The Clown

Her fear of clowns was a lifelong nightmare for her, until this night...

The Clown

Jack Ivey

 

Gina awoke with her lungs inflamed and devoid of air. She sat up, wrapped in her bed sheets, completely drenched in sweat. Her hands reached for her neck as she gasped for breath. Fumbling for the lamp on her nightstand, she knocked her glass of water to the floor. Switching on the lamp, through clouded eyes she could see she was alone, though her heart raced as if the opposite were true. She sat terrified, motionless - as the nightmare still raced in her mind.

 

She had begun experiencing nightmares soon after her sixth birthday party.  The clown hired by her parents had shown up drunk, vomited on her birthday cake, and exposed himself to her and her friends.  The way he sneered at her, with that painted on smile as he was handcuffed and led away, haunted her dreams.  Eventually, the dreams became so horrific her parents consulted a child psychologist, fearing suicide would be her next step.

 

It had been ten years since the incident and Gina had locked it away somewhere deep in her past. Her life had been somewhat normal for a while. The nightmares had ended, but her fear of clowns was something that would linger forever. This night, however, that clown returned.

 

She lay frozen in fear as he entered her room. His hair was the color of hell fire; his lips smeared in a bloody red smile. A single black tear drop adorned his starkly white painted face. He tied a rope around her neck and secured it to the headboard so that any movement would choke her. The monster then climbed atop the young woman and had his way with her. Sickened, as his dirt encrusted fingernails moved freely about her body, she squirmed as the rope became tighter, cutting off her air. He found this to be amusing, laughing as he kissed her, forcing his tongue down her throat as her body convulsed for air. His breath, smelling of sulfur, flooded into her nostrils and she gagged on his spit. It was at this point that she woke up.

 

Shaking, she stepped from her bed onto the damp carpet, wet from the spilled water. Retrieving the glass, she tiptoed to the bathroom for a refill. The glass fell from her hand and shattered in the sink as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Behind her stood the clown, staring at her with that painted on smile she had come to despise. With reflexes even she didn’t realize she had, Gina grabbed a shard of broken glass and quickly spinning, sliced a neat straight line across the intruder’s neck. The flow of blood was mesmerizing as Gina watched her nightmare fall in a heap on the bathroom floor. Without hesitation she stuck her fingers into the oozing pool of blood growing at her feet, raised them to his face and repainted his smile to a frown.   

 

 

 

Author's Note

A short Flash Fiction story

Reviews

[InsanityWriter]

I don't like clowns either... This girl deserves the highest of fives. Awesome story. ;)

[Jack...]

Wow, thanks for stopping by and reading my clown story.

[InsanityWriter]

No problem! :)

[Rane Miller]

Requested by a mutual friend.

First paragraph needs a period at the very end. Other than that, pretty nicely constructed. Definitely entertaining. I think everyone (besides my great-grandmother who finds it her job to FILL her house with the damn things) is scared of clowns in some form. It was just visual enough without being grotesque or unnecessarily vulgar. Nicely done!

[Jack...]

Thanks so much and I will correct the period directly.

[Baby Ricochet]

Clowns are fucked man

[Jack...]

I will take that as a compliment...I think.

[Richard Man]

Coulrophobia... a pan-global multi-cultural omni-linguistic phenomena of fear. Your write will be appreciated by many who will identify with the terror. Psychologically she has mastered her demon like I did with mine in "Flying lessons".

[Jack...]

Thanks Richard, I will check out Flying lessons.

[Richard Man]

Yeah but mine was without the terror.

[Jack...]

We all define terror differently...

[Richard Man]

I used to have a terror of night-time but that was sorted out by my dad... I was terrified of heights until I went climbing with professional mountaineers...I was frightened of expressing my self until I realised I had something to say.

[Jack...]

I'm afraid of being afraid...it scares the hell out of me.

[Barbara Walker]

Gruesomely awesome! Love that she had the guts to paint that frown on that clown!

[Jack...]

Thank you so much, she never realized she was much of a painter before that night. :)

[CecilA]

This is broadway play material; just need dialog.

[Jack...]

Thanks so much.

[Lina Grey]

well all of the creepy things... I'm actually not scared of clowns, but I've also never had any experience with one. I started to think she was going to go crazy and kill herself, thinking her reflection was a clown or something like that. So many people go for that, and the fact that you didn't made this more original and overall more enjoyable. well penned Jack :)

[Jack...]

Thanks so much for the nice comments. I am happy it surprised you at the end.

[Lina Grey]

you're welcome :)

[Frieda P]

For the record, I loathe clowns, they freak me out, and you've only compounded my fears with this read....if I can't sleep tonight I'm calling you!

[Jack...]

Call me early so I have time to put my make up on. Thanks so much.

[Frieda P]

So not funny! ;-P

[Frieda P]

If you wanted to leave an impact, you did....send Valium quick. ;-)

[Jack...]

I'll have it delievered directly...oh...and don't be concerned when 25 strangely dressed people pile out of the little car to bring it to your door.

[Frieda P]

phahahaha....you know how to get a girl right where it hurts!

[Ama May Cooper]

Clowns are beyond terrifying lol i read this knowing forwell it would creep me out but i did not expect this. Its brilliant, terryfing , sick and twisted all in one... the imagery is very very vivid maybe even to vivid for my liking lol i loved every inch of this you truely are a descriptive genius. I love the ending the symbalys in a clowns smile is immense and i think it gave a very final and powerful end for fighting the things that scare us. Creepy spooky and a truely worthwhille read

[Jack...]

Thank you, I hope it didn't creep you out too much?

[Ama May Cooper]

haha nothing is ever to much, the ablity to creep someone out through word alone is brilliant i consider it an honor to have been creeped out so :)

[Jack...]

Then I won't worry

[Be myself!]

Holy mother of god. I am terrified of clowns. This had me on my toes the entire time. Good write

[Jack...]

Thank you so much, I am happy you *enjoyed* it

[Be myself!]

your welcome

[Jack...]

FYI - Your opening comment really made me laugh this morning. Thank you for that.

[Be myself!]

yeah. lol. it made a lot of people laugh