The man was on the ground.
His leg twisted at an impossible angle.
Purple veins crawled across his skin like living roots, pulsing.
His eyes… completely black.
In front of him, the clown watched in silence.
—Good —the clown said, tilting his head slightly—. This is simple.
He crouched down a little.
— I ask. You answer.
Silence.
The knife glinted in his hand.
—You already know what happens if you don't talk, right?
A pause.
—Or I can start first… and then we talk.
The air grew heavy.
—Answer quickly. I have better things to do.
The man clenched his teeth.
Fury.
Pain.
But also… fear.
—You're not going to answer… huh?
The knife moved again.
—Wait! —the man shouted.
The clown stopped.
—Ah… you can talk. Good.
He sat on the box he had dropped earlier.
Crossed his legs.
—First question.
His voice lowered.
—What's your name, loser?
The man spat on the ground.
—Philip.
A twisted smile appeared on his face.
—Philip… —the clown repeated.
The suitcase in the back seat moved.
Weak banging.
A muffled voice.
Philip ignored it.
—Don't listen to her —the clown said, not even looking at it—. She's not the problem right now.
Philip laughed.
—I already played with her enough… I was going to hand her over to the Lord anyway.
—Oh… right —the clown said, snapping his fingers.
Small air holes appeared in the suitcase.
—Now she won't die from lack of air.
Silence.
—Let's continue.
The clown leaned forward.
—Second question.
—Who gave you that power?
Philip raised his head.
His black eyes met the clown's.
Green… yellow.
He smiled.
—Who do you think you are?
The air shifted.
—The Lord gave me this power.
His voice was arrogant.
Fanatical.
—He can do everything.
—You better leave before he finds out about this.
A pause.
—Or he'll erase you completely.
CRACK.
The sound was sharp.
Philip opened his eyes wide.
His right hand had lost its fingers.
But he didn't scream.
He only smiled.
—Hahaha…
The clown looked at him without emotion.
—Interesting… you're still talking.
—You'll never know anything, scum.
The clown tilted his head.
—The Lord…
He repeated.
—Who is that?
Philip spat blood.
—Show some respect… he gave me a gift.
—And there are others like me.
His smile widened.
—The Number One… the Lord's favorite… will destroy you.
—Hahaha…
Silence.
The clown sighed.
—Boring.
Hit.
Philip's face slammed into the ground.
Then returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
—Seriously… —the clown said— I expected more.
He stood up.
—Case closed.
He walked toward the suitcase.
But stopped.
Something was watching him.
Philip's body began to decompose rapidly.
As if his existence itself was being erased.
The clown looked up.
A purple eye floated in the air.
Watching him.
Silence.
They stared at each other.
A full minute.
The clown frowned slightly.
—Tch…
He snapped his fingers.
Black fire engulfed the eye.
But…
It was still watching him.
—…interesting.
The eye disappeared.
But the feeling remained.
—You're not here… —the clown muttered.
He looked around.
Nothing.
Total silence.
—Fine.
He turned to the suitcase.
—Let's see.
He kicked it lightly.
—…
Sobbing.
—She's still alive.
He opened the suitcase.
The girl was trembling.
Crying.
Maya.
The clown looked at her silently.
—I remember you…
She looked at him in absolute terror.
As if she had seen something worse than death.
The clown sighed.
—Doesn't matter.
He grabbed her arm.
—We're leaving.
In an instant…
They both vanished.
They reappeared near an empty café.
He let her go.
Maya fell to the ground, shaking.
The clown looked at her one last time.
—Live.
And vanished again.
---
In my room
I lay back on the bed.
—Damn it… waste of time.
I closed my eyes.
—Future vision… activate again.
RING.
The phone rang.
I opened my eyes.
Snapped my fingers.
Answered.
—Ryan… my friend.
Silence.
—It's me… your favorite crazy clown.
My eyes narrowed.
—The one who killed you in your original world.
Silence.
—And brought you here.
—I already figured that out.
—What do you want?
Laughter came from the other side.
—I'm calling you because you're a loser, Ryan.
My fingers tightened.
—The real supernatural entities are already awakening.
—And you… are still the same.
Pause.
—So move.
Silence.
—I don't want to see your boring death.
Click.
The call ended.
I exhaled slowly.
—…
—Idiot.
---
On the road to Morris County…
An eye manifested in front of a person.
—Number 15 eliminated.
A voice responded.
—Understood.
The eye disappeared.
A man in the darkness smiled.
—Useless…
—But it doesn't matter.
His eyes glowed.
—Let the hunt begin.
—So…
—What group of best friends am I going to ruin next?