Town Chapter Five Split Mirror

 Back To The Circus

Melinda Narcissa looked out of the window, it had been a month and she was still in shock yet her mind was far away, by this time she was fully recovered from all her wounds. Even though the fang scars still remained. She felt utterly frustrated at the fact that she was completely at the mercy of the town. She was helpless to fall victim of whatever would be lurking in the shadows, waiting to devour her and she hated it.

She may have Danté’s protection but she could not say for how long that would last. After all, she knew that he could not always be there to be her bodyguard. No, she needed to get strong. More than that, she needed to be able to fight back on her own. She needed to be able to win against the next attack. She could not afford to be or do anything else.

She covered her wounds knowing just how close she came to losing her humanity and herself. Yet she feared that the next time it would be more than both. She would lose something even more important. Something that she could never hope to get back regardless of how she tried her best to. She also feared that it would lead to her death, or the death of who she was.

She just could not believe, just could not believe after what had happened to her, as she packed her school things away, that she was going back to school. It was such a laughable concept. It was like she had been away so much that she wondered if she should go to school. She honestly did not see the point.

She had been through so much and yet some of it she could not recall! She knew that she would never recall. Only the lessons that Valli gave her and all of those things that she was made to do while she was hypnotised.

Yet despite all of this, she would put on the school uniform, pack her things in her red and purple rucksack with thin reflective pink lines to alert the traffic that she was there when it was dark, and go to school. She had recently wondered if home schooling would be a better idea. Then again she soon came to the conclusion that it hardly mattered. In the end the wolves would still have their way in the end.

She soon put the bag on her back. She opened the door as Matilda came up next to her. She smiled at her and Melinda put a false smile on. Hoping that she would not worry about her. She put on her red raincoat and pulled up the hood to protect herself from the heavy rain and they walked out. Almost completely normal.

Yet as they walked to school, Melinda caught a glimpse of Morki the clown looking at her. He had a sad look in his jaded pale blue eyes. Yet this was strange and unnerving to look at as it was combined with his red painted smile. She saw that his curly yellow hair had grown out and had touched his shoulders.

She shivered as she looped arms with Matilda.

“The clown’s looking.”

Matilda’s shoulders moved forward and she frowned as her eyes looked pained.

“He wants to make you his next target.”

Like that was hard to tell.

“I figure that. I am the one that beat Mohan, after all!”

Her mind went over his death.

“Use three mirrors!” She heard him say.

“Well please keep away! You know what he does!”

Melinda let out a nervous laugh.

“Yeah! You don’t have to tell me twice.”

Although, I can’t help but feel like it's not gonna be that easy.

She smiled.

“It’s good to see you smiling and laughing again.”

“It’s good to be smiling and laughing again!”

However, as they walked to school she noticed that he was trailing them. She looked back a few times, only for him to fail to hide himself. Which she found amusing, yet she still cringe nevertheless.

“He’s following us!” She moaned.

“Just try to ignore him.”

“I am, it’s just too distracting! He looks so sad!”

“I know.” Said Matilda, slightly annoyed. “But he’s never felt even a single pin of pain.”

“I mean he’s not even good at hiding!” She laughed as she walked closer to Matilda.

“Yeah. He did the same to me. I can’t believe I found it amusing back then!” She said with a shiver and shaking her head.

To their relief they finally arrived at school. They put their bags and raincoats on the hanger in their locker and collected their pencils and homework. Once they arrived in class, Melinda noticed that all her homework was top of the class and the work that she was doing came easier then it did! She would have felt proud at this had she not known why. She felt a shiver run down her spine as she remembered what she could. She could still feel their fans buried deep into her neck.

This caused the day to fly by and she was called to the headmaster’s office. She soon walked to his office, just to get whatever he wanted out of the way.

“Yes Sir.”

“Miss Narcissa, it has come to my attention that you have been missing a lot of school this term. I see that in your previous school you never had this problem. Now tell me, is there anything going on? Don’t worry, I just want to know if you’re alright. That’s all.”

“Yeah there is, but no. It’s nothing you can do Sir. That’s all I can say.”

“Alright, take your time  however if you need any help, please do but be afraid to say it.”

She smiled for show and nodded.

“I’ll only ask for your help if you can give it.” She said, leaving the office.

“Good to know.”

