Episode 11

Jordan felt herself getting pulled away by two arms. Her heels skid across the cement path. Matt and Andrew came to the rescue as she was too stunned to move. She'd never seen a dead body before, but this was the second today. Second, third, fourth, fifth... sixth.
They fell back to where Macy waited for them. "What is that thing?" Macy whimpered, "W-what are we supposed to do now? What happened to those... people..."
"Just get back," Matt said, "We aren't going out this way."
The eerie figure disappeared. So did Jordan's sanity, or so she thought. What was happening here?
"You guys know this place better than we do," Matt said to the actors, "Is there an employee exit or something in the back? Anywhere?"
"Of course," Andrew nodded, "There's an exit that can take you to where your friends set up tents, there's also one that leads to the trailers."
"I'm betting the others are going to head to the tents," Matt turned to Macy.
"Y-yeah," she sniffed, "We should find Jen and Natalie. And Tina if she hasn't wandered off..."
They all remembered Tina's stunt on the stage. If that didn't make them look guilty for Taylor's murder, then nothing would.

Andrew and the still spacey Jordan moved ahead of their team. They didn't even get to perform, Andrew sulked internally, he practiced every line and every song several times over. The impending doom looming over the park was concerning though... Why did a murderer have to show up?
"Do you think this is a terrorist or something?" Macy asked.
They were able to calm themselves enough to start being more aware of their surroundings. Instead of running, like their first instinct, they kept close to shelters or foliage for emergency cover. Thank goodness for all the unnecessary gardens along the pathways. Everything stayed quiet, which came as a surprise. Especially after walking into what looked like a massacre...
"I'm not sure, but killing is killing and I want no part in it," Jordan said, "Here's the roller coaster... I used to think this walk was easy, but now it feels like its taking ages to get there."
The spiral iron tracks towered over them, the carts stuck in their places. They appeared empty, even the carts that stopped at the top of one of the hills.
"I might be going crazy," Jordan said, "But that person at the gates... he didn't seem normal. Did you notice?"
Matt and Macy looked at each other but said nothing.
"He just took off after we showed up," Andrew replied, "So I doubt he's someone we want to chat with..."
"But who was he?" Jordan asked, "Why are you two so quiet?"
Macy swallowed. Poor things, Jordan sighed, they were still in their exotic costumes, bloodstained. Matt looked like he wanted to say something, but he was cut off by a bell.
A bell?
The sudden noise startled them so badly, all four of them climbed on each other trying to hide in a bush. Small leaves crammed themselves in Andrew's nostrils, "Ahh..." Macy's long arms and legs wrapped around Jordan like a spider or baby monkey.
"Oomph... Could you please get off my spine," Jordan grumbled.
"Sorry," Macy said, but hesitated when she stood up. Jordan brushed herself off and whirled around.
"Was that the clown show?" she asked.
Matt's mouth turned into a deep frown, "Clowns?"
"The new clown show..." Jordan shrugged, "Anyway, they have a clock system to let people know when the next show is."
"How could it be working if the power is out?" Matt said.
How indeed, Jordan chewed on her bottom lip. Maybe the power was returning? This could be a good thing! The four freed themselves from the bushes, Andrew having to sneeze a few times, and they were about to take the path towards the kiddy rides -
"Matt." Macy snapped suddenly.
"What-" the magician's mustache sank, almost like in a cartoon.
Before Jordan and Andrew could even catch on, Macy went into full-panic mode again. She hid behind Matt and trembled in her frilly short dress. Her eyes clamped shut.
"I'm seeing things... I'm seeing things..."
"If you are then I am too," Matt said.
Jordan felt a chill run down her spine, "You can't freak and then not tell us what it is!"
But Macy wouldn't respond in any form. Matt had to be the one to point out the man watching them in the distance.
Standing in the middle of the road, where they were more than likely about to walk towards, was a stout man with frizzy hair, very wig-like. The night sky couldn't illuminate the bright colors of his wardrobe, but the pattern on his shirt consisted of thick stripes and large puff balls for buttons.

....

