CreepsMcPasta Creepypasta Radio - "If you find The Crimson Carnival, don't stay past sunrise" Creepypasta

Episode Date: February 15, 2021

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This weekend, I'm from waiting, I'm all moose, I'm new as I'm not on think. Oh, that dossier that morning off must, I'm all mooh as I'm just on on think.

Oh, vanmavent at ailed tournoe I'm a moose if I'm a moor as I'm not on think. Have you it to come to come? Give yourself then a boost

with BioCure Maxshot Liquid. Three opepending plants, magnesium, iceer. An energy booster to make then meer to can't makexhot

liquid. Fooding supplement forcry-mach-mach-per. I had read the list of instructions thousands of times. The Crimson Carnival can only be found by following a series of specific directions, as outlined by those who had successfully ventured there in the past. Just as described by the moderators of the private online forum, I found it at 353am on a Friday the 13th,

out in the countryside after a series of meandering twists and turns that I had followed meticulously, as outlined by those who had journeyed to the Carnival before me. The detailed instructions were specific, and required pain and personal sacrifice, but I was willing to do what I had to. My palm still stung from where the blade had pierced it, and I'd intentionally left the wound undressed.

Again, another necessary part of the journey. Blood poured from it all over the steering wheel. This seemed distant and unimportant now. I had found the place. After years of hearing about it, reading about it, researching and building up the courage, I had actually found it. I turned off the engine and got out of the car,

the cool night air crisp and fresh as I breathed in. Walking towards the engines of the fairgrounds, I saw no one else around. The outside of the place was empty and devoid of visitors. Forsaken. The moon was a sliver in the dark night sky above. Sounds of activity could be heard from within the fair, carnival barkers and rides,

the loud ding, ding, ding, ding, of someone winning a prize. Everything that would make you think it was a regular carnival, an ordinary fair. A clown was at the entrance. His face was painted bright red around the eyes and mouth, his hair and a round nose so crimson. He wore yellow pants with suspenders and welcomed me, waving an oversized gloved hand as I approached. Ho! Ho! Ho! I've got a surprise, it's true. Who found the crimson carnival?

What a delight it's you. The clown in the yellow pants was there, just like all the reports are said. You found the place, my friend. Get inside and have some fun. Your time now very soon will end. The crimson death can't be undone. His face was a toothy grin, all smiles and giggles as recited the welcoming rhyme, all but the last one, which he said in a low growl.

Following that, he looked serious and angry. I was taken aback. He was supposed to say, the Crimson Fair leaves with the sun as the final line in the rhyme. He was supposed to be the cheerful, welcome clown. No scary stuff yet. Not yet.

But instead, he had said, The crimson death can't be undone, in that terrifying, low rumble voice, and I couldn't help but wonder if I had made some mistake in the ritual. His upper lip quivered as he continues to growl at me. He was supposed to be. keep smiling, waving and looking friendly.

The dark, really creepy stuff was further in. Out by the entrance, the carnival was reported to look bright and welcoming. It didn't usually reveal its true form until you're well inside the fences. I just stood there, sweating, panicking, retracing my efforts. I had made no errors, though. I realized as I went through each part of the instructions in my head and pictured myself in my memory doing exactly as instructed. Suddenly, I realized that.

they'd been standing there for a while, thinking, and the clown was still staring at me. The reply came to me immediately. After years of study, I had not forgotten. Because my palm is still bleeding, I asked the question deliberately and verbatim, word for word, as described online. All I have is a nickel,

without cover the fare. I held up the rare coin, and it glittered red with my blood like a ruby in the moonlight. It lets you in, it lets you through the bloody nickel true, true, true. He was smiling again, and I let out a sigh of relief. Just a little different for a second, but back on track now, nothing to be worried about.

I walked past him through the turnstiles. Looking back, I saw he was still smiling his wide-toothy grin and took that for a good sign. He waved his white-gloved hand at me, and then was swallowed up by darkness and fog. At least he stopped growling like a rabid dog after the toll had been offered. Something about that had really terrified me. Not that I wasn't already petrified, but when I'd run through this in my mind,

approximately a million times, things had always gone to plan. According to the descriptions, I had read over and over memorizing them. No one had ever mentioned an alternate ending to the welcome rhyme. Was the place changing, evolving somehow? No, that was impossible. Through all the years and all the visitors, it had stayed the same. Why would it change now? Sarah would still be there, I told myself.

She had to be there. Otherwise, this was all for nothing. I could handle being scared, as long as it meant getting back to her. I had to get her back. Her absence in my life was like a missing appendage. The memories of her, a phantom limb that ached incessantly. She was there. I could feel her somehow, as unlikely as that sound.

I felt like with every step I got closer. The sounds rose up loudly around me from every direction as I entered the midway. First, one man shouting, Step right up, step right up, try your hand of the darts. You, sir, you look like a man who knows how to win. How about taking a toss at the red balloons? Then a woman asking, How do you like to win a prize?

Get the ball in the barrel and take home the bloody big bear. She pointed up, and I caught myself following a finger and looking at the giant stuffed bear which hung suspended from the ceiling. Each one had a noose around his neck, with eyes red and bulging. The eyes looked real, though, and I could have sworn I saw one swollen bear face looked down at me, pleading and terrified. Red fluid seeped from their mouths and dripped down onto the counter below. I dropped my gaze and reminded myself not to get distracted. everything here was meant to steer you from your goal. Nothing was as it seemed.

Keeping my head down, I continued to walk deeper into the midway. Cotton candy, hot dogs. Get your ride tickets here. Ride the Ferris wheel with your true love by your side. A date she'll never forget. I walked past and heard him say quietly from behind me. She will stay here. Sarah will live and die and live again here.

Always here. She will stay here. You will stay here. My heart nearly stopped in my chest. That definitely wasn't supposed to happen. The carnival workers were not supposed to talk out of character to visitors. They were always supposed to stay in character. I tried to control myself, but ended up running over to him,

fighting my anger and hatred and fury and pushing it down deep, stopping myself somehow from leaping over the counter and grabbing the man. What did you say? His mouth opened. enclosed like a goldfish, but he said nothing. What the hell did you just say? Ride the salt and pepper shaker.

