Greasepaint (9 page)

Chapter Eighteen

Mona rushes into the main stage area. It is deserted and the red light still pools intermittently creating little puddles of bloody light cut by deep shadows.

She moves through, cautiously, expecting the clown at any moment.

Arms reach out of the shadows and pull her in.

Mona struggles against whatever has her, a hand clamps over her mouth. Michael leans into the light, whispering into Mona's ear.

“Shhhh. Mona. It's me.”

Mona stops struggling and Michael lets her go. Tears stream from both of them as Mona turns and kisses him fiercely.

Mona breaks off, breathless. “I'm so sorry…I thought…”

“I know. It's all right. Is it still out there?”

Mona nods.

“Who is it?”

Michael looks down, afraid to even say the name. “Orzo.”

Mona shakes her head. “That's impossible…”

Michael raises his head. He isn't angry, more resigned to their shared fate. He looks Mona right in the eyes.

“Look. He's back and we have to go.”

Mona returns the look and takes a deep breath. “That I agree with.”

Mona and Michael grasp hands. The kiss each other one last time and move from out of the shadows and into the stage area. They creep cautiously toward the backstage area.

“I left him back there,” Mona whispers.

Michael nods. “Where's Ricky and Skeezer?”

Mona shakes her head.

Michael's voice cracks. “The cop?”

“Him too.”

Michael's shoulders sag and he nearly deflates. “Jesus Christ…”

“Can we get off the stage and out that way?”

“We'll be exposed… shit, shit, shit!”

Michael looks to the backstage area and sighs. “The alley door is only a few yards behind us, we just have to go back there.”

Mona and Michael look at each other. Mona nods. They hug.

The terrified duo exit the stage area into the backstage, stepping carefully. They make it to the door to the alley. Michael and Mona turn to each other and smile. They reach for the door at the same time.

The door swings open to reveal the clown. He holds Morris's gun and smiles viciously.

Without a word, the clown brings the gun down onto Mona's head with a crack. She falls to the ground, unconscious.

Against his better judgment, Michael moves toward the clown in defense of Mona but takes the same type of hit to the head.

Michael sinks to his knees and looks up. A haze covers his eyes and the last image he has before passing out is the clown beaming from ear to ear.

Chapter Nineteen

Michael shakes his head from side to side, trying to get rid of the cobwebs and fog. He tries to reach up to rub his eyes but his arms just won't obey. After a moment, his vision clears enough to assess the situation.

Michael and Mona are tied to office chairs facing one another other. Michael tries to call out but his mouth is taped shut. Mona's head moves, indicating she was just unconscious like him and that settles him for a moment. He and Mona are bound to the chairs around the chest, their wrists tied behind their backs.

The two of them are surrounded by flat screen television monitors. It appears as if they are in a studio of some sort. The monitors cover up nearly every inch of wall that Michael can see but the tell-tale sound proofing peeks out here and there. Each of the monitors is on and each of them are playing a different episode of the Orzo show. Michael tries to block them out.

Mona wakes fully and their eyes meet. He tries to communicate how much he loves her but is interrupted.

The clown enters the studio, dancing around, carrying a small table. It places the table down and then the detective's gun on the table. The clown dances from Mona to Michael, deciding something.

The clown finally stands between the two of them and points to each one in repetition playing a silent version of Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe. Michael is chosen.

The clown spins and inspects Michael. Michael's eyes are wide in terror, but not enough. It peers into Michael's face, prods at his ears and even pulls his eyelids back and stares straight into the bulging orbs. Michael shudders uncontrollably.

The clown shakes its head and turns to Mona. Michael panics and struggles, trying to get the clown's attention despite being scared to death. The clown advances toward Mona and past her.

It moves aside one of the monitors to reveal a large shelf filled with DVDs of the Orzo show. With a sweeping arm movement, the clown spills the hundreds of DVDs on the floor. Cases open up and the discs fall out, reflecting the images on the monitors

The clown stoops and picks up several discs.

