That Girl

She hated company. Out of the 5,000 residents of that small town, she came by herself to the carnival. To go with no one in particular is statistically wrong. She was happy though. Having no one to reprimand her of the choices of activities she will gladly indulge.

The swarm of people dragged her inside. It was to her advantage at first for the fee is quite expensive. The carnival itself wanted her there. The sweet young lady visitor of Sullen Grounds, alone in the strange crowd. She never noticed the odd opening time of the scene. Of course, nobody will care when you go there to have fun. Time is an illusion inside the carnival.

A crowd gathered to a cheerful hatter. Entertaining the audience with generic but impressive tricks. Even she was impressed. The tricks became more complicated and unexpected. She wanted more, so she stayed. She glanced to the side. Her smile vanished. Someone caught her attention. A girl her age. Staring at her. She forced a smile. The girl awkwardly returned the gesture but did not break eye contact. Until she noticed what kept the stare. It was something she's holding. The latest model of the iPhone series.

The strange girl could not helped but asked, "Hi, what do you got there?"

"What do you mean?" She held out the phone. "You mean this? You got to be joking. It's the new iPhone model. It's all over the internet."

"Oh," the girl was still puzzled. "Is that like a new brand of phone? That's interesting. I have the latest nokia 6600."

"What? You can't be serious. That's ancient." She moved away from her. She doesn't want to deal with some weird quirks. The girl didn't bother extending their severed connection. With one last glance, she left.

The night go deeper but the carnival is still packed with people. Laughing and enjoying the special night. It was in that moment that the statistical error of being alone made her feel awful. She did enjoy herself, but everyone seemed to have someone to share that joy. She heaved a deep breath and shrugged the feeling.

She passed again to a familiar street. The post, the chairs and clothes littered the ground. Burned wooden walls stood ominously before her. The scenery was fatal but it feels long ago. A scratch paper flew towards her. Old news.

CARNIVAL TRAGEDY LEADS TO 30 DEATHS

She was not able to react at first for she was in denial. The decades old newspaper can't be true. She was there. She was with those people. She remembered the girl. That girl. The girl who was brave to gamble with the present while she still lives in the past. Fear crawled through her skin, and then, she ran like hell.

She stumbled to the main street of the town. The party is over. Those assign to clean after the event were left. Lazily sweeping the remnants of their annual splendor. She approached the old lady across the street. Quite exhausted but she was eager to ask for information.

"What are you still doing in this hour? You should go home, miss Scott. Governor Scott must be worried by now!" The lady exclaimed.

"Wait! What time is it? The streets were alive when I passed by!" She hysterically said.

"Are you drunk? The street party was over four hours ago!"

"What? You're not making fun of me, aren't you?" She snorted.

"Why would I do that?" The old lady scoffed. "You know what? We should call Downcaster! You need to go home young lady."

"No! There's something I need to ask you. I accidentally passed by that alley," she pointed the dark corridor across them. "There seemed to be a tragedy happened there few years ago. During this time of the year. A fire?"

"Good heavens, young woman!" The old lady made a sign of a cross. "Just don't mind that place. Come on now, I'm taking you to Downcaster."

The Downcaster or known as the Samira manor literally waited for her return. Governor Scott hugged her tightly. The kind old lady was commended for returning the young lady at home. Apparently, she was gone for 6 hours. She went to see the carnival. The governor was worried for her safety so he ordered few of his men to fetch the young lady. Noe one saw her until she was returned to Downcaster. They were visitors in that country area. Governor Scott is the distant cousin of the Marquees, Lord Steven Samira.

She couldn't believed the story. For her, she was only gone for two hours. The rumors were true then. Time is an illusion in the carnival. Skeptical but she's outnumbered to the logical debate, she dropped the argument, but her experience was real. It really was.

The following day was their last day in the country side. Her father and the rest of the aristocrats exchanged hypocritical gestures. She curtsy to their host and went directly to the car.

"Do you know that the Sullen Grounds used to be so vast?" His father started telling the story of the land they are currently driving. "A huge piece of the Samira land was returned to the people. That's the town there. Where you went last night. I still can't believed you did find an enjoyment alone. Six hours was a very long."

"I won't have this conversation. I really will not." She stated.

"Fine, then."

Their convoy went straight into the heart of Summerville. The town was busy. People doing errands everywhere. The route they are taking passes by the alley. The same one she had not one encounter but twice.

"What exactly happened there, papa?" She curiously asked.

"Where?"

"That alley! I read an old newspaper about it. The newspaper said that a tragedy took 30 lives there. Absolutely horrible." She explained.

"I'm not really sure but I think it was one of the darkest moments of Lord Samira. It was told that a mere magician was showing affection to her niece. Now, that magician is neither noble nor rich. He was completely beneath the owner of Sullen Grounds. Before that tragedy, Downcaster had a ball. That magician boldy attended the exclusive party. He was removed from there. The people sympathized with the poor man. They watched his show, down that alley. Then the fire broke and everything went down with it, including that lowlife magician."

"What happened to the niece? Did she sneak out to watch his show? Did she die there too?" Questions filled her mind.

"No. She was forbidden to leave Downcaster. The next day, she was sent to New York, never informed about the tragedy."

The tragedy was explained. Tragic but it was already in the past. She decided to let go of the fantasy, but someone from last night was once again, standing in that alley. That girl.