Footsteps Approaching
By evolution-500
Genre: Horror/Tragedy
Disclaimer: "3D Monster Maze" is a property belonging to Malcom Evans. I own neither the characters nor this respective title.
WARNING: This story contains violence and coarse language. Reader discretion is advised.
Prologue: The Beginning
"Like one, that on a lonesome road
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And having once turned round
Walks on,
And turns no more his head;
Because he knows, a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread."
- Samuel Coleridge, "Rime of The Ancient Mariner"
'HE IS HUNTING FOR YOU.'
Jeremy Rhodes stared at the blinking message on the screen of his handheld tracking device, his black-ringed eyes veiny and red with exhaustion as he struggled to stay awake, searching for his adversary.
He hadn't known how long he had been here for - time seemed to matter little, if at all in this damned place, and Jeremy had completely lost track.
Seconds stretched into minutes before stretching into what felt like hours, perhaps even days, and as a result, he felt worn down in ways he never thought possible. Not even the boring lectures by his university profs were comparable, for at least even between classes, there was some manner of respite. As sleep deprivation started to take its toll on both his mind and body, Jeremy felt his will wane as he took notice of his own disheveled appearance.
Jeremy's blue dress shirt and expensive black designer jeans, once clean and immaculate, were now in complete disarray, wrinkled and filthy, his usually tidy swept-back dark brown hair now wild and unkempt, while a five o'clock shadow started to form on his usually clean-shaven face.
But even more, he noticed, he was starting to stink, much to his chagrin.
Jeremy's shoulders sagged as he sighed, wincing slightly at the smell of his own damned breath.
As disgusted as he felt, personal hygiene would have to wait. He couldn't afford to be distracted - not now, not while it was still out there searching for him.
He needed to be ready.
Swallowing, Jeremy lined himself against a wall and slowly peeked out. He looked to his right, then to his left down, his tired frightened eyes searching down the dark and endlessly long corridor as he tilted his head ever so slightly, listening for anything that would give away his pursuer's position.
Looking back down to the handheld device in his trembling hand, he reflected to where and how it all started, wondering with growing regret and sadness where it had all gone so horribly wrong.
* * * *
Sometime earlier...
It was going to get dark soon.
Letting out a yawn, Jeremy shifted the weight of his backpack over one shoulder as he muscled forward, taking in the red, orange, yellow, and gold of Shagbark hickory trees as he passed them, the smell of autumn leaves thick and heavy in the air.
Five hours of nonstop lectures, and he felt completely and utterly drained. Thank God he didn't have to worry about evening classes. All he needed to do now was get home, have dinner, and then do his assigned readings, along with the rest of his homework.
'Maybe I can pick up some pizza along the way,' came the thought.
Or perhaps some Chinese? Admittedly, he'd been craving some kung pao chicken for a while now, preferably with tartar sauce.
Jeremy felt his mouth water as he recalled the delectable dish, its taste and wonderful aroma in his mind's eyes.
Swallowing back his saliva, the university student absentmindedly wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.
God, he was absolutely starving.
The only things he had for lunch was an orange juice and a Crunch bar, if only because of the fact that he didn't want to risk feeling the need to go to the bathroom in the middle of a lecture.
Now that he was free to leave, however, he didn't need to worry about that anymore. Right now, he just needed to mind the long walk.
As Jeremy quietly walked, he adjusted one of the shoulder straps of his bag, staring at the long journey ahead.
'If only I had passed my driver's test,' he thought.
Hell, he would have been better off calling a cab.
Jeremy's shoulders sagged, the student letting out a tired sigh.
Then again, considering the limited monies he had, beggars couldn't be choosers.
Plus, he had admittedly been gaining a little weight recently, so a little exercise wouldn't hurt.
His home was only about an hour and a half away from the main campus, though it would usually take fifteen to twenty minutes to get there via car. Between the main campus and his home, however, was the long curling path of Raven Road, which cut straight into Monarch Forest.
The university student shivered slightly at the thought of that place.
While much of the Dunswiche area had been converted into more commercial and urban settings, with various apartment complexes, restaurant chains, shopping malls, grocery stores, blazing traffic lights and other streets throughout the years, Monarch Forest was the only section of land within the area that remained largely preserved.
Aside from some traffic sign posts that indicated the speed and a tight narrow road, everything else remained untouched by human hands, albeit out of reluctance on the part of the general populace.
Nothing but dense forestry and trees on both sides that towered high over everything, reaching all the way up to the sky while also swallowing the road whole.