Episode 10

"I lost both my parents that day," Tina's voice trembled, "My sister never mentally recovered from the terrible things we saw. My aunt survived and took us in... that's when she told me what that creature was, and how to trap it."
Jen's expression changed from curiosity to disbelief, and possibly terror, over Tina's story, "So this thing just really enjoys killing people? That's what he's about?"
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Natalie asked. She was her granddaughter after all! Maybe she didn't know as much about her family as she thought.
"I tried to make a happier life for you," Tina pleaded, "-as much as I could anyway. After your own mother died... and Buttons."
Natalie couldn't stay mad. Her grandmother did take care of her, as weird as her rituals and bizarre scented incense and candles were, or the animal bones... Her childhood, though tarnished with blood, still had warmth and comfort.
"As for you," Tina turned to Jen, "This thing is an abomination, the devil's hound, a hungry soul eater... It doesn't have a name, except the ones given to it. It lives to kill. It has no real motives other than the suffering of others... My aunt calls it The Darkness, but others have referred to it as Thanatos."
Jen gulped loudly, "So we're in agreement that this is... real? Correct?"
Neither Natalie nor Tina spoke. The silence was oddly deafening.
"Then let's get out of here," Jen nodded to each of them, "Yeah? Yes? No? Why not?"
"We cannot..." Tina muttered.
"What do you mean?" Natalie asked.
"If we leave now before sealing Thanatos away, then everyone still trapped here at the park will die. The manager, your friends, the theater kids..."
Jen flinched, "Woah... Wait. What does it want with us?"
"Our lives," Tina shrugged, "I haven't felt his presence in a long time... We have to move quickly. No matter how hard that may be..." Her piercing eyes pointed at them before continuing, "If we don't get to the tent with my supplies then everyone is doomed. Understand?"
"Tent. Supplies. Stop the murderous ghost. Got it," Jen gave a sarcastic thumbs-up, "Oh, and don't die."
"OK... Let's go," Natalie nodded.

*****

"How did I get stuck with the cleanup crew?"
Jacob leaned against the exterior wall of the theater. His legs slightly bent and he kept his gun close and at the ready. Out of breath and lining up along the building like ducklings came Gerald, Blake, Zach, and their Manager, Aaron.
"I represent that," Gerald huffed.
"We're just following the man with a firearm," Blake said.
Zach hunched over and looked like he might puke, to which Aaron hastily left his post and confronted the cop.
"I don't remember authorizing any undercover missions at my park," Aaron stood tall, but their eye level stayed the same.
"I don't need permission from you," Jacob's attention was on anything but his followers. His eyes shifted quickly as if looking for something in the distance.
"Besides," he continued, "It looks like you needed me. Opening night and everything went downhill pretty quick, wouldn't you say?"
"I say it's awfully convenient..." Aaron almost growled.
Jacob accepting the challenge, putting a halt to his browsing, "I'm sorry that my chief felt concerned with the new crew joining your circus. The crew with their skeletons dangling out of the closet for the whole nation to see. I mean that both literally and-"
"Yeah, I get it," Aaron waved, "We had no reason to believe the killer was with them this entire time. The case went cold. All of them were declared innocent. The only thing keeping those talented people from getting work was a ghost, so I gave them a chance."
"That chance might've cost the life of a sweet young girl," Jacob stated. The manner of his calm indifference almost sent Aaron off the edge. Gerald put a hand on the manager's shoulder, "It's no one's fault, ok kids? Stop fighting."
"It's someone's," Jacob corrected, "And we're going to find him."
"We? Shouldn't we get the citizens, us, out of here and let the cops deal with this?" Gerald asked.
Jacob sighed, "We have no power or phone connections out here. Typical horror movie BS. Until my unit notices I'm AWOL, we aren't getting anyone out here for at least a forty minutes..."
"Why not now?" Blake asked, "I know we're far from the city but..."
Jacob didn't answer right away. They weren't that old school, these kinds of situations didn't go unnoticed for long, Blake thought. Someone had to be coming, right?
"Regardless, I'm going to assume we have a while, and you all need to stick together." Jacob pushed off of the wall and marched forward.
"Woah," Gerald scoffed, "Um, you mean we, Mr. I'm The Only One With A Gun?"
"I'm looking for the killer," Jacob raised an eyebrow, "Getting in the way will put all of you in danger."
"We're no safer here," Blake said, "At least take us to the exit. You can track us down once we're safely out of this creep-fest."
Jacob breathed out his nose, "Fine. Stay close and stay quiet."
Blake waited behind with Zach. It looked like he missed the entire conversation. Watching the kid fall apart made Blake feel guilty, not so much for Taylor's death itself, but for wanting to escape and not lose himself. Not yet anyway.
"You good?" Blake coughed.
"Yeah..." Zach's voice cracked, "Hm. Yeah. I'm good."
"Good. Then let's get the hell out of here."

Episode 9

... The Flashback ...


