The Grin in the Dark

The Grin in the Dark — page 5 — on his block this driveway is bicycling heaven Mom parks the car and swivels in her seat Mo will drive you home tonight she says There’s no way I’m staying up past midnight I have to work in the morning Okay Mom Hamid says pulling on the door handle to get out And I have to be up at six Mom calls after him So come in quietly okay Hamid Okay okay Hamid says as he slams the car door He looks up at the stark front of his aunt and uncle’s house and beyond it into the night sky The moon is full tonight and very bright It’ll be blocked by thick gray clouds soon if the storm is as bad as the meteorologist is saying it will be As Hamid walks toward the front door Aunt Julie comes outside and stands on the gray stone stoop waving at Mom in the car Hi Hamid she says chipper and smiling her teeth as big and white as a sledding hill before the first run She’s wearing a gown that is long and shimmery and off-white and it makes Hamid think of wintertime Hi Aunt Julie he says slipping past her and into the house As he steps inside Julie peers up at the sky Not raining yet she says They’re saying we’ll get a

The Grin in the Dark — page 6 — big storm tonight I hope it can hold off till after we’re home I wouldn’t mind a storm Hamid says I like them I don’t usually mind them Aunt Julie says closing the door behind them but I don’t think Mo wants to drive for two hours in a thunderstorm tonight Julie and Mo’s house is huge and fancy just as stark and impressive inside as out except for one odd thing Julie is obsessed with clowns And usually clowns are everywhere But tonight as Hamid walks into the entryway he realizes that there is something different about the house Tonight all the clown stuff is missing Normally there are photos of clowns on every shelf and framed drawings and paintings of clowns decorating the walls There are usually countless porcelain miniature clowns that sit on the mantel above the fireplace in the family room Hamid peers around the corner to his left down the short hallway that leads to the living room There are usually stuffed clown dolls sitting in armchairs and clown music boxes and snow globes perched on every available tabletop No clowns Hamid turns to his right The mirror that hangs

The Grin in the Dark — page 7 — on the wall over the half-circle table usually has antique postcards of clowns both drawn and photographed tucked under its frame But not tonight Then Hamid looks up the staircase that leads to the dark second floor Its walls are usually lined with black-and-white photos of clowns from one hundred years ago Clowns performing in circuses rodeos and street festivals Clowns posing in random places you’d never think to find them in a diner on the front porch of a house in a cornfield Aunt Julie Hamid says slowly as he turns around to find her fiddling with something in the closet What happened to all your stuff It’s all packed away I’m afraid Aunt Julie says quickly turning to face him She checks the time on her phone and mutters to herself We really have to go Then she looks at Hamid frowning Why is it all packed Hamid asks Just then without warning Uncle Mo steps through the doorway from the living room and walks up to the mirror that hangs over the semicircular table Because Hamid Uncle Mo says as he tugs and twists and pulls at his bow tie your Aunt Julie’s

The Grin in the Dark — page 8 — obsession with clowns has become a thing of nightmares His eyes find Hamid in the mirror and he opens them wide and then winks Nightmares Hamid says He looks at Aunt Julie for a clue Sometimes she acts as a translator for Uncle Mo when he’s not making much sense Well Julie says pausing to hush her husband and holding her finger to her lips Afifa and Ahmed have been having bad dreams About clowns Uncle Mo says leaning down to put his goofiest face right between Hamid and Julie He stands up straight takes a last look in the mirror and says I’m going to start the car Julie rolls her eyes Anyway she says we thought maybe if we took down my collection and packed it all up it might help the twins And Hamid says She frowns at him It hasn’t helped yet she admits and she snatches her purse from the entryway table in front of the mirror Well they’re asleep for now Not for long Mo calls from around the corner in the kitchen probably on his way to the garage All right all right Julie says We have to get going But I’m afraid your uncle is right The twins

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