The Time

Chapter twenty three

"You peed! You actually peed in the car!" I cried, dragging Velvet out of the the boot by the handcuffs.
"Well you did leave me in there All. Day." He growled in response.
"And now your wait is over!" I stated, voice leaking sarcasm.
"Time for me to die I take it?" He nodded calmly. "Can I change pants first?"
"I'd say no because I like to watch you suffer, but the smell is driving me nuts."
"Welcome to the party!" He almost screamed as I lead him up the ramps, through the tram thingy and onto the tracks.
I then pulled out my gun, pressed it to the back of his head and made him walk in front of me.
"Try anything and you'll shoot?" He queried, eyebrow raised.
"Yup." I popped. "You can change your Underoos at the castle."
"Castle?" He gasped in mock surprise. "Classy! So, if you please, who are we visiting?"
"Why would I tell you anything?"
"I said please." He grinned.
Smug bastard.
"Fine. Milo Quin. Ever heard of him?"
"Quin? Can't say that I have." He mused with a shrug. "Anyone else, or is it a one man show?"
"Jones Virtue-"
"Virtue? Ooh this should be interesting!" He interrupted. "I bet he's gunning for me?"
"And why would that be?" I asked.
"Honestly darling, if you don't know already, then I might truly start doubting as to how you've survived thus far."
"I have an idea; I just want confirmation."
"And, to quote you," He began at the epitome of sass. "Why would I tell you anything?"
"I told you everything." I stated plainly.
"You're not wrong." He considered. "Well, you must already know of the friendship of our dear old pal Destiny and Virtue? So when I took poor little Des, he was very... Displeased. I faked Destiny's death to try and get him to lay off; stop him from trying to rescue his ol' buddy. But then he came after me on a revenge mission. Had to rip the metaphorical shit out of him to get him to leave and not return. I'm betting he's been plotting his revenge. I'm betting..."
That trail off was the indicator I'd been waiting for.
Velvet turned, pushed the gun away from his face and grabbed my throat. I knew this was coming so swung the gun back round and cracked it into the side of his head.
Expecting him to let go on impact, I was very shocked when, instead, he fell over the precarious edge of the track and dragged me over with him.

I fell with an unhealthy crunch and rolled away from him but not before screaming in agony. From the height I'd fallen, I'd broken something. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if I'd broken goddamn everything.
Velvet, lying some distance away from me, was dead, his skull practically crushed on impact. Blood splattered around him and his brown eyes started at me. As if they were taunting me. Laughing at my pain, even in death, a bloody sadist.
It hit me suddenly, through the immense pain, that as I couldn't move in my current state, I would have to kill myself to be able to respawn and be a-okay again. But in killing myself, I risked Velvet coming back before me and trying to 'exit stage left'. Though with the booby traps, he couldn't get far.

And then I heard the snuffling, scrunching, scratching noise. Like an animal through crispy Autumn leaves. But this wasn't an animal. This was The Creature.

Moving slowly, painfully, I fondled round for my gun as the thing got closer. But I couldn't move quicker through each surge of torment sent through my broken body. And then I got my hand round it, tried pulling it from my belt. But it got caught on something as I continued to tug harder and harder.
Then there was the dirty thick breath in my ear of the creature and I shut my eyes as it shuffled round me. Whimpering involuntarily, I heard it continue to scuttle round me. Felt it to. And I froze in the hopes that if I didn't move, the thing would suddenly not be able to see me. But then it laughed and snarled and spat and in one quick fluid movement, I pulled my gun free, flicking off the safety. And bang.

When I respawned, Velvet was limping away from me. A chunk had been taken out of his leg in the form of a bite mark and the creature lay on the ground. Dead.
Its body was contorted and seemingly paralysed and now that it was no longer with us, I got to get a good look at it. They called it Smiler after the ride it had been locked up on for so long. From the stories I'd heard, it was once a man who had been locked up in the ride queue, slowly going mad from a chemical combination of loneliness and the continuous music of the ride.
The thing was skinny and pale and had a thin wide mouth with jagged teeth set in an inescapable smile. It's eyes were white orbs with no iris and only a pinprick of a red/black pupil. It was almost Gollum-like - but not. Taller. Better posture. Thinner. Less hair. More teeth. And a gun shot wound in its head from where Velvet had taken my gun and killed it before it killed him.

Silently standing, I treaded lightly over to Velvet and tapped him on the shoulder. He spun. I punched him. He dropped like an ungraceful sack of carrots - to quote Stitch.
"A little uncalled for, don't you think?" He frowned from the floor, gently stroking his now tender cheek.
"So was throwing me off the tracks, but that's all in the past now! Where did you think you were going?" I asked, standing above him imposingly.
"To pay Mr. Virtue a visit. Mind helping me up?" He stuck a hand out.
I pulled the hand and brought his face into my knee, rendering him unconscious. I then - struggling valiantly - threw his unbelievably tall form over my shoulder and fireman carried him away from Smiler.
"You wouldn't have made it very far." I growled at him under the pressure of his weight.

I couldn't get back onto the tracks so would have to walk back to the park. That meant going through the maze of booby traps. And let's just say, I know where very few are.
Lucky for me, we were fairly near the park entrance so there wasn't too far to walk. I could see some of the rides through the trees from here. And I could see the first of many traps. Part of me wanted to shout in an attempt to notify some of the parks residents of my situation so I could get some assistance. Another part of me knew that not only could my shouting wake Smiler, but also, if a resident had heard, there was was no way to tell if they'd help or hurt me. But it was worth a try...
"Wesson? Anyone? I need help?" I called as loud as I dared. "Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me? Help!"
No reply. So much for that plan.

It was then another three feet until I hit the first booby trap that I didn't spot. Stepping forward, I had hit some kind of pressure pad and didn't dare lift my foot off it for the risk of setting it off.
"Ah ha!" A somewhat courageous voice cried. "You have stumbled into my trap, I see!"
Female. Confident. Smart-ass.
"Who are you?" I shouted in reply. "Which ride are you from?"
"Nemesis." She informed me. "Which is ironic as you have just made yourself mine!"
Smug too.
"My name's Ace. You heard of me? I'm not your enemy; I'm just here to see Milo Quin." I told her in an attempt to prolong my life.
"Ace?" She consider. "Sure, I've heard of you. You killed my sister; y'know, the queen of Africa."
Well. Shit.
"If I could come down there and personally congratulate you, I would! That woman was a bitch. You're a goddamn hero! Especially after what she did to those children..." The voice trailed off with a hint of burden and a smiling head suddenly poked out of the trees to my left.
Hot pink flowers peeked out from her thick frizzy hair, and beneath it sat chocolate skin and a pretty, rosy face. Two shining brown eyes took me in, analysing me behind beautiful fluttering eyelashes. I'd heard of this woman; the would-be queen who was exiled from her home by her sister I had killed. I hadn't recognised her until I saw that face.
"If you know she's dead, why didn't you go back home? You're the rightful queen." I put forward before hurriedly adding, "Your majesty."
"Please," She grinned, leaning through the branches of the tree she stood in. "No need for airs and graces; call me Queenie. I couldn't get back there anyway, even if I wanted to - which I don't. I'm happy here. I get to enjoy a life of adventure! And with her gone, I know my people are safe." A pause. "Now! Back to you! I can't come down there but I know where the traps are and how to stop the one you're on from going off, so I can help you out- Oh shit."
"What?" I frowned, not daring to even move my head, sweat beading down my face and neck from the pressure of carrying Velvet and the awkward position I was stuck in. "Queenie, what is it?"
"Smiler."