I'm Not Afraid of You

Jenna Hill “Finally.” Jenna let out a long, exhausted sigh. The last day had been pretty stressful for her, and all she wanted to do now was push all thoughts out of her mind and just rest. Moving to another city is difficult, especially if you were going to stay there for a while, maybe even live there. This was her first night in Derry. Jenna hoped the next day would go better than the first one. She had to move to this town because of work. Jenna had been trying to apply for a job in many places, but each time she got a negative response, or didn’t get one at all. She put her CV on several employment websites and waited for someone to contact her, hoping for the best. The only thing that didn’t make her too happy was the population, so typical for a small town. There were too many curious people around, and soon after her arrival, Jenna had so many visits from her new neighbors, who came to greet her and then bombard her with questions about where she came from and what her life story was. Jenna sighed. This was making her tired. Sure, those people were friendly, but all those visits were starting to annoy her. But that wasn’t the weirdest part, though. Almost everyone she spoke to looked baffled by her arrival to Derry. Judging by their looks, they thought moving to this town was a crazy idea. And each time Jenna asked for a reason, all she got in response was stuttering and a swift change of the topic. To hell with all of it, Jenna thought. If they didn’t want to talk about it, she wasn’t going to pry. It pretty much looked like a superstition, so she would just ignore it. In small towns like this, superstitious people weren’t a rarity. Later things got even weirder. As Jenna was on her way to a new workplace, she spotted a strange guy in a white clown costume. He was holding a bunch of red balloons in his left hand; and although a large distance separated them from each other, Jenna knew he was looking at her and waving. She smiled and waved back. Great. One more weirdo in this town. What’s going to be next? Strangely enough, no one was paying attention to the clown. People passed him, and no one even turned around. It almost seemed like the clown was invisible to them. It was all so bizarre. But whatever. Jenna shrugged and continued her way. She didn’t want to be late. If she created the best impression about herself, it would only play in her favor. But as she arrived to her new place of employment, things got clearer and creepier. Jenna had to meet her new boss in person and get everything prepared, so she could start working on Monday. The boss, Mr. Mulligan, seemed to be a pleasant person. He was happy to have a new employee at his company, so he was eager to meet Jenna and discuss all the important things she would have to do. Jenna smiled to herself. It seemed like a good start. But then things changed. As all the paperwork and other formalities were out of the way, Mr. Mulligan said he was, in fact, surprised that she’d chosen to come to Derry. Jenna rolled her eyes. Here we go again… She was already fed up with the strange behavior of the locals, so she dared to demand explanations. Just like the others, Mr. Mulligan knew something. It was clear to Jenna that something was obviously going on in Derry, and the townspeople were either embarrassed or scared to talk about it. Mr. Mulligan then opened one of the drawers and silently handled her a newspaper. Jenna took it, giving her boss a suspicious look. The article on the first page made her raise an eyebrow. "Ten young teens disappeared last week in Derry.” Jenna continued reading. Apparently, someone kidnapped children and teens in Derry, and the police had organized a search party. They finally stumbled on a severed arm near the drainage tunnel. The arm had been taken to the laboratory for examination and identification while the cops searched for the murderer. But they’ve failed so far. Not a single trace of the killer had been found. The search still continues. Jenna put the newspaper down and looked at her boss. It was like he and the other townspeople were afraid just talking about these events would bring the murderer to their door. “You see now, Miss Hill? This is why people seem surprised by your arrival to Derry,” he said. “We are all scared. We don’t know who the killer is, but we have to do all we can to protect our children. It seems he preys on them.” Jenna nodded. “Yes, sure. It’s terrible,” she agreed. “But why should I be afraid? If he hunts for teens and children, like you say, then it’s unlikely he’d be interested in me. I’m an adult person, so I doubt he’d want to have me as his next victim.” Mr. Mulligan sighed. “Yes, on the one hand, you’re right. But, on the other hand, you can never know what’s going on in his head. He still might change his preferences,” he said. “All I want to say is be careful and stay safe.” Jenna smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Mulligan. I’ll keep it in mind.” They shook hands, and Jenna left his office. She giggled with irony. It was just her luck – moving to a town with a killer on the loose. Freaking fantastic. Lucky for Jenna, she wasn’t one of the weak types who couldn’t defend themselves. She’d been practicing martial arts for a long time. Her mother had looked a bit skeptical when Jenna claimed she wanted to learn how to fight, but when her daughter said that every woman must know how to defend herself, she eventually agreed. So Jenna started her kung fu classes. It took much time and patience, but it was worth every minute she’d spent. She not only enjoyed it, but also could now proudly proclaim herself a dangerous foe for anyone who dared to attack her. So if she accidentally bumps into that killer, whoever he is, he’s in for a surprise. As it was Friday, Jenna planned to use the weekend to take a walk around the town and get introduced to it properly. After all, she was going to stay there for a while, but she sure didn’t want to live there anymore, considering all the things she’d found out. Jenna entered the room she was renting for the first six months. If things went well, she’d search for something better and maybe even purchase an apartment to live on her own, without paying the rent. The room was on the first floor, and Jenna was glad about it. She didn’t have to pull all her heavy stuff somewhere upstairs. She’d unpacked only the most necessary stuff, leaving the rest for later. At the moment, she was too lazy to rummage through