The Haunted House's Jokester

The night was crisp and the moon hung low, casting a silver glow over the old, abandoned mansion. The group of friends, a motley crew of comedians, thrill-seekers, and the merely curious, stood before the creaking gates of the Haunted House. The air was thick with anticipation and the faint scent of decay, a testament to the house's long-neglected existence.

"Remember, no one gets out of this alive," said Max, the group's resident prankster, with a wink. "But it'll be one hell of a laugh."

The gates creaked open, and the group stepped inside, the sound of their laughter mingling with the eerie silence of the house. The walls were peeling, the floors uneven, and the air seemed to hum with an unsettling energy. The group split up, each taking a room to set up their pranks.

"Hey, wait up!" shouted Lily, jogging to catch up with her friend, Jake. "I have the best one yet!"

Jake, who was already setting up a fake ghost in the attic, turned to her with a grin. "Oh, really? I can't wait to see it."

Lily nodded confidently, pulling out a small, ornate box from her backpack. "It's a jokester. It'll make the house laugh until it cries."

Jake's eyes widened in amusement. "A jokester? That's perfect. Let's see what it does."

Lily placed the box on the attic floor and turned it on. The box began to hum, and a voice echoed through the attic, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

Jake burst into laughter, but as the sound died down, the house seemed to respond. The floorboards creaked louder, and a cold breeze swept through the room. Jake's laughter turned to a gasp as he saw the shadow of a figure standing in the corner.

"Who's there?" he shouted, but there was no answer.

The figure moved, and Jake's heart pounded in his chest. It was a woman, her face twisted in a grotesque smile, her eyes hollow and lifeless. Jake's legs turned to jelly, and he stumbled backward, falling to the floor.

"Lily, help me!" he cried, but Lily was nowhere to be seen.

The woman's voice echoed through the attic, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

Jake tried to scramble to his feet, but the woman was on him before he could move. Her hands were icy, and she pulled him closer, her breath hot and rancid. "You thought you could laugh at me, but I'll make you laugh until you die!"

Jake's eyes widened in terror as he felt the woman's fingers around his throat. He struggled, but she was too strong. The jokester's voice continued, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

The room was filled with laughter, but it was a sound of terror and despair. Jake's vision blurred, and he felt himself slipping away. The last thing he heard was the voice, "And you, my dear, will be the next jokester."

The rest of the group had been too busy with their own pranks to notice Jake's disappearance. They were in the basement, setting up a haunted mirror. "This is going to be epic," said Sarah, holding up a flashlight to reveal the distorted reflection of the mirror.

"Wait, where's Jake?" asked Max, looking around the room.

"Jake? He was right here a minute ago," said Lily, her voice trembling.

The group rushed up the stairs, but there was no sign of Jake. The house seemed to close in around them, the walls whispering secrets and the air thick with dread. They checked each room, but Jake was gone.

Max's voice echoed through the house, "We have to find him. He's in here somewhere."

The group moved through the house, their footsteps echoing off the old walls. They passed the room where Jake had been last seen, but there was no sign of him. The jokester's voice continued, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

Max's eyes widened as he realized the voice was coming from the attic. "We have to go up there!"

The group raced up the stairs, their hearts pounding in their chests. They burst into the attic, and there, in the corner, was Jake. He was tied to a chair, his eyes wide with terror, the woman's hands still around his throat.

"Help me!" Jake gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

The group rushed to Jake, but as they reached him, the woman's eyes turned to them, and a twisted smile spread across her face. "You thought you could save him, but you're just another jokester."

The woman's hands tightened around Jake's throat, and he began to struggle again. The jokester's voice echoed through the room, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

Max reached for his pocket, pulling out a knife. "We have to stop her!"

Before he could make a move, the woman's eyes locked onto him, and she laughed. "You think you can fight me? You're just another jokester."

Max's hand hesitated, but then he lunged forward, driving the knife into the woman's chest. She gasped, and her grip on Jake's throat loosened. He fell to the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head.

The group rushed to Jake, but it was too late. He was already gone.

The jokester's voice continued, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

The group looked at each other, their faces pale and haunted. They had come to the Haunted House for a night of laughter and thrills, but they had left with a horror that would stay with them forever.

Max's voice was barely above a whisper as he said, "We have to get out of here."

The group stumbled out of the house, their footsteps echoing in the night. They didn't stop until they reached their cars, and then they drove away as fast as they could.

As they drove, the jokester's voice continued to echo in their minds, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

The group fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. They had come to the Haunted House for a night of fun, but they had left with a terror that would never leave them.

The jokester's voice continued, "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"

And with that, the story of the Haunted House's Jokester was told, a tale of laughter turned to horror, and a warning to all who dared to enter the house of secrets and shadows.