It moves to Mona's front and displays the discs like a deck of cards. He shoves them at Mona. She stares at him, afraid and confused.

The clown smiles viciously and picks one of the DVDs himself, spinning it in the air and catching it. The clown places it behind Mona's right ear. He looks at Michael.

Michael just shakes his head, trying to plead through the tape.

The clown shoves down with the disc, severing Mona's ear.

She screams through the tape.

The clown lifts a finger as if it had just had a great idea. He reaches around and rips Mona's tape off.

She screams in pain, shock and absolute terror.

“Oh God…please!”

The clown bends over and picks up Mona's ear. He mimes screaming into it. It shakes the ear as if it's broken and pretends to scream again. After a beat the clown shrugs his shoulders and tosses the ear to the side.

Mona is in incredible pain. She moans intermittently.

The clown steps the other side and repeats the process on the left ear.

Mona reacts violently in the chair, struggling against the tape. Her cries ring out as blood pours from either side of her head.

Michael winces and yells through the tape. He struggles against the bindings.

The clown steps back, reviewing the handiwork. Like a magic trick, it produces two more discs.

Leaning in and working closely, the clown splits the corners of Mona's mouth with a disc. Taking two more, it shoves them into the arteries running on the side of Mona's neck.

Mona's eyes go even wider, nearly exploding from her skull, as blood sprays from each side of her neck.

The clown tangoes back and forth, solo, literally showering itself in Mona's blood.

It doesn't take long for the light in Mona's eyes to fade. Her blood flow reduces itself to a slow dribble and her head slumps. She sags in the chair.

Michael's sobs are audible through the tape. His heart rends.

The clown stands before Michael and bows before moving quickly to the desk and grabbing the gun.

Michael glares at the fiend before the clown waves and brings the gun crashing down onto Michael's head again.

Chapter Twenty

Michael repeats the earlier process and shakes off the cobwebs. He squeezes his eyes shut, afraid to see what he knows still lies before him. He is tied to the chair so there is no escape. Taking a deep breath, Michael snaps his eyes open.

Mona's corpse is across from him. The floor below her is covered in blood and it has dried some, becoming tacky and reflecting less of the video monitors that continue to play the Orzo show.

A sound catches Michael's attention and he turns. He cannot believe his eyes as they focus. Standing before him, setting up a video camera, is Dan Prescott, Jr.

Dan notices Michael is awake and smiles from ear to ear.

“Morning, sunshine!”

Michael struggles and works at his bonds. His hands move furiously, rubbing back and forth trying to create some space.

Dan swings his arm up and makes an exaggerated show of looking at his watch.

“You sure are a sleepy head!” Dan smiles and turns back to the camera. He finishes the set up and makes a show of cleaning the lens.

Michael tries to speak through the tape. Dan turns and laughs, having a wonderful time with the entire production.

“You're probably asking, ‘Dan…What the hell are you doing?' And I would respond, ‘Michael, you're being punished for slander.'”

Michael's brow furrows, he is confused. He glances at Mona and intensifies the struggle against his bonds.

Dan steps in front of Michael, blocking the view of Mona.

“And she slandered the good name, too, Michael. I punished them…but you most of all.”

Dan turns and throws his arms wide and spins, the glow of the monitors plays across his face. Dan smiles.

“I took on the garb of our father, Michael, and I judged all those that would slander his name.” Dan finishes his spin and advances on Michael. Dan gets nose to nose as Michael shrinks back as far as possible in his seat. “
Our father
, Michael…do you hear me? You may be the prodigal son, the son that the media adores…but I held him true. I kept his name and legacy and, for that, he loved me best.”

Dan drops to his knees in front of Michael as if praying. He lays his head in Michaels lap.

“And to that end, he loved me first.”

Dan springs up, the mood swinging from demure to violent in heartbeat. He points a finger in Michael's face. “That's why you all had to pay! Every one of you took his name in vain! Every one of you professed yourself to the fallen son! Every one of you had to die!”

