There was some sunlight that was in the building, naturally giving Caitlyn some light to explore inside for a while. The door closed behind her with a creak. Lots of dust unfortunately around, but the quiet ambience of the old attraction holds some peace for Shaw.
Already, she was seeing some things. There was a large ticket booth near the entrance that was completely empty and collecting cobwebs. With the light that was going through the cracks of the building, Caitlyn could see posters for rooms all around Captain Wolf's. In front of her, there was a ride car that was similar to the ones found in old fashioned dark rides. A small metal track was on the floor that led to an open entryway. There was a chandelier that hung from the main foyer of the building that looked like it was made out of whale bones. Caitlyn squinted to see if there were really actual bones. Nope, they were plastic. There was multiple entryways and a wooden staircase with a small landing with a visible floor from beyond the wooden railing. Red curtains were drawn that hung across the foyer.
"Hmm.. strangely in good shape for a relic. Might be squatters or someone else here who takes care of everyone." Caitlyn thought, going pass the ride car and going into one of the entryways to one of the exhibits. There was little light in the room she entered, but she could tell that she was near something. It wasn't until she looked around to see the room looked like a movie set. She couldn't tell what was in the room, but from the prop furniture around, it looked like a study? Caitlyn was about to go forward- "Woah!" Caitlyn stumbled and nearly tripped. She looked down to see that there was a small stool near to a familiar metal track. It looked like the ride cars go through this room, as well.
There was a beam of light that was shining off of a large mirror that covered up a wall. Watching her step, Caitlyn noticed the mirror, heading towards it. Her reflection was visible in the blue glass, appearing like a ghost in the crystal-like mirror. It was strange for Caitlyn. It was an abandoned ghost train ride, but there was this nostalgia for something she never been to. She turned around and saw the way she came from. It was still deathly quiet. Caitlyn never paid attention to the temperature of the place, but it was chilly. She wasn't wearing casual clothing, but now she was starting to tell that it was cold. Maybe she could install a space heater or two. Checking her surroundings, she ended up going through another entryway that led out of the study.
Behind her, the quiet steps of an animatronic was not far behind..
Backtracking on the metal track, the hallway she came across was dark. "Great.. I should've brought a flashlight.." Caitlyn was trying to focus her eyes in the darkness for another light source, if it was around. She put her hands forward, where she felt something brush the scalp of her hair. She raised her hand up. A piece of cloth? Must be from the ghost train ride. "Is there anything in this place that I can borrow?" Caitlyn wondered to herself, until suddenly..
Several flickering lights came on in the hallway. There was light, but it was flickering and dim. Caitlyn was surprised at this sudden light that came on, as she looked around the hallway. It was composed of painted on murals of scary-imagery, but she didn't see how the lights could have came on. Did the lights come on by themselves? Unless Lowery was playing a trick on her. No, it couldn't have been him. She saw him leave, but it could be a squatter inside of the building.
She kept walking down the hallway, where she noticed how it transitioned into a stone dungeon. Caitlyn felt the walls. Fake too. There was a wax figure of an executioner that was in disarray. Doesn't look possible to salvage, but she could sell it. Lights in the form of torches were on, showing caged off areas of the dungeon. There was a table nearby that had a several hand in a jar. Caitlyn walked up to it, inspecting it. She didn't play attention to the one-way mirror nearby. The hand inside of the jar looked cheesy and fake. Caitlyn leaned in closer to it. It was clearly made out of plastic. Caitlyn started to walk away, until...
*tap* *tap* *tap*
What was that? It was the sound of something tapping against- *tap* *tap* -the jar? Caitlyn turned around, seeing the pointer finger of the hand inside of the jar, tapping against the jar. It was trying to get her attention, that's for sure.
"Mr. Lowery? Are you in here?" Caitlyn said out loud. No response. "If there's anyone in here, please say something!" Still no response. The tapping stopped, but Shaw knew that thing was controlled by something. Someone was definitely in here, possibly trying to scare her out. Caitlyn came walking down the metal track, following it to one of the cages that was showing a man at an electric chair, wearing a black and white stripped prison uniform with a black bag over it's head. Looks like it's part of the ghost train segment. Caitlyn was about to turn away, until there was a loud noise coming from the electric chair. The man, or rather a mannequin, was shaking uncontrollably, as the chair was vibrating, simulating electrocution. The special effects in this section of Captain Wolf's looked like they were working fine.
