Frankie That would be the last birthday party he would ever do. The kids were cruel and made fun of him with everything he did. Nothing is like it used to be. Kids were always thrilled to see Frankie dress up as a clown. Now, they do nothing but torment him or they cry because they’re afraid of him. Frankie threw the clown outfit he so lovingly took care of all these years into the trashcan. He would find another way to make a living. He had lost all his joy in make others laugh. He sat on his front porch and watched the sun settle behind the trees. His thoughts trailed about in and out of dark places in his mind. He wavered between revenge then letting it all go. “Fat Frank!” a boy called yelled from his bike while riding down the street. “Fat Frank!” Just as Frankie stood to yell something obscene back to the kid, a man dressed as a clown stepped in front of the oncoming bicycle, grabbed the handle bars and stopped the bike dead in its tracks. The kid fell off, scampered backward, then took off running. The clown threw the bike in the kid’s direction. He dusted off his already dirty clown outfit then clapped his hands and smiled. Something was different about this man and Frankie sensed it. “Children can be so very rude these days,” the clown said as he walked toward Frankie. Frankie headed toward the street not wanting the stranger close to his house. “Hello, I’m here to help you.” “Help me, how?” Frankie asked. “Why bring fear back into the little kiddies hearts.” The clown smiled bearing his sharp teeth. “I’m not that type of clown.” “Oh … hmmm … I don’t usually make mistakes.” The clown tapped his chin with a finger. “You see the darkness calls me.” “I want nothing to do with you.” Frankie turned. The clown grabbed his shoulder. “I’m not leaving until I get what I want.” His jovial expression had left. Frankie jerked free. “Find it someplace else.” The clown snatched Frankie’s shirt above his heart. “You can’t be free of me that easy. I am everywhere.”