Miles, stepped more carefully, "Go slow, we can make it to that pink door." Miles pointed.
And they slowly walked, and spun until they got to the door, they opened it and slipped into the next room. This one was a ballroom, there was a massive grand piano and other assorted instruments on a stage. There was an entire wall that was a long curtain. The room had twelve posters, all of a boy with a crippled arm. Each poster had been vandalized with red ink. "Let's hide quickly!"
And the boys quickly hid behind the curtain, both of them completely forgetting they were missing Sue. The little dog who could, and would find them in a heartbeat if he made it to their room.
They were carefully and quietly wrapped in the curtain when the door pounded open with a loud thump. They could hear the bat being dragged behind the clown. "Don't you remember me? I'm Milo! I like to juggle, and I won't hurt you!" The clown's feet squeaked as he walked, as if his shoes were made out of dog toys. "Come on boys, don't you like to play a little baseball?"
The bat was swung softly and caught in his shiny gloved hand. The sound of the bat hitting into the palm of his hand was a loud slap. Slap. Slap. It was loud enough to turn Miles stomach. It was terrifying. But a moment or two later the clown stepped out a creaking door and vanished.
Miles breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"Do you think he's gone for good?" Miles asked Thomas.
Before Thomas could reply, they both heard the loud, nonstop barking of a frustrated dog. The familiar creak of the door opened again, and Milo was back.
"Sue? Is that you?" He lumbered, his squeaking feet back to the pink door. Miles' eyes grew wide with fear. Sue would surely let Milo know where they were.
"Sue?" Milo said again, and a sudden breeze ran across the curtains as the door opened. The dog was barking and running around the clown excitedly wagging its tail. "Where is Stucco? He will be pissed that you are out. Why aren't you in your cage?"
The dog ran around the room, sniffing Miles feet and barking twice. "Come here Sue." The dog ran to Thomas and sniffed his feet. They could feel the little dog wagging his tail ferociously excited. "Sue, quit screwing around. Come." The dog's nose left the boy's toes and Milo scooped him up. "Bad boy, back to your crate."
Big wet tears rolled down Miles face as he realized what just happened. Milo took Sue. He would murder Sue. That beautiful little happy dog. His new best friend. He took a step forward, ready to fight to the death for the dog. For that same dog that protected him against a clown.
But Thomas held him back, pressing his hand to Miles mouth. They waited together like that, absolutely certain that Milo had found them. Miles eyes were wide and frantic. He should do something! He should save Sue!
But then, the creak of the door opened again, and Milo and Sue were gone.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Lorelei and Todd were pressed together in a cupboard. Todd wouldn't even whisper with her, instead giving her the "slit your throat" signal every time she tried. They waited for a really long time, but heard nothing else.
"Can we go now?" Lorelei whispered.
Todd said, "You have no patience! How do you think I have stayed alive in here for so long? It wasn't by whispering."
Lorelei frowned. "Stay alive from what? I don't even know what you mean half the time."
"Look, I went to this carnival, then I went in the funhouse, not this one, the purple tent. Then, I got stuck in a sandy beach with some ice cream. Then I woke up in a cage." He swallowed and looked at her seriously. "If you knew the kinds of things I have seen this week, you wouldn't be complaining. You'd be quiet."
He slipped the cabinet door open slightly and peered out.
Lorelei asked, "How did you get out of the cage?"
Todd looked sad immediately. "I had help. She didn't make it." He said nothing further and Lorelei decided she didn't exactly want to know anything else. It was too hard to bear the weight of it all. Instead, she stopped whispering, and listened.
They heard nothing.
Finally Todd got out of the cabinet, and Lorelei followed. Todd had been so fast she already lost the path of where they had gone. "How long have you been out of the cage?"
"I don't know, maybe four days? I've been eating things I find, but I haven't quite figured out how to leave yet. "
"Do you know where the other slides went? The green one and the yellow one? My brother's took those slides." Lorelei asked.
