Just an hour before the amusement park closed for the rest of the night. There were only a few people lurking around in the dark. The amusement park was eerie, almost like is was out of a horror flick. The rides moving without people on their seats and locked up venders with chain fences and tightly wrapped tarps. It would be absolutely pointless to be around there at that time, nothing to do... So Clarity had snucked in...

It was empty enough. She could hear her own footsteps loud upon the pavement. Squeaks and moans emitted from the moving gears around her. If someone saw her now they would probably mistake her for another patron just heading towards the door. She wasn't. In fact she was heading further into the park. She planned on sleeping there, there was a lot of comfort in an empty park.

Clarity looked like she belonged there at any rate. Her jacket, full of patches, looked like something one of those hobo clowns would wear, it was way to big for her. She definately looked comical, well until someone got a closer look. She also had a bandaid across the bridge of her nose, right under her murderous looking eyes. Her short hair combined with her strong, flat jawline made her look like some army chick.

She continued to walk, calmly and with a certain destination in mind... She headed towards the haunted house.

Eerie indeed.

Cort had entered the park when it was still busy, perhaps an hour or two ago. He was still trying to find some normal in his quickly changing world. Poor boy. He had come just to walk and watch, meet people who were not abnormal in the extreme. So far, so good.

Tonight, Cort wore a pair of tan slacks, his shirt once again hidden beneath his jacket. As per usual, his hands were shoved deep into the jacket pockets, his watch chain in its normal spot with the mood ring threaded on.

Slowly, the people had started to dissapate, the crowds got smaller, and eventually there was no one. Well, mostly no one. Still, he walked, the silence leaving him alone with his thoughts. Cort had been unable to think very well after so much. It was kind of nice.

From farther off, he could hear footsteps. Just someone, a straggler maybe, noticing the time and rushing off to some rendezvous. Then he noticed the footsteps were coming his way.

He hoped this wouldn't turn out to be another ant thing.

Clarity spotted the guy in front of her awhile ago. He was walking a little bit slower then she was. He was going to the same place she or close to it. She could tell by the fact that it seemed like she was following he. Maybe she should tell him that the park was closing soon, act like an authority of sorts. A cop in disguise always works.

She was protecting her hide-away from this potential squatter. To the homeless it seemed like a palace that was free to the open market. Security never ventures in because of supertision and the fact that the carnies actually did a good job in the place. Inside was extremely charming what with all the fake blood, skeletal heads and big spiders. Clarity always made it a point to sleep on the mad scientist's operating bed. No one would suspect someone being alive on there, unless jolted with electricity.

She watched the teen for a second before picking up her speed to meet up with him.

Now the footsteps were getting closer. Cort finally turned to look, being met with a strange sight. Had this been a movie he was watching, Cort would have smiled. It wasn't, so he didn't. He felt almost sorry for this person.

She didn't seem like an authority figure, police or owner. Maybe a carney, but they were all gone by now. Perhaps someone else just needing a walk.

Whatever it was, Cort didn't change his course or pace. He wasn't going to bother them and hoped they would do the same.

Well he noticed her, Clare knew that much. It still didn't give her a clue as to what his was doing. She needed to know, knowledge protects you from those creeps who hang around dark corners. "Hey, you! wait up..." She called out to him.

The teen paused at the call, turning to face her. He hunched his shoulders for a brief moment, almost as if he were stretching. It looked like an exaggerated shrug.

"Did you need something?" he asked as she got closer. Cort peered, trying to get a better look at her now that he'd be talking to her. It was never fun talking to someone you weren't sure what they looked like.

"Yes... Er ... No. I came to warn you that park will be closing in about fifty minutes." She slowed her pace and walked right up to him. She tried to conceil her frustration, which showed plainly on her face. Bags were forming under her eyes but not overly so. Overall she just plain looked tried.

As she came closer, Cort took in her appearance quickly. Maybe he wouldn't have laughed.

He nodded in reply to her warning, saying, "Oh, I know. But fifty minutes is such a long time. I'm just enjoying the quiet."

Clarity took out a pack of cigarettes and took one out of the box. She said "Good!" before putting it into her mouth and lighting it with a match. The motion were fluid, like it was second nature to fill her lungs with nicotine. She took a long drag before removing the cigarette from her mouth. She exhaled the smoke in the teen's direction.

