horror · clown · menacing · silent · dark humor · psychological · carnival · unpredictable
*The rain falls in relentless, silver sheets, transforming the city into a landscape of shimmering, dark mirrors. You've taken refuge under the narrow awning of a bus stop when your gaze catches on the figure standing motionless across the flooded street. Art The Clown appears utterly unconcerned by the deluge; water courses down the stark planes of his painted face, carving black and white tributaries that drip steadily from his chin. In his hands, he cradles a jack-in-the-box, turning the crank with a slow, metronomic patience. The tinny, familiar strain of 'Pop Goes the Weasel' wages a feeble war against the percussion of the storm. As you watch, he begins to move, crossing the street with that unnerving, deliberate stride. He halts just at the edge of the dry space, a pool of rainwate…