Tide stared across in wonder at the fairground. Last year, he had been stuck in the cabin being sick and had missed out on the whole affair. Ryan had kindly brought him back some cotton candy.
Tide hadn’t imagined it would be this big and busy considering that Lakeville was such a small town. It turned out, however, that all the neighbouring townsfolk across this part of the state liked to come in for the fair as well.
There was a huge Ferris wheel set up with a view of the entire town on one side and the woods on the other. There were a few roller coasters that Tide guessed no power on this Earth would convince Forest to set foot on. There were also spinning teacups, a ghost train, a shooting gallery and many other fun stalls and activities.
Tide glanced sideways to see his own amazement reflected in the eyes of the juniors.
“What do you want to check out first?” Tide asked, nudging Forest gently in the side.
“Y-you want to hang out with us?” Forest looked surprised. “Wouldn’t you rather be with the other seniors?”
“I’m a chaperone, remember,” Tide grinned. “I’m just doing my job.”
“Oh, right,” Forest chewed his lip and looked almost disappointed. Tide opened his mouth to tell the other boy it had been a joke when Cindy squealed. “They have donkeys!”
Sure enough, in a hay bale strewn corner of the fairground was a farm animal petting area. They strolled towards it and paid to enter through a squeaky iron gate.
“They smell so bad,” Forest laughed, his face crinkling up delightedly as a particularly curious donkey licked a wide stripe up his forearm. Tide chuckled in agreement as he passed the area manager a few more dollars for a bucket of feed and vegetables.
“Here, try feeding them something other than your hoodie,” Tide grinned, passing Forest a handful of oats. The younger boy let out a shocked whoop as a donkey stuffed its nose into his palm, snuffling about in a puddle of dribble.
“Well aren’t you Mr. Popular,” Tide cackled as Forest drew back, wide eyed in disgust at his dripping hand. Tide frowned a moment later as Forest looked across at him with an expression that Tide had never seen before on the other boy’s face. There was a cheeky confidence there, almost a smirk.
“Oh no, don’t you dare Forest,” Tide growled warningly as Forest approached him, his slobbery hand out in front of him.
“You particularly care for that shirt, Tide?” Forest laughed breezily as he lurched forwards and Tide squeaked and side stepped quickly out of the way.
Eventually, Forest had managed to get a disgusting trial of slick right across Tide’s abdomen. Both boys had dissolved into laughter and Cindy had declared them bigger asses than the donkeys.
“The ghost train!” Robert declared enthusiastically a while later after they had sated themselves on fresh, hot buttered popcorn and wasted a fair amount of money at the shooting gallery without winning a damn thing.
“I’m not sure,” Forest shuffled awkwardly.
“Come on,” Cindy said encouragingly, reaching out to squeeze Forest’s shoulder. “It’s starting to rain and the train is all inside.”
Sure enough, as Tide looked up the sky had turned a very murky grey and there was a splatter of musty smelling rainwater down on his face.
“It can’t be that scary,” Cindy laughed, rolling her eyes. “Plus, I’m sure Tide will protect you, right?”
Tide smiled, trying not to look too excited at the prospect as he nodded at the blonde girl. “Of course I will,” he leaned over to Forest and whispered quietly. “Hey, we don’t have to, but I reckon if you go on at least one of the rides she won’t make you go on any more due to the rain.”
“Yeah,” Forest smiled softly, his lips were shiny still from the popcorn butter, “you’re probably right.”
The ghost train was a proper one with two people trolleys that disappeared rhythmically into a dark construction with a corrugated iron roof. It was about the size of a big barn and was decorated on the outside with large models of various creepy creatures.
Forest slipped into one the carts as Tide paid. The other boy was fidgeting nervously, trying vainly to smooth down a scratch on the shiny plastic of the seats.
“Hey, look,” Tide gestured to the cart ahead of them containing a mother and a young girl. “They can do it!”
Forest huffed a begrudging laugh, automatically shuffling slightly closer to Tide as the ominous music started up once more and their trolley lurched forwards with a clanging sound.
