50 years ago...
"Mommy, look! A new carnival!" the little girl squealed, tugging at her mother's hand.
From the dusty road, the carnival seemed alive with colour. Ferris wheels spun lazily, booths glimmered with lights, and a towering Nutcracker bubble machine loomed near the entrance. Its painted smile looked warm—almost alluring—and as it slowly rotated, clouds of pink, cotton-candy-scented bubbles floated toward the children. The neon sign above the gate promised fun... and best of all, it was free.
Children ran ahead, laughing. Their smiling parents trailed behind them, holding balloons and buckets of popcorn. None of them noticed the strange shimmer in the air. The bubbles drifted lazily, as if inviting every child closer.
At first, it was all joy. Then... things began to change. The cheerful words on the sign—Forever, We Entertain—twisted subtly into something else. A flicker of life appeared in the Nutcracker's eyes. Its painted jaw creaked ever so slightly as the bubbles clung to children's hands, noses, and lips.
The children's laughter changed—sharper, more insistent. They clutched the bubbles like lifelines, shoving parents aside. Some pressed their faces to the Nutcracker, giggling and whispering in a crazed frenzy... staring too long. And the Nutcracker's blood-red smile... widened just an inch.
By nightfall, the carnival was quiet. But something remained inside... quietly, patiently waiting. Are you brave enough to find it?
JE LEEST
Forever, We Entertain
HorrorForever, We Entertain. The words glow in neon on a wooden headboard, framing a carnival alive with colour, lights, and laughter. Ferris wheels spin, booths hum, and a towering Nutcracker spews edible, cotton-candy-scented bubbles that drift through...
