Ron could've sworn the scent belonged to some good ass popcorn but they ended up standing in front of a stall with an awning striped in red-white and 'Best Butterscotch' written on a white board with a yellow curly font.
He wasn't disappointed about it... he just really wanted popcorn. Now he actually regretted not heading for the theatre because he was granted to get some there. Carl was walking next to him touching Rons hand with his fingertips ever so slightly with every time it dangled back and forth in the air and crossed with Ron's who had his arms rather stiff by his sides.
The grey pavement was free from other people and it was only the two of them occupying it as they crested it towards the stall with the delicious scent that let the salvia leak into Ron's mouth.
The stall itself was abandoned from the person who ran it, but the food was still there, presented on a flat white plate on the front and stocked in giant cookie jars in the back. They could just go around and grab anything without having the trouble of asking someone first. Much to Ron's liking.
Carl implied for him to sit into one of the red cocktail stool and Ron did. "Want anything from the back?" he asked.
Ron pulled his face into a brooding look and inspected the cookie jars. "Yeah, open the second" he said, pointing at the only jar filled to the very top with golden-brown coloured goods.
"Sure thing" Carl smiled at him then bridged over to the other side of the stall and turned his back towards Ron as he worked the cookie jar open. Ron absentmindedly watched the muscles under Carl's shirt that shifted and moved every time he made a movement with his arm. It didn't take him long for his mind to drift away to the bad things that happened. The gate wasn't locked anymore, yet they couldn't escape either because of the black matter which would probably eat them away like all the trees and bushes and Alexandria. Hell, he didn't even know for sure if that would happen but from the looks of it and what happened to the piece of demon of his pants, it seemed like the thing was not to be played with.
"What if we're stuck here forever?" He muttered, more to himself than anyone in particular but Carl had heard it and looked over his shoulder for a brief second before he focused back on the jar "I'll figure something out."
Though his voice sounded so soft and reassuring, it didn't do the job of convincing Ron that they weren't doomed withal. "What if you don't, though? What if things get worse than out there? You mentioned him. You think he's here? If so, what isn't here? How can we be sure there's not another load of monsters just waiting for us to step out alone to lay their filthy hands on us?"
"Ron," Carl said in a silvery voice, his hands stopped working and he turned to face him "Don't worry, I said I get you back and I will. Alright?"
Ron pouted, plastering his hands flat on the table with his palms facing downwards. He let his gaze fall from Carl's back and onto his knuckles "I don't know..."
Carl paused, looked at the boy then opened the jar and groped handfuls of the candy out and waded over to the table to slump next to Ron. "I actually have plan already" he said, emptying the content in his hands in front of Ron "Everything is going to be fine, i know it. You remember how the place came to life? Sophia had to just fix the wires. I think all we have to do is cut them. Will you calm down now having that info?"
"Okay, i guess... calming down now, sorry" Ron said, looking downcast, smiling as Carl touched his thigh affectionately. "Actually now that you say it i feel stupid this didn't occur to me sooner how easy shutting down this place is going to be." he chuckled "Maybe we should do it now"
Carl gestured towards the pile of golden marbles on the shiny red counter. "Times not running from us, relax. You said you're hungry"
Ron's eyebrows knit "But... wouldn't it be better to have it all off us now instead of waiting?"
"Candy will disappear when funfair dies, all will. Enjoy last bits of it" Carl said, turning away from Ron and plopping one marble-formed sweet onto his tongue. Paying no mind to Ron's following words.
...
The warmly sweet taste coated his tongue so hefty that it got his cravings for water showing up soon, and so he scanned the stall for anything to drink till he spotted a jug with a flower template drawn on it. Ron stood up and walked over to get it and upon closer inspection he noticed that it weren't actually flowers but a Ferris wheel with pastel coloured pods. He peeked inside. A red something filled to the middle, and whatever it was, Ron didn't trust it but decided to still his thirst with it and filled it into two red cups then walked back to his seat next to Carl and placed one cup in front of him.
