My stomach churns as I watch, the reality of the situation sinking in. This isn't just a performance; it's a ritual of torture, a display of human suffering dressed up as entertainment. The audience, dressed in their finest clothes, it all makes sense now. This isn't for just anyone; this is for those who crave the macabre, who find delight in the pain and death of others.
As his cries fade out, his body barely clinging to life, the crowd rises to their feet, clapping and cheering. The sound is full of glee, the total opposite to the horror that has just unfolded, and I just remain seated, my pulse pounding in my ears, unable to tear my eyes away from the gruesome scene.
As the night progresses, I can't shake the feeling that I'm in way over my head. The darkness of this place is more dangerous than I could have ever imagined.
I watch many performances, each one more shocking than the last, where people are tied up and murdered in front of everyone. Unlike the acts from the other night, each one ends in death. A woman on a spinning wheel is axed to death, her screams drowned out by laughter. People are burnt alive by fire breathers, then let loose to run around in agony until they’re just fried meat lying on the ground.
Guys on bikes ride in the death dome, not The Hollow’s, and the woman standing in the middle isn't Pearl and as their bikes spin around her, they slice her to pieces with machetes or chainsaws until she’s nothing, but a pile of human remains in the centre. This place is fucking ruthless.
One man is forced onto the tightrope high above, and I silently pray for his safety, hoping against everything that I have witnessed tonight that he will still somehow make it to the other side, but the clown on the platform deliberately shakes the rope with an evil cackle, sending the man plunging to the ground with a splat, his body torn apart, guts flying everywhere.
I turn my face away with my eyes closed, taking a deep breath through my nose. Despite the rising urge to run for my fucking life, I remain stuck to my seat, trying to not let this place get to me and I can't help but wonder when Hellion will arrive. What role he will play?
After what feels like forever, it seems to be ending and confusion sweeps over me. Just as I begin to wonder about Hellion once again, the Hollow’s finally emerge from the curtains.
Their faces partially hidden by black, lower half masks with swirls in the colors of their eye contacts and they have tools in their hands. Behind them, enter a line of girls, including Blush and Pearl, holding blow torches and flame throwers, their identities concealed by full creepy masks, but they are detectable to me because of their hair.
Madame takes center stage once more, the Hollow’s and girls circling her as they face the audience. Her grin stretches wide, eyes darkening. “I trust you found the show enjoyable?” she asks, her voice carrying a chilling undertone.“But now, we come to the grand finale of Dark Night,” she gestures with her hands toward the crowd.
“This final act is one we've all wanted you to witness. It marks the end of your laughter, your speech, your breath.” Her words hang like a dark cloud, murmurs circling the tent as more performers enter the ring, carrying an array of weapons, their expressions grave.
“You see, Oddity has always served a purpose, but you know that,” Madame continues, her tone growing more sinister with every word. “Each of you have come here for a reason. To revel in the death of someone you despise, but have you ever considered your own sins and why you were given that black ticket in the first place?” A deafening silence falls over thecrowd as Madame's words sink into my bones. “This final act is a retaliation for your deceit, my darlings. This final act will cost every single one of you your lives. On Dark Night, no one escapes. Not even YOU!”
My eyes widen in realization, but when Madame chuckles loud and menacingly into the mic, throwing her head back, the crowd stupidly erupts in laughter with her.
I gently stand, my pulse racing, watching the performers closing in on the crowd. As soon as Madame's laughter stops, weapons are unleashed. The atmosphere shifts from cheerful to deadly in an instant as they understand the truth: this is not a performance; it’s a fucking massacre.
As people are burnt alive and knives are thrown into skulls, nail guns are fired, and chaos erupts. Everyone tries to flee, coming my way, scrambling over the seats, desperate to reach the exit near me. My eyes dart to Hellion, and I find his already on mine. My breath hitches in my throat, my body stiffening, wondering how the fuck he spotted me in the middle of absolute madness. His eyes are wide and crazed, his broad chest expanding with each breath as if he is about to pounce while he stands completely still. I can see it in him. He is Hellion tonight; there is no shadow of a doubt that he is going to fuck me up and enjoy every sickening second of it.
