Dead Inside the Mall

The air outside the funhouse was thick, almost suffocating, as if the entire amusement park was holding its breath. Lex wiped her brow, trying to steady her breathing, but she could still feel her pulse hammering in her ears. They had made it out, but the Clown’s laughter still echoed in her head, mocking and taunting, as if daring them to come back in.

"We can’t let him keep messing with us," Damien said, breaking the silence. He was still gripping his wrench, his knuckles white. "If he wants a fight, let’s give him one."

"No," Lex said, shaking her head. "That’s what he wants. If we charge in, we’re playing right into his hands. We have to be smart about this."

"Then what’s the plan?" Sophie asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Because I don’t think he’s going to just let us walk out of here."

Brandon glanced around, his eyes scanning the dark silhouettes of the rides. "We need to lure him out. Make him think he’s got the upper hand, then turn the tables. If we can trap him, even for a few seconds, that might be enough to get past him."

"Great," Damien said, his tone sarcastic. "We’re going to set a trap for a psycho clown in the middle of an amusement park. What could possibly go wrong?"

As they moved deeper into the park, the Clown’s voice crackled through the speakers again, cheerful and sing-song. "Oh, you’re back! I knew you couldn’t resist! Come on, let’s play! I promise I’ll make it... entertaining."

The lights flickered to life, and the park suddenly felt like a carnival brought to life—bright, garish colors illuminated by flashing bulbs, rides creaking and swaying as if they were still trying to run. The Ferris wheel began to turn slowly, the carousel started spinning, and the bumper cars buzzed and jolted, smashing into each other even though there was no one driving them.

Lex’s heart sank. The Clown had control over everything, and he was using it to box them in. "Alright, we stick together," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Whatever he throws at us, we deal with it. But we don’t lose focus."

They moved forward cautiously, eyes darting around, every shadow feeling like it could spring to life at any moment. They had barely made it past the Ferris wheel when a loud, metallic clang echoed, and the bumper cars surged forward, speeding straight toward them.

"Move!" Lex shouted, shoving Sophie out of the way as one of the cars veered dangerously close, its wheels screeching against the pavement. The cars were moving faster than they should have, and there was no pattern to their movements—they were weaving erratically, trying to corner the group.

"Of course he’s got killer bumper cars," Damien muttered, rolling out of the path of another oncoming car. "Why wouldn’t he?"

"We can’t just keep dodging," Brandon said, his eyes darting around, looking for a solution. "We need to disable them."

Maya spotted a control box near the edge of the bumper car track, a mess of tangled wires hanging out of it. "That’s got to be controlling the cars! If we can shut it down, they’ll stop."

"Go!" Lex said. "Brandon, cover her. The rest of us will draw the cars away."

Maya sprinted toward the control box, ducking as a car zoomed past her. Brandon grabbed a handful of coins from his pocket and began throwing them, pelting the cars to grab their attention. It worked—the cars started turning toward him, following the noise, giving Maya a clear shot at the box.

Maya reached the control box, her hands shaking as she tried to figure out which wires to cut. "I don’t know what I’m doing," she whispered, panic rising in her chest.

"Just cut the power!" Brandon shouted. "Doesn’t matter how—just pull the wires!"

Maya took a deep breath, then grabbed a handful of wires and yanked. Sparks flew, and the lights on the bumper car track flickered out. The cars slowed, then stopped, their engines sputtering to a halt.

"Good work!" Lex called out. "Now, let’s keep moving."

The group barely had time to catch their breath before the Clown’s voice echoed again, louder this time. "Oh, you’re good! But I’m better! Let’s see how well you do... on the carousel!"

The carousel lights flared up, the painted horses bobbing up and down as the platform spun faster and faster. But this time, it wasn’t just the ride—they could see dark shapes moving between the horses, lunging and twisting.

Lex’s stomach tightened. "Those aren’t just shadows. They’re infected."

Runners. She could see them now, darting between the horses, their limbs jerking unnaturally, their eyes glinting in the flashing lights. The carousel had become a deathtrap, and the Clown was daring them to cross it.

"We can’t fight them all," Sophie said, her voice barely audible. "Not while they’re on that thing."

