"Liz? What are we doing here?" asked Kid, looking in at the brightly lit carnival.
"You've been really down lately," said Liz easily, buying a couple tickets for the two of them. "I just thought you might want something to cheer you up."
Kid cocked his head to the side, blinking rapidly to try and adjust to the bright, obnoxious lighting of the fair. "It's quite noisy."
Liz laughed and shrugged, looping her arm through his and tugging him directly into the masses. "It's a carnival! It's supposed to be loud. And bright. And crazy. And fun."
"It certainly seems crazy," Kid acknowledged, side-stepping a young man who was being sick onto the trampled dirt and grass in front of a ride called the Ring of Fire. "Shouldn't we find something a bit more…er, less than this? This just seems a bit off the wall. It's hectic."
"Oh, loosen up, Kid," Liz cajoled. "Have some fun! It's a Saturday night; we're supposed to be doing something a bit hectic. It's healthy!"
Kid looked pointedly around at the tightly packed crowds, where people were detaching themselves left and right to sprint for a trash bin to vomit curly fries and cotton candy and hot dogs and Death only knew what else. The smell of cheap alcohol was heavy in the air, and a suspicious scent wafted through the air with wisps of smoke.
"Healthy?" he echoed in disdain. "This place is filthy."
"Come on Kid!" Liz pleaded. "Just loosen up!"
…
Two hours later, Liz was beginning to regret her idea. At first, everywhere they turned Kid was freaking over the symmetry—or lack thereof—of the prize arrangements in the stalls, of the lighting patterns on the rides, of the various people themselves. At one point he jumped over a stall's counter and began rearranging the huge stuffed animals with a maniacal gleam in his eyes, nothing more than a black-white-and-gold blur. And that was before things got crazy.
As the two were walking around, headed for the Ferris Wheel, some shady guys stepped out, chuckling and talking far too loud to each other.
"Hey hot stuff," one drawled, reeking of weed and beer. "Wanna hang with a real man?"
Liz almost said why, yes, I would like to hang with a real man, and I am, punctuating this statement with a punch, but her eyes zeroed in on a smoking joint in the guy's hand. She glanced at Kid, who hadn't noticed anything and was stressing about someone's asymmetrical haircut. Not for her, but perhaps for her stressed out companion. She turned back to the man, who was grinning widely and displaying all his nasty yellow teeth, and turned on her man-eating smile.
"Can't hang around long, but you wanna share that?" She gestured at the joint. With a laugh that was an exhalation of rancid air the guy passed it over.
"Nothin' like it," he chuckled.
Liz only raised her eyebrows and called Kid over.
"Try this," she said, holding it up. Kid looked at it critically.
"This is marijuana," he said coolly, looking at the guys that were still watching them.
"Yeah, just take a couple hits!" Liz urged. "It's an awesome feeling, and it's only temporary. It's not like you'll get addicted or anything after one time."
Most likely, she added silently.
Kid was still watching the joint warily.
"Are you sure, Liz?"
"Absolutely," she answered. "It feels awesome."
Big damn mistake.
After a couple of hits, Kid was suddenly off his rocker, staggering to and fro, cackling at perfectly ordinary things. Liz finally managed to steer him into the line for the Ferris Wheel, and they were up in no time. Only problem was that Kid was getting really goofy, leaning dangerously far over the side of their compartment and shouting nonsense words into the still air. Liz pulled him back into the seat next to her, and he relaxed and snuggled into her side.
Liz stiffened, looking down at him. His amber eyes were fixed on her blue gaze, glazed over with the effects of the drug.
Okay, maybe that was a bad idea… Liz admitted silently, even as Kid leaned upward, toward her face.
"Kid, what—"
Her words were cut off as he pressed his lips against hers in a soft, chaste kiss. She blinked, and relaxed, drawing out the kiss a bit longer than was strictly necessary. Finally she had to pull back, wrinkling her nose at the smell and taste of Mary Jane. Kid just sighed and snuggled into her side like an adorable puppy.
"I love you Lizzie," he giggled.
Liz stared at him, looking away only when they had to get off the ride.
That was when she decided it was time to go home. She drove, with him still giggling occasionally in the passenger's seat. When they returned to Gallows Manor, Liz walked Kid to his room and tucked him into the covers like he was a small child. He gave a silly grin, closed his eyes, and promptly began snoring.
She managed to get to the hall and close his door before she fell to her knees.
"What the hell happened tonight?" she demanded of herself.
Of course, she had an answer, but she didn't like it. She'd gotten Kid high, and he'd gone completely out of his mind, acting completely out of character, and then he kissed her and said he loved her like it was a big joke, then she'd tucked him in like a little kid.
Speaking of little kids…where was—
"Hey big sis!" shouted Pati from down the hall. Never mind. "What're you doin' down there? It's time to go to bed!"
"I'm coming Pati!" Liz called, clambering to her feet. She cast Kid's closed door one last look, feeling some sick foreboding settle in her stomach, and then turned and went to her own bedroom. She was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow.
…..
"Morning Kid," said Liz cautiously, hovering near the door. He glanced up from his breakfast.
"Good morning, Liz," he said tiredly. "Death, I have an awful headache."
She shuffled her feet guiltily.
"Yeah, sorry about that."
He frowned and set his fork down.
"Why? It's not like you had anything to do with it."
She stilled, and looked up at him, disbelief flaring in her eyes. Kid's frown deepened and he stood up.
"Liz, is something bothering you?" he asked, moving to her side. She shook her head vigorously.
"N-no, nothing's wrong. But, ah, Kid, do you not remember why you have a headache?"
He shook his head and shrugged. "No. I probably just didn't have enough sleep last night. I don't remember waking up at all, but it would make sense."
"Uhm…" Liz said uncertainly, that foreboding sensation from the previous night making a reappearance. "Do you remember anything from last night?"
Kid frowned and tilted his head. "Not really. Just blurs."
Liz stared at him. Her mouth was hanging open.
"Liz? Did I say something strange?" Kid asked, beginning to sound alarmed. "You aren't acting like yourself, are you sure you're alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just surprised. Are you saying—do you mean you don't remember anything from last night?"
He shook his head again.
"No. Nothing."
