Hawk Heart

26. The Carnival

The carnival started a little late. 

Almost fifteen minutes had past since noon, and it was then that I saw a massive wooden stage slowly start moving through the city. There seemed to be at least a hundred people pushing it, while on top of it were a multitude of people in vibrant clothing, dancing merrily as the band marching behind them played upbeat music. The crowd had gathered on the streets, laughter, shouts and singing creating a deafening din. I gulped and melted further into the alley, my heart hammering somewhere near my throat. What had Zeph planned? Should I inform someone? 

Behind the portable stage was another one, the platform much smaller but higher. This time, supported by four horses. On top of it was a makeshift gazebo, and inside, the seven heads of the House. I recognized the tall man and woman who had visited me what felt like ages ago. And behind them, my dad. 

There was no way I could tell dad now, was there? Maybe the guards? What would I even tell them? That something was about to happen. But...what?

Before I could make up my mind, the sky crashed onto the carnival. I watched in horror as the tall platform- the one with my dad- erupted into flames. 

All hell broke lose as the crowd scattered away, laughter turned into cries of terror. The horses neighed violently as terrified people ran out of the way. The band had stopped playing and abandoned their instruments, the performers running helter-skelter down the platform. Emergency staff dressed in bright orange swarmed the platform now engulfed in flames. And even before I had registered anything, a sonic boom ripped through the air. From somewhere in front of me. Another sounded almost immediately after as blood curdling screams pierced the sky. I watched, my brain incoherent as more sounds followed. A loud ringing began in my ear as I turned to see another bomb go off a few feet away from me. I was knocked off my feet at the shock, falling on the hard floor. Smoke erupting in a vicious cloud, penetrating my nostrils. 

The sound. It was so loud. 

More blasts. More screams. 

The scent of blood. 

Burning. Something was on fire. 

The ringing in my ear was unbearable now, the smoke entering my lungs  burnt my very flesh, the air too heavy as I struggled to breathe. The building around me seemed to sway dangerously as the very earth underneath me was ripped. Another loud bang, and then- silence. 

*

 I may have woken up after several sunlit days. 

I could hear muffled voices muttering. My woozy brain couldn't make out the slurred words that ran into each other, but the tone was enough to let me know that they were arguing. The voices got louder, unbearably so. I felt like I was breaking the surface of water. The muffled voices now piercing my consciousness. I heard a croaky groan as the voices immediately stopped. 

"Asteroth?" my dad's voice called, too loud. He lowered his voice and spoke again. "Asteroth, can you hear me?" 

He sounded fine. Did that mean he wasn't hurt? Or were both of us in floating in the wondrous afterlife?

I wanted to respond to him, but I wasn't sure how to. I finally managed to open my eyes slowly, the blinding light making me shut my eyes again. "Yes," I croaked.

"Aster," a vaguely familiar curt voice said. "Aster, are you coherent?"

"I...think so," I nodded. 

"He doesn't seem to be in a position for any questioning," my dad said. This time, I was almost sure it was him. He sounded unhurt. Relief washed through me, making me lean back into the soft mattress.