The Carnival

The Devil

"Well, guess we will see you guys soon," said Chloe

Before I could say anything she grabbed Jason's hand and made her way to the roller coaster. Pretty sure they are going on that ride to just make out.

"And I thought we came as a group," I yelled behind her. She turned back, grinned at me and went away.

Melissa and Rick also left for the Ferris wheel ride so that left Alex and me alone.

"Elle, I'm hungry", said Alex. My boyfriend is always hungry. So we made our way to the hot dog stall.

Alex was ordering our food while I looked at the enormous crowd. It was a big turnout at the carnival. Mostly high school students with their friends and kids with their parents. Screams from the roller coaster ride, the Ferris wheel, the laughter from photo booth and food stalls and there standing in front of me was; The Haunted House.

As I watched, I wondered about those three girls who got missing at the opening of the carnival on last Saturday from the haunted house. Since then many rumors have been made about the haunted house from ghosts to monsters to magic. It was quite shocking as such things didn't used to happen in Nashville. The police managed to shut the rumors by saying that the girls must have gone to the neighbor town for their summer vacation but their parents don't think so.

As I was lost in thoughts, Alex pinched me.

"God dammit Alex can you be less annoying?" I yelled at Alex.

"Um, let me think. How about a no?" replied Alex.

Alex can be very childish at times. Sometimes I wonder why am I even dating him. And then I remember the time my mother passed away and how Alex and his family have supported us. His mother, Lia, even asked us to move in their house but I refused since it will be odd. His mother since then has been a mother to me and Katherine. Alex's father, Mr. Robert Grayson, is a lawyer, so most of the time he is out on cases. And Alex's litter brother, Mark, has always been a cute chubby monster. He is as same age as Katherine. Alex sometimes would say that he will get those two married so that we can all live happily ever after. But little does he know that not every story is a fairy tale. Some stories are made in hell. Like mine did.

Seeing a little girl run to her mother, I quickly pulled out my cell phone from my shorts and dialed Mrs. Jonas number to check on Katherine. The phone rang and rang but no one picked up. I got chills as I wondered how my baby sister would be.

"Who you calling to," said Alex with a bite of hot dog in his mouth.

"I was just calling Mrs. Jonas to check on Katherine but she isn't picking up,'' I replied while trying to press the numbers in my phone again.

"She must be fine and must be playing with Sofie and Mrs. Jonas must be preparing afternoon snacks for them,'' he replied. You are being paranoid for no reason.

Paranoid? Yes, I am being paranoid because Alex doesn't know my past. That past that still gives me nightmares where I wake up at 4 am in sweat. That past that haunts me day and night. Even Chloe doesn't know about it. No one in Nashville knows about my past or from where my mother and we came from. It has always been a secret for a purpose but now something seems wrong.

My phone rang and I picked up worryingly,

"Hello, I said".

"Elle dear," replied Mrs. Jonas.

Thank you God. How relieved I was to hear her voice.

"Mrs. Jonas, are you okay? I replied. Is Katherine okay?"

"Yes, my child. She is all good and busy playing with Sofie. Wait I call her for you."

I hear Mrs. Jonas call for Katherine.

"Elle, my dear. Katherine says she is busy playing with Sofie and that she will call you soon, said Mrs. Jonas."

"Okay, Mrs. Jonas. Please call me as soon as she is done playing, I replied" And hung up.

"See, I was telling you that you were being paranoid for no reason, said Alex."

I smiled back at him.

Maybe I was just being paranoid.

After 3 hours of rides and playing games on stalls, we all met and decided to return home as we were all tired. As I held Alex's hand to head to his car, I saw his shadow. At first, I thought it was just my imagination. But it really was him! The devil has found me. The monster from my past- Mr. Robinson Black.