Strangers (Fighting the Darkness series)

The Fun House

I jumped and let out a startled yelp as McNair leaped onto me for comfort. A spotlight centred on us, only illuminating our figures like we were about to begin dancing. As I looked up to see where the light was coming from, I noticed that McNair was becoming an unruly shade of purple. That’s when I realised I was holding on just as tight with my arms around his neck. I let go and he bent over gasping and spluttering for air.

“Oh, sorry…” I said. Still gasping for air, he said,

“It’s okay. My sister’s the same and she’s twenty-nine. And she did it all the time when we were growing up. Where are we?” he spluttered as he tried to stand up.

“You’re in my house.” screamed a high pitched male voice from in front of us. Suddenly, lights from the ceiling and the floor lit up, temporarily blinding us. As I struggled to look through teary eyes, I noticed a figure at the other end of the room, encircled by mirrors; a familiar figure, about my build and roughly my height with shoulder length brown hair. It was Louise, knocked out cold and laying underneath one of the thick poles holding the roof up, her hands tied to it.

“Louise!” I shouted as I started to run towards her. On my third step, there was a click underneath my foot and an explosion of grey smoke burst out from the ground in front of me. Then I heard more terrible laughter turning into ferocious giggling.

As I coughed away the smoke, waving my hand as I did, I staggered back towards McNair and he caught me by my elbow before I fell over.

After standing up straight, I looked ahead to try and see the culprit behind the smoke screen. When the smoke cleared, a huge, twenty-foot clown like puppet stood before us. He was rail thin with pole like arms and legs. His eyes and mouth were barely visible, like a child had just pencilled the features onto his blank, white face using lines. I was surprised he could stand without strings.

He moved with silence as he straightened up and bent over us, his hands on the ground like a lion ready to pounce onto its prey. He smiled, and his slit like mouth spread across his face to reveal shark like teeth being swallowed into the darkness of his gullet and I could smell whatever had just been chewed up by this monster.

“Mmmhh, what do we have here then, eh? Couple of walking snacks, if I’m not mistaken. So, so, what do you want, or should I just eat you?” He growled the last few words and he smiled a sadistic grin which sent shivers down my spine. His voice was croaky and he kept swivelling his head from side to side, his limbs beginning to twitch. I gulped and an impulse to confront him made me jolt as I spoke.

“I want my friend back. Plus, if you eat us, you’ll get terrible indigestion…” Why the hell did I say that? Did I say that? I thought.

“Yes, also, I have a lot of things to be doing which do not acquire being eaten by something like you.” said McNair. His hand was still on my arm and I could feel him shaking, trying to act confident. Probably to impress me, but unfortunately for him, not working.

As to avoid being eaten, I had to take control of the situation. I grabbed his hand and felt his shivering stop. He hand was so warm. More than warm, more like a burning heat I could feel radiating up my arm as I held it. Then I let go and watched his hand drop to his side and I took a deep breath.

“Please let me do the talking before you get us killed…” I whispered to him. Continuing, I turned and took a step forward and said “So, what are you after?”

“Well, well, isn’t that obvious? My hunger is ravenous for flesh,” He started to circle us like a wolf waiting for its prey to make the first move. “I’ve travelled to most places in this dimension to feast, but my hunger remains large. I must, must continue to consume life or I shall die, like most humans. But now I face a problem.” He stopped circling and stared behind us at Louise, then started to circle again. “I’m seeking the one and only being in this world which can ultimately, ultimately satisfy my hunger and increase my power to the infinite. I’ve been hearing recently that she’s been spotted around this part of the human world. She is one made of fire and magic. The Red Phoenix.” Why did I know he was going to say he wants to eat me? Or that strange red woman at least.

Red’s voice suddenly popped into my head, making me jump a little. “Reed, just stall him. Don’t worry; I can take care of him whilst mayor wobbly over there gets Louise. You just have to distract him long enough for it to work...”

“Okay then,” I looked at the creature and puffed out my chest, raising my chin up high as I did so. I took in a deep breath and said the only thing I could think of. “So, Mr demon. This, uh, woman you’re looking for, what does she look like? Maybe I’ve seen her around?” I asked him.

He looked at me like I had just grown another head. He cocked his head and grinned. He pointed his stick like finger at Louise’s unconscious body. “I believe that she is the one of red fire in a stupid human disguise, and I am to release her.” He suddenly swooped down his head to my level, in the second stage of a pouncing lion. His grin broadened and I could smell his foul breath again as he spoke.

“But now that you’re here,” he inhaled a deep breath and my hair lifted up slightly. I could hear McNair whimper behind me as I stared down the demon’s gullet, His teeth the only thing visible down the blck holw of his throat. “You smell delicious.”

As soon as he spoke, a huge explosion of fire and smoke shot up from my position and the heat radiated around the room. But nothing was burning, not even me. I could just make out the screaming face of the Joker through the flames as I could feel myself beginning to change unwillingly. I felt Red’s urge to jump into my skin as soon as the lights went up, but I had managed to hold my nerve as she whispered calming thoughts into my head, some plan forming that I couldn’t understand.

“Phoenix!” screamed the Joker, stumbling backwards and falling, causing the ground to shake. I began to transform; I could feel my hair growing longer, my body changing.

“Prepare yourself, demon. You hurt our precious Louise, now you’re gonna pay.” Red flew up into the air and started an incantation. Balls of red lightning started to crackle in her hands. She brought her hands back behind her head then thrust them forward. The lightning balls flew from her hands and headed straight for the Joker. He screamed as they impacted on his frail frame and he stumbled backwards again, hitting the wall and falling to the ground, unmoving.

The change was quicker than it had been in the dream. The clothes were different too; no longer did she wear a red dress, but instead my clothes had become hues of red, changing in shape slightly and just fitting her ethereal form. I felt a little dazed as I looked to the familiar screen within my mind, viewing the events of battle which were unfolding in front of me.

Red had dived down to Jordan, who had blacked out on the floor - probably from the fire show just now.

“Oh, boy…” Red let out a heavy sigh. “Hey, wake up. You’re not making a good first impression.” Red grabbed Jordan’s shoulders and gently shook him from his daze. As he awoke, a groan came from behind them. The Joker was starting to move.

“Wh-What the hell just…” And he saw Red. Jordan nearly passed out again but Red shook him harder so he’d stay awake.

“Hey, listen up. I have to distract good-looking over there, so I need you to go and rescue Louise, who’s knocked out over there.” She pointed to the far side of the room. “Got it?” With a jittery nod he agreed. “Good. So go!” she said and with that she picked him up and propelled him forward towards Louise.