Reckless Abandon

Chapter Twenty

Eureka's POV

After what almost seemed like forever, the group finally stopped walking and huddled together in front of a tall, spooky-looking gate that looked like it straight up came from a Victorian horror film.

Absentmindedly, napahawak ako nang mahigpit sa braso ni Enrico Hale, and he rubbed my hands for assurance. This sure looks like a scene from a typical horror flick; yun bang masisiraan ng sasakyan sa dulo ng daan ang grupo ng mga bakasyunista at maghahanap sila ng matutuluyan, pero haunted house pala ang mapapasukan nila. Creepy right? And this one, right at this very moment, feel like it.

"Miles, hurry! Open the gate."

"Wait, it's so fucking dark in here."

I hear the clattering of keys and the telltale sound of metal squeaking. The gate opened. Pumasok kaming lahat ng sabay-sabay.

Just in cue, a blinding yellowish white light glared straight to my eyes. Tinakpan ko ang aking mata gamit ang mga palad ko at dahan-dahang nililibot ang tingin sa paligid. And just as the lights went on, a soft, merry sound sang in the air.

"Wow," I said before I even thought about it. In front of me is a huge, run down carousel, whirring slowly with its small, bouncing, colorful unicorns in silver poles, the reflective mirrors of its middle base gleaming from the light as it gracefully starts spinning around.

Sa gilid naman ng carousel, may malaking platform at nandun yung maliliit na bumper cars. They all hopped into each of the mobiles, yelping like children habang nag-uunahan at nag-aagawan.

I looked at Enrico Hale, and he was smiling down at me. "Nagustuhan mo ba?"

"Of course," I answered breathlessly. "Ang ganda ganda dito. Look at them!" I gushed, pointing to the grown children riding the bumper cars. "Ang saya saya nila tingnan. Madalas ba kayo dito?"

"Hindi naman. Siguro dalawa o tatlong beses sa isang taon na lang, lahat kasi kami abala sa kanya-kanyang mga trabaho. Pero kapag pumupunta kami dito, we act like children who never recovered from their childhood."

I continued to wander my eyes all over the place. I could smell the fresh dew from the grass. The salty thing in the air. The beach must be near from this secret carnival. It feels... a little magical.

"But who would own a carnival at a place like this? May guard naman dito diba?"

"Of course. His name is Peter."

"And then it's okay for Peter for you guys to barge in here anytime?"

He shrugged. "Pretty much. We know him since forever. Janine's family had him for years, even after the carnival they owned closed down." He winked at me, stepped forward and stared at the carousel. "So, wanna come?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay." he jumped to the carousel and reached his hand out to help me join in. Without hesitation, I jumped on in too. It continued to spin round, and I feel suddenly dizzy and out of balanced. "Here, I got you."

I look up and his gaze welcomed mine. I feel his hand on my waist, guarding me firmly so that I won't fall behind. I smiled and murmured, "Thanks."

Umatras ako at humawak sa isang pole para makatawid sa isang kulay pink na unicorn. I stepped on the foot bar and climbed in. I saw him took one too, beside my unicorn, gracefully swinging his foot without much effort to do so.

"You look funny on that unicorn," I commented, smiling back at him.

"What's so funny about me and a purple unicorn?"