a bird watcher. [stanley uris]

chapter five. [the quarry and the balloon]

i am currently washing the dishes. we aren't going to be going to the quarry until later. i turn around to put a plate on a shelf, but i see a red balloon. i put down the plate and walk towards the balloon, and it starts moving as well.

it goes all the way upstairs, and into my room. i grab onto the string, and then the balloon pops. i jump back and look at the remnants of it on the ground.

i start to hear a creaking noise. "mom?" i say, thinking that it's just my mom, but i was entirely wrong.

the walls of my room start to move inwards, and i get terrified. i run towards my door, but it slams itself shut. i try to open it, but it won't.

i start panicking and the room is getting smaller and smaller, going faster and faster. 

i suddenly feel something crawl all over my body. i look down and see lots of spiders. i yell and swipe them off, and then i bang on the walls to try to see if someone would hear me. i hear slight breathing from behind me, so i turn around and my heart practically stops.

it's a clown. it has a red nose and lips, a white face, and red-orange hair. "you'll float too, ava." he says.

i yell again, and curl up into a ball.

"ava? you okay?" i hear my mom ask.

i shake my head. "no. the w-walls moved in...and the-the clown." i say, my voice shaking.

she looks confused. "sweetie, what in the world are you talking about? the walls are fine and i don't see a clown."

i look up. "they were just like that and the clown was over there. i swear it, mom."

she walks to me, and puts her hand on my forehead. "you feeling alright?"

i exhale and nod, realizing that she won't believe me anytime soon. "yeah, i'm great."

she takes her hand away and nods. "okay, i'm gonna go lay down."

i nod once again. "okay, and if i'm not here once you get up, i'm at the quarry with the dudes."

she pets my hair. "that's okay." she walks out of my room.