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By the time nightfall had arrived I was completely exhausted, physically and emotionally. After putting up the decorations and the Halloween celebrations, coupled with the haunted ghost stories...then remembering my own ghosts...
I had made up my mind that I was not overly fond of the Halloween holiday.
Slowly I made my way to my trailer, taking in the surprisingly warm autumn evening. The moon was clear and full providing ample light. When I reached the steps of my home I suddenly stopped. Something compelled me to turn around. Green mist flooded the camp grounds, sudden and without warning.
My stomach churned.
Out of the green mist appeared a man dressed in refinery. I could not scream even if I had wanted too. I could not run even if I wanted too. My feet were rooted into the earth from where I stood.
The silence became deafening until I could take it no longer.
"Who are you?" Whispering into the darkness.
A smile appeared from his stoic face, mostly covered by his large top hat, "I think you already know my dear."
My bones chilled, "Mr. Edward Mordrake I presume." Trying and failing not to let my voice croak.
Someone must have practiced today. I do not even believe it. Maybe it was all an elaborate dream from the story before?
"I can assure you my dear this is not a dream." He smiled once more.
"You will not take me. I am not yours to claim. My soul is my own." Defiantly telling him as I mustered up as much courage as I could.
He slowly began to circle me like he was the hunter and I was his prey, "Is that right Madalina?" Edward softly questioned me and I could feel his breath on my neck. For a moment I stopped breathing.
The green mist came towards me more, trying to trap me, "You don't feel guilty for your sins?" He questioned me.
"We all have sins to bear." Answering him as I stared straight ahead into the night.
"So you have no ill feelings about killing your family?" I could hear the wicked smile in his tone. He touched my shoulder and I was consumed up by the mist. Breathless I opened my eyes only to stare into the eyes of the dead.
Swinging my body wildly I tried to reason with myself.
He was doing this. He wants to break you. Do not let him win.
He had transported me back to Buchenwald.
The lifeless faces of the living shuffled about me as they moved from one place to the next. There blue stripped rags hanging off their starving bodies.
"I did not kill my family." Turning every which way to find him.
"But you did. What did you do to help any of them? You yourself have said that you were not brave. You did not fight. You let them die." Edward whispered into my ear.
Suddenly the dead shuffled towards me. Their arms stretched out trying to reach me, trying to claim me. My arm started to sting. Looking down, my tattoo was not its usual black ink, but blood. Thick red blood, dripping down my left arm. Still as fresh like the moment I got it. Except of the six numbers I was accustomed to seeing were not on my arm.
In its place was the word, 'Murderer.'
My stomach churned as I tried not to get sick.
The dead were getting closer. Their voices loud and together as one, beckoning me to come to them. It seemed impossible to drown them out.
Edward yanked my arm up and forced it into my face, "This, this is what you are Madalina." He roared at me.
"No! No I am not a murderer!" Screeching back at him, yanking my arm back. The voices became defining.
Sinking to the ground I covered my ears, "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Screaming as my eyes sealed shut and curled myself into a ball on the dusty ground, "I am not a murderer! I am not a murderer!" Crying to myself.
"No you are not mano mažai paukštis." A single voice broke through.
Everything became silent.
My little bird, that was always his pet name for me. My heart stilled. Could it really be?
I opened my eyes to find myself alone and no longer surrounded. The hoards of the dead had gone. Staring down at my left arm the blood was gone, and the six numbers back in its place.
Glancing up into the clear space everything in my body just stopped working.
"Papa." The sound barely above a whisper.
My papa did not look like the dead I had seen. He appeared healthy and strong, glowing in a bright light. My papa looked like he did before the war began. He looked like himself again.
I do not know how I stood myself back up but somehow I did, and then I was standing in front of my papa.
Tears were falling down my face but my papa just gave me this look of understanding.
"I am sorry." Croaking out as the tears flooded my throat.
"What about mano mažai paukštis?" He simply asked.
"For not saving you." Sobbing clutching my chest, "Or mama, or any of them."
My papa raised his hand and stroked my cheek. My eyes fluttered shut at the touch. What a beautiful dream this was.
