The joyous laughter of children. The buzz and life of a party. These things should brighten anyone's day. Unless your day cannot ever be brightened. Not ever. Not after what happened that night. A single mother, who sits alone at a table, watches the happiness from afar, silent. Her hair is slightly disheveled, hanging, draped over her broken face. At one point, she was a beautiful young woman, full of happiness, and loved everyone.
Now, there is no one to love. Not after that night.
The characters on stage sing and laugh, hoping their songs would please the running and giggling children. The blue rabbit strums his guitar, the brown bear talks into his microphone, and the yellow chicken backs them with her lively vocals. Parents attempt to restrain their children, but this proves futile. Some climb onto the stage, hugging and hanging off of the cartoon friends. They don't seem to mind this, though. They continue to sing anyway. As long as the children are happy, they are happy.
But this mother will never be happy. Not after that night.
Some stare at her. Others divert their children away from her. "Mommy, what's wrong with that lady?" "Nothing, dear. Just don't look at her." They don't seem to understand. They don't understand this kind of pain. They can be happy. They can laugh. She can't. No amount of streamers and party hats can ever break the wall of despair that has surrounded her.
This sadness will never cease. Not after that night.
"Ha, ha, ha!" the bear laughs, "I hope you kids are havin' as much fun as my friends and I! Remember: 'rock', 'eat', 'party', and most importantly, 'play!'"
The children, along with the bear's friends, cheer at those words. The only one not cheering is the mother, of course. Instead, she looks over at the corner of the party room, where she sees children playing with a pile of metal parts. The mangled, metal form is at the center of the little circle of children, where it silently lays and watches as the children pulls off it's arms and places them in other parts of it's body. The head, which is a white, cartoon fox's head with red lipstick, continues to lay still as the children pull at parts and clamps like some sort of macabre surgery. The mother can't help but respect the contorted fox's ability to stay happy through the pain.
The same can't be said for her. Not after that night.
Standing nearby, in another corner of the room, is a security guard. He is a handsome young man wearing a purple uniform, his back against the wall. He quietly surveys the party room, seeming…apprehensive. The man seems as though he has seen things that have deeply frightened him, and is afraid he will see those things again. His eyes quickly dart around the room, almost frantically, looking and looking, double-checking and triple-checking. What did this man see? The mother can't help but wonder. At the same time, though, she really doesn't care much. These dark times have made her numb to the world, it's people, and their problems. This sad, sad world…
She begins muttering to herself, her thoughts becoming words: "Not after that night, not after that night, not after that night…"
Not after that night where the children played and ate pizza, unbeknownst to them the darkness. Where one twisted man decided to play his own, special game with those children. Where he snuck behind that stage with the smiling heads, the colorful suits, and the metal skeletons. He liked that yellow bear costume the best…Gleefully, he put on that bear suit.
"Not after that night, not after that night, not after that night…"
Gleefully, he sharpened that knife.
"Not after that night, not after that night, not after that night…"
Gleefully, he lured those children backstage, cake in hand…
"Not after that night, not after that night, NOT AFTER THAT NIGHT…"
Gleefully, he sang one last song with them…
"NOT AFTER THAT NIGHT!"
Heads turn. The laughter stops. The children look on in confusion. Even the singing animals on stage have ceased their fun show, and stare. That lone mother is standing, shaking, talking incoherently.
"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN IT HAPPENED?!" she shrieks, pointing at the young security guard. "WHERE WERE YOU?!" The young man looks at the woman, wide-eyed, fear-stricken. The mother goes into hysterics, flipping over her table, and rushes towards the man. Men rush in and grab her. She struggles and squirms.
"WHERE WERE YOU?! WHERE WERE YOU?!"
The guard can't help but just watch. Where was he…?
The mother shrieks, more men come in and help the others. They hold her down.
The people begin muttering amongst themselves, watching the scene. In the chaos, no one sees that ominous shape loom behind the guard…
A mess of metal parts. A mess of skeletal limbs and claws. It's white, fox-like head…
It shakes violently, and opens it's toothy maw…
The mother, who was seconds ago screaming, is now quiet, watching the robotic creature creep up behind the guard.
She smiles…
The young guard feels the menacing presence behind him, and quickly turns around.
CHOMP!
The creature grabs the man's head in it's mouth, and bites harder and harder…
Everyone turns around and sees the scene. People start screaming. Children start crying. Everyone's faces become filled with horror. The men, who were holding the woman, drop her, and run away. Everyone begins to run away. Some people try to help the guard, pulling on the metal abomination. But it won't let go.
Not after that night…
The mother is on the floor, and looks at the grisly scene. She watches, and her smile grows bigger and bigger. A manic grin forms, and she begins to laugh. What a hilarious scene. What a joyous occasion! Even though those animals are no longer singing, she knows. They're happy. They're happy for her. That metal monster is also happy. She throws her head back, and laughs harder and harder. Yes, now she is happy. Now, everyone can share in the sorrow! She laughs knowing that she is now in good company.
No one will know the joy of happiness! Not after that night…