her suitcases. She flopped on the sofa in the living room and drifted away pretty quickly, as fatigue felt too strong. The clock showed 5:30 p.m. when Jenna woke up, and her eyes went wide. Damn, I must have been so tired, she thought. The sun has slowly started to set; and when it disappears behind the horizon, it would grow dark pretty fast. Jenna didn’t want to stay out in darkness on her first day in a new town, so she quickly dressed up for an evening walk, taking a pepper spray can with her and an elongated black case she hung on her back. From the outside it might look like she’s carrying some musical instrument or a piece of sports equipment, but it actually was a metal baseball bat. She carried it with her each time she went somewhere in the evening. Her motto had always been ‘better safe than sorry’, and since she was in a new and unfamiliar town, it had especially important meaning. Instead of wandering around the town, Jenna decided to visit a café and have a nice cup of tea or coffee there. Besides, it was the best way to see how life flows in Derry, as people usually gather in such places on Fridays and Saturdays. There were some in the town center, and Jenna chose one that looked the most attractive to her eyes. The café looked pretty cozy, and Jenna smiled, knowing she’d made the right choice. Most of the tables were occupied, but some were still free, and Jenna sat at one of them. She tried to be polite to everyone and said hello to anyone she’d seen looking at her. People smiled kindly and greeted her back. Well, that was a good start, especially for a small town. She ordered a cup of cappuccino and received a nice looking mug of boiling hot and aromatic drink with milky foam on it. This was the best. Jenna enjoyed the milky foam even better than the cappuccino itself. Thanking the waiter for bringing her the drink, she sat peacefully and enjoyed her time without hurry, not paying too much attention to whether someone was looking at her or not. Many probably would, as she was a stranger here. Jenna hoped she’d have friends here soon. What she didn’t know was that an elegant-looking man in a dark-grey suit was standing at the bar, drinking the whisky and watching her intently; and no one noticed how his eyes flashed yellow, and his mouth stretched in a predatory grin…   Pennywise Well, well, what do we have here? This woman seems new in Derry; I know everyone here, and I’ve never seen her before. I already saw her once in the street and let her see me. Interestingly enough, when I waved to her, she returned the gesture instead of ignoring it. I know what people of Derry are afraid of. During the long, long years of my life I’ve gotten to taste the fear of each and one of them. As children are my primary target, it doesn’t mean adults are safe from me. They can be just as good prey as the children are. And their flesh often tastes no worse. Now, let’s give it a try on this newcomer. Whether humans know it or not, but I know what curiosity means. And it got the best of me at this moment. I will follow this woman when she leaves this café. Darkness is my ally, and I will make her feel afraid.   Jenna Hill It was getting dark, and by that time Jenna had finished her drink. She paid the bill got up from her table, preparing to go home. But something was amiss here. While enjoying her drink, she had a strange feeling in her guts, as if someone was watching her. And just as she got up, she spotted a pretty good-looking man at the bar. He was dressed in a very elegant manner and having a glass of whisky or some other strong drink. She instantly realized he was the one watching her. Something wasn’t right about this guy, and Jenna left the café as soon as possible. She quickly walked towards her apartment block, but the same gut instinct made her turn around abruptly. And there he was. The elegant man from the café. He was following her. But why? Jenna felt confused, but unlike most women in such situation, she felt no fear. Maybe he was interested in meeting her? But if that was the case, he would have approached her already in the café and introduced himself. No, there’s something fishy about this. Jenna didn’t like it at all. And her thoughts turned to a dark path. Could he be the killer? Jenna was somehow almost sure of it. The way he looked at her… It was the look of a predator. This guy definitely had some terrible plans in his mind. But, as she had told herself before, if she accidentally stumbled on him, he’s in for a surprise. She pulled out a small metallic object from the inside pocket of her jacket and pressed a button. The little thing extended in length, turning into solid metallic bat. It was the secret weapon she always carried with her. Plus, she’d get a chance to use her kung fu skills. The man had almost caught up with her. Just as he prepared to grab her from behind, Jenna turned around in a split second, and the metallic bat collided with the stranger’s skull. She hit with all her might, and the nasty crack proved the seriousness of the damage. The man howled in pain, but the sound of it made Jenna’s eyes go wide. His voice sounded anything but human. His scream sounded like a hellish cacophony of howling, growling, and hissing. Jenna’s suspicion got its confirmation when the man’s eyes became yellow, and she spotted rows of sharp teeth in his open mouth. She had no doubts he was the mysterious killer. The stranger stumbled backwards, pressing his right hand to the wound that oozed blood, and his face expressed rage. Jenna clutched the bat in both hands, shooting her opponent a challenging glance. This was it. She was dealing with some kind of a monster that undoubtedly was responsible for the disappearances and deaths in Derry. And he would get what he deserved. She’d fight him right here and now. She had only two options in her mind – killing him or die trying. With that she raised the bat and lunged at him with a scream. He obviously wasn’t ready for such resistance. Before she could hit him again, the man turned around and crawled up the wall of the nearest building with inhuman speed, retreating into the darkness. All Jenna could do was just stare in awe. Her brain was trying to process what she’d just witnessed. That man… no, that thing had just crawled up the wall like a nightmarish spider. Well, so much for the fight, she didn’t even have to use her martial skills on him. He obviously didn’t expect it, but it didn’t mean yet that if she stumbled on him again, things would go this easy. He surely would be more prepared for his prey to show at least some resistance. With this in mind Jenna hurried home to rest and think of better tactic to deal with this creature.   