Don't You Cry » Supernatural [7] | ✓

42

( SUSPECT )

PLUCKY PENNYWHISTLE'S MAGICAL MENAGERIE
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        Sam and Elena enter. A recorded message says "Welcome to Plucky Pennywhistle's! Have fun!" Sam flinches at a large picture of a clown on a wall and exhales sharply.

        They walk to the ticket counter, which is manned by a staff member, Hiward. He passes a mechanical clown that laughs and says "Welcome to Plucky Pennywhistle's!" as its jaw moves. Sam eyes it several times.

       "Welcome to Plucky's, where all your dreams are good." Howard says.

         "Could you just, uh, maybe..." Sam says as he and Elena hold up their FBI badges. "Just get the manager for me?" Howard nods and walks off.

         "Okay." Elena says as Sam walks further into the room, past the mechanical clown and a clown-shaped sign that says "You must be THIS TALL to play here." He appears very uncomfortable. He looks up at a large clown head mounted on a pillar and blinks.

       A person in a lion costume poses for a photograph. A young Woman employee crouches down next to a Young Boy who is seated at a child-sized table. "I just need you to stay sane for three more hours. Okay? Here. Finish your homework." The Woman walks away. Her name tag reads Libby.

       "Like I can concentrate in here." The Boy says. Libby pauses, but doesn't turn around. Sam looks at a wall hung with paper placemats that say "Draw your worst fear... Plucky will make your fear disappear." The drawings include a shark and various monsters. A name tag on the wall says "Kelly Harper."

        "Real beauties, huh?" The Manager asks. "We rotate them out once a week. Kids love having their art on the wall."

       "'Draw your worst fear'?" Elena asks

        The Manager's name tag reads Jean. "I know. But we don't post the truly evil stuff—just the standard crap like sharks and ghosts." Jean holds out a hand to Sam. "Jean Holiday, shift manager." They shake hands and then with Elena.

        "Johnson and Meyers, FBI." Sam says. "So tell me—why even ask the kids to draw creepy stuff to begin with?"

       "It's just an exercise... some pop psychologist came up with. Plus, the owner's obsessed with "aiding children's development." Jean says. "So, the place mat is a safe way to get kids to talk about their fears. You know, we get them to sketch it in a little box, and—voila!—Plucky magically transforms it into rainbows and candy. Personally, I think it's a load of hooey, but they say that if these fears run wild, then it affects kids long into their adulthood."

       A laughing clown walks between Jean, Elena and Sam and gets very close to Sam's face. Sam leans back. "Yeah, I've – I've – I've heard that. Um... so, I – I don't know if you'll remember, but there was a – a kid in here yesterday named Billy Pogue for a party?" Sam asks.

       "Oh, the conniption kid." Jean says.

       "Conniption? He—he had—" Elena starts.

       "No, no, no, not him. He was fine. It was his dad. He pulls the kid away before cake and presents, and I guess the kid asked to stay for another five minutes." Jean says. "The dad pulls a full-frontal douchebag, starts screaming. Just embarrassed for the kid." Sam makes a call on his phone.

       As he is waiting for it to be answered, a Janitor whistles to attract his attention. "Hey." He whistles again. "Hey." The Janitor looks around to see who is watching. Sam pushes a button to end the call and walks over to the Janitor. "You guys are cops?"