I sat down in my living room with a warm cup of coffee. To say I was exhausted was an understatement. I felt like I couldn't even move anymore.
It was Saturday evening. I could feel the stress seeping in. My boss praised me and my co-workers adored me, the only problem was that my body kept complaining. I was tired. So very, very, tired.
I needed something to distract me, to take my mind off work. Tomorrow was my day off. I wanted to do something. But unfortunately Celeste and Hazel were back in California, Malcolm left the country for yet another business meeting, and Sophia had to work tomorrow. Which only left one possible person.
My phone buzzed next to me. I picked it up and stared at the screen.
You have one new message
From : Danny
Ah, speak of the devil.
Hey, you free tomorrow?
My prayers have been answered!
Yep. Why? - Hazel
There's this awesome new carnival in town. Wanna go? -Danny
Sure. -Hazel.
Cool. I'll pick you up at five. And don't fall asleep this time. ;) -Danny
Or what? - Hazel
Or I'll dump a pail of cold water on your head. We clear? - Danny
Transparently - Hazel.
I set my phone back down and took a sip of my coffee when I realized....
Shit! Coffee has caffeine! I'll never fall asleep now. Way to go Hazel. I am an idiot.
I attempted to spit the coffee back out but failed miserably. I started coughing uncontrollably and Sophia came running down the stairs with a concerned expression on her face.
She was already in her pajamas and her hair was tied in a messy ponytail.
I held my hand up as if to say,
Give me a minute. I almost died there.
She shook her head and sat next to me. "You okay?" She said.
"Yeah. Fine. Just tired. I feel like I can't function properly anymore. I forgot that coffee has caffeine. "
I shook my head in disbelief and hugged my knees.
"You work too hard. Take a break sometimes. I know its hard because Harley and Celeste aren't here anymore and I'm always busy but still, you need to take some time for yourself once in a while."
I nodded gratefully and I made a mental promise to myself. I would not think of work tomorrow. Tomorrow was my day off.
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"Do my eyes decieve me? Or is Hazel Armada actually being punctual for once?" Danny exclaimed dramatically the moment he opened the door and saw me standing there, ready to go.
"Shut up" I said playfully. I slept in really late today, like until 2pm or something. Sophia was right, I needed to rest. But rest didn't always mean sleeping. Rest sometimes simply meant taking a break from something. And that's exactly what I planned to do.
The drive to the carnival was pleasant. Danny kept making jokes at the expense of my punctuality but I ignored him. It was really hard because more than once I considered stabbing him with my eyeliner pencil but I managed to refrain myself from doing so.
I'm gonna have fun.
I told myself. And I did.
The carnival was flooded with people by the time we got there. Danny and I zigzagged through the people in order to get where we wanted to go.
We rode the tornado first and I screamed my lungs out. I loved the excitement and the thrill you'd feel when the ride started spinning. I loved carnivals.
I felt dizzy and nauseous once we got off but I loved it. Call me crazy, I absolutely loved these rides.
"Let's go on that one next" Danny said.
I gave him a puzzled expression and he replied by pointing to the enourmous roller coaster that would surely end my life. It was huge. Gigantic. I've never ridden on one of those before.
"Yeah....I'll pass." I gulped. Where had all my confidence gone?
"Scared?" Danny teased.
"Who me? Pffft, no."
"Then let's go!"
"I'm just. . . I'll just watch . . er, um I mean. . . "
"Hahaha, cone on fraidey cat. Were going next."
This was not gonna end well.
As the guy started strapping me in I found myself inspecting every inch of the ride.
Are there any screws loose? Is that supposed to look like that? Okay, I seriously needed to stop watching 'decoding the danger' on national geographic.
How did the guy strap me in?
The seatbelt looked like it would never come off.
"Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times."
Like I need to be told.
"Sit tight and enjoy the ride."
I whimpered. I could do this, my stomach would hold. I love roller coasters.
This isn't a roller coaster
my subconscious told me.
This is a metal monster. And you are going to die.
Gee, thanks a lot subconscious.
