Chapter 6: The Fright Stuff
Taylor and Eric held up their passes at the entrance and stepped through the towering iron gates. The cool air sent a shiver up Taylor's spine, and she instinctively pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, her eyes darting cautiously around. She had been volunteering here all week, helping set up, thinking she'd become immune to the spectacle. But now, walking into the carnival itself, her breath hitched.
Before them, spread a wonderland of dazzling lights, a kaleidoscope of swirling purples, fiery oranges, deep greens, and blood-red hues. They flickered and danced across the upturned faces of the crowd, illuminating wide-eyed expressions of awe and excitement. Every face seemed momentarily transfixed, bathed in the carnival's eerie glow as if stepping into a world between dreams and nightmares. The stillness of the entryway shattered as they moved forward, a symphony of sound erupting around them — carnival music with a haunting edge, the rumble of rides, and the distant hum of laughter and shrieks blending into a wild, enchanting chaos. It wrapped around them like a living thing, tugging them deeper into the heart of the carnival, every step an invitation to explore further.
Despite the strange, prickling sensation crawling along the back of her neck, Taylor felt a smile tug at the corners of her lips. There was something thrilling about the air here, an intoxicating mix of excitement and tension. She glanced at Eric and then let out a soft chuckle. "I'll say it again. Wes really outdid himself. This... is something else."
A couple dressed as a vampire and werewolf crossed their path and before she could register it Eric was reaching for his holstered Quantum Defender. He caught himself, fingers just brushing over the clasp, and closed his eyes, slowly relaxing his stance. Taylor smiled fondly at him and gently reached for his hand, wrapping her own around it and pulling it away from the weapon. She kept his hand clasped in her own and tugged him forward, tilting her head to look up at the dark sky.
"I'd sleep a lot better too, not knowing that it was currently open season on our world and that there were actually real witches, vampires, and whatnots potentially wandering around."
He squeezed her hand and turned to her. "I'm sorry I've been on edge all week. And the paranoia just intensified today. I keep waiting for something to jump out of the shadows. And it doesn't help that costumes are so damn realistic. I don't think I'm going to be able to breathe until this day is over. I just want to be prepared."
"I know, that's why I didn't question you coming to this thing armed," she replied, letting go of his hand and taking a step closer to wrap an arm around his waist. "Are you okay though? Paranoia aside."
"I'm… honestly I don't know. Maybe I am overthinking it, maybe Wes is right and I am letting what happened last year drive me crazy."
"Wes may believe us about what happened but he doesn't remember it, he didn't experience what we did, what you did. And now that we know that it's not necessarily a one-and-done thing, it's okay to be a little par… on guard."
He slipped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed before steering them down a familiar path. He looked around as patrons milled around, some in costume, others like them, opting to go without, all bathed in the glow of the lights. "Yeah, I guess. Though I suppose I don't need to be suspicious of every person in costume.
"Oh I don't know, Joker over there looks like he's plotting something." She pointed to a group of 11-12-year-olds dressed as Batman rogues huddled up together, barely fighting back a grin.
"Go ahead laugh at my slow descent into insanity."
"Descent? Myers, you were already there when I met you."
He pulled her closer so that she was now facing him and just looked at her for a moment. Donning a black tank top under a faux leather, yellow jacket, paired with dark-washed jeans and her signature boots, she looked resolutely like Taylor, and that made him sigh with relief.
"Look at it this way, your supernatural girlfriend didn't make an appearance and there weren't any strange reports…
"…no stranger than usual."
"So maybe all is well in the supernatural world… or maybe they're terrorizing someone else this year."
Eric watched as a couple of zombies ambled by them and shook his head. "She got what she wanted, I don't think she's going to be turning up anytime soon. But I get what you're saying. It's just hard to keep my brain from seeing monsters everywhere."
She slipped her hand into his once more, giving it a gentle tug as they moved deeper into the carnival. "If it makes you feel better, I see them too," she teased. They stopped in front of the Jack-O'-Lantern fountain, its carved faces now glowing, casting a soft, warm light that flickered like firelight, the orange and yellow hues almost ethereal against the encroaching night. The glow danced across their faces, illuminating them in a haunting, surreal shimmer.
Eric looked up at the fountain, the faintest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. His brow was furrowed, deep lines cutting across his face, and his gaze seemed distant, lost in some faraway place she couldn't follow.
Taylor stepped closer, her heart tightening as she gently cupped his cheek, the warmth of his skin grounding her. She turned his face toward her, her fingers light but insistent, her eyes searching his with quiet concern. "Come back to me, Myers," she whispered, her voice soft but firm, as if calling him back from whatever dark place his mind had wandered to. The moment stretched between them, the flickering light casting shadows that made everything seem both real and unreal at once.
He blinked, an apology ready on his lips but she silenced him by leaning up and kissing him. "You don't have to apologise for this," she said after pulling away, as she caressed his cheek with her thumb. "But if it helps you get out of your head for a little bit, I'm happy to be a distraction." She kissed him again, this time his hands found her waist and pulled her in closer, refusing to let go even when they pulled away a second time. With a gentle sigh, he took in the moment, until he became increasingly aware of the lack of interruptions. And Taylor seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Where is everyone? I thought we'd be the last ones here," she said as she looked around, trying to spot their friends."
"Wes came by earlier to check on something and Jen was riding with Andros and Ashley, but they said they'd meet us here."
