Alexander woke up to the sound of the alarm clock, feeling broken. The night passed almost without sleep - every rustle outside the window made him jump up and grab the baseball bat he was holding next to the bed.
"Excellent start to the penalty zone," he thought gloomily, looking at his reflection in the mirror. Jonathan's face looked tired, with dark circles under his eyes.
He quickly put on a school uniform - jeans, a T-shirt and a sweatshirt. After checking that no one was home, Alexander went to the kitchen and took the sharpest knife from the cutlery box. Small, but long enough to cause serious harm.
"It's better to play it safe. After yesterday, I'm not going to walk unarmed."
He hid the knife in the inner pocket of the sweatshirt, where it was not visible, but it could be quickly taken out.
Going down to breakfast, Alexander found Sienna at the table. She looked as tired as he was - obviously, the night was hard for the whole family.
"Good morning," he said, sitting down opposite.
- There's nothing good this morning, - Sienna replied gloomily, pushing a plate of cereal to him. - I've been thinking all night about what happened yesterday.
- And what conclusions did you come to? - Alexander asked cautiously.
Sienna looked at him carefully:
- You knew he was dangerous. Even before he took out the knife. How?
Alexander hesitated. He couldn't tell the truth, but he didn't want to lie to his sister.
- Just... intuition, I guess. Something was wrong with it.
- Intuition? - Sienna asked skeptically. - Johnny, yesterday you behaved like you knew for sure that he was a murderer. And then this security guard...
She fell silent, remembering the bloody scene.
- Listen, - she continued, lowering her voice, - the police never found anything. No traces of that clown. It's like he just disappeared.
"Of course, he disappeared. Art is not an ordinary killer."
- What did mom say? - Alexander asked.
- Nothing special. She said that we got into an unpleasant situation, but now everything is fine. But I see her looking at us - she's worried.
Alexander nodded. He remembered how his mother met them yesterday - pale, scared, hugging the children tightly. The police explained the situation to her, but apparently did not disclose the details.
- Johnny, - Sienna said seriously, - I want you to answer me honestly. Do you really not know who it was?
Alexander looked into his sister's eyes. They read not only anxiety, but also... suspicion?
"She begins to realize that something is wrong with me. You need to be more careful."
- To be honest, - he said slowly, - I have some thoughts. But I don't want to jump to conclusions.
- What are your thoughts?
- Do you remember how he changed his appearance? First he was in a clown costume, then in regular clothes. Ordinary people can't do that.
Sienna frowned:
- Do you think it's someone... crazy?
"If only everything were that simple."
- Maybe, - Alexander answered evasively. - In any case, we need to be careful. If he appears again...
- He won't show up, - Sienna said quickly. - The police will find him.
Alexander didn't argue, but he knew she was wrong. Art will definitely appear again - that's the nature of horror movies. And next time he will be more aggressive.
After breakfast, they went to school on foot - the bus rarely ran in their area. On the way, Alexander constantly looked around, checking if someone suspicious was following them.
"So far, everything is calm. But it doesn't say anything."
Jonathan's school turned out to be a typical American high school - a large red brick building, a football field, a parking lot packed with school buses.
"See you after school," said Sienna, heading to the senior classes.
- Yes, - Alexander nodded. - And Sienna... be careful. If you see something strange, immediately call for help.
She looked at him in surprise:
- Johnny, you don't think he'll come to school, do you?
- Just in case.
Alexander went to his locker and started to take out textbooks. The schedule hung on the inside of the door - mathematics, history, English, physics, lunch, biology, physical education.
"An ordinary school day. It's a pity that I can't concentrate on my studies."
His thoughts were occupied with something completely different. How to find and destroy Art? The usual methods obviously didn't work - the clown was a supernatural creature. It was necessary to find his weaknesses.
The first lesson was math. Alexander sat down at his desk and tried to focus on what the teacher was saying. The topic was simple - quadratic equations.
"Seriously? At the age of sixteen, do they only study quadratic equations? It's earlier in Europe."
Alexander quickly solved all the tasks that the teacher gave, and spent the remaining time thinking about his situation.
He remembered a strange girl who appeared next to Art. Who is she? His ally? Victim? Or something else?
"We need more information. Maybe there is something useful on the Internet."
The history lesson was no better. The teacher talked about the Civil War in the United States - a topic that Alexander knew not badly. In his past life, he read many books on American history.
"At least I'm having fun. It's interesting to see how they teach here."
In English literature, they analyzed "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Alexander read this book at the age of seventeen, and in the original.
"It's getting boring. It's good that I have more important things to think about."
"What else do I know? He resurrected in the second movie, so he can be killed, but he can come back.
In physics, Alexander was finally convinced that the American school curriculum is much simpler than the European one.
"But I have time to think."
He continued his analysis of the situation. The main problem was that he didn't know Art's motives. Why did the clown choose them? Accidentally? Or is there a reason?
"In horror movies, something rarely happens by chance. Perhaps there was something in the past of the Shaw family that attracted Art."
