I took another lunge-like step through the thick layer of snow; a soft, compressed crunch leaving the floor as I walked through. Denver had finally caught up to the calendar (December seventh, I believe), gifting the forest with a foot or two of settled snow - the thick precipitation already decorated with tracks; bird, fox, human. But not the animal I was looking for. Nina and the group had the wonderful idea of telling me to get Cody a gift - and whereas I couldn't draw, I was more than confident in my ability to catch a rabbit. He did say he liked them after all.

Did he forget to feed that mouse? Well, yes. However, that was for using as a test for his latest version of the virus, not a pet. This was going to be a pet - and pets were like family. Right?

I let out a sigh, tugging the sides of my coat over my body more - the thick, navy blue fabric over my white turtleneck. I'd taken this coat from a hiker I'd killed last year; from what I could tell, it did it's job well. I couldn't tell if it was keeping me warm, but it was better than a hoodie. Though, I hadn't zipped it up in fear of overheating.

What was pissing me off is that I had spotted a rabbit; it was brown, small and lanky - and it'd darted off in this direction, but somehow hadn't left any noticeable tracks behind. I let out an exasperation, watching a thin mist of my breath float upwards.

I took another step, almost losing my balance - but using a tree just ahead of me like a stabilizer. My fingers gently gripped the bark as I scanned the area - nine o'clock sat a small creature, a light brown - nearly golden with a white ball of cotton stuck to it.

"There you are, you little shit." I muttered under my breath, trying to tread quietly against the snow - using lighter steps and advancing when it started to sink. It was hard to creep up on a rabbit.

The creature's long ears folded backwards, like it was aware of me quietly approaching it - though it hadn't made an attempt to flee.

I hesitated, freezing and allowing my boots to sink into the snow - my eyes glued to the rabbit. The animal's head snapped to the side, it's wide hazel eye staring back at me as it's button nose scrunched up and twitched.

"Hey there lil guy-" I began, forcing a sweet tone to my voice as I pushed a smile onto my paled features - revealing my teeth. I slowly outstretched an arm - lowering it towards the rabbit. "-Just stay right there." I continued, watching it kick it's back legs against the ground, creating a thumping noise.

As I got closer, the rabbit went to bolt, causing me to dive at it - wrapping my arms around the creature and pulling it closer to my chest as it began letting out loud, bird-like noises. I could feel it struggling against my torso as I attempted to sit up, instead of being stuck laid down with an angry rabbit.

As I began to push my bent knees forward, they snow pushed snow forward - consequently hitting my stomach and the pissed off Easter bunny. This only seemed to distress it more. The screams only got louder. I needed to act and think fast - I'm not too good at the latter.

I quickly rolled backwards, so I was sat down - scooping the feral creature against my chest as it continued to wriggle and quick outwards. "You're an asshole." I grumbled, looking down to the animal in my arms, attempting to shift it so I was holding it like a baby. "He's gonna love you."

The rabbit only retaliated with a twitching nose and kicking my arm away when I attempted to tickle its stomach.

Giving up, I sighed and began to trudge through the snow - being a little more careless (kicking the powder instead of sinking into it). "Let's go get you to Cody." I hummed, glancing down to the softly grunting creature. Now I was looking at a less aggressive version of it, it was kinda cute; its comically large ears and bizarre face, with such a small nose. Like a small kangaroo. "He should name you Joey. Or Rocky. Thumper, Roger, Jessica, Lola and Bugs are way too obvious. Plus, you're the wrong colour for all of those except for maybe Lola." I rambled, beginning to glance around, "You were a shithead to catch, y'know that, right?"

The rabbit only sneezed, causing me to softly glare at it.

"Fuck you, I don't smell bad. I can't sweat."

I paused, looking down at the creature again. "I'm sorry, that was mean," I mumbled, "I do wear deodorant, so it could be that." I sighed, lifting my gaze up again - searching the almost monotone, winter scene.

My eyes landed on a hooded figure - dressed in black and white. Speak of the devil.

"Cody!" I called out, beginning to run towards him, though he didn't react - only continuing to stroll forward, sliding through the gaps in between the trees.

I furrowed my brow, confused. Was he pissed off at me too, now?

I quickly began to run forward, surprising myself with how I hadn't fallen over with each hurried step. My grip on the rabbit tighetend; not enough to hurt the thing, but just enough to make sure it wouldn't slip through my grasp. I stopped at the opening of trees, looking over the gaps. No Cody.

