- Girls, - Alexander said quietly, - we need to leave. Right now.
- What? - Sienna turned around, not ceasing to dance. - We just started!
- Now! - Alexander repeated more sharply, grabbing Allie's hand.
- Johnny, what's wrong with you? - Allie was indignant, breaking out. - You're really weird today!
Alexander looked into the corner again. Art was still standing there, but now he was slowly heading towards them, keeping the same creepy smile on his white face. His movements were smooth, almost dancing - like a predator who is not in a hurry, knowing that the victim will not go anywhere.
"Bitch. He's coming here. We need to get the girls out of here, but how to explain the danger to them without looking crazy?"
- Please, - Alexander said pleadingly, - just trust me. We need to leave right now.
Sienna finally stopped and looked carefully at her brother. There was something in his voice that made her wary.
- Johnny, you're scaring me," she said seriously. - What happened?
Alexander quickly looked back. Art approached, but slowly, as if enjoying the process. There were twenty meters left before them, but there was almost no one in the play area - only three of them and that boy with his father at the far end of the hall.
"There are few witnesses. Art chose the perfect moment."
- Do you see that clown? - Alexander said quietly, pointing in the direction of Art.
The girls turned around and saw a figure approaching. Allie even giggled:
- Oh, how funny! Probably an animator for a children's party.
- Funny? - Alexander couldn't believe his ears. - Can't you see that something is wrong with him?
Sienna took a closer look. Art was already ten meters away from them, and even in the dim light of the play area, his creepy face was visible - too white, with black circles around his eyes and a wide smile painted with black paint.
- Yes, it looks pretty creepy, - she agreed. - But it's just a Halloween costume.
"They don't understand. For them, it's just a man in a suit. But I know that Art is not a person. In any case, not an ordinary person."
Art stopped five meters away from them and waved his gloved hand. The gesture looked friendly, but something was deeply wrong about it. Maybe it was the way he tilted his head, or how his smile seemed to be drawn forever.
- Hi! - Allie said cheerfully, waving in response. - Cool costume!
Art bowed with exaggerated gallantry, but his eyes did not tear himself away from Alexander. And in those eyes there was something terrifying - intelligence, cruelty and anticipation of entertainment.
"He knows. Somehow he knows that I'm not a real Jonathan. Or feels that I'm a threat."
- Girls, - Alexander whispered, - don't turn your back on him. We slowly leave for the exit.
- Johnny, calm down! - Allie said irritably. - It's just a clown!
But at that moment Art did something that even silenced her. He took out a long shiny knife from his bag and began to slowly spin it in his hands, without ceasing smiling.
- Oh my God, - Sienna whispered. - Is this a real knife?
Art nodded, as if confirming her words, and took another step forward.
"So it began. Now they will understand that this is not a game."
- We're running, - Alexander said briefly. - Right now.
This time the girls didn't argue. They turned around and ran to the exit of the play area. Alexander ran after them, constantly looking over his shoulder.
Art didn't run after him. Instead, he slowly followed them, keeping the same creepy smile. His movements were unhurried, confident - like a cat playing with mice.
"He's not in a hurry. He knows that we are not going anywhere. Or he has a plan."
They ran out of the play area and found themselves in the main corridor of the shopping center. There were more people here, which was supposed to mean safety, but Alexander did not feel relieved.
- What was that? - Allie asked choking. - Who is this anyway?
- I don't know, - Alexander replied, which was partly true. - But we need to get out of here.
- Maybe we should call the security? - Sienna suggested.
Alexander shook his head:
- What shall we tell them? That we were attacked by a clown with a knife? They'll think we're crazy.
"In addition, in horror movies, the guards either do not believe the victims or become the next victims."
- Then what to do? - Allie asked.
- Let's go to the exit, - Alexander decided. - Let's call a taxi and go home.
They went to the main exit of the shopping center, but Alexander noticed that many shops were already closing. It was half past seven in the evening on the clock - the center worked until seven.
"Bad. The fewer people, the more dangerous it is for us."
A surprise was waiting for them at the escalator leading to the first floor. Art stood downstairs, leaning on the railing, and waved his hand. Somehow he managed to overtake them.
- How did he get there so quickly? - Sienna whispered.
"Good question. There must be an explanation in the movie, but I don't know it."
- Is there another way out? - Alexander asked.
- The fire escape is at the other end, - Allie replied. - But we'll have to pass him.
- Elevator?
- It's next to the escalator.
Alexander quickly assessed the situation. Art controlled the main path to the exit. There were official exits, but it was not easy to find them in an unfamiliar building.
"I need a plan. I can't just run like a driven mouse."
- Listen, - he said to the girls, - we need to get to the service exit. Where could he be?
