Midnight Magic

Chapter 2

  They were there in an instant. As suspected, the area was deserted as well as dilapidated. There was indeed a full-sized carousel and a Ferris wheel, but both were covered in rust, dirt, and peeling paint.

Just then Phoebe's wristwatch beeped, and before their eyes, the scene began to change. What was abandoned and forgotten became colorful and lively; the Ferris wheel regained a shiny coat of lacquer, as well as the animals on the carousel. Both started rotating. Cracked glass and splintered wood repaired themselves. Music filled the air. In the middle of the grounds, a large yellow tent appeared.

"What's happening?" asked Paige, observing the transformation with wide eyes.

"It's midnight," said Phoebe. "This place must come alive at this time."

"Look!" shouted Piper in a stage whisper. "There's a clown," she pointed.

"Is that the same one you saw in your vision, Phoebe?" asked Paige.

"Yeah. Let's follow him," said Phoebe.

Moving as quickly and silently as possible, the Charmed Ones followed the clown. He entered the yellow tent, and once his back was turned, they watched him behind the entrance/exit flap.

All three had to stifle a gasp when they saw a young girl no older than nine in an iron maiden, asleep. Just as the clown was about to close the lid on her, Piper froze him, the lid, and the girl.

The three sisters entered the tent. Piper lifted the girl up, removed her from the iron maiden, set her on the ground, and unfroze her.

"Hi there, sweetie. What's your name? What are you doing her? What was that clown doing? What—"

"Piper!" Paige interrupted. "Don't bombard the girl with so many questions; she almost died just now."

"Right, sorry."

"What the hell is going on here?" another voice interrupted.

The women and little girl turned their heads to see a man dressed in a ringleader's uniform, complete with a black top hat.

"Who are you?" asked Phoebe.

"My name's Melore. I'm a witch, and the manager of this place. What are you doing here?"

"We're witches too; we came to answer the call of an innocent," said Paige.

"Oh no, not another one," he said.

"What do you mean?" asked Piper.

"The clown. He lures kids here in the middle of the night with the sound of the carousel."

"Do you have powers? Can you stop him?" asked Phoebe.

"I only have the power of teleportation. And no, I haven't found a way to vanquish him yet. But we could start by putting him in that lion's cage," he said, pointing to a large cage in a corner of the tent.

"There's no lock," observed Paige.

"Then you'll have to make one," said Piper.

Piper and Phoebe pushed the still-frozen clown into the cage.

Paige started to chant:

"He with heart as hard as rock,

"Trap him here with a padlock."

As soon as the spell was cast, a padlock appeared and shut the cage closed.

"We'll stay here and wait until he wakes up, then interrogate him," said Piper.