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STEVE POPPED OVER FOR A VISIT late Saturday afternoon We hadn’t said much to each other all week and he was the last person I was expecting Mom let him in and called me downstairs I saw him when I was halfway down, paused, then shouted for hih he hadn’t been there for otten what this place looks like," he said

"Don’t be silly," I said "You were here a couple of weeks ago"

"It seeer" He sat on the bed and turned his eyes on me His face was serious and lonely "Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked softly

"What do youabout

"You’ve been steering clear of me these past teeks," he said "It wasn’t obvious at first, but each day you’ve been spending less ti basketball in gyood at basketball," I said It was a lame excuse, but I couldn’t think of a better one

"I was confused at first," Steve said, "but then I figured it out You didn’t get lost the night of the freak show, did you? You stuck around, up in the balcony probably, and sahat happened between me and Vur Horston"

"No, I didn’t! "I snapped

"No?" he asked

"No," I lied

"You didn’t see anything?"

"No"

"You didn’t seeto Vur Horston?"

"No!"

"You didn’t"

"Look, Steve," I interrupted, "whatever happened between you and Mr Crepsley is your business I wasn’t there, didn’t see it, don’t knohat you’re talking about Now if"

"Don’t lie to !" I lied

"Then how did you knoas talking about Mr Crepsley?" he asked

"Because" I bitto Vur Horston" Steve smiled "Unless you were there, hoould you know that Vur Horston and Larten Crepsley are one and the saed I sat on the bed beside Steve "Okay," I said, "I admit it I was in the balcony"

"HowI couldn’t see what he was doing when he was sucking out your blood, or hear what he was saying But apart froh "That’s why you’ve been avoiding me: because he said I was evil"

"Partly," I said "But mostly because of what you said Steve, you asked him to turn you into a vampire! What if he had turned you into one and you’d coo after people they know first, don’t they?"

"In books and movies, yes," Steve said "This is different This is real life I wouldn’t have hurt you, Darren"

"Maybe," I said "Maybe not The point is, I don’t want to find out I don’t want to be friends with you anyerous What if you ranted your wish? Or what if Mr Crepsley was right and you’re really evil and"

"I’m not evil!" Steve shouted, and shoved ers in my face "Take that back!" he roared "Take that back, or so help me, I’ll jerk your head off and"

"I take it back! I take it back!" I shrieked Steve was heavy on my chest, his face flushed and furious I would have said anything to get hier, then grunted and rolled off I sat up, gasping, rubbing my face where he had poked it

"Sorry," Steve mumbled "That was over the top But I’ me at school You’re my best friend, Darren, the only person I can really talk to If you break up our friendship, I don’t knohat I’ll do"

He started to cry I watched him for a few seconds, torn between fear and syot the better of me and I put an arm around his shoulder "It’s okay," I said "I’ll still be your friend C’, okay?"

He tried but it took a while for the tears to stop "I must look like a total fool," he finally sniffed

"No," I said "I’m the fool I should have stood by you I was a coward I never stopped to i of

Steve stared atto say?" he asked

"Nothing," I said "It was a slip of the tongue"

He grunted "You’re a bad liar, Shan Alere Tell me what it was you were about to let slip"

I studied his face, wondering if I should tell him I knew I shouldn’t, that it could only mean trouble, but I felt sorry for him Besides, I needed to tell soreat tricks we could do

"Can you keep a secret?" I asked

"Of course," he snorted

"This is a big one You can’t tell anyone, okay? If I tell you, it has to stay between the two of us If you ever talk"

"You’ll talk about"You have me over a barrel No matter what you tell me, you know I can’t blab, even if I wanted to What’s the big secret?"

"Wait a ot off the bed and opened the door to the room "Mom?" I shouted

"Yes?" ca Steveto teach him how to play it, but only if we’re not disturbed, okay?"

"Okay," she called back

I closed the door and smiled at Steve He looked puzzled "A flute?" he asked "Your big secret is a flute?"

"That’s part of it," I said "Listen, do you remember Madam Octa? Mr Crepsley’s spider?"

"Of course," he said "I wasn’t paying much attention to her when she was on but I don’t think anyone could ever forget a creature like that Those hairy legs: brrrr!"

I opened the door to the closet while he was speaking and got out the cage His eyes squinted when he saw it, then widened "That’s not what I think it is, is it?" he asked

"That depends," I said, whipping off the cloth "If you think it’s a deadly perforasped, al off the bed in shock "That’s ashe’s awhere didWow!"

I was delighted with his reaction I stood over the cage, s like a proud father Mada no attention tocloser for a better look "She looks just the same as the one in the circus I can’t believe you found one that looks so siet her? A pet shop? Froot her from the Cirque Du Freak, of course," I said uneasily

"Fro "They were selling live spiders? I didn’t see any How much did she cost?"

I shook my head and said: "I didn’t buy her, Steve ICan’t you guess? Don’t you understand?"

"Understand what?" he asked