Chapter Ten

Phillips point of view

"You said you'd quit months ago." Karen yells at me. She's obviously fed up. We've been at each other's throats over the murders at McDonald's. It's finally confirmed that it is someone dressed like Ronald McDonald by the police.

"I can't just quit my job, I'm going to be fine."

"And how many others thought they would be fine?"

I know she had valid points. I mean literally everybody who died didn't think they would. My guess is Kim did not imagine being burned alive by French fry grease, and other people being frozen to death, and being smashed to death in such a brutal and inhumane manner. 

Hours later, I make my way into McDonald's, which has been crazy busy since all news coverage. Everyone wants to eat at a place where people have gotten murdered. It doesn't make sense to me how a tragedy can attract so many people. Ghost investigators are already trying to come out with their recorders and cameras. 

Once inside the lobby, I see a detective sitting at the table. I make my way over to him. I know I'm not the one he's looking to speak to, but I hope he has some new information that can help ease everyone. 

"Any news?"

He analyzed my face for a moment. I have talked to him before, he was the one I reported seeing Ronald McDonald in the parking lot twice after two murders. 

He nods. " Two Gentlemen escape from a mental health facility. We got a hold of Ronald's diary, and he believed the mental health facility was actually mcdonaldland. He believed he was Ronald McDonald and his roommate was Hamburglar. They were both mentally insane and Schizophrenic."

"If he believed he was Ronald McDonald, then why would he kill people?" Ronald McDonald was a happy clown who brought joy to the customers. 

 "He felt like McDonald's was getting rid of him and tossing him aside."

I nod with understanding. I rarely see the clown advertised through McDonald's. 

"Why would they put two patients alike in one room?"

I see the smile fall across the detective's face. "The million dollar question. Why would two cuckoo birds be in one nest?"

All the information swirled around my brain. I can never imagine being that insane to believe that I'm something I'm not. It was also hard for me to realize that all my friends who were murdered will never really get justice. These individuals won't go to jail, they'll go back to the mental health facility and live their life after they end in so many. 

I walk to the back of the restaurant, which now gives me the creeps. This was a few of the murder victims' final resting spots. 

"Ba da ba ba ba." 

I hear the humming of the familiar McDonald's tune. 

Then my eyes see a clown. He looked like Ronald McDonald, but evil. He wears a crazy smirk, and you can tell there was fresh red smeared all over his face. Is that blood?

"You know you're not Ronald McDonald?"

He laughs. "How do you explain the big yellow jumpsuit?"

"You ordered it."

He laughs, this creepy lunatic laugh.

"You're really a patient at Sunville Mental Health Institution."

 He cocks his hand to the side

"These are all lies," he yells. His big red shoes come marching towards me, and I want to run in the upset direction. But I have to make him stop, snap back into reality, and try to save more people.

Soon we were nose to nose. His breath smells awful, as the hot air hits my face. 

I fell his hand on my neck. The pressure was excruciating. 

"Ronald, do you?" I try to finish my sentence, but coughing takes over me. I feel like my eyes will pop out of my head. I want him to understand that killing me wasn't going to change anything. They're never going to use the mascot again after this, he 100% guaranteed that. He made it worse for the Ronald McDonald icon, and he's just going to head back into the Psych ward. 

In a fast motion, I see a guy in a black and white jumpsuit come flying, knocking Ronald on the ground. 

"You're not going to hurt another person," he screams as I take off towards the lobby. 

A few hours later, I watch handcuffs be put on the two men. One believed they were Ronald McDonald, his name was really Ronald Williamson, the other was named Burger McAdams, he believed he was Hamburglar. I think I know why this guy was crazy. I would go insane if my mom named me Burger. 

 The detective let me look at Ronald's diary, and two of the known patients Ronald believed were Birdie and Grimace. All the characters from Mcdonaldland were all there in his mind. Even the therapy dog being Sundae. I am honestly shocked at the fake world he made up. Sometimes living in a fantasy is better than reality. I completely understand that, living a life from paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes I like to fantasize about those millions in my bank account. If only his fantasy wasn't harmful to others.

Hours later, I lay my head on the pillow. For the first time in months, I feel safe and relieved. I close my eyes, knowing that this nightmare was over and Ronald and Burger were back in the mental health facility where they belong. Or was it McDonaldland? Wherever they were, I didn't care. I'm just glad they're not here. 

The end