Georg pulls into a car park opposite a field, a huge one. There are so many bright lights and rides, ones that go meters into the sky. You can here are the people talking, yelling, singing, screaming, laughing. It sounds like pure human joy. Except for that kid who just smashed its' head into the concrete. I cringe as the blood swallows up the now paralyzed child.
We get out the car and head over to the road to cross but Bill stops and pulls out a map from his rucksack which he so nicely let everyone put there belongings in.
"Where did you get that?" I ask taking a couple steps back to look at it.
"less asking questions and more getting to the big tent. I don't want to be late" He smiles but furrows his eyebrows, looking intently at the huge piece of paper unfolded in his hands.
"Hurry up" Georg said crossing his arms, already on the other side.
I look left and right to cross but Bill just goes for it. I don't get how people can do that. Are you asking for a death wish?
I speed walk across because running is embarrassing but crossing the road is one of my biggest fears. A weird fear, I'm aware. I guess my actually fear is getting hit by a car but crossing a road comes with it. Luckily it's a one-way street so it took like two seconds.
Tom nicely waited for us, Megan, Georg and Gustav already gone ahead but he then said "Bill you're buying me popcorn"
Bill stopped and slowly lifted his head up "I'm sorry. I'm what?" his eyes piercing daggers into Tom.
"Bill, come on. If we don't keep moving then we'll be late" I say tugging the corner of the map.
No one said anything for a while, families where just happily walking by us. Kids dropping ice creams everywhere. Kids are so fucking clumsy, it's insane.
"Hurry the fuck up, you losers!" we all look to see Megan waving us over from not too far away and then pointing at something in the air.
There is so much going on here, it takes me a couple seconds to locate where here finger is pointing. I then see a red flag flip in the wind, it's the top of a circus tent.
I walk off, leaving the two statue buys behind because I love circus's. I think there are so much fun. When I was younger me and my old best friend said that we wanted to run away and join a circus and so all the flips and tricks. We would even make and practices fake routines then preform them for our daycare teacher (We were like 5 but then shortly after she moved away).
I grab Megan's hand and we joyfully prance over to the small tent where Georg and Gus are, getting our tickets and food. They hand us these paper bracelets to put on our wrist then ask us what we want. Megan and I decided to share some popcorn and get a slushy each.
I have an extreme weakness. BLUE RASPBERRY SLUSHY'S. They are so good. Once I have one, I can't stop. Watch me walk out of this fun fair broke as hell.
The ladies behind the desk pass us are food so we pay for it as well as our tickets. Arguing starts to become louder and louder in my left ear. I tell Megan to hold my blue drink for a second then turn around too the twins yapping at each other.
"Oh for the life of two pricks. I'll pay for your popcorn!" I yell but it didn't sound too loud because of all the other noises in this place.
"Huh?" They say in unison.
"I said I'd pay for your pop corn. One for each of you. I don't want you guys to ruin the day" I roll my eyes but then take a sneaky look at this fully grown adult in a tutu and waving about a light up wand.
I would say he could be special but I now realize he's doing it to amuse his kids. Who look about my age. Well... I'm not to sure then, but hey I'm not here to judge.
Tom grows awkward then stutters "N- no it's fine. I'll pay for me and Bill".
Bill and I look at him confused but he just pushes past me and, like he said, pays for the both of him. I mouth a 'weird' to Bill but he just shrugs his shoulders and says that I should go in with the others and that'll they will find us in a second.
The show is about to start and we're all sat down with the food we want. It's not too busy in here so we managed to get seats right in front but closer to the top because none of us really like being so close. For anyone confused because I don't think I explained that well, imagine you're in a cinema/ movie theater and the screen is the bit where there performers would be and the seats at the back/ near the top would be where they are sat. I'm quite dense when it comes to describing things like that so if you don't understand then whatever it don't really matter.
The music has been turned up and the lights have dimmed. I have already sucked all the slushy sauce out so I now just have a plastic cup with ice in it which s fine because I like eating ice. I finally get a handful of popcorn because Megan sure knows how to hog something and right as I pop a piece in my mouth three clowns come out and are riding around on unicycles.
All the other people in the tent are clapping there hands together to the beat of the music but none of us are doing it because we're teenagers. We're too cool for that and I also have popcorn dust of my fingers and don't feel like giving the older man sat in front/ slightly under me some more dandruff then he's already suffering from.
Less and less people are clapping now but more clowns are shooting out the curtains on unicycles. I think there is like twelve of them now just going around and round. They've been doing it for so long that there has been more than one song played. I think the pun is that there just keeps being more but it's getting boring. The child trying to balance it's can of coke on his mum's head is entertaining me more.
They finally wheel on out but one runs back out. I sigh at the though of having to sit here for more clown time but then he gets on his ass and starts bum shuffling while blowing on a whistle. It was slightly funny but got better when his costume got caught on a little sand stone thing and ripped a whole. He bounced up worried making me believe that wasn't supposed to happen then he grabs his booty, where the whole is, and scurries out. I can tell the budget went to the rides.