Jeremy suppressed a slight shiver as he adjusted his hold on his bag.
As a second-year university student studying engineering at Miskatonic U, he knew full well that ghosts and goblins didn't exist, for Christ's sakes. Any rational-thinking person would see with their own two eyes that there wasn't any such thing as the supernatural.
...And yet... in spite of his own confidence and self-assuredness, Jeremy couldn't deny that there was admittedly still a part of him that did feel a certain level of apprehension toward that place, especially late at night.
Monarch Forest had something of a notorious reputation amongst the townsfolk, its history filled with more conflicting accounts than one thought possible, yet also troubling. Many individuals, whether on their own or in groups, were reported to have inexplicably vanished into thin air, and while many searches had been made over the years, nothing was ever found.
According to some of Jeremy's classmates, the earliest of these disappearances dated all the way back to the early 1600s, when a dozen or so German settlers just inexplicably disappeared, leaving behind their homes, family members, and valued possessions, much to everyone's confusion.
Some suggested the settlers had relocated due to not finding suitable land for achieving better crop yields.
Others suggested the possibility that the settlers may have been ambushed by lurking indigenous tribes or bandits, but nothing was ever discovered to support those notions.
A few, however, made claims that Monarch Forest was haunted by evil spirits that the German settlers had unwittingly antagonized, resulting in their unleashing their swift and terrible vengeance upon them.
Jeremy partially smirked, dismissively rolling his eyes at the notion.
Whatever the truth of the matter was, it was a mystery that remained unsolved to this day.
But even more frighteningly, it was one story among countless many.
Cold wind brushed against Jeremy's clothed back, the sensation making him uncomfortable as he thought about the foreboding and mysterious nature of Monarch Forest.
Nobody knew the exact number of people who had vanished throughout the years, but it was enough to make any visitor wary whenever they decide to set foot anywhere near there.
Some people had claimed that over fifty lives were lost to the forest, while others said it was at least over a hundred.
Whatever the number was, what was certain, though, was the fact that many have attributed the disappearances of the various men, women, children and people's pets throughout the years to Monarch Forest. No matter the age, no matter how wealthy or poor a person was, no matter the religion or color of one's own skin, Monarch Forest was a place viewed with suspicion by all, and anyone brave or foolish enough to travel through it did so at their own peril.
At least, that was what some of his classmates reported.
Jeremy eyed the long road ahead as he darkly thought of the stories surrounding Monarch Forest.
One particularly notable story that Jeremy had frequently heard about was an incident where supposedly an entire travelling circus back in the 1920s, complete with several elephants, lions, tigers, and various other exotic animals, just vanished after performing in the evening.
Police had been called in order to investigate the disappearance, and various inquiries had been made, but nobody was able to determine what had happened to the missing circus, its performers, or its numerous animals. Many theories were raised, and attempts at contacting other neighboring towns outside of Dunswiche bore no fruit.
The most popular stories about Monarch Forest, however, were also some of the most uncannily eerie; for years, there have been several reported sightings and encounters with some of these missing persons at some point or another, usually at night. Many sightings were made of lost individuals dressed in anachronistic clothing, some of them looking as if they had stepped out of the late 1800s/early 1900s, some even earlier, while the few brave enough to communicate with them reported their speaking in different, sometimes older languages.
Those same individuals were reported to then vanish within the trees, the night and fog leaving no trace of their existence behind.
Jeremy stared ahead, watching the sky carefully.
'Doesn't look like it will rain tonight,' he noted, feeling somewhat pleased at the prospect of making it home without getting soaked.
Now the only thing he had to worry about was getting through Monarch Forest without incident. Shouldn't be too hard, though; after all, Jeremy had for years travelled along this same road, and aside from encountering the odd squirrel or skunk, maybe the odd asshole, he never had any problems travelling by foot.
Still, better play things safe.
There was no telling just how many people have vanished into the forest over the years, let alone how long these disappearances had been going on for; what was clear, though, was that absolutely nobody wanted to live in Monarch Forest.
Not even the local indigenous tribes wanted anything to do with that area, much to Jeremy's surprise; from all the things that he had heard, every single one avoided that area as if it were the plague. Queries that had been made for research purposes often yielded unsatisfactory results, often cryptic in nature, while the vast majority outright refused to even cooperate.
Whatever secrets Monarch Forest held was subject to much speculation, and Jeremy would be reluctant to say that he wasn't among those that were captivated by its unique and mysterious presence.
