Welcome to the Dark Carnival

The next day I was woken up by someone banging on my door. Groaning, I got myself out of bed and grabbed a rather tattered sweatshirt and pair of well worn and ratty jeans as I pulled my crimson messenger bag across my shoulder and my tattered shoes onto my feet. The pounding on the door continued as I ran a hand through my hair before putting a plain old black beanie over my head. "Hannah!" called Rob. I opened the door and smiled a bit. "Morning" I muttered as I rubbed my eyes. Rob just chuckled at me and grinned. "You're late" he said, teasing me. My eyes widened and he laughed even more. "It's ok. Alex, J, Shaggy, and I didn't expect you to be on time" he explained to me. "Still, it's my first day of work" I said softly. "Chill, it's ok really" said Rob as he smiled. I smiled a bit more and we walked to Alex's house. Once there, I cringed and slowly moved behind Rob as Violent J and Shaggy appeared.

"You're still afraid of them?" asked Rob quietly. "Of course I am. I have never been great with clowns. Didn't I tell you this yesterday?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow. "Yo intern, get started promoting us" said Shaggy with a smirk. That smirk was so dark due to his makeup and I froze in my spot with my eyes wide. I was in such a trance that I didn't realize that everyone had surrounded me to see if I was alright. "Hannah? You ok?" asked Alex. It wasn't until Rob and J poked me that I snapped out of my trance. "Get the clown away from me" I said quickly. J backed away quickly, not knowing what he did that bothered me. "Hannah, you're going to need to get used to this" said Rob softly. I looked at him and I shook my head. "What do I need to do today?" I asked. Alex handed me some flyers that were advertising for an Insane Clown Posse show that was in three days. "Insane Clown Posse? That's your name?" I asked, trying not to look directly at Shaggy and J. "Yeah, so?" asked J, who I could see was getting clearly annoyed with my actions without an explanation.

"I'll get started" I said as I grabbed a skateboard that Alex had lying around. "Can I use this?" I asked. "Go ahead. If you break it, don't worry about it. It's old anyway" he said, smiling at me. I grinned as Rob shook his head. "I'll drive and you'll come with me" he said. I nodded and got into his car, not seeing the heated glare J was sending me. After I got in the car, I sighed in relief. "You really don't like clowns" said Rob as we started to drive. "No, I don't" I said. "Why's that?" he asked me. "I don't want to talk about it" I said. Rob nodded, showing he understood and I glanced at my hair. "I need a shower" I mumbled. "Take one when we get back" said Rob. "I have no change of clothes" I said. "So, we'll stop and get you some clothes from your place" Rob said with a grin on his face as he put on a cd. "Tweedle dee and Tweedle doh, let the fucking bass go" came from the speakers. It made me laugh and Rob seemed to be shocked. "That's the first time you've really actually laughed" he said. "You've known me for a day" I said with a grin. "Yeah I know" he said. "So who's this?" I asked, referring to the band.

"It's Shaggy and J. The song is called the Juggla" he said. As the song continued to play, I was listening intently. "They're actually really good. Funny too" I said, grinning. "That's great! They'll be happy to know you like them" said Rob as we got out and plastered the flyers everywhere then headed back to the car. We drove back to my house, with the Juggla once again playing. After we pulled up, I ran inside and grabbed some clothes and then ran back out. Rob laughed at my jumping through the window and landing on the seat. "Sorry, it's just I really could use a shower" I said quietly. He nodded and we made it back to Alex's place where him, J, and Shaggy were. A menacing tingle ran down my spine as I caught sight of J's expression. He was beyond furious, and I think it was because I was so terrified of them. Alex saw my clothes and nodded with a smile as he let me back to the bathroom.

Turning the water on, I started to strip when J walked into the room. Pulling me around to face him, I starred at him terrified at how close I was to him and his furious clown painted face. The loudest, most blood curdling scream exploded out of my mouth, causing J to back up and the bathroom door to be pushed open. "Hannah are you alright?!" asked a panicked Shaggy. His painted clown face made me whimper as I pulled away from him and ran out the door. "Hannah wait up" said Alex as he and Rob ran after me. "Hannah are you alright? You look like something happened to you" said a concerned Alex. "I seriously hate clowns. You're brother…he, he's mad at me" I said softly to Rob. "It's probably because you haven't explained to us why you hate clowns so much" said Rob as he hugged me. "Yeah you want to work with us, but you're terrified of clowns" said Alex. "Why must they have clown make up?" I questioned softly.

"It's because of the Dark Carnival" said Shaggy as he walked outside. 'Oh great, I'm surrounded by insane clowns. Why did I accept this job?' I questioned myself as I tried to look away from him. "I don't think you know what the Dark Carnival is, do you?" asked Alex. "I don't want to know" I muttered. "Just keep the clowns from me" I said as I went inside to take my shower. J was nowhere to be seen and that made me worried. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything" said J as he appeared with a Faygo. Just shuddering, I went into the bathroom to take my shower. After showering and dressing, I walked out and saw Alex waiting for me. "Just need you to start rearranging some stuff. J and Shaggy left with Rob, Rob will come back to pick you up" said Alex. Nodding, I smiled. "Thanks Alex, it means a lot" I said. "No problem. Oh and you're going to have to go with the guys to the show" he said. Groaning, I sat down on the couch. "I'm sorry Hannah, but if you really want to keep this job, you have to get over this fear. J and Shaggy are really nice guys" said Alex as I rolled my eyes and got up to start putting boxes away.