You'll get mixed up until you don't know up from down. No, Sarah. You said something about Sarah. I'm looking for her. Please. Just help me. Tell me where she is. Why, lady, look. She's just around the corner at the spinning wheel of chance. Place her

her bed's there and win your heart's desire. I nearly screamed at him, but managed to restrain myself. It would serve no purpose other than wasting time. I checked my watch and saw I had already been inside for half an hour. The time was going fast. The man was just another distraction meant to keep me here longer, to keep me from my goal, to keep me from Sarah.

Moving on, I kept my head on a swivel, looking every possible direction, checking every face. None of them were hers. Far ahead in the distance, I saw the giant red can of be. tent at the centre of the fair. I hoped I wouldn't have to go in there. That's where all the horrifying sights were,

according to those few who had seen it and escaped. The cannibal killer clowns in their little cars that drove around and stopped randomly, piling out and murdering and subsequently devouring whoever was nearest, and then clambering back in and driving off. A polar bear in a unicycle that would cause similar

damage during its rampages, when it got inevitably bored of riding around. Chainsaw-wielding trapeas, artist that swung down unexpectedly and cut you in half before he could even think to run away. And further in, at the very centre, who knew, no one had seen it. Only the most extreme thrill seekers tried for the canopy. It was reserved for the most dedicated and experienced. I shuddered to think of going in there.

I had planned to avoid it at all costs. I checked my watch again. This was taken longer than expected. The place was drawing out every second of my time. Even the ground beneath my feet was sticky and muddy, and each step forward came with an increasing effort. My eyes darted around, looking in every booth and at every carnival worker. There were no other guests, so that made it a little bit easier.

I walked past more carnival barkers and booths. After walking around a corner, I was confronted by a man shouting in my face. Test your strength! He was huge, wearing a leather vest and holding a massive sledgehammer in both hands. Turning around, he swung it and hit the bell, causing the machine to light up and ding incessantly. Turning away from him, I scanned the faces of every carnival worker standing behind their counters. A ringtoss booth was just ahead, and I began to walk towards it, thinking the woman inside looked a bit like Sarah, when I heard the voice of the man behind me.

He had silently followed me, and now stood. directly behind me, with a hammer held high over his head. She is ours. The sledgehammer came down hard, and I ducked out of the way just in time. My heart pounding, I stumbled to the ground, off balance. I rolled away as the second swing of the hammer nearly missed me again. I got up to my feet as quickly as I could, and backed away from the man. He was pursuing me still, and I turned and ran.

The muddy ground caused me to slip, as I turned a corner to get away from him. and found myself heading towards the giant canopy at the centre of the fair. I checked my watch. Still, nearly an hour until sunrise. Plenty of time. No, can't think like that. You've wasted half your time and you still haven't found it yet. That means you're behind.

You need to spot it quick and get her the hell out of here. I felt myself struggling to think clearly as adrenaline took over and something else as well. An unfamiliar feeling like the naive recklessness. of a young man, which I no longer was. I wanted to live, and yet I found myself abandoning reason and self-preservation the more time I spent there. And yet, the giant canopy tent drew me in like a moth to a flame, and I went to it, no longer looking at the other carnival workers. Every part of me was saying to go inside, that's as she would be. Looking back, I saw the man with a sledgehammer

was no longer pursuing me and I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he was getting reinforcements though and that would be trouble. Feeling like a piece of iron filament being drawn towards a powerful magnet I walked towards the huge crimson red canopy tent. Up this close it was obvious how massive the thing was now.

Inside will be a space lit up with lights and full of morbid wonders and curiosities. It loomed before me, dwarfing me in size, and I realized I was standing right before the entrance, every part of me saying to go inside, to look and see what could be found within. And then, I heard a voice. Try your look at the spinning wheel, sir. I stopped in my tracks, afraid to turn and look, afraid it wouldn't really be her, that it would be just some trick again, some attempt to stall me.

But then I did, and it was her. It really was her, no mistaking it. She gave a shaky smile and lifted her hand to wave. I walked over to the booth and looked at her, my eyes filling with tears. I missed you so much, was all I could say. I missed you too. Every day I missed you. And then some of the force took over, and a smile widened like it was being pulled at the corners by unseen strings,

causing her to show a teeth. Her voice changed and became that of a carnival barker trying to grab your attention as you pass by. Try your look at the spinning wheel, sir. I was stunned and didn't know what to say for a second. Sarah, let's get out of here. Come on, take my hand. Reaching over the counter,

I saw her eyes flashed back to her own for a second, but then they became full of hatred and murder. She hissed at me like a cat. Her eyes now crimson red. Then she swiped at me with her nails, scratching my arm badly and leaving four long gashes there. She attacked my face next, flailing at it with quick lashes and succession, leaving me bleeding from her nails. I recoiled, terrified and in pain. Blood poured from my face and my arms, and I was suddenly having trouble seeing out of one eye.

My vision was turning red and then black on that side. Run, she said, her face turning back into her own for an instant. You can't save me. just run. If you stay past sunrise, you'll be stuck here with the rest of us. And then her eyes flicked back to that crimson red shade and I saw her laughing at me.

You can't save her. She's ours now. Other carnival workers were starting to come out from behind their booths and were now stalking towards me. A clown popped his head out from the giant canopy tent nearby and then, when he saw me, came running with a duck-wagged stride in his oversized floppy shoes.

Following behind him was a man, on giant stilts who had a duck to come through the doorway. He was juggling bowling pins that were set ablaze and threw one at me, nearly missing my face with it. Sarah stayed stubbornly put where she was, as if the carnival knew that I wanted her to chase me, to come after me. But no, it had plenty of others to do that. I backed away at the sight of the bloodthirsty carnies approaching,

then turned and ran back towards the entrance, my instinct to survive suddenly taking over. Running half-blind through the midway, I saw more carnival workers leaving their booths following after me, their eyes blank and zombie-like. Looking back, I saw dozens of them now in pursuit, breaking into a slow jog, and then running as they followed after me.