Dan dives in close again. Michael winces as Dan whispers into his ear.

“Especially your whore.”

At that Michael renews his struggling. Dan giggles and steps back. He watches one of the monitors for a moment, smiling widely.

“But I had to protect you as well. This is the third ring of the circus and I needed you in tip top shape for the performance.”

Dan turns from the monitor and stands back, surveying Michael critically.

“Father would be proud of you. But that's enough for now.”

Dan pulls out a hypodermic needle and a small vial from his pants pocket. He fills the needle and poises it above Michael's thigh.

“Sleep tight.” Dan slams the needle into Michael's thigh. Michael screams behind the tape.

Michael's head slumps forward.

Dan leans forward and strokes Michael's cheek.

“The fun has just begun.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Flashes of the next few hours play out for Michael. He is unsure of whether he is dreaming, high, or if it is real life. Whatever Dan gave him is one bad trip. Still seated in the chair, Michael feels someone, most likely Dan, pulling his pants down. He can only register the barest protest before he is out again.

Michael's eyes snap open and he is no longer sitting. He is chained to the wall in Orzo's basement. The old TV still plays and the door to the basement opens. Michael screams and it echoes around the basement. Michael realizes that the tape is no longer over his mouth. And Orzo is dead, he knows he is. The drugs take over one more time.

Michael comes to again only to find Dan in front of him. He tries to scream again, but the tape is back. Real life. Dan has a large jar of white cream make-up in one hand and dips in a finger. Smiling, ear to ear, he brings a glob of the make-up toward Michael's eye. Michael presses his eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable. Dream time.

Michael's head rocks back and forth as he fights his way through the remnants of the tranquilizer. He is still strapped to the chair but the tape is gone. He opens his mouth, wincing at the stiffness. Michael looks down to see that his clothes have been taken off and replaced…with Orzo's costume. He whimpers quietly and goes back to work on his bindings.

Dan enters and steps around the monitors. He is dressed in street clothes and smiles noticing that Michael is awake.

“Hi there! How're we feeling today?” Dan asks.

Michael looks up, hate burns in his eyes. “You bastard.”

Dan feigns shock. “Language, Michael. We are almost ready for the final act…of our story.”

Michael struggles in the chair. He works at the bonds around his hands. There is the slightest bit of separation in the ropes, they feel looser than before. Michael wiggles his fingers, realizing that he has gloves on now, and deduces that the bonds had to have been taken off and retied at some point.

“Of course, mine and Father's story will continue.”

Dan barely glances at Michael as he adjusts a monitor.

“The only one I really, truly regretted was Reigns. He had a flair for the dramatic that Father would have appreciated.” Dan turns to the video camera and makes some adjustments.

Michael has loosened the wrist ropes even more. Little by little. Luckily Dan loves to hear the sound of his own voice.

“You really should appreciate this,” Dan continued. “I am saving you…I
have
been saving you!”

“Why? How is this saving me?”

Dan smiles as he flips the LCD screen on the camera out and checks the angle.

“This is your escape.” Dan turns to Michael and pulls out his cell phone. “Ready?”

Michael works at the ropes with as little obvious movement as possible.

“For what?”

“The end, of course.”

Michael looks down at the clown outfit and grimaces. “Get me out of these…please?”

“Why would I do that? Then my plan wouldn't work. You don't like them? They were actually worn by our father!”

Michael snaps and spits at Dan. “Fuck you! He is
not
my father, all right? He was nothing more than a two bit hack rapist! I hate him and so should you…we're victims of that guy!”

Dan's face flushes. Without thinking he leaps forward and slams his fist in Michael's face. Michael's head rocks back but he straightens quickly. Michael spits out blood and teeth.

“How dare you! He loved us and you spurned that love!” Dan screams as he shakes his hand. He had hurt it with that punch. White make-up is smeared across Dan's knuckles and Michael sees it.

Michael glares at Dan and furiously works at the ropes.

“He raped us and you worship him?”

