---- J A C K ----
Jack wasn’t sure exactly what he had expected but it wasn’t this.
Under a blood moon, shadowy specters of the ghostly circus descended from the sky. The eerie glow of their ethereal forms illuminated the dark canvas tents that loomed like brooding giants against the starless sky. The air was thick with an otherworldly energy, a palpable sense of decay and magic that crackled like static in the night.
Specters danced above the twisted spires of the circus, their translucent forms twisting and contorting in a macabre ballet. In their wake, a trail of shimmering mist lingered, casting an unsettling glow upon the deserted grounds below. The ghostly figures seemed to whisper hissing in the night, their voices a haunting melody that would send shivers down the spines of any who dared to listen.
As the moon cast its pale light upon the scene, Jack thought about running.
Saying out loud as he did so “Time to go”
Then a strange crumpled voice came wheezing from above his head. “Me neither or should I say Nether do I. I sense a touch of a dark spirit here at hand. It reaches out and grasps at us sensing our visitation to its humble abode”
“What!?” said Jack to the hat now lying on the ground at his feet, after he throw it there no longer able to abide of it residing on his head. Was it not bad enough with out this thing creeping him out too?
From the ground the hat continued undeterred “It seems apparent that there is an entity present here that wishes you ill or at least doesn’t wish you to depart. As I am sorry to see that if you wish to depart you are sorely out of luck. I could not vamoose even if I wanted to. In short we are most truly stuck”
“Are you rhyming, please stop that. It’s bad enough without you freaking me out too” jittered Jack appraising the hat.
The dark circus clearly felt left out of the conversation and came alive with a sinister energy. The tent flaps billowed in the ghostly breeze, revealing glimpses of strange and twisted creatures within. A menagerie of phantoms and ghouls prowled the grounds, their eyes glowing with an otherworldly fire that burned with an insatiable hunger.
“And you say were stuck here? But you can still teleport me about the place if they come after me?” Jack said voicing his very real fears out loud.
“Maybe if I was on your head” said the entity that was the hat.
“Are all Circuses as messed up as this?” said Jack now rather regretting his earlier cavalier attitude to the “there’s a whole world you never knew about right under your nose” debacle.
“No, usually far less intents than this” said the hat thoughtfully.
“Are you making jokes now? And what did you mean about Nether whatsit earlier?”
“A creature from the Nether world resides here. And no I’ve never seen anything quite like before. I’m quite impressed. It’s artfully done.” Said the hat now residing again on Jack’s head.
Above them, the spirits of the circus soared, their ghostly wings carrying them through the night sky in a hauntingly beautiful display. The air was filled with the echoes of their eerie laughter, a sound that chilled Jack’s blood by several degrees and quickened his pulse.
“Oh, lummy. I don’t suppose your doing all this are you? Please say you are”
“Ok, you are. I don’t see how that’s going to help you though”
“In the heart of the darkness, the dark circus with its spectral inhabitants stood as a testament to the mysteries of the night. It was a place where the boundaries between the living and the dead blurred, where the veil between worlds was thin and fragile. And as the ghostly figures continued their haunting dance, the hero of our story, Jack trembled in fear and awe at the dark magic that surrounded him.” Prattled on the hat.
“Oh give me a break” said Jack retiring to the pavement beneath his feet to sit a while. Wondering why he’d been brought here by this overbearing taxi of a hat.
“Why for the love of god did you bring me here? I wanted to visit Tent City” said Jack losing his mind slightly.
“I was called. When a hat is called it goes. Help will come to those who are in need.”
“That’s from Harry Potter” said Jack quirking his head, not impressed in the slightest.
“It’s true-ish. I am a hat that goes when it is called. Admittedly it’s usually the owner that calls me. But this world works in mysterious ways its wonders to perform”
*Sigh* It just had to get worse didn’t it.
A towering eldritch creature rose up behind the circus of flying ghosts in the night sky, its massive form casting a shadow over the ethereal performers. Its twisted limbs reached out like gnarled tree branches, covered in jagged spikes and dripping with a foul, viscous liquid. Its eyes glowed with an unearthly, fiery light as it surveyed the scene below, its mouth filled with rows of sharp, jagged teeth that seemed to glisten in the moonlight. Its skin was a sickly shade of green, covered in strange, pulsating markings that seemed to writhe and shift with a life of their own.
As the ghosts continued their aerial dance, the eldritch creature emitted a deep, guttural growl that shook the very foundations of reality. Its presence exuded a sense of ancient power and malevolence, causing the ghosts to falter in their performance and scatter in fear. The night sky seemed to warp and distort around the creature, as if reality itself was bending to accommodate its monstrous form. And as it loomed ominously behind the circus of flying ghosts, a sense of impending doom washed over the land, sending shivers down the spines of all who witnessed its terrible visage.
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Then Jack felt a terrible brain scrambling pressure squeezing its way into his mind. His knees buckled under him and he fell to the ground clutching his head.
“Well, first let us go through with the formalities. I was once like you Jack a simple Ringmaster. But then I sawed to dizzying heights and ascended to where even the gods couldn’t touch me. At least that’s what I thought. But I was naïve. They are always watching always heeding of our every deed. Especially when you are powerful. And I was so powerful.” Thundered the entity in his mind.
He wasn’t going to shut up, was he? And Jack’s head felt it was going to explode like a melon. Couldn’t he of just texted him like anyone else. Aaaaaaa!!