Increasing my pace, I felt my heart booming in my chest, sweat pouring down my face. My eyes were wide and terrified, darting around, looking for potential threats everywhere. Candy apple? The elderly woman was, was wearing a night patch and as she threw the boiling hot caramel sauce at me she smiled her teeth rotten and black some other liquid sugar hit my face and i screamed as it burnt me i knew that would scar me

for the rest of my life but i didn't have time to think about it i had a moment of pity for the woman knowing now that she was just another victim of the carnival the same as sarah no one from the online forms had ever considered that the carnies themselves were past visitors who hadn't been able to escape before sunrise. It was always assumed that they were a part of the carnival itself and had been since the start. My feet slipped in mud and I nearly fell as I race past the man with a sledgehammer. He jumped up and began to chase after me with the others, carrying his heavy mallet in both hands and screaming at me. Up ahead I saw the turnstiles and picked up my pace, seeing the faint glimmer of a sunrise on the horizon. The clown was there, appearing out of the fog once more, and as I got closer, I

saw he was waiting for me. He held a small axe in his hand and chuckled when I got near. The crimson glow can't be undone. The crimson glow can't be undone. The crimson glow can't be undone. The voices of the others joined closer from behind me, rose in volume,

joining his, and I realized they were very close now. I had no choice. I would have to take my chances with the clown. I ran at him full speed, knowing I didn't have much time left. Once the sun came up, I was stuck here with the rest of them. No one was coming for me.

Nobody knew I was here. The only reason I knew where Sarah had disappeared to was because of her obsession with the online forms related to the Crimson Carnival. She had become more and more involved until, and completely overtook a life, nearly ruining her relationship in the process. Then one day, she had said that she was going to find a place for herself.

She had left in the middle of the night leaving me a note while I was sleeping She never came home after that And I always regretted not going with her She'd even give me the coin Saying that she wanted me to go with her To experience it alongside her She said not to lose it

That there were only a few left out there And that they were exceedingly rare And valuable But now I'd lost it Just like I'd lost her The damn clown had it I had an idea at the last second as I ran towards him. The mud slipping beneath my feet made me think of when I was a kid playing soccer,

how, after scoring a goal or winning the game on a rainy day, we would slide around on the grass in the mud celebrating. Diving forward at full speed, I landed my belly in the muck. It knocked the wind out of me, and since I wasn't a kid anymore, it hurt like hell, but it had the desired effect. My forward momentum took me under the turnstiles, and I surprised the clown by nothing. knocking out his legs from beneath him.

He went flying into the air, his axe spinning and shining in the faint light, before landing a few feet away. Dozens of coins came flying out of his pockets also. They landed scattered on the ground in the mud, and I grabbed a handful of them before racing off back towards my car. I heard the clown screaming at me, until his voice cut out suddenly in an instant, as the sun peaked out from behind the horizon.

Looking back with my one working eye, I saw that it was gone. and so was the carnival. But in my hand, the blood-red nickels from the past visitors remained. Proof of my visit. Same as the long-ridge scratches of my arm and in my face. The scars and burns I would wear for the rest of my life. And yet still, staring at the muddy, bloody coins in my palm,

I knew I would be back. I had no choice. When I escaped the Crimson Carnival the first time, I knew I had to go back. It didn't matter that I had almost died, that I'd been badly injured, half-blinded and burned. Sarah was there. All these years, I had felt certain,

but had no way to prove it. As it turned out, I'd been right all along. She had found the place, and it had trapped her there, along with hundreds of others, thousands maybe. The secret ritual needed to get into the place was shared via an online forum

and now I had real suspicions about who had planted those tips. I had the feeling very few other people had actually been there and escaped. The only reason I had gotten out was that Sarah had seen me and warned me about the true nature of the place. Even then, I'd barely made it. It had me in some sort of trance, I realized. The time had quickly passed at first, but the longer I stayed, the more it sucked me in and consumed me, hypnotized me. I went home and immediately read the sticky page from the moderators

at the top of the main page After scanning it There was no doubt in my mind The whole website was a trap Being used a lot of people in Here is what it read Crimson Carnival Moderator Tips Don't worry about tracking the time too much

Although the Crimson Fair leaves with the sun That doesn't mean you have to find your way back to the exit before that Most people stay and watch as the carnival evaporates like smoke at the break of dawn, the grand finale of the fair, as it were. Speaking as someone who has seen it, I can tell you, it's quite a sight and not to be missed.

There were plenty of other tips, some useful, but most were outright dangerous in retrospect. The whole thing was just a ploy to get people to go to the place it seemed to trap them there, and it had worked. Judging by the looks of the midway,

filled with entrapped workers, the bait was working, and the carnival would continue to grow, unless someone stopped it. Suddenly, I had a vision, thinking about the giant red canopy tent at the center of the place. I pictured a massive beating heart in the middle of it, veins and arteries extending out from it, feeding poison to the entire place and everyone trapped there. At the very center of the canopy, I had no doubt now was the creator of the whole thing,

the master of it all, the one who controlled everything and had caused all this chaos and heart days. How many other families have been torn apart? How many relationships destroyed? Husbands and wives, fathers and sons, brothers and sisters. How many lives have been ruined by the monstrosity that was the crimson carnival? Somehow, I had to stop it. I was maybe the only one who could. I vowed to return and marked in my calendar the next Friday the 13th, so I would be ready.

What I didn't expect was another person to be waiting in the gravel. parking lot to visit the carnival. Another thrill seeker like my wife, I assumed at first. It turned out. They were more like me. You might want to rethink your visit, he said after rolling down his car window. This place isn't as advertised. Tell me about it, I barely got out the last time. I wouldn't be here if I had a choice. He raised his eyebrows and looked at me solemnly, then got out of his car and went around to the trunk. He bowled out a small bag, which he slung over his shoulder. I'm Gary. What's your name, kid? Jordan. You've always got a choice, Jordan. Don't go back in there. It's no good.

It's got me, and it's going to get you two if you keep coming back here. Maybe you can still have a life if you go now and don't come back. I thought about what he said for a few seconds before responding. He looked serious and genuinely worried. Was this some trick of the carnival? Did its reach extend this far out? I decided probably not, or else the carnival workers would have pursued me to my car the last time I escaped, instead of staying within its boundaries. How many times have you done this? I asked.

Maybe we can help each other. Hmm. He rummaged in his trunk and grabbed a larger backpack and slung that over both shoulders with his blooded hand, leaving red stains everywhere in the process. Next, he withdrew a gun belt, which he put around his way. He loaded a large revolver with bullets and shoved it down into the holster. Kind of old school, isn't it? I asked, pointing at the pistol with its wooden grip. I knew nothing about guns and had never fired one myself,

but knew they had much more sophisticated weaponry for sale these days. Things that could hold more than six bullets. Old school doesn't jam. Old school fires straight every time. It's that new junk that doesn't seem to work in there. The woman's got me killed the first few times until I figured that out. I thought occurred to me.