She soon started walking home but she soon saw the clown. She then looked back, and he hid terribly. She walked more and looked back and, again, hid terribly. She started to get annoyed by this and soon, knowing that he would strike sooner or later, she became enraged. Knowing that she just wanted to get this over and done with, she turned around and walked right up to him.

“What do you want?” She snapped.

“Oh! Morki wishes to offer you something.”

She rolled her eyes.

“What?”

“Morki has been observing you and he has noticed all the bad things that have been happening to Melinda.”

“Get to the point.” She snapped, impatiently.

“Morki wonders if they would keep happening to Melinda if she had the power to fight back?”

Her eyes widened. She felt shock ripple throughout her body as fast as lightning. She knew that he had her there and yet she had been thinking of the exact same thing. Has she not wanted to be able to fight back all this time? Has she not become sick and tired of being at the mercy of this town? Did she no longer want to be always at the mercy and have the ability to defend against the terrors of the town?

He smiled for a moment.

“What are you saying?” She asked, her voice filled with horror and hunger.

“Morki can give Melinda that power that Melinda wants.”

“How?”

He gave her a ticket with a purple background and a thick red and yellow rim.

Circus Performance Tomorrow December 1st7:30 pm

“Come and follow Morki after the show. However, Morki will not help Melinda unless Melinda comes alone. She also must eat some cotton candy, she will love it. But tomorrow,  Melinda must come tomorrow. Morki is not ready.”

She nodded.

“Now Melinda needs to go home. Jaden is starting to worry about Melinda. Melinda does not want Jaden to worry.”

“No. I don’t.”

She then turned and was soon home. She then walked to her bedroom as she was changing into her thick red shirt and black jeans, all she could think about was what Morki had said.

“Mel?”

She snapped out of it and looked at Matilda.

“Mat?”

“Did you speak to the clown?”

“Yeah.”

She gave her a stern look.

“Don’t go. Whatever it is that he had promised you, don’t take his offer.”

She nodded then realised that he had gotten to her too and that led to the twins being created. She looked aside, realising despite all this, she had already made up her mind. She had felt nothing but powerlessness ever since her parents died. Yet she loathed the powerlessness and wanted nothing more than to be rid of it. She could not count on Danté either as he was now the vampire king and had his responsibilities elsewhere.

“I know.”

“Please, promise me that you will not go to him, regardless of what happens?”

She then looked aside.

“I mean it! He will not make you better! He will only make you worse!”

She nodded, barely listening.

“I will keep that in mind.’

Yet when the time came, she knew that she had made the decision. The moment she left school, she went home, ate her dinner and went to her room. She then waited for seven to come and she climbed out of her window without saying a thing or leaving a note. She soon arrived at the circus at ten past seven and entered it.

She was not going to be weak ever again. No she was going to become strong no matter what. If she had to use Morki to become strong then she would. She would not let go, not until she became strong and she would discard of Morki when the time came.

In The Tent

When she entered the carnival near the circus, she looked around the area and soon found the candy floss stall. She walked up to it and took out a one pound coin. He then gave her a stick of candy floss. She sniffed it for a moment and could smell that there was nothing wrong with it. She carefully looked at it and could spot that it looked like it was just a large ball of candy floss the size of her head.

“Thank you.” She said, then plucked a section of the candy floss.

She put it in her mouth, still feeling suspicious. The moment that the sugary taste touched her tongue she could it was the best tasting candy floss that she had ever tasted. Even the candy floss back in America was not as good as this. Yet there was still nothing wrong with it.

Man! Is all British candy floss this good? ’Cause if it is, I wanna go throughout the whole of Britain, just to taste it!

After eating the first bite she could feel the after taste linger, but she knew that it was not enough. She wanted more and she plucked more and, wanting to get as much pleasure out of the moment as possible, ate it slowly. She then waited as she savoured the after taste before taking more after the after taste was no longer enough. She then continued eating more and more of the candy floss this way as she walked through the carnival. Before she knew it she had finished the candy floss. 

She looked around and saw the rides. To the left was the ferris wheel, to her right was a mini roller coaster, yet beyond that was a ride that looked like a large roundabout in the air with swings dangling from it. Her eyes lit up for the first time in a long time. She felt her heart racing as excitement rushed through her blood. She wanted to try a few of those rides. No, she wanted to have a go on all of them.

