The Game Of His Inner Demons

Unsightly

"Great day today Arius"

"Thanks Darlene but this all wouldn't be possible without you" I took off my black and red cape and my vest. It was so hot back stage. It smelled like old people and baby powder.

"Here's your half for today's performance." I said handing her a two hundred dollars.

"Thanks love I will use this wisely."

"See ya starlight magician." She said a smile playing at her red lips. She walked with spunk out the door and I was left alone. She was quite a gal but to me she was more like an aunt. I usually stayed here a bit later than others to clean up and practice. I pulled the swords out of the box and placed them in the cases. The trick to todays performance was an illusion. The old man was a part of the whole act. Only stabbing prearranged places on the boxes so that Darlene would not get hurt. Same thing I did. Then when she would hear the chains slid off she'd move closer to the swords, making it seem impossible that she could survive. The adrenaline from being on-stage still had me amped up. My body tinged with a high. There was no reason to keep the box anymore now that they put holes through it. By time I was done cleaning up and paying old man Jasper for his help, it was already very late. I put my small smoke balls in my pocket along with a handkerchiefs tied into a rope and a fake thumb. I was hungry. So very hungry. I stepped outside and the autumn air cooled me down instantly. Thank god for wind. I was close to a heat stroke. Home was a far walk but I liked it. It let me clear my mind and settle down. I lived in a quiet neighborhood of Kentucky. It was still far from the city but not exactly in the country. I sometimes wished I lived in the city but I'm not sure I could ever get used to the noise. The strange noises of the city being random cat hisses, screams, and ... bangs? Bang. Bang. Bang. Suddenly there was shouts but I couldn't hear what was said. I heard it getting closer and as I creeped around the corner I stopped promptly. Red. There is so much red. A figure sat on top of a girl and stabbing her. Thud! I dropped my bag. The man turned towards me and smiled. Blood was splattered all over his what I can assume to be his work cloths.

"Hello are you here to play?" the man asked. As he turned I saw the girls face and suddenly the growling of my stomach felt sickening.

"Darlene...?" I asked her but there was no reply. No.No.No.No. This can't be happening. I just talked to her. The man looked back at the corpse and his smile widened more. Impossibly more. The smell ran to my nose. Blood. I might throw up.

"Did you want a turn to play with it." I start shaking. His eyes light up at noticing. The light hit his face. He was tan with dirty blonde hair. Piercing blue eyes shone like a marble.

"Oh are you so happy that you're shaking?" I think he knew that I was not shaking for excitement.

I couldn't speak. I was numb and frozen in space. He stood up and now he looked like a giant. He started walking close to me. I have to move! Move! MOVE! I squeezed my hand into a fist till my nails cut into my skin. I keep telling myself to calm down.

"Want to play?" he said so much closer than he was before. He ran his hand over my cheek. It was freezing. I need to go. I think he's going to kill me. Please god help me. I shuffle back a bit and notice something. I got an idea.

"Do you want to play?"

"Answer me!" he yelled and that's when I reached into my pocket and slammed a handful of smoke balls on the ground. As soon as the balls hit the ground I ran. Ran faster than I have ever ran before. Oh god... is this real?