Parade with a thrill

Thanksgiving in 2020 was for Elizabeth a turning point in her life. Fall in New York City was colorful, but cold and windy. Walking briskly towards one of the New York City pastry shops, she wondered what else she could bake and cook for the Thanksgiving Dinner. Her curls were fluttering in the wind. Warm coffee in her hands began to pour out of a cup, when she sped up. Elizabeth was now a New Yorker, living a fast life, always with a cup of coffee in her hands. She passed the grocery shop, which she wanted to enter. A few blocks further, she realized that she had forgotten to do grocery shopping. She took a sip of her sweet, vanilla coffee, and said to herself: 

-What is going on with my brain lately? I keep forgetting things. 

She turned back and went to the shop. Her freshly painted nails were tapping the cup.  

It was blowing hard, so the girl felt a slight shiver. Since morning, Elizabeth was feeling like someone was following her. 

She began to feel a little anxious, but then she thought that New York’s streets are crowded and she shouldn’t worry about that.  

After grocery shopping, she headed to her apartment in SoHo. Elizabeth loved this district of the City, for having so much to offer in fields like fashion or art. The doorman opened the door and smiled at the girl. She felt that something in this smile wasn’t right. It felt fake.  

Elizabeth began to feel anxious again. She took a deep breath while going up the stairs, toward her home. For a New York real estate, it was a very big one. Elizabeth looked at the set table, when she had laid out all the dishes. 

There were plates with various meals on them. Of course, turkey and pumpkin tart could not be missing. The lit candles created a mood and the cinnamon scent spread throughout the house. Songs of Doris Day began to play. It couldn’t have been cozier. The girl only waited for the guests.  

Around two o’clock, the doorbell rang. Elizabeth's elegantly dressed parents appeared at the doorway. 

-Mom, Dad! I’m so happy to see you! - she kissed their cheeks. 

-We’re so sorry honey for being late, there was a traffic jam - the woman said, with a posh, Upper East Side accent.  

-Oh don’t worry mom, you’re right on time – Elizabeth replied kindly. Soon after their arrival, the girl's close friend, Antony, showed up in the apartment. Antony and Elizabeth have known each other from college, more precisely, Columbia University. Antony was British, and he studied at Columbia as an International Student.

Finally, everyone sat down at the table.

- This turkey tastes delicious, darling. Well seasoned -the mother said appreciatively.

-Yes indeed, I cannot wait to try pumpkin tart - the father added.

Thanksgiving dinner was very enjoyable for everyone. However, the girl couldn't help feeling that someone was watching her all the time.  

After the dinner and dessert, Antony suggested going to The Macy’s Parade. Tall boy with blond hair and blue eyes had a crush on Elizabeth but he never admitted to that, even to himself. He was staring at the girl with love in his eyes.  

-Of course, we have already planned, that we will go - Elizabeth’s father replied. The man in the suit was clearly full because he had to unbutton it. Everyone got up from the table and started getting ready to leave.  

-Are you okay? Is something bothering you? You seem quite nervous - Antony whispered to Elizabeth. 

-Do I? Everything’s fine, don’t worry - she answered.  

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was a very big event. Since 1924, it was held in New York every year. Everyone agreed that they have to go see this year's balloons and experience the thanksgiving spirit at the parade.

Huge balloons were flowing over the more crowded than usual streets of the city. The balloons were diverse. There were turkeys, pumpkins, and even fairytale characters. People were walking in one direction to the rhythm of the songs that the orchestra was playing. Elizabeth's parents were walking side by side. The girl left Antony behind. She stared at the big turkey balloon cause it looked very funny. Some boy and his friends ran through the crowd and hit her. Elizabeth fell painfully on the ground. It made her trench coat soiled a lot.  

-What was that supposed to be? - she asked herself, disgusted and annoyed.  

When she stood up, she noticed that her parents and Antony were gone. She was trying to follow the crowd all the time but she no longer could recognize the streets of the city.  

Her throat went dry and her heart was beating faster. 

-Tony? Mom? Dad? - Frightened Elizabeth screamed through the crowd. However, the orchestra was playing so loud that the girl couldn’t hear her own scream. She had tears in her eyes. Elizabeth remembered how, in her childhood, she got lost in a mall. Now, she got lost at the parade. 

-Tony! Dad! Mom! – she didn’t stop screaming. No one heard her. It wouldn't be so scary if she knew where she was. The girl didn’t know these parts of the city. In addition, she remembered emotions from her childhood that had aroused anxiety. 

A tall, blond boy looked a lot like Tony from behind. Elizabeth stopped him, placing her hand on his shoulder. When he turned around, the girl was horrified to see that the boy had no face. 

She screamed immediately.

The boy hadn’t had eyes, mouth, anything, just skin.  Elizabeth felt that she had seen a boy without a face before. The sight of it, however, was so terrifying, that she could not bear it. She suddenly turned pale and fainted.  

A few hours later, she woke up in her own bed. Her parents and Antony were standing next to her, and they looked very worried.  

-How do you feel Lizzie? - Antony asked, concerned.  

-Lizzie? You never call me that- she replied distrustfully. 

She stared at Antony with fear in her eyes. The boy looked similar to the person she saw at the parade when she passed out.

-It is alright now. Don't be scared. - the boy said, touching Elizabeth's hand.

-Don't touch me! - the girl shouted. She felt attacked

-Antony, maybe you should go now - said the girl's father.

The boy left the apartment, offended by the girl's reaction. He was worried about her, but he couldn't understand why she treated him that way.

-You fainted sweetie – said Elizabeth's mom, stroking her head gently - You should rest. I’ll bring you some water.

Elizabeth was drinking water while thinking about the situation that happened before her passing out. She was horrified, but after a while, she thought that it was probably just a dream.

Was it though?