Terror in the Shadows vol. 6: Terror in the Shadows Anthology

MR. POGO

"Hey!" Addy burst forward, pushing aside the people in her way. The sole focus of her existence was on the clown and the crowd he could easily disappear into. "Give me back my sister!"

Addy had never run so fast in her life, had never pushed herself until her legs couldn't meet the demands of her mind and began to wobble. Her lungs burned and her heart ricocheted around her chest, but none of it seemed to matter. She wasn't fast enough. Mr. Pogo stood at the mouth of the alleyway, Eliza still clasped within his arms.

"Stop!"

A few of the workers finally took notice. They stood up from their makeshift stools just as Addy hurled herself forward and latched onto her little sister's ankle. Holding on with both hands, Addy dug her heels into the dirt, jerking the clown to a sharp stop.

Eliza was still smiling blissfully. Too dizzy to actually grab onto her big sister, she instead flung her arms out and hung in Mr. Pogo's tight grasp. Slowly, the clown's head turned. He glanced over his shoulder, and then kept going, inch by inch, until he was looking directly behind him, staring unblinkingly at Addy. His painted smile stayed in place even as his flesh pulled into a scowl. All the while, his chest and arms remained forward, her sister still trapped in his embrace.

Addy swallowed thickly and tried to force a smile. "Cool trick. But I need my sister back now."

Mr. Pogo didn't move.

"Our parents are waiting for us," Addy blurted.

"No, they're not."

Eliza's chirped comment brought the smile back to the clown's lips. It turned Addy's insides cold. A rush of movement past her legs made her jump. The little boy from before latched onto Mr. Pogo's baggy pant legs, begging to have a turn next before shifting his attention to the clown's stance.

"That's so cool," the boy declared. "How do you get your head to do that?"

Some of the parents repeated the question while others insisted the clown shouldn't reveal the secrets behind his magic tricks. Emboldened by the witnesses around them, Addy steeled her voice and demanded with as much authority as she could muster.

"I want my sister back. Now."

It was all for nothing.

Mr. Pogo stared at her. He didn't move, didn't make a sound, only smiled. Everyone else continued to prattle on about tricks and skills. Addy found herself uncertain. She glanced around, trying to find a single person who shared her concern. She didn't find one. Even Eliza was enjoying herself.

Maybe I'm overreacting.

Addy shoved the thought away. It didn't matter if she looked rude or paranoid. Eliza was her responsibility. Glancing down at the clown's arm, she wondered how much trouble she would get in if she physically forced him to let go.

If she hadn't been holding onto Eliza's ankle, she wouldn't have noticed Mr. Pogo slowly inching backward toward the larger crowd. The tug brought a flash of panic and inspiration in turn. Raising her voice so everyone around them could hear, she snapped something she was sure none of the adults could argue with.

"I never said you were allowed to take her anywhere."

Addy held her breath until the first rumblings of discontent coursed through the group. In a blur of movement, Mr. Pogo leaped, his body swinging around to join the same direction as his head. Eliza's foot was wrenched free of Addy's grasp. She staggered forward, desperate to regain the connection, when Eliza was dumped heavily into her arms. The sudden weight almost toppled her over.

The combination of his impressive feat matched with Addy's clumsiness, shattered whatever tension had formed within the group. They began to laugh again.

Addy didn't linger. She grasped Eliza tight against her chest, pushed past the clown, and fled into the safety of the larger crowd.