Ava stands at the park entrance. She watches hordes of people stream through the gates. Everyone seems happy and excited. Ava just feels nervous. Beside her, a juggler in a sequined jacket is tossing knives through the night air. Ava watches the park lights glint off the steel.
"You're the daughter, aren't you?" Ava jumps, startled. She turns to see a tall, pale boy with black flashing eyes. He looks to be around her age. "Yeah. My dad's the one who reopened the park," she stammers. "It's always been his big dream to run an amusement park. This is his one chance, so I'm a little nervous for him." Ava smiles shyly. The boy just peers at her. His black hair blows in the breeze.
"I live across the street from you," he says. Ava pictures his house. It's dark and covered in vines. And aren't there boards on the windows? "It's weird to be new in town," Ava says. "And even weirder to live by an amusement park. Have you lived here for awhile?" The boy nods. "All my life. I'm surprised anyone would want to reopen it. You know, after the accident." "Accident?"
The boy frowns. "About fifty years ago there was a terrible accident here," he tells her. "Many people died." Ava gulps. The knife juggler picks up speed. The blades twirl faster through the air. "But … that's horrible!" Ava gasps. "What happened." "No one knows. Some say the roller coaster flew off the tracks. Some say this place is haunted, but, people say a lot of things."
"Ha! Haunted!" Ava tries to laugh, but her voice sounds shaky. "And what do you say?" "I say," the boy whispers, "that life is strange." The juggler let's out a shout, as one of the blades slips and slices the side of his hand.
Ava stares in shock as the juggler runs off. "He'll be alright. I'm Oliver, by the way," the boy offers his hand. Ava takes his pale fingers in hers. She is surprised at how cold he feels on the hot night. "I'm Ava. So you know a lot about the park, huh?" He smirks. "More than I'd like to. Would you like a history lesson?"
They make their way through the crowd. People laugh at the carnival games. The big rides whirl through the air, and shrieks can be heard across the park. "Did you know the howler is one of the oldest roller coasters in the country?" Oliver asks. "I'm surprised your dad was able to get it running again." "He's really proud of it. He said it needed only a few repairs," Ava spots her dad upon the howler platform taking tickets. He's wearing a top hat and looks so happy.
The coaster whooshes overhead, and people scream. It slows to a stop. Strangely, one woman continues screaming. "My throat!" She shrieks. "Someone was strangling me!" Ava's father rushes to help the hysterical woman out of her seat. "Her hands were on my throat! She wanted to kill me!" A crowd gathers around the woman.
Ava's own throat begins to feel tight, like she can hardly swallow. "Wow, she's upset," Ava says. "I guess the person riding with her must have grabbed her during a scary part?" "No." Oliver peers at her. "Don't you see? She was riding alone."
Although in the crowd behind them, were two, 13 years old, detectives. The boy was taking notes of anything he sees useful. While the girl was munching on a funnel cake. "What do you think it is, Dip?" The girl asks. "I think that it was a ghost," the boy responds, "there was no one with her when she was riding the coaster." "You solved one once again, bro bro." The girl said, finishing up her treat. "How many of those did you have?" "Four?" The girl shrugs. "Alright, you had enough." The boy deadpanned.