Forgetting the Murder

10: Violence

I love remembering. Do you ever get when you're with an old friend the most common phrase you use is "Remember when..."? This is what I'm doing now. Although I'm reminiscing to you, reader. I guess I'm a little like Forrest Gump, telling my life story to people I don't know.

Of course, I haven't met the President, fought in the Vietnam war or owned a shrimp boat.

***

When Zeke and I arrived at the fair it was very hectic and busy. The smell of candy floss and the cheesy music the rides played excited my senses as I walked through the entrance gates. I loved fairs.

Zeke bought me a candy floss and we went on a ride together. It was called the 'Sticky Wall' and was one of those rides that you stood at the edge with your back to the wall and the ground disappeared as you spun round and round.

Let's just say, it was the worst experience of my life.

Zeke had some crazy obsession with the Ferris Wheel. Although I refused to go on it as I felt so sick after the last one. That was my excuse well. My real reason was because the Wheel towared over all the other rides and looked like it went quite fast. In other words, I was scared.

Eventually, Zeke got his way and we bought two tickets into the Ferris Wheel. Thankfully, it went at a slower pace than I expected and the ground stayed where it was the whole ride.

There was something about the Ferris Wheel which seemed somewhat...romantic. No, no, no. i persuaded myself in my thoughts. I'm not going to think about that right now.

When we got off I suggested going on the Waltzer, although Zeke told me to take a break, so we sat on a wall at the edge of the fair and talked. It was behind a few stalls and rides so nobody knew we were there.

Somehow though, Steve appeared out of nowhere with a strange girl. When he saw us, he gave the girl some money, hugged her and sent her off. The girl was unfamilar to me, but clearly quite familiar to Steve. A girlfriend, maybe?

"Well, hello. Fancy seeing you here." Steve said to me.

"Yeah," I replied.

Zeke just sat there staring at the two of us, probably wondering who Steve was and how we knew each other.

Steve sat down beside us and smiled. "So, how are you?"

Zeke opened his mouth about to speak but instead I answered.

"Actually a little hungry. I think I'm going to get a burger. Want one Zeke?"

Zeke shook his head. And so, with a small goodbye, I went back into the hustle and bustle of the fair.

Standing in front of me at the burger stand was the girl Steve hugged. She had long red hair just above her waist and was quite tall and skinny. She was wearing a short skirt which showed off her toned but pale legs and a low cut vest top. Her arm was covered in bangles and bracelets.

I decided I should talk to her.

"Hi, I'm Abby." I introduced myself, holding my hand out for her to shake. She seemed a little baffled so I explained everything to her. "I'm a friend of Steve's and I saw you with him."

"Oh, hi!" she beamed. "Yeah. I hope you don't think I'm with him or anything, ew. I'm just his cousin. It's a good thing he saw you, because I was hungry, and otherwise I would've never gotten out!"

"Cool. You two don't look alike though."

She ran her dainty fingers through her long, red hair. "Oh, I know. We've been told that a lot. So, how to you know Steve?"