Wait a second. Those are real people in there. You can't kill them. This isn't their fault. Listen, kid, there are two types of carnival workers. Those who can be saved and those who can't. We're here for the ones who can be. Who is it the gut of yours?

Girlfriend, I bet. Fiancee, actually. Well, did you find her? I'm guessing by the look in your eyes you did. So, what did she say? Did she recognize you? Yeah, she did. For a minute, until something else took over.

She came back again for a second, told me to run and never come back. You should have listened. He shook his head, gazed up at the sky, and seemed to think about it for a few seconds. Letting out a deep breath, he admitted. That means she can still be rescued, though, I think, assuming I'm right anyway. How? She attacked me when I tried. I pointed a thumb at my eye patch.

Ha, yeah, I bet she did. Did you see the tubes? What tubes? Think intravenous tubing. It comes up out of the ground and is strolled into their legs. She's hooked up to the thing in the center of it all, just like the rest of them. Take a look next time, a real close look. The ones who already belong to this place don't have them, because they're already full of the poison.

Like the welcome clown, for instance, or the testy strength guy with a sledgehammer. I recalled with a shudder. how that gentleman had nearly murdered me. So that was how they were changing them. The place really was poison. It was taken Sarah's life force and replacing it with some dark toxin and converting her into a minion of the carnival.

A mindless vessel forced to do his bidding until death and beyond. Come on, we're wasting time. You got a nickel? I pulled out the handful of bloody coins I'd stolen the last time after I tackled the clown at the entrance. Holy crap.

Maybe I underestimated you, kid. What did you do, kill the welcome clown or something? No, I... Actually, I sort of tackled him. He let out a short whistle of respect. All right, let's do this. You got a weapon? I showed him what I'd brought with me. He laughed pretty hard at that. Oh, damn, you're serious?

I nodded and walked forward, approaching the welcome clown. Ho, ho, ho, ho. I've got. got a surprise, it's true. Who found the crimson carnival? What a delight. It's you. The clown seemed to not remember me. He was jovial and happy again,

until the end of the next part of his rhyme, which he said through gritter teeth in a dark and deep voice full of malice and hatred. You found the place, my friend. Get inside and have some fun. Your time now very soon will end. The crimson death can't be on

and a... Bang! I looked over and surprised to see that Gary had just shot the welcome clown in the head. He was holding the revolver out and smoke and steam

misted from the end of the bow in the early morning air. He loaded a fresh bullet and flicked a nickel at the dead clown's body. I couldn't help but notice the hatchet the clown held in his hand concealed behind his large,

baggy pants. I did the same thing as Gary, tossing a nickel from my shaking, bloodied hand. We had both cut our palms before arriving at the place, and now began to wrap them in makeshift bandages as we proceeded through the turnstiles. Well, that should make it easier to get past them on the way out, I said, still in shock. I learned a while back that the ones who belong to this place don't die.

It doesn't matter what you do to him. They aren't human anymore. How the hell do you know? What if we can kill the thing responsible for all of this? Maybe we can bring them all back to reality. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. It appeared he hadn't thought of that possibility. All right, I'll try not to kill anybody else. He conceded, unless I really, really have to. Thanks, I appreciate that.

As we got into the carnival, I looked around in surprise to see that none of the stalls were the same as the first time. It was like we're in a completely different midway. Shoot out the star and win a prize, a man said from a nearby booth where air rifles were set up on stands and positioned to point at crimson red stars drawn on paper. I saw a ringtoss booth, another one with green glass bottles lined up on the floor, and rides just ahead of the left where previously there had been food stands. What the hell is going on? It's all different. Yeah, the place changes every time. Gary said, pulling something out of his bag. I saw it was a map.

It showed a star with five points, a circle around the outside of it, a pentagram. It's a giant star, at the center of the pentagram is the canopy tent, the circle around the outside is a fence. Every time you come back, it spins around and you get a different entrance. The clown stays the same. It never changes, no matter which entrance you come in through. I saw a writing on the map and realized he had put little symbols in places. A fairy swale, an apple, a balloon. each and a different part of the star.

This is the section with the rides. See the Ferris wheel symbol? He pointed up ahead and saw the giant wheel, lit up and glowing just ahead of us. Do you remember what you saw when you came in last? Let's see. There was the sledgehammer guy. Can't forget about him.

And the darts game where he tried to hit the blooms. Sarah was at the spinning wheel of fortune near the entrance of the canopy. I remember that. His eyes lit up, and he smiled, looking relieved. Well, ain't that a coincidence. Looks like we're headed to the same place. My partner, Bruce, is over at the ticket counter in that area, so we can stick together if you want, and we'll be each other out.

Sounds good to me, I said. You seem to have this place pretty well figured out. I wish. Every time I come here, it manages to surprise me. We were walking the whole time as we talked and proceeded past the ferris wheel. and the Cracken, the Gravitron, and a mini roller coaster. Our route took us near the entrance to the Fun House, and that was where things began to go downhill.

Just as we were walking past the stairs leading up to that place, I noticed that the entire carnival had gotten quiet suddenly. No one was shouting at us to visit their booths, the rides had all stopped, and so had the music. All I could hear was the sound of our footsteps in the mud, and then others joining in. getting louder as they neared us. Suddenly, there was a dozen kind of a workers approaching us from all sides.

They walked towards us in unison, silently, their eyes glowing red in the darkness. Damn, they've never done this before. I don't think they like that we're teaming up. I looked back over my shoulder and saw more coming from that direction. The only way to escape was up the stairs and into the fun house. We both went up that way without thinking, and they closed in on us from a room. every direction. Once we got inside, I was immediately disoriented. I felt the reflective walls

with my hands and followed after Gary, trying not to lose track of him. The first section was a maze made of mirrors, and I found myself running headfirst into a few of them, causing my nose to bleed. The shapes of them made everything warped and distorted. My absent left eye was not helping, thanks to my newfound lack of depth perception. Ow, damn! You were right back there, kid, he asked. Yeah, just great. Are we almost at the exit of this place yet? Not sure, having been in this one before.