Pennywise This woman attacked me. It’s something I wasn’t prepared for. Sure, some of my victims tried to fight, futile as it was. But she… I didn’t even see how she got a weapon. When I saw her leaving the café, she had nothing in her hands. Another surprise it is, then. And the way she attacked me, I didn’t expect that either. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than destroy me. Naïve little thing. But she managed to inflict some serious damage, I have to give her that much. But the strangest thing was that this woman emanated no fear. As much as I’ve dealt with female prey, being stalked by a stranger in an empty street was one of their greatest fears. Women are afraid the stalkers follow them with a purpose to force them into copulation or murder them, or both. In these moments, their fear is at their peak. It’s the unknown that humans are afraid of. A woman is being stalked by a man, and not knowing what exactly is on his mind instills animalistic fear into her. But this woman… I felt nothing of that kind from her, not even a hint of fear. Well, if that didn’t work, I’ll have to think of something else. I will find her and observe her from a distance, staying invisible for human eyes. I will find out more about her fears and use them against her. This is going to be interesting.   Jenna Hill Despite the last night’s events, Jenna slept pretty well without any dreams, pleasant or not. Of course, the first thing that came to her mind after awakening was the creature she encountered. What was that thing? Does it normally look like a well-dressed businessman? Or was it just a disguise to hide its true form? Why are children its preferred prey? Too many questions plagued her mind, but she couldn’t find an intelligible answer to any of them. The most important thing was to stay alert every day, every minute. No one knows when that creature would strike again. She had to stay vigilant at all costs.   Pennywise I was starving. I had to find myself food. It wouldn’t matter so much whether I’d be a child or an adult. It’s always easier to instill fear into children, but adults have more meat. Whatever the case, I will feed. My head wound had healed soon, and I decided to hunt the same night. I had to think of proper hunting tactics not to fall into the same trap. I waited until the darkness fell and moved towards the places that would be crowded the most at this time – cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs. Disguising myself as a black cat, I approached a nightclub. As today was still Friday, I knew it would be full of people. And I just watched and waited for the right moment. And there he comes – a man of the age of eighteen or nineteen; someone who had just finished the high school. Many people of this age choose to party in nightclubs, and this was just the case. And just like many people of his age, he smoked. He now went outside for a smoke, and he’s completely alone. H doesn’t see me. Good. I can read his mind and delve into the depths of his feelings. Ah, the guilt gnaws at his soul. He’d lost his girlfriend a few months ago in an accident and blames himself for that. How convenient. As he lit a cigarette, I took the form of his dead girlfriend. He heard my footsteps as I walked towards him, but he didn’t recognize me yet from the distance and continued his business. As I came into view, he froze, and the cigarette fell out of his mouth. “D… Uh… Dana?” he mumbled, shock and horror on his face. Yes, good, very good. I looked not just like Dana in her normal form, but in her dead form – pale skin and covered in blood in many spots, especially on the head where she had hit herself during the impact. Such appearance terrified him, and that’s exactly what I needed. His fear tasted so delicious. “You… killed me.” Dana’s voice was deep and gravely, as if her lungs and throat were full of water. “No!” he tried to speak in a normal firm voice, only for it to crackle under the strain. “No, I… I didn’t… It… It was an accident and I…” “It should have been you… You should have been the one to die…” I took a step forward, and he quickly started to step backwards only to crash into a wall behind him. He slid down on the ground, trembling and unable to move while I came closer and closer before kneeling down before him. My eyes changed from Dana’s green ones to the shining gold ones. “But don’t worry… Soon we will float… together!” Wasting no time, I pounced on him and plunged my teeth into his left shoulder. He let out a scream of agony as I ripped a piece of his flesh clean off. Ah, fresh blood, fresh meat… wonderful! And his fear was now at its peak. It was driving me mad. I could devour him right here and now, but I knew his screams would attract unwanted attention. So I dragged him away into the darkness before anyone could spot anything. I’d take him to my lair deep down in the sewers where I’d enjoy my meal in peace.   Jenna Hill Jenna still had two free days to enjoy before beginning her work. It was difficult to enjoy things though after what she’d experienced last night. Some kind of a monster was on the loose here. Now she understood why the locals were so scared, as well as them being baffled by her arrival. She wondered whether the cops were aware of who exactly was responsible for the disappearances of children and teens. It seemed unlikely; otherwise they’ve done something about it. Besides, was it even possible to kill that thing with firearms? Her bat did some damage to the creature, but it looked like it was no more than a bee sting for it. The monster retreated just because it was unprepared for such resistance. It meant the next time they meet, if this even happens, it would be ready to fight back. She had to think of something more effective against it. As Jenna walked along the streets of Derry, she passed a small military store. Different weapons were displayed in the showcase, both firearms and melee weapons. She sighed at the sight. She had no permission to keep firearms, so purchasing one was out of the question. But a good combat knife would only do her good. She bought one, explaining that she needed it for self-defense, and clasped the holster with the knife to her belt, effectively hiding it underneath her long jacket. Two weapons are always better than one. The town seemed so serene and peaceful; people walking around, doing their jobs and just enjoying the sun and warm air. