Demons Deal

Prt 1- The Carnival

The Carnival was usually set in the field just before you enter the forest. You had to walk along a side street and then a path that led through an iron fence.  walked straight across and got through the forest path that led up to the house. Now my secret path would be open to everybody. Once again the town would be plunged into a Carnival craze.

Then after October 31st when the night of October met with the morning of November everybody would forget. The carnival would vanish and life would go on. Just like that no explanation, no reason, like the worlds biggest ‘just because’ moment. I kicked a rock through the trees humming to myself. I paused in the trees, the carnival was open…

I could hear the music playing, my feet quickened pace until I was running through the trees uncaring if something moved out to trip me. Maybe this year I would see them, maybe this year they would all remember and I could have a family again.

I burst out of the forest into the field where they had everything set up. The haunted house, drop zone, rollercoaster’s for the kids, a big top in the far left of the field. The lights lit the area in a false glow.

Even with the sun still up it was bright. I wandered through my eyes wide, every year I came back I was transported back to when my parents had taken me here. When I was left alone on the carousel. I knew where my feet carried me, off towards the centre where the music played out from behind the unending mirror pole and the smooth glass horses.

The place was pretty much empty except for some older folks wandering around enjoying the atmosphere of the place. Some of the attendants walked past me, I could see its solid roof the white flag coming from the top, the red and black  striped roof. The soft glowing lights.

I stood at the fence and stared at it, I stared directly at the silver horse with red eyes. It watched me with memories playing behind its lifeless eyes. This is where my parents stood, where I had last seen them. Their faces barely clear in my head.

“Would you like to ride?” I jumped at the new voice that startled me, I turned to look at him.

My eyes went wide, it was him! The boy but he wasn’t a boy anymore. He was my age, my eyes grew wide and I backed away from him. I haven’t seen him since my parents disappeared. He raised an eyebrow and frowned at my reaction.

“Something wrong?” he asked calmly, even slightly concerned.

I shook my head and swallowed y fear, I looked back at the ride shyly forcing a smile to my face.

“You startled me is all. Is it ok for me to ride it? I don’t want to be a bother” I asked turning to look at it my eyes locking on the horse I rode every year.

People seemed to avoid it, it made it a lot easier for me to get to it. He chuckled and shook his head tossing his spiky orange hair around the top of his head. His bangs brushed just above his pale orange eyebrows.

“Of course, I work here. I’ll set it up for you” he said waving me off.

I smiled, I would get to ride my carousel by myself. I would be able to relax and enjoy my tradition. I opened the creaky gate and walked across the soft grass stepping up onto the platform. I moved towards my horse, It waited for me ready to start moving.

I ran my hands down its face, this horse watched me. Its red eyes kept me safe from harm, it comforted me in a small way by offering me a place to come and remember to forget. It had stopped high from the test run, this was the only horse that didn’t have the foot holes so you could hoist yourself up onto the black saddle.

“Need some help?” I jumped again.

I turned around to look at the boy waiting his arms crossed over his chest. The dark red vest over the black t-shirt was stressed over his thin frame outlining lethal amounts of muscle.