“There go the core memories,” Joy whispered to Sadness.

The guards opened the heavy door and a spooky light spilled out along with the frightening sounds of thunder, howling, screaming, roars, and circus music.

“I can’t go in there. I’m scared of the dark. Please!” Bing Bong said as they threw him inside. The door slammed shut.

“C’mon,” said Joy, grabbing Sadness. They quietly sneaked to the door down a long staircase. “What is this place?” Joy asked.

“The Subconscious,” answered Sadness. “I read about it in the manual. It’s where they take all the troublemakers.”

Joy and Sadness paused as they watched the guards. They were so busy bickering that Joy and Sadness tiptoed past without them even noticing. Once in front of the door, Sadness shook it, causing the guards to finally see them.

“Hey! You!” said one of the guards.

“Oh! You caught us!” Sadness said sheepishly, acting like she had just come out of the Subconscious.

“Get back in there! No escaping!” said the other guard, as they shoved Joy and Sadness through the doorway.

“Hohhh…I don’t like it here,” Sadness whispered as they walked in cautiously. “It’s where they keep Riley’s darkest fears.”

Joy gasped. “It’s broccoli!”

A door eerily creaked open, revealing a dark set of stairs leading down below. Sadness and Joy screamed. “The stairs to the basement!” Sadness exclaimed as they scampered away.

They screamed again as a giant vacuum cleaner started to chase them! “Grandma’s vacuum cleaner!” Joy said as they ran and hid behind a rock.

When they decided to walk on, a loud crinkling noise seemed to come from beneath their feet. Crunch! Crunch!

“Would you walk quieter?” Joy said, blaming Sadness.

“I’m trying!” Sadness whispered.

Then they noticed a trail of candy wrappers on the floor. They followed the trail into a dark cave. There, on top of a giant mound, was Bing Bong. He was crying inside a cage made out of long, colorful balloons.

“Joy?” Bing Bong said, peering at them in the darkness. He pointed below him and said, “Shhhhhh!”

Joy looked down to see where Bing Bong was pointing—the balloon cage was sitting right on top of a gigantic sleeping clown! “It’s Jangles,” Joy said, terrified.

Jangles was snoring and talking in his sleep. “Who’s the birthday girl?” he muttered.

It gave Joy and Sadness the creeps. They stepped gingerly around the giant clown, and Joy carefully climbed up to get to Bing Bong. “Do you have the core memories?” she whispered when she got close enough.

“Yeah,” he said, handing her the bag. “All he cared about was the candy!”

Joy grabbed hold of the cage and tried to pry open the balloon bars. SQUEEEEEE! The balloons made a horrible squeaky noise and Jangles stirred. Joy held her breath as the clown fell back asleep. Then she stretched the bars even farther apart and Bing Bong slipped through. They hurried off the creepy clown mountain and rushed toward the exit.

“We’re out of here!” said Bing Bong. “Let’s get to that train and wait for morning.”

Joy slowed down, thinking about what Bing Bong had just said. She couldn’t wait until morning to get the core memories back. Joy looked at Jangles and had an idea.

“Oh no,” said Bing Bong, watching as Joy and Sadness walked back to the sleeping clown.

They both honked the clown’s nose, which caused his wild eyes to pop wide open! Then the massive, creepy Jangles stood up, towering over them.

“H-h-hey, Sadness,” Joy said. “Di—did you hear about the p-pahh-party that we’re having?”

“Ohh yeah, yes, Joy! Isn’t it a ba-bahhh-birthday party?”

“Did you say…birthday?” the giant clown asked.

“Yes.” Joy struggled to get the words out. “And there’s going to be cake, and presents and—”

“—and games and balloons,” Sadness added.

“A BIRTHDAY?” screamed Jangles, pulling out his giant mallet and holding it up, ready for birthday action.

“Follow us!” shouted Joy, leading the way.

Jangles laughed a maniacal laugh as he chased Joy, Sadness, and Bing Bong through the door.

“Nothing like a good scare to wake you up, right?” Joy said, looking at Sadness.

Outside the Subconscious, the guards were still arguing when suddenly…BASH! Jangles’ giant mallet smashed through the front gate. The guards jumped in terror, screaming, “AHHHHHHHHH!”

Joy, Sadness, and Bing Bong were free. They ran up the stairs, leading Jangles toward Dream Productions.

Inside Headquarters, Fear had nearly fallen asleep watching the boring unicorn dream when…BLAM! The creepy clown came crashing through the set! “WHO’S THE BIRTHDAY GIRL?” Jangles’ voice boomed across the stage.

Fear screamed. He smacked his hand down on the button to wake Riley up, and then he passed out!

Riley bolted up in bed, waking from the nightmare. The sign in Dream Productions read AWAKE.