Austin wasn't usually a superstitious person, but who could resist a shiny penny? He leaned down to pick it up, when a reflection in the fountain's water caught his eye. It was him… again. With his red nose that gleamed bright on a stark white face and that constant smile that's thrown off by the single, never changing, black teardrop.

Austin could swear that he was being followed by the big shoes that flopped as they walked and the bright polka dot jumpsuit that was ten sizes too big. Since he heard the "squeak, squeak, POP!" of that mad scientist with the bright red hair wherever he went, as it taunted him with memories of a childhood he never had.

As he watched happy kids flock his tormentor, Austin could only hear his mother's voice telling him that trying to get one of the bright creations for himself would only be a waste of their time, and what would he do with one of those ridiculous things anyways? But as he stood, entranced by the brightly colored creations, he realized that his mother isn't there anymore.

Austin cautiously approached the mocking smile. "Could I have a blue dog, please?," he timidly asked the clown.