I heard footsteps in pursuit behind us, and my heart began to hammer with fear again. They were following us closely, and, by the sounds of it, they knew this place a lot better than us. Hurry, they're right behind us, I said, pushing him forward. Finally, we got out of the disorienting darkness of the house of mirrors and arrived at the next station.

The walls and floors were slanted, and I stumbled, trying to walk towards a door that seemed further away than it actually was. The lines on the walls didn't help, as they seemed to purposely drawn in such a way as to confuse the eyes. As strobe light began to flash, making me feel even more sick and disoriented

as we stumbled along through the wonky space. I saw the corridor was narrower the further along it went, until I was breathing rapidly with increasing panic and claustrophobia. Soon we were on our knees, crawling through a tight space, and then we began to slide without warning downwards and around bending corners like a spiral slide in a water park

only this one had no water and I found my knees beginning to burn and ache from the friction of movement we picked up speed and began to go up and down in wave-like motions as the slide became steeper and steeper faster and faster until the walls were a blur and I found my stomach dropped sicknily with each rise and fall of the floor finally we reached the bottom and I felt completely weightless sailing off a ramp and flying through the air, screaming, to land in a giant ball pit.

At first, it was a relief, since I didn't die from the impact of my fall. But then I began to sink and kick, trying to find the bottom. It wasn't there. Oh no, I don't like this. I looked over and saw Gary panicking as well. The ball pit seemed to have no floor underneath it. You had to actually swim to stay afloat, pushing off against the resistance. from below to keep your head above the surface of it.

I can't swim, kid, he said desperately. Help! His head went under and he flailed and kicked and came back up again, his face red and looking deprived of oxygen. Damn, just pretend you're in a bite, Gary. Kick your legs and, I don't know. Make it kind of like archers in front of you with your hands, okay? You can do it.

Just keep kicking and moving your arms. I could see his head going underneath the surface. I knew if I went to save him. I would be dragged under with him. People drowning usually have a tendency to take other people with them, unfortunately. Come on, Gary, this way, I said, trying to lead him away from the slide and towards solid ground off in the distance. There was a sign marked to exit that way as well. We're almost out of here.

His eyes became large all of a sudden, and his head disappeared below the surface in an instant, as if something very large and strong had just grabbed him by the ankle and dragged him below. I took a moment to stare in shock at the space where it had just been before I heard the sounds from behind me, and my instinct to survive kicked in again. I started to swim out of the ball pit and towards the exit, just as the carnival workers came careening down the slide. I saw knives and axes and other weapons glinting in the hands in the dull light.

Kicking with my legs as hard as I could, I swam towards solid ground through the ball pit. My heart was hammering loudly in my ears, and my mouth and throat were dry. music began to blast from speakers above so I could no longer hear my pursuers It was the song of the circus The classic we all know But have never bothered to look up the name of

Entry of the Gladiators Is what it's called if you're interested The music that blasted from all angles Was jarring and disorienting I felt something sharp Bite into my leg And looked back to see a woman with a pierced nose And her hair done up in a bun

With a bone stuck through it She was smiling widely and her eyes glowed red as she slashed the air and missed me just barely with a knife. Screaming in pain, I kicked at her face and tried to move away from her towards solid ground, which was still not nearly close enough. Looking in that direction, I saw now there were several clowns holding knives waiting for me there. They stood, salivating, the shoes squeaking as they paced back and forth, watching me and waiting for me to get near enough to them.

Gary was dead And with the carnival workers closing in on me And nowhere else to run I had a feeling I would be next That was when I felt something Grip my ankle, hard Nails biting into my skin like talons It began to pull me down

Down Into the darkness Below As I sank down into the darkness below I began to hyperventilate I was having trouble breathing Feeling suffocated as if I were drowned My heart pounded faster as my mind raised.

All light evaporated from the space around me and I was cloaked in blackness as I descended further from the surface, feeling increasingly desperate and trapped. The thing gripping my ankle was tearing strips of flesh from my leg as I struggled and kicked, trying to get away. I could feel its skin, rough like sandpaper, but it was silent and made no noise as it dragged me downwards. Then it suddenly let go.

I fell down through the air and landed on a tile floor I looked up and saw the colorful balls floating and dancing above me on the ceiling defying gravity as there was nothing but air to hold them aloft I looked around terrified for the thing that had grabbed my leg and brought me below but saw nothing I was in a dark space with checkerboard patterns all over the walls

floors and low ceilings another part of the fun house I guessed The creature that had dragged me down there probably lived in the ball pit And I guessed that its purpose was to bring people down here to this disorienting space below Gary No response There were several doorways leading different directions And I started walking towards one of them

Looking inside I saw a space that was exactly the same as the one I was in Like a mirror image Gary Ho, ho, ho, ho. I spun around as I heard laughter and the sound of feet dropping down to the floor. Somehow I was unsurprised to see the carnival workers and clowns who had been pursuing me, had followed me down below. They spotted me instantly and began to race towards me. The large knives held high above their heads, smiles plastered on their red and white-painted faces.

The crimson eyes glowing in the dim light. I turned and ran, not knowing where I was going exactly. just ducking through one disorienting doorway and then another and another. Much to my surprise, the third doorway I went through brought me back face-to-face with a clown holding a butcher's cleaver. The doors didn't follow the ordinary laws of physics it would seem, and brought me back to my would-be murderers instead of allowing me to escape them. This was despite the fact that I had run very much in the opposite direction away from them.

The jester grinned and laughed, his rotten yellow teeth and blackened showing as he chugged. Hello, little book, you can try and get away, but good luck escaping. Those blood and guts aren't yours. They're ours for the taking. Instead of using the sharp end of the cleaver, as I had imagined he would, he took the backside of it and whacked me across the forehead, knocking me out cold. As I was unconscious, I had another vision, even more vivid and real than the last. I was standing before the great beating heart at the centre of the Crimson Carnival

exactly the same as last time, only this time it was bigger. It was the size of a school bus now and had grown large since my last dream. It hung suspended from the ceiling of the great canopy tent at the centre of the fair. It was beating loud and heavy like a massive drum. The muscle contractions were enormous and laboured, terrifying and apocalyptic, holding it aloft with the veins and arteries which punted. poisonous blood to the inhabitants of the place. The massive heart beat so loudly it pierced my ears,

like a jet airliner taking off right next to me, only it was a dull thud that hurt my brain as well. The heart extended to a group of blood vessels towards me, and they enveloped me like vines, wrapping around my arms and legs, then my midsection and my face. It went to my nose and into my eyes and dug their poisonous tips into my skin,

pumping the toxic waste of the carnival into me, making me into one of its minions, forever. My eyes snapped open as I awoke and looked up to see I was in the center of a ring like in a circus. There were empty benches all around, extending up to great dizzying heights above and a spotlight shone down brightly from the ceiling far up in the distance. I stood and looked around in wonder, realizing I was in the very center of the canopy now. There was no great beating heart as I had imagined in my dreams, but it had felt so real. There was a man approaching, his soft footsteps echoing in the enormous space.

