Giggles - 3 (Patreon)

Ian had been searching for Becky for what felt like an eternity, his desperation growing with each passing moment. The bright lights of the carnival had long since lost their charm, becoming a disorienting blur as he wandered through the labyrinth of attractions and stalls. Finally, exhausted and defeated, he sank onto one of the stools in the main tent, his head in his hands.

Several clowns walked by, their garish costumes and exaggerated features a mockery of joy. Ian barely registered them, his mind consumed by thoughts of Becky. Then, one of the clowns stopped and came over to him, its helium-voiced greeting piercing through his despair.

"Ian!" the clown said, its voice unnaturally high. "It's me, Becky!"

Ian looked up, his heart skipping a beat. The clown before him wore a ruffled outfit that covered a large belly. Red clown hair framed its face, complete with a bulbous nose. Despite the absurdity of the sight, there was something hauntingly familiar in the clown's eyes.

"Becky?" he said, his voice trembling. "Take off that nose!"

Becky's eyes watered, her white face unable to hide her anguish. "I can't! It's part of me now. Meet me at the clown tent!" she said, shuffling forward on her oversized clown shoes.

Ian watched her go, his mind reeling. He stood up, following her through the winding paths of the carnival until they reached the secluded clown tent. The inside was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of greasepaint and sadness. Becky stood in the center, her shoulders slumped.

"I'm so sorry, Ian," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I broke the rules, and now I'm like this. I can't change back." Her thin reedy voice was such a departure from her melodic tones he'd fallen in love with.

Ian's heart ached at the sight of her. He stepped closer, reaching out to take her hand. "Is there anything I can do?"

The clown that was Becky looked up at him. Yearning filled her eyes, a sadness that went beyond the imprinted colors. Ian took her in, all of her, with the bulbous nose and belly, the white skin that appeared like paint, all of it. She was a creature now, a creature born of sadness, joy, despair, and love. Could she turn things around and find all of that within her? he desperately hoped so.

"I'm really hungry," Becky said. She took large steps over to some stew that burbled in a pot. "I could seriously use a cheeseburger."

"No burgers!" Another voice said. This one had green hair and accents, but appeared as Becky was. "A burger has poison!"

The clowns all giggled at that, their high pitched cackles making Ian winced. He glanced at Becky who shrugged. "I can eat stew. I'm afraid this might be permanent. The carnival's magic is too strong."

Ian squeezed her hand, determination hardening his resolve. The eerie glow of the clown tent, surrounded by the echoes of laughter and sorrow, Ian and Becky vowed to fight against the sinister forces of the Carnival of Souls.