"Cody!" I called out, my eyes trying to look for any movement in the darkened path. "Smartass, you down there?"

At a lack of response, I sighed - gently bouncing the now confused rabbit as if it were a child. "We'll find your dad soon." I sighed - trying to make it light hearted.

I reluctantly turned around, only to walk into a wall of dark grey - soft to touch. I grimaced, closing my eyes and holding the rabbit closer to me (which had started to scream again). I took a few steps back, opening my eyes to glare at the person only to freeze at the sight of it.

Tall and lanky; it reached seven foot. It's shirt was a dark grey, covering what looked to be a soft stomach - almost ragdoll-like - with black suspenders that were covered by a black mass of spikey feathers, white ones outlining the dark cluster. My eyes fell to it's feet; comically large, black shoes covered them, with black and white striped socks that slipped underneath the patchy, grey shorts it wore. My eyes quickly flickered up towards it's face; paper white, round with thick, black lips - pointed at the ends in a mischievous grin. The glint of it's sharp teeth seemed to reflect the malicious glint in it's dead eyes, which was brought out by its shaggy, black hair and dark circles.

The creature's head cocked to the side, causing my grip to loosen on the rabbit, that quickly began to kick away from me - jumping out of my hold as I stared up at it in horror. My eyes landed on it's pointed, striped nose. The cone like shape causing me to gulp. "I fucking hate clowns." I muttered.

"Well I don't like you too much either, kiddo." The clown announced, it's voice practically laced with a repressed laugh. "You know, dropping someone's box so much is rude." It continued, a cackle beginning to rip through its voice.

Box? This is what was in that stupid box? "Where's Cody?" I demanded, glaring up at the being. This only seemed to amuse it; it's lips curling upwards in a sadistic manner, bearing more of it's shark-like teeth.

"So that's your friend's name?" It mused, a claw-like finger tapping it's chin, the black ligament being attached to a bandaged and striped arm - that seemed eerily long. "I didn't know, I just knew it'd get your attention, you seem to like him." It elaborated, another hoarse chuckle rattling out of it's throat. Was Cody (just now) only an illusion, then?

I slowly took a step back, my widened eyes still on the towering entity. "And why did you want my attention?" I hesitantly asked, raising a brow.

This seemed to piss the clown off - it's smile falling; it curved downwards with the corners poking the smile lines of it's cheeks. It's blocky eyebrows knitted together as its glassy, snowy eyes glared daggers at me. "Well, because you act like such a brat." It snarled - it's unnervingly comedic, chirpy voice becoming laced with hatred and venom. The creature took a step closer to me, maintaining our original distance. "And I hate brats."

"Well, I'm sorry to point this out but I don't tend to fuck clowns, so, I don't really think that would really concern you-" I rambled - stupidly trying to joke my way out of the situation, I was scared after all. I was told that my humour was a mere 'malfunction' of my 'fight or flight'.

The entity's eyes only narrowed as it made a noise of contempt and distaste - similar to an elderly person clicking their tounge in disappointment; it was a moist noise, like it was sucking air in through the gaps of it's razer teeth. It's upper lip twitched upwards in a sneer as it's gangly arms hung by it's sides - the claws attached to it's hands almost curling inwards as it thought. "Children are so disgusting nowadays. I mean, they always were - the rotting teeth and snot and crying with the dead cats. But nowadays they've reached a certain level of vile." It continued, disgust evident in it's voice.

Flight. Flight. Flight. Fucking run, Toby.

I felt my lips twitch into an uneasy, toothy smile - my heart bounding in my chest, despite being frozen to the spot. "Well, its funny you say that - I'm in fact not a child, I'm nineteen." I began, my gaze falling to the snowy ground below us. "And, when I was a child, I never really saw a dead cat? The closest thing I saw to that was this boy burning ants with a magnifying glass, but that was okay because I had and have a crush on him." I rambled, looking back to it with a nervous chuckle - lifting my hands to do to finger gun the clown, but stopping myself.

Why did it have to be a fucking clown?

As it opened it's mouth, I took another step back, quickly beginning to spin on the heel of my foot and attempting to run through the darkened passage of the forest - where the snow was luckily thinner. "Shit, shit shit-" I rambled, under my breath.