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But Jenna knew it was anything but ordinary. The entire place reeked of danger and death. At least she knew who the culprit was. The main problem now was to find a way to deal with him. If he was human, it would be easier, but he’s miles away from being human. And despite everything that happened, Jenna couldn’t help her own curiosity. She wanted to know more about this being. Who or what was it? Where did it come from? Why is it here and not somewhere else? It seemed the creature stays in one spot and doesn’t move anywhere outside of Derry. What was holding it here? But she’d unlikely find the answers to these questions. She doubted the locals knew all the details. The only one who knew was the monster himself, but he surely wouldn’t be in the mood to share his life story. Jenna sighed and continued her walk. She was passing a wooded area that bordered the town and stopped for a moment to look at it. She’d always enjoyed walking through the forest during the sunny weather, enjoying its refreshing smell and listening to the sounds of nature. But this time something felt different about these woods. Jenna felt like something in her mind was telling her to go there, and soon she found out the reason for this weird feeling. Just a few meters away from her she spotted a boy walking into the woods. He looked around the age of nine or ten. She looked around; searching for his parents, but no one seemed to be looking for him. This was strange. Why would a child go into the woods alone? And where were his parents? Jenna decided not to waste time on searching for his parents and just followed the boy, keeping some distance to avoid being spotted for now. As the boy reached the opening, Jenna froze when she saw the reason he came here. There was a clown waiting for him, the same one she’d noticed on her way to her new workplace. She hid behind the tree and watched. The clown was pretty tall, but not much taller than herself, dressed in a white costume seemingly made of satin and decorated with ruffle. He had dark orange hair, but his makeup was what made him look unnerving. Blood red lips stood out on his chalk-white face, and two red lines stretched from the corners of his mouth and up to his eyes, as if going through them. And he held a bunch of red balloons in his left hand. His general appearance was pretty creepy. “Hi, Ronnie,” the clown said to the boy. His voice sounded more like growling of a wild animal than the actual human voice. “Want a balloon?” Jenna didn’t that at all. The clown’s voice seemed inhuman. Then it immediately dawned on her: it most likely was the same monster that tried to attack her. And when she saw his eyes shine bright yellow, she needed no more proof. She had to act fast, or else the poor boy was finished. While the clown concentrated his attention on the boy, Jenna crept around so that she was behind the clown, keeping a good distance. The creature mustn’t notice her too early. She pulled her combat knife out of the holster and placed the blade between her teeth. Thus she wouldn’t waste any precious seconds during the fight. She crept towards the clown from behind; being mere inches away from him at the moment Ronnie extended his hand to take a balloon the clown was giving him. She noticed the boy’s eyes growing wide, shock and horror written on his face. She had no idea what exactly he saw in the clown’s face, and she had no time to ponder. The hissing sound the creature emitted was more than enough to trigger the attack. She jumped on the clown’s back and clenched the strands of his hair, pulling them with all her might. The monster obviously didn’t expect this at all. And before he managed to grab her and try to pull her off, Jenna grabbed her knife and plunged it into the creature’s neck, making the monster roar in pain. “Run, Ronnie! Run!” she shouted to the boy. She’d heard the being say the boy’s name before. “Tell someone to call the police!” Ronnie obeyed and ran away as fast as his legs could carry him, disappearing among the trees. The creature’s painful howl made him run even faster. Jenna mentally sighed in relief – at least the child was safe. But she could lose her life right here and now. Well, if her fate was to die now, she’d at least die like a heroine. She pulled the knife out of the clown’s neck, preparing to strike again, but then she felt sharp pain in her left arm. She looked down and saw the monster’s claws, ripping through the white glove and piercing her arm right above the wrist. She yelled out in pain but didn’t let his hair go. Raising the knife, she stabbed him in the neck again. The clown roared again, both in pain and anger, but this time she let the knife stay in his neck. Instead, she used the moment to pull out her faithful metallic bat and started bashing the creature’s head. She didn’t aim anywhere specific; the hits were chaotic. At this moment, only one thought raced through her mind. Kill or be killed. She didn’t manage to inflict more damage to him, as he finally pulled her off his back and grabbed her by the throat, holding her in front of his face, and her legs were dangling above the ground. She looked at her enemy, and the next second, a spark of recognition appeared in his face. “You again…” the clown hissed, his red lips stretching into a predatory grin. “Now I got you. You will float like the rest of them!” Saying this, he started opening his maw. It grew wider with every second, unnaturally stretching his skin. As Jenna looked at it, trying to breathe steady, she narrowed her eyes at a multitude of sharp teeth placed in various rows, and there were much more than two of them. He was threatening to kill her, and yet… she felt no fear. “How about no?” she said with a hint of mockery in her voice. She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction to see her trembling in fear she didn’t even feel. “I’m not afraid of you. Got that?” It would sound insane – wrangling with a creature that could kill her in a mere second, but it seemed to confuse the clown. He instantly shut his maw and pulled the air in through the nostrils, sniffing her. Disappointment was written all over his white face. Without a word, he slammed her into a nearby tree. A loud crack followed, and Jenna let out a painful moan when he released his grasp, and her limp body collapsed on the ground. Darkness engulfed her, and she never saw how he turned into an enormous spider and retreated deeper into the woods.   