"Very funny! You can come out now!" Caitlyn said out loud again. Now, she was getting annoyed. Someone was toying with her and the scare factor was now running dry. She dug into her purse. The can of pepper spray was there. Or she could chuck her phone at whoever was trying to scare her off. Those things were like bricks. Continuing down the hallway, there was a guillotine on display, along with a stretching rack. Both obvious props, but Caitlyn didn't want to stay in this part of Captain Wolf's much longer. She continued down the stone hallway, passing by several mannequins, one of them was designed to look like the invisible man, while another was made to look like a classic werewolf in tattered clothing.
As Caitlyn rushed down the room, arriving at the entrance of the Chambers of Horrors in the Frightmare attraction, she got the strangest feeling of being watched. Stopping briefly, she got her pepper spray, cautiously turning around. "Come on!" Caitlyn said, getting ready to go after whoever was stalking her. It wasn't until she turned back around and saw a glimpse of something peeking around the corner in front of her. "Found you." Caitlyn went to give chase. The sunlight shining through the cracks gave her the natural light she needed. Every time she passed the corner, she always saw the figure ducking to another cover, until she came across a small room with several tables and chairs left scattered about. Appears to be a party room where a small circular stage covered with green curtains. Whoever was scaring Caitlyn was hiding inside.
Slowly taking steps forward, she got her pepper spray in one hand, while she reached for the curtains with another. Grabbing them, she immediately pulled them aside-
-and saw something completely different. "Huh?"
Rather than a person, it was an animatronic. It was in the form of an anthropomorphic bird colored in green, like a parrot. It's yellow beak was showing rust, where Caitlyn could see the mouth of the endoskeleton beyond the beak. It was wearing clothing that was more suited for a buccaneer, including a red bandana wrapped on it's head, striped trousers and a belt, and an open white blazer. It was barefoot with two yellow talon-like feet, leading no need for shoes. It was holding a nautical-looking lute and staring off into space.
Caitlyn looked around to see there was no one hiding behind the animatronic. What was going on? There was someone inside the attraction, but now Caitlyn felt alone. Caitlyn turned her back on the animatronic, wanting to leave with the questions still in her head. That was until... there was the sounds of footsteps that were now behind her. Then, there was a faint hiss..
Caitlyn turned back around and saw the parrot animatronic bringing the lute down upon her, like an axe. Caitlyn immediately took a quick step to the side, dodging the swing from the crazed animatronic. It was now looking at Caitlyn with glowing yellow eyes and it's beak wide open in a sadistic stare. It was giving something that Caitlyn didn't expect to have.
Fear.
Caitlyn immediately ran out of the party room, hearing the footsteps of the animatronic following close behind her. She was at the foyer, but she didn't want to go through the doors back outside. She wanted to hide from the metallic creature behind her to regain her tracks.
Caitlyn tried to rush up the stairs in the foyer, but there was the faint glow of a red eye that appeared in front of her from the darkness. The glowing eye belonged to a skeleton figure dressed with a blue hat with a skull and crossbones. It was wearing a red admiral coat with yellow shoulder-pads and collar, along with blue pants and a golden belt and boots. It stared with only one eye, due to the black eyepatch on it's left eye, where Caitlyn could see the faint white hair that the hat was hiding. It showed Caitlyn a cutlass that was rusted and dull. Caitlyn immediately ran back down, now being chased by another animatronic.
She tried to go through a way she never came through before. She was following the metal track, where the ride cars would go. Running down the open entryway, she found herself in a room that was made to resemble a jungle with fake trees and props. A scrapped-up animatronic that resembled a gorilla was scrawled near the metal track, which Caitlyn noticed before she hid behind one of the prop trees.
She held her breath, listening in to the footsteps of something coming into the room, having followed her. She wanted to get a weapon. Something to get rid of the threat that was trying to kill her! The noises of footsteps were getting closer. It was that parrot animatronic again. It was looking around for her with it's beak wide open. It moved its head around, scanning the jungle room for Caitlyn. Caitlyn could still see him from where she was hiding, but it didn't know if that animatronic saw her from where she was. After much looking around, the parrot animatronic walked past Caitlyn's hiding spot and continuing down the metal track.
