Welcome to the Freak Show!

“Katie, stop being such a chicken!”

“I told you I was going to be like this,” I grumbled, bitterly. “I don’t like scary stuff, and I told you that.” I can hear the anxiety creeping up in my voice as we wait in line for the haunted maze.

I almost jump out of my skin as a chainsaw roars in the background, and I hear faded screams, followed by laughter.

“See, it’s fine! They’re having fun!” chirps Lizzy, my always ever-go-lucky, adventurous best friend. The total opposite of me.

“Right.. fun. ‘Go to a haunted house,’ they said. ‘It will be fun,’ they said.” I mumble. Lizzy just chuckles at me, shaking her golden red hair.

“Yeah, babe, it will be fine! Don’t you trust me?” mumbles Jamie against my ear, wrapping me tight in his arms. For a moment I do feel secure, wrapped up in the arms of my fiancé. Then I hear more screams and feel the rippling effect of all of my muscles tensing up.

“Yeah babe.. sure.”

I’m already ready to just get back home, pop some popcorn, and watch “Hocus Pocus” That’s my type of Halloween.

A girl scantily clad in a sexy nurse costume runs past me, giggling; the October wind blows, swirling dead leaves around my feet. Of course I’m always the one ready to go home, always the introvert. Lizzy has always been the one to drag me out of my nest. Jamie hasn’t been any help to me either, always bugging me to leave the safety of home.

“Group three!” I hear a raspy voice yell.

My heart pounds as we step up to the gate and enter the haunted maze.

“Welcome to the freak-show!” our guide screeches as we enter the maze. Promptly, circus music starts playing, and I feel my palms begin to sweat. My feet move me in the direction that the guide tells us to go, and my mind starts swirling with panicked thoughts.

“Boo!” a clown, holding a fake, bloodied knife yells as he jumps out at us. I scream, as my heart jumps out of my chest, but Lizzy just laughs. Jamie chuckles, but wraps an arm around me protectively.

This maze seems to drag on forever. We are surrounded by corn, much taller than I. I’m beginning to feel claustrophobic.

“It’s time for the finale!” the guide, dressed in a ripped up clown outfit, screeches. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing it’s almost time to go home.

“Follow me through the maze of mirrors, where your wildest nightmares come true,” the clown laughs. It’s as if I can feel my pulse throughout my entire body.

We enter the maze of mirrors, the final maze before I’m free. Lizzy is to my left and Jamie to my right.

I reach out for his hand as we pass through the mirrors, but I only feel air. I whip my head around.

I see the mirrors moving, shutting him away from me, shutting me in a room by myself. He realizes this at the same time I do and screams my name.

I scream, but the only thing I can hear now are the echoes of my voice.

I spin in circles, seeing only reflections of my horrified expression.

“Welcome to the freak show,” the clown repeats. “This is where your deepest fears come true.”

The mirrors begin to morph. I no longer see the reflection of my horrified expression.

Instead, I see Lizzy and Jamie behind me, tied to chairs, with tape over their mouths.

“Real or not real?” The clown’s voice reverberates against the mirrors. “It’s time for you to decide what is reality. It’s time for you to make decisions that will determine the fate of you and your loved ones.”

I feel myself fading out of consciousness, panic clawing at my throat. I scream Lizzy’s name and Jamie’s name one final time before darkness consumes me