Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen
Bugsy picked up the two blades that sat burried into the clown man's eye holes of his skull. The clown's face was twisted into terror as blood poured out of his eyes. The arms to the tall man had been broken in half and his stilt legs had been broken into shards of wooden spliteners.

Bugsy popped his neck as he turned around to face the frightened Martha in the corner of the room, still holding her hands over her mouth. "Now we have two." Bugsy said with a large smile and holding the blood covered blades.

Martha started to push herself up. "Oh my God."

"I am? Didn't know that." Bugsy joked. His black eyes narrowed on the black light that swung over his head. "You know ... I didn't give much credit to Dicky boy. I thought he was on the slow side. However, what I just felt was just plain awesome."

Martha stared at Bugsy. "What ... What did you feel?"

Bugsy closed his eyes and let his bottom jaw protrude out to expose his wicked teeth. "Rage ... Not mine." He smiled. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't have much rage, Miss Thomas." He opened his eyes and slid them down in a lizard like manner to Martha staring at him in fear. "But Richard is filled with it, oh my, how he is filled with it." He shrugged with a boyish grin. "I knew Richard had it in him all the long, I just didn't want him to know it."

Martha slowly stood onto her own two feet. "Know what?"

Bugsy let his hands open and he dropped the blades onto the floor. He bent down and grabbed the glasses that Richard threw off the moment before. He slowly slipped them on. Then, with a grin and a wink, Bugsy slowly transformed into Richard.

Martha stared at the transformation, dried tears on her cheeks. "What just happened?"

Richard blinked wildly for a moment and then took in a breath. "Are you alright?" He asked with care.

Martha quickly jumped into action and walked over to the blades sitting on the floor. She bent down and picked one up. "What did you do? Bugsy was talking about rage or something."

Richard slowly turned to look at the clown on the floor. "Bugsy does have talent in this area, doesn't he?"

Martha grabbed Richard's right shoulder, spun him around and stared into his eyes. "Did you just control the transformation?"

Richard looked at Martha in confusion. "Yeah ... I've always had control."

Martha's jaw dropped. "What?!"

Richard gave her a worried look. "Sometimes it is easier to let him ... Uh ... Drive for a moment." He sighed. "The best way I can describe it is, when someone knocks the air out of you. You are out of it for a little bit, but you still have a little amount of control." He raised his eyebrows. "That was the first moment that I had to force him back into submission. I didn't know what was going on, but I had a feeling it wasn't good. When Bugsy is out ... Things go black and I feel like I am asleep, but if I have enough wits about me, I can manage myself awake."

Martha squinted her eyes at Richard. "You had to get angry to force yourself awake."

Richard frowned and gave a nod. "I guess that is the best way to put it." He bent down and grabbed the last blade. "Come on, we have to find Chloe." He turned and walked quickly over the clown to the bald spot where he first saw the horrible creature. "There is no other way out of here, so how did he come in?" He pushed on the metal bald spot between two bodies. Quickly, the portion of the wall caved in to reveal a secret door in the wall.

Martha looked at the wall up and down. "We don't know what is in there."

Richard nodded but continued to walk through it. "Then we will have to find out."

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The old brick hallway was designed as a part of the asylum. Cob webs and heavy layers of dust hung on the walls. Large grey rats scaled the walls and ran along them, squeaking to their intruders.

Martha followed Richard through the hallway, both holding out blades and ready for a battle.

"What do you think this hallway was used for?" Richard asked.

"It looks like they used it for a maintenance passage." Martha answered, glancing behind her.

"Then it should end somewhere." He thought of a moment. "How many were there? There was Scarecrow Jack, Tower of Laughter, Caged Bill and the devil guy, right?"

Martha shook her head. "There was that little girl that made a dramatic enterance from the swing set."

Richard nodded with a scowl on his face. "Then we have to be on the look out for the other two then."

Martha let out a scoff. "They know every corner of this place."

The hallway took a sharp right, the two followed it. At the end of the brick hallway stood a single wooden door. Richard and Martha stopped to stare at it.

Martha let out a groan. "I hate these doors."