Todd frowned. "Well whoever took the yellow slide turned the crank and got everyone all riled up. That was a bad idea. Don't turn anything on. It makes them all awake and angry."
"The clowns?" Lorelei asked.
Todd looked shocked, "No, the ghosts. Do you think these clowns just like killing kids or something?"
"Well, yeah, why else would there be so many ghosts?" Lorelei said.
Todd grew quiet, and then said, "I don't totally know what is going on here, but I think the clowns have to feed them, I don't think they have a choice."
"I knew we shouldn't trust that kid. He's the one who told us to split up." Lorelei said.
"Oh! The kid ghosts. Yeah, some of them are pretty nice. Most of them, actually. I didn't know you haven't met the other ones yet, like the Ringmaster." Todd said. He shivered suddenly. "Let's go hide somewhere else."
"I don't want to hide. I want to fight and save everyone and find my brothers." Lorelei said and stood up. "Come help us."
Todd hesitated, "I don't think we can win."
"We definitely can't without help. You know this place, you can help us."
Todd took a deep breath and glanced back at the cabinet. "We will die in here."
"Let's go find the room with the crank. Maybe Miles left us a hint. He's got Stucco's dog."
Todd's eyes grew huge. "Oh no. He has Sue?"
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Gregory lost the clown only five minutes later. He was trying not to follow to close, and he ended up helplessly behind. They were in a hallway now, the hallway was a maze, with forks and zig zag patterns. Greg had tried to sneak along right behind the clown, but when he got to a three way fork, he wasn't sure which way the clown had gone. He frowned and chewed on his lip, wondering which way to go. They seemed to be slowly creeping down hill.
Deeper into the earth.
To the pits of hell.
That's what mother used to say, "Don't dig to the pits of hell." Or sometimes, "If you don't behave you'll find yourself down, down, down, in the depths of hell."
It wasn't too hot, but maybe the burning fires of misery came later, after the clowns killed him.
Gregory frowned. He had been so convinced he would fight the clown he had paid no attention to where he was going. Adrenaline had been pushing him forward. Where was he? Where was he going?
The halls were all striped in red long lines. Where was he supposed to go?
He hesitantly picked the middle path and walked nervously down it. Gone was the confident sneaking he was doing moments earlier, now he was a frightened kid looking for hope. If only he wasn't alone, then he wouldn't feel so awful.
His feet felt heavy and his concern continued to mount. Each step seemed louder, and heavier. His heart was pounding in his chest. Fear tasted awful. That's what he decided. It was the worst flavor ever invented. His tongue was thick, his stomach had soured, and it was the clown's fault.
He could see another fork coming up. Should he turn around? Continue forward?
He got to the fork and he could feel himself panting hard. This was wrong. He was going the wrong way. He should stop trying to follow a clown he had lost and try to get back to his brother and sister. That is what he should do.
And he turned around and there stood the clown with the broken nose. Not two inches from Gregory. "Hello, I'm Otis. You broke my nose." Otis said, grinning with his crooked nose still dripping.
He lunged for the boy, his big red satin hands catching him by his shirt. He lifted the boy towards his face, "You better watch out, maybe you'll b
reak your nose. You shouldn't hit someone so much bigger than you." Gregory frantically swung the sword and hit the man on his right arm. Blood spurted in a big gush.
Otis dropped Gregory and screamed. Blood was pouring from his arm.
Greg ran. He faster than he had ever run in his entire life. After zig zagging and racing through the striped tunnels he ran out of sprint. He was panting, saliva dripping from his mouth to the floor. He dry heaved, not once, but twice. Inside his chest his heart was pounding and crashing. He couldn't take it anymore. If that clown caught up with him now he'd be done for.
He glanced back, but saw nothing.
Tears suddenly burst from him and he sat on the floor and bawled. Why did he think he could save Micheal and Kayla? Why did he think he could save them? Now he was lost, and scared and alone.
Chapter Thirty
Miles and Thomas scooted out from the curtain and stared at the room they were in. The piano and other instruments still sat empty on the stage. "We have to save Sue." Miles whimpered.