"This is gonna be epic." Danny said next to me. He looked like a little boy in Christmas morning. Oh, how I wanted to slap that goofy grin off his face.
But I couldn't move.
Oh my God I'm paralyzed.
I couldn't move my legs or my neck. There was this weird pillow type thing preventing my neck from moving. My hair tickled my nose. I felt confined.
The roller coaster started moving. I was holding on so hard my knuckles were turning white. Danny on the other hand looked completely at ease.
Suddenly I could hear the wheels turning. The machine started up and the roller coaster began it's journey. It started ascending, very very slowly. Then it got to the top. I could see a little valley type thing below.
Oh my gosh I hope I survive.
ZOOM! The roller coaster went full speed ahead. A scream was torn from my mouth. Screaming wasn't a side affect of fear anymore. I needed to scream.
It let out all the nausea, all the uneasiness, all the uncertainty. It felt great. I started to loosen my grip a little. I was thankful for the uncomfortable neck gear, it saved my neck from snapping into half.
It saved me from whiplash.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" I managed a quick peek at my right and saw Danny's eyes bugging out as he held on for dear life.
Since I couldn't move, I did a mental victory dance.
Take that Danny!
When the ride ended, I felt great. I almost wanted to go again. Almost.
Danny, on the other hand was as pale as snow. And I spared no effort in teasing him.
Ah, payback time.
"Danny, would you like a corndog?"
"My stomach got left behind on the roller coaster."
"Oh, that's too bad. I guess I'll have to yours then won't I? I said in the most innocent voice I could muster.
"Hazel....." He started glaring.
"Mmmmm, this is delicious."
I looked at Danny's face and I couldn't help bursting into fits of laughter. His eyes were practically bugging out of their sockets and his fists were clenched at his sides.
I knew how much he loved carnival food. I laughed evilly inside my head.
I turned my attention back to my corndog. Suddenly the guilt started seeping in.
I turned around to apologize but Danny was nowhere to be found. Where was he? It was already dark out. And I've never been here before.
He didn't ditch me, did he?
"Hey!" I looked to my left and saw Danny approaching me with a cheerful expression. It was almost too cheerful.
Oh Danny, what have you got in store for me?
"Great news. I got us tickets to this super awesome ride. Let's go! I know this one's your favorite."
I could imagine him mentally smirking.
What was he planning?
Even though I was 100% sure this was some sort of prank, I followed him.
We stopped in front of my worst nightmare. The haunted house.
I hated this place. I despised it. Haunted houses are soooo not my thing. There was no way I was going in there.
Danny gave the tickets to the guy in charge and I took a step backwards. Then another. Then another.
Hey, maybe I can actually get awa-
"Oh Hazel?"
Crap.
I froze in place. Danny started advancing , a wicked grin plastered on his face.
I wanted to bolt, but I knew my heels wouldn't allow me to do so.
"Come on" Danny said whilst linking his arm through mine.
"We wouldn't want to miss put on the fun now would we?"
Fun? He called that house of doom fun?
As soon as we stepped into the house I knew I was done for.
Goodbye world. It was nice knowing you.
An eerie laugh echoed through the halls. I gripped Danny's hand so tightly I might've cut off his circulation. But I didn't care.
A giant spider suddenly jumped at me and even though it was fake I screamed my lungs out.
Danny simply laughed.
I turned to glare at him but I accidentally ran straight into a fake spiderweb.
Ew! Ew! Major ew!
I let go of Danny's hand to remove the cotton balls and fuzz out of my hair. When I reacher for Danny's hand again, I came up with nothing. Frantically, I turned in a full circle.
I looked behind me and saw a wannabe Count Dracula running in my direction. I made a run for it.
Damn heels!
Now how was I supposed to run for my life?
Count Dracula started advancing and I did the only thing that came to mind, I hid in a closet-like thing.
The door shut and and I started breathing heavily.
Wait a minute, why were there bandages everywhere?
I looked to my right and saw a mummy. It waved at me and I screamed like the pathetic little girl that I was.
Goodbye dignity.
I pushed the door open and ran for my life.
