Hot Summer Night

27 - Declan

Screams and laughter. That's all I hear all around me, and it's a little unsettling at times for reasons only I know. I know everyone is here to have a good time and how the rides will make people scream when they lift, spin around, and twirl you upside down, but whenever I hear someone screaming, I fear the worst.

I stood at the silver aluminum rail, listening hard to every sound coming from the funhouse of mirrors. There were screams. There was laughter. There was shouting about where to go, and there were smiles on the kids' and adults' faces when they exited the funhouse. But there was a feeling inside of me that I couldn't shake. Something wasn't right.

At one point, I thought I heard Everly scream, and she probably did. She'd been screaming and laughing since we entered the rides area. I also know it's typical for children to scream when having fun at places like these.

I was growing nervous with each second that passed. I didn't want to be here tonight, but I didn't want to upset my daughter, either. This was the birthday present she asked me to give her—the first gift she'd ever asked for from me. So, when Seraphine called me out on it after I mentioned that we shouldn't go and how she glared at me through her piercing electric blues, I knew I had to put aside those terrible inklings I felt. I didn't want to disappoint either one of them.

A shiver crawled down my spine when I looked at the time, realizing my girls had been inside the fun house for over twenty minutes. I wasn't sure how long it took someone to find their way through the maze, but my gut told me they should've exited by now. Especially after seeing some of the kids and adults standing in line behind Everly and Seraphine exit the maze.

I rushed to the booth selling tickets, barging through the crowd, and cutting in front of a woman with her young child trying to buy tickets. "Excuse me," I told her, then looked at the elderly woman behind the glass, who gave me a scolding look for cutting in line. "I'm sorry to barge in like this and interrupt your selling tickets, but how long does it usually take for someone to get through the maze?"

"Usually around ten to fifteen minutes."

It's been nearly thirty minutes since they went inside.

Panic instantly rushed through me. "I need to go inside. Something isn't right. My girlfriend and daughter have been inside the funhouse for about a half hour now."

"I'm sure they're fine. If you want to go inside looking for them, you'll have to pay the ten dollars, but first, you'll have to go to the end of the line."

The hell I do.

I reached into my back pocket and removed my wallet. I pulled out a business card and brought my wallet to the glass window, flashing the woman my shield and sliding my card underneath the window. "I'm going in without buying a ticket," I warned, clenching my teeth. "Something's wrong."

A worried look appeared in her eye, and she nodded.

"I suggest you shut this down until I come out with both of my girls."

Without saying a word, I flashed my badge when I rushed past the carnival workers, taking tickets. My stomach instantly twisted when I entered the funhouse. Between the dark area, the minimal neon lighting above me, the weird as fuck music, strobe lights, and smoke billowing around like we're at a fucking concert? I'm not liking this one bit.

I felt my way around as I moved through the weird as fuck optical illusion maze. Everything was deceiving as fuck. My feet moved fast inside, and the further I got into the labyrinth of hell, the quieter it became, which meant everyone was finding their way out. Hopefully, I didn't come in here for nothing, and my girls are standing outside looking for me.