A lady struts out in a very pretty leotard and and a hoop drops from the ceiling. The music is a lot more serious now so she's probably going to be doing some tricks and t's finally going to start to get interesting. She cartwheels around in a circle like what the clowns where doing then she hold onto the hoop. Gripping on so hard because you can see her knuckles fade to white. She spins her self so much that it's making me feel dizzy then her feet start to hover in the air. She gets pulled up so she's no where near the ground. The lady does a couple tricks and flips with the hoop which are impressive but then accidentally lets go and falls to the floor.
She yelps quietly and my jaw clenches while my eyes squint. I want to look away but I can't. I hear the audience make an 'ooo' sound but not in a fascinated way but in a 'ooo that must've hurt' way. Some might have enjoyed it though because it's the most interesting thing that has happened the whole time.
A middle aged man, the manager I'm guessing, walks out and helps her up. She looks okay but when she's propped up fully she lets out the loudest guff of the century.
Fucking hell.
Everyone is the crowd has mixed reaction but the main one is for sure laughter, Megan and I are cracking up. I honestly bring chaos where ever I go. Sometimes I'm here for it. Other times I'm wishing I was in my fathers situation.
Gustav in on the end of the row, next to the stairs to get down, then Georg then Tom then Bill then Megan and then lastly me. There are a couple seats empty next to me then some more stairs. Or so I though.
I was all laughing up in Megan's face, us imitating the sound of her fart. Bill laughing at us trying, I even hear a small giggle come out of Tom but he tried to play it off with a cough.
The music is still playing but nothing is happening, everybody is just talking among themselves. I snort a bit then look around to make sure no one heard but when I move my face to my left I'm met with one of the clowns from before. He's looking at me, not breaking eye contact.
How did I not notice him get here?
I am immensely creeped out, by many things. The fact he's staring into my soul, he stinks, his makeup is dripping off and mixing with his sweat, there are so many empty seats yet he chose the one right next to me. There is most definitely more things up with him but it's hard to process things when a mouth breather is so close to you.
It slowly starts to smile so I get a good look at his moldy sweetcorn teeth. His tongue tightly bitten in between. His nostrils are just growing larger in size by the second. Its big red 'nose' practically touching mine.
I just blink at the mess beyond my eyes then shake my head in disbelieve "Megan" I say quick and clear.
The clown didn't move an inch this whole time, not even at the sudden call of my friend. She leans forward into her lap to see what I'm looking at but as she does that another clown behind stinky corn does the same, as if he's miming her moves.
The clown lent forward widens its eyes so I'm pretty confidant that's what Megan did. She tugs on my hair and left out a sound of panic.
I feel like super glue has been poured all over me. The clowns suddenly shoot up onto there feet and let out a couple of manic laughs, the smaller one behind looks like a kid who has been told they're going to Disney land. He even pulled out one of those clown horns and is now honking it in Megan's direction.
My lips go flat and my eyes go wide. Megan now has a hold of my shoulders and we slowly stand up. Making me realize how tall these clowns really are even the 'smaller one' behind smelly corn is like 6ft. Meaning smelly corn is something crazy, possibly even 7ft. Towering over me like crazy. If it was an attractive teen boy I would be going crazy but of course that's not the case.
"Hey what's going on?" I hear Bill call, innocently.
"We should-" I struggle to finish my sentence.
Megan helps me out though "-go".
We take a few shuffles back. The clowns taking a few steps forward. My jaw slowly dropping. I think the clowns are taking enjoyment from are reactions because they're now... drooling like fucking dogs, the open mouth smiles on their faces turning to smirks.
"Guys what the hell is going on?" Bill says standing up abruptly then taking a loud gulp seeing the sight causing all the commotion.
He turns around and waves the other boys up. Megan and I have been standing here a while so I think they're waiting to chase us.
Great. Lovely even.
Once the other have clocked what's going on us girls swiftly turn around but because I know they're going to chase I have to do something. I wait a couple of seconds, less, to make sure Megan won't get hit. I then drop to the floor turning into a rock the do a backwards rolly polly.
The clowns trip over me making a sandwich on the floor. A moldy one, that's for sure. They grown in pain and I look over at the others you are stood at the bottom of the stairs obnoxiously waving me over. We're all completely ignoring the scene we've made. A lot have people have left because they didn't want to wait but some people have stayed, those folk are the ones looking.
Beads of sweat create on my forehead. I don't want to climb over the clowns in worry that they'll grab my ankle or something. I've watched a lot of horror movies. Enough to know I shouldn't be waiting around like this so I turn my back to the freaks, oh and the clowns too and run to the other set of stairs.
Annoyingly the music starts up again, indicating the show is starting up a again. The reason it's annoying is because I won't know if the clowns are close due to the music. Who the fuck cares though.
I make sure not to trip myself up while going down the stairs. Don't want to be one of those girls. Then run to my right to get to my friends. I grab onto whoever's shoulder and just start pushing them all and running.