Yet as she walked on her head became fuzzy and her thoughts became muffled and unclear. She almost became half asleep. She started to walk, almost like she was in a strange dream. Her body seemed to relax like a great weight had been lifted from her. She felt all her fears and worries melt away like the candy floss on her tongue just a moment ago. Yet she knew that all of it was real.

She walked on. She soon saw a ferris wheel and found her legs walking to it. She gave a pound to the man on the counter. She soon was in the red and yellow carriage. Which was attached to a white whee.nShe then felt it rise, faster than she thought. She felt the excitement increase as she anticipated the moment that she was at the top. Yet when she got there her eyes rested upon the castle. She felt something off as she looked at it. It was at that moment that she had a peculiar and strange and bizarre thought slip into her mind.

I am going to live in that castle.

She frowned.

Where did that come from?

Before she could investigate, she felt herself descending. She was soon back in the bottom. She walked out, her mind felt like an empty room. She walked out of the ride.

“Are you Melinda Narcissa?”

“Yeah why?”

“Morki told me to tell you that there is a special way in the tent. It is for you and you alone. Take this and go to the ghost train.” He said, giving her a black ticket with a white rim and silver writing on the ticket.

Come; The Ghosts Await!

This Grants It’s Holder Quick Access

To The Ghost Train

So that’s where he wants me to go next. Alright, I’ll amuse you!

“So where is it?”

He pointed to the tent.

“At the back of the tent.”

“Thanks.”

Age then checked her watch. It was quarter past seven. She then looked up and, even though she knew she could walk to the ghost train, she felt herself running instead.

The doors of the station of the ghost train were the size of two men and had a doorframe with a point at the top. Yet the building looked like a miniature Victorian mansion. With a Victorian tunnel bridge at the top leading directly into the tent. It was painted black with red rims and purple doors with a pink rim.

She walked towards the doors and they opened automatically. It would have been spooky, if she had not seen the sensor. She then walked up to a man that was dressed in all black and his face was painted white with red dots on the side of his neck. He painted his lips black and had round sunglasses with red eye-shadow behind.

She gave him her ticket.

“Take your car and enjoy the journey into the ghosts of your past.”

She smiled and nodded. She walked to a black car in the shape of a bat with its wings tucked in. She walked in and spotted that the seating looked like it was made of bones. It was pulled by two large black horses with a man dressed like a Victorian magician. This reminded her of Mohan and all that he put her through. 

She shook her head. She then sat and the car set off. Yet as they moved on she saw another dressed in the exact same way Mohan did. Suddenly vivid images of Mohan sprung up in her mind. She saw how he took her sister and it was almost like she was reliving the moment. Then her mind relived the moment they played their game and how she saw how he died. 

Then red confetti burst from the top and fell like stars and it was gone. She shook her head as age snapped out of it. She soon moved on, her head felt slightly dizzy after that. She tried to get her head straight but she could not. Her mind was almost like a drunkard.

That was when she saw a pair of twins, dressed in the way that the twins dressed. Again, flashes of what happened flooded her mind. She could not get them out of her mind. It was like she was back there, still their prisoner. She saw the woman they killed and she saw them killing her again. She felt the pain back in her legs as they hit them. She could even feel the blood too. 

Then silver confetti fell and she snapped out of it.

What is going on? What is going on? What was that? Just what was that?

Yet they moved. She felt herself seize up as she saw the silver haired doctor dressed the way the doctor did and a silver haired nurse dressed the way the nurse did. She let out a scream as she felt the needle and then felt the fire under her skin. She saw the doctor and nurse with their silver hair with just as much vividness almost as if she was back there, in the hospital. Feeling each and every time they injected her with their strange burning syrem all at once.

Then with an explosion of crimson and white confetti she soon saw the silver haired vampire and the blond vampire. Her body froze and she soon felt their fangs buried in her neck. She felt the punches as they wanted to hear her screams. She felt her body weaken and she felt cold like blood really was being drained of blood. She could see them both Vyteuatas and Valli with her blood dripping from their fangs. She could feel every time her blood loss caused her to slip into unconsciousness. She experienced the process of hypnosis repeating in her mind.

Then with black, pink, purple and red confetti she snapped out of it and she snapped back to her senses and the memoires felt. She panted in and out, her mind spinning as she felt nothing but ice cold fear. She came to the end of the ride, she was glad to get out of the carriage. Yet as she walked off she felt her knees shaking as she felt dizzy and found it a challenge to regain her balance. As she walked on she almost fell until she felt a hand steadying her.

