Demons Deal

Prt 1- Beginnings

The carnival comes the same time every year. It sits in the same place, I’ve wondered why they don’t just make it permanent. It would be a perfect addition to our strange little town. That carnival, had a strange effect on the people here. Good or bad, I don’t know.

Every year at the beginning of October it shows up, then at the end of the month its gone. Leaving no trace it ever actually existed. I learned when I was small that the grown-ups never remembered, nobody did. They never remembered the people that disappeared with it either.

It didn’t matter to them. It never mattered to me, well until it was my parents that disappeared. Orphan… That was me, ever since they disappeared I’ve waited for the carnival. Waiting to see if they would come back, come back for the daughter they left behind.

I remember bright lights, the cool night breeze, rustling of leaves red in the autumn air. The moment where the world stopped, the moment when I felt alone. Empty, I knew they were gone.

I remember the carousel, spinning me round and round. Faster and Faster, my small hands holding the stiff golden twined pole that pinned the silver glass horse to the platform. The pale red roof, parents gathered around watching us go.

The pole in the middle that supported the roof was made of what looked like a solid sheet of mirror not one seam was visible on it. It only reflected us, the crowd of parents was never there when I looked all I saw was myself.  Round face, large doll like eyes the color of lilac with a light blue ring around the pupil. Thin lips curved in a joyous smile.

My hair the color of bright crimson autumn leaves slowly darkening to a blood red with age. Other children laughing and spinning faces red from laughter and cold wind being slapped against our skin as we spun faster and faster still.

Then he was there, the boy. The same one I saw every year, he never smiled. People would pass by him like he was nothing more than a shadow. He had short orange hair with cat green eyes.

His face impassive. He turned to look at me and smiled, that was when I felt  it the emptiness in my stomach as the ride went round my hands tightened, I turned scanning the blurring crowd. I was alone, the boy was gone and I was left confused.

13 Years after I was abandoned on that carousel, I can still hear the music playing in the back of my head. Its always there. Every year I go and ride that exact same carousel, on the same horse. Waiting for him to come back, so I can ask him what happened to my parents.

Tomorrow would be October 1st, the green summer leaves faded and fallen to the ground. I sit in my class and watch the trees in the school yard sway in the cool fall breeze.

“Lucy?” a hand pushed my shoulder knocking my elbow out from under me.

I blinked shaking my head, I turned to look out at the classroom. Desks rearranged to face each other. Harely snorted at me batting her short blonde lashes. She tucked a strand of her cherry blonde hair behind her ear. I frowned and looked down at my untouched lunch.

“Hello, earth to Lucy Minos!” she shouted waving her hand in front of my face.

“Sorry Harely” I muttered picking up my sandwich and taking a bite.

“Anyways, “ Harely rolled her eyes at me, “Who else is stoked for the carnival” she blurted, I choked on the juice and  started to cough.

“Carnival? what’s the date today?” I asked feeling a sudden urgency that I had missed something.

“October 1st, didn’t you hear a traveling carnival is going to be stopping here. This Halloween will be awesome!” Harely squealed.

I dropped my eyes and stared endlessly at the desk. It was coming again, the carnival was coming back. My stomach plummeted as they all began to chatter excitedly about the ‘new’ carnival.