Devil's Gateway

Chapter Ten

"I think the house wants us to go this way," Kara said beside me. Her arm wrapped around my shoulder, supporting my weak body. 

Looking ahead, large walls had erected, blocking off most of the fairgrounds. The only clear path lead to the wooden roller coaster. I trailed the arches of the wood. The beams looked feeble and rotted. I couldn't even see some of the peaks because they went so high.

We had walked for three minutes and I was already exhausted. I needed a break. I was ready to revive Fred and allow him to finish the job. The pulses of pain coming from the wounded flesh a top my head was enough to drive anyone insane.

"Can we take a break first?" I asked. As much as I admired her gung-ho attitude, I just couldn't keep up. If she was smart, she would leave me and worry about herself. Something told me that her fighting spirit would be snuffed out rather quickly if she went through everything I had experienced.

"Of course," she agreed. She walked me over to the curbside and eased me down.

"So," she asked with hesitance in her voice, "what all have you gone through? I think I am still in denial over where I am. I feel like I'm in a bad dream."

"Demons, dolls, Leviathans, spiders, and claustrophobia... now killer clowns and scary carnival rides. I am just ready to get out of here."

"How... how are you still going?" she asked. Her jaw had slacked open slightly at the mention of my trials.

"I promised Allison I would be home at six. I wonder how long I have been in here?"

Did time work the same in here as it did on the outside? Had I been in here hours? Days? Years? How long had I been in this "Hotel California"?

"I don't know," she admitted. Her mouth still hung open.

"I just want to get out of here."

She nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair that had snuck out of her pony tail behind her ear. 

"I would kill for some motrin right now."

The cool breeze blew the scent of caramel in my direction. My stomach groaned, wanting to have something—anything to satisfy the craving. I could practically taste the caramel apple on my tongue. The sweet and salty taste making my mouth water.

"That smells delicious," Kara whispered.

"Probably poisoned." I laughed.

"You can't trust anything here can you?" she wondered.

I could see the house already diminishing her spirit. 

"No." I shook my head.

"Is that why you hesitated earlier?" 

She had noticed. 

"Yes," I confessed. "This house has done nothing but tease me with hallucinations of Allison. It loves to watch me squirm like a bug under a microscope. I thought it was another trick when I saw you."

"I am so sorry," she said sympathetically.

"Let's just get out of here alive. After that, margaritas on me. Sound like a deal?"

"Deal." She stood up, reaching her hand out to help me up. "Well let's go and beat this house."

I grabbed her hand, ignoring the popping of my joints and bones. A grunt passed my lips as I made it fully onto my feet.

We walked along the brick pathway, drawing closer to the decrepit coaster. Large planks of wood sat on the dead grass.

"So, let me guess, we have to ride it?" Kara asked.