Cirque Du Freak - Plot Summary

Plot Summary

Young Darren Shan has been fascinated by spiders from an early age. His best friend, Steve "Leopard" Leonard has grown up reading horror comics and stories about werewolves and vampires. Steve, Darren, and their friends, Tommy and Alan find out about a freak show called "Cirque Du Freak" and plan on buying tickets. Their teacher finds out about the freak show and tries to shut it down by ripping up the address to the theater. So, Steve memorizes the address and goes to the theater that night, but when he finds no one there, he gets ready to leave when Mr. Tall, the ring master,arrives from nowhere and hands him two tickets. Since Steve bought the tickets, he got to go to the Cirque, so he threw pieces of paper with the extra ticket in the air and whoever caught the ticket would get to go with him, and Darren catches it. After viewing the "Cirque Du Freak" Darren and Steve are mesmerized by the fantastic and disturbing show, especially by the act of the mysterious Mr.Crepsley and his giant, deadly, poisonous spider, Madam Octa, which leaves Steve speechless and pale as a ghost.

When the show ends, Steve goes back to talk to Mr. Crepsley about turning him into a vampire, so Mr. Crepsley takes a taste of Steve's blood and says that it tastes of evil. Mad as hell, Steve flees the theater and tells Mr. Crepsley he will get him back for this. Darren, who has been listening to Steve and Crepsley's conversation turns away and decides to tell Steve that he got lost on his way back to the house, and decided to go home, which Steve doubts. Darren steals Madam Octa while Crepsley is asleep in his coffin, and makes her do tricks, by playing the flute and messaging her telepathically. Steve comes over and lets her crawl around him.When Madame Octa was crawling around Steve's face, Annie, Darren's younger sister, walks in, terrified at the spider, and screams. The scream stops the connection, and Madam Octa bites Steve, paralyzing him. Darren convinces Annie to keep it secret that Darren acidentally caused Steve to get bitten. They send Steve to the hospital, the doctors have no idea what caused it or how to cure it. Darren decides the only person with a cure is Mr. Crepsley. Darren goes home and observes Madam Octa. He becomes enraged and pitches her out the window. Darren then sees Mr. Crepsley, who had caught Madame Octa, when Darren hurled her out the window. Darren decides to follow Mr. Crepsley to the theater and beg for the cure. But in exchange, Darren must become half vampire and give up his life as a human.