Author's note: This was written for Halloween 2020 so I could offer something for kids to enjoy for free while things have been so weird and money has been tight for many people. I originally posted it as a video release on my YouTube channel, but this is the first time a text version of it has been published anywhere.
Welcome to the show
Compendium 2020 - Story 32
By Andrew Hawnt
The family didn't realise the tunnel had become the eager mouth of a demon until dad had already driven the car into it. Its jaws snapped shut and dad screamed, slamming his foot on the brakes. The car skidded to a halt as it passed through the demon's throat and into...
A carnival. At its heart, an enormous circus tent beckoned. A skeletal ringmaster raised his top hat and swung his cane under his arm, beckoning the family closer as they emerged from their car, terrified.
“Where are we?” Dad demanded. “What are we doing were?”
Mum kept the kids behind her. “Don't get too close! Just tell us what you want and let us out.”
The ringmaster laughed, his jawbone clattering as he did. “Why me dears, we're here to put on a show! Come, come, it's almost showtime!”
The family moved closer, eager not to get into more trouble than they were already in. Bony fingers gestured for them to come closer. “If we go in to the show, will you let us out of here so we can go back to the tunnel?” Mum asked. The kids clung to her.
“Roll up, roll up!” bellowed the ringmaster as though he hadn't heard at all.
Dad looked to mum. “Come on, let's take our seats and get home.”
The family walked into utter darkness within the tent. It smelled of greasepaint and dust and distant candy floss. They clutched each others' hands in the dark, listening to teeth munching popcorn and drinks being slurped through straws.
“Where are our seats though?” Mum whispered to dad.
They screamed as massive spotlights suddenly burst into life.
The family were stood in the middle of the sawdust ring. They blinked against the sudden light and gasped as the crowd roared around them.
Demonic clowns laughed in the front rows, gaudy milkshakes with crazy straws in them clutched tightly in her gloved hands. Closets behind them opened to reveal the things that hid there. To one side, dark and spindly forms emerged from under beds and out of old clocks. Tentacled, grinning monstrosities gibbered and laughed and howled. A giant plant shovelled popcorn into its quivering mouth. Dolls with cracked faces and writhing spider legs for eyes giggled and waved. All around the family, the carnival of monsters raised the first cheer of the night.
The ringmaster span his cane in the air and caught it. “Guys and ghouls, let the show begin!”
The crowd of monsters burst forth from their seats. They hurled themselves at the family like dark waves crashing against feeble sand. Moments later, the mind-splitting horrors returned to their seats.
Mum, dad and the kids were gone.
The demon saw it was time for the next act and turned back to the darkness it had been hiding in.
In the yellow car heading towards it, six-year-old Ava pointed.
“Mummy, the tunnel is laughing!”
Her mummy sighed and drove on. “Shush, Ava. There's nothing to be afraid of in the dark.”
(C) Andrew Hawnt 2020
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About Compendium 2020:
Compendium 2020 is a project from author Andrew Hawnt that consists of 52 original short stories, flash fiction stories and vignettes given away for FREE in 2020. Featuring science fiction, fantasy, horror and more, this began as a personal quest and due to the weirdness of 2020 has become an ambition to provide free distractions for anyone who needs them.
About Andrew Hawnt:
Andrew is based in Nottingham, England. Known for his music journalism career, comics writing and film critique work, Andrew is a prolific writer and is the author of a growing stack of books, including the cult hit VHS Ate My Brain. He made the movies The Demon And I and The Demon And I: Birthrite completely in lockdown with cast members filming their scenes remotely, and new films are coming.
Andrew is also the creator and presenter of the YouTube shows Planet Hex and Turn One Shock as well as the video versions of the Compendium stories.
Follow Andrew: YouTube Mixcloud Facebook Instagram Twitter
© Andrew Hawnt 2020
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