Seventeen Imagines

8. The Cult » OT13

I flinched as a familiar tune emanated from the van, the distinct melody reserved for ice cream trucks.

When I finally dared to steal a glance behind me, I saw the van illuminated by colorful LEDs, its speakers emitting the familiar tune that once brought comfort during my childhood days.

Gradually, the rear door of the van began to creak open, its ominous sound piercing through the night.

At that moment, my heart stopped its beating entirely. A clown stood there, waving at me with deliberate slowness. Behind it, a group of others loomed inside the van, their presence scaring the shit out of me. And I'm being fo real.

As his hand gestured for me to approach, a surge of alarm jolted my senses awake. My mind raced to only one conclusion: I had to run.

And I wasted no time. I pivoted and bolted, my legs carrying me as fast as they could, fueled by adrenaline and fear.

My ears picked up the sound of footsteps as they descended from the van, the sound of pursuit growing louder as they gave chase directly behind me.

I pushed myself to run even faster, my heart pounding in my chest like never before. The fear of what was behind me gripped me so tightly that I didn't dare to glance back.

To my left, there was a small opening, triggering a memory of a path that once led behind the apartments.

Without time to second-guess, I darted towards it, banking on the hope that it would throw the clowns off my trail.

The only problem was the lack of illumination; the area was cloaked in darkness, with only faint light filtering through the windows of the nearby apartments.

Nevertheless, I refused to give up.

A loud and chilling laugh echoed from behind me, sending shivers down my spine and propelling me to run even faster.

Relying on my memory, I knew I had to take a right turn, so without hesitation, I veered in that direction. 

However, as I drew closer, my heart sank as I noticed a metal fence blocking my path. 

Fuck. That wasn't there the last time I came this way.

Feeling the surge of adrenaline coursing through me, I summoned all my courage and leaped directly onto the fence.

As I ascended, a sudden grip seized my ankle, eliciting a scream of terror from me. 

In a moment of panic, I made the worst mistake of my life—I dared to look down.

The clown gripping my ankle tightly waved at me, tilting its head. It wasn't the same clown that had opened the rear door.

This one wore a sinister mask covered with multiple faces, each one more chilling than the last: on the right, left, behind, and in front.

"Hello there, little one. Where do you think you're off to?" His voice, raspy yet oddly sweet, sent a chill of fear coursing through me, prompting a cry to escape my lips, as he began to pull my ankle downward while I struggled to ascend the fence.

"Please, let me go!" I screamed, my voice echoing into the night, desperately hoping that someone, anyone, would hear me.

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly before exerting more of his strength, effortlessly wrenching me off the fence. 

I plummeted to the ground with a resounding thud, a sharp groan of pain escaping my lips upon impact.

"Little thing, didn't anyone teach you to behave?" he spoke in a chilling tone, looming over me as the others began to laugh menacingly.