OUTBREAK

Mascots #16

"They run this place. They wear suits to cover their faces," said the girl.

"Not again," said Hugo.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'not again?'" asked Bobby. He was standing behind Hugo and Marga, who then looked back at him.

Marga spoke, "Before we started chasing the helicopter, we were using Universal Studios as a shelter. Some of the employees died while wearing the mascot suits and became wanderers. We knew someone who would watch over the park with the suit on and a gun."

"Could he be here?" asked Hugo.

"Why would he stop at six flags?" Marga responded. She turned back to the girl, "Have you heard anything from a helicopter recently?"

The girl shook her head, the others got slightly disappointed.

"Sorry," said the girl, looking back at her baby.

"Please, honey, it's not your fault," said Marga. "Come on, we're getting out of here."

Marga led the group, including the girl and her baby through the halls. Every door was locked, and the floor was musty. As they turned a corner, a foul stench came from one of the doors. The baby started to cry.

"Hush, now. Don't let them hear you," the girl said to her child.

"Hello?" said another voice. It came from the putrid door.

The group hesitated, but Marga answered, "Hello? Are you trapped in there?"

"Oh, yes! Please! Let me out!" said the voice. It was of a man who seemed weak and in pain.

Bobby shook his head and whispered to the others, "I don't like this."

"We can't just leave him," Marga answered. Hesitantly, Bobby stepped up to the door. Hugo raised his metal bar and readied to strike, in case something were to happen.

"Stand back," said Bobby.

"Standing back!" said the man.

Bobby slammed his foot into the door, and it swung open.

BOOM. It echoed through the halls.

Behind the door, a man with a scrappy beard, long hair, and baggy eyes emerged. His right hand was missing, and his wrist was wrapped in red cloth. The clothes on his back were torn and ragged. In the corner of the room was a pile of dried poop.

"Man, what happened to you?" said Bobby.

"They have my friends!" said the man. He pounced onto Bobby's shirt and held close. The girl and her baby hid behind Hugo. "You have to help them! We were looking for a place to stay, and they let us in!"

"Woah, there. Calm down," said Bobby, pushing him away.

"Okay, okay. Sorry." The man let go of Bobby's shirt.

"Do you know the way out?" Marga asked.

"I think so. This way." The man led them further through the halls. Turning around one corner, they found a ladder that went up to a sewer lid.

"How did you know where to go?" said Hugo.

"They tried to knock me out before taking me down here, but I faked it," the man answered.

"Sorry, we never got your names," said Marga.

"Claire," said the girl. Claire looked down to her baby. "She is Rosy."

"Dylan," said the man.

After sharing names, the group climbed up the ladder. Bobby was first, and as he pushed aside the lid, the afternoon sun almost blinded the group. They emerged at the center of Six Flags; an amusement park located in southern California.

Some of the roller coasters were broken down as if the blast from the explosion knocked them over. The outer wall was covered in metal scrap sheets and bricks, blocking their view of the outer area.

Bobby wined slightly; "Oh, man I don't like this. Once we get out, I'm gonna walk far away from this place. Find me a nice cabin in the woods and die."

"I still have a sister to find," said Hugo.

"I'm sorry about your sister, kid. Hopefully you find her," Dylan said. "Now where could my friends be...?"

"Be careful," Marga interrupted, "We're still in their territory."

The microphones of the park sounded with a screech: "Congratulations! You escaped the Maze of Mystery! And you found some friends along the way! Be careful though! You never know who to trust!"

"That's it, help me bust out of here. Come on Hugo," said Bobby. He began walking to the outer wall.

"You wouldn't want to leave your friend behind now, would you? I'll be a shame if you left him alllll alonnnee!"

"He's talking about Adam," said Marga.

"I know, but Adam's gone. If we leave now no one else would die."

"Wait, look!" said Dylan. He pointed across the park where a tall fence that sat beside a large building was. Behind the fence was a person In a Bugs Bunny suit, waving at them.

"Oh no," said Bobby, he turned to the fence and got closer.

The character frantically waved to get Bobby to stop.

"Stop!" said Dylan. He walked up to Bobby. "Look, what if our friends are still alive. If we leave, they are trapped here with them. These people..." Dylan pointed to Bugs Bunny, "...are playing a game with us! Don't you see it? So, let's play the game and maybe no one gets hurt."

"Guys?" said Hugo.

"What?" said Bobby and Dylan. They turned to Hugo.

"Where's Marga?" Hugo asked.