HAVEN BLACK - complete

WINTER FAIR'S OMINOUS SURPRISE

Chapter 18 – WINTER FAIR'S OMINOUS SURPRISE

Northerly winter winds were settling in and the temperature in Jackson Valley was starting to drop to near freezing. Winter, as it seemed, was just around the corner.

The Friday night that the town was holding their annual Winter Festival had finally arrived, and at an agonizingly slow pace at that.

This event's attendance was what I considered to be our first date for Jill and I, and although we had not yet discussed our relationship status, (nor did we feel we had to put a label on it) we were both happy in each other's company, what else did we really need?

"You ready to go?" I asked Jill, who stood in the entrance doorway at her place, dressed in indie looking winter clothes; A thick knitted, cream colored beanie covered her head and her light blonde hair that dropped messily out from the all sides of the beanie overlapped a loose fitting, light pink, knitted pullover. Faded brown tight-fitting jeans covered her petite, yet curvy legs, and covering her feet and halfway up her shins, were a pair of black leather boots.

"Yep sure am!" Jill replied euphorically. "I see you've finally adopted the colder weather by finally wearing a hooded sweater...looks kinda hot on you."

"Oh ha, thanks," I skittishly replied casting my eyes down, glancing at my worn-out skate shoes for a brief moment.

The clothes I wore were warm but looked rather dull; I wore the same black jeans and band shirt all year round, the only difference now that it was colder, was that I also wore a dark grey hooded sweater and a dull green arm-less jacket over the top of the sweater. My hood was raised halfway up over my head while my straight, mid-length jet black hair protruded over my fore head and over the sides of my face (one side was covered more than the other).

"Mom! I'm going now! We'll be back later...I've got my phone on me!" Jill yelled out down the hall.

"Okay honey, stay safe and warm!" Jill's mom shouted back, "...and look after each other!"

Jill turned to face me again. "Let's go!" she said excitedly.

The Winter Festival was a couple of miles down the road and rather than take a car there, we decided to walk, after all we walked every other day to school together anyway so it felt only natural to walk to the festival late this afternoon.

It was getting darker earlier in the day now and although it was still technically the afternoon, dusk crept upon us as we reached the festival's parameter fence. Smooth scattered clouds reflected the last pink remnants of the sun's light as it slowly descended beyond the horizon. Below the scarlet-sky, an array of colored lights enveloped the festival's area with a playful vibrancy.

The large Ferris wheel in the near distance stood out towering above the vendor stands with its bright gleaming lights that were arranged in rainbow colors and shaped like a psychedelic spiral.

"Look – at – that!" Jill said breathlessly as she pointed up towards the Ferris wheel. "Isn't it beautiful?"

We paid the entry fee, collected our tokens and walked through the rotary entry gates and stood off to one side. There were large crowds scattered in all directions and I felt a sudden urge to turn around and run away as I always did in crowds, even at school.

Jill sensed a shift in my demeanor. "Are you okay?" she asked kindly as she placed her reassuring hand on my arm.

"Um...yeah," I replied, but the returned expression on Jill's face gave me the impression that she hadn't believed me.