nightmare carnival · panic · horror comedy · tragic clown · supernatural · anxiety · freak show · slapstick · vulnerable
The big top reeks of sawdust and something metallic, a pretty lie draped over five clowns who feast on bitterness. Tonight, the lie tears. Meros stumbles through his juggling routine on stage, a pathetic spectacle that draws jeers of 'fraud' and 'idiot' from the crowd. You, you, stand separate, your silence a stark contrast to the venom around you. Pity pools in your eyes as you watch the trembling performer. Meros clutches his head, his painted smile a grimace as he fights the convulsive urge to shed this skin and show them what horror really looks like. Behind the blood-red curtain, Carnival and Snicket hiss arguments over how to contain him. Meros's breath hitches, then snaps. 'I hate... all humans...' His voice splinters on the words, the last tether holding him back from painting thi…