Darren Craske - The equivoque principle

'Ah, just a bad case of the wind last night, guv. I think it was that mackerel Harry bought,' Peregrine the dwarf said sheepishly.

Quaint afforded the man his blushes. 'No need to apologise, Perry! Natural gas is a very healthy bodily product.'

'It ain't that healthy when you're on the bottom bunk underneath it, boss,' muttered Jeremiah. 'I'm going to need a clothes peg if I want to get any sleep tonight!'

The line erupted into restrained sniggers, and Quaint clapped his hands to quell the rabble. 'All right, folks. Part of why you lot are assembled is to make sure you're all still limber. And that goes double for you two chaps,' said Quaint, looking at Yin and Yang atop the train carriage. 'I'd prefer it if I didn't have to shout into the rafters; get on down here.'

'Righto, Mr Quaint, on my way down!' Yin vaulted from the rear of the train, somersaulting in mid-air to land as deftly as a cat by Quaint's side on the platform.

'Impressive,' Quaint said, half-approvingly. 'And your brother, please.'

'Look out below!' yelled Yin's twin. He and his brother were indeed two peas in a pod, either side of the same coin, but whereas Yin was calm, restrained and thoughtful, Yang had a daredevil streak that flowed through his veins. Whatever Yin did, Yang wanted to do it better, faster, higher. Leaping from the train like a dart into the air, Yang somersaulted, catching one of the station's iron roof supports, and swung himself around in a complete circle. He leapt from one girder to the next, more like an ape than a man, his fingers and feet seemingly finding stability everywhere they touched. He leapt into the air and performed a triple twist, to land with a cocky grin just as deftly as his brother on the platform next to Quaint.

'Save the theatrics, Yang. I can't have you breaking an ankle before show-time,' Quaint said testily, glancing over his shoulder. And then more quietly, he said: 'Nice final twist on the end beam though, son. You've been practising.'

The hustle and bustle at Grosvenor Park station, commonplace at virtually any time of the day or night, slowed to a standstill as every other traveller or worker stopped and stared at the sight of the circus folk. Quaint barely acknowledged the gathering audience, and seated himself down on a wooden bench opposite the train. He crossed one leg over the other, and linked his fingers together, his hands sitting loosely in his lap. He looked over towards Ruby, and gave a gentle nod.

'Begin,' Cornelius Quaint said.

The word was like a starting pistol going off before a race, and in a second the group of circus folk pulled on the masks of performers, and the rehearsal commenced. Yin and Yang kicked off with a series of back-flips and cartwheels at blinding speeds along the platform. Like sporadic whirlwinds, the Chinese twins never stood in one place long before they were leaping somewhere else. They bounded, flipped, jumped and sprang from one end of the platform to the other with a succession of dizzying acrobatic displays. Quaint spun around in his seat to investigate, as a chorus of undulating cheers and applause echoed around the station. A group of onlookers had gathered around the station, and they were enjoying the free show.

'We have an audience now, people,' said Quaint. 'So make it count.'

Even in the distilled afternoon light of the train station, with its many distractions of noise and smoke, the acrobatic display was still breathtaking-even to Quaint, who had witnessed it countless times. How the two little bumblebees managed to ricochet across the platform with such grace and speed was something of a mystery to the circus owner. As was how they managed never to collide mid-air, but perhaps this was due in part to the Chinese men being twins, as perhaps there was an unspoken, almost telepathic communication linking the two of them. That was the spiritual explanation of course, and one that never sat too comfortably in Quaint's solid and physical world. Nevertheless, whether the display was the result of something beyond the boundaries of normality, or just the fact that the two had been performing together since the age of six, it was still spectacularly stunning to watch -and Quaint hoped that the forthcoming audience in Hyde Park would be sufficiently entertained.

As he watched the rest of his crew perform, he felt a nagging twinge within his heart. As good as his team were, there were still gaps in the programme, very obvious gaps that only served to reinforce what they were missing.

Twinkle's presence was irreplaceable. More than just a juggler, comedienne and all-round entertainer, she was the pulsing heartbeat within his circus, and now that heart had been torn out. Praying they were a strong enough community to weather the storm, Quaint knew that a lot of it relied on them finding Prometheus. Whilst not as effervescent as Twinkle, he was virtually an embodiment of the circus's recent troubles. If he could be found, and normality restored, perhaps they might all have a very real chance of repairing their wounds. But by the same token another question appeared in Cornelius Quaint's head. If Prometheus should die, would the hearts and minds of all in the circus be far behind?

A LITTLE OVER AN hour later the rehearsals had concluded, and Grosvenor Park station gradually returned to a semblance of normality. Each of the performers was enjoying a well-earned break from their duties and practising, and they congregated in small packs. They were sitting cross-legged on the station platform, some on the wooden benches, or atop stacks of luggage and canvas-covered circus equipment. Almost like a nomadic desert encampment, the small, scattered cliques were alive with pleasant chatter, idle gossip and good-natured warmth, not unlike most families. Seated within a throng of performers including Yin, Yang, Jeremiah, Peregrine and Kipo, young Ruby Marstrand sipped at a small metal cup of steaming tea, and tapped her feet against the ground incessantly. She was frustrated, and in no mood to hide her feelings.

'Something up, Rubes?' asked Jeremiah. 'Or are you trying to burrow all the way to Australia?'

'Hmm?' she asked distractedly. 'Oh, sorry, Jerry, it's just…all this waiting around. I want to be out there getting my hands dirty searching for Prometheus. How much longer do we have to wait? He could be anywhere by now, and it'll take us ages to get back to Crawditch.'

'You're not going back to Crawditch,' said a voice behind her.

Ruby swallowed hard as she saw Cornelius Quaint approaching her. His cold, steely expression immediately deflected any accusatory comments. His was the type of stare to silence even the greatest critic.

'We're not? How come?' Ruby asked.

'Because, Ruby, you and the rest of the crew are needed in Hyde Park getting things ready,' Quaint answered. 'We've still got a circus to put together, remember?'

'We are not going out to search for Prometheus?' asked Yang.

'Correct, Yang,' confirmed Quaint. 'We are not. Butter and I will suffice for now. As well as in the park setting up the tents, I need someone stationed here should Prometheus return to the train. It's a safe bet that we'll be having the company of some policemen soon.'

'To stop us driving the train away, I'll bet,' added Yin.

'Yes, well, if we wish to exonerate Prometheus, we must be careful not to add fuel to the fire. Commissioner Dray can be a conflagration all to himself,' agreed Quaint. 'Now, whilst Butter and I are absent, I am relying on the fact that everyone knows their roles and responsibilities. Madame Destine is on hand, should you require her assistance. We have promised London a circus this coming Friday, ladies and gentlemen-and I for one intend to deliver.'

'But Mr Q, how are we supposed to do the show without Prometheus or Twinkle?' asked Ruby. 'It just won't be the same.'