Put It In Your Room My Dad Orders

Loveable clowns. Doing tricks. Exciting grownups. I am four. They terrify me. Their faces looks weird. I hate their red lips. Reminds me of blood. More afraid of them than of any Dracula. Look at them! They are funny! My aunt says. She takes my hands away from my eyes. You are missing them! She says. “I paid good money for this circus.” I wish she had saved her money. My heart beats fast. My grandmother mistakenly thinks I liked the circus. For my birthday she gets me a clown doll. It makes me shudder. Take it out of the box! My mother says. The box reminds me of Grandpa’s funeral. I am more terrified than I was before. Put it in your room, my dad orders, and pretend you like it. I give my grandma a hug and run it up there. Shove it under the bed. Have cake and ice cream. Everyone sings happy birthday. I am five! I run upstairs, get my pajamas on and get into bed. “Don’t forget your prayers!” My dad says before he shuts my door. I get down on my knees. Something grabs me and pulls me under the……..