James' final words were still fresh in everybody's mind. They immediately knew who their target would be. The group charged at Lou and tried to restrain him.

But Lou was big, burly man. Lou grew up eating stegosaurus meat fresh off bone. Lou not go down without fight.

Lou whipped out a dinosaur bone and charged at Pastor Verga.

"Caveman Lou innocent! Pastor is scum you seek!" he cried desperately.

Zurakk and Obadiah quickly wrested the bone away from him and threw it to the floor.

Lou then heard a sound behind him...

hiss

He turned around just in time to see Mr. Bigglesworth spring up onto his face and start clawing the shit out of him.

While Lou was distracted, Alice seized the opportunity and fashioned a noose. Time to finish this shit, 1920's-style.

She snuck up behind him and wrapped it around his throat. Verga took the other end of the rope.

"Forgive him father..." he whispered as he hoisted the rope.

Lou squirmed around desperately as his face soon turned blue.

In his final moments, he thought of his beloved Caitlyn...

"Caitlyn... Lou coming for you in Sky Valley. Lou learn how to poo in shiny rock... just for you..."

Lou smiled peacefully as the last remaining life got choked out of him.

"Look! There's something hidden in his leopard tunic!"

Trixie yanked a bloodstained piece of paper that he had hidden next to his overwhelmingly smelly body.

It had Timmy's name, picture, room number, and a list of the remaining guests in the Comfort Enn. The dead guests had been crossed off.

Caveman Lou, Mafia Bus Driver, has been lynched.

Every night, you may select two players to bus with one another. Any player targeting Player 1 will instead target Player 2, and vice versa.

And Then There Were 26

I looked on as Caleb continued balancing on the ball, now on one foot. He taunted the circus goers as he did so.

Ashley obnoxiously screamed to the group, pointing right at me and calling me an imposter. What was she talking about? I hate that bitch.

In the corner of my eye, I saw as Butta Knyf looked down towards the ground. Something caught his eye, and he began to follow it.

"Uh...excuse me young man!" Adrian shouted over the group. "Our greatest trick yet is about to begin!"

But Butta Knyf ignored him and did a poor attempt at a crip walk straight out of the Big Top. What did he find? My curiosity was piqued. The rest of the group filed out, following behind him. I stayed at the back of the pack.

We were led straight between two tents. Butta was bent down and lifted something up. It was Q's battered glasses. If they had lenses, they would surely be broken. Butta pointed at the trail of blood leading straight to them.

That's when I realized where we were. The blood led to two tents. One was full of gadgets and tools. William's tent. I looked over at the other one and gulped. It was my own.

I took a giant step backwards as the group parted and their heads turned to face me.

"OH NO." I screamed out. It was the only thing I could think to say. I took another step back.

"I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT SINCE DAY ONE, HE LEFT THE THREAD!! HE LEFT THE THREEEEEEEEADD!" Ashley shouted. What? What was she talking about?

I saw many heads turn and look at Ashley in disgust and annoyance. They were tired of her antics. I knew I could capitalize, so I laid it all out on the table. "I can take Ashleigh out on a Vertical kill tonight. OH YES."

I saw several circus goers shrug. "Not a bad trade really!" someone said. But the rest weren't happy. They approached me, arms outstretched and ready to grab me. There was only one thing left to do.

I turned and ran. My long legs were no match for them. I sprinted across the mud back towards the Big Top. I looked through the large doors and saw Adrian and Caleb, waving me over.

"Come now!" Come meet your fate!"

What was with these guys? They found me. Pulled me from the darkness. Gave me a purpose. But now they were ready to end my life, just because I failed them? They would see me end up dead like the rest of their participants?

I looked backwards. The crowd was closing in. I looked to the left and right. There was no safety out there in the darkness. No where to hide.

"No where to go....but up."

I eyed the Big Top before me. It was gorgeous. A tremendous structure. A work of art, really. Its highest point was taller than the nearby ferris wheel. The Big Top was the highest point at the entire circus.

Then, I jumped. I flew through the air and landed six feet up, right on the base of the upwards slope of the tent. I clung to the canvas and yelled out a victory cry.

"OH MY. Not today!"

I rose to my feet and ran up the side. The slope got steeper and steeper, but I was in incredible physical form. This was no match for me.

I looked behind me. The crowd slowed their run to a stop. Butta Knyf threw his bandanna into the mud out of frustration.

That's when I reached the highest point. A metal flag pole stuck out from the center of the top point. A red and white flag blew gently in the wind. I put an arm against the pole and twirled around it in glee.

I was safe up here. If I could wait out the rest of the night, they were completely unable to reach me. I was home free.

"OH YES! OH YES!! You think you can stop me?" I screamed to the circus goers below. Rain began to fall down and wipe my white makeup away. "I am Count Vertical! This circus doesn't stop until I say it stops!"

The rain was now hammering down on me. Water ran down the sides of the slope and poured on the miserable group below as thunder roared in the background. I stretched my hands outwards and began to laugh uncontrollably.

The moon was high in the sky. To the pathetic lot below, I imagined them seeing my beautiful, vertical figure silhouetted against the full moon. I must have looked beautiful. Like a legend. Like a god.

"OH YES...THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN, MY FRIENDS! THE NIGHT IS JUST BEGINNING!"

I closed my eyes and looked upwards. The rain splashed onto my face. I felt reborn. Chancellor Vertical had a nice ring to it.

I laughed manically and stretched my long arms outwards. "OH YES....OHHHH YE--"


















































































































Count Vertical, The Ringleader (Mafia), has been lynched.

Every night, you can select a member of your team to send out for a kill. You are also impervious to night attacks. You may also hand select any three players to join your mafia, the rest will be chosen for you. You must do this before Act I begins.

And Then There Were 25.


Count Vertical likely never felt the lighting. Standing at the highest point of the circus, holding onto a metal pole while soaked in water, was likely not the brightest idea.

The bolt struck him square in the center of the forehead as he was opening his eyes. The powerful bolt sent electricity coursing through his elongated form. It crashed downwards quickly, carrying Count Vertical with it as it ripped another hole through the center of the Big Top.

Count Vertical's corpse was thrust down into the center of the ring. The group poured into the Big Top once more, as Adrian and Caleb looked down at their ringleader's scorched body.

"...a minor setback!" said Adrian as he coldly walked away. Caleb stood on one foot atop Count Vertical's crispy head, balancing the best he could.