“Morki wondered if Melinda was alright after that?”

“Yeah!” She gasped.

“Morki is about to perform. Will Melinda follow Morki after?”

“Will this lead to the ability to fight back?”

“Yes.”

“Then lead the way.”

They soon walked into the tent.

The Performance

Melinda leaned upon Morki as he led her to the middle seat in front row giving her a clear sight of the theatre area. She suddenly woke up and her mind became excited. All dizziness wore off the moment the lights went out. She felt her mind start to focus as the crowd talked among themselves. She wondered if she should talk to anyone here. Yet she knew that it would not be a good idea. She came here for one thing and she was not going to get distracted. She then heard the crowd become silent as the spotlight turned on. Everyone clapped, including her, much to her surprise.

Then she heard a loud trumpet. Then she heard a loud stomping sound and she soon was looking at an elephant march out of a cloud of smoke. Then this was followed by three more elephants. On each of their backs were three female riders, dressed in a dress that looked like they were made of cold coins and exposed most of their legs. Around their necks and arms were chains made of gold coins. Even their head dresses looked like hats made of them, even the elephants too had this.

They soon ostracised their legs doing the splits and placed their hands in front of them. They pushed up, putting all their weight on their hands. They slowly flipped their bodies up and drove their toes in the air almost like an arrow. This caused the men and teenage boys in the audience to wolf whistle, much to the displeasure of their girlfriends or wives. Then much to the cheer of the audience the elephants started turning. Almost like dancers, they marched in a circle. The riders never lost balance once as the elephants had completed their circle.

Then they stopped turning and then marched in a circle and as they did the riders pressed down and then pushed up and flipped back and landed upon the elephant behind them! They did this again and again and again until they reached their original elephant! Then they did this again and spun up like a ballerina. They did this until they reached their original elephant! Impressed by this Melinda clapped. They did this again and again until they were back on their original elephant.

The elephants then raised their trunks and started matching to a beat and then they let out a trumpet. Then the ladies spun upon the backs of the elephants on their tip toes like a ballerina. They started slowly and became faster and faster and faster. Then they drew their hands down again and again and not once did they lose their balance. 

Then they jumped in the air and all flipped in the centre, narrowly avoiding each other and, for a moment, Melinda was afraid that they would fall. Then they landed on the elephant opposite them. This was more impressive as the elephants did not stop once. She then clapped again, having nothing but respect for these performers. They then both elephant and rider bowed.

That was amazing! That was utterly amazing!

They then bowed again and she could not stop clapping and everything went black again. She had to wait a moment as the elephants left the stage. Then the lights soon turned on. Smoke rose and two handsome men followed. They were dressed in black baggy trousers and had a crimson waistcoat, revealing their muscular frames. This made her heartbeat race as all thoughts were driven from her mind. 

One of them jumped and flicked a lighter open and flipped into a ring, lighting it as he passed through. Despite it being narrow, his body never touched it once. Then the other ran up and dived into the fiery ring and he too didn’t touch the ring or the flames for that matter! Not even his clothes were touched! Then he landed and flipped back into the ring backwards and still the flames did not touch him. Then flipped back and forth through the ring again and again getting faster and faster and faster. Soon he flipped in and out within a heartbeat! 

She was completely stunned.

That was when the other took out a long thick silk ribbon. He ran forward and gripped the ribbon and he took off in the air. He spun softly and graciously like a swan in flight. Getting higher and higher as he circled the tent. When he was at the top he spun his hips, wrapping the ribbon around his waist as he did. He outstretched his arms and legs as he spun and descended. Before he hit the bottom he slid up. He wrapped his calf and hopped back into the air and flew around with outstretched arms like a crow. Yet despite it slipping he rose hornet and higher. Soon he reached out in front of him and his hand stroked the top of the tent. He arched back and somersaulted and fell into a trampoline. He then jumped out and almost knelt as he landed.

When did that get there?

He then jumped back and somersaulted on the trampoline again and again. Then as he did he spread his body out like a pencil before rolling back in and jumping again then when he was attached out like a pencil he spun upside down again and again. He drew his hands out and jumped from his hands again and again. 

