Killer clown

Halloween had always been your favorite time of year. The cool air, glowing decorations, and excitement that seemed to fill every street made everything feel more alive. That evening, however, boredom had settled over you like a heavy blanket. After hours of doing nothing, you decided to head to the carnival that had arrived on the edge of town for the season.

The moment you stepped through the entrance gates, your mood changed completely. Bright lights flashed against the dark sky while music echoed across the fairgrounds. Costumed visitors wandered between attractions, carrying oversized prizes and bags full of candy. The smell of popcorn, caramel apples, and fried food drifted through the air. For the first time all day, you felt genuinely excited.

You spent the next hour moving from ride to ride. The Ferris wheel gave you a perfect view of the glowing carnival below, while the haunted house delivered just enough thrills to keep your heart racing. You even won a stuffed black cat at one of the game booths. Everywhere you looked, people were laughing and enjoying themselves. The entire carnival felt alive.

Eventually, you decided to stop at the restroom before continuing to the next attraction. The building sat near the back of the carnival grounds beside a small patch of trees. Compared to the colorful rides and booths, it looked old and forgotten. Inside, the fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead while everything else remained still.

A few minutes later, you stepped back outside.

The change was immediate.

The music was gone.

The rides had stopped.

The laughter that had filled the carnival only moments earlier had vanished completely.

An unnatural silence stretched across the grounds.

You stood frozen as confusion slowly turned into dread. The Ferris wheel no longer moved. The game booths sat unattended. Not a single person appeared to be walking through the midway.

Then your eyes focused on the shapes scattered across the pavement.

Bodies.

People lay motionless everywhere. Near the carousel. Beside the food stands. In front of the game booths. Costumes and clothing were stained dark beneath the flickering carnival lights. The scene seemed impossible, like something from a nightmare your mind refused to accept.

A cold feeling spread through your chest as you took a few hesitant steps forward. The metallic scent of blood hung heavily in the air. Every direction revealed more bodies. Families, workers, teenagers, children. None of them moved.

Your grip loosened around the stuffed prize until it slipped from your hand and landed on the ground.

Then you noticed a figure standing in the middle of the midway.

He was impossibly tall, towering over everything around him. Dark clothing hung from his massive frame, stained with blood. A weathered mask concealed his face, making him seem less human and more like something that had crawled out of a horror story. In one hand he held a large axe. Thick drops of blood slid from the blade and splattered onto the pavement below.

The man remained completely still.

The carnival lights flickered.

For a moment, neither of you moved.

A terrible realization settled over you as your heart pounded harder than ever before. Every instinct screamed that staying where you were meant death.

The man shifted slightly, taking a slow step forward.

Your body reacted before your mind could.

You turned and ran.