Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen


Martha and Richard bumped into and followed the mirrored walls through the maze. The hallways ran into a wall made of glass that held a door with a large painting of a smiling clown face. The eyes to the clown face flashed with two tiny blue bulbs and a splatter of blood sat at the bottom of the door, which started from the floor and ran up to the duo's feet.

Richard took a fearful sigh and stepped forward. Martha quickly grabbed the young man's right arm and pulled him back.

"Are you crazy?" Martha whispered with a frantic look.

Richard gave Martha a confused look. "I do not like this as much as you do ... But ... There is no other way out of here."

Martha stared at Richard and then glanced slowly over her shoulder to where they came from. "Perhaps the front door?"

Richard pulled his arm away from his cousin's grasp. "And what about Chloe?" His eyes looked worried.

Martha slowly turned her attention back to Richard. Her blue eyes slowly lowered to the ground. "Richard, look around you. This place is filled with blood. There is a good chance that Chloe..."

Richard grabbed Martha's shoulders and forced her eyes to met his. His brown eyes flashed with anger and fear behind his glasses. "Don't say that. Until I see her body, I will not leave here without her, or you."

Martha's face twisted, holding back emotion. "And what if Bugsy returns? Not only am I at the threat of death at the hands of these freaks, but there is a good chance Bugsy will kill me as well."

Richard stared hard at his cousin. "Bugsy will not kill you."

Martha gave slump to her shoulders and a weak scoff. "How do you know that? It is easier for you to say that when you are not always around to see what he does."

Richard slowly let his arms fall from Martha's shoulders and his hard glare calmed. "I ... I see what you mean ... But ... Everytime I wake up with a blade in my hand ... Or a gun pointing at someone I care for ... I think Bugsy can't kill anyone I care for because ... I guess I can't let him." He gave a short scoff. "I didn't know I was holding him back ... I just thought that Bugsy cared for them as much as I did."

Martha shook her head. "He doesn't care for anyone. He is cruel and a killer."

Richard held out his hand to stop Martha. His eyes were kind, but worried. "I know you two don't see eye to eye ... But ... He is my brother."

Martha widened her eyes and twisted her mouth with anger. "Are you really going to chose him over me? You are going to trust that bastard over me?" She pointed to her chest.

Richard nodded. "I'm sorry ... I didn't mean to say ..." He shook his head and blinked his eyes. "Okay ... Look, if I remain focused ... If I stay in control and not feel fear, then he won't return. I have to get angry and stay that way."

Martha studied Richard cautiously. "How do you mean?"

Richard turned and bowed out his chest. His eyebrows narrowed and his eyes stared at the door with rage. "Those bastards took Chloe, tried to kill me and you. They are going to pay."

"Faking anger ... Richard, why don't you stay here?" Martha looked worried.

Richard stomped forward to the door and grabbed the rusty handle. "I am not weak!" He twisted the knob and threw open the door.

A fake halloween skeleton fell down from the ceiling and landed right in the doorway, in front of Richard! The fright sent Richard falling backwards, glasses falling off his face. As his back landed on the floor, his face changed and within a second, Richard's lean frame turned into the bony frame of Bugsy.

Bugsy gave a cackle and jumped to his feet with ease. He ran his bony fingers over his coat sleeves with a chuckle. "Dicky boy is frightened of skeletons."

Martha swallowed hard. "Welcome back."

Bugsy bent down and picked up the glasses from the floor. With a large smile, the bony man slid the glasses into the inside left pocket of the jacket. "I am certain that is sarcasim in your throat, cousin." His black eyes slid from the pocket to Martha. "Don't play games with me."

Martha frowned at Bugsy with a flash of anger in her eyes. "Send out Richard again."

"Don't presume that I have control over that." Bugsy said, running his hands through his hair, pants falling down from his waist. "Dicky boy has a true heart, I admit that, but he isn't a fighter." He chuckled. "However, I grow tired of fighting these battles for him." He turned his attention to his belt and started to tighten it. "Why should I care about what's her name?"

Martha stared hard at Bugsy, eyes flashing with warning. "You would do anything for your brother, right?"

Bugsy looked at her with missing emotion. "No."

Martha started to march over to Bugsy. "You defend him and protect him, yet you don't care for him?"

Bugsy smiled. "I feed my host, I don't give a damn about his feelings. If Richard is threatened, then I will protect my host, but continuing through this mad house just to get this young crush of his, well, I don't think I find it interesting anymore."

Martha stopped and stared at the man before her with confusion. A smirk crossed her face and a squint to her eyes. Suddenly, Martha leaned into Bugsy with open arms. She wrapped her arms around Bugsy with warmth. The young woman kissed his left cheek and laid her head on his left shoulder. "Nice to see you again, cousin."

Bugsy's eyes faded into brown and as quickly as the transformation before, Richard emerged. He wrapped his arms around Martha with surprise. "Did I go out?"

Martha pushed herself away from Richard and slapped him across the face. "Are you going to be a weakling and let Bugsy drive throughout this heroic mission?"