Various legends, stories, and rumors surrounded Monarch Forest, or, as it used to be called back then by some of the original German settlers that had continued residing around these parts before the subsequent change in the forties, "Drachen's Mund".
A cold breath-like wind whistled in Jeremy's ears, uttering an ominous low howl, the young man brushing his bangs aside.
Drachen's Mund. An interesting name, all things considered.
The actual translation, according to a classmate that actually knew German, was "Dragon's Mouth", though why the settlers had chosen that particular name for that area raised a lot of questions, and not a hell of a lot of answers. Some of the locals still referred to Monarch Forest by that name, usually those who were long-time residents within Dunswiche.
To Jeremy, it would make for an interesting university essay, if not a potential thesis for his class in anthropology, but he would need to do a lot of research.
'Perhaps some of the local archives have an answer,' he wondered.
Regardless, for now, that question would have to wait - right now, Jeremy just wanted to get home and get something to eat. He wanted to let his brain relax, at least just long enough for him to recover, thereby allowing him to get back to work without feeling the need to collapse after a hard day.
Letting out another yawn, he massaged his eyes again, struggling to keep himself on his feet, stumbling slightly before recovering his balance.
God, this was going to be a long walk.
As Jeremy walked along the long curling path of Raven Road, he tilted his head slightly as took in the sights around him, glancing sparingly up at the towering trees and looming plants.
Clusters upon clusters of ancient-looking trees greeted him, the forest so vast and old that the branches practically reached all the way up to the sky, their foliage so thick and dense with fall-colored leaves.
The concrete road cutting through the largely untouched woodlands was a jarring juxtaposition to Jeremy - an ugly, long, curling scar in a region that looked as wild, dense, and primordial-looking as it had many thousands, perhaps even millions of years ago.
Stopping in his tracks, Jeremy regarded the forest around him with a sense of wonder.
It was easy to understand why everyone believed there was something supernatural about this area; standing amongst the trees, it was easy to let one's mind wander and consider the seemingly endless possibilities. The air felt alive and electrical with possibility, stirring the imagination in ways that was both alluring and seductive.
And yet, at the back of Jeremy's mind, there was always a nagging feeling of something wrong.
As if he were being followed.
As if he were being watched.
Sensing a disturbance, Jeremy detected a loud fluttering, making his eyes crinkle.
What the hell?
As he glanced around in confusion, Jeremy stopped walking altogether as a number of thick black feathers came cascading down from all directions around him before slowly drawing his eyes upward toward the top of the trees, where he spotted a flurry of movement.
Seated in perches high above and watching him with unnervingly dark gazes from every angle were hundreds upon hundreds of black crows, their stygian bodies obscenely painting over the orange, red and yellow hues of the leaves like black ink.
Jeremy heard and watched the crows as they all dotted the sky, the air thick and filled with all of their nonstop cawing and cackling, a maddening cacophony of noise.
Swallowing nervously, the university student uneasily regarding them as he felt every single one of their dark eyes carefully following his movements.
All of them coldly watched and stared with dark, unblinking eyes, his reflection staring fearfully back down at him from each and every single one.
Wiping his brow, Jeremy felt his forehead become damp with perspiration.
'Just crows,' he told himself. Just crows, that was all.
And yet, their collective unblinking gaze only served to unnerve him even more.
Averting his eyes, Jeremy focused straight ahead as he continued down the long curling road, hastening every step as the caws mockingly followed him all the way down the path.
* * * *
He let out a yawn, rubbing his eyes as he continued walking alone on Raven Road.
"Looks like the sun's almost out," Jeremy mused quietly to himself as he observed the sun sinking low, coloring the sky with purple, orange, blue hues, while also sapping away all of the lovely autumn colors from nearby trees.
All around, he saw swaying branches and piles of dead leaves, some of them ruffling and fluttering away as the wind picked up, causing the university student to shiver slightly.
"Should have brought a jacket with me," Jeremy muttered, brushing a leaf off from his shirt.
Still, it wasn't anything that he couldn't handle or complain about, all things considering; he was used to the cold. Much more preferable compared to ungodly summer heat.
Letting his gaze wander from side to side, Jeremy suddenly became aware of how silent everything had become. Not a single animal, bird chirp or cricket could be heard anywhere, which had struck Jeremy as rather odd.