That was when a narrower ring of fire descended and he jumped through that again and again. He jumped to and fro again and again getting faster and faster and faster. Soon he was going faster than the man before and she knew that if she blinked once she would miss a jump. When he became the fastest that he could go, another ring of fire descended above that one. He dove into the lower one and like a snake, curved and dove into the highest one and then flipped down and looped through the lower one like the shape of an eight.

Then she clapped. He then flopped down and bowed as he landed. She clapped tho throughout the bow and the lights went out again. She then joked as a pop of smoke flicked up and Morki appeared. He had a black cowboy hat on and around it was a red, royal purple and pink leather strand held together in a platt with a silver crown in the centre with rubies at the top. He took it off and placed it upon her head.

“Thank you.”

He smiled as he beeped his nose saying ‘you’re welcome’ in the most comedic way. He then spun around and mock sneezed and red confetti spring from his hands. He then sneezed again and pink confetti sprung and then again and royal purple confetti fell. He then beeped his nose again and then he seemed to sneeze again and pretended to catch something in his hands. She looked to see an egg and he crushed it and flung it at the audience. They screamed for a moment until they saw the black and red and gold confetti. This caught them all off guard for a moment before they laughed.

He then pulled out a box and then opened it and a smaller clown shot out and the sprint underneath made him bounce. He then put the lid back on, pretending to look bashful then he opened it another way and then shot it at the audience. They jumped as rose heads flew at them and she caught one. It seemed to grow a stem and it wrapped around her like a magic bracelet.

Did I just see that?

She looked up to see Morki looking directly at her. He then ran to her and flicked the hat he gave and as she took it off she saw a scarlet rose grow along with a white one then a royal purple one at the left hand side of the hat. She looked at it astonished and looked up,  her eyes begging to know how he did that. She placed it back on and clapped with her mouth gaped wide open.

He extended his hand and she took it. The audience clapped as she was led to a black and white box. He spun her and placed her inside. The door closed behind her and then she heard a loud bang. She fell and all went black.

Maze Of Mirrors

When Melinda woke up, her vision was slightly blurry. Her eyes were cold and dry, making them sting. All she could see was the dizzying light and the white walls. She blinked and she rubbed her eyes as she felt her ears ring. She waited for her mind to focus and eyes to become wet before she climbed upon her feet. She then felt her soreness wear off.

Where am I? She thought as she looked around.

She saw that she was surrounded by white walls and noticed that there was no door around her. She looked up to see that there was a trap door high above her. She then looked at the ceiling and saw light and bright naked lightbulbs, going in a row. They all led to a row of mirrors.

She knew that she had to get out of this place soon. She looked down to see what the time was.

Eight o’clock. It's late. I need to get home as soon as I can.

She looked around the room again. She knocked on the walls, looking for any hollow areas that she could break out. She could not quite explain why, but something told her to stay away from the mirrors. That was when she found none and her attention was brought back to the hall of mirrors. She felt the feeling that she should stay away from those mirrors increase. However age felt something click in her mind but she could not quite place a finger on what. Yet then it came to her.

Wait,  didn’t Mohan say something about mirrors?

Yeah…but what was it?

Come on! Think!

She hit her head with her knuckles again and again until it came to her.

Oh yeah!

“Use three mirrors!”

That’s it! Morki must use the mirrors to split the personality somehow. But why use three?

Unless…

That’s it! He doesn’t want me to develop two split personalities! He wants three.

She took a step back as she frowned and placed a hand to her forehead, gripping her hair.

But why? What does he get out of it?

Maybe he likes it? Maybe he gets off on making kids like me mad by having more than one personality? Seeing how they develop and maybe he likes it when he sees them go all evil like Mat?

That’s creepy.

That was when age heard the beep of Morki’s false red nose. She looked up and saw Morki as he tripped. He then jumped to his feet and hopped foot to foot.

“Aw! Aw! Aw!” He sang hopping from one foot to the other again and again and again.

She then cleared her throat. He then jumped.

“Oooh dear!” He sang as he turned around to look at her.

“Sorry! Hey, landing was harder than I thought! I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself too much! Although the fall was fun. Don’t you agree?”

She folded her arms.

Is this guy serious?

“No. How can it be?”

He looked down, disappointed.

“I thought it was! When I fall I find it so fun!”

I can’t believe it! He’s just as mad as the rest of them.

