Wild Night

People were screaming at the top of their lungs. Fear, adrenaline, and anticipation, filled every inch of their bodies. Cold sweats. Fidgeting hands. Racing hearts. All hyped feelings you can imagine, it’s all there. The menacing pulsing chug of the machine pulling them up. Expectations rising as they climb uphill, the split second of stillness as you hang up there in the air, and finally, the drop. The instant the cool wind splashes to your face, sending hairs lashing in all directions, and eyes involuntarily widening or shutting. The seconds where you’d think that a person’s body part have their own souls, because if not, why would you feel that your stomach leaped out of your body and opted to stay where you were a second ago. The moments that you would have let everything go, sitting there, bullied, because you know in your heart, you can’t do anything about it. The exhilarating fall to the calculated slope and speed, as you grip your knuckles white to the life-saving mechanisms. The deafening sound of metal sliding on metal, screeching through the sounds of the night. The even more deafening, ear-piercing shrieks of the affected individuals.  

That is where I met those three brats for the first time. Two boys. One girl. All three with smiles extending from ear to ear, glinting eyes, and expressions unique only to innocent children wishing upon a star. After watching the elated people getting off from the ride they can’t yet get into, the three, whom I heard to be Max, Theo, and Chris, animatedly talked about their plans for the evening, which mainly consisted of food hopping from stall to stall, fireworks, and what seems to be a complicated race.

Theo

“Yay! I’m gonna win.” I pumped my fist in the air. Chris said something about her winning instead but I ignored her. I’m definitely going to win. I took out my bandana and tied it on my forehead. I bet, I look cool. I recalled my route in my head. First is right on the junction, then left to the fishiest stall, then… That’s fine. I’ve got this. “Okay, let’s go! On three. ONE. TWO. THREE.”

I put my body to work.  Leaping the longest strides, stepping the fastest pace, and swerving like the slipperiest ball player. I flashed through the crowd.

Max

“Hwah, hwah, hwah.” I panted as I approached the meeting place. Oh no, I’m going to die, I’m dying, I thought dragging my feet in the last hundred meters to the goal. “Argh!” Chris was already there, beaming teasingly. I knew from the beginning that it was unlikely that I’d beat the two, but still, it sucked. My polo drenched in sweat, eyeglasses misty slipping forward occasionally, and the jacket tied to my waist jumping rhythmically with my supposedly running steps. How fast was I running? Maybe, 50 meters per 30 seconds. “Hwah, hwah, hwah.” Just a little further. It’s just a couple of meters now. Come on. You can do it.

“Hwah!” My hands to my knees when I reached the goal. Perspiration was literally dripping off my nose. I thought, that was just for cartoons. Chris was jumping excitedly to greet me. “I… I need… water.” She handed me what’s left in her mineral water. Oh my God, she already had the time to buy, drink, and rest.

“You’re second place.!” She beamed. There was no trace of struggle in her. She was inexplicably normal. Not catching of breath. No strained muscles. All bright smiles and cheering.

I laughed, or more accurately, I think it sounded more of wheezing in between hiccups. Then, it dawned on me. “What?!” That’s impossible. It took me a minute just to cover a span of 100 meters. No way. “Where’s Theo?”

She shrugged and grinned. “Dunno. I am the champion. And, you’re second.”

There’s no way, I’d beat Theo. Or maybe, this is just a miracle, I said to myself. He probably got distracted hehehe. That dimwit. I slumped on the bench, couldn’t move a muscle. The warmth from the activity radiated from my entire body. It felt really sticky, it was gross. My bandana almost got entirely soaked with perspiration.

The sky was clear black with patches of feathery clouds. Perfect for the fireworks. The lamps had been lit for a while. Its orange hue bouncing off the what’s around it. The pole it stood on. The leaves and branches. The benches. Us. We all reflected that orange light.

My watch said that it took me 17 minutes to recover. I was breathing normally again, my heartbeat’s still fast but not as compared to earlier. My knees… well, forget about my knees. I’m still young, I can manage.

17 minutes. No Theo. There’s something wrong here. “Did Theo lose his way?” Chris asked. She was worried now. “No way. How can he? This is our territory.” I replied.

After waiting for another five minutes, Chris and I agreed to look for him. It would be crazy to look for him at this event, but what can we do. I’m sure we’ll find him. We followed his supposed route from finish line to our starting line, no trace of Theo. Where did that idiot go to? The fireworks about to start. I took my glasses and wiped it off. Okay. “Let’s go through it one more time.” I said to Chris and she agreed. This time, from the point we all started.

After the second turn, I abruptly stopped. Chris walked three more steps before she realized. “I think I know where to ask.” I told her. On the left, stood a cheerful stall of lively colors of fluffy sweet cotton candy. The smell of sugar was in the air. And, the way they made the treat was enchanting. The old man wasn’t as cheerful as the place but it couldn’t do anything to Chris’ positivity.

She tried to describe Theo to the old man. Animatedly, I must add. “He’s about this big.” She extended her right arm. “This thick.” She stretched her arms on her sides. “He was wearing this style of bandana on his head.” She showed her bandana to the grumpy old person. There’s no way, he’d get Theo with that though.

I took out my wallet and showed the man the picture of us three taken just two months ago. Chris looked at me both in amazement and a little pissed. I could hear her in my thoughts, why’d you bring that out just now? I pushed the thought away.

“Do you really think I’d remember? With these lots of people, there’s no way. But, I do remember that kid.” The vendor said shockingly.

We were right and got excited. “So, mister, where is he?”

“I remembered him, but I don’t know where he is.”

Chris’ smile budged a little and recovered quickly. “Okay, so he was here.” She exclaimed.

