Stay the Night

Chapter 27

February 22nd, 2003

This day shined. Hauntingly beautiful the affair could be called. Mariah looked up--the clear sky giving way to a white hot sun. The calliope chimed throughout the fairgrounds as she floated past the empty carousel.

“Mommy!”

Schwttt! She turned. The voice from nowhere echoed against the steel beams supporting amusement park rides.

The wind whistled silently over the tame ocean waves, leaving the woman lonely in the claustrophobic park.

Ching! Ching! Ching!

She flung around to meet the sound. Yet nothing stood for miles.

In this world, in this place, she became increasingly aware of herself. She felt heavier, like her body bore down on her. Her sun-kissed skin crumbled like ashes in an urn. Her black sundress had taken a beating with all the rips and tatters just over her chest. The burning boardwalk seared the soles of her feet--corning the tips of her toes.

“Argh!” She groaned, lifting her feet from the wood. She stomped on, looking for a place to sit. But the empty benches were taken.

“Mommy!”

Fwoop! Went the flinging of her head.

“What is that?” She whispered, curious.

She tried to echolocate, shutting her eyes for good measure.

Slowly, and deliberately, she floated around the park. She was alone, but something overpowering trailed her every step.

Thump!

“Ouch! Shit!”

Must be this tall to ride. The pole sign read. The downward arrow stopped just at her thigh. She scanned up, finding just above her, the illustrious Wonder Wheel.

“Mommy.” The child said, standing right next to her. Before she could even tilt her head down to get a full view, the child was gone.

Mariah took a deep breath, clenching her eyes shut.

“It's a dream.” She figured.

Her eyelids popped back open only to find herself poised in front of the speeding carousel, each of the identical horses gruesomely covered in shanks.

“Mommy!”

She swung her head to the side.

“Monroe?” She called back.

Chook! The carousel abruptly stopped, the horses staring at her.

Mariah pulled away, sure to keep her eyes on the curious ride. She nearly stumbled over her own feet running away from it.

“Mommy!” The child’s voice shrilled louder.

Pangs surged through her teeth as she searched for Monroe.

Her feet began to bleed as raised nails from the boardwalk planks scraped against them.

“Ahh!” She hollered, stopping to soothe herself.

“Mommy, help!” The girl called again. Her cries grew louder and louder as Mariah circled through the park. As terror grew, Mariah’s breathing labored. The little girl’s voice deepened--it changed. The rasp in it resembled Mariah’s own.