Midnight at the carnival

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen”.

We searched and searched but could not find Eleeza anywhere. Why in God's name had we even decided to attend a 'day' carnival of horror which was held at night. The idea had sounded absurd, yet fascinating, we imagined everything would be more eerie in the April shrouded mist.

That child had a penchant for wandering off and a fearless spirit that was completely annoying at times.

It was then that we came upon the sign that stopped us dead in our tracks!

Oh my God! Please let it be a bad joke!

I grasped Jasper's hand so tight he yelled in pain. Had to keep a tight rein on this kid, he experimented on rats and lizards and any poor unsuspecting little vermin. A prime target for any human trials.

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We had arrived early evening and the carnival was in full swing, with laughter and music filling the air. Bright lights illuminated the night, casting a festive glow over the rides and stalls. Families and friends wandered through the maze of attractions, enjoying the games, food, and excitement.

In the center of the carnival stood an old, ornate clock tower, built to appear like a scary and haunted mausoleum. It was a peculiar structure, with intricate carvings and red glowing clock faces which seemed to watch over the festivities. No one knew who had built it or when it had appeared, but it said that it had always been there, a silent guardian of the carnival.

As the night wore on, a sense of unease began to creep over the crowd. The clock tower's hands were nearing midnight, but something felt off. The air grew colder, and the laughter seemed to fade into an eerie silence. People glanced nervously at the clock, their smiles faltering.

At the stroke of midnight, the clock began to chime. But instead of the usual twelve chimes, it struck thirteen. The sound was deafening, echoing through the carnival like a death knell. The lights flickered and went out, plunging the carnival into darkness.

Panic set in as people stumbled through the dark, trying to find their way. The rides creaked and groaned, as if coming to life on their own. Shadows moved in the darkness, and whispers filled the air. The clock continued to chime, each strike sending a shiver down the spine of everyone present.

In the chaos, we found ourselves drawn to the clock tower. We pushed through the crowd, our hearts pounding with fear. At the base of the tower was a door we had never noticed before. It was slightly ajar, and a faint light glowed from within.

With no other options, we stepped inside. The door slammed shut behind us and we found ourselves in a narrow, winding staircase. The air was thick with dust and the smell of decay. We climbed the stairs, each step echoing in the silence.

At the top of the tower was a large evil looking room. In the center stood a strange, ancient clock, its ominous hands frozen at thirteen. The room was filled with old, tattered carnival posters and broken toys. As we approached the clock, a voice whispered our names.

Terrified, we turned to leave, but the door had vanished. The room began to spin, and the walls seemed to close in on us. The clock's hands started to move backward, and we found ourselves being pulled into the past, into the dark history of the carnival.

There were Jasper and Eleeza, grown versions of themselves, performing experiments on children, adults, animals and horrid deformed looking creatures that moaned and hissed from their cages.

Had we reincarnated monsters? For our children were no longer with us, Jasper had disappeared into thin air before reappearing by Eleeza's side.

"Lock them up"! Eleeza shouted, as cold hands and putrid breaths embraced us from behind.

"What are you doing, we are your parents. Release us this instant"! Robbie yelled. Our words fell on deaf ears as a foul smelling object was placed over our faces.

The sensation of darkness overcame us, everything went black. ~~~~~~~~

They were never seen again, but on quiet nights, when the carnival is in full swing, some say you can still hear their screams, mingling with the laughter and music. And if you listen closely, you might even hear the clock strike thirteen.

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