Not a Night for Clowning Around

𝕋𝕎𝔼ℕ𝕋𝕐-𝔽𝕀𝕍𝔼

MY EYES SLOWLY fluttered open, adjusting to the light around me. My head was pounding immensely, and I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. My body suddenly jolted when I realized I wasn't in my bedroom at home. I observed my surroundings, ignoring the pounding in my head, and was shocked to see I was sitting on the floor of what appeared to be a storage room. My back was rested against a pole, with my arms tied up behind it. I wanted to scream for help, but I decided it was best not to.

Memories of the last hour came rushing in, and I remembered everything that happened. Kellen was the stalker, Jake was injured, and I was trapped.

Once my eyes adjusted to the faint light, I noticed a couple bodies nearby, all tied up just like me. Upon closer investigation I realized they were my friends.

"Guys," I hissed. "Is that you?"

"Carter?" It was Aaliyah. "Where are we? What's going on?"

"Aaliyah, is that you?" Shawn asked. "Jesus, I-I thought you were dead." His voice faltered.

"I drowned," she said incredulously. "How am I here?"

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" I demanded.

"I-in the funhouse," Shawn stammered. "Aaliyah was stabbed."

"I drowned in an ocean," she said confusedly. "What's going on?"

"Wait, where's Jake?" I asked.

"I haven't seen him since we got in here," Shawn said.

"I'm scared," Aaliyah whimpered. "Who did this?"

"Guys," I whispered. "Kellen's the stalker."

"What?" they both said in sync.

"That prick," Shawn muttered.

"We have to figure out how to get here before he comes back," Aaliyah said.

"And we have to find Jake," I added. There was no way I was leaving without him.

I tried to wriggle my hands in an attempt to loosen the rope around them, but there was no point. Kellen tied them so tightly, I felt the circulation in my wrists cutting off.

As if this situation couldn't get any worse, the psychopath, himself, walked in.

"I see all my friends are awake."

"Leave us alone," Aaliyah warned.

He laughed dryly. "Or what? You're gonna hide behind Shawn like you always do?"

"What do you want?" the aforementioned boyfriend barked.

Kellen walked up to me and knelt down to stroke my cheek. "Carter, of course."

I turned my head the other way, disgusted that he touched me.

Shawn looked at us with the utmost confusion. "Huh?"

"Carter is the one true love of my life," Kellen started. "It's thanks to her that you're all here."

"How'd you plan all this?" Aaliyah questioned.

"The man who owns this shit show is my uncle."

My eyes widened. "Mr. Van Dicen?"

"I told him all about my love for you, Carter, and my uncle wanted nothing more than to help his only nephew get the girl of his dreams." He paused. "This whole funhouse was a simulation of your worst fears. I had to separate you all somehow so I could be alone with Carter."

"How'd you know our fears?"

He rolled his eyes at Aaliyah for even asking the question. "I've known you all forever. You'd be surprised at how much you confess to the quiet friend who's always there to listen." He walked up to Shawn. "Your worst fear was losing Aaliyah, so I created a simulation in which she died and you did nothing to help her."

"You're sick," he spat venomously.

"As for Aaliyah, you never shut up about the damn beach and how you almost drowned, so that's what I created."

Her whole body was quivering. "It felt so real."

"I had to make you actually believe it," he scoffed. "As for Carter, it was pretty obvious that I was your biggest fear."

"What about Jake?" Shawn inquired. "Where is he?"

"Bring him in," Kellen said. Two masked men dragged in a wounded Jake, who had a gag over his mouth, and his limbs tied up just like ours. They put him down near the rest of us and left. Kellen inspected his handiwork on Jake's stomach, looking sickly pleased with himself. "This one required a bit more digging. Do you want to know why Jake moved here? Or should I say, Johnson."