He was dressed like a ringmaster in a circus and was wearing a red military-style shirt with gold epaulets, embroidery and buttons down the front, a black top hat and pants. He sauntered forward and I saw that he carried a whip in his hand. It was a cat in nine tails, and the tips of it were branched outwards like the capillaries of a vein. Welcome, he said, walking towards me. His eyes were crimson red and flickered like fire, showing no emotion. Who are you? I asked. I created this place. It's my home, at least for the last hundred years or so.

I always loved carnivals, you see. They might just be the best things you humans ever came up with. They're full of games and gamblings, drugs and debauchery, guns and candy, dizzying rides and delicious deep-fried fatty foods. All it took was a bit of creative. design work to make a symbol that could be used for a purpose. For us demons, this is what you call a place of power. That's why I set this whole thing up. I mean, when you live forever, the world can get sort of boring, and it's tough to find anything interesting to do.

So, you're not going to mention the part about you stealing their blood. What's the purpose of all that exactly? Oh, you've been talking to Gary, haven't you? Son up a gun is going to get it one of these days. All right, enough questions. This isn't a Bond movie. I'm not going to give you all the answers. You've got to at least work for it a little bit.

Tammy, teach him some manners. A massive red tiger with black stripes suddenly jumped out from the shadows and pounced on me, landing in my chest and knocking the wind out of me. I couldn't breathe as it stood on top of me, and its face came closer to mine. Large vangs exposed to the drool dripping from its moor. It roared loudly, its mouth opening wide,

for a second. I was so terrified I nearly lost battle control. The ringmaster cracked his whip and the tiger retreated off me doing quick predatory circles nearby and growling at me. Tammy, there's no way to treat our guest. And you are

a guest still. It's not quite sunrise yet. You've still got time to get out, Jordan. You can try to make a run for it, you know. I won't stop you. Really? Hmm. Nope. I started to back away from him. I was about to run away when he finished his thought.

Tammy might, though. I sighed and slump my shoulders. It looked like I was going to be trapped with the rest of them. Maybe they would put me in a store close to Sarah, at least. What the hell do you want? Oh, I thought that would be obvious by now. Your blood. I want your blood and your body and your soul.

You're mine now, just like the rest of them. It occurred to me that I hadn't checked to see if the clowns it would capture me had taken my weapon from my jacket pocket, not that it would look like much of a weapon to the naked eye. Plus I'd put it in my secret pocket. I felt around for it, and it was there. Pulling it out, I pointed the little toy water pistol at the demon. What if you got there, kiddo? A water gun.

What did you fill it up with? Holy water? Guess what? and stuff only works in the movies. Nah, I filled it up with gasoline. His eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth to scream something, but was too stunned to speak. I shot him several times quickly with it, and then pulled out my zippo. It lit on the first strike, and I shot the gasoline through it,

catching a light and sending a beam of fire towards the ringmaster. His red coat caught a light, and he began to scream and flare his arms. His screeches rose higher and higher until they pierced my ears with a shrillness. He suddenly burst into flames like flashpaper and was gone a second later. Holy crap kid, what did you do? Gary appeared out of nowhere

and I saw the tiger had evaporated in a puff of smoke. Where the hell did you come from? I hid in the maze when I realized they were going to capture you and then followed you back here, thinking I was going to save your ass. Looks like you didn't need my help after all though. He looked to. up to see the entire canopy tent was burning up around us like paper and fire.

It started at the peak where the spotlight had been, and instead of that light, the night sky appeared instead, and the soft glow of the stars and moon. As the canopy tent turned to ash around us, the flakes of it drifting up as embers into the night sky above, we saw a couple of people standing around looking confused and anxious. Where am I? A woman nearby asked. It seemed that none of them remembered what had happened, and when I told them, they scoffed at me. Is that supposed to be some sort of joke?

She asked, sounding angry. I realised the place still had some power over them, as we walked away from there towards where Gary suggested Sarah would be. There were a few, not nearly as many as we had seen in the carnival. Clearly, most of the inhabitants of the place had not been saved by her actions. most of them had disappeared when the place had burned up, and I hoped that they were at least free now. I imagined their souls drifting up into the night sky with the burnt-up ashes of the place,

the embers that drifted away in the wind. That was when I saw her. She looked cold in the chill air, hugging herself and warming her arms. Her round glasses were fogging up, and a long pink air blew around her face in the breeze. Sarah? She saw me, and my heart stopped in my chest. I wondered for a moment if she would recognize me,

or if this place had stolen a memory like it had the others. But she came running towards me, and I breathed a sigh of relief at the look of recognition in her eyes. We glided an enormous painful embrace, hugging and then kissing, before she asked me, Where the hell are we? What's happened to me? I feel so cold. I wish I could say we lived happily ever after,

Because we did, for the most part. But still, to this day, she seems different at times, colder. I wonder how much of her blood was replaced by that poison, and how much it changed her. Sometimes I wake up in the night to see her standing over me, smiling. She murmurs in the darkness, and I can just make out the words. Spin the wheel of chance, sir. Take a spin, and when your heart's desire,

In the dim light, it's difficult to make out the colour arise, but I turn on the light just a check. I shake her awake and yell at her, anything to get rid of that dull look of hate and that snowman's grin from her face. She tells me she's sleepwalking, but her eyes tell a different story. They used to be blue before she visited the carnival. Now, they've turned into a dark purple hue. and then not changing back sometimes

life just doesn't work out as you'd planned a lot of us live in the board line between failure and success teetering somewhere between the two until death it's a precarious and uncomfortable place to live I had resigned myself to a life of dissatisfied semi-closure

after rescuing Sarah from the crimson carnival sure she wasn't quite the same but we had her good days A few cold stairs and some sleepwalking in the night wasn't so bad. Her personality was different. She was less sympathetic and quick to anger, but for the most part, she was the same old Sarah who I had known before she had disappeared.

