Inside the locked building, something stirred. Not an animal, but not quite human either. It had no form at the moment, yet had the ability to take one on at will. Right now it was like smoke, and it trailed along in black wisps, curling itself around the structure of the carousel: its sweeps, rounding boards, poles and machinery in a weird and creepy sort of caress, until finally slipping easily into the hollow body of one of the wooden steeds and hiding there, as it had for years. It knew he would be coming back, and when he did it would be waiting for him. It had, after all, waited for him for all these years. It knew his heart, for it almost had it at one time. But he had somehow evaded it, just frustratingly out of reach. There would be a next time, and next time he wouldn't escape so easily. He couldn't, for it was his destiny! He was needed, plain and simple.
Karen walked around outside, but the shadowy thing ignored her. She was insignificant, like an insect. Oh yes, she and her group had been instrumental at dismantling and restoring the aging merry-go-round, relocating it at the very heart of Green Town, and even overseeing the design and creation of this amazing building to house it in. For that, the presence was grateful. And also highly amused. Imagine those silly, foolish people! Many of them were the offspring of the very ones that the carnival had preyed upon just a few years before! Mortals were so simple, and so forgetful. Just give them what they want and they will eat out of your hand as you lead them to slaughter!
While it was true that things certainly hadn't turned out as planned, what with the carnival essentially having been destroyed, it wasn't too late to start over. And the carousel, which had miraculously survived, albeit damaged, was just the tool needed to begin again. Smoke and mirrors...
_
Karen finally left the scene without going inside the building. That would come later. Right now, tempted as she was to take a peek at the finished product, she really just wanted to get out and clear her head for a while. Do something different. Maybe go for a drive in the country. It was the perfect day for it too, pleasantly warm, blue skies, sunshine. And being a Sunday morning, hopefully the traffic wouldn't be too crazy.
She got into her sedan and backed out of the parking space, and onto the open road. At the moment, she had no particular plan, no particular destination in mind. It was just a great day for a drive. Instead of turning on the AC, she rolled down her window. The feeling of the air billowing through the car, sending her hair flying, was something she hadn't felt in a long time. It made her feel free, and young again. She decided to simply go wherever the roads took her, not to plan any of it. Joyride, road trip, day trip, whatever you wanted to call it. Maybe she would find some good yard sales along the route. Or she could go along that one road, past the dairy farms to the antique shops located in old barns. She'd always wanted to go into them, but never had. Today would be the perfect opportunity. But first, why not make a stop along the way? To another place that had caught her eye a few times before, another place that she'd been wanting to go but had never found the time. Today at last she had the time, for all of it, so she might as well take advantage.