* * *
Inside, Bobby stammered through the darkness, walking beside the track in the direction of his sister’s voice.
“How can you even see in here?” asked Bobby.
As he lumbered through the darkness, the mechanical witch suddenly twitched. Then its head slowly turned in the direction of Bobby’s voice.
Bobby felt his way around, tripping on something and nearly falling.
Further down the track, the mechanized beast remained motionless in its cage. Then it quietly pushed the cage open.
“I’m gonna kill you guys,” uttered Bobby somewhere in the darkness.
Nearby, the half-man/half-frog crouched motionless. Then it slowly opened its bulging eyes. It stuck out its long tongue and made a low “ribbit” sound, licking its lips.
* * *
Outside, Drew and Rebecca looked around the fairgrounds.
“You don’t think he got pissed and walked home do you?” asked Drew.
“No, not Bobby,” said Rebecca. “He’s too lazy.”
Rebecca eyed the carny, who stared at the ground. She walked over to him, leading Drew by the hand.
“Excuse me, sir, but have you seen the brown-haired boy who was with us?” asked Rebecca. “He was waiting out here when we went inside.”
The carny glanced up at them, shook his head “no” and then looked back down.
* * *
Inside, Bobby heard something behind him -- a creaky floor board. It was a footstep. He paused, turned, squinting into the darkness.
“Rebecca?!” he called out.
From another direction he heard a hissing sound. He turned, peering into the darkness.
“Drew?!” he shouted.
Then from nearby there came an eerie, low-pitched groaning sound. Bobby was certain it was a person -- although it sounded like something much worse.
Suddenly there was a loud, honking, ear-splitting clown horn, and quick burst of automated light.
Bobby saw standing in front of him: a wart-covered witch, all dried up and hunched over, grinning and cackling; a snarling, werewolf-like beast; a half-man/half-frog, its long tongue springing outward excitedly; a hissing, red-eyed demon with horns, green slime dribbling from its mouth; a groaning, zombie-like, white-faced ghoul; and the towering clown, smiling eagerly with saliva dripping from its broken yellow teeth.
The creatures all glared at Bobby intensely -- and with great anticipation.
Bobby stood frozen, his mouth open wide as the light quickly diminished and the darkness returned.
* * *
Outside, Rebecca and Drew were starting to worry. They looked all around, asking passers-by if they’d seen Bobby.
Two teens approached the haunted house and handed their tickets toward the carny; however, he shook his head and refused to accept them. He reached down and picked up a sign, attaching it to the gate. The sign said “Closed.”
The carny glared at the teens and grumbled: “We’re having... technical difficulties.”
The boys shrugged and walked off.
The carny looked over at the haunted house entrance tunnel and studied the sign over the door: “Please stay inside cart - For your own safety”. He shook his head, disturbed. Reaching down toward his feet, he pulled up a brown bag and took a healthy swig of liquor. Seeming tormented, he took a deep breath and spoke to no one in particular: “Sometimes they get hungry...”
The carny peered out toward the midway, watching Rebecca and Drew as they desperately searched for Bobby.
Finally the carny glanced up at the mural paintings on the haunted house wall. He studied the beast, the frog man, the clown, and the other assorted creatures. The paintings depicted the monsters pursuing several horrified humans. One of those humans in the painting now had the face of Bobby Slater.
The carny dropped his head and stared at the ground, distraught.
“Sometimes they get hungry.”
THE END
About the author:
Jason K. Allen is a writer and filmmaker from Nashville, Tennessee. He is also a wilderness guide, nature photographer, and an interpretive specialist for Tennessee State Parks.
Discover other titles by Jason K. Allen:
The Dead Need Nature, Too
The Horse-Drawn Hearse
The Zombie Who Liked Fred Astaire
Connect with me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allen.jason.k
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3021924
Sometimes They Get Hungry Page 3
