Marcus opens his eyes to a dark room and shifts his gaze over to the window, where the morning sun can be seen rising over the neighboring houses. Shifting about on his bed, he turns off his alarm and pulls himself out of bed. After getting dressed and brushing his teeth, he heads back into his room and faces the calendar.
"Marcus? Are you awake?" The familiar voice of his mother calls out.
"I'm up, just getting ready!" He hollers back, not letting his eyes break away from the date. On the calendar, he takes a marker and crosses off another day. Leaving only one left before his birthday. Tossing the marker aside, he walks out of his room, down the stairs, and into the living room. Where he then plops down on the couch and turns on the television.
"I'm heading off to work now. Do you need anything before I go?" As these words leave his mother's lips, she looks to the entryway, where Phil and Fae can be seen entering the house.
"Morning!" Phil calls out, welcoming himself.
"Oh, good morning you two. What are you doing here so early? Shouldn't you be at the bus stop?"
"We just thought we'd swing by and get Marcus ourselves today." Phil states with a smile.
"Alright then. Well, Marcus, do you need anything before I go?" As his mother repeats the question, Marcus flips the channels on the television, stopping only when he finds what he is looking for. "Marcus?"
"The carnival is back in town and with it comes Funko, the Contorting Clown! So come now children, gather 'round, and guess where Funko might be found!"
Marcus looks over his shoulder at Phil, whose face goes pale as he returns the stare.
"Again this year, huh?" Fae giggles to herself as she says this. Then, looks to Marcus. "Planning to go?"
Marcus looks from Fae to his mother, who impatiently awaits a response from him.
"Do you think I could get another ticket this year?"
His mother smiles brightly and nods her head.
"I think we can make that happen. Just make sure you're home a little earlier this time, alright? And do not forget to text me!" His mother juts a finger in his direction and squints her eyes as she moves over to the door. "I'll be home as early as I can, so be home before I am and keep the doors locked."
"Will do." Marcus gives a hearty smile, mimicking hers, and looks back at the television as Phil and Fae sit alongside him.
"Good. I love you! See you tonight!" With this, his mother vanishes and the three friends are left to their own devices.
"What's got you two acting so weird?" Fae wonders, looking over each of their expressions before facing the television herself. "Didn't you get one of those last year?"
On the screen, Funko can be seen flaunting a ragdoll of his own likeness. As he shakes it side to side, allowing the head to flop about, the melody continues to play in the background. Marcus can feel the eyes of the clown on him once more, but he no longer fears what he sees. Now, there is nothing but anger as he glares back. Feeling something bump his arm, he faces Phil, who gives him a subtle nod.
"You go ahead of us, Fae. Marcus and I need to discuss something before we head off to school."
"Alright, I didn't want answers anyway." With this, Fae pulls herself off the couch and walks over to the door, holding it open for a moment as she looks back at the boys. "If you're planning something for tomorrow, you better let me in on it. I don't want to miss out on anything!" Slamming the door, Phil watches as his sister adjusts her backpack and steps out onto the lawn. Once he is certain she's not turning back, he gulps and faces Marcus.
"So... what is the plan?"
Marcus gets to his feet and waves Phil over. Once they're both standing in front of the closet that originally housed the bat Marcus used a year prior, he glances back over at the television. Confident that they are out of view of Funko, who continues to watch through the screen, he opens the closet and Phil's jaw drops. Sitting inside is a jerry can filled with gasoline, two bats with nails driven into them, chains, lock pads, and several sticks of dynamite. Looking back at Phil, Marcus's expression grows cold.
"Consider this Funko's last visit."
YOU ARE READING
OddityVille: Funko (Book Three)
Horror"The carnival is back in town and with it comes Funko, the Contorting Clown! So come now children, gather 'round, and guess where Funko might be found!" The rhyme poisons the air around Marcus, as his friends tease him about his fear of the clown. T...
