’m taking her back with us.” I said evenly. Wisteria’s hazel eyes widened until it looked as if they were about to pop out of her eye sockets.
“You’re what?!” she sputtered after a few moments, her rage clearly written on her face.
“I’m taking her back with us.” I said, my voice completely even and calm as I walked quickly down the darkening street, Wisteria drifting after me like a hesitant shadow. She looked flustered as she jogged to keep up with me.
“You can’t take her back with us!” she cried angrily, flitting around me like an annoying fly. Too bad I couldn’t brush her off like one…
“I can, will and shall.” I said with a sigh. Wisteria groaned in irritation and tugged at my arm.
“We can’t bring her back! She’s an outsider.” She hissed angrily. I glanced over my shoulder and glared at her.
“Well what else are we supposed to do? Leave her to die?” I spat, my voice cold as ice. I was not appreciating her current attitude about the girl.
“But she’s been attacked! She’s been living on the street! She could be infe-“ I whipped my head around so I could glare at her.
“Attacked like I was? Living on the street like I was? Like you were? I guess you’ve forgotten, Wisteria, but you and I used to live on the streets, fighting for our lives before the circus too you and I in after I was attacked.” I spat, gesturing towards the side of my face that was marred with raised, pale scars that stood out against my tan skin. Wisteria winced as she always did when she looked directly at my scarred side. She looked down, shame clouding her eyes as she remembered how Zed had saved our lives and was still protecting us. I knew I had struck a nerve with her on this note and that she wouldn’t fight me anymore. I ignored the slight remorse that nagged at me for guilting her into silence, but I pushed it back.
“Now run back ahead of me and tell the others that I’m bringing someone back. I ordered Wisteria in a stern tone. Wisteria nodded silently and raced down the street, melting into the darkness. I set the girl down and wrapped it around her, shivering a bit in the biting air. I quickly picker her back up and started down the street, my determination written clearly on my face. Me and my damned hero complex…
I pushed the flap of the medical quarters open and rushed in. Aria had set up another cot and Piper was waiting for me with bandages and medical supplies. I nodded grimly at her as I set the girl down on the cot and stepped back as Piper set to work right away. I backed away to let Piper work, staying in the room for a few minutes before slipping out.
I was headed across the clearing to get something to eat from the icebox when I was stopped by a loud voice shouting my name. I heaved a sigh, knowing exactly who it was. I turned around slowly and came face to face with a tall Russian man with curly brown hair and a large beard. Zed, our over enthusiastic manager. He grinned as he approached me, revealing teeth stained yellow from tobacco.
“Zephyr!” he cried pulling me into a bone shattering hug.
“Hello to you too, Zed.” I wheezed, trying to pry him off of me. He patted me on the shoulder before letting me go and giving me a critical look.
“So, ‘Visteria has informed me zat vou haf brought an outsider into ze circus.” He said in his thick Russian accent. I nodded.
“That is true, yes.: I said calmly. Zed sighed and shook his head at me.
“Zephyr, zat vas a very sveet thing to do, vut I am afraid ve cannot stay here any longer. Ve are risking things as it is.” He said, looking around in a paranoid manner.
“Then we’ll take her with us.” I said determinedly, Zed appearing shocked at my words.
“Ve-vell zen…” he stuttered out. “Zat’s settled.” He said with a small frown. “I shall go inform ze ozers.” He said loftily before gliding away. I ighed in relief, glad to finally be free of him. I turned and started towards the kitchen, desperate for something to eat when a red haired blur crashed into me. I sighed miserably, feeling my stomach growling, but I couldn’t stay that way for long. Pip, Piper’s eight year old brother, had crashed into me. I grinned and ruffled his shaggy red hair. He was out of breath and painting, excitement written all over his face.
“Well, what’s got you so excited?” I laughed, shaking my head as he tried to catch his breath.
“Zephyr,” he panted, his breathing heavy. “Wisteria says we have someone new!” he gasped eagerly. I smiled and pushed my hair out of my eyes, amused by his