Come inside, won't you?
1072 Words
The comment had Brian rethinking an old argument he still had from time to time. Amanda had always spoken about starting a family and having, as she put it, ‘her own little rugby team’. He had said nothing at the time but he wasn’t sure he wanted kids. Then again he wasn’t sure why he had done to her what he did. He couldn’t even remember those girls, their names or ever where he had met them. He would hate himself for the rest of his life but he couldn’t blame her if she wanted nothing to do with him. Both thoughts haunted him as he walked. On the next platform seated on a high chair was a woman in a tight red dress she posed with her hands in her hair and although she had a very pretty face that wasn’t what caught their attention. She was dangerously obese. So much so it looked as if her skin was stretched to the max. Her eyes couldn’t open all the way and when she lowered her arms they stayed elevated. Much like her toes she couldn’t move her legs and it wasn’t on account of a lack of trying, she was simply too big. “I wonder how she got that fat. Sure as hell doesn’t look like her hands can reach her mouth.” Michael stared at her with disgust right up until Danielle’s hand made contact with the back of his head. “Ow! What the hell?” He rubbed the back of his head and as soon as he lowered his hand Bob clipped him upside the head as well. Again his hand shot up but Bob was not a woman and this time he got right in the face of his attacker. “What the f**k man?” He might be a cheat but even Brian found the comment revolting and when Michael turned around both he and Bob stood with their arms crossed on their chests. “Were you raised by cavemen?” Bob was pissed and Brian wasn’t any less. “Should have expected someone like you would have so little respect for women.” Brian pitched in but Michael wasn’t backing down, the comments didn’t seem to bother him either. Up on the platform ‘The Carolina Fat Lady’ wasn’t the east bit upset by anything said. She was however looking down at those who were standing up for her with thankful eyes. As they walked past she blew kisses in their direction. Danielle and Mina waved at her as they passed and in return she waved back. Michael lingered behind not sure exactly why he had been scolded. Allen and Tom stood behind him crying with laughter. Michael was the only one who didn’t see the joke. “Shut up.” His protest made them laugh even harder. The three felt an angry pair of eyes on them and fell quiet. The woman on the platform stared down at them. If Bob was pissed then she was fuming. Her eyes turned all the more animalistic the longer she looked down at them. Her stair set them into a speedy retreat back to their group. When the three of them arrived the group stood anxiously in front a platform. Painted on the banner were two paintings, one of an angel the other of a monster. “Cain and Able. I not sure I want to see that.” Brian stared at the banner line and felt a shiver run up his spine. “Same here.” Although not a superstitious man, Bob really didn’t want any involvement in even the mention of the occult. It was just uncomfortable. Mina was especially taken by the illustration of Cain and without her knowing it her fingers traced the pendant around her neck. While they stood contemplating the idea of what exactly they would find behind the banner the big top behind them roared to life. Slow off key carnival music filled the air right before two massive red shoes stood in the doorway. A clown kneeled down to look at them as he held open the entryway and beckoned them closer. Its painted white face and big red nose were complimented by rotten teeth and a peculiar stench, something between sweat and popcorn but something else as well. Its costume was as dirty as the rest of him and, disturbingly, gave the impression that the suit was actually white but coved in blood stains. For Mina that was it and she slowly backed up. “No. There is no way you’re getting me in there.” Even Danielle who was always game for a little fun had her doubts just like the rest of them, well almost everyone. Brian had stars in his eyes as he watched the descendent of the dancing clown smile even wider and waddle from side to side. He was trying everything to get them closer and it was working. There was no hesitation as he slowly walked his way and the closer they got the happier the clown was. “We really should get back to the road.” Bob tried to protest but he could feel himself being drawn in by the monstrosity’s dead eyes. “If we miss our ride we’ll be stranded here.” Bob found his mind wondering to his childhood and a particular kindergartner experience that made him despise the red nosed freaks even more. His teacher had thought it a nice surprise for the children but the smelly old man in the badly made costume that had the bad habit of being just a little too touchy left most of them scared. Him even more so. He wondered why he thought back to that all of a sudden and why despite the memory he was so willing to come when called by the thing. Mina kept backing up. Unlike the rest of them she had no misconceptions of what she felt for the place or its dancing hell spawn. She managed one more stop before she knocked into someone. “Oh come now. Won’t you come in for a little while?”
- Writer