Dan rears back for another punch but stops himself, smiling and taking deep breaths. “You're trying to goad me, Michael. I see what you're doing.”

Michael continues to work at the ropes. There is significant progress.

“Want to know what's next?” Dan asks.

Michael sneers in derision. “Sure.”

Dan smiles broadly. He brandishes his cell phone and points to the camera with it.

“This is a very great honor for you, Michael, dressed in father's finery. What I am about to do is brilliant, worthy of Him.”

Dan lifts his arms and shows his wrists. There are some severe binding marks and bleeding. “I've been working on this. This shows the police that you had me bound against my will the entire time.”

He holds the cell phone up again. “This is what I will call the police with. They will arrive to find you dead by my hands…an apparent act of self-defense.”

Dan points to the camera. “This will record the entire episode. Distraught over the media attention, you kidnap me and kill your friends. That is a believable scenario.”

Michael laughs. The ropes are much looser but Michael is careful not to show it.

Dan pulls out another hypodermic needle. “And this will keep you docile enough for an easy fight.”

“You're insane,” Michael spits out.

“I thought you'd say that. Of course, you won't be able to tell anyone else. Poor little addicted musician just snapped. I can see the headlines now.” Dan dials two numbers with audible beeps. 9. 1. Before finishing the last number, he turns Michael. “And just think. This will cause the DVD sales to go through the roof which will lead to an even greater proliferation of Father's legacy!”

Michael's hands are nearly free. “You can't do this.”

Dan pushes the last button. 1. It beeps. “I just did.” Dan smiles and brings the phone to his ear. He coughs as the operator picks up and feigns injury. “You have to help…he killed them…please…3415 West Ash in Phoenix…hurry…” Dan snaps the phone shut.

“Beautiful performance.”

Dan smiles and waves off the pseudo-compliment. “I try. By my calculations, we have about seven minutes until the police arrive. Don't you love 911?”

Dan pockets the phone and pulls out the needle. “Ready?”

Michael shakes his hands free from the ropes. “Oh hell yeah.”

Dan steps forward as Michael explodes from the chair. The needle flies away from Dan's grip as Michael lays into him. Michael and Dan fight through the monitors and they crash to the floor, showering the room with sparks. Past the monitors, they both tumble into Mona's corpse. Her chair topples over and Mona's body smacks the floor, the DVDs still in her body click and clack on the tile.

Michael screams in rage and takes Dan's head in his hands. He smashes it into one of the hanging monitors. The image of Orzo flashes briefly and sputters out as the glass cracks.

Dan stumbles back, dazed. Michael moves forward and grabs him around the throat. Dan falls backward, flipping Michael over and into another bank of monitors.

They crackle and sparks fly. The Orzo images on the screens are flickering and disappear as the combatants roll through the studio. Michael and Dan push each other into a bank of monitors and they fall to either side.

Dan stands up. He is bleeding heavily from the head.

Michael stands up holding his arm to his side.

Dan is incensed. He looks around as the images flicker and fade or disappear altogether. “He will not be denied!”

Michael smiles. “Orzo is a prick.”

Dan screams. He charges Michael and spears him back into the camera and tripod. The camera and tripod fall. Dan scoops up the camera with the tripod attached. He straddles Michael and raises the collapsed tripod legs over his head.

Michael catches the leg of the tripod and they struggle. Dan leans over the camera, trying to force the tripod legs into Michael's chest. The legs get closer and closer until Michael manages to slide from under and Dan falls, plunging the camera into his abdomen.

Dan, with the wind knocked out of him, falls backward. Michael slowly stands. He grabs Dan by the hair and drags him, stumbling, as Dan clutches his midsection.

Michael looks forward, beyond the monitors, to large plate glass window of the studio. He had been in studios before and realizes just how thick soundproof glass is. Michael smiles and gets a running start, with Dan in hand. Using everything he has, Michael throws Dan through the glass window with a CRASH into the foyer.

