Bygone

1

Marcus

Settling himself at the rearmost edges of the compiled group, Marcus found himself quietly surveying the entirety of the batch with their coordinated instructor upfront.

Distinct screams of dread echoed from behind, ranging from faint crowing to shrilling shrieks that made up their many horrors. Despite the tormenting wails, none of them were brought to discomfort. It was simply the reality of the events unfolding. Gradually his immersion deviated from the haunting, yet elated yelps and to the croaking voice of their class' guide around the theme park.

"Unfortunately," said the exhausted chaperone. Strangely, Marcus had been relieved to hear the initial word.
"We have come to the end of our journey."

Noiseless chatter built up from the foundation of the park's ambience, beautifully blending with the swift and heavy rattling of the roller coaster cars as they accelerated up and down the loops of the metal structures, exuberant cries of joy emanating and dissipating as it passed over the grounds.

Dark as the night had been, a symphony of lights embroided the metal with an array of colours. Laughter, muffled words and disorderly screams asphyxiated any ear that focused on the chaos.

It was different for him. Marcus found comfort within the discord of the world, or rather instead, he was numbed to it.

The symphony was eventually silenced by his mind, that same joy and chatter fading into the night sky as the edges of his eyes blurred. This outing, as said by his own teachers, was to relieve him of any grime that stained his soul. They had not only failed in their mission; he had failed to uphold the promise he gave himself. The deadened voice dwindled away, Marcus' weak eyes misting up and unsteady ears ringing with every syllable.

The guide's next words came along the lines of thanking them for their hospitality (and by hospitality, he meant their incessant screaming) and kindly began asking them to make their way to the exit of the theme park, unless they had wanted to remain for the few hours left the park was to be opened.

Though he hadn't shown it, the exhaustion had begun to consume him. No, not fatigue nor a hungry stomach. Just an exhausted mind, in a weak willed chassis.

A gentle smirk kept to his personage, a reminder of his unfailing, undying hope. Many aspects of his own life have been unsuccessful in granting him a reality of perfection; life itself had been unsuccessful in its own promises, in what it promised him. An expectation that came from inexistence.

As the company began their march back, Marcus returned himself to his naivety and painted up a brighter smile that veiled his frustrations further. They all turned in a chaotic unison, directing themselves onto the glimmering overhang that led to the exit of the park.

The orchestration returned, a rainbow of brilliance littered this modern, metropolitan region with a trivial luminescence. People scattered across the tar, asphalt roads, cheering and screaming with blissful fear as the rainbow was stained to a pallet of red and black. With a smile comparable to that of the lights, he drew closer toward someone he believed would enjoy the company, his company.

"So how was the–?" said Marcus with an embracing euphoria, only to watch his words pass him by.

He wasn't one to make friends easily, nor to keep them. His supposed friend laughed intensely, disappearing into the growing crowd, having barely noticed his attempt. A moment later, he was hauled by the stream of delighted people. Marcus hoped no one had witnessed his attempt, although it didn't stop the embarrassment that came with being ignored.

Taking in a hefty breath, he continued down the black paths quilled with bits of dirtied food and lost possessions here and there. Marcus looked back up, tightening the straps of his meagre bag and heaving his messy and fluffed up hair to the side.