It was typical to hear some sort of noise during the evening - the rumbling growls and honks of passing cars as they attempt to navigate left-hand turns, dogs barking, cicada rattling-like chirps, maybe the odd passerby cussing as they're cut off - but tonight, it was disquietingly more silent than usual.
Huh. That's odd.
Rolling his shoulder, Jeremy adjusted the backpack straps as he looked up at the sky.
'Looks like I'll need to step up the pace,' he thought.
He shouldn't be too far from home - if he quickened his step, he should be back home in about half an hour or so.
All he needed to do was get through this forest, cut through the traffic lights, and then he would be home in no-
"Hello?"
Stopping, Jeremy froze as he heard a man's voice call out, causing him to rear his head back.
The hell?
"Anyone there?" The voice called again.
Furrowing his brows, Jeremy looked around in complete and utter confusion, unsure of what to make of this.
"Well," the voice called, its tone expectant, "...say something then."
Blinking in bemusement, Jeremy cleared his throat, calling back, "...Um...Hello?"
The forest around him loomed silently, making his voice seem louder than it should.
Adjusting his straps, Jeremy shrugged, then curled onward down the long curling road, when he suddenly became aware of a noise.
What sounded like...music? Like a whistle or a flute being played.
"What the hell?" he said in surprise.
He kept walking down the path, where he heard the music growing louder, and louder.
Something about the music itself seemed familiar, but where-?
Jeremy's thoughts stopped as he turned a corner, his eyes wide in shock as he found himself stumbling upon what looked distinctively like multicolored circus/carnival tents and flashing neon signs advertising hot dogs, cotton candy and other appetizers. From some sort of speaker or radio, he heard carnival music playing.
"What the fuck?!" He stared.
A carnival, out here?!
He was sure that he hadn't heard anybody mention it at the university, nor anyone in his neighborhood, so why was there a carnival in the middle of nowhere?
Standing on a pedestal was a circus barker or ringmaster with a megaphone, a tall man dressed like a clown, his face painted with white makeup and black star-like markings around his squinty eyes, sporting a bright red nose. Dressed in a white coat with a similarly-colored top hat, his trousers were decorated with a collection of sparkling grey stars, his feet clad in comically-oversized red shoes.
Lifting the megaphone to his mouth, the barker spoke, "Roll up, roll up, see the amazing Tyrannosaurus Rex, King of the Dinosaurs, in his lair! Perfectly preserved in silicon since prehistoric times, he is brought to you for your entertainment and exhilaration. Step right up, come one, come all!"
What the fuck? Did he say a T-Rex?
Tilting his head, Jeremy approached the barker as the latter continued to call, the man not seeming to notice his approach.
"Step right up, step right up! See the amazing Tyrannosaur Rex, the Tyrant Lizard King, in action! Come one, come- AH, welcome, good sir!" The barker greeted affably as he turned to face him, tipping his hat respectfully. "How are you this fine evening?"
Jeremy nodded, "I'm cool, thanks for asking." He then looked around. "Say, uh, what is this?"
The barker widely smiled, spreading out his arms in a grand gesture. "Why, it's the carnival, of course!" He exclaimed, his manner exuding infectious, almost child-like ebullience. "Here, we have everything that a person could ask for! Food, drink, music, romance, drama, comedy, a little adventure, a little horror - you name it, we've got it, pal! We bring thrills, spills, screams, laughter, hot dogs, cotton candy, and - most importantly - balloon animals!"
Letting out a laugh, the clown suddenly gasped, his eyes going exaggeratedly wide as he placed a mortified hand to his face, "Oh! My sincere apologies, young man. Where are my manners?" Taking off his hat dramatically, the clown then placed it on his chest and dipped his head, doing a curtsy with a slight flourish of the hand, "Mister White at your service. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Jeremy smiled in spite of himself. "Nice to meet you." He looked at the various tents. "Out of curiosity, do you have a permit for all this? I don't mean to pry or anything, but it's just I can't help wondering-"
"Oh, it's perfectly fine!" Mr. White waved, raising up a placating hand. "No need to explain or worry, kind sir. We have everything that we need right here." As he put his hat back on, the clown smiled up at him. "And pray tell, what is your name, young man?"
"Jeremy."
The clown's eyes lit up, beaming, his head tilting in an overly animated, strangely artificial manner. "'Jeremy', you say? Oh my my, what a wonderful name! A very strong name!"
"Umm, thanks, I guess," Jeremy said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Tell me, Jeremy," Mr. White leaned forward slightly as he spoke, his voice filled with a barely-suppressed enthusiasm, "how would you like to see a real-life dinosaur in the flesh?"
