Chapter 83 - The Booth of Bottomless Terror Part 2 (1/2)

As the man or shadow continues his inexorable approach towards them, Claire whispers, ”Is this real?”

”Don't worry,” Miguel says, and grabs Claire's hand and steps in front of her. ”I won't let anything to happen to you.”

Gabriel takes note of that. Claire glances at him as she has no choice but to cower behind Miguel.

”That's a long knife, right?” Gabriel calmly notes. ”Can you defend against that, Migs?”

”I've defended against knives longer than that,” Miguel mutters. ”I think we can disarm him easily. I'll snap his head off.”

Gabriel says nothing. His gaze is straight at the approaching shadow—and at Miguel's hand holding Claire so tightly. He knows this isn't the right time to think of such things, but he couldn't stop himself. So what he does is he actually grabs Claire's other hand, and places himself in front of her and right behind Miguel. Miguel turns to look at him and has no choice but to let go.

”She should be in the safest place,” Gabriel says, secretly squeezing Claire's hand as if to tell her it's alright, ”Which is right behind both of us.”

Miguel makes a face. ”But what if someone appears right behind her while we're busy defending the front, huh? Wasn't that more strategic that Claire's sandwiched between us?”

”Well, uhh,” Gabriel stammers. But he's not returning her to Miguel. ”No, get ready. He's about to reach us.”

Miguel hisses in disappointment, yet he looks ahead and braces himself against what he perceives is an oncoming onslaught. The shadow is weird, at the very least. He seems to be walking through water, in that slow-motion kind of way. And they couldn't glean details of him, no matter how much they squint their eyes. The shadow seems to be shifting in the dim light, like he's being projected on the wall or something.

”Here he comes,” Gabriel mutters. In those few moments as they stand there, Gabriel wonders why they have come to this point. They were supposed to just enjoy the night, in an amusement park they have known for decades. Why, of all nights, must they encounter such a thing? What happened to the first batch that came through this horror booth, then? What are the chances that just as when they're the ones in it, this person, this apparent ”killer,” must show up? Gabriel smells something fishy, so to speak. So he, too, braces himself up, as the shadow continues walking, ever so calmly, towards them.

”Oh, my God,” Claire whimpers from behind them.

Miguel shushes him.

Then when the shadow is just but a few paces from them, just as when Miguel is about to make his all-out karate yell, the shadow, or whatever it is, continues walking—THROUGH them.

This drops their jaws. Gabriel looks around at the ceiling, on the wall, as the ”shadow,” which now turns out to be a projection of some kind, continues walking beyond them, then disappears into a wall. When they look ahead, there it is again, standing before them, seemingly holding a huge knife—the projection repeats in an endless loop.

”Jesus,” Miguel mutters.” That was crazy. I didn't know they have that now.”

”Yeah,” Gabriel agrees.

”What was that?” Claire says, still not getting it.

”It's a 3D projection, Claire,” Gabriel says. ”It's a mirage, something like a three-dimensional movie.”