Milo Pockets had always believed that amusement parks were dangerous.

Roller coasters could break.

Ferris wheels could stop.

Haunted houses could contain ghosts.

And clowns…

Well.

Clowns were simply unnecessary.

Unfortunately, Milo was standing outside the most terrifying amusement park in the entire city.

The sign above the entrance read:

WELCOME TO WHISPERING WHEELS

Underneath, in smaller letters:

OPEN EVERY NIGHT UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

And underneath that:

PLEASE DO NOT STAY AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Milo stared at the sign.

“Why?”

Nora Noodle stood beside him, eating a packet of chips.

“Why what?”

“Why shouldn’t we stay after midnight?”

Nora shrugged.

“Probably because the park closes.”

Milo pointed at the sign.

“That’s not what it says.”

Nora looked.

“Oh.”

She ate another chip.

“Maybe the manager is very serious about closing time.”

Milo frowned.

“Or…”

He lowered his voice.

“…the park is haunted.”

Nora smiled.

“Excellent.”

Milo stared at her.

“Excellent?”

“Yes.”

“How is that excellent?”

“Because we’re detectives.”

Milo looked at the enormous gates.

“We’re amateur detectives.”

“Still detectives.”

“We have never solved a real mystery.”

“We solved the mystery of your missing shoes.”

Milo looked down.

He was wearing one shoe.

Nora pointed.

“You found one.”

“Exactly.”

“Where’s the other?”

Milo looked around.

“I don’t know.”

Nora sighed.

“Great detective.”

Milo ignored her.

He turned toward the entrance.

“Why are we here again?”

Nora pulled a letter from her pocket.

“Because someone sent us this.”

Milo stared at the envelope.

It was black.

The edges were covered with silver stars.

On the front were four words:

COME AFTER DARK.

Milo swallowed.

“That’s creepy.”

Nora nodded.

“Very.”

“Who sent it?”

“No idea.”

“Why us?”

“No idea.”

“Why this park?”

“No idea.”

Milo took a step backward.

“Then we should go home.”

Nora grabbed his coat.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because someone wants us to investigate.”

“Someone who doesn’t know our detective success rate.”

Nora smiled.

“Exactly.”

---

A loud bell suddenly rang.

DONG!

Milo jumped.

Nora laughed.

“Relax.”

“I am relaxed.”

“You screamed.”

“I did not.”

“You said, ‘AAAAAAAH!'”

“That was a cough.”

“You coughed very loudly.”

“I have powerful lungs.”

Before Nora could answer, the park gates slowly opened.

CREeeeeak.

Milo stared.

“No.”

Nora smiled.

“Yes.”

“We don’t have to go inside.”

“We do.”

“Why?”

“Because the gates opened.”

“Maybe they’re welcoming us.”

“Exactly.”

“That’s worse!”

Nora walked inside.

Milo followed reluctantly.

As they entered, the gates slammed shut behind them.

BANG!

Milo jumped again.

Nora looked back.

“Don’t worry.”

“What?”

“The gate is probably broken.”

Milo stared.

“That is not comforting.”

---

The park looked strangely beautiful.

There were colorful lights everywhere.

A giant Ferris wheel turned slowly in the distance.

Music played from old speakers.

A carousel spun in the center of the park.

But there wasn’t a single visitor.

Not one.

Milo looked around.

“Where is everybody?”

Nora shrugged.

“Maybe it’s not popular.”

Milo pointed toward the roller coaster.

“The park has been open for five minutes.”

“Yes.”

“And we’re the only customers.”

“Yes.”

“That’s suspicious.”

Nora smiled.

“Finally, you’re thinking like a detective.”

A voice suddenly came from behind them.

“WHO ARE YOU?”

Milo screamed.

Nora screamed.

The voice screamed.

Everyone screamed.

Then they realized…

It was Benny Bumbles.

He was standing behind them wearing a giant backpack.

Milo stared.

“Benny?”

Benny smiled nervously.

“Hello.”

Nora crossed her arms.

“What are you doing here?”