Thomas looked at him seriously. "We will, but aren't we trying to save... those kids?"
"Micheal and Kayla. Micheal stabbed Stucco with his swords, I owe him. Let's make sure we save Sue too. He is a good dog. Stucco doesn't deserve him." Miles chewed his lip thoughtfully, "We haven't really done anything to save anyone yet. What do you think we should do?"
"I have a secret plan, but we have to find everyone first. "Thomas said.
"What is your..." Before he could finish the door opened. It was only open a small amount and both boys quickly slipped back behind the curtain. They held their breath, hopefully that whoever opened the door wouldn't find them. The door quietly clicked shut, and both boys were nervous. Who was in here with them?
They could hear a soft whispering sound, but couldn't make out what the words were.
Another whisper replied, but the sound was so soft it was impossible to guess what was being said. Miles' held Colorado tightly in his fist and pushed the curtain slightly away from his nose. He peered into the room. Beside the piano was his sister!
"Lorelei!" He leapt out from the curtain. "Are you okay?" His voice was booming as he squeezed his sister. She was grinning so hard to see him.
A short boy next to Lorelei said, "Shhhh." And then whispered, "Are you the idiot who turned the crank?"
Thomas slinked out from behind the curtain. "I turned the crank." He said. There was a daring tone in his voice, threatening the other boy to complain about it.
Miles hugged Lorelei again, "I thought you were lost forever. I want mom. I don't think this was a good idea."
Lorelei snuggled her little brother. "It's gonna be okay. We are gonna save Kayla and Micheal. Look, we already have a group, We've got Todd. He knows his way around, he knew exactly how to find you."
Thomas looked at Todd suspiciously. He still seemed ready to pick a fight about the whole turning the crank thing. But before they could discuss anything further, the door opened.
And in stepped the long clown with the striped pants. He was holding the bat. As soon as he saw the four small kids, he laughed. "Think I can hit you all in one swing?"
He lifted the bat and took a practice swing, the same way he would have if they were mid baseball game. The wooden bat whooshed through the air. Miles screamed, it terrified him so much. But Thomas was already charging at the clown. His small frame smashing into the clowns knees. Thomas screamed as he punched and kicked, but Milo did not topple.
Lorelei ran over and shouted her plan. "Hit him in the knees. Hit him hard!" Her tiny self leapt up and tried to punch his face, but she missed miserably, and barely hit his chest. It wasn't even a real hit, just a grazing of the knuckles.
Todd was gone already, he was hidden, slipped away. He knew, what the other children were about to learn. Clowns were not defeat-able.
Milo cackled a bright laugh and swung his bat again. Lorelei just barely ducked as she punched at his face again. Her fist contacted his nose, but it didn't stop him. The nose didn't pop or break like it was supposed to.
Miles screamed, "Put your fist through his face." Miles was in the middle of punching behind Milo's right knee and the clown fell at the force of his hit. Thomas grinned and was clinging to the other leg and suddenly popped the clown in the crotch.
Through. Lorelei suddenly understood, don't hit him, put your fist through him. Her next fist made contact, and his face rattled at the force of the hit.
But the bat was swung again.
And this time instead of slicing air it came with a crack, a terrifying loud crack. Everyone froze, waiting for the tears. It sounded so bad, so slick, so terrifying. Milo roared with laughter and the bat swung back up into the air. Thomas was gushing. His head was pouring out onto the floor in a big red waterfall. He wasn't moving.
Miles screamed.
Lorelei froze. No plan, just terrified staring at Thomas, slumped into a small ball. His head was gushing.
Milo raised the bat again, and Lorelei screamed, "No!" And charged her brother. The bat cracked on the floor behind them. Miles was still screaming. She dragged him and they ran, the clown hysterically laughing as he picked up the limp body of Thomas.
Lorelei and Miles charged into the next room and not ten seconds later Todd whispered, "this way!" And he grabbed them. They ran down a hallway, hearts racing, adrenaline pumping. Miles vomited. They were sobbing. Lorelei was drenched in her own tears, Miles was soaked in blood and tears. Thomas' blood.