The lunch break has finally come. Alexander took a tray with food and sat down at a free table in the corner of the dining room. The food was typically American - hamburger, french fries, cola. Not particularly healthy, but quite edible.
He ate and watched the other students. Most of them sat in interest groups - athletes, excellent students, geeks, popular girls. Typical school hierarchy.
Suddenly, his attention was drawn to the noise at the other end of the dining room. Several high school students surrounded the boy from his class - Timmy, if Alexander remembered the name correctly. The guy was thin, wore thick glasses and looked like a typical object for harassment.
- Hey, nerd, - said one of the high school students, a tall guy with a bull's neck, - where are my math homework?
- I... I didn't have time," Timmy replied stuttering. - I didn't have much time...
- Not enough time? - the bull laughed. - Then you won't have much time to eat your lunch.
He grabbed Timmy's tray and overturned its contents on the floor. Other high school students laughed.
"Classic school bullies. I'll have to intervene, I don't like it when the weak are offended."
"Besides, I need to distract myself from thoughts about Art. A good fight is what the doctor prescribed."
He got up and approached a group of high school students.
- Hey, - he said, addressing the main bully, - fuck him off.
The bull turned to him with surprise:
- And who are you? His bodyguard?
- Just a person who doesn't like it when big children offend small ones.
The high school students laughed. There were four of them, all much bigger than Alexander.
- Listen, idiot, - said the leader, - you'd better pass by before you get hit on your teeth.
"Interesting. They think I'm an ordinary weak teenager. Well, it's time to disappoint them."
- You know what, - Alexander said calmly, - let's solve it in a manly way. You're against me, one on one.
- Are you serious? - the bull asked incredulously. - Do you want to fight with Rex Downing?
"Rex Downing. Even his name is suitable for a school bully."
- Quite seriously, - Alexander nodded. - If you win, I won't interfere in your affairs. If I am, you'll leave Timmy alone.
Rex looked back at his friends, who had already started chanting: "Fray! Fight!"
- Okay, baby, - he agreed. - But don't say later that I didn't warn you.
A circle of students formed around them. Everyone was waiting for how the little tenth-grader would get from the high school student.
Rex took the boxing stand and swung his right hand. The blow was slow, clumsy - a typical fight of a school bully who is used to relying on size, not technique.
Alexander easily dodged and struck a quick blow to the solar plexus. Rex bent in half, grabbing the air with his mouth.
"The right technique beats brute force."
While Rex was trying to regain his breath, Alexander cut him up and laid him on the floor. Then he quickly grabbed the opponent's hand and performed a painful technique.
- Are you giving up? - he asked calmly.
- Yes! Yes! - Rex shouted. - Let go!
Alexander untipped the grip and got up. The rest of the high school students looked at him with their mouths open.
- Is our agreement in force? - he asked Rex, who was massaging his hand.
"Yes, it's strong," he muttered.
- Great. - Alexander turned to Timmy. - Are you okay?
- Yes, yes, - the boy replied, stuttering. - Thank you.
- You're not for anything.
Alexander returned to his desk, feeling the admiring glances of other students. He wasn't used to such attention, but he had to admit - it was nice.
"I've had a good time. Martial arts skills have not gone anywhere, even in the weak body of a teenager."
The rest of the day passed without incident. In biology, they studied the structure of the cell, in physical education they played basketball. Alexander did not shine in sports - Jonathan's body was not very sporty, but he was not embarrassed either.
"The main thing is that the day passed without the appearance of Art. Maybe he gives me time to prepare?"
After classes, Alexander was collecting books in the locker when Timmy approached him.
- Um... Jonathan? - he called uncertainly.
- Yes?
- Thank you for steping in. Usually no one interferes.
- It's okay, - Alexander replied. - Rex won't touch you anymore.
- How do you know martial arts? - Timmy asked curiously. - I've never seen you fight before.
"Good question. Jonathan shouldn't be able to fight."
- I watched a lot of movies, - Alexander lied. - Plus I trained a little at home.
- I see. Well... thanks again.
Timmy left, and Alexander thought about it. His behavior again broke out from the image of an ordinary schoolboy. You should have been more careful.
"Althowh, on the other hand, in horror films, the main characters often change under the influence of events. Maybe it looks natural for those around you."
He left the school and saw Sienna waiting for him at the main entrance.
- How are you? - she asked. - I heard you had a fight with Rex Downing.
- The news is spread quickly, - Alexander grinned.
- Everyone will be quickly recognized at school. So what happened?
Alexander told her about the situation with Timmy. Sienna listened with surprise.
- Did you take up for the nerd? - she asked again. - Johnny, it's not your style at all.
- Why? - Alexander was surprised.
- Well... you usually stay away from school dramas. You prefer not to stick out.
"One more detail of Jonathan's character that I didn't know."
- I just... couldn't look at injustice," he explained.
Sienna looked at him carefully:
- Something is really happening to you. You've become... more decisive.
"We need to distract her from this topic."
- Let's go home, - Alexander suggested. - Mom is probably worried.
They headed to the bus stop, but Alexander noticed that they were not following the route they took in the morning.
- It's a short way, - explained Sienna. - Through the park.