"Where are you going, kiddo?" It's voice rang out - echoing around the insides of the area; trees grew closer together here, blocking out a lot of the surrounding forest. So, it was a really shitty decision to run down here. "Didn't you want to come see the show?" It cackled.

Of course, this had only made me try and run faster - begging it wasn't too much for my already pounding heart to take. First a dead Link cosplay and now a clown that sounds like a creep, probably unintentionally, but still like a creep. Great.

"Fuck off!" I shouted in return - glancing back to watch the towering figure beginning to take strides to follow me.

"Children shouldn't use such vile language." It snarled in retaliation.

I shook my head, looking forward again - only to be met with the same grey fabric as earlier, causing me to stumble backwards and fall into the snow. Of course it could teleport.

"POP, goes the Weasel!" It exclaimed - it's white eyes starring down at me, an almost manic look to them as another unhinged cackle escaped it's body.

Instinctively, I kicked upwards - the sole of my boot hitting against it's crotch, to which earnt no reaction from the clown. My face fell from fear to confusion and plain exhaustion. "You're smooth like a Ken doll, aren't you?" I muttered, a defeated tone weighing my words down.

My question only made it's expression falter into a glare. "Laughing Jack is the greatest clown of them all, I am meant to entertain not arouse." It seethed.

"Well you're failing to do both." I huffed, returning the glare.

A loud cackle left Jack as he looked down at me with wild eyes. "Oh, but I find this very entertaining." He retorted, one of his striped limbs reaching out for my leg, using his claws to grasp it as he began to drag me further into the forest.

I winced, closing my eyes as I felt the snow mold around my body, yet grasping at my hood and hair - the way they would occassionally get stuck causing me to feel as if nature itself was trying to save me. I clasped my hands together, over my chest. "Spread over us the shelter of Your peace-"

"What are you spouting, boy?" The clown asked, causing me to open my eyes. He had tilted his head to the side - like he was amused yet curious.

"It's the Hashkiveinu prayer, dipshit." I retaliated, "And I'm panicking at the moment, so I can't exactly remember if there was a more suitable one - it's about comfort and being protected in the night-" I added in a ramble.

"Well it isn't night time, is it?" Jack retorted, standing up straighter - continuing to drag me.

"As I said, I'm panicking, it's hard to do this sorta stuff when you're scared-" I grumbled, an annoyed expression crossing my features. I didn't remember too much about what my mother had taught me about our religion (to be honest, I was always on the fence about the existence of God - or multiple); I didn't remember much at all, but this prayer had stood out to me.

"Oh, I'm glad you're scared, Toby." Jack hummed - how the fuck did he know my name? "It always makes it all the more exciting to gut you afterwards." He cackled, almost stifling his laughs, "And it adds an extra sweetness to the candy."

My expression contorted with disgust - I wasn't sure what he meant, but it made me uncomfortable. I quickly kicked at the black and white limb that grasped my leg; a few harsh kicks causing it to bend like a twig - fluffy stuffing pouring out of the hole I created. "Oh what the fuck?" I hissed, earning Jack's attention.

The clown's eyes fell to the wound, widening as his smile faltered. "You brat! This is why I hate children! Ungrateful little creatures!" He snapped, looking to me - like he was deciding how violent to be.

I quickly pulled my leg away, the rip in the arm growing bigger as I freed myself - the forearm falling to the snowy floor with a thud, the claws still wrapped around my ankle. My eyes widened as I looked back up to Jack; who only glared at the torn off body part. "I'm going to use your intestines as decorations and stuff you with candy." He growled.

I quickly shook my leg out of the hand's grip, now looking to the floor as I pushed myself to my feet. "Why does half of the shit you say sound sexual?" I whined, stumbling upwards and quickly spinning around the face the entity.

"It isn't, you just have a filthy mind." Jack snarled, taking a step closer to me, causing me to rummage around in my coat pocket - quickly pulling out the small rectangle of plastic.

"Stay the fuck away otherwise you'll burn quicker than a Christmas tree covered in faulty fairy lights, bitch." I snapped, presenting the lighter proudly. "You're made of stuffing, eh? You'll go up in flames easy." I rambled.

The clown looked at the object before his hateful, dead eyes landed on mine. "I'll come back, brat. And I'll come back for your friend, too. Carelessly tossing people around in their boxes." He seethed, narrowing his eyes as he leant down to pick up his severed arm, yet not collecting all the stray bits of fluff, slowly backing away into the forest - deeper.