خیابان های پارک وحشت فصل 06

Streets of Panic Park - Chapter 06

My scream echoed off the high walls.

I couldn’t take much more of this. I turned to run. But the shadow people were at the door, blocking any escape.

When our screams died down, The Menace’s other face spoke up. “Keep it up! What a delicious sound! Yes! Yes! I love those screams of horror! Love them to death!” This face had a high, nasal voice. And glowing red skin, as if it were burning, on fire! The eyes were wild, big, and rolling crazily. Beneath its flaring bulb of a nose, I saw full lips over crooked teeth.

The Menace had a dark face — and a face the color of flames!

“Love it! Love it! Keep screaming!” the red face cried.

And then The Menace turned around again, and the first face spoke up in its low, deep voice: “As you can see, I’m not timid. I will do anything. I have nothing to lose — and everything to gain.” “Stop bragging! They get the idea!” the second face snapped.

“I’m not bragging,” the first face insisted. “I’m telling them what they need to know.” He raised two gloved fingers. “As you can see, I have you kids outnumbered two to one.” “And two heads are better than one!” the red face declared.

“You guys are going to bring my park back to the real world,” the dark face said. “By the power of your terrified screams.” He turned to Byron, standing by the tall wooden piece of furniture. “Start up the Fear Meter,” he ordered.

Byron reached into the back of the box. I heard a click. Then the machine started to hum.

Byron turned it so we could see the narrow tube on the front. It looked a little like a thermometer.

The Fear Meter hummed for a while. The hum grew louder. And I saw a red line climb from the bottom.

Yes. It was exactly like a thermometer. It had numbers etched on the side, from 1 to 100.

We all watched in silence as the red line slid up … up … until it stopped at 20.

“Oh, no,” The Menace groaned. “People, people — you must do much better than this. You’re just not trying, guys. Your fear has got to hit one hundred!” His head spun around, and the red face spoke up: “I’ll bet we can find something juicy to get that fear climbing!” He waved a gloved hand. The shadow people began to move. They floated silently across the room. They surrounded us.

I could feel the icy cold rolling off them. I started to shiver.

I couldn’t see. They floated over us like a black cloud.

I felt a cold force, a pressure like powerful wind, pushing me one way, then the other.

“Luke?” I called to my brother. My voice was muffled under the thick blanket of shadows. “Luke? Luke? Are you okay?” No reply.

I felt sick. My stomach felt tight and heavy.

I kept picturing The Menace and his two faces. Two faces on one head!

How did he do that to himself? Was that part of his plan to frighten us?

Suddenly, the shadows lifted. Light poured over me. I stood with the other kids, shivering from the cold. Luke huddled beside me, his teeth chattering.

I raised my eyes to the stage. The red line on the Fear Meter had risen to 25.

If this is how frightened we feel at twenty-five, how will we survive fear that reaches fifty? Or one hundred?

I turned to The Menace. “Why won’t you answer our questions?” I asked. “Why won’t you tell us what you plan to do with us?” His dark eyes peered down at me. “You will help me get Panic Park out of 1974,” he said. “You will —” His other face spun around. “Don’t tell them!” he cried. “Just SHOW them!” He pushed a button on the podium.

I screamed as the floor dropped away.

I fell hard and fast.

I saw the others falling beside me.

My hands flew up as I dropped straight down … screaming … screaming all the way.