Being Neighborly

Chapter 49

The vintage bulb lights illuminating the carnival entrance sign casts a soft glow down on everyone entering the event. The sun is beginning to set, triggering all the booths and rides to turn on their lights as well. Speakers around the town's park-turned-fundraiser carnival play pop songs and the sound of children laughing floats through the air.

"Wow I didn't realize what a huge deal this whole thing was," I say, marveling at all the attractions that seemed to appear overnight in the center of our small town.

"We were trying to tell you," Nate laughs, handing all our tickets to the person at the entrance. "It's one of the few events the town looks forward to throughout the year. Well, besides the theme parties at the club..." He glances at Tristan with a regretful expression.

Tristan sighs. "Halloween is literally this weekend and I had shipments of decor on standby to be delivered. I was planning on reopening on Halloween, plus giving Leila the good news about her new position at The Underground, but when my father took charge he canceled any orders I placed and I have no idea if he is going to continue the theme nights."

"Wait, what position?" I question. I had no idea Tristan and Uncle Luke had planned on adding me to their team; I can't even think of what role I could possible play at the secret night club.

"I wanted to formally introduce you to the board as our new media coordinator," Tristan softly smiles at his good intention. "Remember when I told everyone at dinner you joined the photography club?"

"I vaguely remember you saying something like that."

"Well the school doesn't actually have a photography club, but there's a lot of talented students. I anonymously recruited two people last year to put together a photo gallery and post our music mixes on The Underground's secret website. I wanted to give you the opportunity to lead the team and take charge of our promotional pictures that we use to pull in new investors," Tristan explains. "Unfortunately, the position is on hold, as well as all the other new ones I had created, until I can take back the club."

I lean up and give him a quick peck on the cheek. "That is very sweet of you to want to include me. And I have no doubt in my mind that we will be working together soon."

Nicole and Chloe run up to us once we pass under the large entrance arch. The pair of them embrace each one of us and distribute the snacks they have already acquired.

"How long have you guys been here?" I ask while munching on fresh popcorn.

"We were the first ones in! We had to make sure we got all this food while they were coming out fresh," Chloe exclaims, handing Nate a bag of bright blue cotton candy.

"The food is the best thing at this fundraiser," Nicole says. "The rides and games are fun too, but everyone in town, including the bakeries, donates goodies to the carnival. I just saw your aunt at her giant cookie station with Tristan's mom. They're going to text us when the first batch is done cooling!"

As the five of us munched on our snacks, we strolled through the carnival taking in all the different games and rides we wanted to check out on our second walk through. We passed mini rollercoasters, water shooting games, ring tosses, and at the very center a ferris wheel. The lights, smells, and sights of the carnival made me feel almost normal. With my friends beside me it seems like nothing could go wrong.

Until I spotted her.

"Hey, guys," I say, stopping in my tracks. The group stops with me. "I think I just saw Katy."

"Where? She hasn't been back to school in a while and she hasn't been seen around town lately. Everyone just assumed she either moved or ran away," Nate says, swiveling his head around to try and see her.

"I know, but I swear I just saw her ridiculously high ponytail bobbing around and then disappear into the fun house," I point towards the small pop-up building filled with mirrors and lights. "I'm going to check it out."

"We're all coming with you," Tristan states, taking my hand. Our group heads towards the fun house and we enter through the front opening. We are greeted with streamers hanging from the ceiling and hundreds of distorted mirrors. Colored lights reflect off each shiny surface, making it harder to see where we're going. But the ponytail disappearing into a corner is unmistakable.

"I think she went that way!" Chloe says, pointing into the direction of where I am looking. We all rush to the spot, but are met with mirrors. I take a left and find an opening, leading the rest of them. The reflection of a spiraling staircase is duplicated a hundred times over, a shadowing figure running up to the second floor.

"Let's split up, there's not way we can figure out how to get out of here and catch up to Katy if we're all trying the same path," I suggest.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Tristan says, looking around only to see all of our reflections staring back at him. "I have a feeling that it's not just us and Katy in here and we're better off sticking together."

"I don't think you're going to think that when I tell you what I just saw," Nate says slowly, eyes wide and frightened.

"What?" Tristan and I both ask at the same time.

"Your dad," Nicole answers. "I thought I saw him too, but I wasn't sure. It was only for a second."

I look up at Tristan and he looks furious. "Tristan, go. The rest of us can find Katy. Just be careful."

He hesitates, but nods and goes back in the direction we came from originally. The remaining four of us start tracing our hands along the mirrors to find an opening. Chloe shouts out that she found the staircase and we all sprint up the winding steps. We get to the second floor, which is an open layout that looks out over the rest of the carnival. Katy isn't up here. But she is running away towards the back corner of the park.

We race back down the stairs and quickly find the exit. We didn't pass Tristan on the way out, and we seemed to have lost Chloe is the chaos of the mirrors.

"It's ok, she would want us to keep going. She'll find her way out and stay safe," Nicole claims and we continue to run through the carnival. The lights blur past us as we make our way to where we saw Katy running to.

Finally, we end up at the edge of the park. The carnival lights don't quite reach this corner, the trees decreasing visibility. We stick to the jogging path and slow down to a fast walk. Nate is sweeping the area in front of us with his phone flashflight, but no one else is here.

And then he appears out of nowhere. Not Katy or Brian. Not even Tristan, though I was hoping it would be him. Carter emerges from the shadows, his bleached crew cut glowing even in the darkness and a sinister smile on his face.

"It's so nice to see you again, Leila," he says. "I hope you all my letters and notes found you well."