short story #1 "cicadas"

Cicadas

"I've been craving an elephant ear since this morning but I don't want to throw up on a ride."

Nancy mentioned wearing ruffled blue floral spaghetti strap tank top, with light denim mom jeans ,and black slip on vans.

I responded wearing a semi oversized dark tie dye shirt, aesthetically ripped shorts, and ankle high converse.
"Do you want to eat first or go on all the rides first"

she stopped to think as I stood right beside her looking at all the stuffed animals hanging by a thread.
"No yea let's go on that one and that one then we'll get food."

After what felt like years standing in line watching oversized toddlers cut in line using the "oH tHaTS mY fRiENd" excuse Nancy and I surrendered to our
screaming feet in pain to switch plans.

"I told you we should've came earlier The only thing good about the fair this late are the lights"

as we're walking a bug the size of a leaf smacks into my face

"EEWW What the HELL! Dude something hit my cheek and I heard it's wings EEHHWWW"
rubbing my face and pushing into Nancy.

*gasp* "lemme see" "dude relax you're so dramatic"
Nancy says while we continue on our way.

After three rides of uncontrollable screaming, and gut lifting sensation we headed to the food and dessert zone looking for the perfect stand that takes cash and doesn't have flys or bees surrounding it. Circling our 3rd round we settled with a stand we didn't notice was there until the third time we came around. Ignoring how strange that realization is we didn't think much about it considering there were about four or five other people ordering there as well. Standing in line I couldn't admit something was wrong because it didn't make sense why I started to feel scared looking into the parking lot. it was unsettling yet peacefully dark.

Nancy grabs our food I take the water bottles
"Thank you."
"Thank you."

I drop one water bottle seeing it roll to the fence that stands in between us and the pitch black. Nancy carries on to get us a seat and I chase the water bottle 12 feet from the picnic bench. I get to my knees to pick up the water bottle, lift my head and make direct eye contact with a wide eyed messy hair girl same level as me on the other side of the fence.

An intense shiver ran up my spine making my head tickle and shake I fall on my back.
" NAAAHHHHHH!!  NANCSSEEEEEE"

I turn on my elbows to get up seeing Nancy, the food stand workers, and every single person there running the opposite way looking back screaming at the top of their lungs. Confused as to why and what their reacting to like that my focus was to get up off the ground and out of the park. Next thing I remember I'm running right beside Nancy with a clear motive to what was happening and where to go. We find an abandoned game tent and drop all four of the sidewalks and hide behind the wooden counter. Out of breath I peak out to see how safe we are and witness the disaster of the million cicadas swarming the area I could see people screaming for help being attacked at the top of the Ferris wheel, few people stuck on the large high spinning swing sets, kids screaming, teenagers jumping the fence, everybody clogging all the exists. Feeling helpless.

Nancy Rocking back and forth crying.
"I can't do it!  I don't- we can't- *inaudible*"

"Hey! Look at me it's okay we're okay look at me! We are going to get out of here alright! In few minutes we will be home! And everything will be okay I promise"
Cradling her in my arms to calm down.

Shocked at how calm and collected I am the sound of insects body's hitting the tents walls distracted me from thinking. What the hell are we going to do. What felt like in the matter of seconds we went from bliss to distress. Are the people talking about this? Do my parents know or is help on the way?  I peak one last time to figure out how to get out and to my surprise the same girl behind the fence I made eye contact with was standing in the middle of the disaster barefoot, dirty in black and still wide eyes staring blankly at the ground her shoulders jumped up tilted her head towards me. Towards us. Towards the tent.

*sirens of all emergency* *theme park radio and musical games* playing in the background.