“Yes, he was. And, I think, I know where he might have gone next.” I pointed to the very last stall in that lane. The drums echoed loudly. It felt like the insides of my chest were being hit by the thick drumsticks when we got there. I wasn’t sure if we should approach but Chris called for me. There in that stall, samurais looked elegantly scary. They stood tall and proud. Some wore demon masks. Some didn’t. But all too scary. When we got just outside the tent, one of the samurais shouted something to particularly no one. I screamed in surprise.  Chris merely jumped in silence. The samurais and some people passing by were amused.

“Come on. Show them the picture.” Chris said, and I did. They laughed even more. I looked at them warily.

At the corner of my eyes, I saw a familiar set of steps lit by the same orange lamps. Calling out to me. I know where we’re going next.

Chris nudged me on the ribs to get my attention. “They saw him.” She said.

“Scared like a chicken, that one.” One smirked.

The kinder nevertheless scary samurai pointed to the direction of the place that caught my eyes, “Runoff to somewhere there like a crazy dude when Jake shouted our slogan.”  

“Oh, it was that kid.” One said as he recognized who we were talking about.

“That was a slogan?” I couldn’t help myself. The kinder nevertheless scary samurai chuckled.

“What are you selling anyway mister?” Chris asked.

“Pancakes. Would you like one?”

“Maybe later.” I pulled Chris’ hand towards the staircase.

Chris

The staircase was made of old thick cold rectangular stones lined in perfect alignment to serve its purpose of being stepped on to get to the top. I’ve been here loads of times, but only during the day, never at night. I was dark and eerie. The orange lamps were too few to light it up properly. Both sides of the stairs were lined with tall trees that casted shadows. Its canopy darker than the sky beyond. Wind whispered through the vast woodland. The cold air that it breathed out made the hairs at the back of our neck stand up.

I was dragging up these stairs the same dude that said he thinks Theo was up there. How can he be so out of breath? He was the same way as he crossed the finish line earlier with just 50 steps of uphill. I wasn’t going to say it but he was trembling. I feel this as he clutched on my forearm. “Oh Max, you’re so out of shape.”

“Uh-hu.” That’s the only thing he could say in between his panting.

“Come on, you said Theo’s up there.”

“I hope he is.” He muttered under his breath.

We trekked that highland, glancing left and right from time to time, and it almost took us forever. I had to pull on Max to move, and sometimes pushed him from the back.

At the top, our palace stood. No longer magnificent and proud, but ghostly, quiet and closed. Max had to rest in the balcony for a while. I wasn’t that tired. “Theo!” I shouted. No answer. “Wait here, I’m going to look for him.”

“What?” I heard Max say but I was gone anyway.

No Theo. I couldn’t find him around the castle. He’s not inside either, the doors were locked. Not in the balconies. Not under it.

“Theo?” Max asked as I came back. I shook my head. Max was pre-occupied by a ball of green light.

“What does it tell you?” I asked.

“What?” He was confused. “Oh that,” he pointed, “It’s a firefly, Chris.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Where did that come from?”

As if the ball of light understood, it flew and we followed it. It took us to a foot path, and to where it went were thousands of floating beautiful green lights.  And under those green lights is a shadow.

“I knew you’d find me.” Max beamed.

Stephen

Good thing no one wants to get up here at night. I have the place to myself. Little did they know, this has an amazing spot for the fireworks display. Or so I thought.

The little girl from earlier, Chris, crashed on me. Her voice was high but she wasn’t panicking. “Aagh.” She was rubbing her nose. “Oh mister.” Kids call me mister now eh. “I’m so sorry. I need help.”

She went off then stopped like she realized something and came back to me. “Can you help me mister?”

“Aaah. I see.” She realized she can ask me for help. “What seems to be the problem, little angel?”

“My friend! Sir, my friend fell off the mountain.”

What?! My heart skipped a beat. What? Here? Where? “Okay, let’s go.”

I rolled my eyes, though I’m pretty sure they couldn’t see me. The kid, Theo, fell off to the dry canal. 3 feet high. Made of dirt. No rocks, all grassland. Mountain, I scoffed. I checked on the kid, sprained ankle. I used his bandana to immobilize it a little. And use the ice from my drink as a cold compress.

I must bring him to the first aide tent but he told us what happened. I can’t help but be amazed.

Theo

“The cotton candy was like a fluffy cloud, you see. Oh, it was like you’re floating in the sky. But, I promise, I didn’t eat yet. At the last second, I remembered we’re going to buy later so I didn’t.” Chris and Max looked at me accusingly. “Cross my heart.” I added. Stephen looked amused.

“Oh And, did you see those ghost samurai! They had these red-faced demons, and sharp katanas. They were slashing it dangerously. Threatened me, so I had to run. They chased me across the wasteland, but they won’t be able to catch me here. I was so fast. And, I know our place. They didn’t know they crossed our turf. They can’t beat me here. I run and hid in the bushes for a while, then I saw the stairway to heaven and climbed the steps I couldn’t count. They tried to chase me, you see, but they retreated after just 10 steps. Ha! I got tired a little but I made it to the castle. I hid in the palace balcony. For some reason, the guards weren’t here and no one opened the gates for me. So, I stayed hidden in that balcony for a while. After, I was sure they weren’t coming here, I was about to get back on the race but a light of the angel visited me.”

“You mean the fireflies.” Max interjected but I ignored him.

“These, one of these, called me here to see the others. But, it was so dark. They couldn’t light the ground, so I tripped and fell off the mountain. I rolled over and over again, until I reached the bottom. The sky was nearer when I opened my eyes and the angels danced up and down around me. I couldn’t get back to you because I hurt my foot. I knew, you were going to find me, anyways.”

Then, a big red circular fountain-like firework lit up the night sky for a start.