The Clown
As I crept down the creaky, old stairs, the narrow, tilting walls seemed to close in. What had awoken me? I glanced at the kitchen clock, 3:00 a.m. This old house will be the death of me, I thought as I heard my parents snores from their bedroom.
I couldn’t take the presence that seemed to be constantly looming over the entire house. That dark, depressing, creepy vibe that no one else sensed. I looked out the kitchen window as if that would help. The window faced the beginning of a long dark creepy woods that seemed to stretch on for miles. Something was watching me from out there, something lurking deep in the shadows.
We had moved in to the house not one month before. It had the distinct appearance of a house that had been gutted and filled by several different families. The few crates and cardboard boxes threw shadows onto the walls that looked like really tall serial killers.
We used to have a nice huge mansion in the prosperous area of town by Widows Creek. The day it burnt down was horrifying. I got stuck in the basement as torrents of smoke poured into my lungs. The only reason I made it safely out was because Misty, our black lab had pulled me into safety right before the house collapsed. She didn’t make it.
Ever since then I’ve been upset but it wasn’t until we moved in here that I started seeing things, hearing things. Just last weekend I went up to the attic to put away some damaged items that my mom wanted to repair. The walls up there are all peeling white paint and the rotting floorboards are full of stains. When I heard the scream I turned around before I could think about it and out of the wall stretched a face in utter agony.
I tripped down the stairs and ran into the kitchen to tell my parents but they just thought it was trauma related to the fire.
Another similar thing happened when I looked out into the woods two nights ago. There was a man standing there just staring at me. Slowly his eyes turned bright and fiery, glowing red.
It made me think of the sirens and fire trucks that pulled up as I watched my home collapse. The fire had already eaten though everything. My parents were at work at the time so the only living thing inside was Misty and she was too far gone. Ugh.
Maybe, if I watch some tv I can get my mind off of all this. Although the dark aura never fully dissipated, it eased in the daylight. It would be easier to try to distract myself now and just go to sleep tomorrow during the day. After getting a glass of water I stepped into the foreboding living room. It was almost bare with just a couch, a window and a small television. And the pictures.
Those awful pictures. Snapshots of people from the 1800's that were ‘such a treasure to find for $2 at the flea market’. Their eyes followed you across the room and pierced through your senses. I hated this room in the dark but it wasn’t terrible in the light. Just as I was about to hit the switch I noticed the figure sitting on the stained blue couch.
It was a huge misshapen figure that had me scared frozen. It was a clown. Staring out the window, it’s back to me. It’s white head seemed to glow in the darkness and it’s normally stupid looking outfit seemed fitting of the devil’s cloak. Slowly it turned it’s head toward me. It’s looming smile growing even larger as it slowly turned. Then it’s tiny black empty eyes loomed out at me.
It’s body never moved, its head just turned slower than a crawl. I was still too startled to move. It’s twisted snarl and lifeless eyes froze me in place. It’s eerie blank stare gave it a look of pure evil. I bolted up the stairs and into my room before it could move, weeping silently. The shadows danced on my walls all night as I lay in a frightened coma.
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