"Hannah, seriously why is there such a fear?" asked Alex as he leaned against the doorway. "I just met you, do you think I'll tell you?" I said, not really trying to give him an attitude but I honestly didn’t wish to tell him. "Hannah, the attitude wasn't really necessary" said Shaggy as he walked into the room. All of a sudden, J appeared before me with a knife in his hands and I screamed, jumping backwards and landing on my back with a box on my chest. "J that wasn't cool!" said Rob who went over to me and picked me up. Glaring and shuddering at J, I looked at Alex. "Yo we need to get shit started for the tour man" said Shaggy as he sat down on the couch. "Tour?" I asked. "Yeah for the Carnival of Carnage" said J as he sat down. 'Now I'm totally confused' I thought. "Part of the Dark Carnival" Rob explained. "Oh" I said before I sat down. "When's the tour starting?" I asked. "Remember the flyers you put out?" asked Shaggy with a sly expression on. It made his face look really demonic and I shuddered violently. "Shaggy stop" said Alex as he smacked him. "The tour starts on Saturday" said Rob.

"We need you to come with us but first you need to work" said Alex. "We're going to go get food. We left to get Faygo earlier, low on the shit" J said as he got up and left the room, but not without a glare. "Will you be ok here by yourself?" asked Alex. "Yeah, yeah. I just have to move all these boxes and get the merch ready for the shows while setting up the studio, right?" I asked, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "Very good" said Rob as he ruffled my hair and the guys left. Putting the stereo on, I laughed as 'The Juggla' started playing. I couldn't help but rap along with Violent J and for some strange reason, I was smiling and dancing as I moved everything. "Well, you know the juggla jumped in the mixer Been down the road and I broke a few necks And I'll break a few more, so what's up Road by me on the corner, I'm a hold my nuts up Its finna fuck you wit' dat" I rapped as I stopped cleaning to pet Hooch who was now sitting by my feet.

"But if you a sewer skank let me hit dat Cuz I'm Violent J, ain't even one to fake it I wanna see some folded up skank bitches naked I pass out when it gets dark And woke up naked at the Clark Park" I continued to rap along with J and saw some Faygo on the table. If there was one good thing from the two wicked clowns, it was the constant amount of Faygo they kept. Grinning, I took the bottle and took a swig from it before putting it down, going back to work. "Gotta go, gotta get before I get the wrap Gotta chopped off head chilling in my lap Mr. Shrink, Mr. Shrink, I'm sick Lunatick-tick-tock, it don't quit It don't quit, it don't quit Mr. Shrink, I'm sick, a lunaticky-tick The doctor told me I'm a psycho". Something about the words J was saying was empowering, as if there was a hidden meaning in his words. "So I ate his face like I don't know Knife to the neck and got some more The night of the axe, the night of the forty fuck Bitch, I'm a man you can talk ta But after you leave I'm a stalk ya If you're a little kid I'm a take ya And if you're neck I'm a break ya If you're an old lady I'm a mug ya Cuz bitch, you can't fuck with the juggla" I rapped, not hearing the door open.

"Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he is...the juggla. He'll cut your windpipe, eat your face And slit your motherfucking heart out. You can see this freak show at the world famous Carnival of Carnage. Keep juggling, motherfucker!" I rapped as I decided to pick up empty bottles and juggle them as the carnival sound was playing. It was when I heard clapping from behind me that made me jump. "Woah, didn't know you had some rap skills" teased J as he sneered at me. His look was so mean and so evil that I had to look at the floor to keep from looking at his clown makeup. "I didn't know you could juggle" said Shaggy, who was making an effort to not creep me out which was hard as he had his makeup on. "Well you guys just met me, of course I'm not going to tell you everything about me" I said. "The only thing I want to know is why the hell you're so afraid of fucking clowns" said J as he walked back into the room. Him and I stayed in our places, our eyes glaring at the other and neither of us backing down. 'I hate him, him and his stupid clown makeup. I need to get away from him, but I need this job. Every moment around him and Shaggy makes me fell as if I have someone's hands around my throat, slowly cutting of my air' I thought.

No one moved, no one spoke, no one really breathed. They just stared at J and I, watching us stare each other down. We were calm but our eyes were burning with the utmost fury and hatred. How can I tell, because in J's eyes I could see his fury and my own mirrored back at me. It was at this moment that I realized I was in for a world of hell. Closing my eyes, I could hear a wicked laugh almost echoing through my head. Their Dark Carnival had come and entranced me, now there was no turning back. I was stuck with the two wicked clowns.