Freak Show {The Pack and Friends}

• Part 1 •

Mitch's Perspective

I've always had an interest in spiders, at least, that's what I say. Ask anyone other than me? And they'll tell you I'm obsessed.
I collected them when I was younger, hours spent entertained with the small spindly limbs traversing there way over my hands and arms.

I loved the beauty that they possessed, small black and brown bodies and string soft like silk. The shimmering silver strands forming intricate webs from between the rafters of my basement.

I loved everything about them, even though most of the world believed them to be nothing more than horrific insects. This was the way I found my two best friends, Robert Latsky and Lachlan Power.

Rob can be known as two distinct people, his brain split into the two opposite halves of his personality.
The first half of the Canadian had an immense appreciation for the more horrific things in life. The gory movies and turn of the century freak shows. Horrific torture techniques and abandoned buildings.
The other half of Rob was completely dedicated to the softer, prettier things in life. Gardening and cooking being two of his favorite hobbies.

Now Lachlan, where do I begin with Lachlan? His expertise is in online horror. The early hours of the morning spent scrolling through sub-Reddits and the dark side of the internet. Any Creepypasta you can think of, he's read it.

Lachlan, like Rob, also has a love for the gorier side of horror myths. Vampires...
His small obsession mirrors mine, except, when I analyze spiders and their eating habits, he analyzes books and the eating habits behind the blood-sucking creatures he loves so much.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I don't trust anyone else with this information. No, because I barely believe in this story myself.
Well, as much as I hate to say it, this story is true, so very true. If our story was fake, I'd start telling it someplace cliche. In my bedroom, sleepless, in the middle of the night. In the woods surrounding the town where I lived, my friends and I walking around by flashlight.

No, my story started when I was at school...

It was Lachlan and I, sitting in the back of class. We were both choking back our laughter, Rob in the front of the classroom finishing up his oral presentation on The Revolutionary War.
His hands hadn't been able to stop shaking since he stood up, his voice quiet as he spoke. The class was dead silent when he finished, Lachlan beginning to clap loudly next to me.

"GOOD JOB ROB!"
He grabbed my shoulders, standing up in his seat.
"THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND. GO ROBERT!"

Mr. Bradley cleared his throat, staring back at Lachlan.
"Thank you Robert. Power, take a seat."

Rob took his seat in front of me, his face painted a soft pink. He punched Lachlan's shoulder as the blond laughed, throwing an eraser at my ear to get back at us.

"Okay class..."
The bell rang, cutting off my teacher Mr. Bradley. Nobody heard, everyone standing to leave.
Within seconds the classroom was empty, students excited to head home for the weekend.

I met up with Lachy and Rob outside the classroom, tossing my backpack over my shoulder.
"You guys ready to go? We're all heading to mine right?"

"Yeah boys!"

We all left the school, bantering around on our way to Rob's car.
I threw my bag into the back seat, Lachlan sliding into the passenger side.
His bag was thrown into the back, landing on my lap.

"Oi, rude, ya jag..."

My voice faded out, lost from the man I now noticed standing outside Rob's window.
He had long, wavy brown hair and a coy smile. Most of his face was hidden by a pair of black sunglasses, his torso covered in a dirty grey sweatshirt.
He smelled of cigarette smoke and, blood? A knit black hat covering the  back of his head.

He looked around the same name age as us, but there was something about him...
"Excuse me boys. Care to have a bit of fun?"

Rob started his car, rolling his eyes. He made a move to lock his door.
"Sorry druggie. We don't roll that way."

He laughed, sticking out his hand, three small slips of paper holding stiff  between his fingers.

I reached out from the back seat, grabbing the paper.
They were shiny, printed on what seemed like laminated cardstock.

"Cirque du Freak... One night only freak show."
Lachlan's face lit up, brown eyes meeting mine. He smirked, nudging Robs shoulder in a silent plead.

Rob groaned, grabbing the paper from my hand.
"Ok boys... I know what we're doing tonight."