خیابان های پارک وحشت فصل 03

Streets of Panic Park - Chapter 03

I stared up at him in dazed silence.

We had already sampled some of the scares of Panic Park. Did he really plan to torture us with more terrors?

What kind of horrifying trap had we walked into?

Matt stepped closer to the stage. “We’ve all dealt with evil before,” he told The Menace. “Everyone here has faced powerful villains — and we defeated them.” “That’s the truth,” Michael said. He bumped knuckles with Matt. Then he turned to The Menace. “You think you’re so scary because you dress in black and talk tough? Well, look at us. There are sixteen of us — and we’re not scared of you.” The Menace pretended to tremble in fear. “Ooh, look. I’m shaking. I’m shaking.” Behind us, the shadow people all laughed — moaning, lifeless laughter.

The Menace rubbed his gloved hands together. “Very brave speech, Michael, my lad. But do you really think you’ve faced evil before? I don’t think so. You have no idea what true terror is.” He thumped the podium with both hands. “I’ve had years and years to study evil,” he said. “Years and years to create total fear.” He paused for a moment. Then he said softly, “Maybe you need a sample. A little proof.” A cold shiver ran down my spine.

The Menace waved to a shadow at the door. “Go to the holding chamber,” he ordered. “Bring in my newest trophy.” The shade nodded its faceless, gray head and floated forward slowly. He was almost to the stage when The Menace stopped him.

“Hold it right there,” The Menace said quietly. “You’re too slow, mister. You should move quicker when I tell you to do something. That’s why I keep this handy.” The Menace reached behind the podium and lifted a black hose. It looked like a vacuum cleaner hose. He raised the nozzle and pointed it at the shadow. He pushed a button, and I heard a whining roar.

“No — please!” the shadow cried. “Please — I’m begging you!”

The Menace tossed back his head. His laughter rose above the roar of the vacuum.

The shade raised his hands to protect himself. He struggled to pull back. But the vacuum was too powerful.

I uttered a cry as his head disappeared, sucked into the roaring hose. His shoulders folded in like tissue paper — and vanished with a thwupppp into the vacuum nozzle.

Then his arms, his chest … his whole body.

I didn’t want to watch. But I couldn’t turn away. I stared, frozen in horror, until his feet were sucked into the hose. And he was gone.

Silence.

The Menace waved to another shade. This one didn’t need to be told. He flew past the stage and disappeared through the doorway in the back wall.

My heart was racing. I felt dizzy.

The Menace had destroyed that shadow person so easily. He laughed while he did it.

He’s powerful and deadly, I thought. And totally crazy.

What did he want with us? Did he just want to scare us to death — for fun? To amuse himself?

The Menace turned to the doorway. “Bring it!” he shouted. “Bring in my new trophy!” The shadow appeared in the doorway.

I squinted to see what he was carrying. But it was too dark.

He floated toward us into the light. He raised the trophy high.

And I opened my mouth in a high shriek of horror.

He was holding JILLIAN’S HEAD!