Smoke. Bleh. Cort couldn't stand it.

"What's so good about that?" he asked, taking a step back from the cloud of deathsmoke. Idly, he wondered how long until she met Az. He shook his head to slear it of thoughts like that.

He didn't want to think of things like that.

"Erm... just passing on the word. People usually lose track of time." She didn't need to haggle this person anymore. There was no risk to her hiding spot. She started to walk towards the haunted house again.

Feeling slightly remorseful at having been rude, Cort clears his throat awkwardly.

"Well, thanks," he called to her retreating back. He was struck with a sudden thought: dressed like that, did she have a place to sleep? He didn't want to come out and say it, or do anything like that.

"Um... so what's your name?" striking up conversations were not one of his strongpoints, but he'd try.

Clare foot scraped across the the ground as she came to a complete stop. She looked back. "It's Clare..."

She seemed to weigh something in her mind. Must not have been something important since it only took her a second. "Ja wanna see the Haunted House? It's at it's best in the dark. Hell it even creeps me out sometimes..." She offered a sly grin to this stranger.

"Clare, eh? I'm Cort."

He too seemed to weigh it in his mind. He took a bit longer. "Sure, why not? Could be fun." He caught up to her with a short jog, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets to ward off a gust of wind.

This could turn out to be a normal experience, albeit frightening.

Clare walked towards the haunted house. She raised her eyebrow at Cort. "Cort? Hell of a name there. Although I know more girl Corts then guy Corts. Your parents wanted a girl?" She grinned. "Don't expect me to hold your hand if you get scared. I can't be responsible if you pee your pants or something." She flashed an evil grin at her companion.

The boy smirked. "No, didn't want a girl. It's not short for anything, just plain Cort. Some old english name, I think."

"I won't pee my pants," he replied. "Haven't had anything to drink for a while."

Humor was good.

Clare snickered. The guy was a fast thinker, Clare liked fast thinkers. "Sharp." She commented as they came up to the Haunted House. "But a slick mind won't protect you from the doom of this endless oblivion...." The statement reaked of sarcasium.

The Haunted House was actually more castle like in apperance. Maybe it was a mansion... with very strange brickwork. The front door was guarded by a very bored looking vampire. "Velcome to the Haunted House." He said in a very corny accent, corny and over used. Clare turned to her new companion "I guess we'd better hope it's less corny in the inside." She doubted that, unless they changed it around since yesterday.

Cort peered at the vampire, feeling almost sorry for it. "I'm all afeared," he muttered to himself. Haunted Houses had never been a big interest of his. He was only going along to have some company.

Looking at the building, an old english castle was certainly what came to mind. As for corny...

"It's a carnival. Wouldn't be complete without the corny hautings."

There were no lines. Clare walked past the vampire without a second glance. Moving into the first room, correction the hall. It was dark with flickering light. On the walls of the hall were portraits and (surprise, surprise) their eyes were moving.

"Wow guess it can't get any worse then this... How come only doofuses live in mansions." She said this as she pointed to a portrait of a really gaucky guy.

No lines were good. Also to be expected at this hour. Cort would have been snickering hypocritically at anyone here to make a line.

"No, I don't think it could get much worse than this... unless maybe Karloff or Lugasi popped out with a bad accent."

In response to her question: "I think because only doofuses get rich enough to get a mansion like this."

Clare skipped on to the next room, she was giddy. For some reason she loved death, loved it's mystery. "Hey, ja wanna conjure up Bloody Mary in the nursery? I haven't seen the old dame in a while." The sound of fake thunder sounded in the background and a recorded shreek cut the air. Clare replied with an evil laugh, she loved this place so much. Home sweet home.

The thought of someone so mythically unreal made him wonder: did she really exist? A friend of Az's?

"I dunno... y'never know what'll pop out when you play with stuff like that."

He wasn't such a fan of Death, now that he'd met him.

Clare grinned evilly. "Don't tell me you're scared..." She walked right up to him and looked him straight in the eyes. "Do you really believe she would come. Bloody Mary herself, to us?" Dramatic pause. "Well what are we waiting for? Sounds like a party to me. To the nursery." She started hopping along, she ignored the gory kitchen with the demonic chef.

