Following the lion as it pawed quietly through the path, neither felt comfortable continuing on knowing how much it scared something that was part of this monstrous carnival. As a sudden chill crept up their backs, the mist settling around their ankles did nothing to ease their discomfort.

Tiptoeing as they got closer to the tent, the bones lying at the entrance was a warning sign they probably should have taken. Stopping rather abruptly as the lion turned to face them, they both stood in silence as it told them what was going to happen.

“Okay, I’m only going to say this once so pay attention. When he gets back you have to remain out of sight, you cannot let him see or hear you. It is imperative that he does not know you’re in the grounds otherwise you won’t ever leave. I’ll distract him and once he’s in or through my tent you must run till you get out of here! He can run across the carnival in a few seconds if he thinks the hunt is on and if he does think that you won’t survive the night, and since you’ve no way to defend yourselves against it that’s a certainty.”

As they tried not to panic, they quickly ducked behind a pile of open boxes holding old tents full of moth balls and cockroaches. Watching quietly at the scene unfolding in-front of them, neither could believe the beast that walked out of the tent. A 12ft tall beast crawled out of the tent looking like a cross between a wolf and stag but the once brown fur now matted and grey with dust and mould. As it stood up on its hind legs it showed skin pulled taught across the body showing off every rib in full and its right antler was broken in half and it had almost completely fallen off. Barely able to breathe at this point the growl out of it sent a chill up their spines. “Oh look, the kitty got out of its cage… now we can have some fun.”

“Oh goody, the imaginary girl taught you how to speak but you won’t hurt me, we both know your food of choice. At least you can watch me stop her hurting the others anymore.”