STACCATO FRIENDSHIP
Riks came down the stairs two at a time.
"Sorry I couldn't find-" she tripped over the last step and went flying forward but caught herself on the hand rail. Cautiously she stepped down onto the floor and smiled weakly.
"Um, so we're ready?" she asked.
"Yeah. Let's go." Valary opened the door to an orange sky. She walked slowly down the narrow steps. Siana followed quietly while Riks readjusted her bag with her umbrella poking out from it, making her way carefully.
"Woah." Valary stopped Siana and Riks before the gate, and they peered through the bars at the scene before them.
There were tables and stalls, and people everywhere. Now that it was morning the girls saw that the town was decorated in black and orange, whether spots or stripes it didn't matter. As they made their way through the crowd Siana could hear the wails of the banshees as they warmed up their voices, and she quickly concentrated on listening to the chatter and excitement around her. Sliding around some hairy ogre as he hauled along a trailer full of pumpkins, the girls found themselves at the well with the goblin statue. Standing up on it, Riks looked over the bustling beings.
"Hey get down!" Siana tugged on Riks, looking fearfully at the well. "There's a fish lady that lives here!"
"She's over there." Riks pointed to a tent on the other side of the grounds where Siana could just make out her slimy green scales through the gaps in the crowd.
"Still. We'll never find Annabelle here," groaned Siana. "She's probably already squashed underneath everyone."
"True she won't be here," Valary agreed.
"Okay." Riks scanned the crowds one last time before jumping down. "This way."
Riks led them deeper into the crowd. The place smelt strongly of sugar and rot, or so it did to Siana. She kept close to Riks who seemed to make the crowd part just by her presence. Valary was having a hard time keeping up in her narrow skirt, as she dodged a clown and old woman, and suddenly lost sight of Siana. Trying to catch up she ran forward, dodging her way around everyone.
They were gone, and Valary panicking, started to push her way through. She broke out of the crowd to find herself facing a narrow street. Looking back she could see no signs of Riks or Siana, nor could she recognize where she was. Not wanting to go back through the crowd, Valary quickly started down the street hoping it went round the block. She turned left at the next street and hurried down past houses and out of perspective units. The roads were empty as all the inhabitants were at the town square. Though it was morning the sun was a weak ball in the sky, casting dim shadows.
She spotted up ahead a monstrous gate that opened out to countryside of bare trees and rolling hills.
"Darn," she muttered, looking in the empty Gatekeeper's booth. The door was ajar, so she moved inside. She sat down on the uncomfortable chair. Sighing, she leaned her head on her hands. She'd had a rough night trying to sleep. Suddenly she wasn't so sure of Riks. She now seems twisted; so different to how Valary pictured her back before the party. Some party…
Riks was now a stranger. 'You never know someone until you see their other side.' Those words seem fitting for Riks. But now she's their only key to get out Halloween, and to getting Annabelle back. But, that can wait.
Valary wanted to rest- without other company. She buried her head in her arms and tried to get Riks' face out of her head.