Lost And Found

The laughing characters gloomed past the sulking teen. Kelly hadn't wanted to go to the fair. As you can imagine there is a reason, memory. Or more specifically, the memory of her grandfather.

She remembered this fair when her grandpa was still alive. It seemed so happy then. Now it was just a painful reminder that her grandpa wasn't there to make it happy.

She could see it now, her grandpa was here, she imagined. Was she happy? No, but it made her feel better, in a sense. She imaged her grandpa getting silly face paints or maybe singing along to the songs that played.

She had come here with her friends but now she felt alone. The house of mirrors reflected her slightly and she sighed. Her grandpa was not there, she was alone.

"Kelly, want to do the ring toss?" Pete asked putting a ring in her hand. "No thanks." Kelly replied, her eyes glazing over the bottles. She put the ring down and sat on a nearby bench.

Pete looked at her drearily. He had always been to sheepish to say it but it seemed as though he was losing his friend. She looked slightly gaunt and miserable. Ever since her grandpa died he had somehow allowed her to languish in her own sorrow.

People walked in an impossible wave down the promenade. Debris of darts from the nearby booth littered the ground. The air was filled with the smell of fried food and popcorn and the sound of laughter.

Pete sighed and began throwing his last ring. Tammy stared at Pete. She had only came here to hang out with him but he only cared about Kelly, Kelly, Kelly. It was rude as she found that no matter how much she tried, Pete would never truly care for her as long as Kelly was in the picture.

Diablo hated how his friends could get like this. Kelly was to distracted by grief to have any fun. Pete couldn't look away from Kelly. And Tammy spent all her time trying to pull Pete out of it. Diablo had hoped to have some fun at the fair but with a group like this it was nearly impossible. 

Kelly left, she wasn't doing anyone any good here. She pondered in her thoughts, hardly aware of Pete racing after her. She tuned out the world and turned into the house of mirrors.

Pete could see her reflection in the mirrors and did his best to follow her but eventually became lost himself.

Tammy followed Pete murmuring swear words to herself. Pete was so oblivious to the fact that someone was following him that he raced ahead of her until Tammy lost him and stopped when she realized that she was lost herself.

Diablo tried to follow Tammy into the house of mirrors but was stopped. He had got all his friends a candy apple in hopes to enjoy them together but no food or drinks was allowed in the attraction.

He sighed and took a seat near the exit. He never intentionally became the glue of the group, it just happen. It also just so happened to be exhausting.

Kelly sighed and sat down in a corner. No one would find her here. This was the biggest mirror maze in the state with ten levels each with over a thousand mirrors. She sat on the seventh floor where she watched the obscured reflections of other kids rush past.

She was lost, that's the summary she came to. She didn't know which level she was on. She wasn't sure where she was on that level. All she knew was that she was lost and it felt good. If she was lost she was most likely not found. She was alone and though it was lonely it was the best she could beg for.

She had built herself a cage of loneliness. Time to throw away the key.

Pete was lost he was sure of it. He turned the corners in a worried fret hoping to see anyone. The sound of laughter echoed and boomed in his ears.

He was sure someone followed him. He turned around he was alone and he was about to give up when he saw a wisp of sticky brown hair.

Tammy swore under her breath and chewed her already sticky brown hair, a horrible habit that she had. She looked back and raced forward. She zoomed through the corridors of mirrors and came face to face with Diablo.

Diablo tapped the ground impatiently with his foot. "Forget it." He mumbled, throwing away the candy apples and entering the house of mirrors.

He walked begrudgingly past the mirrors occasionally bumping his nose and swearing. He kept his hands in his pockets and eventually came across Tammy.

"What are you doing here?" Tammy asked. "Looking for you." Diablo said "You?" Tammy twiddled her fingers. "Looking for Pete." She answered. "Pete?" Diablo asked. "Looking for Kelly." Tammy said remorsefully. "Kelly?" He asked. "How am I supposed to know?" Tammy snapped.

Kelly had given up a while ago. She heard crying though, somewhere nearby too. She ignored it as long as she could until she couldn't anymore.

She raced through the mirrors until she came across a child maybe six. The child was crying with her head down and eyes glazed over. "Are you lost?" Kelly ask. The girl nodded

Pete followed Tammy and eventually caught up with her. "Did you follow me?" He asked. He then saw Diablo and sighed. "Sorry we left you." He said hastily. "It's fine." Diablo said, he was always one quick to forgive "Where's Kelly?" Pete shrugged. "I was following her but lost track." He said.

Kelly wiped a tear away from the girl's face. She sniffled and said "My name's Lin." extending her hand. "That's a pretty name." Kelly said with a smile "What are you doing here Lin?" Lin gasped and coughed. "I was here with my older sister Helga but we got seperated.

Kelly's eyes gave off a worried glance for a second before she she returned to her smile. "Don't worry, we'll find her." Kelly smiled and helped Lin up.

She pulled her through the mirrors until she found a girl with the same red hair as Lin. When the girl saw Lin she rushed down and hugged her.

"Don't do that again." She sniffled then turned to Kelly "Thank you." Kelly sighed, she was glad Lin had found her family.

"Kelly!" Someone called from behind her. She turned around to see Pete, Tammy, and Diablo. "You ready to go?" Pete asked. Kelly looked at Lin one last time "Y-yeah,"