The 13th House

Hello, everyone. This is a short play about fear and its meaning. The first act is called Reckoning.

The curtain rises and Zetsumei is seen sitting in a chair and is drinking something in a wine glass while reading a newspaper illuminated by a single light. He then takes out a cell phone and calls several people about a new attraction that opened up recently. The light slowly dims as Zetsumei smirks while the wine glass slips from his fingers and breaks on the ground.

The next day Zetsumei is seen staring at a cliched haunted house attraction then says, “Hello, everyone” before turning around. Zetsumei sees Nicole123, Dungeon, Gwerg, Craig31, Mranony, Hazy Day Sunflower, Halfdead66 and Rocketman.

Zetsumei smiles when he sees everyone arrived right on time before walking inside the house. The others follow him inside. They stop at the far end of a decrepit hallway with a ticket device placed in front of black curtains.

Rocketman: Not feeling too talkative today, huh Zetsu?

Zetsumei takes out the ticket before feeding it into the machine then says, “Sore throat” before walking through the curtains. The others follow him through the curtains. They enter a mirror maze with a circus theme and a hanging sign that says, “Funhouse Mirrors (Mind Your Head)” with a picture of a cartoon clown.

Nicole: Clowns… Why did it have to be clowns!?

Zetsumei: Coulrophobia… Fear of clowns is actually quite common,

Nicole: I know, right!

As the group continues through the maze, a normal-looking clown in anime clothing jumps out while yelling, “Boo!” and laughing.

Zetsumei whispers softly: Jakku…

The clown starts grinning then yells, “Don’t call me that!” before slashing Zetsumei’s throat with a hidden pocketknife. Zetsumei falls to his knees, eyes wide. The clown then holds white confetti to Zetsumei’s neck soaking it in his blood before throwing it up in the air and saying, “It’s raining!” The group stares in shock as Zetsumei weakly reaches up and pulls the clown’s face off. The clown’s face is torn away to reveal a nightmarish face mixed with some anime influences like huge eyes. The clown then enlarges the knife with a hidden button before decapitating Zetsumei while laughing. The group recovers from shock only for fear to kick in. They start screaming and run away from the clown towards the entrance.

Nicole: Where’s the entrance!

Rocketman: This isn’t funny! I want out!

The group discovers the entrance is gone.

Unknown voice: Hehehe, don’t lose your heads now… The fun has just started!

The group turns around to see the clown juggling Zetsumei’s head one-handed.

Clown: You guys, look like you could use a hand? How about this one!?

The clown throws Zetsumei’s left arm at the group’s feet while laughing. Unexpectedly, a voice says, “No, how about mine!” and a clawed hand stabs the clown through the chest from behind.

Clown: Gah! How are yo-!

Voice: Die.

The hand tears the clown in half as the hand is revealed to be Zetsumei’s right hand. His body is still headless and missing its left arm.

Everyone else: AH! ZOMBIE!!!

Zetsumei reattaches his head and arm then says, “Close but no…”

Rocketman: Did we just agree to go into a locked attraction with a monster!?

Zetsumei smirks and says, “Maybe…”

The curtain falls as the group screams in terror.