Off to Hell We Go
Trust Me?
After a long day at the diner, I head home to my shitty apartment and take a shower. Sometime between shampooing my hair and scrubbing my body down with vanilla body wash, I decide that I should make use of my tip today and go to the carnival. What’s the worst that could happen? It’s just a mindless distraction; something I sorely need at the moment. Working double shifts day after day is really getting to me. I need a little fun in my life.
Once I was dressed and my hair was dry, I grab the ticket and my keys and head out to my car. Just as I’m getting into my car, I see something in my rearview mirror; something sitting right behind me. I turn around and see nothing. I let out a nervous chuckle and shake my head as I turn back around and start my car. I back out of my parking spot and begin my journey to the fairgrounds.
I arrive about twenty minutes later. The parking lot is pretty deserted; minus a few beat up cars. Skeptically, I turn off my car and get out; locking it up behind me. As I make my way up to the grounds, I see that the carnival itself looks abandoned. You’ve got to be kidding me, I think to myself as I walk up to the admission booth. A creepy old man stands in the booth, looking down at me with a smirk. Without taking my eyes off of him, I hand over my ticket. He, in return, hands me over a pamphlet. “What’s this for?”
“Those are the rules darling; remember them or you’ll face morbid consequences.” He replies. A chill dances up my spine as I back away then start towards the gate. Immediately after walking in, I can’t help but feel dread rushing through my veins. What am I getting myself into?
After wondering aimless around the abandoned fairgrounds, I sit down on a bench and look at the rulebook. “The 666 rules of The Dark Carnival.” I read aloud. “What a load of shit.” I chuckle, but quickly stop when I feel a presence around me. I look up and see a kid with a black balloon and a sad expression on his face. “You ok kid?” I ask him as I move so I’m kneeling in front of him. “Where are your mommy and daddy?” Once I ask that, he takes off running. Since I’m a caring person, I take off running; leaving the pamphlet behind.
As I’m racing through the booths, trying to keep up with the kid; I hear voices yelling from behind me. Not wanting to get into any trouble, I duck into a tent; letting the people run pass me. I only resurface when I feel that I’m safe and I take a look around me. It appears that I’m backstage. There are a few cages laying around and I notice one cage has a person trapped. I walk near the cage and get close enough for the person to hear me. “You ok?” I ask the black clad person. The figure turns around and I gasp a bit when I see that it’s the guy from the diner. “It’s you!” I explain. “You’re the nameless guy that left me a crappy tip.”
“My name is Ashley.” He smirks. “Yours is Dillon, right?”
“You remembered; creepy.” I smirk. “What got you locked up?” I ask as I walk around the cage. “Lost a bet or something?”
“They don’t trust me to explore the grounds before my act.” He replies. “They didn’t appreciate me escaping today to go to the diner.”
“Tough bosses.” I laugh. “Need help getting out?”
“You’d do that for me?” He asks, not sure if he’s sincerely shocked or not.
“Sure.” I smile before pulling out my pocket knife I kept on me and start picking his lock. Once it’s unlocked, I life the door and he jumps out.
“You should come see my act.” He smiles. “Consider it my way of thanking you.”
“I don’t think I’m staying that long; this place gives me the creeps.” I admit to him.
“You should stay, I can show you around to all the amazing places.” He smiles, offering me a hand. I skeptically look at it; not sure if I should take it or not. “Do you trust me?”
“I don’t even know you.” I point out but sigh. “But I guess I could stay awhile; you do owe me for saving you from the cage.” He smiles when I take his hand and we begin walking away…
Once I was dressed and my hair was dry, I grab the ticket and my keys and head out to my car. Just as I’m getting into my car, I see something in my rearview mirror; something sitting right behind me. I turn around and see nothing. I let out a nervous chuckle and shake my head as I turn back around and start my car. I back out of my parking spot and begin my journey to the fairgrounds.
I arrive about twenty minutes later. The parking lot is pretty deserted; minus a few beat up cars. Skeptically, I turn off my car and get out; locking it up behind me. As I make my way up to the grounds, I see that the carnival itself looks abandoned. You’ve got to be kidding me, I think to myself as I walk up to the admission booth. A creepy old man stands in the booth, looking down at me with a smirk. Without taking my eyes off of him, I hand over my ticket. He, in return, hands me over a pamphlet. “What’s this for?”
“Those are the rules darling; remember them or you’ll face morbid consequences.” He replies. A chill dances up my spine as I back away then start towards the gate. Immediately after walking in, I can’t help but feel dread rushing through my veins. What am I getting myself into?
After wondering aimless around the abandoned fairgrounds, I sit down on a bench and look at the rulebook. “The 666 rules of The Dark Carnival.” I read aloud. “What a load of shit.” I chuckle, but quickly stop when I feel a presence around me. I look up and see a kid with a black balloon and a sad expression on his face. “You ok kid?” I ask him as I move so I’m kneeling in front of him. “Where are your mommy and daddy?” Once I ask that, he takes off running. Since I’m a caring person, I take off running; leaving the pamphlet behind.
As I’m racing through the booths, trying to keep up with the kid; I hear voices yelling from behind me. Not wanting to get into any trouble, I duck into a tent; letting the people run pass me. I only resurface when I feel that I’m safe and I take a look around me. It appears that I’m backstage. There are a few cages laying around and I notice one cage has a person trapped. I walk near the cage and get close enough for the person to hear me. “You ok?” I ask the black clad person. The figure turns around and I gasp a bit when I see that it’s the guy from the diner. “It’s you!” I explain. “You’re the nameless guy that left me a crappy tip.”
“My name is Ashley.” He smirks. “Yours is Dillon, right?”
“You remembered; creepy.” I smirk. “What got you locked up?” I ask as I walk around the cage. “Lost a bet or something?”
“They don’t trust me to explore the grounds before my act.” He replies. “They didn’t appreciate me escaping today to go to the diner.”
“Tough bosses.” I laugh. “Need help getting out?”
“You’d do that for me?” He asks, not sure if he’s sincerely shocked or not.
“Sure.” I smile before pulling out my pocket knife I kept on me and start picking his lock. Once it’s unlocked, I life the door and he jumps out.
“You should come see my act.” He smiles. “Consider it my way of thanking you.”
“I don’t think I’m staying that long; this place gives me the creeps.” I admit to him.
“You should stay, I can show you around to all the amazing places.” He smiles, offering me a hand. I skeptically look at it; not sure if I should take it or not. “Do you trust me?”
“I don’t even know you.” I point out but sigh. “But I guess I could stay awhile; you do owe me for saving you from the cage.” He smiles when I take his hand and we begin walking away…