Pennywise What is this woman? I didn’t expect to encounter her today, and certainly not this way. She attacked me, and this time, I didn’t even give her a reason. I was going to have my meal, and she showed up like out of air and ruined everything. And again she had no fear in her. No matter how hard I tried to scare her and sniff out any signs of fear, I found nothing. Thus I couldn’t kill her. Fear is an important factor of my hunt, and if there isn’t any, I can’t eat the prey. If I tried to compare it with human understanding of food, it’s like eating meat without seasoning it with salt and pepper. This is what humans do before cooking their food, especially meat. Their fear serves me as seasoning for their flesh. And this woman had nothing of that. Being out of choice, I simply slammed her into a tree. I heard her skull crack before letting her fall down on the ground. Besides, the sounds of police sirens reached my ears. The boy I was initially going to eat had told someone about me, and they’ve called the police, and they were coming to my spot. I had no other option but to retreat for now. They will never get me. That woman… she sure is a brave one. She knew I could kill her in a blink of an eye, and yet she dared to attack me and cause me some damage as well. And I must admit I respect her. It may sound strange from a being like me, but the more I think of it, the less I want to kill her. Curiosity is getting the best of me, so when I find her, I’m going to keep the distance and just watch her, staying invisible for human eyes. I have to know more about her.   Jenna Hill When Jenna had finally opened her eyes, she was greeted by bright walls and ceiling. As her vision cleared, she realized she was in a hospital room. Just as she regained consciousness, the first thing she felt was headache. She tried to collect her thoughts and remember what happened before. Memory came back fast, and she remembered fighting the nightmarish clown in the woods, preventing him from killing a young boy. Her head was bandaged, and she remembered how the clown had slammed her against the tree, causing the skull damage. She had no idea how long she was unconscious, but she was glad to finally be awake. Her doctor was glad she had finally woken, and he regularly came to check on her. Usual procedure, she assumed. She’d spent almost a week at the hospital, and her state was gradually improving. One day her doctor told her about a psychiatrist that was coming to visit her and evaluate her mental state. Jenna just shrugged. If it was necessary, so be it. As one week passed, her doctor came to the room with a colleague. Jenna assumed he was the psychiatrist he was talking about. He was brought to help her recover from the trauma from the attack. She answered the questions about how she was feeling, although the more he asked, the more annoyed she became. “I told you already, I’m fine, apart from the headache and dizziness! My skull got cracked open against the tree, my brains are swollen and scrambled, and my arm almost got ripped apart, but I am mentally sane!” The doctor simply gave her a soft smile, obviously a practiced one throughout the years. “We are aware of the physical trauma you got. All of that will be taken into account,” he said. “I know it must be a terrifying experience for you. It was really brave of you to protect the child you didn’t even know.” Jenna swayed her head with a smirk. “I wasn’t terrified or scared,” she replied indifferently. “It’s impossible to scare me. Check my medical documents and you’ll understand why.” The psychiatrist frowned, observing her behavior. The conversation lasted around an hour with Jenna answering all the questions. After that, he left the room, stepping just outside the door to talk to her doctor. Jenna sat up in her bed and listened attentively to their conversation. “This is interesting. This young woman displays no signs of mental or emotional trauma after the attack,” said the psychiatrist. “She’d been fighting an armed maniac in a clown costume and almost died, and yet her behavior bears similarities with an unsatisfied child that didn’t get a chocolate bar in the store. How is this possible?” “Well, as she’d told you, her medical records give an answer to this question,” Jenna’s doctor replied. “She’d been diagnosed with a very rare genetic disorder that affects the part of her brain responsible for fear. It doesn’t function like it normally should, and as a result, she doesn’t feel fear.” The psychiatrist scratched his head. This information explained a lot. It’s indeed difficult to be traumatized without being afraid. Jenna smirked at that and laid her head back on the pillow. It looked like her lack of fear surprised both humans and monsters. She yawned and closed her eyes, slowly drifting away into slumber.   Pennywise I had to find that woman. After all the damage she got, she should now be in the local hospital. I traveled through the sewer system underneath the town until I reached my destination. It took me a while, but I made it. Staying invisible, I moved through the hospital, searching. I didn’t know her name, and the hospital smell obscured her smell, so it was going to be a challenge. I continued searching until I heard two doctors discussing a patient who got fought a maniac in a clown costume and felt no fear at all. I knew instantly they were talking about the woman I was looking for. It seems the boy I initially wanted to feast on had told someone about me, so that’s why they knew about the clown costume. But it didn’t matter. I came to find the woman, so I moved towards the spot where those two doctors had been standing a few moments ago. As they left, I approached the door with a nametag “Hill, Jenna C.” I stepped into a dark room, finding no one but a woman sleeping in a bed. The only sound breaking the silence was the soft beeping of the machines monitoring her vitals. I walked closer to take a better look at the woman. Seeing her face, I was left without doubts that she was the one I was looking for. Her name was Jenna Hill. So far, so good. Now I wanted to find more clues, more information about her. Perhaps I might find something that would tell me more about her state and maybe explain why she was so fearless. Then I spotted a clipboard at the foot of the bed. I picked it up and started