The morning dragged, the way it does when you feel let down or disappointed. I spent the time imagining the freak show. I made-believe I was one of the freaks, and the owner of the circus was a nasty guy who whipped everybody, even when they got stuff right. All the freaks hated him, but he was so big and mean, nobody said anything. Until one day, he whipped me once too often, and I turned into a wolf and bit his head off! Everybody cheered and I was made the new owner.
It was a pretty good daydream.
Then, a few minutes before break, the door opened and guess who walked in? Steve! His mother was behind him and she said something to Mrs Quinn, who nodded and smiled. Then Mrs Leonard left and Steve strolled over to his seat and sat down.
“Where were you?” I asked in a furious whisper.
“At the dentist’s,” he said. “I forgot to tell you I was going.”
“What about—”
“That’s enough, Darren,” Mrs Quinn said. I shut up instantly.
At break, Tommy, Alan and me almost smothered Steve. We were shouting and pulling at him at the same time.
“Did you get the tickets?” I asked.
“Were you really at the dentist’s?” Tommy wanted to know.
“Where’s my flyer?” Alan asked.
“Patience, boys, patience,” Steve said, pushing us away and laughing. “All good things to those who wait.”
“Come on, Steve, don’t mess us around,” I told him. “Did you get them or not?”
“Yes and no,” he said.
“What does that mean?” Tommy snorted.
“It means I have some good news, some bad news, and some crazy news,” he said. “Which do you want to hear first?”
“Crazy news?” I asked, puzzled.
Steve pulled us off to one side of the yard, checked to make sure no one was about, then began speaking in a whisper.
“I got the money,” he said, “and sneaked out at seven o’clock, when Mum was on the phone. I hurried across town to the ticket booth, but do you know who was there when I arrived?”
“Who?” we asked.
“Mr Dalton!” he said. “He was there with a couple of policemen. They were dragging a small guy out of the booth – it was only a small shed, really – when suddenly there was this huge bang and a great cloud of smoke covered them all. When it cleared, the small guy had disappeared.”
“What did Mr Dalton and the police do?” Alan asked.
“Examined the shed, looked around a bit, then left.”
“They didn’t see you?” Tommy asked.
“No,” Steve said. “I was well hidden.”
“So you didn’t get the tickets,” I said sadly.
“I didn’t say that,” he contradicted me.
“You got them?” I gasped.
“I turned to leave,” he said, “and found the small guy behind me. He was tiny, and dressed in a long cloak which covered him from head to toe. He spotted the flyer in my hand, took it, and held out the tickets. I handed over the money and—”
“You got them!” we roared delightedly.
“Yes,” he beamed. Then his face fell. “But there was a catch. I told you there was bad news, remember?”
“What is it?” I asked, thinking he’d lost them.
“He only sold me two,” Steve said. “I had the money for four, but he wouldn’t take it. He didn’t say anything, just tapped the bit on the flyer about “certain reservations”, then handed me a card which said the Cirque Du Freak only sold two tickets per flyer. I offered him extra money – I had nearly seventy pounds in total – but he wouldn’t accept it.”
“He only sold you two tickets?” Tommy asked, dismayed.
“But that means … ” Alan began.
“… only two of us can go,” Steve finished. He looked around at us grimly. “Two of us will have to stay at home.”
IT WAS Friday evening, the end of the school week, the start of the weekend, and everybody was laughing and running home as quick as they could, delighted to be free. Except a certain miserable foursome who hung around the schoolyard, looking like the end of the world had arrived. Their names? Steve Leonard, Tommy Jones, Alan Morris and me, Darren Shan.
“It’s not fair,” Alan moaned. “Who ever heard of a circus only letting you buy two tickets? It’s stupid!”
We all agreed with him, but there was nothing we could do about it apart from stand around, stubbing the ground with our feet, looking sour.
Finally, Alan asked the question which was on everybody’s mind.
“So, who gets the tickets?”
We looked at each other and shook our heads uncertainly.
“Well, Steve has to get one,” I said. “He put in more money than the rest of us, and he went to buy them, so he has to get one, agreed?”
“Agreed,” Tommy said.
“Agreed,” Alan said. I think he would have argued about it, except he knew he wouldn’t win.
Steve smiled and took one of the tickets. “Who goes with me?” he asked.
“I brought in the flyer,” Alan said quickly.
“Nuts to that!” I told him. “Steve should get to choose.”
“Not on your life!” Tommy laughed. “You’re his best friend. If we let him pick, he’ll pick you. I say we fight for it. I have boxing gloves at home.”
“No way!” Alan squeaked. He’s small and never gets into fights.
“I don’t want to fight either,” I said. I’m no coward but I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance against Tommy. His dad teaches him how to box properly and they have their own punching bag. He would have floored me in the first round.
“Let’s pick straws for it,” I said, but Tommy didn’t want to. He has terrible luck and never wins anything like that.
We argued about it a bit more, until Steve came up with an idea. “I know what to do,” he said, opening his school bag. He tore the two middle sheets of paper out of an exercise book and, using his ruler, carefully cut them into small pieces, each one roughly the same size as the ticket. Then he got his empty lunch box and dumped the paper inside.
“Here’s how it works,” he said, holding up the second ticket. “I put this in, put the top on and shake it about, OK?” We nodded. “You stand side by side and I’ll throw the bits of paper over your heads. Whoever gets the ticket wins. Me and the winner will give the other two their money back when we can afford it. Is that fair enough, or does somebody have a better idea?”
“Sounds good to me,” I said.
“I don’t know,” Alan grumbled. “I’m the youngest. I’m not able to jump as high as—”
“Quit yapping,” Tommy said. “I’m the smallest, and I don’t mind. Besides,