Carnival Nights: Carnival #2 (2 page)

M
y jeans brush against the wooden counter as I hop to the ground. “C’mon,” I holler to Cookie who is half way to napville resting on the counter of the neighboring game booth. He’s certainly not playing the role of someone who wants to keep their job.

He rises then swings his feet to the ground as the two girls approach. I’m not sure the feeling of having my breath stolen from me every time I see her will ever go away. Even when she looks like she hasn’t showered in a week, but that’s probably because I know she’s well showered. I assisted her in the five-star bathroom of our one-star motel this morning.

As I always do, I wait for her to approach me. Longing for that moment when she places her hand across my chest and plants a smooth kiss against my lips. It’s not your typical, tongue-sucking passion—it’s more than that. With just a peck, she lights up my world. And with every ounce of my being, I pray that she still feels the same after everything we’ve been through. If she doesn’t, then go ahead and give her the Oscar now.

She pulls back, her palm still pressed against my chest. Beside me, Cookie twists nervously on his feet, swaying ever so lightly as he pretends that his eyes aren’t fixated on Gina. He would never say it out loud, but he’s been in love with her since the day he met her. Everybody knows. She knows. But only I know that he’s never truly loved anyone. I was in his shoes just a few months ago and now I’m the luckiest—but also unluckiest—man in the world.

“How was your day?” I ask. It’s not an interesting conversation, but it shows her that I care.

“Wonderful,” she says and places her palm against her cheek. “I’m having the time of my life being a carnie.”

“You’re joking, right?”

She shrugs. “It’s not the worst job in the world. I could be a cashier at the Burger Shack back in Lakeview.”

I purse my lips and draw back. “Yeah, that would be a terrible fate.”

“Almost as terrible as working until midnight tonight.” She moves her palm to her forehead, caressing it. “I can already feel a migraine coming on.”

I have something to tell her, but before I do, I need Cookie and Gina to get into position. “Hey, Cookie, can you go get me and Pink a lemonade?”

“I would,” he says, “but I’m cash strapped.”

My teeth bite into my tongue in frustration that he’s going to play my wallet like that. He knows that I don’t really want a lemonade. Well, I do, but I’m not about to pay for it. I reach into my back pocket and grab my wallet, find a five dollar bill and hand it to him. “Hurry up.”

“Gina, why don’t you come with me?” Cookie asks.

“No, thanks.” Gina shakes her head. “I’m not thirsty.”

His brows furrow. “Neither. Am. I.”

By the looks of it, I’d say not only has Charlie forgotten that today is her birthday, but Gina has also forgotten about her role in the surprise. Cookie grabs Gina by the arm, “C’mon,” he says and drags her away.

“Oh,” I hear her whisper as they fade into the growing crowd across the way. Cookie turns my way once more, giving me a broad smile and a thumbs up. The game board is set for the evening.

After they’re gone, I place my hands on Charlie’s hips. “What if we don’t go back to work after break?”

“Sure, why not. It’s not like we need the money,” she says, but before I can speak, she continues, “that’s a joke, by the way.”

“Meh.” I shrug. “I think we should just take the night off.” I’m trying to get a sense if she remembers what today is. So far? I don’t think she has a clue, which is going to make the surprise I have in store for her all the better. She either’s forgotten or has just stopped caring, but I’m going to make her nineteenth birthday a night she’ll never forget. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” I say with a smile.

“Yay,” she replies, clearly lacking enthusiasm.

“You hate surprises, I remember.” I grab her hand with mine, locking us together. “But I really think you’re going to like this one.”

She shrugs, a grin cropping across her unassuming face. “I guess we’ll see.”

* * *

C
HARLIE

As we approach the House of Mirrors, I have an instant throw back Thursday—on a Monday, none the less—of the last time that I ventured inside the surreal realm of reflections. Back then, the night I knew that I loved him, things were so different. The contrast between that night and this evening is similar to the effect of the color purple splashed across a canvas of green.

I guess the big surprise is that Blue’s going to screw me, once more, against the cool glass of a fun-house. I’m not complaining, but I was expecting something greater. Like him showing me he won a million dollars on the scratch-off tickets that he’s become so fond of lately. Hell, a winning ticket worth ten dollars would light up the fire on my fun-meter.

