The Guild of Fallen Clowns (50 page)

With his sword still cocked, Peepers’ torso
twisted until he faced Dale. “Son of Jack misjudge,” he said.

With Peepers looking at Dale, movement from
above drew Alan’s attention. It was Mary, pulling a tattered
section of fabric to widen the opening.

Dale’s eyes squinted from Peepers’ mention
of his and Alan’s father’s name.

“Soon set free. Confess to Jack, defeat at
Peepers’ hand,” Peepers said. Then he turned back to Alan. Alan
raised his hands above his head.

Peepers laughed. “Who is coward now? Hands
will not stop Peepers’ sword, coward.”

Alan’s eyes retreated upward. “I hope it’s
not too late, but I love you,” he said.

Peepers enjoyed Alan’s final plea to his
creator. “Your god cannot save messenger. Love is weak. Peepers
great power.” He paused to enjoy the taste of Alan’s distress in
his final moment of life. He closed his eyes and took in a deep
breath before snapping forward. The blade sliced through the air on
its way to split Alan’s body in two. As it neared the position of
Alan’s hands, Peepers eyes reopened to bask in the visual pleasure
of his art.

As he peered through the slit of his eyes,
the picture before him changed. Alan’s hands weren’t held up in
defense or prayer. There was a familiar object held between them, a
mere centimeter from the unstoppable momentum of his blade. It was
his only remaining figure. The blade cut across the midsection of
the statue and continued through. As it exited, the blade vanished,
never reaching its intended target of destruction.

The figure turned to dust in Alan’s hands.
He looked in front of him to see a terrified Peepers fading away.
The semi-transparent Peepers swiped his sword through Alan, to no
effect. Then he charged across the room and slashed Dale’s neck,
which resulted in a muffled giggle and a shoulder twinge from the
tingling sensation.

“NO!” Peepers screamed. His feckless tirade
continued down the line, as he slashed his shadow weapon through
the remaining captives.

Alan stood and looked up at Mary. Half
smiling and completely embarrassed, he confessed, “I know, too
soon. I thought we might die.”

She grinned and mouthed, “I love you
too.”

With his back to the wall, Alan heard
someone clearing his throat from behind. He turned to see a sea of
stoic Guild faces looking past him to their broken leader. Alan
jumped to the side and watched their creepy clown costumes
transform into black suits with white shirts, black ties and white
gloves. Their exaggerated caricature faces melted away, revealing
normal but tired human features.

The fading image of Peepers shook violently
as he fought to remain inside the room. As one, the Guild reached
out their hands and mimed a pulling motion. Peepers couldn’t
resist. His struggle was fruitless as they tugged him through the
mirrors, where he returned to a solid form. One member pried his
fingers from the sword, dropping it to the floor inside the
mirrors. Peepers shrieked and his body convulsed as they raised him
over their heads and carried him into the darkness. Permanently
exiled from the Haunted Labyrinth of Mirrors, Peepers and his
screams faded along with visions of the Guild.

Mary switched the room lights on full, while
Alan rushed across the room. Starting with Ringmaster, he removed
the gag and reached for the rope securing his wrists behind his
back. Suddenly Geno stormed into the room.

“Back away, Alan,” he ordered with both
hands aiming Dale’s pistol at him. In a kneeling position, Alan
raised his hands.

“It’s over, Geno. Peepers is gone,” Alan
said.

“It’s not over!” Geno yelled.

“You don’t have to do this, Geno. It wasn’t
your fault. He forced you—”

“No!” Geno yelled. “It’s not over. It’s just
the beginning. It’s my turn now. He can’t keep it from me
anymore.”

A screw clanged down the spiral stairway at
the rear entry. Geno jerked his aim at the door.

“I know you’re there. Leaving won’t do you
any good. The cops were right behind me. Now step in here or I’ll
kill your boyfriend,” Geno said.

With her hands held up, Mary stepped into
the room. Geno flicked the barrel of the gun to his left and she
sidestepped until she was beside Lyle. Geno returned his aim to
Alan. He took one hand off the gun and lowered it into his pocket
and pulled out a key.

“What are you doing, Geno? The police are
right outside. Don’t do anything stupid,” Alan pleaded.

“Shut up!” Geno said. He tossed the key to
Alan. “You came here to destroy his mold, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Good. That key opens a hidden compartment
behind that panel.” He pointed to one of the mirrored panels. “The
lock is in the bottom, in the frame. You need to promise me that
you’ll destroy it.”

“Of course. I promise, but why don’t you
lower the gun so we can—”

“Shut up and listen!” Geno interrupted. “I’m
trusting you. You’ll all stay alive because I’m trusting you to
finish the job.”

“Okay, you can trust me,” Alan said.

Geno turned and walked to the front
entrance. He bent and reached his fingers under the panel and found
a hidden mechanism. With a tug, the door unlatched. Before passing
through the opening, he turned back and looked at Ringmaster, still
lying sideways on the floor, roped to the chair.

“It’ll all be yours now, Ringmaster. See you
on the flip side.” Geno smiled. Ringmaster’s eyes widened and his
head shook.

Geno started laughing. Then he turned and
ran down the short pathway. His wicked laugh intensified and echoed
throughout the Labyrinth. As he exited the building, three quick
shots were fired, followed by dozens of rapid return fire.

Alan and Mary rushed to release their
friends. Within seconds of his release, the panicked Ringmaster ran
crying for the door. With his hands raised over his head, he
repeatedly yelled, “Don’t shoot,” as he exited the building.

Two officers stormed through the rear door.
Mary barely finished untying Dale when he jumped out of the chair
with his hands out in front of him.

“Put the guns down, guys. Everyone is safe,”
Dale said. The officers lowered their guns and one asked Dale what
happened. Dale glanced over to Alan, who was loosening Lyle’s rope.
Alan smiled and shrugged. Everyone else looked away in the hopes
that they wouldn’t be asked the same question.

“Uh…” Dale stalled. “What happened to
Geno?”

“You mean the guy who kidnapped all of you
and ran out shooting at us?” an officer replied.

“Yeah, him. I guess you answered my
question. Was anyone hit?” Dale said.

“No, he aimed high and only got off three
shots before we dropped him.”

With everyone untied, the officers began
escorting the group from the building. Alan resisted.

“No, there’s something I need to do first,”
he said. The officer stood in his way but Dale put his hand on the
officer’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, Tommy. He’s my brother. Give him
a minute. We’ll wait outside.” The officer shrugged and walked out
with Dale.

*****

Alan turned the key and pulled the panel
open. As Geno promised, the Peepers mold was inside the tight
space, along with the molds for Spanky and Agor. Starting with the
Peepers mold, he retrieved a cutter from his pocket and got to work
shredding the silicone. Satisfied that the three molds were
thoroughly beyond repair, he retracted the blade and returned it to
his pocket.

Without looking back, Alan turned and walked
toward the rear door. He stepped outside and the door slammed
behind him. Lights dimmed in the empty building. Inside the
mirrored wall, a gloved hand reached down. The fingers wrapped
around the handle of Peepers’ discarded sword. As the hand raised
the blade from the floor, a rising sound of psychotic laughter
rumbled throughout the Labyrinth.

FADE OUT

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