Under the Floorboards

Chapter 7: clowns

I turn my head quickly to what Zane is screaming at. I'm still clinging to Mark. My eyes land on a figure hunched over in the corner. It's fuzzy red hair is tangled in curls. I hear its muffled laughter from afar.

"I'm scared of clowns," Zane shudders.

"Clowns, really?" Ivy whines.

"Okay... I'm a little creeped out," Mark glances wearily at the clown.

I can see it breathing, it's back moving ever so slightly with its breath. "We should," I gulp, "stick together. Come over here, guys," I motion everyone towards me.

They back up slowly, eventually all of us are huddled in a group in the middle of the room. We hide Zane in the middle, keeping him from his fear even though we know it won't help. The house will surely find a way to get to him.

Cole is in front, his husky arms form a barrier around a few of us. The clowns powdery, pale skin glistens in the dim glow. His head snaps up, his green cat eyes meet with mine. I am on the outside of the group, to the right of Cole. My hand still clings to Mark's. I try to be as still as possible. I keep eye contact with it, but it moves its eyes to another corner of the room. I look where it's looking, noticing another figure. A few gasps sound from the group as we move away from both corners. The other clown looks up as well, both of them now bearing pointed, yellowing teeth. The one who was there first begins flicking it's snake-like tongue through his overly drawn lips. It's red face paint causes it to seem as if it's smiling wider than it already is, his eyes stare at Cole. It's gloved hands are folded neatly at its legs, drumming it's fingers on its plaid overalls. I scan its appearance, noticing every last detail. It wears oversized red boots, the tips are rounded too dramatically. It has a tucked-in shirt, the collar is a dark purple and the rest is polka dotted with unappealing colors. It doesn't have the usual white around its eye, it's more of a brownish yellow. I close my eyes, reminding myself that it's not my fear and that we can all make it through this if we just help Zane.

"Zane. Concentrate. Remind yourself that this is just the house messing with you. These stupid clowns aren't even real," I snarl at it. I call the clown "it" because it just fits the picture.

"Babe, careful. You don't want to upset it sooner than it plans. We don't need an earlier attack," Mark whispers in my ear softly. I try to calm myself, squeezing his hand. He squeezes in return.

"I don't think I will be able to make it," Zane croaks with fear.

"Of course you will. Don't say that," Hazel soothes him.

And then it chuckles. It is laughing to itself. No. It is snarling. It's bushy eyebrows pull in an arch as it looks through us. It's looking behind us. I turn around and see another clown. Of course.

"Oh my god." Alaska jumps back, away from the corner nearest to her.

"What are you doing? Is this a game to you?" I scream at them. Then they are all looking at the last corner. I already know what's there, but I look anyway. I'm right, another clown. The only difference with this one is that it's holding a chainsaw.

With a wild laugh, the newest one yanks the chainsaw to life, it's loud roar rips at my eardrums. It steps forward, the chainsaw sounds like thunder on a stormy night. It inches closer and closer to us, we stay huddled together around Zane. The other clowns come towards us as well, closing in on us. My heart beats quickly in my chest, my palm is now sweaty in Mark's hand.

"This isn't real," I hear Zane whisper repeatedly as a reminder. I focus on his voice. The clowns are only a few steps away. The chainsaw still rumbles, they now start to walk in a circle. They circle us, smiling and laughing wickedly, a fierce spark in their green and red eyes. It is as if they are straight out of a childhood nightmare, the kind that'd wake you up in the middle of the night and cause you to go running to your parents in the hope that they might be able to make the picture in your little child head go away. But this isn't a nightmare, this is real. They can physically hurt any of us, and all of us are at risk of losing our lives. This could be the end of one of our lives and that is a hard thing to accept.