FLOATING WITH PENNYWISE

THREE

He disappeared. In a blink of an eye, he disappeared and I'm left in the rain, drenched and dazed. I can feel the blood in my veins run through my whole body as I realize I encountered something inexplicable.

I remember how I went back in my room, I gently leaned my back against the door until it closed. My eyes are staring at the pouring rain through my window. Just for once I decided to savor my childhood, I'm greeted by something so...strange.

I walked towards my bed and sat quietly, thinking to myself about how I'm supposed to feel something: as if I have been such a strange situation before, I am not even slightly frightened but certainly dazed.

"What...the hell..." I mumbled to myself, my mind unable to focus on one thing inside my head. Then, I decided to envision the experience I just had once again and not even a spark of fear troubled me.

What am I even supposed to feel?

It's not fear, he said. I remembered vividly the way he said it. It was as if he knew exactly what it was. What is it, then?

Bewildered, for sure I was. I was dazed because there was something else about that man, something demonic. I sneer at the thought. Demonic? How can something dangerous make me feel suddenly in heat, but the good kind?

I remembered how the fear that the clown might not be involved in a prank somehow excited me. Instead of fearing his next move, I was thrilled to see what he would do and how I would react to it. If he pulled out a knife, would I run? I shook my head and looked out the window. I probably would have kept still. I would have enjoyed his reaction instead. The clown would probably have been shocked!

But apparently, that's not how it went. He disappeared like magic. Instead, I was the one left in shock.

Was it a prank? I asked myself again. If it was, it would have been so fucking good and I must be up on Youtube already or something. I believed it was a prank, somehow trying to relieve myself to finally forget about the experience.

For days I tried to forget by telling myself that it was just a good prank. I told myself countless times that it was just a great prank. But days had passed and there was nothing popping up. I tried to search for pranks online but nothing ever led me to it. So I began to convince myself that the pranksters must have deleted my footage because my reaction was bullshit.

Maybe they didn't upload it because I wasn't scared, I told myself.

I convinced myself and felt like I finally had an answer. I thought I could move on now after that exciting experience. It was definitely an experience I did not ask for but would definitely not forget. It was a prank.

That's what I believed in until he appeared to me again.

My boxes of books and clothes were carried to the backseat. I returned in my room to take my handbag, and before I could hurry out, I heard a voice. I completely stopped, almost tripping on myself but I held onto the door knob. I turned around and saw nothing but a dark, empty room. Before I could turn around, my eyes darted to the window pane when-I could have sworn-somebody knocked on. My heart was pounding.

At this point, I thought I had completely forgotten about that day, but my mind was racing. I knew right away what it was. A prank, the prankster, doing it again. But I questioned myself. Why would the prankster return? How could he know where I live?

Slowly, I walked towards the window. The afternoon rays of sunlight traced over me as I walked closer. I looked through the window and saw nothing but tree branches. Then, a tree branch made a thud, mildly startling me.

Guess I thought I completely forgotten about the stupid prank.

I shook my head and left my room. On the way to the city, I watched the sunset in the passenger seat quietly. I wondered greatly about why the thought of the clown lingered in my head. It was just a prank, really, but why can't I forget about him?

Seriously, though. It's as if I am involuntarily thinking about him. Small things reminded me of him and that was fine, until everything else did.

When I reached the apartment where I was going to stay in, at 19, I really was not used to living alone yet. It was my first time. I was excited, but when you're subtly obsessed over the idea of a crazed clown following you around, it's not much of a relaxing getaway.

I began unpacking my clothes and hanged them in the closet. My dad went downstairs to settle the papers with my landlord. I observed the room and smiled, thinking how I could finally do things I always wanted to but can't. Finally, I'll be treated like a grown up in the city.

When I closed the closet door, a tall shadow standing by the hallway startled me. When I turned around, it was gone. This time, the thought of the prankster began to worry me. What if he followed me here?

I walked outside the room and out to observe the hallway. I made sure I stepped out quietly, but then the voice of my dad startled me, making me gasp. I turned around and caught my breath.

"Jeez, dad!"

He held his hands up, "What's wrong?"

"You startled me."

"Is everything okay? Why are you-"

I decided to tell him. Maybe telling him about it just this once is an exception to being treated like a grown up. "It's...I..." I hesitated, but I told him anyway. I told him about that day when I saw the crazy clown and how I thought it was a prank. But I still feel like he's here.

"Alice,"

"I know it sounds crazy, but I swear, Dad I saw a shadow here."

He looked around and shrugged, "There's nothing here."

I sighed and crossed my arms,

"Are you sure you can live-"

"-I can." I said aloud. "But I know what I saw."

He walked closer to me, "Alice, honey. You know you can still stay with us."

"It's not that. I swear I just thought he was-you know what. Nevermind." I shook my head.

"Alright. You know what I think? It's just you trying to hold on to home. You can't forget it because...well...that's the only thing that reminds you of...us." My dad shrugged. He was right, I thought. He's right.

"So," my Dad crossed his arms, "Do you wanna stay the night here or with me and your mom?"

I paused. Maybe I'm just really overthinking this, I thought. The crazed clown trend in the internet surely didn't help at all. Maybe it's just my mind being anxious over moving and everything else.

"I can stay here."

"Promise?"

I nodded, and he kissed my forehead before leaving. I shut the door, left my hand resting on the knob, and sighed. Silence filled the room.

"Finally! Some peace and quiet!" a playful, goofy tone of voice startled me and made me turn. As I did, I am greeted by a grinning clown, his hands behind his back, and his body leaning forward.

My body was frozen.