Lagging behind a bit, Cort paused and looked at the chef.

"What am I supposed to say to that?" The chef didn't answer and he didn't expect him to.

He followed, quickening his pace to catch up.

Clare entered the nursery. There was a recorded music box playing Ring Around the Rosie with children's laughing in the background. There was a shattered mirror with small bloody handprints all over it. Toys and small chairs scattered about the room and for the finishing touch the nanny was hung near the exit. She swung slowly to and fro...

"Ain't this perfect?" Clare asked her guest. The room was one of the darkest except when flashes of lightning showed more then you wanted to know. All the while the music box plays that eerie and historically morbid song.

"Ugh," was all Cort said at first. That record was a bit unnerving, and the nanny was just... wrong. However, if this was what one was looking for...

"Yeah, it is perfect," he replied, the flashes messing with his poor eyes. He wondered if the disorientation was part of the desired effect.

Clare laughed. "Oh we need candles. Unfortunately we don't have any. We'll do without them. The spell is simple enough, ya turn around a few times and say Bloody Mary over and over again. Bloody Mary is suppose to appear with a sword and she'll cut off our heads." She made a chopping motion with her hand across her neck.

"We are almost to the point of no return. Do you wish to bail?" She said this in a serious, a calculative voice. "Be aware that if you bail. I uphold the right to tease, taunt, embarrass, and humilate you for the rest of your natural life."

"Well, can't have that." Despite the willies that were currently mobbing him, he placed his right hand on his heart and raised his left hand, palm out and open. "No bailing."

Bloody Mary, eh? Well, he had no bad feeling, so it must be ok. Unless it had decided to go wonky on him and not tell him of possible death.

Hope not.

Clare placed herself in front of the mirror. "Good..." She said as she stared deeply into the fractures of her image. She adjusted her patched jacket before raising her arms. "Hear me Bloody Mary! We call for you. Come to this mirror. If you really exist come and get your revenge..." The last sentence was a hiss. Clare started spinning, arms to her sides she chanted Bloody Mary over and over again.

Cort hesitated, feeling slightly stupid. Then he started spinning and chanting the morbid queen's name. He kept his eyes closed, not wanting to see the horrible nursery in such a dizzying way.

Now to not get dizzy himself...

Clare stopped spinning and gazed into the mirror. The room was still spinning. She lifted her hand and said. "Stop." She slowly moved towards the mirror as if she could see something. She narrowed her gaze and moved closer still.

He did stop, woozily raising a hand to his head. When he could see well enough, he moved closer to the mirror as well, squinting.

He didn't see anything...

Clare stared at the mirror in horror. Her eyes went wide, she must be seeing something in that mirror. She made a surprised sound as her arms went her throat. She struggled for a few seconds before falling to the floor. She had stopped breathing...

Cort made a strangled cry of surprise, kneeling down and looking awkward before finally grabbing her shoulders and shaking her.

"Hey! What's wrong?" He glanced at the mirror again, almost as if he expected something to pop out and rip his body to pieces.

A hand shot out and grabbed Cort's arm.

Clare rose from the ground. She was laughing. "Gotcha!" She continued to laugh. Apparently she's breathing again.

Apparently Cort's not. Poor child, ever since meeting that cursed god, he's been a nervous wreck.

"Bah," is all he manages to get out, standing up with shakey legs.

He glanced at the mirror again. So much for finding a bit of normal.

Clare stood up she was still laughing. "You should have..." Before she could finish the power goes out. The music stops, and the nanny stops swinging. It's almost pitch dark. Clare could barely see Cort now.

"I guess the park's closed. Ya better run before you get locked in." Clare started walking to the next room.

Despite the prank, he stills feels... what? Pity? Attraction? No...

"What about you?" he asked, peering at her outline. "Don't you have someplace to be?"

Clare stopped and turned, she looked towards where the sound of Cort's voice came from. "Of course I do. What ja think I homeless?" Clare smirked, you could hear the sarcasium in her voice. "You better hurry or you're going to have to climb the gate." She waited for him to leave.

Cort shrugged, a subconscious move. Of course she wouldn't be able to see it. He turned to where he remember the door to be and slowly began to pick his way back.

He stopped one last time, looking over his shoulder at her dim silouette. "You sure? We could go get something to eat."