Nocturnal Academy 4: The Supernatural Circus

Nocturnal Academy #4

The Supernatural Circus

By

Ethan Somerville

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SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Storm Publishing on Smashwords

Nocturnal Academy 4

Copyright 2010/2016 by Ethan Somerville

www.stormpublishing.net

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Chapter 1

Three children stood on the gentle hill overlooking the open valley below.

What do you think, guys? Alice Dibble asked Toby Thompson and Carla Hightower.

The tall, sandy-haired boy beside her scratched the back of his neck. He was dressed in knee-length shorts and a ragged Van Halen T-shirt that threatened to tear under his armpits. In contrast to his impressive size, he still had the round face, button nose and fat cheeks of a young boy. I dunno. Circuses are for kids.

So? Alice retorted. You might be over one hundred and eighty centimetres tall, but you’re still only thirteen, and as far as I’m concerned that makes you a kid.

The third child, Carla Hightower, snorted with laughter. She was almost as tall as Toby, with curly, flaming red hair and an extremely well-developed figure for a thirteen-year-old. She wore a tight tiger-striped singlet and a blue denim mini-skirt. I think it looks pretty cool, actually. All those black and red-striped tents. And look at that one – all covered with moons, stars and planets! I wonder what’s in there?

Come on Toby, Alice insisted. Of the group she was the smallest and thinnest. She had long black hair, falling to her waist from a centre part, and was dressed in a long dark gown covered with spider-webs. Although thin and filmy, the dress was already too warm for her, and she was beginning to wish she hadn’t put it on.

Toby gave a huge sigh. Oh, alright! But if turns out to be lame, I’m leaving! He squared his huge shoulders and started stomping down the hill.

Alice and Carla followed.

All three were classmates a nearby school known as the Nocturnal Academy. Normally three such different children would never have been best friends, but their unusual natures had united them.

Alice was a vampire, Toby was a werewolf, and Carla was a weretiger. They were on their summer holidays and looking for some entertainment. After their first year at school battling killer compost heaps, carnivorous books, gremlins, and travelling to the Magick Earth to rescue a classmate named Millicent Jorgensen, they just wanted to have fun like normal kids.

And that travelling show, nestling in the common valley in front of the entrance to the Kyangalla National Park, looked like the perfect place to find some.

Carnivals came to Appleton every school holidays, but this one looked different. For a start it was one of the biggest the children had ever seen, with lots of trucks and caravans parked around the back, and eight big rides. There was a Ferris wheel, a small roller-coaster, a haunted house that actually looked like a medieval dwelling, a space-ship virtual reality machine, a mirror-maze and several things that spun really fast and went up and down at the same time. There were also more games and sideshows than the kids could count, and in the middle rose an enormous red and black-striped big top covered with flags that fluttered in the hot January breeze.

Shall we check out one of the shows? Alice suggested, pointing to a brightly painted sign. The first one starts in about an hour.

Carla mopped her brow. In this heat? Are you crazy?

I think the tent’s air-conditioned. Carla pointed out a number of units on the ground near the base of the big tent. Fat pipes ran under the canvas.

That’s a first! An air-conditioned circus tent! This place must make some bucks! But instead of sounding impressed, Toby simply sounded sarcastic. Okay. We might as well get some tickets and then look around.

The children had brought their Christmas money with them and paid for three tickets. Even so, Toby winced as he handed over $20. No wonder they can afford air-conditioning. The big boy turned to walk away from the ticket box, and almost collided with a white-faced mime in a bright red top hat with a rose attached to it. He recoiled in horror, and immediately the mime did an exaggerated version of the same thing.

Both Alice and Carla laughed.

Toby reddened. Go away, he growled at the mime.

The mime mimicked running away in terror.

The girls giggled again.

Enough! Jeez, I hate clowns.

That wasn’t a clown, it was a mime, Alice corrected.

Whatever. The next one who gets in my face gets a snoz-full of knuckles. I don’t like my personal space invaded.

You’re awfully uptight, Alice remarked.

Toby took a deep breath; Alice was right – he was overreacting for some reason. Perhaps the heat was starting to get to him. Okay, okay – I’m calm now. Where d’you wanna go first?