His palm tightens against mine as he leads me into the fun-house, cold sweat seeping into the cracks of my skin. I come to the conclusion that he’s nervous about something, which instantly makes me nervous as hell.

“We’re almost there,” he says as we turn a corner.

This house is much different from the one back in Lakeview. Much more complex with twists and turns every few steps. Blue, a professional fun-house spelunker at this point, slams his body against a mirror. His hand snaps away from mine as he rubs it across his forehead, moaning in pain, and quite possibly, embarrassment. I let out a light chuckle, feeling only a sliver of remorse.

He turns to me. “That hurt a little.”

Then the power goes out. And in typical Charlie fashion, my mind instantly comes to the conclusion that an ax-wielding clown has cut the power. I fumble in the dark. “Blue?” I whisper.

He finds me, and places his hand upon my back. “Don’t worry. I got you.” He’s close, and through the heat of his body, it’s almost as if I can see him.

I hear what sounds like the flick of a lighter. With his hand on my back, he starts guiding me, carefully, slowly, around a corner. In the distance, a faint glow of fire draws me in closer. Another step around another corner and the glow lights up the mirrors around me. Every step further into the darkness is another step toward the light.

Then it hits me. A clown isn’t trying to kill me. “This is all part of your surprise, isn’t it?”

He laughs lightly. “Just keep walking.”

“I’m trying,” I say. “But if I bust my face open, I’m going to kick your ass.”

I feel his breath against my ear before he even speaks. “You have no idea how much I would enjoy that.”

He’s being either sexual or literal. I’m not sure which, but he’s been teaching me how to fight lately. Life on the road is dangerous... I’m told. His hands settle on my waist, his body pressed tight against me as he slowly guides me toward the flame.

The glow of the small fire begins to light up a face. And beneath the fire, the faint outline of a cupcake sitting beneath two candles. One candle is a ‘1’ and the other is a ‘9.’

A haunting chill runs the course of my body. Blue pulls me even tighter. Then he whispers against my ear, so gentle and so quiet that only I can hear, “Happy Birthday, Charlie Scott.”

* * *

O
NE YEAR AGO

“Happy Birthday, Charlie!” Everyone I love yells in unison. My mom and my dad, the only family I’ve ever really known. Then there’s Dylan, the only man I’ve ever loved. My best friends Summer, Tyson and Joey round out the rest. It’s a small affair, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Make a wish,” my mom says from behind me.

I don’t say it out loud, because then it’d never come true. But my wish is that I make it through my senior year without too much trouble, then head off to college to start a new life somewhere far away from the cornfields of Lakeview.

With one sweeping motion, I blow out the eighteen candles that adorn the beautiful store-bought cake. And I know it’s too late, but I make an addendum to my wish. Somehow, when I leave, I’ll be able to take everyone I care about with me.

* * *

“H
appy Birthday, Pink,” yells Gina, the one holding the cupcake.

Meanwhile, at the exact same time, Cookie yells, “Happy Birthday, Charlie.”

Even in the darkness, I can see the curiosity streak across Gina’s face. “Charlie?” she questions. “That’s your real name?”

“Yeah...” I stutter and reach to punch Cookie above the shoulder, but he steps back and I miss.

“So you changed your name... because you don’t like having a boy’s name?” She grins.

“Yeah, that’s exactly it.”

“You should blow that out before the wax drips onto the cupcake,” Cookie interjects.

“Shut up, Ricky,” I say, intentionally outing his real name in the process. “I don’t even like cupcakes.”

“At least make a wish,” Blue begs, still behind me. “You deserve it.”

At any one time, everyone wants something. I want something. I just wish I knew what I wanted. Ironic, but I guess that’s my wish. To know what I want. I close my eyes and blow both candles out in one sweep.

“Happy Birthday,” Blue repeats, this time with the hint of the next surprise. “We’ve all got the night off tonight.”

I twist to face him. “How the hell did you manage that?”

He smirks. “Bribery.”

“I don’t even want to know, do I?”

“Some things are best left unsaid,” he says with a shrug.

“So tell me, what are we going to do with a night of freedom?”

He clicks his tongue a few times, pondering. “Party.”

