Circus: One night only

We woke at dusk, same as every other night. The train cars barrelled down the tracks, I could barely sleep over the screeching wheels. The other passengers are on route to the next small town. No doubt filled with people who spend most of their worthless existence going to jobs they hate every day to pay for things they don't really need. They spoil their children who will inevitably still grow up to be just as unhappy, regardless of having the new toy released back when they were seven. These towns are the only stops this train ever makes, it's who they are looking for. The nine to fivers who will jump at the chance to escape their miserable reality for the low price of 50p a ticket. This circus is coming to town! Forget your worries and heckle some freaks!

**Come for a night of excitement and wonder! Featuring acts from all over the world, lion tamers, clowns, elephants and freaks of all sizes and shapes (literally). Meet the mystical madame toulouse and look into your future! 50pents per person, this friday and saturday only.**

A giant tent would be erected, stages set and the ticket booth opened for two nights only. Not this time though. The train will arrive on schedule in the morning, and it will bring with it excitement and wonder just not the kind they are expecting. I slowly open my eyes as the darkness envelopes me so does my hunger. Luckily I have chosen the car filled with circus animals. I’ve never drank from an elephant, but tonight I intend to. My eyes adjust to the darkness with ease and I begin to stalk across the car. The animals I pass by inevitably begin to scream, animals unlike humans recognize me for what I am simply by smell. Once I’m done I climb through the hatch to the roof of the cars, leaving behind me a deafening silence.

Out in the moonlight is where I feel the most alive which is ironic considering I’m not, haven't been for centuries in fact. On the roof of the train my clan looks at me disapprovingly. I will admit that eating the entire animal car prior to beginning the attack was not part of the plan. There was no denying what kept me as I climbed up covered in blood and fur. They would forgive and forget as soon as they began feeding. While we don't need a reason to kill an entire train, tonight we have one. We are on a rescue mission of sorts. Word on the street is this circus ringmaster has been keeping a very special type of freak for the customers willing to pay the highest of prices. A Vampire.

The Vampire is said to be starved to the point of weakness, docile even. Not for long. We are many things, but prisoner is not one of them. We drop into the first car, the clown car..creepy. Why are they all still in costume? No time to ask. The blood bath is quick, only one awakens to the horrors around him and takes off running to alert the next car. I've already spotted him though, and slipped in between the cars to meet him when he opens the door. I can’t help but chuckle when I see my reflection, the blood around my mouth has painted my face to match the clown's terrifying grin. The humour is lost on the clown as I sink my teeth into his neck.

The following cars are easily taken down as the feeding frenzy has reached a new high. We make it to the ringmasters car where we find he has locked himself in the closet. Typical. I reach through the door with my fist and yank him out. Shattering the closet doors. The vampire is chained to the wall, he looks even more dead then normal. I quickly rip open the throat of the ringmaster and toss him to the captive vampire. He violently drinks him dry, with renewed strength he stands and easily snaps out of the chains that once held him captive. I smile and let him know there are two more cars ahead we haven't touched. With that I lunge out of the train and into the darkness. My clan makes it home just as dawn approaches.

SUNNYRIDGE DAILY NEWSPAPER

A train arrived this morning supposedly carrying the circus. When the doors were opened a horrifying sight revealed itself. Everyone on board had been horribly killed, ripped apart and brutalized. Originally believed to have been the work of the lions before we made it to their car and found them to be among the victims. There was a surprising lack of blood at the scene and inside the bodies on board. One survivor was found on the train, completely covered in blood himself. He has yet to speak however there is evidence to suggest he may have been chained in one of the cars. Updates will be provided as they come, he is currently being kept at the hospital for observation.