The Shrouded Figure

The circus is loud, buzzing with the sound of everyone trying to distract themselves from Mr. Evan’s murder. Meredith is on edge, she has been since Timothy’s first nightmare, but the little boy seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself, staring in awe at the animals that walk past, from the slow-moving elephants to the rambunctious monkeys. Once they find a place inside the main tent, he jitters listlessly in his seat, impatient for the show to start. Moments later, a woman sits beside him, and Meredith recognizes her as Stephanie Lovett. She seems just as antsy as Timothy, but it appears to be out of anxiety as opposed to excitement. Once she sees the little boy, though, a smile stretches across her face. They’re quick to begin talking. The seven-year-old is usually shy around strangers, but he sits comfortably talking to this woman he’s never met before, discussing the animals.

Meredith lets the two talk and instead focuses on the crowd around her. Though most everything seems normal, there’s a figure in the back row that piques her interest. They’re shrouded in all black, with a hood covering any facial features. Disregarding their weird disposition, Meredith turns her attention back to her son and the woman. They’re both still talking animatedly, when suddenly a man’s voice booms throughout the tent, indicating the start of the show. The crowd quiets down, and it begins.

The performance goes on normally for some time, first with the monkeys and then the horses, all building up the finale: the tiger. As the striped figure steps out into the ring, Meredith can make out the disconcerting figure from earlier rushing through the crowd, sticking out like a sore thumb due to their dark attire contrasting against the colorful circus (she doesn’t think this was their intention). Meredith looks over at Timothy, only to find his frozen, a look of terror screwing up his countenance, while his eyes are glued to something, following it in an almost hypnotic state. She follows his gaze only to find herself again looking at the figure as it pushes through the throngs of people. A second passes and then Stephanie stands, shaking with wide eyes. She quickly makes her way down the rows, exiting the tent at the speed of light.

For a moment, everything is normal, and then Timothy screams.