Dan lands in the long hallway. The doors to the outside are only a matter of yards away. The hallway is lined with framed posters of Orzo and Dumpy Dan, the DVD release poster and other Orzo memorabilia.

Dan gets to his feet, using the wall for support. He is cut and bleeding profusely.

Michael appears at the broken window and starts to climb over, carefully trying to avoid the jagged broken glass.

Dan grabs a framed poster from the wall and swings it at Michael before he can clamber into the foyer. The poster smashes into Michael's head, the glass breaking, and Michael slumps to the ground.

Dan grabs another poster off of the wall further down the hallway and limps back to Michael.

Michael stands up and staggers toward Dan.

Dan swings the frame and it crashes over Michael's back. The framed glass shatters again and it sends Michael flying toward the double doors. He skids to a stop right before them.

Dan stumbles down the hallway and grabs one of the final posters off of the wall. He stands over Michael and raises the poster and frame.

Michael kicks upward catching Dan in the gonads. Dan doubles over in pain dropping the frame.

Michael staggers to his feet, wiping the blood from his eyes and smearing the make-up. He picks up the frame and raises it over his head.

With a desperate cry, Dan's adrenaline kicks in and he charges Michael, catching him at the midsection. The poster flies against the wall, cracking, and Michael and Dan are carried through the glass doors with a crash.

Dan and Michael land in the parking lot, smacking onto the concrete. Only Dan's car is there. The large monitor above the doors is still playing the Orzo show on a loop.

Both Dan and Michael lie on the concrete, moaning. After a moment, each of them begins to stir.

Sirens cut through the night, distant but approaching fast.

They get to their feet and face each other. Both of them are exhausted but stumble toward one another. Michael throws a punch and connects, but Dan doesn't go down. Dan throws a punch and connects, but Michael doesn't go down.

Michael throws another punch and misses. Dan grabs Michael by the clown suit and drives him into the hood of the car. Michael screams in pain and lays across the hood, arms splayed out.

Dan takes Michael's head and rams it repeatedly into the hood, leaving a large dent that quickly fills with Michael's blood.

The sirens are even louder.

Dan falls backward, exhausted.

Michael, barely conscious, peels himself off of the car. He is holding his head in obvious agony.

Dan stands and, hearing the sirens getting very close, backs away.

“It's almost over…Michael.” Dan manages a laugh, but coughs up blood. Not paying attention, he trips over the small concrete parking barrier. Dan falls backward onto his back.

Michael, his head clearing somewhat, sees Dan fall. He looks up and smiles.

Two police cars pull into the parking lot, sirens blaring.

Michael concentrates all of his remaining energy into one movement and leaps for the monitor and the wiring above the doors.

Four police officers get out of their cars and pull their weapons.

Michael catches the wiring and starts to bring the monitor down. He is directly above Dan, who screams.

The officers have their guns trained on Michael.

Before Dan can move, or the police can intervene, the monitor smashes into Dan's head with a crash, nearly shaving off the top of his head. The edge of the monitor is embedded in the top of Dan's skull as his body twitches. The monitor still functions, playing the Orzo show, even though the screen has a large crack running through it.

Michael staggers back.

The police officers stand transfixed, unsure how to process what they have just seen. The first officer, the oldest, manages to train his weapon on Michael.

“Freeze right there and get your hands over your head!”

Michael looks down at Dan. “And the fun has just begun…bitch.”

Michael looks up, finally noticing the police officers. He grabs his head and moans. “Thank God…” Michael moves forward, stumbling toward the officers.

“I said halt!”

Michael, swoons, oblivious to the world around him, and stumbles forward again.

Panicking, the police officer fires. He is quickly followed by the other three. All of them fire, round after round, at Michael.

Michael is torn to shreds, bullets ripping into the clown suit. Blood and meat mix with make-up and the brightly colored suit turning Michael into organic confetti.

Michael falls backward, gore erupting from multiple areas of his body.

He falls next to Dan. They lie side by side as the Orzo show plays out on the broken monitor.