Fright Show (For the Halloween issue)

     It's a cold October evening. The leaves are falling in front of you. You're walking the same path you've traveled before except something is different. Behind the neighborhood park there is a stand set up and a caravan with twinkling lights. You hear the sound of children's laughter and circus music.

      You decide to check it out and go to the ticket booth. No one is there they must have gone to lunch. The tent is open and on a whim you take your chances exploring it. Inside the tent colors of the stages are clashing and the lights are too bright. You smell the scent of delicious frosted cinnabuns. Taking in your scenery you wander toward what appears to be an inflatable fun house.

      Sounds of sirens scream and a gust of wind pulls you forward unto a Spyder web. A mysterious Aisha with neon blue hair whose dressed in obnoxious bright colors signals for you to come closer. You listen to her and move forward until you're looking at the Aisha eye to eye. Her eyes are void less of energy. Her skin is decrepit and grey. She stares blankly through you.

      “Be quiet and don't let anyone see you” She warns you.

      You heed her warning but wonder about this place and its inhabitants. The Aisha invites you inside the house with a single hand motion and wicked smile. Once inside the house you see flashes of light and a carved wooden table. Sitting at the table are oversized Usuki Dolls. The Dolls would seem normal at first glance until you see the dull redness of their eyes. The Aisha pushes out a sit she demands you sit in. She sits at the head of the table and pours a cup of tea. She passes you the tea. Your whole life you've been told not to take anything from strangers but the cold air chills your bones. The Aisha is drinking the tea from the teapot too. Suddenly your heart is palpitating and you can't feel your feet. Your arms are stiff your unable to move.

           “Hahaha guess you're going nowhere for a while well it wouldn't be a tea party without a story” she laughs maniacally before breaking out into her scary tale.

     --

      A few years ago I was just like you I had dreams and a future. Well one day I was walking home from school and I saw flyers advertising the circus. I thought to myself that I wanted to join it for the free boarding. I was into acrobatics for years and was also a contortionist. I went to the area the circus was supposed to be stationed at but it was deserted it appeared.

      When I went inside the tent I figured the performers would be on their lunch breaks. Instead what I saw was an abandoned stage and multi colored inflated fun house. Without giving much thought to my surroundings I went onto the stage. The trapeze was set up and there was a ladder leading all the way up to it. The trapeze was incredibly high much higher than I imagined they were. I climbed the ladder and waltzed right onto the trapeze string. Despite my balance being off I steadied myself one foot in front of another. I tried my hardest not to look down. If I did I'd know I would begin to panic.

      I made it across the stage onto the opposite ladder. I went down the ladder and in the midst of it all I heard three repetitive clapping sounds. The wind also chilled my bones. It had gotten later at night and I was supposed to get home. However, there was that repetitive clapping sound coming from behind the fun house. In what felt like an induced daze I followed it.

      No one was there. A tall shadowy figure of a Gelert loomed. The shadow showed the Gelert's mustache and top hat. I wanted to know where the Gelert was standing but as I moved in closer it stormed off in another direction. I walked for miles under the moonlight until I saw the shadow shimmy unto the cemetery. I had never been afraid of ghost or spirits and I thought I was having peripheral hallucinations caused by my insomnia.

      The graveyard was beautifully lit with prismatic lights and felt weirdly welcoming to me. Maybe I dreamed about this place before. I walked in and searched for the shadow. I stepped forward unto a bed of flowers with thorns that pricked my legs. The shadow whirled on top of the hill. I walked carefully up toward it. All I remember is seeing the flicker of flame lit pupils before it happened.

      Now I was stranded inside a dirt hole. I had no way out unless I started digging with my hands. So I began digging my way out for what felt like days or maybe weeks. Once I got out of the grave hole. I saw my reflection through the metal bar on a tombstone. I was ugly and decayed. I cried for a while until the moon came out. I heard the sounds of children's laughter and circus music.

      I made my way to the show. Instead of it being deserted as it was before there were Ghost children and Zombie or Transparent adult performers. I told myself that day I would plan my revenge on the one who stole my life.

      Now I'm an hypnotist and acrobat. Every Halloween the show is open to the public. The living are amongst the dead. It's too dark to see anything unusual or the villagers believe the performers are wearing special effects make-up. Anyway I wait all year round for Halloween night. When I'll be able to capture the souls of the children. For one night I feel alive again. I believe one day I'll be back in my body if I can find the one who took my spirit away. I'll be waiting for him and when I find him that day I'll get my revenge.

     Revenge so sweet like cake you'd need a knife to cut it. Until then I am stuck in my rainbow nightmare. Waiting and wishing for Halloween night. It's coming up soon and this year I will find the one who stole my morality. The one with evil eyes. I will push him underneath the ground and not a single soul will ever be in danger anymore. On Halloween night the villagers will enjoy the show. There will be candy and jackolanterns. I will charm the youngins with tricks like juggling and cards. They won't even feel there spirits collecting into my crystal ball.

      I will borrow the spirits as if they were mine. Energizing my body and I'll be free from being undead for one night. I can return home to my family. Just for one night I'll be superb. I know the date is coming up. This year is the year I'll make it unforgettable.

     --

     You hear her trail on towards her obsession with Halloween. Your body is movable again and without a split second you decide to run. You run as fast as you can for your life.

     Happy Halloween

     The End.