Tina had gone camping with her family on multiple occasions. Sometimes to go fishing with her father, sometimes just to make smores with her mother and sister. But today felt different.
Instead of their usual campsite, they stumbled upon a cabin in the middle of the woods. Tina preferred tents; they always got torn down so they never harbored cobwebs and spiders. This cabin had a look about it that promised a spider domain. The wood had discolored patches and the roof dipped down in one area like it was slowly melting.
Tina, her sister, and mother all waited in their station wagon a safe distance from the cabin. Her father told them to stay put while he scoped out the place, but he took his time.
"Why are we here mommy?" Tina asked.
"Remember your aunt, Donna?" Tina's mother smiled warmly from the passenger seat.
"Yes!" Tina beamed. Her sister showed mild interest in the car seat next to her. Tina took pride in being the older sister, using a seatbelt buckle like her mother.
"She wanted to meet us for camping this time! She even brought those big candles you like," her mom explained.
"Why didn't we just go pick her up?" Tina asked, "I don't like this place."
"No? I thought you loved trees?"
Tina nodded, the wavy dark curls around her face dancing, "I do... but just not this place."
Her mother continued to smile, but her eyes showed some understanding, of what, Tina wasn't sure. If no one liked it here why did they come, Tina thought.
"Daddy?" Tina's sister whined.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" their mom cooed.
Suddenly, her tiny young face scrunched in terror, "DADDY!"

The car shook as if it were hit by a train. Tina's father appeared from the air and landed on the windshield, splintering the glass into several pieces.
"Ed!" her mother cried, "... Ed!" Shaking crystal shards from her sweater, she leaped out of the car. Tina trembled, the shock paralyzing her entire body. Her father's dead eyes gazed at her from the other side of the glass. Blood oozed from his face out of every escape possible; eyes, ears, nose, mouth...
"Daddy! Daddy!" her sister shrieked.
The air, already chilled from the up and coming fall season, got colder. Tina could still see where the sun shone, but a thick dark layer of haze appeared, turning their bright day overcast. The uneasiness she sensed earlier only increased, of course from seeing her father in this state, but another horror that she couldn't explain. Like something awful was watching them.
"Mary!" Tina could hear her aunt's voice in the distance, "Mary! Help me!"
Her mother gasped. Clearly shaken, she stumbled to Tina's side of the car, "Sweetheart... Stay with your sister. H-hide in my jacket. Don't leave the car for any reason, and DON'T look outside. Close your eyes..."
"But mommy..." Tina sobbed, "What's wrong with daddy?"
Her mom removed the little one from her car seat and sat her on Tina's lap, "Stay together, close your eyes... I'll be right back."
"No, no, mommy..." Tina tightly grasped her mother's hand, but she slipped away. Her sister cried, digging her miniature fingernails into Tina's shirt.
They sat together for what seemed like hours, but surely only a few minutes or so. Before, Tina could hear both her mother and aunt yelling, but things had gone eerily silent.
"M-Mommy... Mo-Mommy..." her sister hadn't ceased crying. Tina did her best to soothe her whilst soothing her own nerves. Neither of them dared to peak beyond the shield made by their mom's jacket until a tapping noise made Tina jump. The sweater material slid from her face, did their mom return? Or Donna?
Her little heart nearly stopped. Staring at them from the window closest was a dark man. Dark as night. He had no features, almost as if he were only a shadow. His finger tapped repeatedly on the glass, and once Tina made eye contact with him, he stopped. She couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Then he ripped the door open.
Tina crawled to the other side of the car, dragging her sister along with her. The shadow leaned into the car reaching his arm towards them, but before he got too close Tina threw herself and her sister out the door and onto the cold ground. Her knee scrapped something sharp, but fear numbed all pain.
Tina prayed and prayed that her father would suddenly wake up, push himself off the windshield and rescue them, but he remained asleep, bleeding.
"C'mon..." Tina pulled her sister's hand. The girls squealed, certain they were being pursued. Their short legs carried them into the woods, deeper and deeper into the branch infested depths. Tears fell from her face and her bottom lip shook something terrible, but she fared better than her sister. Her pitiful screams echoed in the wilderness.
When they approached the cabin, the front door stood ajar and a puddle of red soaked the porch. Tina wrapped her arms under her sister's bottom and lifted her up so her feet wouldn't get wet.
"What is it!" her sister sniffled.
Tina decided not to answer. They had to hide somewhere. As soon as they made it inside the cabin, she set her sister down and slammed the door shut.
"Hide," Tina said, "We need to hide. Like hide and seek..."
"Hide and seek..." her sister pouted, her cheeks turned into bright red cherries.
The cabin didn't hold much, a simple dining area, a fireplace, some old furniture; everything layered with a generous amount of dust. A tall wardrobe sat at the end of the room, perfect width to fit them both. Tina shooed her sister towards it and crammed her inside. "Don't... Don't!" she cried again.
Tina had to secure the door. She didn't know where mom was or Donna, but she knew the shadow man followed them. Before securing herself next to her sister, she grasped at whatever courage she had left and ran to lock the front door. Just as her fingers reached the lock, banging came from the other side.
Tina fell backward. The force from the other side made her legs limp, but she managed to crawl back towards her terrified sister. They clung to each other, hiding in the empty wardrobe, smelling of dust and rust, as their pursuer's banging shook them both to the bone. Her sister screamed endlessly, and Tina tightened her arms around her.
Just close your eyes...