- Probably somewhere near the restaurant kitchen, - Sienna suggested. - Where they bring groceries.
- Let's go there.
They headed towards the food court, constantly looking around. Alexander noticed that the lighting in the center became dim - many stores turned off the lights, preparing to close.
"The situation is getting worse every minute. Soon there will be no one left here except us and Art."
In the restaurant area, they found a door with the inscription "For staff only". Alexander tried the pen - it's locked.
" Fuck," he swore.
- Johnny! - Sienna was indignant. - You're not swearing!
"One more oversit. You need to watch your behavior."
- I'm sorry, - he muttered. - I'm just nervous.
Suddenly, there was a slow, rhythmic knock behind them. It's like someone was tapping a metal object on the wall.
*Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. *
They turned around and saw Art at the end of the corridor. He knocked his knife against the wall and slowly approached them.
- How did he find us? - Allie whispered.
- Never mind, - Alexander replied. - We're looking for another way out.
They ran along the service corridor, checking every door. Most of them were locked, but one turned out to be open - it led to the basement.
- You can't go there, - Alexander said immediately. - We'll be trapped in the basement.
- And what else is left? - Sienna asked.
The knock was getting closer. *Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. *
- Fire escape, - Alexander decided. - Let's try to break through.
They returned to the main part of the center. Most of the shops have already closed, and the corridors are empty. Only dim emergency lighting illuminated the way.
The fire escape was located at the opposite end of the building from the main entrance. To get there, you had to go through the whole shopping center.
"Too far. And there are too many places where Art can arrange an ambush."
But there was no choice. They carefully moved along the empty corridor, pressing against the walls and looking into every corner.
- Maybe he's behind? - Allie asked with hope.
The answer to her was a familiar knock coming from somewhere from above. *Tuk. Tuk. Tuk. *
"He's on the second floor," Sienna whispered.
"Then it's faster," Alexander commanded.
They accelerated the pace, but tried not to run - running would attract too much attention. In an empty shopping center, every sound echoed from the walls.
Having reached the middle of the way, Alexander heard a new sound - quiet laughter. High, children's laughter, which sounded especially creepy in an empty building.
"Art enjoys the chase. It's a game for him."
- There! - Alli pointed to the fire exit indicator.
There were thirty meters left to the stairs. Alexander had already begun to hope that they would be able to get out when Art came out of the corner right in front of them.
This time he was not alone. Next to him stood a girl of about nine in dirty white clothes. Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes were completely black.
"What the fuck? Were there other characters in the movie?"
The girl slowly raised her hand and pointed her finger at them. Her mouth opened, but instead of words, a terrifying grinding broke out of it, like from the nails on the board.
- What is it? - Sienna whispered in horror. - What's wrong with her?
Alexander didn't know the answer. He didn't remember that there were other supernatural creatures in "Horrible" except Art himself.
"Either I forgot something, or it's not the movie I thought. In any case, the situation has become even worse."
Art and a strange girl began to approach them from both sides. There was no way to retreat - behind the corridor ended in a dead end.
"We need to come up with something. Quickly."
Alexander looked around in search of weapons. There was a metal garbage can nearby - heavy, but it could be used as a shield or a club.
- Girls, - he said quietly, - when I say "run", you run to the fire exit. Whatever happens, don't stop.
- And you? - Sienna asked.
- I'll detain them.
- Johnny, no! - Allie grabbed his hand. - You can't handle them!
"She's right. I don't have any superpowers. I'm an ordinary sixteen-year-old boy against a killer clown and some demon."
But there was no other way out. If they all run together, Art will easily cath up with them. And if he distracts attention to himself, the girls will get a chance to escape.
"In the end, if I die, I'll just go back to the beginning of the movie."
"Run," Alexander said, grabbing the trash can.
- Johnny! - Sienna shouted.
- RUN! - he barked with such force that the girls involuntarily shuffled.
Art, apparently, decided that the game was over. He stopped smiling and quickly went to Alexander, raising a knife.
Alexander threw a garbage can at the clown, but he easily dodged. The tank slammed on the floor, but Art didn't even pay attention to him.
"Too fast. Much faster than an ordinary person."
The girls ran to the fire exit, but a strange girl blocked their way. She made that creepy grinding sound again, and Allie and Siena stopped as if they were dug in.
"Fuck. The plan didn't work."
Art approached Alexander at the distance of the strike. His face was again decorated with the same creepy smile, but now there was an anticipation of murder in it.
Alexander tried to dodge the knife, but his reaction was too slow. The blade slit his left hand, leaving a deep cut.
"Bitch! Why does it hurt so much!"