I stopped at a long corridor. I wasn't sure where to go.
Danny when I find you I am gonna tie you to a stake and burn you to death. Then I'm gonna dance around the fire and sing happy days are here again.
I closed my eyes for a minute and tried to slow my heart down.
Breathe, breathe.
I opened my eyes and saw a figure at the end of the hallway. The figure started advancing and I started fast-walking down the corridor.
I froze in my tracks when I saw that it was a dead end.
I am in trouble.
And to make matters worse, the lights started flickering.
The figure kept advancing. It stretched it's arms out and started making zombie noises.
"Ughhhhh , ughhhh"
I gulped.
Dear God please help me get out of this one alive.
The figure was getting closer. I looked around for weapons. Umbrellas? Nope.
Badminton rackets? Nope.
Spit wads? Nada.
The figure was just a foot away, I was cornered. I was doomed.
I started panicking. I was shaking uncontrollably and I could feel beads of sweat roll down the sides of my head.
When the figure was half a foot away I did the first thing that came to mind.
I kneed him where it hurts the most.
I screamed rather loudly and was about to run like a wild woman when I heard a familiar voice grunt in pain.
Oh no...
I looked down and the saw the figure writhing in pain on the floor.
"Geez Hazel have you been studying kung fu?"
Danny?
"Oh my God, Danny?"
He didn't answer. He was too busy writhing in pain.
"I did not mean to do that." I stated.
"I bet." He said.
I bent down on the ground next to him and brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
"I'm really sorry Danny."
"Don't....don't worry about it.
I felt really bad. But, it was just an act of self-defense. So technically, I wasn't at fault. Danny was the one to blame.
I looked at his right side and saw that his handkerchief had fallen out of his pocket. I reached over his body to pick it up. I felt Danny stiffen. What was the big deal? Then I realized that we were in a very compromising position.
An evil laugh filled the halls and I was startled. I lost my balance and fell, right on top of Danny.
That is not what I meant to do.
I had almost forgotten we were in a haunted house.
Oof!
I tried to get up but I slipped and fell on top of Danny again.
"Hazel, have you ever considered going on a diet?" Danny grumbled beneath me.
Diet!? I was NOT heavy or fat!
"Shut up!" I demanded.
He actually had the nerve to laugh.
After I picked myself up and dusted off the dust off my jeans, I glanced at Danny who was scrolling through his phone.
When he noticed me staring he smirked. "Like what you see?"
"Actually, I can't see anything its so damn dark" I snapped even though I could see.
"Yeah let's get out of here."
On our way to the exit we passed by two zombie brides, one werewolf, and a headless monster. We even had to walk through this sticky icky goo and even though it didn't stick to my heels, it was pretty gross.
The minute I stepped out of the haunted house it was almost like I could hear the angels from heaven singing "hallelujah".
"Were alive! " I stated dramatically while throwing my hands up into the air.
"No thanks to you" Danny said at my right.
"Would you shut up? I said I was sorry. What'd you want me to do? Fall on my knees and beg? No siree. My dignity shall not be thrown away like that."
"You didn't seem to care much about your dignity while you were in that haunted house" He replied with an amused expression.
"Well, I was caught off guard. That's all."
"Yeah keep telling yourself that. Where to next? "
I glanced at my wristwatch. It was 8:30.
"Let's head home. That's enough spooky carnival stuff for me. "
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The ride home was far from quiet. Danny and I kept bickering about the most random things. Like what I wore to the 1st grade Halloween party, what was his favorite color in third grade, and so on. It wasn't malicious bickering or anything but it kept me amused.
Danny would make a witty insult and I'd have to come up with a brilliant comeback if I wanted to win the argument.
We arrived at my house sooner than I expected. The phrase 'time flies when you're having fun' crossed my mind.
I said goodbye to Danny then I watched him as he drove off into the night.
Author's note: hey guys! I'll probably be updating every 2-3 days from now on since were diving a bit deeper into the story and I want to take the time to write down what happens in the following chapters. Thanks so much for your support :)
Don't forget to vote, comment, follow, and share :)
Xoxo,
Avery