Jeremy blinked, his tone doubtful, "A dinosaur?"
"YES!" Mr. White nodded vigorously, the action making him resemble one of those plastic bobbleheads rather than a flesh-and-blood person. "And not just a dinosaur, Jeremy - the dinosaur. A Tyrannosaurus Rex, in fact! Perfectly preserved in silicon since the Cretaceous Period, waiting for you to see."
The university student scratched his cheek as he thought about it. "...I don't know, man. I mean, I would love to see it and all, if not maybe get a hot dog or something, but at the moment, I just don't have a lot of money on me for a ticket-"
Mr. White waved his hand. "Oh, that's okay! Tell you what I'll do for you, Jeremy my boy - since you're the first one here..." Looking around conspiratorially, he then leaned to the side, raising his hand to one part of his face, "I'll let you have a free pass."
He then followed it up with a wink, causing Jeremy's eyes to widen.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course!" Mr. White beamed.
"But...why? Uh, not that I don't appreciate the gesture or anything, but...what's the catch?"
The clown tilted his head, his oddly unblinking eyes unnerving Jeremy slightly. "'Catch'? Why, none, my boy! Certainly not your hard-earned money if that's what you're worried about. The only thing that I require from you, if than anything, is just a moment of your time. Nothing more." Seeing the doubtful look Jeremy was giving, he sighed, "Truly, is it really so hard to believe that the only thing I wish for is to share in the joys of this experience? I realize in this day and age charity and good will all seem like nothing more than extinguished novelties of the past, that people are naturally suspicious and wary of those who make false claims, but here, at this carnival?" He gave a disarmingly charming, enigmatic smile. "You will find no fakes here, Jeremy. What you will see and feel here is as real as you and I, as wonderous as it is terrible to behold."
Jeremy bit his lip, looking around indecisively. He really shouldn't...
He gave a hesitant look to the clown. "..."Won't you get into trouble?" Jeremy asked, raising a brow. "I don't want to get you fired or anything like that, nor do I feel comfortable about this. I don't want to take advantage of you, dude. Tell you what - I can come back tomorrow, that way I can properly pay-"
"Oh, my child, don't you worry!" Mr. White said as he wrapped a long white arm around Jeremy's shoulder, giving him a comforting and assuring squeeze. "Such a nice boy! I really like you, Jeremy - if only there were more people like you in the world." He then playfully 'booped' Jeremy on the nose, making the young man smile in spite of himself. "Everything will be perfectly fine, my boy. We'll keep it as our little secret."
Patting him on the back, the clown pulled away, his face becoming serious.
"Now then," Mr. White continued, his voice low, "if you wish to enter Rex's lair, be advised that you do so at your own risk." The clown then shook his head slowly, "I'm afraid management will accept no responsibility for the health and safety of any adventurers who wish to enter his realm. The management also wishes for me to advise that this is not a game for those of a nervous disposition. If you are in any doubt, then please leave. If instructions are needed, then please speak with me, kind sir. Otherwise, step right up!"
Jeremy followed Mr. White over to one of the tents, a bit puzzled by the clown's demeanor and by his words.
'Why would he give a warning like that?' Jeremy wondered.
After all, hadn't he just said just a few moments ago that the T-Rex was supposedly preserved by silicon?
Jeremy had to admit, this was not at all what he expected his evening to be like. Then again, however, perhaps he was putting too much stock into what the guy was saying; after all, given the fact that he was a carnival barker, he was probably exaggerating in order to hype up something that in all likelihood was nowhere near as impressive nor as exciting as he made it seem.
In fact, chances were high that the attraction was probably garbage.
With that thought in mind, Jeremy felt any and all enthusiasm diminish with each step, the cynical side of him morbidly wondering just how bad it was going to be.
From the way the barker talked about it, it almost sounded like the guy might have some sort of fossil on display, but somehow Jeremy found it unlikely that that was the case. For all he knew, it was some sort of animatronic or sculpture, or a crappy papier-mache thing made by somebody's kid.
At worst, it was some dork in a rubber suit or mask, perhaps a cheap puppet that went "Boo!" the moment he entered.
Bracing himself for the coming disappointment, Jeremy followed the clown, casting his eyes around at the other tents, taking note of the advertisements. Noticing something odd, he suddenly halted, looking and listening carefully.
"Is something wrong, my boy?" Mr. White queried, turning to look at him.