Richard stared at her in shock. "Uh?"

"That young girl is crying out your name and is hoping for you to rescue her." Martha pointed at the doorway that held the fake skeleton. "She is trapped in there with those freaks, being tortured or God knows what!"

Richard looked over his shoulder as he pulled out his glasses from inside his jacket. "Uh."

Martha moved the blade around in her hand and grabbed Richard's jacket. "Pull yourself together man! That is just a fake skeleton. You think Bugsy is your super power? We need a hero, damn it! Not some fly by freak show with super strength and speed! We need Richard Thomas to save both me and Chloe from a fate worse than death!"

Richard stared at Martha. "A...Alright."

"What are you going to do?" Martha demanded with a scowl.

Richard took in a breath. "I am going to save Chloe and you. I am going to be the hero?"

Martha stared into Richard's eyes. "Say it like you mean it."

Richard nodded. "I am going to be a hero." He said in a louder voice. He slipped on his glasses and patted Martha's hands. "I ... I am going to be the hero."

Martha released her grasp and marched passed Richard. "Then do it, damn it! Don't let that leeche rule over you, Dicky boy. Stay behind me and protect me at all cost!" She let out a sigh as she pushed the skeleton out of her way. "God help me." She whispered.

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The room just pass the door was painted with black walls. The room was dark, but black lights gave off a dim blue. What stood out were paintings of clowns and demonic creatures on the wall. These glow in the dark green clowns were stabbing victims and the demonic creatures at the bodies. Although larger, the room was slightly maze like, almost with the same twist and turns in the mirror hallways. The difference was the blood. Blood splatters sat on the walls and the floor. Clown masks sat on the ground, drentched in human blood. Clown like dolls sat around, letting out a toy like laughter as Richard and Martha passed them.

Martha, lit up strangely by the black lights over head, glanced around the room in fear. "You okay hero?" She asked in a bold voice.

Richard looked at her and then nodded. "Yeah ... Yeah, I'm alright."

Martha nodded as she led the way through the clown infested maze. "Good, because you better not let anything happen to me."

Richard nodded. "I won't."

They rounded a corner and spotted a three foot tall clown doll sitting in a blue lit rocking chair. As they slowly walked passed the doll, its eyes lit up and let out a laugh.

Richard jumped back away from the doll. Martha grabbed Richard. She glanced at the doll and then back at Richard. "That doll scared me. What are going to do about it?" She said in a shaky voice, trying to sound bold.

Richard cleared his throat and slowly grabbed the laughing doll. He held it up in his hands and stared into its glowing eyes. "Stupid ... Doll ... Scaring my cousin." He tossed it to the ground and stomped on its head. "I hate you ... I hate this place!"

Martha nodded with a sigh. "Thank you."

Richard gave a scowl to her. "I mean that. I truly hate it here." He glanced around the room. "If I have to break through these walls, I'll do so to get out of here."

Martha nodded as she continued to walk. "I am in agreement."

Richard followed, loosening his belt as he did. "I ... I spend a month with people that could kill me and ... I mean I live with them ... And these freaks are the ones that are going to try to kill me?"

Martha studied the horrible cartoons drawn on the walls. "On that subject, did you happen to mention to Bugsy anything on Zachary?"

Richard slowly walked passed her, keeping his eyes alert for corners. "I ... I might have ... But it was just a mere assumption."

Martha nodded as she held out her blade. "Be careful what you tell him. I know you care for him and I know you want him to be a part of your life, but you have to be careful what you tell him."

Richard nodded as he led the way around a corner. "Alright ... What did he say?"

Martha shook her head and narrowed her eyes on the back of Richard. "Nothing, just keep moving."

Once the two entered a long hallway, missing the cartoon drawings but still lit up with a blue light, Richard turned his attention to Martha at his side.

"It is hard for me ... Sometimes I just start to ramble while I am recording myself." Richard admited.

Martha nodded. "I know, but Bugsy will take anything you say and twist it." She paused for a moment and stopped walking. "What does he tell you?"

Richard shrugged. "Nothing other than what he did the night before and how much he doesn't like you." He continued to walk.

Martha followed. "You seem like you are okay with what he does."

Richard gave a sigh. "To be honest, I don't know how else to handle it. Whether I like it or not, Bugsy will take control." He gave a fake snicker. "Good thing you have the Prantex working. We might be able to control him. I don't want him gone, but at least we can control him."

Martha forced a smile on her face. "I should have brought a batch with me."

The two stopped, Richard first and Martha second as she ran into him. Before them stood a tall and thin door. Over the door sat a sign that had letters painted in rainbow format: Tower of Laughter. They looked to the right and then to the left, yet the only way out of the hallway and through the haunted house was this very door they stood in front of.

Martha swallowed hard and walked around Richard, knife ready to strike at anything that would move out of the door. Her eyes careful watched the door as she moved forward. Slowly, Martha let out her hand and reached for the brass door knob that sat limp in the door. She gave the knob a quick twist and opened it towards her. The rusty hinges to the door creaked loudly as it swung open.

