The Lost Carnival of Leviosa

 The different colored lights flashed against my face as I walked hesitantly down the road. On each side of me were people screaming out of fear or excitement. Roller coasters blared by on their tracks while I tried to hold back the tears. Most people would describe coming to the county fair to be exciting or fun, but for me, it's a nightmare. 

 I’ve already tried everything to wake myself up. To think of my deepest, darkest, fear. Nothing worked. My friends left me out here. “Some friends they were.” I thought to myself. I chill at the thought of them turning the car away and speeding off while the car door is swung shut. 

 I clung to the paper wristband on my arm. “Fun Filled Carnival!” it read in big, bold, letters. Not so fun to me. I touched my pockets, looking for something that could help. Money my mom had given me was still there but my phone, that's a different story. I left it in the car so I didn’t have to worry about it falling out while on rides. I wish I didn’t. 

 40 dollars. That could work until I find a phone and call my mom. I walk quickly to a brightly colored van with hot dogs and french fries painted on the sides. There was a big window on the side so I stood and waited. A girl, not much older than me, stands on the other side of the window looking not too pleased. “What do you want.” she says lazily. “Just one of the meals.” I reply simply. She types something in and takes out a cup. “Drink?” she asked, not even looking in my direction. “Mountain Dew.” She turns and beeps the button for the soda and fills it up.

 After I got my food and paid her; I sat down at a nearby table. It was almost 11 pm and I was starting to feel the night through my thin jacket. I shivered once again and scarfed down the food. 

 “Excuse me, do you have a phone I could borrow?” I asked an older man. “No, it's back in my car.” he says with his eyebrow raised suspiciously. “Oh, okay.” I say. I’ve asked more than 10 people now and they’ve all said the same. I guess they don’t trust a teen like me with their phones. Honestly, I don’t blame them, I wouldn’t either. 

 “Hello guests! Thank you so much for coming to the carnival! Sadly, we have to close for tonight but come back tomorrow for another amazing night!” a cheerful voice sounded across the park. Oh no. I quickly spun around to face the man again but to my surprise, he was gone. Where’d he go? I looked towards the rest of the rollercoaster line but no one was there. My eyes darted to the coaster. No employee but the ride was still going, with no one in it. “What?” is all I could think. I turned my head again to look at the rest of the park. The roads that were once filled with people laughing and smiling were now bare. 

 I shook my head. This has to be a dream, there’s no way it's not. That many people can’t just disappear like that. Quickly, I start to pinch my arm or hit my head frustrated. “Come on!” I yelled, “Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” It didn’t work. I began to sweat. You can do that in dreams right? Really deep dreams? Everything began to spin. I heard nothingness as I hit the floor.

 “Why look who it is.” a joyful voice called, “Welcome.” I felt their body beside me but something was off. My eyes began to open, surrounded by bright lights that spung. “Welcome to the Lost Carnival of Leviosa!” the voice said as they saw me stir. “The what?” I managed out. I had no idea what happened or where I was. The last I remember is me falling to the floor. “Am I awake?” I asked with excitement and jumped up. When I jumped up, however, it was not my bedroom. I was at the county fair but this time, everything was broken, old, and rusted. “W-What h-happened…” I stuttered. “Like I said! You're in the Lost Carnival of Laviosa!” The voice came again but this time I could see who said it. A man in a tall black top hat, a long mustache, a long black coat, with a cane, was standing in front of me. He smiled and gave out his arm. I took it but when I did; my arm went right through. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight on end. What just happened?

 “Haha don’t you just hate when that happens?” he says. His eyes look dead but happy at the same time. How can that even be? I slowly backed away from this “man” if you could even say that. “Not so fast.” the guy says and disappears in front of my eyes. I begin to run and yell. I passed the van that once sold me hot dogs but now was a chipped paint, rusted, old car. The table I had eaten at was crumbled on the floor, now a pile of wood. “Mom!”

 My breath heavy, I ran under one of the rides. My eyes squeezed shut as I swallowed hard. Please don’t let him see me. I sucked in my breath as I sheltered under the ride more. Please… I felt a hand graze my back. “Uhagh..” I turned my head reluctantly to the weird sound. No. No. No. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sight.

 “Help! Help me!” I screamed and scrambled out from under the ride. I ran as fast as I could through the abandoned theme park. Tears were in my eyes, blurring my vision. All I could do was yell help and run as fast as I could. All I wanted was to go home and see my mom again. 

 The old park's speakers sounded again and I heard a familiar voice. “Don’t worry my friend! We can bring it home to you!” sounded the joyful voice. “Go away! Let me go home!” I yelled back, not stopping. I could hear loud footsteps coming behind me. “It’s that thing…” I thought. Running. Running. Running. My side began to burn like hell from my lack of energy. I felt so exhausted. All I want is to go home. 

 Right before I began to slow my speed, I fell. The air flew around me as my body blew out of my control. “Helpppp ahhhhh…” I screamed. Rides and bright lights blew past. Happy songs came and went without a glance. Wide smiles and laughs can be heard from inside my head. What was this? What will happen to me? Will I ever feel the ground again?

 3 years later.

 The county fair has been closed ever since that day. The mother never saw her child again. People say they’ve heard screams or loud cries for someone, but they never found who called. Police always thought of the man that ran the place to be different from anyone else in the county. He was just too kind. He always wore a suit and a large top hat complete with a long, dark, mustache. Though no one could hold anyone accountable for the child's death, the mother always saw the kind man standing in the middle of the road of the now abandoned theme park. As she would pay her respects, sometimes the man from the counter of her eye would disappear entirely.