The strangest part was she claimed to remember nothing about the carnival. She said it was like a black space in a memory that she couldn't get back no matter how hard she tried. I suggested therapy, another way she could unlock her. the suppressed memories, but she refused, becoming more and more upset every time the subject was brought up. It got to the point where the mere mention of the carnival was enough to send her into a fury. She would swear and scream, saying I didn't love her anymore. She would throw

things in slam doors and cabinets, causing me to become worried for her safety at times. She was so upset. It wasn't until she finally let it slip that I realized why she was getting so mad. who's at the tail end of one of her arguments, and she muttered, I don't remember it, but every part of me wants to go back there, wherever there is. It's pulling at me. Do you know what that feels like? To be told you can't have something when it's all you want in the world? I tried to ask her to explain, fighting back feelings of hurt and betrayal,

but she refused to say anything more on the subject. Two days later, I saw her talking on the phone to someone, and she hung up quickly when she saw me coming. I didn't really believe her when she said it was just someone from work calling to ask if she could come in early the next morning. The look on her face said otherwise. It was no coincidence that Friday the 13th came around once again soon after, and I was awoken that night in the late hours by a phone call. It was Gary.

He's gone. I think he's gone back to that place. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sat up. Looking beside me, I saw that Sarah was gone as well. "'Sir has gone too,' I replied. "'Why would they go back there? "'We destroyed it. "'The whole thing burned to the ground.

"'They're just going back to an empty field in the countryside.' "'He was breathing heavily, and I could hear he was running. "'I'm coming to get you. "'Don't go anywhere. "'Just wait for me there. "'They did the ritual already. "'I followed them out to the field where the place was, and it's back. "'The Crimson Carnival is back.

"'I looked to the clock and saw it was still early enough "'and realized what he wanted to do. He wanted to go back there, and he wanted me to come along as back up. The four of us have become close since escaping the demons' fairgrounds. All the insanity involved in the experience had been too far-fetched to talk to anyone else about, and we found ourselves becoming friends after our traumatic near-fatal experiences. Sarah and Bruce became a pair, I noticed, while Gary and I would talk about things from our perspectives and tried to remind them of what had happened.

Bruce's memory had been completely wiped clean of any recollections of the carnival as well. Soon, he began reluctant to talk about the experience as well, getting quick to anger at the mere mention of it, the same as Sarah. Shortly afterwards, the four of us stopped talking as frequently. Sarah complained that all we ever did was talk about the memory she didn't have access to, and I guess that Bruce felt the same way. Gary pulled up to the curb in his huge Cadillac, and I opened the passenger door to see his hand already blooded,

gripping the steering wheel tightly. He held up the blade and told me to follow suit. Something felt very wrong about it, but I had no choice. We had to follow them, stop them from going back inside. I couldn't bear to lose her again. It felt like I had just gotten her back. I plunged the blade into my palm and couldn't help but notice the faintest hint of a smile

play across Gary's face as I did so. We drove out into the countryside and took the meandering twists and turns that were required. Gary knew them well from all his previous journeys. The whole time, I felt as if I were in a nightmare, but I knew that I was not. I felt like I was no longer in control and struggled to turn and address the man sitting next to me.

He looked like Gary, but he was no longer Gary, I realized now that he had been taken over by the demon from the carnival. Who knew when it had happened exactly? But I guessed, right after I'd set him on fire and he'd managed to jump into his body through some black magic trick. There was suddenly a banging noise from the trunk,

shouting and muffled screams. My heart began to hammer faster and faster as I struggled to speak. Where's Gary? The demon sitting next to me smiled ruefully and shifted the gearstick into fifth. Gary's still in here somewhere, although I can't imagine he'll ever be the same

after a few months with me behind the wheel, controlling his body. The things he's seen, the people I've eaten. Phew, poor guy's hysterical in there. Just keep screaming and screaming to let him die. It's pathetic. He made one final turn to complete the journey, and I saw the carnival appearing out of the early morning mist in the distance.

Its multicolored lights were hazy, becoming more and more distant as we drew near to it. You're really gullible. You know that, Jordan. I couldn't speak for a moment, stunned as I was. I tried for months to convince Bruce and Sarah to do the ritual again, planting thoughts in their heads, instilling dreams in their minds while they slept,

using up all my remaining power. They almost went through with it too. They got together a few hours ago and were going to do the ritual and some of the carnival using the instructions from online. But they chickened out. They couldn't go through with it. I almost gave up.

Before realizing, I had one last hope. You, shaking my head, and looked to my bloody palm, and knew I'd messed up badly. All it took was me telling you she was there, and that we had to save her. And, whoops, you go ahead and do a blood ritual and summon back the demonic carnival you just destroyed. Blood has a lot of power, you know. It can keep a demon alive if given willingly. But it has to be giving willingly. Oh no.

Oh, yeah. Yes, and now the four of you are going to be my newest editions. I think I'll make you into clowns, perhaps, but you can never have too many of those. Please, no, anything but that. I really hate clowns. He pulled into the parking lot and revved the engine. The car pointed straight at the welcome clown

who was reciting his repetitive speech. What's the deal with the whole Friday the 13th thing? At least tell me that much. I was stalling for time now, grasping its straws and hoping for any chance out of this. The demon in a gary suit thought about it for a second before answering. I like you, Jordan. You've made my life a little bit more interesting for a few months. So, I'll answer that question, and two more.

Friday the 13th is my birthday, you could say. Demons can only live one birthday at a time without a blood sacrifice. The more blood we get, the more powerful we become. Needless to say, this place has made me stronger than you could pull. possibly imagine, and I'll get it all back soon enough. Once we're back at the centre at my place of power. The old ones tried to trap me here, but I used my weakness to my advantage.

I rearranged it and reconfigured everything to suit my needs rather than theirs. The carnival that was my prison is now my temple, my power plant. And the nickel to get inside? What about that? Money is more than just money, especially when it's old and hard to come by. When it has passed through many hands and has been covered it and treasured, you feel so good in your blood, and it just gives me more strength to pull people in. I can only live outside of this place for so long, so I have no choice but to bring others to me.