"We were not yours to save mano mažai paukštis, you were a child. There was nothing you could have done, and if you had tried you would been be here with us than out in life." Papa spoke softly to me.
He gave me a tiny smile, "And having you here with me and mama is more of a heartbreaking thought than I could fathom."
"But I want to be with you." Lightly crying as he wiped away my tears.
"We are always with you. We live in you, and as long as you carry us with you and remember, we are never really gone." Papa leaned forward, "Your mama and I are so deeply proud of you mano mažai paukštis. Be happy and live, not only for you but for us." Whispering to me.
He kissed my head and my eyes closed once more savoring the feeling, wishing I could tuck it away forever.
When I opened my eyes for the first time in my life I had felt deeply disappointed that I was not in Buchenwald. Gone was the camp and its ghosts. Gone was Edward Mordarke. And gone was my papa.
I sat on my steps and cried for a long time still feeling his kiss on my forehead.
After I had cried my tears for my family I sat on my steps thinking about my papa, and the weight that had been lifted off my soul. My family did not blame me for their deaths. And deep down in my heart I think I knew that too.
Sighing I smiled at the fact that Edward Mordrake had come for my soul, but I beat him. He could not take me.
My head snapped up. The hairs on my body stood up. Something was off.
Scanning the surroundings I stopped when I saw an almost gone trail of green mist leading into the forest.
Before I knew what I was doing I was up off my steps and following the mist into the deep forest. It was pulling me into the night. Pulling me to something.
I do not know how far deep into the forest I had gone before I heard screaming. Picking up my pace I quietly ran to the source of the distress. I ran into a clearing and hid behind a tree, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness.
The scene before me showed a man...dressed as a clown! I knew I was not imagining that clown the night I first saw him! He was trying to hurt someone. A woman who was screaming.
Except that was not a stranger, it was Esmeralda!
The clown man was screaming at her, pinning her down so she could not escape. Quickly I looked around for a weapon to use. Picking up a rather large and heavy log I tiptoed my way over to the clown and Esmeralda.
Pulling all of my force I swung the log and connected it with the back of the clowns head. He gave a grunt before passing out on top of Esmeralda. Dropping the log I used my weight and pushed the clown off of Esmeralda as he tumbled into the dirt.
She was visibly shaken, but who would not be. I offered her my hand and pulled her up onto her feet, "Are you alright? Did he hurt you at all?" Trying to scan over her in the thickening darkness.
Esmeralda shook her head, "No I am okay but Jimmy needs us and there are kids in there." She swallowed pointing to the trailer that I had just seen for the first time.
"Jimmy? Children?" Questioning her.
"There's another clown. He left but he's coming back. He was the one that kidnapped the children and killed those people in town." Her voice shook.
There was another clown!
I started pacing. We did not have much time and we needed a plan.
"Esmeralda I will help Jimmy and the others but you are not far from town I think. You need to run as fast as you can. Go to the police station, ask for a Deputy Chief Thomas Anderson, tell him Madalina sent you. Tell him to bring everyone he can to the forest outside the camp grounds." Giving her the specific instructions. I prayed Thomas was working tonight.
She started shaking her head, "No, no I can't go. I have to...I have to..." She trailed off stammering.
Gently I grabbed her by the shoulders making her jump, "Esmeralda we do not have time for this. I know you are frightened but you have to do this. This is bigger than you and me. This is about Jimmy and the others in the trailer." Stressing to her.
"We all have moments in our life were we need to step up and act to what is given to us. This is your moment. You go get the police I will help Jimmy. Do you understand?" Hastily asking her.
She gave an anxious nod, "Good now go! And do not forget, Deputy Chief Thomas Anderson." I let her go and watched her run from my sight. Glancing down I made sure the clown was still unconscious before I ran to the trailer and yanked it open.
"Jimmy!" Calling into the darkness.
"Lina!" He yelled back. I saw him tied up in the back of the small trailer. Briefly I stopped and took in the horrendous sight of a young woman and the children locked up in cages like animals.
Kneeling down in front of a little boy I grasped the bars of the cage, "We will get you all out. Just hold on a little longer." He nodded and I dashed over to Jimmy.