The mirror maze!

The haunted house!

Toby sighed. He really didn’t want to do either. Might as well do the haunted house – it’s closer.

The kids bought a roll of coupons from a stall and joined the queue waiting for the attraction. Bet it’s going to be bad, Toby muttered. Plastic skulls, busted displays, sweaty carnies leaping out shouting ‘boo’ and trying to grab you. I bet I’m scarier than anything in there!

You’re certainly grumpier! Carla retorted.

He stuck his tongue out at her.

Children! It’s our turn! Alice cried like a long-suffering parent.

A carnie in a shiny black top hat and matching tail-coat took their coupons and ushered them forward. The front door creaked inwards. Above it, in old Gothic script, was written:

Abandon all hope ye who enter here

Lame, Toby muttered.

Carla shoved him in the back, so hard he almost tripped over the front step. He disappeared into cool, musty-smelling darkness. Carla followed, and Alice brought up the rear. The door slammed behind them, cutting them off in complete darkness.

Fortunately for the three Nocturnal Academy children, they could see in the dark. They found themselves in a small room with rough brick walls. Dry ice curled around their legs. It was surprisingly cool. But, just as their eyes had adjusted to the gloom a red light flashed on, illuminating an entire display of skulls right in front of them.

They rattled on their shelves, cackling at the children’s surprise.

Cor blimey! Look at this bunch! one screeched in a really bad Cockney accent.

Never seen such big girls’ blouses! Afraid of a lotta heads!

Don’t worry, we won’t bite! More laughter.

G’wan, on yer way up the stairs! Yer holdin’ up the next group!

A bright arrow, made of bones, flashed above a set of steep stone steps leading up. Toby was first. He had to admit, those skulls had looked all right. Not plasticky at all. Almost real in fact.

At the top of the stairs the three students entered a large sitting room where zombies rose from their chairs, draping bandages from rotting limbs as they shuffled across the floor towards them. If these were carnies in make-up, it had been extremely well applied. Those gaping wounds and protruding bones looked nauseatingly genuine, even more than professionally applied latex. Cold fingers brushed across their faces, and rasping voices called out brains, brains – need brains!

Toby swore as he fended off one of the creatures. He stumbled across the creaky rotten floorboards towards a door with another glowing bone-arrow above it. Carla and Alice followed, laughing hysterically at the boy’s reaction. Toby was proving almost as entertaining as this attraction!

"I have never been in a haunted house this good!" Carla cried.

This place is just as spooky as our school! Alice agreed. All it needs are some owls, bats and spiders!

The route through the house took them down a creaking corridor lit only by a single candle. Suddenly a gap-toothed witch armed with a broom burst from a room at the end, demanding ingredients for her potion. I’m out of bat’s blood! I need some bat’s blood!

Alice? Toby called.

Idiot! I can’t do bats yet! Alice shouted back. Bats and wolves are this year!

Trying to avoid the witch’s bony hands, armed with long, curling fingernails, the children almost fell over each other into another room. This appeared to be an ancient ballroom filled with dust and cobwebs. It contained skeletons still dressed in ancient finery, dancing in endless circles to the sound of a discordant phonograph. Suddenly a ghost appeared, howling in eternal agony. It wafted right through Toby’s stomach! His high-pitched, girlish shriek suddenly deepened into a warning growl.

Toby, settle down – it’s just a funhouse! Alice called, having seen this reaction before.

Toby forced himself to take deep breaths. Gotta control myself, he thought. It won’t do me well to wolf up in here – I could trash the place! I felt that spook pass right through me! It was so cold!

Toby, the Academy’s haunted. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little ghost? Carla asked.

Yeah – have you heard of Baron Falkenstein? Apparently he’s an ex-vice-principal who simply refuses to retire! Alice put in.

More stairs took the kids up to the next floor, forcing them through a mad scientist’s laboratory where strange potions hissed and bubbled. A Frankenstein monster writhed and moaned, shackled to a large wooden bench. Sparks sizzled and crackled around its body. A wizened man with straggly hair rushed up to the visitors, demanding parts for his experiment. I only need an arm! Come on, surely one of you has an arm you’re not using right now?

Gaah! cried Toby, shoving both his hands behind his back.

