Newt imagines 2

Horror story?... Anyone?

"Come on y/n, Fred's gonna do story time." Charlie a little shrimp of a boy, the second youngest in the glade in fact, sprints past towards the bonfire that's already been lit.
You laugh at his enthusiasm. "Tell him to wait for me." You call after him and finish washing the last plate, dry your hands and follow after him at a more controlled pace.
Most the gladers are already there, getting their first drink of the night (and definitely not their last). You take a seat next to Chuck, leaning on a long log. Everyone is huddling in a circle, the spaces rapidly filling, one spot left for Fred. He's the glades assigned story teller, he is seriously good. "Hey." A thick British voice says sitting next to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, he kisses your head. "Hi." You laugh."What's the story?"
Newt shrugs. "No idea, he probably got one from the box that came up earlier.
"Shhh." People whispers as Fred appears holding a large book, it was massive, like the size of A3. The red velvet cover has a golden title and a golden symbol of a merry-go-round. Fred sits on his tree stump, purposely carved for these nights. His eyes gleam mischievously, he was also one of the gladers best jokers. "This book is called ' 46 down street funfair'." He sips his drink. "Let's being shall we?" 
He gets a chorus of cheers and whoops from the gladers all ready to relax after a tough days work.

It all started at 46 down street funfair, or what was once 46 down street funfair.... Six boys sat in Elliot's back garden, picking at the grass as they puzzled over what to do. "We could play a board game?" Nicholas, a chubby boy, suggested.
The others shook their heads. "That's for five year olds." Elliot laughed at him. Elliot chewed his lips, he was the alpha in his mates, they would follow him anywhere. "I have a better idea, let's go to the funfair."
The others faces clearly stated their own opinions. "I swear that's the place is closed off." Harry says.
"I skate past there, it's all destroyed." Aiden pipes up.
Elliot's eyes gleam at the law breaking prospect. "Yeah, it burnt down and I heard that people died.. Three children our age, an adult and a clown who's body they never found.

You squeeze Newt's arm, Fred's smile was always growing, his white teeth like the whites of eyes in the night. Newt tightens his grip on your shoulder reassuringly. Fred shuffles into a more comfortable spot. "Any of ya babies want to go crying back to the shuck homestead, cause this is ya last chance..."
Everyone eyes each other up, wanting someone to move before them.
"Good." Fred smirks.

They hopped on their bikes, Elliot leading the way with his side man, Steven right behind, Harry, William and Aiden following more uncertain. Nicholas was far at the back, pumping his stumpy legs as fast as they would go. They cycled past two girls from school, Jessica and Emilie. Elliot whistled at them as he pasted, pulling up along side. "You alright ladies."
"Yeah, what you boys doing?" Jess asked removing her chewing gum and squashing it on the floor with her heel.
"We're going to the funfair." Harry states, Nicholas finally having caught up and glad for the stop.
"Well aren't you boys naughty." Jess laughed, grinning at Emilie.
"Yeah well naughty." Emilie added.
"You maybe wanna join?" Elliot offered up the front of his bike.
The girls climb aboard. Soon they arrived at the funfair. The rusty gate was covered in rotting flowers left for the deceased. They climbed over ripping off the no entry sign, they all had to heave Nicholas over. The land was still scorched, no grass or greenery had grown back. It was the most depressing graveyard ever. All the rides were falling apart, black, semi melted swings moving in a non existent breeze, the hinges squeaking. Eliot shoved the swing, the charcoal paint peeling off, drifting in the air like snow. Jess laughed and hollered. Elliot copying. They all ran towards the large fun slide.

They all ran around, breaking every rule they have at normal funfairs, and getting away with it. It was as easy as stealing candy from a baby. Finally, the last attraction was the mammoth merry-go-round. The horses faces were like demons, melted to a thick grunge, their eyes welling at odd angles. "This is where the clown died apparently." Harry whispered, like he was scared of waking a spirit.
Emilie shivered. "It's cold over here, I don't like it."
"Yeah, I'm going back." Nicholas said already on the move, Emilie strutting after him.
"Go cry you fucking babies!" Elliot shouted at their backs. "What a bunch of cowards." He snorts.
"Yeah." Jess agrees, siting on a horse and kicking it. "It's just a load of stupid plastic and metal."
"Come on Steven mate." Elliot called looking for a fine stallion for himself.
"Elliot..." Steven whispered, his voice trembling.
"What is it?" Elliot snapped, turning to find his mate as white as a sheet staring at the floor. Elliot moved beside his friend, the others, Jess and Harry also coming.
On the floor lay a toy clown, untouched by the fire, or dust, it looked like it had been recently put there. It's eyes realistic like a humans.
Elliot picked it up and inspected it. He laughed. "It's just a stupid clown." And lobbed it away like bowling a cricket ball.