Richard lowered his brow. "If ... If the exhibt stopped at Tower of Laughter's play house, then what else could there be?"

Martha raised her right eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Richard glanced to Martha and held out his blade. "Take this and wait by the door."

Martha shook her head with wide eyes. "I am not going to let you go in there alone."

Richard grabbed Martha by her shoulders. "Think about it, if I can get them to come out and attack me, then they have either I or Bugsy to deal with." He urged Martha to take the blade.

Martha slowly took the blade with hesitation. "Be careful."

Richard gave her a frightened look. "That is going to be hard." He swallowed hard and walked towards the door. His right hand shook as he turned the knob and opened it.

Just beyond the door was a corridor of old doorways. This corridor was not designed like a fun house or a maze of mirrors, it was another wing of the asylum. The walls chipped with white paint. Black spots held the distant memory of the great fire that happened there. The patient rooms held rusty bed frames along with melted wheel chairs. At the end of the corridor sat a pair of double doors. Over the doors was red spray paint that read: Employees Only. Richard could see a light shining through the circle windows at the top of each of the doors at the end of the corridor.

Richard turned and grabbed the knob. "Stay here." He whispered to Martha.

Martha, holding both blades across her chest, gave a simple, but frightened, nod. Her eyes watched Richard with fear and worry.

Richard closed the door behind him. He took in a breath and started down the corridor. "Okay ... This is a crash course on how to handle yourself, Richard." He whispered to himself. He took in another deep breath and closed his eyes. "Hello there freaks! I ... I ... I am looking for my girl-friend!"

No response came back to him.

Richard darted his eyes left and right as he slowly continued down the corridor, looking into each room. "I ... All I want to do is take her home ... I promise no trouble will come to you ... If you let her go!"

Richard stopped, his back straightened and his eyes widened with fear as he heard the laughter of a little girl from behind him. With caution, Richard slowly turned around to see the little girl with the porcelein mask standing behind him.

Pale face let out a giggle. She folded her arms behind her back and she twisted her waist.

Richard swallowed hard. "Um ... Hey there ... Have you seen a young woman by the name of Chloe?"

Pale Face cocked her head to one side. "Daddy doesn't like trasspassers."

Richard stared at the little white haired girl for a moment. "Um ... Daddy?"

Pale Face lifted a frail finger and pointed to Richard. She let out another disturbing giggle.

The hairs on the back of Richard's neck rose up. Very quietly, a figure leaned next to Richard's left ear. It was Louise Diabolo.

"Hello ... Richard was it?" The devil man asked.

Richard stared in front of him with horror. "Yes ... And ... And ..."

Louise let out a chirpping sound. "Yes, I am Louise Diabolo. What honor do I have for you stopping by my dressing room?"

Richard's shaking hands slowly slid up and grabbed his glasses. With fear in his large eyes, he slipped the glasses into his jacket. "Well ... I wish ... I wish to say that I am a fan of your ... Work ... But I am not." He slowly glanced over his shoulder to the yellow eyed demon. "But ... But my brother is..."

Louise smiled. "Oh ... And where is this brother of your's?"

Richard forced a grin on his face. "He is around." Richard gave on blink and his form switched from frightened Richard Thomas to Bugsy.

Louise walked backwards with shock. "Well now, that is a trick!"

Bugsy, still staring at the devil, kicked the little girl in front of him.

Pale Face let out a squeel before landing on her back on the ground.

With fast speed, Bugsy ran over to Pale Face and wrapped his left arm around her neck. With his free hand, Bugsy pulled off the little girl's mask. Under it, the little girl's face was mangled and twisted, her left cheek was sliced open just enough to see her rows of teeth.

Bugsy cackled. "Nice face." He darted his eyes to the still shocked Diabolo. "Your handy work?"

Diabolo pointed at Bugsy. "Put her down!" Loud chirping escaped his throat.

Bugsy raised his eyebrows. "Oh ... So the devil has care? Didn't know that Guns and Roses song had a point to it."

Diabolo walked quickly over to Bugsy with rage on his face. "Let her go!"