“Oh! By the way, did you enjoy the show tonight?”

“Yes, I did. Those men were quite talented!”

He looked up with an excited look in his eyes as he smiled.

“So why am I here?”

“Oh! Yes, the power Morki promised Melinda, Morki will get it if Melinda can catch Morki!”

He then took out a red scarf.

“Morki will make it harder for Morki and harder for Melinda.” He said, putting on a blindfold before she could say anything.

He smiled a confident and victorious smile.

“By the way, how many have you broken into different personalities?”

“Many. Too many for little old Morki to count. Yet all become interesting all the time. Bye, bye!” He sang as ran into the hall of mirrors.

She then huffed as she charged after him. She ran down and kept her eyes on the clown. Yet he then turned a corner. This caused her to stop for a moment as she had to decipher which was the exit. She did not want to bump into the mirrors. She looked at where the clown went and then she saw her reflection in front of her.

She had to stop and look at the walls. She found the differing reflection and knew that was where she was to walk. She walked down corridor after corridor and turned corner after corner. Keeping a good pace while using all the visual cues as she could. 

She soon started feeling her impatience getting the better of her as she started walking faster and faster. She then started jogging and became faster and faster as she worked into a light run and soon she was running faster and faster. Then she came to a segment where she thought that she was looking at nothing but her reflections. She had to stop for a moment and looked around and spotted a corridor that she did not notice earlier.

Slow down! Slow down! Take your time!

She then walked on and on. She found that, as she walked on, there were two corners to choose from. She remembered where she came from. She then looked down and saw slight smudges on the mirrors that made the floor. She walked on and in and on. She, again, felt her impatience beginning to get the better of her. She soon returned to the run. She looked down as she followed the smudges that made up the footsteps of the clown. 

She soon spotted the clown but as he turned a corner. She quickly lost him again, much to her frustration. She ran and ran and bumped into one of the mirrors, cracking it in the process. She wiped the blood away and pulled herself up. Then as she walked on and on the light became brighter and brighter. As she ran, she could feel herself sweating. 

She did her best to push on despite the fact she was getting a headache. Then her head started to spin as she ran on. Her mind panicked as she raced on. She then shook her head as she ran on and on. Her dizziness became worse and worse as she turned corner after corner. Her headache became worse and worse. It became unbearable.

Calm down! Calm down! Just stop and calm down.

She closed her eyes to block out the light, but it was just too bright to block out. She covered her eyes but the light seemed to be able to penetrate her hand. She had no choice but to open her eyes again and put up with the feeling of her head being drilled into. Yet she forced herself to go on and on. Soon her mind was taken off the clown and more about gripping out of this maze. Yet as she moved on and on, she could not find a way out and she wondered if there was a way out. Upon the thought that there was not she felt claustrophobia creep in and soon or gripped her.

She thought that she would never get out of here. Then she saw a dark spot in the maze. Hope rose within her as she raced towards it. Wanting nothing more than to have a break from the almost blinding light, she did what she could to get to it. She ran and ran with nothing more than desperation pushing her on and on.

Then she arrived, and closed her eyes. She did all she could to enjoy the darkness and the break of the light. She still felt her head, still pounding. However she opened her eyes to see that she was looking at two reflections in front of her. Knowing that she had reached a dead end she was about to turn and walk out when she saw Morki move a mirror behind her, trapping her in a triangular room. She rushed to the mirror and heard Morki turn a key and something locked.

“No! Let me out! Let me out!”

She banged against the mirror again and again, pushing more and more of her strength as she did. Yet she could not get out.

What is this made of?

“Get me out of here! Get me out of here! Danté! If you can hear me! I’m in the maze of mirrors! Help!”

That was when she saw the light rise up and become brighter and brighter. Soon she saw that the lights were coming from the mirrors and they became brighter and brighter. Her headache came back and it became worse and worse almost like there were drills in every part of her brain. Her mind started to spin and spin almost like she had been spinning for hours and hours at a fast pace. Her eyes rolled up as the light became brighter and brighter. Then she heard a loud high pitch noise in her ears, almost like a scream on helium becoming louder and louder. Her ears started ringing and ringing almost like there were drums in her ears beating as fat as bullets. It felt like her ears were being eaten and the pain became unbearable.

“Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!” She shouted, incapable of hearing a word.