"Where is Esmeralda?" He asked in a panicked tone as I quickly went to undo his knots.
"I sent her to go get the police. It is up to you and I to get these ones safely out of here." Staring into his eyes. He stared back accepting the challenge.
After I untied him we set our focus on the cages, "Where are the keys?" Tugging at the locks.
Jimmy frantically searched around but could not find any, "He must have them on him." Running his hand through his hand. Standing up I looked around for anything I could use.
I saw a knife and a thought popped into my head. Picking up the slim knife I knelt back in front of the first lock.
"Lina I don't think a single knife will do it." Jimmy spoke up behind me.
"No, but this should do it." Pulling a hair pin from my waves as I set both in the lock and got down to work. I tried to focus on what I was doing and not the fact I had frantic and hopeful eyes staring back at me through the cold bars.
"You know how to pick a lock?" Jimmy was flabbergasted.
"Now is not the time." Huffing out as I felt for the tumblers, "Go check if the other clown is still unconscious." I heard him leave and then come back.
"Yeah he is still out, what did ya hit him with?"
"A very heavy log." Scrunching my face as I picked the lock open, "Yes!" I beamed as I undid the lock and threw it aside. Opening up the door I let the small boy escape and run over to Jimmy.
"One down, two to go." Mumbling as I went to work on another lock.
"There!" Cheering to myself as I undid the last lock and helped the young woman out of her cage.
Jimmy had been telling the children that we would be running back to the camp grounds and keep them safe there until the police arrived in the forest. Taking the young girls hand I looked at Jimmy.
"Lets go." Telling him and he nodded. We turned around and froze.
The other clown had shown up.
I felt the little girls grip on my hand tighten. I squeezed back trying to reassure her.
The clown did not do anything for a moment except stare at us. Then he started screaming and tearing the trailer apart in his rage.
"Get outside and hid in the bushes. Do not come out unless we call for you. Make sure you all stay together." I whispered into the little girls ear as I picked up an old toy and threw it at the clown disorienting him.
"Go!" Shouting to them as I saw them scramble out the door of the trailer.
Jimmy held off the clown but as they tumbled down onto the floor I saw he had pulled a knife of Jimmy.
In there struggle Jimmy had ripped off part of the clowns mask and I could not help myself from screaming at the gruesome sight before me.
His mouth was completely gone, and bits of skin hung in its place.
The clowns head snapped up and Jimmy was suddenly forgotten as he got up and lunged for me but not before hitting Jimmy right in the face.
He pinned me to the ground before Jimmy could stop him. I thrashed under him and immediately stilled when he brought the knife to my throat.
As I laid pinned and panting on the ground I wondered what would happen, and if I would see my papa again for the second time tonight.
The trailer went silent. Green mist poured into the small space. Edward Mordrake was back.
The clown got up off of me, and dropped his knife. I was a distant memory to him.
I crawled over to Jimmy unnoticed and checked to see if he was alright. After he nodded that he was, he pushed me behind him as we watched the scene before us.
The deformed clown stood before Edward Mordrake awaiting his word.
"You are the one." Was all Edward Mordrake said before he stabbed him in chest and the clown feel down dead on the floor of the trailer.
Hiding my scream behind my hand I gripped Jimmy tighter.
My eyes went wide when only a few moments later the deformed clown slowly rose and stood again. Only this time he was whole, his mouth had healed and he had no stab wound.
For the second time that night the dead filled my presence. Only this time it was not dead camp prisoners but the spirits of different circus performers. Members who had already joined Mordrake's family.
They all surround the clown and in moment of green mist they were all gone and the clown feel back dead on the floor.
I do not know how silent we were before Jimmy muttered, "Holy shit." Letting out a long breath I rested my head on his back.
I definitely hated Halloween.
When Jimmy and I ran back outside to check on the others we heard voices of people in the distance. The police must be close.
We found the children but that is not what concerned me.
Tugging at his sleeve, "Jimmy."
He turned around and looked at me, "What? What is it?"
All I did was stare at the ground, "The other clown is gone."