The park turned out to be small - several paths between the trees, a playground, a small pond. It was quite deserted here at this time of day.
"Not the safest place for walks after yesterday."
They were walking along the main path when Alexander heard a familiar sound - a quiet children's laugh. The same laugh that he heard yesterday in the mall.
- Can you hear that? - he asked Sienna.
- What? - She stopped and listened. - No, I can't hear anything. Why?
The laughter was repeated, but this time louder. It was coming from the playground.
"There's someone there," Alexander said, pointing towards the sound.
- Probably, the children are playing. What's so strange about it?
Alexander didn't answer. He slowly headed towards the playground, feeling his heart tearing. Sienna reluctantly followed him.
The playground was empty - swings, a slide, a sandbox, but no one around. Only on one of the benches there was something dark.
Coming closer, Alexander saw that it was a dead possum. The animal was lying on its back, its paws sticking up. A familiar girl in dirty white clothes was sitting next to him.
And Art leaned over the possum.
The clown was wearing his black and white suit again. He did something with the corpse of an animal - cut it with a small knife, neatly, like a surgeon.
The girl clapped her hands and laughed with the same terrible laugh that Alexander heard.
- Johnny, - Sienna whispered, - how is that?
Art raised his head and looked straight at them. His face was again decorated with the same creepy smile. He waved his hand to them, as if inviting them to come closer.
- Let's go, - Alexander said quietly. - Right now.
- But what are they doing? - Sienna asked.
- It doesn't matter. Let's go.
But when they turned to leave, a girl blocked their way. It appeared out of nowhere, as if it had materialized out of thin air.
Up close, she looked even scarier. Her skin was deathly pale, almost transparent. The eyes are completely black, without pupils. And the mouth...
The mouth was full of sharp teeth, like a shark's.
- Do you want to play with us? - she asked in the voice of a little girl, but with the intonation of an adult.
Sienna let out a choked cry and grabbed Alexander by the hand.
Alexander took a knife out of his pocket and put it in front of him.
"Go away," he warned.
The girl tilted her head, looking at the knife, and then laughed. Her laughter sounded like a grinding of metal on the glass.
- A small knife, - she sang. - And we have a big one!
She pointed behind Alexander's back. He turned around and saw Art two meters away from him. The clown held the same knife with which he cut the possum - now the blade was covered with blood.
"How did he get close so fast? We saw him on the bench!"
- Let's run! - Alexander shouted.
They rushed towards the exit from the park, but the girl turned out to be faster. She blocked their way, moving at an inhuman speed.
"No one leaves until the game is over," she said.
Alexander realized that they were trapped. Art was approaching from behind, the girl blocked the exit in front. Something had to be done.
"Think! What is Art's weakness? What can stop him?"
He remembered everything he knew about killer clowns from horror movies. Most of them were either psychopathic people or supernatural beings. Art clearly belonged to the second category.
"Supernatural beings usually have certain rules. They can't do whatever they want."
Suddenly it came to him. Art plays with the victims. This is his nature - he enjoys the process, not the result. So you can use it against him.
- Hey, Bastard! - Alexander shouted, addressing Art. - Are you afraid of a fair duel?
Art stopped and tilted his head, obviously interested.
- Or are you so weak that you need a girl's help to deal with two teenagers?
The girl hissed, but Art raised his hand, stopping her. He was clearly thinking about Alexander's words.
- You know what, - Alexander continued, - let's play by the rules. You give us a handicap - let's say, a minute. If we run away, you'll let us go. If you catch up, do whatever you want.
"It's a crazy plan, but the only one I have."
Art thought about it, and then nodded. He raised one finger - a minute.
- What are you doing? - Sienna whispered.
- I'm buying us time, - Alexander replied. - Get ready to run.
Art took out an old pocket watch from his pocket and showed it to Alexander. Then he nodded - time passed.
- Let's run! - Alexander shouted.
They rushed to the exit of the park. The girl tried to stop them, but Art stopped her again with a gesture. He plays by the rules.
"Good. We have a minute to get to the crowded street."
They ran out of the park and ran along the sidewalk. There were three hundred meters left to the residential area - if you're lucky, they'll make it.
- Johnny, - Sienna said in a breath, - what was that? Who is this girl?
- I don't know, - Alexander answered honestly. - But she's not human.
"And Art is not a person either. But I have a plan on how to deal with it."
The plan was simple, but risky. Art plays by certain rules. He enjoys the hunting process, the fear of victims. If you deprive him of this pleasure, you can find a way to destroy it.
"I need to study his weaknesses. Understand what makes him follow the rules. And then I can turn these rules against himself."
They ran to the residential area and stopped, catching their breath. There were houses, cars, people - civilization all around.
"He doesn't follow us anymore," Sienna remarked, looking around.
- Not yet, - Alexander agreed. - But he will come back.
- How do you know?
Alexander looked at his sister. There was fear in her eyes, but also trust. She hoped he knew what he was doing.
- I just know, - he replied. - But next time I'll be ready.
- Ready for what?
Alexander smiled, and there was something predatory in this smile:
- To kill a clown.