Sasha

Being in a carnival can be one of the best sensations you can ever have.From ferris wheels to bumper cars,cotton candy to hot dogs,the carnival is a place full of joyous wonder.Get lost however and it can turn into a nightmare.

My name is John and am thirteen years old.

It all started on one saturday morning during breakfast when dad suggested that we go check out the local carnival downtown for family day.

'But honey,I thought we agreed to go to the mall today',mom blurted out.'You are aware that June needs new shoes."

'Yes daddy,me want new shoes."

June is my small sister bytheway.

"No need to worry Junybaby',said dad as he picked up my small sister from her chair.'We can still go to the mall after leaving the carnival."

I was more than excited at the prospect of visiting a real life carnival for the first time.All we ever did for family day was go to the mall so a little change of destination from the usual was more than welcome for me especially if that destination was a carnival.

After breakfast,we each went to our respective rooms and as much as I would like to go on and on about how I prepared myself for the carnival,I think I would be doing us all a favor if I just skip to the part where we actually arrive at the carnival.

Kids screaming,clowns spraying little children with water from small toy guns,crowds of people gathering to see something unusual.Seeing all this felt too surreal,as though all this was some kind of dream and I was back at home sleeping.

'Hey John!"

My father's words quickly pulled me back to reality and it was only then that I noticed that he had been holding my hands the whole time.

'Everyone keep close okay",shouted dad above the hum of the crowd and with those words,we marched on wards past the entrance hands held together.

It was during my ride at the carousel that I momentarily got split from my family.I was enjoying my time on the top of some pony when suddenly the carousel came to an abrupt stop.After about two minutes of staying in stationary motion,I decided to disembark from my ride and head back to my family.No sooner had I landed on the ground than the carousel started spinning again.Suddenly a dozen ponies were heading my way.I quickly jumped to the left barely missing one and then hastily climbed over the railing.

'Well done Jon Jon but don't you think you are too old to be riding such things",sneered a voice.

White G-Nikes,black leggings,blue over-sized sweater,blonde hair.I was pretty sure that I've never met the girl before me but then i noticed her eyes,those bright hazel eyes.

"Sasha!"

Sasha was a girl living in my neighbourhood two years older than me.We used to play together while we were in kindergarten but after that we would see each other only rarely.Jon Jon is the name she used to call me during our kindergarten days.Not only is she the most beautiful girl I've ever seen but she is also my long time crush but that's not something I would want her to know,not now and ever.

"Nice to see you to Jon Jon,what are you doing here?'

"Am actually here with my family".I couldn't believe I was talking to Sasha,the carnival IS really a place of wonder.

"Is that your family?',asked Sasha pointing behind me.

I turned and there I could see them,all three of them waving at me in unison.

"I gotta go,if you wanna find me then come to the arcade",and before I even had a chance to ask where the arcade was,Sasha had already disappeared into the dense crowd.

"Where were you?",cried my mom as she embraced me."You had us worried sick."

"Yeah John,worried sick"added June.

"I was with a friend."

"You should have said so earlier before you disappeared on us."

That's the problem with my family,they always treat me like a child.

"Actually my friend is still waiting for me,can I go now?"

"No!',snapped dad who had been quiet the whole time."You are not leaving our sight again."

Don't get me wrong now.am a very obedient kid but I couldn't allow them to order me around this day of all days,not when Sasha is involved.And just like that I made the impulsive decision of running away from my family and getting lost in the crowds.

When you get lost in a carnival,you realize that it's not such a place of wonder after all.Not only do all places look similar but the clowns are also rude.I asked one if he knew where the arcade was and he told me to'buzz off'.Another one just blasted me with his water gun so not only was I lost but also wet.I must have been walking for hours for the sun was now halfway across the sky when I spotted two kids playing by the swings.Both looked to be about ten years old so I approached the one wearing a green raincoat.

"Hey!",I called out."Do you know how to play Street Fighter 97'?".

"No",answered raincoat boy."I'm more of a Pokemon fan.Maybe talk to Deki there,he is the greatest streetfighter player I know."

"I'm sure I could beat Deki.."

From the expression raincoat boy gave me,one would have thought that I had challenged Albert Einstein to a physics contest.

"Hey Deki!Dude here claims he can beat you at streetfighter."

"Is that so."Deki was an Asian boy wearing an orange cap tilted backwards."To the arcade then."

Deki and raincoat boy started running and as much as I felt too tired to chase after them,I had no choice but to keep up.

It was after we arrived at the arcade that I saw her.

But something wasn't right.

Sasha was busy arguing and it was only after getting close to her that I finally got to see who she was arguing with.It was her boyfriend!Mark didn't live in our neighborhood but I had spotted him with Sasha a lot of times which was enough for me to learn a lot about the guy.

To summarize it all,Mark was eighteen years old and a jerk.

"I thought you couldn't come to the carnival because you were sick.",hissed Mark while holding a beer can in his hand."What then are you doing here?'

"I got well this morning",countered Sasha who seemed embarrassed of the crowd which had started to form around the two.

"Then why didn't you call me to tell me you came.And most of all,why are you hiding out here in the arcade?"

"I'm not hiding!I'm waiting for someone."

It was then that I whispered out her name.Well perhaps it was a little too loud for a whisper for Sasha suddenly looked behind and our eyes locked for a moment.

"Ooh,I see how it is."Turns out our mo-mental gaze hadn't passed unnoticed by Mark.Sasha must have said something in return but I didn't quite catch what it was.All I remember feeling at that moment was a slight breeze on my face followed by a sharp pain on my left eye and a crunching sound.No sooner had the beer can made contact with my eye than my body swooned.As my body hit the ground,I could hear Sasha screaming for help.The last words I heard before loosing consciousness were from Deki asking if I still wanted to play streetfighter.

I wake up in some hospital and the first word I utter is Sasha.

"Who's Sasha?',I turn to see dad seated on a chair beside my bed."Your mother took your sister to the washroom,They'll be back soon."

Rising up and touching my shoulder my father takes a deep sigh.

"I feel like I should punish you but I think your swollen eye is punishment enough.Rest now we'll talk later."

My head is full of so many questions like who brought me here and where is Sasha but dad's words somehow put me in some kind of hypnotic hold.Slowly by slowly,my mind drifts away to a land of laughing clowns and beer can throwing boyfriends.

It's been three weeks since our visit to the carnival and I haven't seen a sign of Sasha ever since.Frustrated by her absence I decide to visit her house one more time.Walking towards her house,I notice it's still the same as I left it,drawn curtains and overwhelming silence.

No one was home.

As I turn to leave,I notice someone trimming the house's hedge.

"Excuse me sir",I called out."Are the owners of this house still around?"

"Nope,still on vacation.Should be back by the end of this month though".

They'll be back!They are gone but they'll be back.

It's finally sunset and as I head back home with newfound hope in my heart,I imagine to myself how Sasha is going to react when I finally confess my feelings for her.I visualize her coming back home at a time like this from vacation and being surprised to see me waiting by her house.

In my mind's eye,I picture the two of us gazing at each other's eyes while our shadows cling close together against a backdrop of blazing colors.