Welcome to the Underground Circus

Pepperwell the Killer Clown

 

 “Guys!” whispered Wade from between the slats of a locked boxcar. “You came for me!”

“Of course we came for you, why wouldn’t we?” said Paul as he and Doug looked at the massive lock hanging from the sliding door.

Wade’s lip quivered. He had gotten rid of his wig and there were tear stains running down his face. “Because I didn’t listen to you. I should have. I’m sorry.”

Doug tugged on every slat to see if something would give while Steve watched out for Pepperwell.

“My story was crazy,” said Paul, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t have believed me either. But none of that matters. We have to get you out of here.”

“I’m not alone.” Wade looked over his shoulder and Paul could see Peter Pan and her mother huddled in the corner. “They were here when I was thrown in.”

“We’re going to have to break it,” said Doug. “Unless we find they key.”

“No,” said Wade. “I know a way out. We just couldn’t get to it because we’re too short and neither of us could lift the other,” he said, pointing back to the mom. She was cuddling her child and was looking at the boys as if they had appeared out of thin air.

She slid to the door and asked, “How did you find us? How did you even know to look?” Her voice was thick and it wobbled as she spoke. She didn’t wait for Paul to answer. “Do you think you can get us out of here?”

Peter Pan peeked out at him with red-rimmed, puffy eyes. She’d been crying.

Paul smiled at her then looked to Doug, who was already climbing his way to the roof. “Definitely,” answered Paul.

The excitement Paul felt coming from Wade and the mom was electric. The mom and her kid must have been down here since the beginning of the show, Paul knew. He knew that was a long time to be frightened. Maybe they had given up hope?

“I can’t open this without making a lot of noise.” Doug gave the cap a slight tug that shook the whole car and made a creaking noise that bounced around the cave. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

“Guys, stop making so much noise. That clown will come out.”

“Making noise,” mumbled Paul. An idea struck him. Maybe that was just what they needed. Paul held out his hand to Steve. “Give me the club,” he ordered.

“What are you going to do?” Steve asked, clutching the club to his chest.

“I’m going to distract the clown while you and Dougie get them out.”

Doug leaned over the car and Steve handed the weapon over. Everyone gave him a solemn look. Doug said, “You be careful. Once we have them free, you run. Got me?”

Paul nodded at his brother.

 

 

 

 

Pepperwell must have been so engrossed in his memories that he didn’t hear them sneaking into the cavern, thought Paul as he stood in the wide open doorway watching the clowns back heave with every breath. His grip tightened around the club and he set his feet just so, preparing to run. When Paul was settled he looked to Doug. The minute he made noise and grabbed Pepperwell’s attention was the time for Doug and Steve to pry the lid from the car and free the clown’s captives. Everyone was ready.

“You can do this,” Paul said to himself.

Sweat was trickling into his eyes, his palms were soaking the wooden club, and his body was sore from head to toe. Paul was as ready as he’d ever be.

“Hey!” he yelled. He beat the club against the side of the train car. Pepperwell stiffened but didn’t turn around. Paul knew he needed to make as much noise as possible. “You jerk! Turn around.”

Pepperwell still didn’t move.

“Do you remember me?” Paul kept beating the club on the car. He looked over to find that Doug hadn’t been able to pry the lid off yet. “I’m the one you tried to feed to that snake woman. But she was no threat.” The boys had finally ripped the lid free and were pulling their friends out of the locked car. Just a few more seconds and Paul could run. “I took care of her and then I came looking for you.”

Then, Pepperwell began to shake. It was a violent dance of thrashing and growling that made Paul’s knees go weak. Paul held the club closer to stop his own body from shaking.

“Paul, run!” yelled Doug.

But Paul couldn’t run. Fear had frozen his feet to the cave floor. There was talking and crying somewhere in the background but all of it was just a buzzing to Paul. Until Pepperwell turned around.

His clown face was gone, replaced by a ravenous beast. Paul’s brain screamed werewolf but this thing was so much bigger than that. Pepperwell’s teeth were so long that they hung over his bottom lip and drool poured out in long, slimy strands. His eyes were yellow, casting an eerie glow against the dimness of the train car. Pepperwell flexed his claws, ready to rend Paul with their impossibly razor sharp points.

“I will tear you limb from limb,” he roared.

Spittle hit Paul in the face, waking him up from his stupor. But it was too late. Pepperwell leapt at him, claws ready to shred Paul to pieces.

The door to the train car slid in front of Paul just as Pepperwell was reaching for him. Without thinking, Paul used the table leg to jam the door, making it more difficult for Pepperwell to break through. Peter Pan’s mom, who had slammed the door on Pepperwell, was already tugging on Paul to move.

“I told you to run,” said Doug from the top of Pepperwell’s car. He had a torch, burning red with licking flames, and he set the train car on fire before jumping down to his brother. Pepperwell screamed in agony as the fire quickly took hold of the old wooden boxcar. “Now we really should run.”

Steve and Wade were waiting at the exit for them with a crying Peter Pan. All of them covered their ears from the painful howls of the beast going up in flames as they ran back toward the circus.