Not a Night for Clowning Around

ℕ𝕀ℕ𝔼𝕋𝔼𝔼ℕ

JAKE

"CARTER, WHAT ARE you doing?" I panted as I ran after her, but there was no point. Carter basically disappeared out of thin air. Did I do something wrong? I thought we were having a good time, and then all of a sudden she freaked out and left.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked in the general direction I saw her going in. Hopefully she would get tired soon and slow her pace so I had a chance of bumping into her.

Carter was such a weird case. Never had I felt so wrong yet so right about someone. I was the newest addition to the group, and throughout the time I got to know Carter I was falling for her at a rate faster than I could've ever thought possible. Recently it felt almost impossible for me to just stay as friends, but no time felt like the right time to tell her how I felt.

She was everything I wanted, but I was scared she didn't feel the same. With everything going on right now, I didn't even think it was worth getting her involved into this. What was I supposed to do? Not telling her was killing me, but her rejection might've killed me more.

She was already going through too much for me to add something else to her plate. I couldn't even imagine how scared she must've been knowing there was someone watching her every move. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of her being alone in here when we didn't even know who else could be hiding in the shadows.

"Carter?" I called out. "Where are you?" I knew it was a long shot, but I was still somewhat disappointed when I didn't hear her reply back.

What the hell did I do wrong?

Heaving a sigh, I continued walking, suddenly bored of this stupid funhouse. Without Carter by my side, I was ready to leave. This funhouse was no longer fun anymore.

I slipped my hand in the pocket of my jeans in search of my phone before remembering we had to give them up at the beginning of this stupid funhouse. What a waste of time.

"Is anyone there?" The line was packed when we were waiting to go in; there was no way this funhouse could be empty. Shockingly enough, no one replied.

I figured there was no point in mulling around and waiting for anyone, so I continued walking. After a couple steps I was faced with a fork in the road. I was about to turn right, but decided to do left instead. Carter was a left-handed softball player, so maybe she went left? I knew my logic was weird, but it was better than nothing.

As soon as I turned the corner, the room completely changed. There was a race car shaped bed in the corner, a toy box, a wardrobe, clothes and toys scattered all over the floor, and...

My breath caught in my throat. This was my childhood bedroom.

My eyes widened as I stepped deeper in the room, memories of my youth flooding back like a tsunami.

"Johnny," a soft voice whispered.

I craned my neck to the source of the voice, my mouth running dry at the sight before me.

"M-mom?"

She reached out and wiped the stray tear under my eye that I didn't even notice. "Don't cry, my love."

More tears spilled down my cheeks. "How did you get here? Mom, what are you..."

"Quiet, my child," she said in her silky smooth voice, the same voice that would sing me to sleep every night. "Your father's been drinking again."

Her words were like a harsh slap to my face as more memories resurfaced. The memories I tried so hard to rid my brain of. The reason I moved to the middle of nowhere, or why I never told anyone that the aunt I was staying with wasn't actually my mother, or why I no longer went by Johnson.

I grabbed my mom's arm and pulled her with me. "We have to leave. Now."

She shook her head, a sad smile on her lips. "You know we can't do that, my love. You need to hide."

My heart pumped in my chest so violently I was scared it was going to burst. The painful memories I tried so hard to rid my mind of were resurfacing tenfold.

"Mom," I pleaded. "We have to go."

She cupped my face and kissed the top of my head. "Hide, and don't move until I tell you it's safe to do so."

"Please," I croaked, my body shaking with every tear that escaped my eyes.

"Johnson, listen to me. You have to go."

Knowing how this always played out, I opened the doors of the wardrobe and climbed inside, shutting the door behind me. There was a tiny crevice between the two doors that I would always peek out of so I knew when it was safe to come out. As soon as I was nestled in, the bedroom door burst open.

He was here.