Blood flowed down his arm, and Alexander realized that he would not last long. Art was too fast, too strong, and he didn't have any weapons.
"You need to think, not fight. What do I know about Arta? He is a sadist, likes to play with victims. Maybe we can use it?"
- Hey, clown! - Alexander shouted, retreating to the wall. - Can you only scare little girls?
Art tilted his head, as if interested.
- Or are you so weak that you can't cope with a teenager one-on-one?
The clown stopped and theatrically put his hand to his heart, pretending resentment. Then he pointed at himself and shook his head, as if saying: "Me? Weak?"
"It worked. He became interested in the game."
Art hid the knife and accepted the boxing stand, obviously accepting the challenge for a fair fight.
"It's stupid of me, but it will give the girls time to run away."
Alexander also accepted the fighting stand, although he understood that he had practically no chance. He glanced at the girls - they were still standing, hypnotized by a strange girl.
"No, it won't work that way. I need something else."
Suddenly, a voice was heard from behind Alexander:
- Security! What's going on here?
It was a security guard of the shopping center - an elderly man with a flashlight and a walkie-talkie. He clearly did not understand the situation, but his appearance changed the balance of power.
Art instantly grabbed a knife and turned to a new threat. The strange girl disappeared as if dissolved in the air.
- Sir, - the guard turned to Art, - take off your mask and explain what you're doing here.
The answer was a knife in his throat.
The guard fell, wheezing and grabbing the wound. Blood flowed between his fingers.
- Oh my God, - Allie whispered. - He killed him!
"Now they'll understand that this is not a joke."
Art turned to them, and his face was again decorated with a smile. But now there were splashes of blood on the white makeup.
- Let's run, - said Alexander. - Right now.
This time the girls didn't argue. They all rushed together to the fire exit, jumping over the body of the guard.
The door was unlocked. They jumped out on the stairs and started going down, jumping over several steps.
- Is he following us? - Sienna asked breathly.
Alexander looked back. The door upstairs was closed, but it didn't mean anything. Art could have appeared anywhere.
- I don't know, - he replied. - But I need to get to the street.
They ran out of the shopping center building to the parking lot. It's already getting dark outside, and most of the cars have left. Only rare lanterns illuminated the empty space.
- What now? - Allie asked. - Let's call the police?
- Yes, - Alexander nodded. - And an ambulance for the security guard, although I'm afraid you won't help him anymore.
Sienna took out her phone and dialed 911. While she was explaining the situation to the dispatcher, Alexander was inspecting the parking lot.
"Too open a place. If Art wants to attack, we will have nowhere to hide."
- The police will be there in ten minutes, - said Sienna, ending the conversation.
- Okay, - Alexander replied. - We need to wait for them in a safe place.
They headed to the bus stop near the shopping center. There was lighting and a few people - store employees waiting for transport.
"Safer in the crowd. Art is unlikely to attack in front of witnesses."
But when they approached the stop, Alexander noticed a familiar figure. Art was sitting on a bench among ordinary people, reading a newspaper. He was dressed in ordinary clothes - jeans and a jacket, no clown costume.
"How is it possible? He was in the mall a minute ago!"
Art looked up from the newspaper and looked straight at Alexander. His face was an ordinary human face, but his eyes... his eyes remained the same. Cold, cruel, full of anticipation.
He raised his hand and waved to them, smiling with a completely normal smile.
- It's that clown! - Allie whispered. - But how...?
- I don't know, - Alexander replied, feeling the chill running down his back. - But we can't go there.
At that moment, sirens were heard. Police cars were driving up to the shopping center.
"Let's go to the police," Alexander decided.
They headed for the flashing red and blue lights, but Alexander continued to look back at the stop. Art was still sitting there, reading the newspaper and occasionally looking in their direction.
"Something is wrong here. Ordinary killers don't behave like that. Either it's not a person, or..."
Suddenly it came to him. He remembered something from the reviews of "Terrifying".
"Art died in the first movie, but resurrected in the second. So he's not an ordinary person. Maybe not a person at all."
This explained his ability to appear in different places at the same time and quickly change his appearance.
"If that's the case, it can't be stopped by conventional methods. We need to look for other ways."
The police had already cordoned off the building of the shopping center and were preparing to go inside. One of the officers approached them.
- Did you call? - he asked. - Tell me what happened.
Sienna began to explain the situation, but Alexander listened in half a way. His thoughts were busy with something else.
"Art is playing with us. He could have killed us in the mall, but he didn't. So he has some kind of plan. Or he just enjoys the hunting process."
He looked at the stop again. Art disappeared.
"Where is he now? And when will he strike the next blow?"
Alexander realized that the first meeting with the main villain was over, but it was only the beginning. A real nightmare is yet to come.