"Then we don’t fight them," Lex said. She looked around, searching for anything they could use. Her eyes landed on a row of metal trash cans, and an idea clicked. "We’re going to stop the ride."

"How?" Damien asked, clearly skeptical.

"We jam it," Lex said. "Get those trash cans, and we’ll wedge them between the carousel’s gears. If we can slow it down, we can get through without having to deal with the Runners."

They moved quickly, dragging the metal bins over to the edge of the carousel. The ride was spinning fast, the Runners barely visible as they darted between the horses, but Lex knew they had to take the risk.

Damien went first, wedging a bin between the metal gears. The ride shuddered, slowing slightly, but it kept spinning. "We need more," he said, his voice strained. "It’s not enough."

Sophie grabbed another bin, pushing it into place. The gears groaned, and the carousel slowed further, the horses jerking awkwardly as the ride struggled to keep spinning.

Brandon added a third, and finally, with a screech, the carousel came to a grinding halt. The Runners, disoriented, stumbled and fell, their movements sluggish as they tried to regain their balance.

"Now’s our chance!" Lex shouted. "Move, move, move!"

The group dashed across the carousel, dodging the Runners who were trying to pick themselves up. Damien swung his wrench, knocking one back, while Sophie used a piece of broken metal to jab at another, keeping it at bay. They managed to reach the other side, panting and battered, but still standing.

But the Clown wasn’t done yet. As soon as they stepped off the carousel, a spotlight snapped on, blinding them. The Clown was standing in the middle of the path, a wide, twisted grin on his painted face, holding a long, sharp blade in one hand.

"You really think you can win?" he said, tilting his head. "I’m the one in control. This is my world, and you’re just here to entertain me!"

Lex stepped forward, her spear raised. "We’re not here to play your games."

"Oh, but you are," the Clown said, his smile widening. "And it’s time for the grand finale."

The Clown lunged, his blade flashing as he slashed at Lex. She barely managed to block it, the force of the attack sending her stumbling back. Damien charged forward, swinging his wrench, but the Clown moved with an unnatural speed, dodging the blow and laughing as he did.

"Faster, faster!" the Clown sang, his voice rising to a manic pitch. "You’re too slow!"

Lex’s mind raced. The Clown was too quick, too agile. They couldn’t match him in a straight fight. She glanced around, looking for something, anything that could give them an edge. Her eyes landed on the controls for the Ferris wheel, and a plan began to form.

"Brandon!" she shouted. "Get to the Ferris wheel! Start it up!"

Brandon didn’t hesitate, sprinting toward the controls. The Clown’s attention flickered for just a moment, and Lex took the opportunity to lunge forward, jabbing her spear at him. He dodged, but she managed to graze his arm, drawing blood.

The Clown’s grin faltered, and his eyes narrowed. "Oh, you’re going to regret that."

The Ferris wheel roared to life, its lights flashing brightly, the giant structure beginning to turn. The Clown glanced up, momentarily distracted by the movement, and that was all the opening Lex needed.

"Now!" she yelled. "Damien, knock him off balance!"

Damien lunged, swinging his wrench at the Clown’s legs. The Clown tried to leap back, but the movement was awkward, unsteady, and he stumbled, his blade slipping from his hand. As he struggled to regain his footing, Brandon hit a switch on the Ferris wheel controls, and the wheel’s rotation sped up, pulling one of the ride cars down toward the ground.

The ride car swung low, slamming into the Clown and knocking him to the ground. He tried to scramble to his feet, but Lex was already there, her spear pointed at his throat.

"Playtime’s over," she said, her voice cold.

The Clown’s smile faltered, and for the first time, there was fear in his eyes. But then, he chuckled, a low, bitter sound. "Oh, but the show’s not over yet," he whispered. "You’ll see."

Lex hesitated for just a moment, and the Clown used it to slip away, rolling to his feet and disappearing into the shadows. The Ferris wheel continued to turn, the lights flashing, but the Clown was gone, his laughter echoing softly as it faded into the distance.

The group stood there, breathing heavily, their makeshift weapons still raised. The park was silent again, but it felt like a victory, however small.

"He’s still out there," Sophie said, her voice trembling. "We didn’t stop him."

"No," Lex said, lowering her spear. "But we beat him this time. And next time, we’ll be ready."