One Thousand Paper Cranes

Chapter 12

I'd always found comfort in the bright lights of cities. The constant sound they created was also rather reassuring.

Roman was blasting his Rocky Horror Picture Show cd and singing along to every song that came on. Eliam watched him, laughing occasionally when he would mess up or stumble on the words. I could tell Greg was questioning even coming, but it was alright because I felt good and I hadn't felt that in such a long time.

"Science Fiction. Double Feature." Roman sang out, reaching his hand out and stroking Greg's cheek. I could see Greg cracking, a grin forming at the corner of his mouth. No one could resist Roman's renditions of classic show tunes.

"Look!" Eliam started, shifting in his seat and pointing a finger at something just beyond the car. It looked like a festival was going on. Lights and people. Booths and games. A sign stood to the left. 'Henshaw Carnival: open ALL WEEKEND.' I couldn't remember ever going to a carnival. My mother had branded them as sinful. She said she wouldn't support something that forced you to give them money for cheap attractions and greasy food. It was the Devil's work in her eyes. But most things were.

"We should go check it out." Eliam said and turned to me, his eyes bright. I smiled and nodded.

"Yeah. I've always wondered what a carnival was like. You guys in?" I asked Greg and Roman.

"Hells yeah." Roman grinned, looking at me in through the mirror.

"Sure, why not?" Greg said, he smiled slightly and turned into the small parking area. There weren't many cars there and only one person was directing people.

We parked as close as we could to the front then ran to the ticket booth, feet splashing in the puddles that yesterday's rain had created. I saw Eliam pull his jacket closer to him and Roman exchange a glance at Greg.

The ticket booth was just a small table with a banner hung across it. Tickets: it read. A young girl, maybe sixteen, sat on chair behind the table. She smiled at us we walked over to her.

"Evening, lads. Tickets are two dollars per person. I assume you guys are students at the University?" We each gander her the money and she pulled out our tickets.

"No, we go to the all boys school right next to it." I answered, taking my ticket from her. She smiled a warm smile and nodded.

"My brother goes there. Doverhall, right?" She asked, I nodded and her eyes lit up. "Sweet. If you see him tell him I said hi. His name's Braden." I walked off with Roman, Eliam, and Greg after promising to say hi to Braden.

"What do you guys want to do first?" There were rides everywhere. One that looked like a cyborg octopus. One with three different tracks that looped together.

"Let's get cotton candy. I've not had cotton candy in ages." Roman suggested. There was only one cotton candy stand and it was rather close.

"Cotton candy is five bucks." Said the guy operating the huge funnel looking machine that would be distributing our cotton candy. His striped shirt was stained with grease and his goatee was soaked in what looked to be sweat. I passed on the cotton candy.

Greg shared his with Roman and they looked like friends for the first time since the gay bar. I smiled to myself and walked with Eliam to the closest coaster.

***
We spent the rest of the night going on every roller coaster there at least twice. I found out Greg got motion sickness very easily and bathrooms at gas stations aren't very good at keeping noise inside them. After he'd puked most of his stomach contents out we decided it was probably best to end the night.

Greg drove again and Roman sat beside him. Eliam rested his head on my shoulder in the back and I could hear his easy breaths and feel his curly hair tickling the underside of my jaw.  I think they might have thought I was asleep as well because they talked in hushed tones, but I could still hear them.