“So that,” Tide cleared his throat and pointed to the man dressed up as a vampire ahead of them. The man was checking each cart individually before pulling the lever to launch them into the ride. “Is Bert.”
“Bert?” Forest looked confused as he glanced over at the man and the lashings of fake blood dribbling down his chin.
“Uh huh,” Tide nodded with a serious face, “Bert has recently enjoyed a ketchup sandwich and is only in this job for the pension money.”
Forest giggled and gave Tide a playful shove. The younger boy’s eyes widened again though as Bert gave them a bored once over and tugged the lever back. The trolley disappeared into the darkness of the barn.
“Shit!” Forest squealed, as a woman caked in white face paint and wielding a large knife jumped out at them from behind a hay bale whilst shrieking.
“That’s Linda,” Tide announced as loudly as he could, trying not to flinch himself.
“L-Linda?” Forest stammered.
“Yup,” Tide cleared his throat. “She’s Bert’s wife and is mad at him for getting ketchup stains on his velvet cloak again, hence the knife. She was just in the middle of making meatloaf.”
“Shut up,” Forest hissed but he was laughing.
“No, I’m quite serious,” Forest continued. “The face is just because she has to wear factor fifty or she burns like a tomato.”
Tide’s own face split into a wide grin a moment later as he felt Forest’s small hand gently slip into his.
“Thank you,” Forest whispered, although Tide almost didn’t hear it for the fake thunder and lightning that crackled across the tracks. A giant ghost fell down from the ceiling, suspended on wire and bouncing animatedly.
Forest yelped and squeezed Tide’s hand so hard, the older boy was pretty sure he would bruise, not that he minded in the slightest.
“Morning Gary,” Tide declared at full volume, before turning and whispering into Forest’s ear, “Gary was just in the middle of changing his bed sheets.”
Forest let out a nervous snort, his grip on Tide’s hand loosening slightly.
“Ah,” Tide stated, “on the left, coming up, is Principal Brodeur at the weekends.”
Forest angled his head around the corner to see one of the ride attendants dressed as a cackling witch complete with broomstick.
“Tide!” Forest laughed but he yelled a moment later as someone in a glow in the dark zombie costume jumped out and them and perched on the front of the trolley, reaching out his gangrenous, rotting fingers towards Forest’s terrified face.
“Here is someone who ate the school canteen’s apple pie,” Tide continued, massaging small circles into Forest’s hand with his thumb. To Tide’s delight, Forest laughed again, despite his eyes still being wide and scared. “I’m warning you,” Tide continued, “that shit’s radioactive.”
The zombie cocked his head with a confused frown at the two of them before sliding down resignedly off of the cart and sauntering off to one side.
“Who’s that?” Forest shouted, jerking against Tide as two psychotic clowns appeared, dancing maniacally and brandishing large, rusty scissors.
“Just the cheerleaders on a night out,” Tide cleared his throat as Forest gaped at him before giggling at the clowns and sitting back up straight again.
“You tell me one,” Tide prompted, nudging Forest as a three guys in swamp monster costumes appeared, dragging their tentacles across the cart and rocking it whilst making haunting, moaning sounds of despair.
“Jason, Scott and Trev in Math class,” Forest snapped, looking determined.
Tide jerked his head to the younger boy in shock, his mouth open. Forest was red but there was a twitch playing on his lips.
“Holy shit!” Tide laughed ecstatically. “You’ve got a bite!”
Forest looked at him sheepishly for a moment before dissolving into giggles. The two of them were still wheezing and laughing as the doors at the end of the barn swung open and the trolley emerged back into the daylight.
Cindy and Robert were stood waiting for them on the grass. Cindy shot them a suspicious look and crossed her arms. “You know it’s not mean to be funny right?” she asked, shooting Tide a strange look.
“I enjoyed it!” Forest announced happily as he moved to clamber out of the ghost train and slipped slightly, steadying himself with a hand on Tide’s thigh. Tide bit his lip before taking a deep breath and getting up to follow Forest.
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