One hit. One hit with the bat would break them open. Lorelei did not understand how real the danger was. She thought, somehow, it would hurt, but that was it. She'd never seen someone bleed like that. Her stomach churned, but she kept her corn dog in her belly and Todd pulled them into a small room in the hallway. The room was filled with balloons and pillows. He pulled the two of them over into a small corner and they hid in the pillows. Miles was trembling from head to toe as he sobbed. Lorelei shushed him as they snuggled.
Milo whistled as he walked past the hallway. He paused and knocked on the door to the room they were in, "Hey kiddos! I'll be back soon. I've gotta clean up this one I cracked with the bat. Then, I'm coming for you."
Miles pissed himself.
Chapter Thirty-One
Gregory was slinking along the hallway, he paused often to listen for Otis, but he hadn't seen the clown in a while. He heard him a few times, and every time he heard the scraping sounds of his feet, Gregory quickly slipped farther and farther away from the clown. He was sure he should try to head back up the slow decline, but every time he walked back uphill he'd hear that clown again.
Greg turned the corner down the hallway and saw a child.
She was beautiful, much older than him, and very thin. Her bones were practically sticking out of her skin. It was scary to him, how long had she been down here? She was pale. "Are you dead?" He whispered.
Tears fell from her eyes, and she whispered, "Not yet, but soon I think."
He reached out and gave her a hug, but his arms slipped through her.
Her face twisted suddenly, with shock and sorrow. "Maybe." She whispered.
His stomach dropped. "The clowns?"
"No, I think I..." She paused and then looked at him harder. "You are so alive." And then she smiled. Her mouth was beautiful, and she made him feel instantly safe. It was almost the smile of a mother, a warm, happy thing that made his terror fade.
"Have you seen Kayla and Micheal? We will save them." Gregory whispered to her. He stepped farther into the part of the hallway she was standing in. "Or how to leave?"
"I didn't even know I was dead." She said, there was a softness in her voice that was laced with sorrow. "How are you going to save anyone?"
"I've got a sword." He pointed at the sword he was still dragging around. It was red with the blood from the clown.
She frowned. "You found that here?"
"At the other funhouse." He said.
"That's not good. You can't use weapons against them.
It will change you..." She paused, and they both listened to the scraping flip flopping of feet. "It's not safe." She stepped through Gregory and he followed her deeper into the hallway.
"Why?" He asked.
"It makes..." Her eyes flicked back and forth nervously. "He's coming!" She led him farther down the hallway to a solid brown door. "In here!"
"Can't you help?" Gregory said. He opened the door glancing behind him, and just then he saw the form of Otis at the end of the hall. His heart skipped, and he stepped through the door without even looking. The girl laughed hard as he fell.
"I don't want to help!" She stood up, and it was suddenly obvious she was not a girl. She was bigger. She touched her face and the pale skin rubbed off onto her hand. Under the pale skin was a long dark red triangle.
She rubbed her nose with one hand and a bright red heart was visible on the tip of her nose. "It makes us strong. It makes us strong when you fight us."
Gregory landed on a flat mattress. He looked up at her, terrified. Turning his head, he saw the weapons clattered on the ground. Some hung on the walls. There was Stucco hanging from the chains, his skin was raw and he looked at Gregory and whimpered, "Not another one."
As Greg laid on the mattress, terrified, the shadows at the edge of the room moved. Micheal stepped forward, Kayla quietly behind him. They were smeared in red and brown blood stains. "He will have to let us out." Micheal said. His eyes were wild and frantic and he looked up at the clown chained to the wall.
He lifted the two, blood-soaked swords in his hands and said, "We have Greg now. Tell us. Tell us how to get out of here."
The clown groaned, and the boy jabbed him in the thigh.
He let out a squeal.
Chapter Thirty-Two
"We need to hide somewhere else." Lorelei whispered.
Todd shook his head. "No."
Firelocked Funhouse (Locked House Hauntings Book 3) Page 8
