The Freakshow Massacre

13.

Everything within her surroundings seemed as though it was about to collapse.  The bright lights in the big-top were going to be the reason why she was about to faint or at the least...have a seizure.  Ignoring this, Marcia ran as fast as she could, just like Claudia had instructed.  She was on the verge of being out of breath.  Nevertheless, she forced herself to keep running.  Marty and Claudia were with her, just as determined to make it out.  She felt more confident knowing that her best friends were by her side.  That they were helping her and weren't going to leave her behind.

The three friends kept on running until they reached the centre of the ring.  Marcia came to a stop as she spotted two female clowns on trapeze bars swinging across the ring.

"Marcia!  Come on...we have to keep going!" Claudia called out.

Marcia tore her gaze away from the clowns before continuing to sprint towards Claudia and Marty.  But just as she was about to take a step, a pair of hands grabbed her by her upper arms.  She felt herself being lifted from the ground and she started flying through the air.

She tilted her head upwards to find that one of the clowns on the trapeze bars had gotten a hold of her. Marcia started screaming, her lungs felt as if they were burning.  The trapeze started to swing backwards and at such high speed.  Marcia felt as though her heart and lungs had fallen down to the pit of her stomach.

Marcia's biggest fear was of heights.  It always had been.  She loathed going on roller coasters or going up to the top of a skyscraper and looking down.  It made her paranoid and caused her to tremble.  At those instances, she became terrified at the possibility that she'd easily trip (somehow) and then fall off the edge of a building.  Flying...albeit falling down to her death.

"Marcia!  Hold on I'm going to get you!" Marty called.

Marcia glimpsed down...from her view Claudia and Marty looked like ants, however she could see her friends panicking...hopelessly trying to figure out how they were going to help.  Marcia was so high up that she started to feel nauseous.  Once again as the trapeze swung forwards, the stinking cruel clown let go of her.

Marcia started screaming at the top of her lungs as she fell down towards the ground.  To her luck, she managed to grab a hold of one of the upright poles which established the rigidity of the trapeze platform.  She held onto it with all of her might even knowing that she couldn't hold on forever.  Her hands were getting sweaty and weak by the millisecond.

"Marcia!" Marty shouted.

She looked down, only to find Marty looking up at her.  Marcia realised that she wasn't as high up as she thought.  She was however still high enough that if she fell, she'd be severely injured.

"Marty!" Marcia screamed.

"Marcia!  Let go and I'll catch you!"

"Are you crazy?  How are you going to catch me!"

"Trust me!  I can do this!  It's the only way that you're going to be able to get down from there!"

Marcia took one last look at Marty before hesitating.  It was possible that he'd catch her and she'd safely get back onto the ground.  She was still scared...what if he didn't catch her?  What if she fell to her death?

She could perfectly picture herself on the ground...dead.  With her skull cracked open; parts of her brain and blood leaking out and spilling onto the ground around her, creating a massive puddle of red.  Marcia cringed at the mere thought.

"Marcia come on!  We don't have time for this!  Trust me!" Marty urged.

Marcia came to a decision at that point.  She had nothing to lose.  She had to take risks...they all did.  It was the only way that they'd be able to escape.  She took one deep breath before letting go of the pole.