Murders in Crescent Valley

‘’Tell me about it; I just don’t feel sympathy for Ton right now. I know that sounds awful but Tony really broke my heart tonight and I guess I’m a lile messed up about it.’’ ‘’Well Emma Jean Watkins is missing.’’ ‘’I see.’’ ‘’I suppose you don’t care about her either huh?’’ ‘’Not really,’’ ‘’You sound like a total psycho; you realize this don’t you?’’ ‘’ I guess so.’’ Briany laughed. ‘’I’m just a little messed up tonight I think a4er a good night’s sleep I’ll be able to grieve more properly.’’ ‘’I see well goodnight psycho.’’ ‘’Goodnight and Happy Birthday swee%e,’’ ‘’Thanks, later,’’ ‘’Later,’’ That night the youngest member of the Howard family dreamt horrible dreams. His name was Danny Howard and he was the youngest son of Margaret and Marshal Howard. In his dream Danny found himself walking through the gates of a carnival. Eerie, metallic carnival music blared out of the loud speaker. A clown approached the boy and handed him an orange balloon.

‘’The balloon read I heart Crescent Valley.’’ The clown, lead the boy into a funhouse. The inside of the funhouse was dark. It was $lled with windy corridors. A trap 8oor dropped out from under Danny’s feet. Danny screamed as he clutched at the darkness for some kind of wall or crater in which he slide his hand in and hoist himself back up the narrow tunnel he was falling down. He landed on his bu in a darkened cave. He screamed as a humongous bear raised, up on its hind legs and growled. Danny felt urine drip down his leg. As the bear lunged at him Danny shrieked. Danny awoke in his room with a terrible start. He was drenched in sweat. He desperately gasped for breath. The inside of the bedroom was dark except for a small bit of light that crept underneath the door. Danny did not dare awaken his family. He did not want them to $nd he was a wussy or anything like that. In his mind Danny could hear his sister’s voice now. ‘’You’re so lame Danny.’’ He saw an old Batman doll lying on the boom shelf housing his Universal Studios, movie monster, $gurine collec%on. Danny leapt out of his bed and raced over to the shelf. He grabbed the doll and dashed back to his bed. He dove under the covers and cradled Batman in his arms. Intoxicated, by the sheer relief of feeling protected, by the dark knight, Danny quickly drifted off to sleep.