Escape from Doom! (Mr. Tophat)

Chapter 5

"Why not? Those pictures are amazing. So is the one you crumpled up. Speaking of, why would you throw that away? It was really good," Graham said.

"Nobody was supposed to see that. Oh god, if my mom finds out that I somehow managed to bring up the ringleader from my nightmare, she will be so mad at me," Rachel said.

"Why would your mom be mad about you talking about a made-up guy from your nightmare," Graham asked.

"At my last school, I talked about him. It didn't go so well. I didn't have many friends at my last school. And when I brought him up, those who were my friends wanted nothing to do with me. And it's all because of him, the guy from my nightmare...Mr. Tophat," Rachel explained.

"Mr. Tophat? Does he run some kind of circus or something in your nightmare," Graham asked.

"I'm not really supposed to be talking about him," Rachel began.

"I promise I won't judge you if you do talk about your nightmare with Mr. Tophat. But you don't have to do it right now while we're in school. We can meet somewhere, and you can tell me about him then," Graham suggested.

Rachel gave Graham a skeptical look. "How can I be sure that you aren't setting me up to look like I'm crazy; and that I'm only making all of this up to get attention or something like that?"

"Trust me, I'm not that kind of guy. I truly want to hear more about this Mr. Tophat that you drew. I also want to hear more about the mysterious woman that you drew in the picture next to him," Graham said showing interest.

"The woman in the picture is standing right across the," Rachel started while looking across the street, only to see that the mysterious woman as now gone. "Street."

Graham looked across the street and noticed that there was no woman standing there. "Um, Rachel, there isn't anybody standing across the street."

"I know. She must have walked away while we weren't paying attention to her," Rachel said before turning her attention to Graham again. "Where was it that you wanted to me to meet you again?"

Graham took a piece of paper from Rachel's notebook and began writing down the spot where they were to meet one another, as well as the time they were to meet.

Rachel looked at the paper a bit shocked. "You want to meet in the woods, at midnight?"

"Why not? It's not like anyone goes missing there. If they had I would have known about it. My parents are big on watching the local news. And if anything were to happen at the woods, my parents would not only lecture me until their faces turned blue, but they would go out of their way to make sure that I don't go anywhere near the woods again. So, you really don't have anything to worry about," Graham said. "I'll see you tonight."

"Alright. I'll see you tonight," Rachel replied before Graham walked away. Well, mom will be happy that I'm starting to make new friends. But if she finds out that I brought up my nightmare with Mr. Tophat, and his Carnival of Doom she won't be so thrilled about that, Rachel thought to herself one last time while taking a quick glance across the street again. When Rachel did, she realized that the woman from before was not going to return to her spot.

I know I'm not going crazy. I had seen a woman standing across the street. I wonder who that woman was? Better question is, where did she go, Rachel thought to herself before she made her way back into the school, before she was late for her next class.

The rest of the school day was uneventful. Rachel managed to push the thought of the woman that was looking at her, to the back of her mind; that ways she could focus on her schoolwork.

Amani walked through the woods, trying to figure out what on earth possessed her to stand at the end go the woods, looking over at the school building, until her eyes landed on the lone figure standing in front of the school.

It took a moment for Amani to realize who she was looking at, causing her to freeze in her spot, allowing the young girl to spot her standing there.

Amani was deep into her thoughts, that she failed to notice that there was another presence beside her.

"Did you have a nice walk dear," Mr. Tophat asked breaking Amani out of her thoughts.

"I needed a moment to myself to think," Amani stated.

"You know how I feel about you going and wandering away from the carnival like you did. But I guess I can't be mad at you for needing a bit of a break away. It could be a bit overwhelming for you to see everything that we do at the carnival. Though I know that you are hiding something from me. So, you might as well come right out and tell me what it is. Because I don't want to have to force it out of you like you are one of my puppets. Keep in mind Amani, I allow you to do things of your own free will, without turning you into a mindless puppet like the rest. But that can all be changed in a heartbeat. Though it would hurt me deeply if I have to do that to you, because you are an important part of the carnival of doom," Mr. Tophat explained.

"I will never fully understand why you take such pride in making me so important to your precious creepy carnival, which you use to kidnap kids or adults and turn them into your mindless slaves, just to help you do your dirty work. I have made it clear time and time again that I don't really want anything to do with this carnival. But I also know that I don't really have much of a choice. You won't let me be free," Amani said in a sad tone.

"Amani, you know that you have always been my driving force to do the things I do. You are the one that I want to make proud. When I opened the carnival, we were making my dad's dream of a successful carnival a reality. But it didn't last like I had hoped it would. But now, we have a successful carnival," Mr. Tophat explained. "We are finally making the money that we didn't make before."

"You have a successful carnival. You are the one who gets the sick pleasure out of scaring children or taking them and making them disappear. I never wanted anything to do with any of this. I want to be at peace. But you won't let me. I'm stuck here watching as you destroy families, and make parents forget about the very child that you kidnap from them. I want to be free from all of this, Marcus," Amani begged. "Please say that you will set me free from this terrible ongoing nightmare."

Mr. Tophat stood there for a moment, thinking about what Amani asked him. Could he really give Amani what she wanted and allow her to befree of the Carnival of Doom? Deep down Mr. Tophat knew that he was too selfish to give his wife what she wanted. He also knew that if he allowed her to be free, she would do all that she could to keep the children safe and prevent them from ever finding the carnival. He wasn't about to let that happen.

"Marcus are you going to answer my question or not," Amani asked breaking Mr. Tophat out of his thoughts.

"Huh," Mr. Tophat asked.

"Are you going to free me from this constant nightmare that you force me to go through day and night," Amani asked again.

"I'm sorry my darling wife, but your rightful place is here...right by my side among the Carnival of Doom. Besides, what good would the Carnival of Doom be without the ringleader and his main attraction, who helps lure all of the children to the Carnival with all of her amazing performances? Without you the Carnival would be nothing. The crowds would be disappointed if they can't see you perform every night. I'm sorry darling but the show must go on. And that means that you aren't going anywhere. So, you might as well get used to it...otherwise I know of a special place to keep you until you finally accept your place here among the rest of us," Mr. Tophat said causing fear to run up Amani's spine.

Amani knew the "special place" Mr. Tophat was talking about. She had spent time there before when the Carnival of Doom had first opened up. Amani had upset Mr. Tophat and had to spend a month in the "special place." She didn't want to have to go through all of that all over again.