"Think that's safe?" He asked, already drizzling the juice into his mouth and the cherry taste didn't really help the already sweet tang in his mouth, effectively worsening it but killing away the dryness in one bit nonetheless and that's all that mattered to Ron.
Carl looked amused "You tell me" He inspected Ron's reaction to it before he took a sip himself, and from the looks of it the sweetness gave his brain a shock.
"It's poison!" Ron squealed all of sudden, causing Carl to flinch and spill some of the juice onto his pants, he cut his eye at him. "Really?"
"No, just messing with you" Ron chuckled, he felt hyper from all the sugar, his body basically screamed at him to move around and instructed all his muscles to twitch like crazy. He practically sat in energy. He wasn't hungry, but he also wasn't really full either. It was just the belly ache from all the junk that got him to stop stuffing his mouth with the contents of the other jars. They ate a ridiculous amount, half the candy of the second jar and tons of cookies from the others and their teeth stung from the overload of sugar deep into their gums.
"Wanna go on rollercoaster?" Carl asked, putting the cup away.
Ron faltered, panic curdled within him "I don't know... still have enough from last time"
"Just kidding" Carl laughed for a brief second until he was stopped as something rang it's way up to his throat and at first thought, Ron suspected that he choked on the candy but after clapping him on the back didn't help, he noticed that Carl had spit blood all over the table.
"Christ, what is that?! Are you okay?" Ron's voice was tight from worry that gnawed upon him and turned their funny moment into something dark.
"I'm fine..." Carl croaked, dragging his sleeve across his mouth and leaving a red smudge on there "Just still haven't taken my pills, and also... I think he's here."
"What?-" It took a moment until Ron realised what he meant with that and when it finally clicked his breath hitched "Shit. What're we gonna do?" He leaned over, reaching out with his hand to hold Carl's face in it. He looked terribly pale with multiple red dots marking his face of the illness he carried.
"We stay alert, we'll talk with Sophia, ask her about wires." He pressed his cheek into Ron's palm and smiled weakly "Like I said, don't worry, everything'll settle"
"Okay okay... I try. Let's go there right now. After I take a piss real quick, can you wait here?" Ron asked, already standing up from the stool ready to abandon the stall filled with butterscotch candy and pastries.
Carl just nodded, supporting his head on the arm he had angled on the table. "Be quick."
...
There was probably a restroom somewhere close but Ron decided to just head for the closest place where he could have some time for himself and so he disappeared between two stalls cornered behind the bumper cars attraction. He zipped down his pants and began pouring away his jedi fountain. Through the gritty fence in front of him he could make out the Ferris wheel and though no one was attending it, the pods were driving up in a clockwise circle. Ron couldn't deny that it looked beautiful, but oleander was beautiful too yet highly poisonous when eaten. Just looking at it made got his piss flowing quicker from the adrenaline he remembered when he was on it.
He almost finished when he felt another hand fold around his dick. He jumped, eyes flying wide open and as he jerked his head to the other side where he met a single green eye.
"Hey."
Ron couldn't bring out a word, the fear clogged his throat and got him freezing in place. Nightmare-Carl had returned to finish what he couldn't back in the woods. At least that's what the intimate touch indicated to him.
"Scared Blondie? Why didn't you show up in woods? Have you not heard my messages i left in your head?" To his surprise he pulled his hand to himself and Ron took the opportunity to pull the zip up and back away a couple steps.
"I don't know what you're talking about" Ron fought off, eyes downcast.
"Of course not..." Carl muttered, his hand lunged up and he started poking his index finger into the blood-pearl which popped open and smeared blood unceremoniously over his cheek. A smirk stretched his lips taut and he sauntered over to Ron "Just make sure next time you actually appear if you want those pills for your friend" he dragged the bloody finger over Ron's cheek and disappeared without a transition, just with another blink of an eye and he was gone.