Caitlyn waited until the footsteps faded away. A lot was now going on her mind right now. Now was the best time to try to escape. She peeked out from behind the tree and looked around. No sign of the parrot. She silently trekked back into the foyer, reaching the double doors. Caitlyn turned the doorknob and was about to leave, until she felt like she was being watched. She looked at where the stairs were, where she got a good glimpse of the skeleton pirate that was starting a red-eye dagger from the upper floor. It didn't move. Instead, it was watching her, waiting for her to leave the Frightmare.
Caitlyn wanted to call out to the skeleton, but she was hearing the familiar footsteps of the parrot animatronic. With no options left, she exited the Frightmare attraction.
Caitlyn Shaw found herself back outside in front of the Captain Wolf's Frightmare attraction. The sun has started to set, giving the clouds a golden glow. How long has she been in there? Caitlyn finally had time to think for once. There was so many questions on what happened and what to do. "...Lynn." Caitlyn checked her purse quick. She still had her phone, but she must have dropped her mace somewhere.
"Damn.."
Caitlyn phoned in Lynn quick to see what she was up to.
"Hello, Caitlyn?"
"Lynn, you're still home. I.. I had a crazy experience.." Caitlyn admitted immediately. "Oh no! Caitlyn, what happened?"
"If I told you, you think I'm insane."
"You're not insane, Caitlyn!"
"I think it's easier to tell you in person. I really want to get to some place with food."
"I can get the car and pick you up."
"I'm good. I see you back at the house. Bye." Caitlyn hung up her phone, putting it back in her bag. She took a deep breath and turned back to the attraction.
I did not see this coming.. Lowery was right about this attraction being cursed. How am I suppose to renovate it, if there is going to be evil animatronics trying to kill me? Why were those animatronic alive in the first place? Odd.. I still need to figure out what's going on around here..
Caitlyn left the carnival row, seeing a gruff man stapling a flyer to a telephone pole. "Excuse me, you know where I could get myself some food?" she asked him politely, causing him to raise his head at her. "Lonely Road Truck Stop and Diner. Not far from here. Check for signs." he only said, finishing with the flyer and walking away.
Caitlyn was curious on the flyer he stapled. She took a peek at it to see it was for a memorial service.
JACOB OWENS
RESPECTS TO BE GIVEN
MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD AT OWENS RESIDENCE
There was an address to the Owens residence and a photo of Jacob Owens, in particular. Caitlyn frowned. It was the upper body picture of a young boy with a short haircut and a red shirt. A young boy died? When did this happen? Must have been before Caitlyn and Lynn arrived. She should still keep a note of it, however.
"You nearly died!?" Lynn said to Caitlyn, who was driving the car to the Lonely Road Truck Stop and Diner. "I didn't nearly die, Lynn... Ok, there was this skeleton with a sword, but he didn't try to stab me."
"But you almost died!" Lynn was still distressed at the story Caitlyn was telling her. "I need to work things out when we get home. I didn't come this far to get scared away." Caitlyn said, noticing the neon sign for the Lonely Road Truck Stop and Diner. Sure enough, there were a couple of big rigs parked nearby. Caitlyn and Lynn entered the diner, getting a table by the window. It was a traditional looking diner with checkered floors and a chrome counter. A jukebox was playing some tunes that sounded like it came from a 50's commercial. A couple of photos were showing black-and-white photos of classic Nevada.
A waitress came to their table with a notepad and pen in hand. She handed them the menus to look at the food. "Welcome, hons. What can I get you two?" the waitress asked to them. "I'm going to need coffee." Caitlyn immediately said, needing something to drink. "I'll have a coffee too. Also, do you still do breakfast?" Lynn was craving for pancakes.
"Sorry, dear. We stop serving breakfast at 12 PM."
"I'll have a burger, then."
"I'll take the chicken." Caitlyn said, letting the waitress take the menus and get them their drinks. Caitlyn got her mug and drank it pure black. "I'm not going to let our move here be of waste. You know how much we worked hard to get here.." Caitlyn said to Lynn, trying to steer the topic back from the car ride. "You told me that you didn't believe those ghost stories, though."
"This is one of those times where I'm wrong on the most obvious thing." Caitlyn said, bluntly.