reading. “Hill, Jenna Catherine, born June 26th, 1990. Delivered to Derry Central Hospital on July 12th, 2012, 1:15 p.m. after suffering damage from a fight with an armed individual. Current health state: concussion, skull fracture, minor brain edema. MRI revealed the damage of the amygdala, caused by the rare genetic abnormality diagnosed at an early age. As a result of this disease, the patient is completely unresponsive to fear or anything that might cause it. The patient remains under observation until further notice, her physical and mental state regularly monitored.” As I finished reading, I put the clipboard back to its place. So that’s it. I’ve found the reason behind her fearlessness. Brain damage as a result of a disease. I didn’t know much about human illnesses, and no matter how strange it might sound, I guess it’s a possibility. I walked to her side, took a chair standing at the desk and just silently sat there, watching her. She looked pretty pale, but otherwise, she was just resting. She was a strong woman, and I liked that. I respected her for that. I stared at her for a moment and then placed my gloved hand on her bandaged arm, the one I’d almost ripped apart during the fight. As I moved my hand to rest on the bare skin, I felt its coldness. I didn’t like it at all, as I’ve always associated the cold skin with death. It’s not easy for me to admit it, but… I didn’t want her dead. “Well, well, look who’s here. I had no idea monsters could be caring.” Her voice startled me. I turned my head and saw her green eyes staring at me. Her lips stretched in a small smirk. “Are you going to kill me now? Did you come to finish what you started?” Her voice was somewhat hoarse, but she spoke calmly and softly. I sighed and shook my head. “No… I won’t do that.”   Jenna Hill Hearing this from a nightmarish, murderous clown, Jenna raised her eyebrow. He’d just said he had no plans to kill her. It confused her and peaked her curiosity towards this being. Looking back, she wasn’t entirely sure why she decided to jump on his back instead of attacking him from behind with her loyal bat and using the moment of his confusion to plunge the knife into his neck. Sure, she loved children and wouldn’t bear witnessing one getting killed right before her eyes. She’d protect that boy anyway, but the action of jumping on the clown’s back now seemed so bizarre and so wrong. Besides, his body felt so hot back then. It could be compared to fire, and at that moment she thought she might get burned. But no. All she got were claws in her arm and her skull damaged. This brief moment of seeing him sitting on a chair at her bed and holding her hand had left her dumbfounded. It’s something she’d never expected from a being like him. She squeezed his hand and felt… happy. That confused her even more. Had she been normal, she’d have been horrified to death, but that part of her brain didn’t work like that. All she felt instead was curiosity. “Do you actually have a name?” she decided to start a conversation. Making him talk was a good way to know more about him. “I assume you know mine, so it’d be only fair if I knew yours.” “I don’t have a true name,” the clown replied. “But many know me as Pennywise.” His voice didn’t sound like growl or hiss now. Instead, it had somewhat pleasant tone in it. A voice like this could certainly attract children to him when he offered them balloons. “Pennywise, huh?” Jenna asked, tilting her head. “Okay then, Pennywise. Now, tell me: if you’re not here to kill me, then why have you come?” “I don’t know myself,” he said, sounding more serious now. “I’m… confused. You confuse me.” Jenna smirked. “The same you do to me,” she said, raising her eyebrow. “You shouldn’t even understand a being like me,” he continued. “I’ve been living on Earth for thousands of years, watching the humans. I should understand them like I understand myself.” Jenna shook her head. “And what makes you think you can truly understand humanity? If you’ve watched humans for centuries, you should know humans have evolved in a rapid pace during all this time. We are one race, and yet we are so different from each other, all thanks to our minds and physical bodies.” Pennywise sighed and turned away from her. His gloved fists clenched and relaxed several times. Jenna watched him in silence while he struggled with whatever was going on in his mind and then asked another question. “Was your initial intention to kill me or at least hurt me in any way?” Her curiosity increased with every second. “At first I wanted to know what you’re afraid of,” the clown said. “I realized you’re new in this town as I knew everyone here in Derry. As soon as I knew it, I was going to feast on you. But you attacked me. I then feasted on another person. Then the boy I lured into the woods. You appeared like out of nowhere and attacked me once again. I thought I’d eat you instead of that boy, but I couldn’t. If I can’t scare you, I can’t feast on you.” “Is that right?” Jenna asked, crossing her arms. “Well, sorry for stealing away your lunch. But the lack of fear is not my choice. I’ve lived with it since I remembered myself.” Pennywise nodded and chuckled in response. He already knew it. He’d read the paper on a clipboard before talking to her. Jenna just smiled and stared at him. “You said you wanted to scare me before eating?” she asked. “Does it mean you feed not just on human flesh, but on fear too?” When he nodded, she chuckled instead. “Well, sorry for not giving you what you wanted. But I guess I got my punishment. Yeah, and thanks for cracking my skull open and scrambling my brains,” she said, soft laugh escaping her lips. Pennywise laughed without any sound, his scarlet lips stretching into a grin. “I could say you did the same to me when we met the first time.” Jenna smirked the same way. “So it really was you. Well, I guess we’re even then, huh?” The clown nodded and got up from the chair. “You should rest now,” he said. “Will we see each other again?” she suddenly asked, surprising them both. Jenna didn’t expect this from herself. As for Pennywise, he smirked, thinking for a second, and then nodded. “If you want to. If not… I will be near anyway and just stay out of sight.” Jenna laughed, this time louder, and suddenly felt the back of her head throbbing. “In this case… Yes, I want it. It’s better I see you face to face than you creeping on me from the back like you did the first time. I have to admit that was creepy.” “Yes, but not creepy enough to scare you,” the clown grinned and stepped backwards. “Be careful for what you wish for though, Jenna Hill.” And then he was gone. Jenna stared at the spot where he’d just been standing, musing about what he had meant with the last phrase. But she felt too tired to even keep her eyes open. Sleep engulfed her as soon as her heavy eyelids shut.   