Paranormal Carnival

Fire burns around me, resembling the sun's heat I once felt here as a child. “Growl!” I look to my right and that warm sensation is replaced with terror. A group of men watch me walk through this place that was once filled with joy. The men are buff, hairy, and have teeth as sharp as knives. Their eyes glowed in the misty night. I speed walk further away from them in hopes of not starting trouble. They are out of sight and I return to viewing the rides. The rides were old, well older, and were barely hanging on for dear life. The hinges were rusty and the seats were dirty. “Ah!” The people scream on the rides but not for fun, but for the horror of their life slipping away. That childhood ring of screams and laughter and replaced with tears and misery. The ride is over and the people get off with confused looks on their faces. I shake my head at this notion and continue to walk. I reach the food court and watch the people eat their sweet, unhealthy food. “Help!” I look over and see a grown man from my past on the ground, reaching to the sky for mercy. Those greasy burgers and sweet funnel cakes have poisoned his body with false fun and hope. He was such an energetic young boy back then but now he was like me an adult trying to live in the past. Red flashes of light blind my view as he is taken away.

I turn the corner and run into some familiar men. These werewolf-like men have found me. Except this time they are ‘dressed’. Their rainbow hair and puffy suits. Their eyes glow with ‘hate and misery’ as they squeeze their red noses. Grown men who's pain I now feel as an adult. “Hey!” The child grabs one of the mens wigs and his nose. They run from him and he chases them. These men aren’t young like they used to be. I shake my head in a disagreeing motion. I look towards The House of Mirrors and smirk. They say most carnivals are filled with magic. Well, now is the time to find out if its true. I walk into the tent and I am greeted by a ton of mirrors. Each reflecting me as different sizes and shapes. I roll my eyes at this play until something catches my eye. It is a reflection of me as a child. I looked so young and innocent. I place my hand on the glass and feel a breeze hit my back. It was slowly pushing me into the mirror until a bright light consumed me.

I awake refreshed and almost new. I look towards the sky, and the sun is shining. The mellow darkness is gone. I look at the carnival in front of me and it looks ‘fun’. I run over to The Little Dipper and stand in line. The line was long but my patience was rebuilt and unshattered. I hum a joyful tune while waiting. I reach the Dipper and enter the cart. The cart is sturdy and young. I strap into the cart and wait for the ride to start. The employee presses the button and I am off. The wind is blowing through my hair, something I didn’t care about, and I am screaming my lungs off. My stomach doesn’t feel nauseous, it feels strong and bold. The ride ends and all I want is more. I continue to ride every ride with satisfaction. Now, that the thrill has ended, I was hungry. I head over to the food court. I pay for funnel cake with money from my mother and devour it whole. The sweet powder fills my mouth and it makes me shiver with happiness. I then decided to have a burger. It went down my system with ease. There was no heartburn or the worry of me gaining weight. I could eat what I wanted and enjoy it with glee. Once done, I head to the game booths to play. I approach the booth with balls and cans. The cans are stacked as a pyramid and three balls are laid before me. To think back then I never knew the trick to this game. I smile at the man and throw the first ball. “Miss!” he mentions. I ignore him and my anger does not flare up. My patience was key then. The last ball is thrown and it hits the cans. I win a huge bear. During this time, I feel all is won and I am truly happy today. I am out of money, but I am not sad and crying because I need it to live. No, not back then, back then was only fun. I make it home and see my mother is cooking dinner. She comes out of the kitchen looking tired, but back then I thought that was her ‘normal’ look. She smiles at me and I smile back. I show her my bear and she takes it in her arms. She hugs it with love and returns it to me. I squeeze it again and sit at the dinner table.

“Learn to enjoy your childhood while you can. Soon all that young energy will turn mellow and every little thing you love will turn old and rusty. That childhood mind will eventually grow up and your adult mind will make every little thing come to life. So enjoy it Dear because soon your playful energy will turn into serious energy.” she explains. I look at her wide eyes, not knowing what she meant then. A flash of light blinds me and I am back in the rooms of mirrors, looking at my adult self. Now my mother's explanation makes sense. As a child my old carnival was fun and misery did not exist. Though as time begins to change so does the environment of our childhood. As we age from child to adult, our favorite place ages too. It becomes old and rusty, but that can be said for us humans as well. We no longer have the energy of young children but the poison of adulthood. Those easy times are hard now and money rules our lives. “Paranormal!” That’s right, we come back to our past to remember the good times of who we used to be...but just like our childhood, our past environments of fun are ‘paranormal’ to us now. They are myths of fiction that no longer exist in our present lives. 

I leave this place, taking a glimpse at the old sign. “Paranormal Carnival”. As I leave this place, I finally understand the name now and will never forget it.