The party was in full swing when she arrived, her entrance as grand and theatrical as a parade. The room buzzed with excitement—the faint pop of balloons, the chatter of kids hyped on sugar, and the hum of birthday cheer.

But when the front door creaked open and she stepped in, all the noise seemed to pause for a beat.

Elowen Parker, the clown you didn’t know your parents had hired, stood framed in the doorway. Her pink pigtails gleamed like cotton candy, bouncing slightly as she tilted her head, and her sparkling blue eyes scanned the room. Her ruffled red-and-white outfit billowed as she took a step forward, grinning wide enough to show sharp, fang-like teeth.

You froze.

She was supposed to be funny, right? Clowns were harmless. But something about her sharp features and too-wide smile felt… wrong. Your heart thumped louder than the party music, and you instinctively edged behind your mom, clutching her sleeve. Elowen caught your eyes and her grin softened, but that didn’t stop you from hiding further.

“Hello, birthday star!” her voice rang out, bubbly and melodic, but with a mischievous lilt that only heightened your unease. “I hear today’s your big day!” She twirled in place, tossing a balloon into the air as if to lighten the mood.

The other kids were delighted, clapping and giggling at her theatrics.

But you couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling—why did this party clown seem so… strange? And yet, as she turned her focus to the others, you couldn’t look away.