"Wait, what? Why didn't she just go with him…."
Eric gave her a look and sighed. "I think he just wanted to get away from her for a bit."
Taylor groaned and dropped her head against his shoulder. "For two people who literally defied the laws of time to stay together, they can't even have an honest conversation. This is getting out of hand."
"They will," he assured her as he gently rubbed her back. "They're just trying to protect each other and are unintentionally making it worse. But it's Wes and Jen they will figure it out soon enough and go back to being their annoying lovey-dovey selves and be mad at us."
"At the pace they're going, I'll be back home by the time they finally get married."
Eric tightened his hold on her and gently kissed the top of her head. "I'd like that," he said softly.
She looked up at him and smiled, "You jus…"
"Taylor! Taylor!"
They broke apart and turned to find a petite woman running towards them waving her hand. She was dressed in a long black dress with flowy sleeves and pointed black heels. Her hand held a pointed hat atop her head as she rushed toward them, while a taller figure wearing a headband with lion ears ambled after her.
"Alyssa, Cole," she acknowledged as the two caught up to them, Alyssa struggling to adjust her hat.
"Looks like the munchkins finally set you free," she teased.
"Very funny," the brunette shot back, finally satisfied with her hat. "Some of the other volunteers took over, they'll call if they need me. Though I don't think we're going to get too many takers for story time, even my usual audience is a little too excited to sit still."
"She was a hit earlier though. The kids loved her," said Cole with a big grin as he draped an arm across her shoulders.
"I'm sure she was."
"Hey guys, have you seen Wes around?" Eric asked as he pulled out his phone. "He was supposed to meet us here."
Alyssa and Cole shared a look and Eric immediately started dialling as Taylor trained her eyes on them. "What happened?"
"Well, you see…"
"It's like…
"Alyssa, what happened?"
"I'm not sure. I only heard the others talking but some strange things have been happening, you know like someone pulling pranks or something but some of them are really elaborate. The last time I saw Wes he was heading over to the maze with the carnival manager, he looked worried."
Taylor whipped around to meet Eric's eyes. He was staring forward, holding his phone up to his ears. "You don't think…"
"What kind of strange things?" Eric demanded.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The four of them glanced around, eyes following the rustling streamers of paper bats overhead. At first, the wind simply teased them, making the bats flutter as they dangled from twine. But without warning, the paper creatures shuddered violently and sprung to life, tearing free from their strings and soaring into the air with eerie grace. The bats circled the crowd in tight, chaotic loops, their paper wings snapping as they swooped low, brushing past people's heads, before spiraling higher, gathering into a massive, swirling cloud above.
A faint giggle echoed in the air, soft and chilling, prickling Taylor's ears. She spun around, her eyes scanning the space around them, but there was no one nearby laughing. Alyssa ducked as a swarm of bats nearly knocked off her hat, and leaned into Cole who - like many others who weren't being attacked - was staring up at the sky transfixed.
"Things like that."
Jen trailed behind Andros and Ashely as they walked around the carnival, their cheerful voices floated back to her but her mind was elsewhere and she tucked her hands in her pockets as she watched the people around her.
"Hey Jen, do you want to head back to the fountain? Eric and Taylor should be here now."
Ashley's voice pulled her out of her thoughts but only then realised that they were alone. Ashley chuckled and pointed to a stand selling candy corn. "He's over there, candy corn is his new obsession," she said as she looped her arm through Jen's and pulled her towards the stand.
Meanwhile, Andros eagerly stepped into the line, a bright smile on his face as he watched the two men before him accept their bags of treats. One of them, grinning, tossed a piece of candy corn into the air and deftly caught it in his mouth.
"Is it good?" Andros asked, curiosity lighting up his eyes.
The man smiled, chewing with exaggerated enthusiasm, and gave a thumbs-up. But then, something shifted. The brightness in his eyes dulled, and the easy smile he wore faltered. His face contorted in sudden pain. He clutched his chest, coughing once, then again, the sound harsher, more desperate.
"Hey, you okay, man?" his friend asked, stepping closer, concern etched into his voice.
Without warning, the man dropped the small bag he'd been holding. His legs buckled, sending him crashing to his knees. His coughs became violent, hacking and sputtering as crimson droplets splattered the ground beneath him. His friend knelt beside him, panic rising in his voice. "Help! Someone call 911!" he yelled, his eyes wide with terror.
Andros rushed forward just as the man gagged and coughed out a gleaming razor blade, its jagged edges slick with blood. Horror filled Andros' gut as the man looked up at Jen and Ashley, his eyes wide with terror and disbelief.
Jen snapped into action, turning sharply to the volunteer by the cart. "Radio the medic — now! Tell them to get here immediately!" she barked. Then she faced Ashley. "Call 911!"
Ashley fumbled for her phone, her face pale, while Jen rounded on the vendor, who had frozen mid-motion, halfway through filling another bag. The vendor's face was a mask of shock, his eyes darting to the growing crowd around them.
"Everyone, step back!" Jen ordered, her voice rising above the chaos. "Give him room to breathe! Help is on its…."
Her words trailed off, her voice swallowed by the sudden, shrill screeching overhead. A shadow fell across the scene as a massive horde of bats erupted from the sky, their cries piercing the air, blending with the gasps of the crowd.
Thanks for reading.
Till next time...