The Freakshow Massacre

17.

i know i'm supposed to stick to my schedule of updating this book ONLY on Fridays but...fuck it, enjoy ~

Even though Marty and Marcia had kept running (for the entire duration that Claudia had been fighting the clowns), they hadn't gotten far. Whilst pain had considerably slowed their momentum, exhaustion too was taking over them and further grinding down their futile attempt at running. Regardless of which, they kept going on.

Marcia's ankle worsened with every step she took. Her ankle was troublesome. She was worried that her injured state would hinder their escape effort. She tried her best to ignore her ankle, (the discomforting impediment that it had become), the prolonged acute pain it was causing. It was as though her ankle was screaming out to her. Manipulating her mobility to a slow-paced jog. Marty was compelled to hold onto her arm and help her keep up with him.

As they ran, Marcia occasionally looked back over her shoulder to see how Claudia was doing. Even though the pair had travelled a distance, they still had a clear and uninterrupted view of Claudia. Marcia observed Claudia fighting the clowns, (for Marcia...that act simply meant that her bestie was okay). Marcia felt comfort knowing that Claudia was still 'very much' alive. Being aware of this, Marcia used it as motivation to keep on running.

However, at one tragic point, Marcia observed Penny, to plunge the bull-hook through Claudia's body...Marcia choked back a scream...and as she was running, the heinous act made her somewhat breathless and disoriented. The bull-hook had been Claudia's weapon. Moments later, she looked back once more...Marcia felt like her whole world had been totally decimated. She couldn't do anything but watch in horrific anguish as Claudia fell to the ground bleeding...possibly to death.

It felt as though a giant ogre had viciously ripped out Marcia's heart and thrown it into a food blender. It was as though she could feel the sharp blades slicing through every millimetre of her heart. Tears were rapidly streaming down her grimy cheeks, Marcia made no effort to wipe them away.

Now that Claudia was more than likely dead; it felt as if her soul was gone too. Albeit dead as well. Marcia questioned why she was still living and found it unimaginable to live the rest of her life's journey without her best friend...Claudia. Marcia also knew that Claudia would've wanted her to go on, for her to escape and to call the police. Ultimately for the clowns to be put behind bars for all eternity. That would be a way of avenging not only Claudia but Todd and Stanley as well.

"Marcia! come on! We can't stop! We have to keep moving!" Marty urged.

Marcia studied Marty's expression. She tried to speak...to say that Claudia was gone. That she was dead. But as soon as she opened her mouth, she started to sob. She couldn't control the cascading flow of tears. She felt broken...not knowing how to stop.

Marty looked back to see that the remaining clowns were now starting to make their way up the path. Marty also studied Claudia's pale and bloody corpse lying on the ground in the distance. He and Marcia had to run. He couldn't let Marcia get killed as well. They needed to get out of the hell they found themselves in.

"Marcia! they're coming! Come on!" Marty whisper-yelled.

Marcia tried to move but try as she might, she couldn't. Her whole body froze, becoming numb. She felt like a reinforced stone statue 'dyna-bolted' to its concrete base. Marty seized Marcia's hand tightly and started to drag her away. This managed to pull Marcia out of her shock-like state, as she started to run with him.

In one day, five evil psychopaths had managed to take away the most important aspects to her life...her closest friends. They'd brutally murdered Todd and Stanley. Then they had hung them up (like laundry) alongside a bunch of other dead humans, like they were trophies on display. Except that these 'trophies' would clearly show how sick the wicked clowns were. Not only that, but they'd killed Claudia. Her best friend...the person that she was closest to of all time. Claudia was the person who'd stay up late...into the wee hours with Marcia. They'd text each other about current events and the rumours going around in school. Claudia had always been there for her. And now she wasn't there.

Marcia didn't understand what problems the clowns had, what their underlying shortcomings were. Along with her friends, Claudia had done nothing to offend or harm the pestuous clowns. Especially in such a catastrophic way that would compel them to torture and heinously kill...like they had done. Why was it that they only wanted to murder? Why were they so desperate to see people beg for mercy? Was it because they were sadistic and purely crazy? Or was there an alternate...warped reason?

Whether there was a reason or not, Marcia had always believed that there was never an adequate reason to kill another person. It went against not only her morals but the majority of humanity. No one should be killed because one couldn't handle their own issues. It was sufficient...or 'okay' to take it out on innocent people who'd done nothing. She hoped that someday when the clowns were dead, that they'd rot in hell by being burned. Burned with hell-fire which is thousands of time more intense than the fire of this world. Also, being charred with volcanic lava hundreds of more intense than the lava of Earth, in a never-ending cycle. The vermin clowns deserve it.

Her friends couldn't have been the only ones. She'd seen many other rotten bodies in the big-top. Which meant that people definitely visited the area previously...but alas they never made it out alive. They'd been murdered...in cold blood. Homicide always prevailing. Marcia recalled watching the news on TV every evening. She couldn't remember hearing about any case germane with murderous clowns. Obviously, no-one had made it out from the circus tents...and no reports were filed with the police.

She took another glance over her shoulder as she tried to keep up with Marty. She could see Pinky closing the gap, getting closer to her and Marty. However, the other clowns who'd been running alongside her weren't there anymore. It was just Pinky chasing after them. Nevertheless, Marcia didn't let that bother her. She kept on jogging...as fast as she could. She just wanted to be able to make it to the car with Marty in order to successfully escape.

Despite being close to the car park, Marcia was still petrified. She was shaking with fright. Pinky was behind them, she was much stronger than Marty and Marcia. The fact that the two of them were weak only made the situation worse. Marcia knew that it wouldn't be a hassle for Pinky to catch up. She could easily fight and kill them both. That terrified Marcia.

Marcia and Marty continued running as they spotted the car park ahead in the distance. At that instant, strong feelings of hope and excitement flooded their hearts. It seemed as though these emotions had sparked energy in them because they quickened their final paces towards the solitary vehicle. They didn't slow down even though they felt utterly out of breath.

Marcia felt her ankle start to hurt even more...like an industrial shredder pulverising her leg...eating away at her tender foot. She did her very best to ignore the immense pain but the more she ignored it, the more it seemed to hurt. She inadvertently tripped but Marty saved her from losing her balance or possibly falling. They then darted into the car park, making their way to the car.

She smiled as she observed the bright red car. They were so close. She could feel all the stress and tension exit her body, leaving her to feel content and happy. It was right there, they just had to get into it and drive away.

They reached the car and Marcia immediately took a hold of the car door handle and tried to open it. But it was locked.

"Marty!" Marcia cried.

"What?" Marty asked.

"The door is locked!"

"Shit!"

Marty looked over to the entrance of the car park to find that Pinky was there. She was grinning. Her sinister smirk was due to the fact that she was eyeballing two helpless victims. The clown's makeup though pale, was made ghost like with the aid of the bright moonlight. Marty thought it made her look even more terrifying.

Pinky let out a high-pitched cackle before beginning to stride over to them, the sound of her shoes crunching against the gravel and echoing throughout the empty car park.