After treading on many clear plastic cups and empty fry box's we make it out the humid tent. Have no idea how they made it so warm in there, I mean it's a tent.
Wow I know how to change the subject.
"Right, what the fuck happened and where the fuck do we go?" Tom said as we form a circle.
We went behind some game stands but we would easily be found because of Bill's fat backpack sticking out everywhere we go.
"I don't know, we- we were laughing about- you know, the girl then I turned to see. Whatever the hell those thing were" I say overwhelmed and panting for air.
I'm not very fit okay. So running isn't my best component.
"Well what are we going to do then?" Georg said peaking his head around the water balloon dark stall we are at. "shit they are tall" he mumbled after.
"Oh great, so they're looking for us?" Megan scoffed.
"Looks like it" Gustav said at a low tone, joining Georg.
"You're going to get us caught" Bill said pulling Georg and Gustav back by the collars of their tshirts.
"Says you with that bag" Georg teases.
Bill, Georg and Gustav turn to face me, Megan and Bill. All of us left out a huff of frustration and a slight bit of relief.
"Maybe we could stay here? It seams chill" Gustav chuckles nervously then biting the inside of his cheek.
"Nooo, that would be boring?" Bill moans.
"Okay then Bill? Huh? Where should we go then? What's your great idea?" Megan snaps.
Bills mouth opens to answer but then we all jump from the small 'help' that left Gustav's. The beads of sweat on my forehead start to turn into whole slugs when I see lanky, bony, pale fingers curl around Gustav's neck. Chipped, dirty nails puncturing wounds into his skin. Droplets of blood squeezing out.
My face turns to flames, no one hurts my brother other than ME.
NO MORE MR NICE GUY.
I grab stinky corn's hand and pull it off Gustav's neck. He runs over to Bill and all of them walk back and hit another stall.
Once I have good grip I pull his pinky finger back, so far I hear a snap. He takes his hand away from me and cups it in his other. He looks at me through his eyebrows and I AGAIN said frozen. Just before he can get me, Megan gets a big lot of my hair and yanks me away. I rub my scalp in pain but then start running with the others when I see the freak just pull his entire pinky off. I get I did some damage but why pull the whole thing off?
"Where do we go?" I cry pushing through random people.
The later it gets, the bigger the crowds gets. We are much further away from the last stand we were at but have no idea how far away stinky corn is. Let alone the 'small' one. Georg and Gustav said they saw them together before. Maybe they split up.
Megan hears 'hey ya!" by outkast playing so she stops to dance. She loves this song and actually put me on it. I got to admit, it is really good.
"Megan!" I giggle.
She grabs me and 'forces' me to join. We're really ugly dancing making people look but at least we're having fun. Bill joins in obviously because he's ice cold. Even some strangers join in. This really cute kid started twerking even. Gustav and Georg join in because they have a weakness to fomo and then Tom is last but, like always, he caved in.
"You look so stupid" He said laughing at me.
"Okay, and what about it? At least I don't look like a seizing worm" I fake grin at him but then let out a laugh.
We're all having a good time. Sometimes when you can have a good time with strangers, it makes you feel like the world is heal'd. Then other things break you from that reality. I haven't had the best luck, maybe I do carry a curse. But then it makes me cherish these moments that much more. Everyone is smiling, even with two psychos after us.
We singing loud with the music. Me and Megan at least. Dancing and making good memories like we intended to happen when we came here. I wonder if there is something I could do to get rid of this bad luck, I can't even go the park without something happening. Maybe it's Germany? Maybe it's me? Maybe something happened to me once my dad died? These things hav only been happening since then.
Well that isn't anything to be worried about right now, I just to stay in the moment. Want to know what helped me come back to reality? You do? Well it was the lovely 'oh so smol' clown staring at me while being sat nicely on a little bench, next to a mother and her baby. I feel bad that child needs to see that sight at so young but it's most likely seen scarier things with the way it's mom is looking at the father. The father who is dancing with there other child.
I hope that's there child.
The clown jumps up and I loose its face within the people. I grab Megan and Tom, who are closest to me, and tell them that we need to go. Tom looks frightened, then I see the bright makeup of a freak shine through his eyes.
We squeeze are way through the people and grab the other boys on the way.
"Okay, so where do we go now?!" Gustav said jumping around slightly, his head turning in multiple directions to find the smol clown following also looking like he's on the verge of a panic attack.
"The fun house!" Tom shouts, starting to move again.
"You're joking" I say in disbelieve.
Anywhere. Anywhere BUT there.
"No he's right it'll be a great place to hide" Bill adds on.
"A great place to hid?!" I freak "We're trying to take this clown down. Not give it a sensory overload!"
"No time" Tom says, weirdly very calmly.
I groan in frustration and we race down there as if we're running for our lives. Oh shit, we are. I forget this isn't some game sometimes. Really feels like it.
Fun house time xoxo