How did they imprison you here, and who is powerful enough to do that to you? He ignored the last questions. He hit the gas, and for reasons I wouldn't understand until later, he drove straight toward the welcome clown. We reached high speeds, and I put my arms out in front of the world. front of me reflexively as I was thrown back by the acceleration. The car slammed into the jester and shudded with the impact of the collision. I heard a loud thud and the clown was up on the hood of the car onto the windshield, which cracked as his head banged into it, and then was over the top and gone.

We ploughed to the turnstals and they went flying into the air as well, aluminium parts breaking and careening off into the night. I always hated that damn clown. Not wanting to agree with them out loud, I decided to stay silent. The car drove down the aisle through the midway towards the giant red canopy tent at the centre of the fair. As we got closer, I realised I had only a few remaining moments to make a move, to try and escape and hopefully avoid being trapped in there for the rest of eternity. I had to do something.

But what? Up ahead was the carousel, and I realised that I never ventured into the, this part of the carnival before. It was on another leg of the star which spun around so that every time you entered you saw a different section. My mind raced, thinking what to do, and I finally decided on something

so stupid, so outright ridiculous, that I figured it would just have to work. I reached over heroically, and with all of my cunning and strength, I unbuckled the demon seatbelt. He raised his eyebrows. That's your master plan, really.

I figured you'd try something, but I mean, I mean, come on, what's the point of that? It appeared he was considering leaving it unbuckled, but decided it might be part of some larger effort of my part and began to buckle it back up. For just a moment, he took both hands off the wheel, and I took my opportunity. I grabbed his steering wheel and heaved it to the left towards the carousel,

just as we were about to go past it. The car veered to the left, and I saw the look of surprise on his face as we slammed into the colourful painted facade below. the ride. He hadn't quite managed to buckle his seatbelt back up again. Gary's face was his own for a second as he registered total shock. His body flew through the air and smashed to the windshield, being thrown from the car and

onto the carousel. He landed on a purple horse, which bobbed up and down and spun around in circles of the ride until his limp body fell off to the floor. Since I had my seatbelt on, I managed to avoid most of the damage, but it was also an old car. There were no airbags and the crash hurt like hell. I remembered Sarah and Bruce in the trunk after recovering my senses and grabbed the keys, limping as I walked around the back of the vehicle.

I hoped they were all right after the collision. My hands were trembling as I unlocked the trunk and opened it. Sarah and Bruce were inside. Unconscious. Shaking her, I tried to wake Sarah up and her eyes flitted open after a few seconds. Sarah, are you hurt? She shook her head

And I saw Bruce Was waking up as well Lying in the dark depths of the trunk He began to moan and groan And come to his senses I helped them both out of the trunk And looked up to see Gary's body Still up on the carousel

Going round and round with the horses Dragons and Unicorns Music blasted from the speakers above We have to get him out of here If we can keep him out of this place He'll die He said it himself I pointed up to the carousel

And the half-dead man up there who was now coming to, sitting up and spitting blood and teeth. As we started walking towards him, he got to his feet. You can't stop me. I'm too powerful for you mere mortals to control. He was stumbling and spoke like he was half drunk and concussed, but still he was terrifying. As we got near him, I saw that he was probably right. His eyes flickered with fire, and I guessed if we tried to subdue him, he would probably just kill us. Worse yet, the carnival workers had been drawn towards the sound of the explosion like zombies and now surrounded us and were closing in.

The three of us were up on the carousel as it spun around in circles and the demons stood on the opposite side of the ride, watching us carefully as we approached. To my surprise, the carnival workers climbed up under the carousel and stumbled towards the demon instead of us. What are you doing? Get them. Not me. Get them! He screamed as they surrounded him and began to. to attack him. I realized then that he had no power over them any longer, not until he reached the center of the carnival where he was strongest, where his power was contained.

Inside the canopy tent where he would feed on the blood of his slaves was where his strength lay. He was a prisoner there, trapped within the pentagram inside the star, using the blood power captured by the crimson carnival to stay alive and keep some semblance of strength. No longer. We're going to free you all, just help us, strapped into the roof of the car, I screamed, stopping them before they could spill his blood and rip poor Gary to pieces. They did as we asked, and we pulled the semi-conscious demon from

the carousel and threw him atop the battered car, which was beat up but still running. Using belts and string and any other implements we could find, we tied the demon to the roof of the car as he screamed and laughed, cackling and saying what we did was no use. He said he already had his blood sacrifice, and this was all pointless. But I could hear the worry in his voice. This is no use. You'll see. This fool gave his blood up willingly

and brought this place back from the ashes. Kill him. Here's the one to blame. Let go of me. You have no idea who you're messing with. You... I looked to my watch and saw we would have just enough time if we left immediately.

The car was still running and I heard the metallic squeal and screech and we backed out to the spot where the Cadillac had crashed into the wooden facade of the carousel. The demon was screaming from atop the car, but we just ignored him as I backed up and turned the car around. The carnival workers looked on with hopeful faces as the loose muffler rattled and the car made

its way across the muddy ground towards the exit. We made it out through the wreckage of the turnstiles without incident and pulled over to the side of the road outside the parking lot. The three of us got out of the car to check and make sure Gary's body was still tied to the roof and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw he had not escaped. It seemed whatever blood magic the demon had been using was really. running low on fuel. Any last words?

I asked the demon in Gary's body as the sun came up over the horizon. I'll be back, he said. You can kill me again and again, but I'll always come back. I'll never stay dead. The brilliant golden glow of the sun hit his face at the moment

and his skin began to smoke and sizzle. He screamed, and I saw the fire leave his eyes and the green color that had been Gary's return to them. Bruce looked at him with recognition, and saw he looked different as well, more human again. I turned around when I felt Sarah grabbed my hand. She squeezed it tightly, and I looked to see her eyes with pale blue once again,

no longer the muddled purple they had been. The four of us watched silently as the crimson carnival evaporated before our eyes. It looked like an enormous fire being put out, as if a huge bucket of water had been dumped on it, as its thick black smoke rising up high into the sky, and the flickering embers that had once been those trapped inside floated up into the haze. Free.