Fred's eyes were full on dancing with joy as he watched his audience, turning white with fear at their first horror story.

Jess, Steven, Nicholas, Aiden, William, Harry and Emilie were never seen again, but it's said if you go back to the fun fair you can hear their haunted cries and desperate begs for mercy. Elliot, meanwhile, was the only one to escape alive. His eyes scooped out, severn and a half of his fingers missing and a burnt tattoo of the merry-go-round on his left shoulder.
They said, all anyone ever got out of him was: "never offend the clown."
Months later he died of starvation as he slowly ate his own tongue. He only had two fingers.

"Boo!" Fred shouted throwing some thing from behind him at you. You scream jumping onto Newt. The others laugh looking relieved it wasn't them. You hide your face in Newt's shoulder turning red at the embarrassment. You glimpse Chuck also recovering from the fright, at least you hadn't been the only one to scream. Newt strokes your back. "It's alright love." He picks up the thing that Fred threw at you. It was a small clown toy. "Real funny Fred." He said scornfully.
"What?!" He was still laughing, tears pouring down his cheeks as he clutched his sides. "It's only a toy clown or are you scared Newt?"
Newt shook his head and passed the clown on to someone else. He kisses your forehead and hugs you tightly. You sit back in your spot, still highly embarrassed, how awkward? You were never going to hear the end of this.

The gladers all went to bed pretty quickly, no one really talking much, the story was one thing but the toy clown had freaked them all out. You sat on your bed looking at your door. Your room was in the original part of the homestead so the door was half frosted glass and half wood. Someone stops outside your door and waves the clown at you, the bells on its hat jingling. You know it's Fred laughing at you, you tremor, clowns freaked you out more than the grievers. You heard Newt yelling at him to leave you alone. He popped his head in. "You going to be ok love?"
You hug your knees and nod. "Yeah, as long as those jerks don't do anything."
"Well you know where my room is." Newt said. "Feel free to wake me up whenever ok?"
You nod again. "Thanks Newt."
"Night love."
"Night."

You lay in bed unable to sleep, Alby had ordered the hallway light remain on all night for any scared gladers. That wasn't really the reason you couldn't sleep, you were freaked out by the story. You hear foot steps down the hallway, the occasional creek of a floorboard, must be a glader going to the loo. But then it abruptly stops. You gulp and look to your door. Your breath hitches in your throat. Outside the door is the dark outline of someone, not just anyone, but someone dressed in the big hat, puffy shoulders, as the toy clown. You cup a hand over your mouth holding back a scream as the person turned to face you, cocking their head like they were puzzling. You wriggle from your bed to the far corner, eyes locked on the figure outside the door. You can't breath. The door handle moves part way down. This is it. Was all you could think.

The clown moves on.

You take in a deep breath, shaking. It was just Fred playing another prank, you tell yourself. Grabbing onto your cricket bat so tight you could swear your hands were going to loose all blood circulation. "Guys I've got a bat... No more jokes." You say loudly. You open the door handle, bat ready to swing. The hallway is empty, taking one cautious step you then sprint three doors down to Newt's. You panic with the door handle while trying to keep watch. You slam the door behind you. Fumbling for the light switch, you flick it on. A moan from the bed pushes a small scream out of you. "Y/n?" Newt asks still groggy with sleep, he rubs his eyes and turns on a bedside lamp. "Turn that off and come here." He opens his arms, you run into them, still scared out of your living mind.
"Your freezing love." He wraps his arms around you and pulls the duvet over.
"Newt." You whisper. "I saw it. The clown. It was outside my room..."
"Shhh." He hugs you tighter and pulls you onto his chest. You notice it's bare, like most of him, he's only wearing boxers. Maybe he didn't think you would actually take him up on his offer. "It just a nightmare."
"No, Newt I saw it, I haven't been to sleep yet."
He yawns. "I'll find out who did it in the morning. For now, just sleep."
"I don't think I can." You run a hand over his smooth skin, soaking in his warmth.
"Believe me you will." He already had his eyes shut, and was almost there.
You rest your head on his chest listening to his heart beat. He was right, you were asleep in minutes.