"You sure you were attacked?"
"I nearly got struck with a guitar. Could have busted my arm."
Caitlyn wanted to say more, but she was noticing that there was a brown-haired girl that brought a red wagon into the diner. There were a couple box of cookies in the wagon and she was wearing a typical girl scout's uniform. She had a digital pet toy in the shape of an egg in her hand, which Caitlyn noticed. The waitress came back with the food, where Caitlyn asked a question to the waitress. "Who's that girl at that booth over there?" Caitlyn was commenting on the girl being with the strangers at the booth at the far end of the diner. "Her? That's Emma. She comes by the diner to sell cookies for her scout league. You better get Thin Mints from her, before they run out." the waitress mentioned, putting the plates of food on the table.
"I could go for some Thin Mints, Caitlyn."
"I prefer the lemon-flavored cookies."
"So what else happened at the Frightmare?"
"Not much, besides the 'me almost dying' part. I need to get to the bottom of things, Lynn. If I don't, we aren't going to make any progress as we hoped." Caitlyn said, trying to maintain her seriousness with her girlfriend. "We can try to get some of the locals to help us. Maybe they can.. give us advice?"
"The only advice I got so far was from the carnival row owner Peter Lowery. He warned me that the place was cursed."
"How are you going to renovate the place, if it's cursed."
"I don't know, Lynn. I need to come up with something.. It's like.." Caitlyn was thinking of a possible solution on how to go through with things, since the killer animatronics were in the way. "...it's like there's something else involved. It's more like they wanted me to leave, than just kill me."
"Excuse me?" the voice of a young girl was near Caitlyn's and Lynn's table, which caused them to turn their attention to her. It was the girl scout Emma with her boxes of cookies in her wagon. Lynn seemed to already look like she's in glee, seeing a box of Thin Mints that was still left. The moment that Lynn dug into her purse with some 1 dollar bills, Caitlyn knew that she couldn't stop her now. "I would like some Thin Mints, please!" Lynn said, needing her box. "I'll take some lemon cookies." Caitlyn said, but Emma frowned. "I'm sorry, but they are all sold out."
"Do you still have Tagalongs, instead?"
"I do.. but I'm saving the last box for my friend.. Tagalongs are her favorite." Emma mentioned with Caitlyn rolling her eyes. "I take the Samoas, then." Caitlyn said with Lynn checking her money to make sure she can buy a box for her girlfriend.
"Thank you!" Emma was happy with the transaction, while Lynn was trying to finish her food, so she can snack on her thin mints. "I feel like I got ripped off.." Caitlyn muttered, but Lynn was trying to raise Caitlyn's hopes. "Don't worry, at least you got some snacks for home."
"I do need to start getting groceries."
"We only have a week-worth of money to sustain us for now. I'm expected to show up at the school tomorrow to start my job as a teacher. It will be good for me. I can do well with the other kids in this town. It can help us get some people to help us, Caitlyn." Lynn put her hand over Caitlyn's. "I'm here for you." Lynn said, letting Caitlyn smile. The waitress later came with the bill, which both of the women paid. Caitlyn drove home, which they resided for the rest of the night.
Lynn was brushing her teeth in the bathroom, while Caitlyn was propped up in bed, watching a romantic comedy on the small bunny-eared TV for their bedroom. Lynn got in bed with Caitlyn, hugging her to get some warmth. "It's pretty cold in here. I thought since it's a desert, we only have to worry about it being hot." Lynn mentioned, curled up with Caitlyn. "It will be soon." Caitlyn said, as she felt Lynn's hugging her.
"You're so warm." Lynn said again, causing Caitlyn to blush. "I think it's time we go to bed. You have to be somewhere easy." Caitlyn reminded Lynn with a smile, turning off the light.
A while later, with the television still on at muted volume, Caitlyn was still awake. She was still pondering on her plan for tomorrow. She needed to return back to the Frightmare. She needed to resolve the issue with the animatronics, somehow. She knew that she was taking risks, but she wasn't going to come back home empty-handed. It took a moment, until Caitlyn came up with an idea. A possible idea. Caitlyn glanced outside her window. It was still dark outside, but she could see the outline of the carnival row nearby.
Feeling tired, she turned off the TV with the remote and closed her eyes.