Pale Face tried to kick and scratch at Bugsy's skin, but nothing would pry her away from Bugsy's grasp.

Bugsy gave a little twist to Pale Face's head.

Pale Face squeeled.

Diabolo stopped his march.

Bugsy smiled. "Before you unleash the fury of hell, I'll make you a promise, you let Richard's flame go and I'll let go of your precious daughter."

Diabolo stared at Pale Face. "We do not negotiate with monsters like you."

Bugsy gave a cackle. "I'm sorry, Mr. President, I didn't realize that freaks had a code." His black eyes stared at Diabolo. "You have three seconds to let Chloe go, or this little bitch turns into Linda Blair."

Diabolo turned his eyes from Pale Face to Bugsy. "You have three seconds to let her go, or I will torture everyone you have ever loved." The chirpping sound out with a hint of warning.

Bugsy smiled. "If you are talking to me, then you are talking to the wrong guy. Ya see, I'm the guy without a conscience."

Diabolo snarled. "Let me get something straight, you are obvisously a dual personality. So why do you care about that girl you speak of?"

Bugsy cackled. "First of all, dual doesn't quite cover it. Second ... I am in it for the fun." With a wink to his left eye, Bugsy twisted the little girl's neck very quickly. The snapping echoed throughout the hallway. Pale Face went limp in Bugy's arms.

Diabolo snarled and charged at Bugsy. "You mother ..."

Bugsy twisted his lanky frame and threw the body at Diabolo.

Diabolo stumbled as he tried to miss the little girl's body.

Bugsy charged at him with a grin. He threw a punch into the devil's face. As Diabolo threw a blind fist at Bugsy, Bugsy quickly grabbed the devil's horns and brought his face down onto his bony left knee. A loud snapping was heard from Diabolo's jaw. Bugsy cackled as he brought the bleeding face of Diabolo up, twisted the man around and slammed him head first into a wooden wall. The wall caved in and Diabolo's body flew through it.

Bugsy took adavantage of the dazed devil, he walked over the rubble that the wall left behind and kicked Diabolo over and over again towards the man's rib cage.

"You have prayed on innocent victims." Bugsy said with laughter, kicking the man over and over again. "You should have factored in that one of these innocent idiots was carring a devil inside of them." Bugsy threw back his left leg, aimed it at Diabolo's pain stricken face and then launched into the devil man's head. The kick was so powerful, it sent Diabolo spinning!

Bugsy leaped high into the air and landed on Diabolo's side. The sound of bones snapping filled the air along with the weak chirping in Diabolo's throat.

With a large grin, Bugsy stepped off the devil's body and popped his neck. "From what I can tell, severe hemorage followed by internal bleeding. A slow and perfect way to die, don't you think?"

Diabolo spit out a wad of blood onto the floor. "You ... Bastard..."

Bugsy laughed as he returned to Diabolo. "After all I did to your men and then you, that is all you've got to say to me?"

Diabolo slid his blood shot eyes to Bugsy. "I'll ... See you in hell."

Bugsy smiled. "You might see part of me." He raised his left foot and slammed it down on the horned head of Diabolo. After four stomps of his blood covered foot, Bugsy had managed to smash the skull of the human demon. He sighed as he stared at the carnage he left behind. "The other part, well, that is his to decide." He pulled out the glasses from inside his jacket. He opened the ear pieces and slipped them on. "Your time to shine, Dicky boy."

Bugsy's face twisted with anger, his teeth gnashed together as his eye began to bug out of his head. Then, with a battle like scream, Richard's yell roared through Bugsy's thin vocal cords. The bony skull covered in black hair leaned back as his face transformed into the rageful fat one of Richard's.

As Richard's form filled the once baggy clothing, the brown eyes of the young lad pulled his head down to the broken body of Louise Diabolo laying right at his feet. A look of saddness covered his eyes and the corners of his mouth. "I really wish you took the better road, Diabolo. I guess we won the prize." He held up his blood covered hands to his eye sight and then rubbed them on his jeans. With swift feet, Richard ran back into the corridor and down the hall towards the double doors marked: Employees Only.