That sounds like a terrific idea, I think to myself. Whereas, Cookie vocalizes the same thought. “Hell, yeah,” he hollers.

Then the lights come back on. All around me are the same reflection of four misfits. Myself and the only three people that seem to matter in this new life I’ve created for myself. For better or worse, this is my family now. Even Cookie, who whisks the cupcake out of Gina’s hand and pushes it into his mouth whole.

Yep, this is my life now.

CHARLIE

I
f there’s one thing I’m sure is the same in all small towns, it’s that taxi services are practically non-existent. Left to our own devices, we find ourselves walking the dusty back roads of small town Georgia. In the interest of full disclosure, thanks to Cookie’s outburst, Gina told us bits and pieces of
her
story while we got ready for the evening in our shared motel room.

The town we currently find ourselves in is her hometown. This place doesn’t have a lot going for it, but to her, it’s home. Or at least the only home she’s ever known. She joined the carnival to get away from her abusive, but charming, ex-boyfriend Shane. She swears he’s never been physically abusive, but rather the kind of guy that plays constant emotional warfare.

Gina had run into an old friend the other night at the gas station and was told of a rave inside an abandoned warehouse out in the sticks. So, that’s where we’re heading. It’s a two mile walk from the motel and the weather is just warm enough so that we’re not freezing. But on the long, presumably drunk, walk home, I’m sure it’ll be a different story.

We’re about halfway to the rave and I can already feel the weight of my tired feet. “Can you carry me?” I ask Blue.

“Sure,” he shrugs. “It’s your birthday.”

“I wasn’t being serious.”

“I was.” He moves to the front of me and bends his knees with his back exposed to me. “Jump on.”

“Blue...”

“C’mon. You’re going to make me sad if you don’t hop on.”

No point in resisting, I guess. I shift my weight and jump on his back, slinging my arms around his shoulder for leverage. His palms rise to hold me by the hips. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cookie bending down, prompting Gina to jump on him.

Smartly, she refuses. Cookie takes a swig from his bottle of beer and bends again.

“Fine,” she sighs and jumps onto his back. He’s not prepared for her though, and his feet slip from under him. They both land where a ditch meets the gravel.

“Oww...” Cookie moans as Gina jumps to her feet.

“Oh, Ricky,” she taunts him with the name he hates so much. “It’s not that bad. Just get up.”

A beam of light shifts around a corner behind us. Blue, and by default myself, turn to face the light. One hand is removed from my hip as he shields his eyes as a car comes closer. Through the thick darkness, the car slows to a crawl.

“Oh, hey.” Gina smiles. “I know that car.”

A young, unshaven man pops his head out the window. “You guys headin’ to the rave?”

“Yeah, man,” Blue replies.

“You guys need a ride?”

I want to whisper to Blue that you shouldn’t accept rides from strangers, but I’m not sure my voice goes that low.

“My dad always told me not to get in the car with strangers.” Blue laughs. “But my dad was an idiot.”

How those words would be different if he knew the truth. I immediately want to tell him, but realize that neither of us have anything to gain if I do. But the secret weighs heavily on me, and the longer I hold it in, the less likely it is I’ll ever be able to tell him. It seems selfish that the reason I don’t tell him is that I couldn’t bear to see him so upset. “We can walk,” I whisper against Blue’s ear.

He cranes his head to whisper back. “I’m going to take care of my queen for her birthday.”

“Whatever, but if we get murdered, I’m going to kick your ass all the way to the gates of heaven,” I say, much louder than I intended. See, I’m not a good whisperer. I jump off Blue’s back, my feet plop against the gravel, and a light puff of smoke billows around me.

The man flicks his wrist and glances at his watch. “The party’s already started. I can get you there a helluva lot quicker.”

The party’s already started? It’s not even eight.

“It’s all right, guys,” Gina says and passes us. “Thanks for the ride,” she says to the driver.

“You know him?” I ask Gina as she reaches for the car door.

“Yeah.” She twists her neck to face me. “It’s my ex.”

I reach for her arm. “It’s okay, we can walk.”

“Relax,” she says as she removes my hand from her arm. “He’s not dangerous. He’s just... different. No harm in using him for a lift.”