7

Lucy chattered and even skipped a little as we continued on. I felt proud of myself for cheering her up. But we still had a problem. We had to get back to the park and get away from the clown, wherever he was. I didn’t know if Trevor’s story about the clown escaping prison was true, but I didn’t want to find out.

“Balloon!” Lucy shrieked suddenly.

Before I had time to react, Lucy had wriggled her hand away from mine and was running toward the trees. “Stop!” I yelled, chasing after her.

In the wooded area behind one of the buildings, I saw a blue balloon rising out of the bushes. How on earth could Lucy have seen a balloon from so far away? I wondered as I clambered after her. Then I saw that the balloon was not stuck in the branches, as I’d thought. It was attached to someone—the clown.

He leaned down and held the balloon out to Lucy.

“Balloon!” she shrieked again, nearly tripping over her own two feet to get to the clown.

“No, Lucy, NO!” I roared. I was closing in on them now. But if I got close enough, the clown might grab me too. And then we’d both be doomed.

But I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t save her.

I took a giant leap and grasped Lucy by the wrist, just as she touched the balloon string. I turned around and jostled us both through the trees, leading her along beside me. Lucy was crying again, pointing to the sky. It was the balloon drifting above us. Lucy whimpered, “My balloon.”

When we reached the gravel path, I looked back. The clown was still in the woods, watching. And he now had another balloon.

Lucy followed my gaze. “No!” I said, clapping my hands over her eyes. I couldn’t take a chance that she’d run for a balloon again. “Let’s go!” I pulled her along the gravel path, walking quickly in the direction I expected the park to be.

And then I heard it. Crunch. Crunch. The clown’s footsteps on the gravel behind us. “Stop!” he boomed. And then the footsteps grew quicker. He was running now. Chasing us.