In fact she could not even feel her voice, almost as if it was not her own. Yet it did not,  it only became worse and worse.

Then BANG!

She fell.

Her eyes closed.

The Crusted Clown

The girl woke up at no sooner than midnight. She slowly climbed onto her feet and looked around. Slowly taking in everything like a cat analysing her surroundings. She smiled a strange smile that had never been on those lips before. It was a sly and wide smile revealing her teeth. It became maddened and twisted, filled with cruelty and insanity. Even her eyes were filled with this strange mixture upon her fifteen year old face.

She breathed in, almost like she was taking a breath for the first time. Even though the air was not as fresh as she would have preferred, she did not care. She was glad that the headache was gone and the pain in her ears was gone too. In fact she felt relieved that there were no lingering effects from what happened a few, short hours ago. In fact, all was clear she knew what she was going to do. Yet she had nothing in her mind to stop her.

If I have a power, I might as well use it!

She walked up to the mirror. Closed her eyes and soon molten silver was at her feet. She walked on and looked around.

“Where are you Morki?” She sang.

She slowly walked down corridor after corridor and soon she walked with a slow and steady strut. She knew that she no longer had to worry about getting this over with quickly. No, she wanted to take this time to enjoy this. 

“So…that’s how you do it…” She spoke to herself before letting out a chilling chuckle.

She then walked to the right. She whistled twinkle, twinkle little star as she walked down corridor after corridor. This developed into a hum as her heartbeat increased in anticipation. She started to walk slowly as well. She did not need to rush, she wanted to take her time, enjoying every second ticked by. She soon turned a corner and came to the end of the mirror maze. 

Her smile became wider as her eyes rested upon Morki.

“Found you!”

“Yeah you did!”

“Hi!”

He beeped his nose.

‘Morki heard One whistling and singing. One has a good singing voice!”

He smiled, beeping his nose again.

“Yeah. By the way, why do you do this?”

His eyes widened as his smile widened.

“Morki likes breaking little children into two little pieces. It makes Morki feel happy. Especially when they become mad. Morki finds it funny and interesting personalities always makes Morki happier. Although Morki makes every now and again, when Mohan tells Morki to, Morki breaks them into more pieces. Like One.”

“And what’s the maximum number you have broken?”

“One hundred. But Tal Len became one again. Tal Len loved Morki for what Morki did and hurt Morki to show it. Until Morki was scared of him.”

“How many pieces do you think Melinda has been broken into?”

“Three and what they are like, One will see. Morki would like to see all!”

She then let out a chilling laugh that turned the clown's bones to ice. She licked her teeth.

“But One don’t want you to! One wants to play with you! One has powers. One wants to test them!”

“Oh? And what would One mean by that?”

The heat of the room started to increase. She smiled.

“You’ll see!” She sang.

Then he felt hotter and hotter. He could feel his hands become sweaty. Yet it still became hotter and hotter. His body became sweaty all over and the paint on his face started to run. His clothes started to cling to his body as sweat soaked all that touched them. His mouth became dry and looked at the girl. She was not sweating nor did she look hot at all. His face became red

“What’s happening?”

“Oh? Clown can’t stand a bit of heat?”

His eyes squinted as he could do nothing but feel himself getting hotter and hotter. He could see water vapour rise from his body as his sweat dried up. His skin felt like it was burning. He looked at the girl as he fell to his knees. He started to pant as he tried to cool his body down. Yet he felt like he was on fire.

“What? What?”

He looked up to see that the girl was still not affected by the intense heat. No. All she did was look at him smiling wickedly. Her eyes were like a scientist looking, gleefully, at him like he was a lab rat. Clearly enjoying every second of his torment. Yet he could do nothing but feel the heart increase.

“Are you doing this?”

Her smile widened to answer his question.

“Stop! Stop it! It hurts, it hurts! Please stop it!”

She smiled as she licked her lip.

“No.”

“Who are you?”

She giggled as he felt himself burning inside. He felt a fire inside him as his flesh caught fire as the heart consumed his fat.

“No! No! Stop it, just stop it! Please put it out! Please put it out! Put it out! Put it out.”

She leaned in.

“No!”

“Who are you?”

“Malice!” She said as the flames consumed him.

She walked away as he screamed and screamed and the fire spread and became hotter and hotter. He could do nothing but endure the pain of the flames. By the time she left the tent he was nothing but dust.