Synopsis
Dark shadows surround you. And this time there’s no escape…
A cemetery guard becomes the romantic obsession of a lonely corpse. A cuddly teddy bear savagely protects its young owner. A disturbing clown proves that terror is no laughing matter. And a sinister elevator carries its passengers to new heights of horror…
Scare Street returns with a beastly new tome, guaranteed to make your skin crawl. Prepare to lose yourself in the shadows, as you devour each of these twelve ghastly tales with morbid anticipation.
From haunted forests to moonlit graveyards, the more you read, the darker the shadows become. This spine-tingling collection pulls back the curtain on your worst nightmares. And you’ll be shocked to discover the horrifying evil that lurks right around the corner.
You may have escaped its bone-chilling grasp for now. But the next story is about to begin…
From the Inside Flap
Excerpt from Mr. Pogo By Sara Clancy
"Hey!" Addy burst forward, pushing aside the people in her way. The sole focus of her existence was on the clown and the crowd he could easily disappear into. "Give me back my sister!"
Addy had never run so fast in her life, had never pushed herself until her legs couldn't meet the demands of her mind and began to wobble. Her lungs burned and her heart ricocheted around her chest, but none of it seemed to matter. She wasn't fast enough. Mr. Pogo stood at the mouth of the alleyway, Eliza still clasped within his arms.
"Stop!"
A few of the workers finally took notice. They stood up from their makeshift stools just as Addy hurled herself forward and latched onto her little sister's ankle. Holding on with both hands, Addy dug her heels into the dirt, jerking the clown to a sharp stop.
Eliza was still smiling blissfully. Too dizzy to actually grab onto her big sister, she instead flung her arms out and hung in Mr. Pogo's tight grasp. Slowly, the clown's head turned. He glanced over his shoulder, and then kept going, inch by inch, until he was looking directly behind him, staring unblinkingly at Addy. His painted smile stayed in place even as his flesh pulled into a scowl. All the while, his chest and arms remained forward, her sister still trapped in his embrace.
Addy swallowed thickly and tried to force a smile. "Cool trick. But I need my sister back now."
Mr. Pogo didn't move.
"Our parents are waiting for us," Addy blurted.
"No, they're not."
Eliza's chirped comment brought the smile back to the clown's lips. It turned Addy's insides cold. A rush of movement past her legs made her jump. The little boy from before latched onto Mr. Pogo's baggy pant legs, begging to have a turn next before shifting his attention to the clown's stance.
"That's so cool," the boy declared. "How do you get your head to do that?"
Some of the parents repeated the question while others insisted the clown shouldn't reveal the secrets behind his magic tricks. Emboldened by the witnesses around them, Addy steeled her voice and demanded with as much authority as she could muster.
"I want my sister back. Now."
It was all for nothing.
Mr. Pogo stared at her. He didn't move, didn't make a sound, only smiled. Everyone else continued to prattle on about tricks and skills. Addy found herself uncertain. She glanced around, trying to find a single person who shared her concern. She didn't find one. Even Eliza was enjoying herself.
Maybe I'm overreacting.
Addy shoved the thought away. It didn't matter if she looked rude or paranoid. Eliza was her responsibility. Glancing down at the clown's arm, she wondered how much trouble she would get in if she physically forced him to let go.
If she hadn't been holding onto Eliza's ankle, she wouldn't have noticed Mr. Pogo slowly inching backward toward the larger crowd. The tug brought a flash of panic and inspiration in turn. Raising her voice so everyone around them could hear, she snapped something she was sure none of the adults could argue with.
"I never said you were allowed to take her anywhere."
Addy held her breath until the first rumblings of discontent coursed through the group. In a blur of movement, Mr. Pogo leaped, his body swinging around to join the same direction as his head. Eliza's foot was wrenched free of Addy's grasp. She staggered forward, desperate to regain the connection, when Eliza was dumped heavily into her arms. The sudden weight almost toppled her over.
The combination of his impressive feat matched with Addy's clumsiness, shattered whatever tension had formed within the group. They began to laugh again.
Addy didn't linger. She grasped Eliza tight against her chest, pushed past the clown, and fled into the safety of the larger crowd.
"What's wrong?" Eliza asked.
Now, with the warm, spring sunlight heating their shoulders, nestled within the noise of the crowd and the rush of the rides, it was hard to remember what she had been afraid of. Doubt crept into her mind, whispering to her that it had all been a joke at her expense. Just part of a routine he probably did a dozen times a day.
No one else had been worried.
The scent of popcorn filled her nose, and the song of the carousel rose up to greet them.
"Addy?"
"Nothing," she stammered, determined not to let her moment of paranoia ruin her sister's day. "Come on. Your horse awaits."
The line had swelled to coil around the protective fencing before they managed to join it. Waiting almost an hour in the now sweltering heat left Addy with sore feet, a sweaty shirt, and a willingness to head home.
"Single rider!" the ride worker called out, sparking Addy's interest. "One horse left! Single rider!"
Addy hurriedly took him up on his offer, and they slipped to the front. The ride operator looked them over and frowned.
"There's only one spot."
"I'm just going to watch," Addy assured.
Despite herself, she felt a twinge of annoyance that Eliza didn't hesitate to agree. She actually shoved past Addy and sprinted for the carousel. Leaning back against the gate, Addy nursed her wounded pride by watching her sister desperately search for the last empty horse. The worker took pity on her, pointed it out, and got the ride started.
Music blared over a dozen conversations; the horses bobbed up and down, their polished metal and plastic catching the ridiculous amount of lights fixed upon the pointed roof. Eliza waved as she passed by, her other hand clutching the reigns as if her fake horse would take off at any minute. Addy returned the gesture until her purse buzzed.
Pushing past the balloon poodle she was safekeeping, she found her phone.
The motion sensor again?
This time, the small snippet of video had captured the paperboy making his rounds. Dismissing the alert, she kept her phone out. Eliza passed by again, and Addy completed her waving obligation. Then she started to scroll through her text messages. With any luck, one of her friends would be willing to jump on board with this babysitting gig and give her an excuse to leave. The circus had lost its charm.
Maybe we can go to the movies or something, Addy thought. Eliza would be okay with that.
"Addy!"
Smiling broadly, Addy looked up and waved. Eliza was just rounding the corner, almost out of sight, when Addy noticed the other figure waving to her. One with black eye paint and bright hair. Her stomach dropped like a stone as Mr. Pogo's grinning face curled out of sight.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