Benny pointed at the letter in Nora’s hand.

“I got one too.”

He pulled out an identical black envelope.

Milo stared.

“You were invited?”

Benny nodded.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Who sent it?”

“I don’t know.”

Milo looked at Nora.

“This is getting suspicious.”

Nora nodded.

“Very.”

Suddenly, another voice came from behind them.

“MAKE WAY!”

Everyone turned.

An old man came running toward them.

He was wearing a purple coat, a red hat, and enormous glasses.

He tripped over a small rock.

THUD!

He fell flat on his face.

Silence.

The man slowly lifted his head.

“Did anyone see that?”

Milo raised his hand.

“Yes.”

The old man pointed at him.

“Forget it.”

He stood.

Nora stared.

“Professor Pickle?”

The old man smiled.

“Ah!”

He pointed at Nora.

“You know me.”

“Everyone knows you.”

“Excellent.”

“You’re a magician.”

Professor Pickle nodded.

“Correct.”

“You performed at this amusement park twenty years ago.”

“Correct.”

“You disappeared after the final show.”

“Correct.”

“People thought you died.”

Professor Pickle looked offended.

“Incorrect.”

Milo stared.

“Then where were you?”

Professor Pickle smiled.

“I forgot.”

Everyone stared.

“You forgot where you were?”

“Yes.”

“For twenty years?”

“Apparently.”

Milo looked at Nora.

“Is he always like this?”

Nora nodded.

“Unfortunately.”

---

Professor Pickle pulled an envelope from his pocket.

“I received one of these.”

Milo stared.

“Then there are four of us.”

Nora nodded.

“Four people.”

Benny looked nervous.

“Why were we all invited?”

Nobody answered.

Suddenly…

The music stopped.

The carousel stopped spinning.

The lights went out.

Darkness covered the park.

Milo grabbed Nora’s arm.

Nora looked at him.

“Are you scared?”

“No.”

“You’re holding my arm.”

“Because I’m checking if you’re scared.”

“I’m not.”

“Good.”

“You’re still holding my arm.”

“I forgot.”

A light suddenly appeared at the end of the path.

A spotlight.

It illuminated a giant clown.

The clown stood completely still.

Milo froze.

“No.”

Nora whispered:

“What?”

“Clown.”

Benny hid behind Professor Pickle.

Professor Pickle hid behind Benny.

Milo stared at them.

“Why are you hiding behind him?”

Professor Pickle whispered:

“Because he’s bigger.”

Benny looked offended.

“Why am I always involved in the dangerous part?”

The clown slowly turned its head.

CREAK.

Milo whispered:

“That’s not a normal clown.”

Nora nodded.

“No.”

The clown raised one hand.

Then pointed at them.

A loud voice echoed through the park.

“FOUR GUESTS.”

Everyone froze.

“FOUR SECRETS.”

Milo looked at the others.

“What does that mean?”

The clown continued.

“ONE NIGHT.”

The Ferris wheel suddenly started spinning.

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

“ONE MYSTERY.”

The roller coaster lights turned on.

“AND ONE OF YOU…”

The clown’s head slowly turned.

“…IS A LIAR.”

Everyone stared at each other.

Milo pointed at Benny.

“It’s him.”

Benny shouted:

“WHAT?”

Nora pointed at Milo.

“You’re the one who lies!”

Milo stared.

“When?”

“You said you weren’t scared.”

“I’m not!”

“You screamed twice.”

“That was the wind.”

“There is no wind.”

“Exactly.”

Professor Pickle raised his hand.

“I have a confession.”

Everyone turned.

Professor Pickle whispered:

“I ate three donuts today.”

Silence.

Milo stared.

“That’s your secret?”

“Yes.”

Nora sighed.

“That’s not a crime.”

“It is if they were someone else’s.”

Everyone stared at him.

Professor Pickle smiled.

“Moving on.”

---

The clown suddenly disappeared.

Milo blinked.

“Where did it go?”

Nora looked around.

“I don’t know.”

Benny pointed.

“There!”

