Welcome to the Underground Circus
Wolves in Clown’s Clothing
A high-pitched scream rang out from the iron maiden making Paul, Steve, and Doug all jump out of their seats. Paul stood, anxiously waiting for Franzelli to open the door. He wanted to see his friend safe but knew there was little chance of that happening.
Franzelli waited for the gasps to subside, drawing out the anticipation, then flung the door open revealing nothing. Wade was gone. There was no blood, no body. He was just… gone.
The circus had finally done what Paul had feared: it had taken someone he loved.
He looked over to see the satisfied grins of Pepperwell and his Ringleader and he seethed. His hands curled into fists as he lowered himself back into his chair. This wasn’t over.
Franzelli soaked up the applause by taking several bows, making sure to aim a smile at Paul and the boys. The without warning, the curtain closed, the lights came up, and the large door to the left of the stage swung open with a mighty groan. There was a mass exodus of the remaining audience members but Paul stayed put.
“Where did he go?” asked Steve. “Do you think he’ll be waiting in the next room for us?”
“No, I don’t,” said Paul. He ground his teeth, waiting until all of the other people around them had gone. Finally, his friends were going to see this circus for what it really was. A net for trapping prey.
Doug stood to follow the last of the people out. “We’d better go and find the scared pirate and then we can go home.”
“No, we can’t go home. And Wade won’t be in there.”
“What are you talking about? Does this have anything to do with what happened to you?” Doug cracked his knuckles, waiting for Paul’s reply.
“Give me a minute,” said Paul.
Steve was bouncing anxiously. “The door is closing. We’re going to be locked in here.”
“That’s not the exit we’re taking,” answered Paul calmly. He had a plan forming. He knew there must have been a trap door under the iron maiden. All he had to do was look. And when the door slammed shut, Paul jumped up onto the stage and through the velvet curtain.
The iron maiden was still there, mocking him. She had taken his friend but Paul was determined that she wasn’t going to keep him.
Doug grabbed Paul by his collar before Paul could get to the maiden. “You’re going to tell us what is going on, and you’re going to do it now.”
“This isn’t a normal circus.”
“We know,” Steve shot back.
“No, you don’t. They’re eating people.”
Doug and Steve looked at Paul like he had just proclaimed that dinosaurs lived on the moon. Neither of them spoke.
“I’m not crazy,” spat Paul. “I saw the tigers eat a woman. That’s where I was. I stayed behind in that first room because I heard her screaming. I followed them down into their dressing rooms – it’s like tunnels. That’s how they get from room to room and pop out of the sets.”
“This place is supposed to scare you. Are you sure what you saw wasn’t just an act?” asked Doug. “I mean, even I’ve been creeped out since the show started.”
“Have you noticed that people keep disappearing? I mean, I’ve been gone and I can tell that there were fewer people in here for the magician.”
“He’s right,” said Steve. “There are people missing.”
Doug shook his hands and head. “That’s because those people went home. They didn’t want to stay for the whole show so they left.”
Paul ran to the iron maiden and began to push her aside. “You’re wrong and I’m going to prove it to you.”
The maiden tipped on her side with a loud clang and right underneath her was a trap door. “Just like I thought. Look at this.”
The boys looked down at the square door. Doug shrugged. “It’s a trap door. How else were they going to get Pudgy the Pirate to disappear? Magic?”
“You’re not listening to me.”
“That’s because you’re talking crazy.”
Paul looked to Steve for help but Steve wouldn’t even look at him.
“Fine,” said Paul. “I’ll go by myself.”
“I’ll take you,” shouted a voice behind him.
Paul looked up in time to see two clowns rush out of the wings. Two clowns in matching black and grey outfits with red ruffles around their necks and ghastly black circles around their eyes. One wrapped his arms around Paul’s waist while the other pushed Doug off the stage and went for Steve.
The clown holding Paul howled like a wolf. He stomped on the stage and the trap door opened to reveal another slide dipping down into the darkness.
“Dougie!” screamed Paul.
He fought and wiggled and tried to pry himself away from the evil clown’s grip, but the monster was too strong. He snarled like a rapid animal as he jumped into the hole with Paul still struggling in his arms.
Paul stopped fighting as he and the clown slid down the narrow tube. There wasn’t anywhere for him to go anyways.
They landed hard on a cement floor and the clown grabbed Paul by the throat, spinning him around so they were face to face. Steve and his captor clown landed right behind them. The clowns had changed. They were no longer men with painted faces. Long snouts had taken the place of their mouths and noses and dark fur had replaced the makeup. They had become wolves in clowns clothing.
Steve screamed as the clown holding him barked, showing Steve his sharp yellowed teeth. Paul grabbed at the furry hand holding him and swung his legs. His kicks didn’t affect the wolf at all. He just kept squeezing until Paul found it impossible to breath.
“Hey!”
Doug had come down the slide behind them. He swung a long piece of wood at the clown holding Steve, hitting it square on the head and knocking it out. The other wolf dropped Paul and went for Doug. Paul gasped for sweet air as he watched Doug bob and weave from the wolf’s claws. He swung his weapon and struck it in the jaw. The beast howled and with one last look at Paul, took off into the single hallway connected to the small room.
Doug reached for Paul. “Are you okay, man? I’m so sorry that I didn’t believe you.”
“Me too,” choked out Steve.
Paul nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay. It’s okay. Where did you get that thing?” he asked, motioning to Doug’s club.
He hefted it up as if he were noticing it for the first time. “It’s a table leg. When they pushed me, I fell onto a table, breaking it. I grabbed this before I went in after you. I don’t know. I didn’t think about it really, it just seemed like I shouldn’t go in empty handed, you know?”
Paul nodded. He knew exactly what Doug meant.
“So is that thing real?”
Paul answered, “Unfortunately.”
“What do we do now?” Steve was rubbing his neck and wiping away tears and snot.
Paul walked over to him and patted Steve on the shoulder. His own nose was running and he knew his eyes were red too from holding back tears. It was okay to be afraid. They all were. But they also all seemed to know that now was not the time to fall apart. Paul looked to Doug before saying, “We go get Wade.”

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