As the crowd gets closer to me, I bolt, heading for the exit beside me. I run down the passageway, aiming for the carnival, trying to stick to my plan. Frantic screams and heavy footsteps echo behind me, but as soon as I am outside, the crowd surrounds me, pushing me toward the main exit.
I try to break free and get out of the pull, but I am trapped between hundreds of panicked people. Looking ahead, I see the tall, spiked gates are locked, with a huge sign that says in bold red painted words, “No way out.”
Once I’m finally able to stop, the crowd continues forward, desperately trying to get through the gate and my heart races as I watch them all, struggling to breathe.
I glance down, noticing black circus tickets scattered across the cracked ground and when I lift my head I spot more carnival performers on the other side. I tiptoe to see what they're doing, and my heart stops completely when I see it—they're handing out weapons to fight back.
What the actual fuck.
As the crowd arms themselves, I worry that I have nothing to defend myself with, but still dressed as part of this wicked show, a fucking target. Thunder and lightning suddenly crackle through the air, heavy rain plummeting down on me. Panic rises inside my chest, feeling surrounded by madness and violence, wondering how I’m going to fucking survive this night.
As soon as I hear motorbikes closing in behind me, I turn on my heel, seeing performers finally exiting the circus, armed and ready to unleash even more bloodshed. When the Hollow's round the corner, I run fast, hoping Hellion doesn’t see me yet. The crowd scatters and people begin to fight. I weave in and out of the mayhem, as if I am on a battle field, trying to get around the circus and back to the trailer park, but every way I go, it’s blocked.
A guy with a chainsaw suddenly jumps out in front of me causing me to stop abruptly, my heels skidding across the wet ground. He’s middle-aged with grey hair, dressed in a suit and he licks his lips. “Well hey there, gorgeous, are you lost?” he growls, his eyes glimmering with murder.
I take a step back as he takes one forward, and then he lunges, attempting to slice me apart. I bow backward and sidestep, narrowly avoiding the blade, but without warning, aknife whizzes past my head and plunges brutally into his eye. My expanded gaze stays locked on him as he falls to the ground, dropping the chainsaw, but it continues to run, hacking at his leg.
I throw a glance over my shoulder, and my eyes instantly collide with Hellion's. He sits on his bike at a distance, watching me intently. The chaos around me seems to blur as if the world is narrowing to just the two of us. The violent, blood-soaked carnival fades into the background as I see the darkness in his swirling orbs.
I remove my mask, tossing it to the ground to reveal mine, but before I can see his reaction, a woman charges towards me with a scream, an axe raised high in the air. Without thinking, I lean down, grabbing the heavy chainsaw lying nearby and while spinning around, I thrust the jagged blade forward, catching her in the stomach. Her cry mingles with the revving of the saw as her guts spill out onto the ground. I feel the warm spray of her blood hit my face, arms, and chest as I hold my breath.
She drops to the floor, and my wide eyes meet Hellion's once again across the carnival. He's holding a knife, positioned to throw it at her. His gaze flickers to mine, and an evil smirk tugs at his lips.
I understand his silent message: only he is allowed to hurt me as he said the other night, but he will still protect me in his own twisted way even if he is within his character. His presence is both terrifying and oddly reassuring, a reminder of the strange bond we share. When his face suddenly falls and he flicks his blade closed, my heart skips a beat and I drop the chainsaw.
He starts to rev his engine and I spin around, running as fast as I can. The sound of his bike gets closer with each step until he whizzes past me, skidding sideways to block my path. I look around frantically, trying to find a way to escape him until myeyes land on the sign for The Glass Maze. As Hellion stands away from his bike, I bolt again, pulling on the door and heading inside the unknown building.
The entrance door closes behind me, and I’m plunged into a brightly lit labyrinth of glass that stretches far and wide. Ahead of me, I faintly see other people, desperately trying to find a way out. When I glance down, I notice a thick sea of blood at my feet, confusion momentarily paralyzing me, but I know I can't stand around for long; Hellion is right behind me.
