The clown smiled maliciously, looking straight at me like an eagle at its prey. But I decided to brush it off like nothing happened, but that was a big mistake.
On a gloomy Wednesday afternoon in the quiet halls of my school, I walked to my locker. I grabbed my bag, phone, binder, and violin out of my locker, but something appeared right behind me like a raindrop falling into a bucket. It was the clown. The same clown from the woods. The one that had smiled at me maliciously, looking straight at me like an eagle at its prey. But I decided to brush it off like nothing had happened, but that was a big mistake.
The clown’s smile grew wider and it did not move an inch. Its face, painted in a cracked and faded manner, looked more terrifying under the flickering fluorescent lights of the school hallway. I looked around to see if perhaps a teacher or a student had come by. However, the hall was completely empty. My stomach was churning.
My hands shook as I tried to act as if nothing was wrong. I stuffed my phone into my bag before zipping it shut, hoping that my averted gaze would make it go away. I turned to my locker, trying to ignore it.
A raspy voice whispered behind me with a cold breeze, “Hi.” I swear in full shock that I felt a chill on the back of my neck. When I turned, the clown had disappeared. The only thing that was still there was a faint burnt rubber-like smell. My heart pounded so loudly, it felt as if it would burst. At that moment, I wondered if it was all just a figment of my imagination.
Before I climbed out of my head, I firmly shook it off and closed my locker. I was most likely tired. Everything from the odd glow of the woods to the magical key Jake and I found, had been a bit too much. My mind was playing tricks on me.
I ran out of those school gates with my backpack in hand. Outside, there was an empty street with a gray, heavy sky that seemed to be covering the whole neighborhood. The wind howled and battered around. With every step I took towards home, there was an unshakable feeling that kept haunting me; someone was following me. Turning my head back gave me no sense of comfort because there was nothing to be seen.
I got home and locked the door behind me. Instantly, a shaky breath escaped my body. I tossed my bag on the floor and slumped on the couch. As I began to dump my thoughts and piece them back together, I caught a faint glow from the corner of the room that managed to catch my attention.
It turned out to be the key.
It had belonged to Jake, and I faintly remember having it on him when we went separate ways after school. So, how did it get here? I picked it up carefully; I could feel my fingertips tingling. Whenever I glanced at the key, it felt like the engravings were reshaping.
A loud thump echoed from another part of the house. My heart jumped—there was someone inside the house after all.
With the key gripped firmly in my hand, I walked cautiously up the stairs, my breathing was quick, and my hands were sweating. The noise was from someone’s boots; they were moving around the house. When I finally reached the top of the stairs, I noticed that the door to my bedroom was open.
Gathering my courage, I opened the door, and oh my God. The clown was there in my room. Its hellish grin was too wide, empty of all human expression yet, with its soulless gaze, it looked straight through me.
This, I simply could not shake off.