Jeremy looked around at the rest of the carnival, his brows furrowing. "Uhh, Sorry," he said slowly, "it's just...where is everybody?"
The clown blinked. "What do you mean?"
"The other carnival workers," Jeremy clarified, gesturing to the rest of the seemingly empty tents. "Shouldn't they be at their stalls?"
Mr. White made a small sound, nodding in acknowledgement. "They'll be back soon. They're all just getting a bite to eat." The clown casually shrugged, adding simply, "It's been a busy day." Clearing his throat, Mr. White mustered up a friendly grin. "Now then..." he spoke, dramatically gesturing to a large white tent up ahead, "...shall we?"
Jeremy looked ahead at the black opening, then shrugged, following the clown.
Hopefully this would be something worthwhile.
* * * *
Once they made it inside, Mr. White turned to face him, pointing to a long, red curtain that noticeably stood out. "Your destination is straight ahead, Jeremy. All you have to do is draw back the curtain - there, you will find a portal waiting for you."
Jeremy raised a brow.
A portal? The hell?
'Probably just trying to be dramatic,' came the thought.
Smiling in spite of himself, Jeremy rolled his eyes slightly as he lazily approached the canvas.
"OH!" The clown suddenly exclaimed, as if remembering something, causing Jeremy to stop. "Silly me, I almost forgot." Reaching into his white coat, he unveiled a white hand-held device with a flat screen and a single button. "Here, take this. It will help you keep track of Rex's movements and alert you to when he's near. There should also be night-vision to help you see in the dark."
Jeremy hummed thoughtfully, nodding his head as he tested it out.
Lifting it up, he watched as everything he pointed the device at was rendered in a crude, monochromatic 8-bit rendering, his arm moving left, then right, up, then down.
"Huh." He tilted the device in various angles, trying to make heads and tails of the device and how it worked.
Looking back at his host with a questioning brow for an explanation, the clown nonchalantly shrugged, explaining, "It's a work in progress." He then dramatically gestured over to the curtain. "Now then, let us begin."
Shrugging, Jeremy complied, moving toward it. Drawing it open, the university student suddenly froze, his smile fell as his skepticism was replaced with complete confusion, his brows furrowing as he was greeted by an unexpected sight.
"What...the...?"
Swirling chaos - that was the only way to describe what Jeremy was seeing before him.
A strangely black opaque orb like marble hung in front of him, suspended by no visible means whatsoever, the air around it all distorted and ionized, shimmering with various strange lights and colors that he had never seen before, bending light in ways that Jeremy never thought possible. Some of the light itself was pulled into the orb's center, the suction causing some of Jeremy's hair to flutter, as if it were trying to pull him in.
"Whoa!" Jeremy gasped, smiling in spite of himself, growing a little excited. "Fuckin' hell, man, this looks amazing! You guys have done such an awesome job with this - it looks so real!"
As he looked back at the clown, Jeremy noticed the pale face losing its charming smile and inviting demeanor, replaced with an unexpectedly inhuman and disarming coldness, his eyes dark and empty, almost ethereal, with a slight glow. He had a look of calm, otherworldly knowledge and patience, yet his strange eyes coolly regarded Jeremy, his features unreadable.
"It is a shame that this must happen to you of all people, Jeremy," Mr. White spoke. "Truly it is, as you really seem like a nice boy."
Something felt off. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
Mr. White said nothing for a long time. Closing his eyes, the clown's shoulders sagged as he let out a weary sigh, giving a downcast look of regret. "I am sorry for what is about to occur, Jeremy," he apologized. "Truly, I am. You need to understand, though, it is a necessity." He shook his head. "I wish that things could have been different, that it wasn't you, my boy, but...I'm afraid there is no turning back now. All we can do now is let nature run its course."
Jeremy blinked. "What are you talking about?!"
He watched as the clown's eyes started to shine with a strange light, becoming paler, full of...hunger...
For a brief moment, Jeremy was reminded of a shark due to how empty and cold they looked.
Lifting a white-sleeved arm to the swirling distortion behind Jeremy, Mr. White spoke, "The mists of time will pass over you for about thirty seconds while transporting you to the Tyrannosaurus' lair," he explained, his face a hardened mask of cold indifference, unburdened by either pity nor remorse.
Before Jeremy could demand an explanation, Mr. White's mouth formed into an awful, sharp-toothed smile, his teeth long and inhumanly pointed like daggers, the last thing that he saw before light consumed everything around him, including him.
"Best of luck..."