Clown: A Horror Short Story

By Jason Brant

RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES

As the world frets over a rash of clown sightings, Elle Bourdain laughs. After being hired by a movie studio to promote the upcoming horror film, CLOWN, Elle starts an advanced advertising campaign.

Her agency hires actors in dozens of metropolitan areas to dress like clowns and frighten people. The campaign goes viral as schools shutdown, children refuse to play outside, and adult paranoia skyrockets. Elle basks in the glory of her professional victory… until she encounters a horrifying clown of her own.

And then the laughter stops.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jason Brant
• Release date: Oct 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781540137388

Jason Brant

"JASON BRANT" is an anagram for Bas Trojann, a former Bigfoot hunter who, after being abducted (and subsequently returned) by aliens, decided to hang up his ghillie suit and enter the world of professional arm wrestling. Despite back-to-back first place finishes in the South Dakota World Championship League, Bas receded from athletics to invent cheese and give Al Gore the initiative to create the internet. Nearly a decade after writing the bestselling self-help series, Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese (Cut into Four Pieces) for the Soul, Bas has left his life of notoriety and critical acclaim behind him to write existential, erotic poetry. His wife washes their clothing on his abs.

Book preview

Also by Jason Brant

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The Perfect Crime

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Lotion

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Ravaged

The Hunger Omnibus Edition

West of Hell

Gehenna (FREE)

Tartarus

Sheol

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Standalone

The Dark

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Watch for more at Jason Brant’s site.

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Clown

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Elle struggled to suppress a grin as she stood at the counter, waiting for her coffee. A television mounted in the upper left corner of the small shop was tuned to a local news station, the anchor sternly glaring into the camera.

CLOWN SIGHTINGS was plastered across the bottom of the screen. Though the television had been muted, the topic was evident between the over-the-top headline and the overly dramatic news anchor.

The barista, a young woman with short purple hair and a flower tattoo on the back of her hand, saw Elle watching the television and looked up at the screen. She continued fixing the drink without even looking at her hands.

Scary, isn’t it? the barista asked, her face still turned toward the corner. Those clowns are popping up all over the country.

Elle nodded, but didn’t say anything. The corners of her mouth twitched as she fought the smile that wanted to spread.

A couple in their mid-thirties standing behind Elle whispered to one another. After a moment, the woman, a short blonde with an enormous rock on her finger, leaned forward and said, We aren’t taking our kids trick-or-treating this year. It just isn’t safe.

The husband mumbled something else that Elle couldn’t make out.

No, the wife hissed. I don’t care if nothing has happened yet. With our luck, we’ll be the first family to get assaulted by one of those idiots.

The barista turned back to them and shrugged. I think it’s just teenagers trying to scare everyone.

It’s working, the wife huffed. They should be in jail.

Have you seen one yet? Elle finally asked. In person?

The barista shook her head, purple hair shimmering under the overhead lights. No, but my boyfriend did. He was coming home from work and saw a clown standing at the corner of an intersection, waving at all the cars that went by.

We haven’t seen one yet, but they’re everywhere, the wife said. Her voice continued to get higher as she worked herself into a frenzy. Two of those bastards were swinging in the playground at our son’s school two days ago! If I ever see one of them, I’ll—

Tall pumpkin spice latte, the barista announced, loud enough to cut off the woman.

Thank you. Elle gave her a small smile as she took the cup. "Have a nice day.

The couple behind her continued to argue as she made for the door. She finally let the grin encompass her face as she did. The great news on the television, the over-the-top reaction from the wife, and the aroma coming off her latte all had Elle floating on air.

She took a sip as she pushed through the glass door, savoring the pumpkin spice. Everyone at the office complained constantly about the explosion of pumpkin-flavored food