Richard moved closer to his cousin, eyes staring in fear.

Behind the door sat a very dark room, almost pitch black if it were not for the black light bulb that swung around from the ceiling. A flood of cold air escaped the room and the smell of something horrible lay beyond.

Martha held up the knife and held her breath as she moved forward into the room. Richard followed close behind. As they entered the dark room, Richard reached into his jean pocket and retrieved the silver lighter that Bugsy had put into his pocket. He lit the wick and the small flame that he had in his hands was just enough for him to search around the room.

"I am going to find a light switch." He said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

Martha nodded as she walked towards the ceiling dark blue light that hung over head.

Richard searched the walls in the cold room. He barely touched the walls and felt the painful cold torture his flesh. Finally, Richard's fingers touched a single light switch near the wall that the door rested on. He hesitated for a moment, but managed to to turn on the light switch. Dim lights strung around the room flickered on and off. He slowly turned from the light switch, lighter still blazing with the little flame. Richard's jaw dropped and his eyes bugged out of his head.

"Dear ... Oh ... Martha, are you seeing this?" Richard exclaimed with a stutter.

Martha darted her eyes around the room, throat shaking and eyes widened.

The walls of the room were covered with dead bodies. Blood dripped from gashes made on their necks and from their backs where giant meat hooks sat burried in their skin. The almost frozen blood oozed on the ground and flowed to a large drain cover that sat under Martha's feet.

Martha nearly dropped her blade, but still held onto it loosely. "Oh my God."

Richard closed the lid to his lighter. "There are more here ... This isn't the group that came in with us."

Martha nodded. "They are keeping them fresh. Like meat or something."

Richard turned to look at the bodies hanging near him on the right. His eyes looked them up and down as he pintched his nose. "That smell."

"Even frozen, the decompsition happens." Martha answered.

As Richard neared the middle of the group, his brown eyes caught the sight of one man dressed in blood covered clown clothing. The clothing was multi-colored with misplaced patches. His face was covered in horribly drawn makeup and his head was shaved bald. This clown man did not seem frozen like the others. He seemed newly placed.

Suddenly, the clown's eyes popped open and he let out a shrill laugh. "HAHAHAHA."

Richard stumbled backwards. His eyes bugging out of his head. "MARTHA!"

Martha turned around to face, wide eyes filled with fear, at the clown.

The clown slowly stood out of the wall of bodies, stretching his legs out and standing as tall as the room. He pulled out a butcher blade from behind his back as he gave a ghastly grin. "Welcome to my freezer." He said in a deep, almost demonic voice. "All are welcome to my hooks."

Richard walked backwards to stand next to Martha.

Martha held out her blade to the nervous young man. "Take him down!"

Richard took the knife, started towards the man and then stopped.

Martha stared at Richard's back with surprise. "Richard?"

Richard turned around, but his face had been replaced by the bony cheek and pale one of Bugsy's. He gave a smile. "On second thought, maybe not." He ran over to Martha and grabbed her by the shoulders. Bugsy then threw the screaming woman stumbling onto the ground near the tall feet of the clown. "Here! You can have her!" He cackled.

The clown picked up Martha by her hair. "Don't think you are next."

Bugsy smiled and held out his blade. "Try me." He slipped the glasses down his face to stare over them. Suddenly, his grin left him and his black flashing eyes dulled into a dark brown. "No ... NO!" Richard's voice rang out of Bugy's throat.

The clown darted his attention from Martha to Bugsy. "What is going on?"

Bugsy held out the blade and charged at him. As Bugsy's frame ran with great speed, his body transformed into Richard's. With blind fury, Richard stabbed the man in the shoulder! The clown stumbled backwards, releasing his grip from Martha's hair.

Martha fell onto the ground and crawled away from the clown.

Richard stood, glasses at the brim of his nose, staring up at the tall monster of a clown with fury. "You have to tangle with me first, Tower of Laughter."

The clown removed the knife from his shoulder. Blood spurted out of the wound and the same red liquid covered the shiny blade. It was then that the clown laughed with a shrill voice, holding in his hands two butcher blades. His evil green eyes narrowed on the heroic Richard. "Alrighty then." He said with a snicker.

Richard removed his glasses and threw them to his right side. With a yell, he ran forward to the tall clown. As Richard and the clown collided, the blades in the clown's hands thrusted into Richard's chest.

Richard's body bent and he gave out a gasp as the clown threw in his blades into the young man's chest.

Martha held her hands over her mouth and tears rolled down her cheek as she watched the horrible attack.

Richard, gasping for air, grabbed the tall man's shoulders and pulled himself up to meet the clown's green eyes.

The clown let out a laugh. "That didn't last long, but I have to admit kid, you've got spunk."

Richard gave a weak smile. "I've got more ... Than ... That." His smile grew wider and his teeth became yellow with a crooked nature. He pushed the blades out of his chest and stumbled backwards. His frame shrunk and his hair ran black. Bugsy emerged once again.

The clown stared at the transformation with shock. "What the f..."

Bugsy let out an evil chuckle. "My turn."