Pennywise I told her I wasn’t going to kill her. And it was true. Her death was the last thing I wanted. And now she talked to me. She wanted to try to understand me, what I am. And I told her things about myself. I knew she wasn’t going to do anything against me, so I felt safe to reveal her at least a part of my long life story. It seemed to me that I could understand her, although she expressed her doubts about me being able to understand humanity. Yes, I always knew humans could evolve rapidly, and but for me they weren’t too different from each other. They had different skin color; they spoke different languages and believed in different deities, but their flesh was still the same. I thought she’d be unable to surprise me anymore, but I was so wrong. She did it again. She asked whether we ever met again. I was stunned the first moment I heard that question, but I said we would if she wanted to. I told her I’d be near her in any case, just staying out of sight. Her next announcement shocked me even more, although I didn’t show it. She told me in that case she wanted to see me, and that it’d be better than me creeping on her from behind. Yes, she meant our first meeting when I followed her, disguised as a man. Although she wasn’t afraid, she still didn’t like it. All human females dislike this. But I can’t use this tactic against her anymore. In fact, I can’t use anything. Nothing has worked. But now I know why, so there’s no point even trying. As I said before, the death of this woman is not what I want. If she wants to see me, I’ll pay her a visit, better when she’s dismissed from the hospital. Then we can talk in peace where no one would disturb us.   Jenna Hill Jenna spent one more week in the hospital. Her health improved with each day. The doctor visited her every day and informed her she’d be soon allowed to return home. This was music to her ears. Jenna was fed up with this place, and the hospital smell made her sick. Pennywise visited her a few times before she retired to sleep for the night, and she had to admit those moments were the best during her stay in this place. They talked at those times, and Jenna found out Pennywise wasn’t even a clown. He was something else, something much more than that. He was an alien being that ended up on Earth eons ago, and Pennywise the Dancing Clown was just one of his many, many forms; one that he preferred. He fed on human flesh, but not because he hated them; they were just his natural prey. People would consider him evil because of that, but Jenna concluded that it was just nature. If a person encountered any large predator from the animal world, there’d be a risk of becoming its lunch. And there’s absolutely nothing evil in it. Nature is simply neutral. Soon Jenna was dismissed from the hospital, and she couldn’t be happier. She’d have to stay home for one more week to completely recover. Her boss had been informed about her situation soon after the incident, so there would be no problems with him, and she’d be able to start working when her time came. What she didn’t expect though was a visit from Ronnie and his family. They must have learned her location from the cops or the hospital staff. Anyway, they arrived to her with flowers and a cake as a gratitude for saving their son’s life. Jenna was glad to welcome them into her place; it looked like she’d made her first friends in this town. What about Pennywise? She frowned. Was he actually her friend? He might be, although she still hesitated to call him one. They started as enemies, but thanks to her fearlessness they stopped being ones. What were they then? It was a good question to think about. If asked, Jenna would say they were something in between enemies and close friends, swaying more to the friends’ side. Well, good for her. If she could have an ancient alien being on her side, it would only play in her favor. After Ronnie and his family left, Jenna felt pretty tired. She still felt dizzy now and then, so staying at home for some time was definitely a must. She stripped out of her daytime clothes and stepped into the shower cubicle. The warm water and the shower gel with vanilla smell she missed so much helped her relax. She felt she was gradually returning to her normal life. Wrapping herself in a soft towel, she dried her hair and opened the door to go out of the bathroom. And just as she walked into her room, she abruptly stopped and froze; her eyes going wide. Pennywise was standing at her desk, holding her photograph and studying it. Hearing her opening the door, he immediately turned his head and put the photograph back on the desk. “Well, hello there, Jenna,” he said, grinning. “I thought I’d pay you a visit when you’re out of that hospital.” “Oh, ok.” She nodded. “I… I didn’t really expect to see you here, at my place.” Just as she said that, Jenna suddenly felt very dizzy. Strong surprises seemed to still affect her well-being. She felt if she didn’t grab on something, she’d collapse on the floor, but the next second she felt herself being pressed to satin. Strong hands wrapped around her waist, and she felt heat touching her bare shoulders and arms. Just like when she jumped on his back. He emanated strong heat, like fire. Jenna smirked. It would be nice to have him near when winter comes. Then she wouldn’t need to turn on heating. It felt nice how his heat warmed her skin, and she felt waves of it running through her entire body. She closed her eyes and leaned into his satin costume. That’s when she felt his arms release her waist and two gloved hands touch her shoulders and gently squeeze them. And she loved it. As curious as she was, sultry thoughts started penetrating her mind. What if..? Stop it, Jenna! The other part of her mind shouted at her. Stop it right now! He’s not even human! What the hell are you thinking? If you have no fear, think rationally then! Jenna lifted her glance to look into the clown’s golden eyes. They now looked so beautiful to her. Pennywise stared at her for a moment, one hand of his moving up to her face to brush a strand of hair away from her face. His touch made all her nerves tense while her mind