The clown was now standing behind them.

Everyone screamed.

The clown laughed.

Then disappeared again.

Milo grabbed his detective notebook.

“Okay.”

Nora looked at him.

“What are you doing?”

“Investigating.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“The clown just teleported.”

“Exactly.”

Milo opened his notebook.

He wrote:

CLUE NUMBER ONE: CLOWN CAN TELEPORT.

Nora looked.

“That’s not a clue.”

“It is.”

“That’s an observation.”

Milo crossed it out.

“Fine.”

He wrote:

CLUE NUMBER ONE: CLOWN IS VERY RUDE.

Nora nodded.

“Better.”

Suddenly…

The park speakers came alive.

A voice whispered:

“THE GAME HAS BEGUN.”

Milo froze.

“What game?”

The voice answered:

“FIND THE HIDDEN KEY.”

A spotlight appeared.

It pointed toward the haunted house.

The building stood at the far end of the park.

Its windows were broken.

Its doors were open.

A sign hung above it:

THE HOUSE OF ENDLESS SCREAMS.

Benny looked terrified.

“No.”

Nora smiled.

“Yes.”

Benny shook his head.

“Absolutely not.”

Professor Pickle nodded.

“Agreed.”

Milo stared.

“You’re a magician.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not scared of ghosts.”

“Correct.”

“Then why are you shaking?”

Professor Pickle looked down.

His hands were shaking violently.

“Old age.”

Milo stared.

“Your entire body is shaking.”

“Very old age.”

Nora walked toward the haunted house.

“Come on.”

Milo followed.

Benny followed Milo.

Professor Pickle followed Benny.

Milo looked back.

“Why are you following me?”

Benny whispered:

“Because you’re brave.”

Milo stared.

“That’s the nicest lie anyone has ever told me.”

---

They reached the haunted house.

The doors opened by themselves.

CREEEEAK.

Milo stared inside.

A long hallway disappeared into darkness.

Nora stepped forward.

Milo grabbed her shoulder.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Look.”

He pointed at the floor.

There were footprints.

Four sets.

Nora crouched down.

“Fresh.”

Benny swallowed.

“But there are four of us.”

Milo shook his head.

“No.”

He pointed farther ahead.

There was another set of footprints.

Five.

Nora slowly stood.

“Someone else is inside.”

Professor Pickle adjusted his glasses.

“Maybe it’s the clown.”

Milo shook his head.

“No.”

“How do you know?”

Milo pointed at the footprints.

“The clown had giant shoes.”

These footprints were small.

Very small.

Like the footprints of a child.

Benny whispered:

“Then who is it?”

Nobody answered.

A small laugh echoed from inside the haunted house.

Hehehehe…

Milo froze.

Nora froze.

Benny froze.

Professor Pickle froze.

Then a tiny voice whispered:

“Come find me.”

The door slammed shut behind them.

BANG!

Milo turned.

“Everyone stay calm.”

Nora stared at him.

“Are you talking to us or yourself?”

Milo ignored her.

He pulled out his magnifying glass.

“All right.”

He took a deep breath.

“We have four people.”

Nora nodded.

“Yes.”

“One haunted amusement park.”

“Yes.”

“One teleporting clown.”

“Yes.”

“One mysterious child.”

“Yes.”

“Four secret letters.”

“Yes.”

“And one hidden key.”

“Yes.”

Milo looked into the darkness.

“Then we solve this mystery.”

A loud crash came from upstairs.

BOOM!

Milo jumped.

“After we survive.”

Nora smiled.

“That’s more realistic.”

They walked into the darkness.

The door closed behind them.

And somewhere deep inside the haunted amusement park…

A clown began laughing.

But the laughter suddenly stopped.

Because something else had started laughing with it.

Something that wasn’t supposed to be there.

Milo slowly raised his flashlight.

At the end of the hallway…

A small figure stood in the darkness.

It was holding a golden key.

The figure smiled.

Then whispered:

“Which one of you wants to play first?”

The lights went out.

TO BE CONTINUED…