“They hold me now prisoner. How ironic to be held captive like an animal in my own circus. But now after long waiting I find you. Your body is a perfect vessel for my escape. So thank you Jack and Goodbye” finished the mocking entity in full dolby surround sound.
Jack stood frozen in horror as the eldritch creature before him then proceeded to crumble into black ash. The sound of its disintegration echoing in the eerie silence, sending chills down his spine.
As the ash disintegrated, it began to swirl and twist in the air, slowly inching towards Jack. The fear in his eyes was palpable as he watched the dark particles creep closer and closer, reaching out for him as if to claim him as their next victim. Abject terror overtook Jack as he realized that the creature's essence was now merging with him, the black ash seeping into his skin and coursing through his veins. He could feel its malevolent presence, a dark and twisted force that threatened to consume him whole.
In that moment, Jack knew that he was no longer in control. The eldritch creature's power had become intertwined with his own, and he could feel the darkness spreading within him like a plague. With a primal scream of terror, Jack was overtaken by a sense of dread unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
----
Jack woke up slowly in his small apartment, the sunlight streaming through the curtains casting a warm glow over the room. He stretched lazily, feeling the stiffness in his muscles from sleeping in an awkward position. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced around the familiar surroundings of his bedroom, taking in the cluttered but cozy atmosphere.
As he sat up in bed, he could hear the faint sounds of the city outside - the distant hum of traffic, the rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was a typical morning in his urban neighborhood.
Running a hand through his tousled hair, Jack swung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his glasses on the nightstand. Putting them on, he squinted at the alarm clock on the dresser and groaned. It was later than he had intended to wake up, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for him.
Getting up, he shuffled across the room to the window, pulling back the curtains to let in more light. The view of the bustling street below greeted him, with people already starting their day with a sense of purpose.
Jack took a deep breath, the familiar scents of coffee and breakfast from the neighbouring cafes wafting through the window. It was another day in his small apartment, but to him, it felt perfect. And as he got ready to face the day ahead, he couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over him. Everything was normal, just the way he liked it.
Wasn’t there some place he was supposed to be? Someone he had to meet? He had itching feeling at the back of his mind telling him he had forgotten something. Oh, never mind, if it was important it would come back to him. Wouldn’t it?
----- H A T ----
I’m only with my new owner a matter of minutes and he’s abducted, no possessed by some eldritch abomination of ill repute. I want to check my terms of employment and pronto. Because sure as earl grey tea is not grey I am not going down without a fight.
Hat watched as Jack wandered obliviously slouching around his apartment like he had the day off from work. But he paid no heed when his phone rang or when Hat tried to engage him in conversation.
Who could hat get to sort this out? Who could he get that was cheap to sort this out?
He had it – Simon. Simon was a Paper. He didn’t know his flavour but he knew he hadn’t been employed for his looks. Pulbrights needed an appraiser with a sharp eye for people who would scam, bribe or use other nefarious means to get one over on the Emporium and receive goods at preferential rates. He must be powerful.
And he would be cheap. If anyone had to pay up it would be Jack and not yours truly.
It was settled. He materialised on the counter of Pulbrights to find Simon still packaging purchased stock out the back while his own hat kept a beady eye on the customers.
How goes it Hat? said other Hat
Long time no see Hat? said Hat
The old ones are the best. said other Hat
Indeed they are. said Hat.
And how are you finding the new one, said other Hat
It’s a bit early to say he seems potentially a bit of a berk. He’s gone and got himself possessed by a powerful eldritch entity. But what can you do ah?
The other hat merely chuffed knowingly in reply.
After a little coaxing and a lot of bartering Hat managed to get Simon to agree on terms. All heavily in his favour and possibly financially crippling to Jack. And they were off back to his apartment.
There was an eerie and ominous atmosphere in Jack’s apartment. Which made Simon immediately nodded in approval that his time had not been wasted.
Five minutes of diligent work and we find Simon, standing in the dimly lit room filled with scattered candles and religious symbols. The air is heavy with tension and a sense of impending danger hangs in the air.
Simon is unphased and stands tall and confident, his expression steely and determined. He is dressed in his signature black trench coat and armed with a variety of occult tools and weapons. His eyes narrow with focus as he scans the room, searching for the source of the evil presence that he has been summoned to confront.
The entity apparently takes umbrage to this intrusion and Jack’s form falls to the floor. It writhes and convulses, his body contorting in inhuman ways, Simon steps forward with a sense of purpose. He begins to recite ancient incantations and perform intricate hand gestures, invoking the power of his knowledge and expertise in the world of the supernatural.
The tension builds as the room fills with an otherworldly energy, crackling and pulsating with dark power. The possessed Jack lets out guttural screams and cries for help, his voice that of many distorted and filled with agony as Simon struggles against the demon that has taken hold of Jack. Hat sits on the windowsill wishing he could video this.
Simon's face is a mask of determination as he channels all of his strength and willpower into the exorcism. Beads of sweat form on his brow as he battles against the forces of darkness, pushing himself to the brink of his abilities in order to banish the evil that threatens to consume the innocent soul before him.
Sitting up Simon pauses from his task. Ponders then says “Well there’s definitely something in there. But for the life of me I don’t know how to get it out”
He rubs at his chin thoughtfully then struck by a moment of incite slaps Jack hard across the face.
Jack stirs groaning groggily.
“He should be fine” Simon shrugs.