continued fighting with itself. Stop it… Give in… Stop it… Give in…  “Jenna…” his voice seemed somewhat deeper than it usually was, and his yellow eyes began glowing. Beautiful. Jenna noticed hunger in his face and wondered whether he was actually going to devour her. But his next action pushed all these thoughts into the void. His head came down and his face nuzzled to the crook of her neck, pulling the air in through the nostrils. Judging by the satisfied growl, he liked the touch and smell of her skin. He moved his hands down her arms, his body obviously tense. Jenna took courage and placed one of her hands on his chest, leaning her head on his shoulder while his clawed hand explored her skin; his face still pressed against her neck. She felt heat pool between her legs from his touch. She had been with a guy only once, and she hadn’t even been eighteen years old at that time. She could say she’d almost forgotten what sex felt like. No wonder her body was responding to his touch like this, even if he wasn’t a human being. During all the time they’ve spent together, they had never gotten that close and certainly had never touched each other in such manner. Stop it! Stop while you still can! He’s not human, you idiot! For God’s sake, he’s a man-eating monster! Don’t listen and just give in… Stop it… Give in… To hell with rationality. Give in and enjoy what a monster has to offer. Jenna grabbed the hem of her towel and unwrapped herself, letting it drop to her ankles. Pennywise swallowed hard and widened his eyes in surprise before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was hot and intense; his tongue snaked into her mouth, exploring and tasting the cavern. Jenna closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving in to the kiss and letting the clown pick her up and carrying her to the bed. He put her there and crawled on the top of her, continuing the kiss. As he finally broke the kiss, Jenna watched him removing the glove with his razor sharp teeth. His hand had the same color as his face – chalk white with sharp claws on each fingertip. As it touched her, running over her breasts and tummy, the heat intensified; it felt stronger than with the glove on. She moaned softly when his fingers touched anywhere they could, especially when they found her womanhood, wet and hungry with desire. The heat between her legs intensified, and she wanted nothing more than to feel him inside her. Jenna got her wish when she felt something hot and hard press against her entrance. She raised her head to see a pretty human-like phallus starting to penetrate her. Jenna bit her lip, feeling him push all the way inside. As it wasn’t her first time, it didn’t hurt, but their coition wasn’t going to be romantic; no slow beginning. Once Pennywise was inside her, he immediately delved into feral copulation. He took her fiercely, pinning her to the bed with his body. Her moans were loud and high, combining into cacophony with his deep and gravely growls; she cried out every time he hit the sensitive spot inside her. Be careful what you wish for. She remembered him saying this after she announced she wanted to see him again. She didn’t understand what he meant back then, but now the meaning was clear to her as a day. But none of it mattered now. Tonight she belonged to him; the rest was unimportant. His fierce manner of copulation made her forget everything in this world, especially when he used one of his hands in addition to pleasure her. The satin fabric of his costume rubbed against her skin, creating a unique sensation; and all these things together were driving her crazy. Jenna had no idea such pleasure was even possible. With each thrust she felt getting closer to the peak; she wanted to hold as long as possible, but with this ferocity it simply was impossible. The knot in her nether region had finally snapped, and she climaxed with a loud and blissful cry; her inner walls clenching around his organ. The cry she emitted was enough to trigger his own climax. Pennywise slammed into her a few final times, tightening his grip on her shoulders as he spilled out inside her. The heat of his seed felt a bit painful though, but it was still bearable. Only then Jenna opened her eyes to look into his golden eyes, and to her, his face expression looked a bit sad, as if he didn’t want this to end. In all honesty, neither did she, but the fatigue was already making itself known. Pennywise stayed inside her for several seconds and then finally pulled it out, letting himself drop on bed by her side. Jenna lay unmoving; only hear heavy breathing broke the silence in the room. She remembered how she was left unsatisfied after her first sex and had no wish to do it again, but this… This was something different, an entirely new level. An alien being claimed her, and no wonder she experienced sensations she’d never experience with a human male. Inhuman beings were capable of extraordinary things. Until now, she’d only heard sagas about it, but now she got to experience it herself. In fact, she wouldn’t mind doing it with him every night if she got the opportunity. She turned her head to look at Pennywise. His face looked slightly dazed, and a small smile formed on his lips while he looked at her. Then his grin grew wider as he reached for her face and brushed his fingers against her cheek. Jenna leaned in to his touch, taking his hand and nuzzling to it like a cat. It took a few moments for them to calm down and catch their breath. Pennywise lifted the blanket for Jenna to crawl underneath and covered her; and for the first time he laid down with her. Jenna wrapped her arm around him, resting against his shoulder, and she fell asleep without words. As for Pennywise, he lay on the bed, thinking. What on Earth did just happen? That would be the most suitable question at this moment. He’d always thought of humans as food; a thought of mating with one had never crossed his mind. But this woman, Jenna Hill… She made something inside him snap. She struck him with her fearlessness that she didn’t even get to choose in her life. She wasn’t afraid of him, and he liked it. Now he had to think what to do with her. He would eventually fall into slumber for twenty seven years. He’d awake the same, but she would change. As a mortal creature, she’d grow older during that time. And whether he wanted or not, Pennywise didn’t want to lose her. When his time comes, he’d take her with him to slumber and later awake with her by his side.