Joy and Fear: An Unexpected Connection

Chapter 6

JOY'S POV

Fear and I snuck around the studio where the crew was setting up their nightly dream. From the looks of it, it seemed to take place in Riley's new classroom. Once we were set to execute our plan, tbe dream was now being filmed.

They began by making Riley feel skittish, just like her actual first day of school. I bit my lip as I watched the scene. Fear touched my shoulder and gave me a thumbs-up. I slowly nodded and Fear jumped onto set with a notepad and pen.

"Hey, Riley!" he yelled to the camera. "I got a few questions for you! Mind answering a few?"

I snatched the Riley Mike and spoke into, replicating Riley's voice. "S-sure." I purposely stuttered.

"Why are you so scare? What are you so afraid of?"

"I-I'm not sc-scared of a-anything." I replied. "It's just that I-I m-miss Minnesota."

Fear tapped his chin with the pen. "I see, what do you miss in Minnesota?"

"W-well, I miss my friends, my house, my school, my..." As I continued on, I glanced at the Wake-O-Moniter. It was gradually switching to AWAKE. The plan was working. Or...it was until the mike was wrenched out of my hand and Fear was pinned down and removed from set.

"Wait! We have to wake Riley up!" I tried to explain, but the security guards ignored us and forced us down dark stairs to a pair of large dark double doors.

Riley's deepest, darkest fears.

Fear whimpered and began to tremble as the guards tossed us in and locked the doors. It was almost pitch black inside, with red spotlights shining in random areas. Broccoli towered over us and a ominous door creaked, showing the creepy basement. A giant vacuum vroomed by us.

"It's not real. It's not real." Fear covered his eyes and shook all over. I hooked my arm through his and we slowly backed away towards the double doors. Fear gripped my arm with his trembling hand.

"We're going to be fine. There's nothing to be afraid of." I gulped at my hesitantance. Fear just nodded his head.

Suddenly, A loud sound bellowed through the air. It sounded like a snore. And it came from the left. Both Fear and I fell silent and slowly rotated our heads and our eyes widen as we held our breath.

It was Jangles the Clown.

I squeezed Fear's hand to try to calm him down. "Fear, just breathe. We're just going to back up slowly." Fear gulped, but nodded, his teeth chattered. We began to walk away from the sleeping clown.

But once Jangles began to stir, Fear lost it. He raced away from me and pounded on the doors. "Let me out! Please! Help!" The pounding echoed throughout the darkest secrets. Jangles opened his eyes and he raised over us with a creepy clown smile on his face.

Suddenly, I got a positively crazy idea. "H-hey, Fear." I called out to the panicking emotion. "D-did you h-hear about the p-party?"

"JOY! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

"T-the birthday p-party!" I tried to sound excited.

"BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!" Jangles gripped his giant hammer with a scary grin. I rushed over to Fear and jerked him away from the doors. We gripped each other as Jangles crushed the entrance.

Fear's arms around me loosened and he stared into my eyes. "Come on," he breathed quickly. "Let's go wake Riley up."