Next the visitors entered a large vault where they startled a traditional vampire, just about to feed on the lily-white throat of a helpless woman chained to a sacrificial altar. She screamed Help, murder! Save me, save me! as the vampire hissed and floated right up into the air, spreading its cape as it soared towards the group.

But before the three Nocturnal Academy students could react, candles burst into flame all around them, revealing a dozen coffins. Slowly they creaked open to reveal more undead creatures. They climbed from their graves with clawed fingers outstretched, fangs gleaming, hungering for blood.

Oh, you’ve got to be kidding! cried Toby.

Then a black-robed priest charged into the room, waving a cross at the creatures. Back to your beds, you fiends! he thundered. The vampires retreated, snarling in fury. He freed the girl from the altar and escorted her out the way he had come.

The three students noticed another doorway with a bone-arrow, and headed towards it. All three were slightly shaken and laughing weakly. Then Toby pushed open the door. I wonder what this bizarre house of horrors is going to throw at us next? He stepped forward – and suddenly disappeared from sight! A howl of surprise wafted up from the darkness.

Toby! cried Carla in horror. She too stepped forward – and vanished with a scream!

What on Earth had happened to her friends? Guys? Alice leaned forward, looking into the gloom. She could only see a brick wall, sloping away into darkness.

Move it, the priest suddenly shouted from behind her. The next group is coming! He gave Alice a nudge in the kidneys, and she stumbled forward. Suddenly, the floor disappeared out from under her, and she found herself sliding. A slippery-dip twisted and wound its way down through the house, all the way to the ground floor. It spilled her out into a room with a soft, padded floor. She came to a stop beside Toby and Carla, both of whom were lying in a heap and shrieking with laughter.

That was so cool! Toby cried.

Cool? You nearly turned into a werewolf back there! Carla shouted at him.

Those vampires looked so real! Alice exclaimed. How did that one fly through the air towards us? You don’t suppose…? She tailed off.

That they actually were real? Toby picked himself up and brushed down his clothes. He noticed, with no real surprise, that he’d ripped both the armpits of his shirt. No wonder his mother only bought him second-hand stuff now. "Naah. They didn’t smell like vamps. More like normal humans in costume. The flying guy was probably held up by wires. Besides, homo nocturnis vampires don’t have fangs!"

The nice ones don’t.

Carla noticed a flashing EXIT sign, also made from bones. We’d better get out of here before the next group lands on us!

The children staggered out into the hot afternoon sunshine. It took them a minute to adjust to the brightness.

So Toby – was that lame after all? Carla asked him.

He grinned, suddenly looking like the thirteen year old he was supposed to. Certainly not! Wanna go again?

Why don’t we try the mirror maze first? Carla suggested, pointing it out. It was inside the tent they had seen from the hill, the one covered all over with moons and stars. If it’s anything like the haunted house, then it should be pretty awesome!

Oh oh. As they headed towards the mirror-maze queue, Alice ducked down behind Toby.

What’s the matter? he asked.

Don’t look now, but your old mate Stan is here!

Stanley? Where? Toby looked around.

Over by that ‘Test your Strength’ thingy.

Toby squinted. Becoming a werewolf had not improved his eyesight. However he did spot the tall, skinny youth he had used to hang around with in primary school. Back in year 6, Toby, Stan and a big, black-haired boy named Chunky had made Alice’s life a misery. When Toby discovered his new werewolf aspect, he decided to become Alice’s friend. After helping a Magick Circle attempt to sacrifice Alice to an Immaterial demon-lord, Chunky and his family split town. But Stan had remained and gone on to Appleton High. He was standing with a tall, spiky haired boy of similar height. The other lad had his back to Toby and Alice, but there was no mistaking Stan. He wasn’t as tall as Toby, but he was quite well built, and looked like had been working out. He was dressed in a sleeveless black singlet, black calf-length cargo pants with studs and chains all over them, and big kicker boots. His friend was dressed in similar gear, and they were snorting and laughing as they dared each other to try the ‘Test your Strength’ game.

Perhaps we should try the maze later- Alice began, but then Stan turned and looked right at them. Too late! she sighed.

Stan stared at them. Puberty looked like it had hit him