A Fantasy Comes True

The posters had started going up during the second week in July.  By Wednesday of the third week there was hardly an available spot to put up another.  That afternoon, the caravan of trucks, collapsed rides, motor homes and trailers were pulling into Johnson's Field.

"HIGGIN'S FABULOUS CARNIVAL" the posters screamed.  "Rides for all ages.  Games to test your skill.  Food for all on the Midway.  A world famous fantasy world to test your nerve, IF YOU DARE!"

A 'world famous fantasy world to test your nerve'?  Well, Robbie and his friends from Barnard Middle School had the nerve, whatever a "fantasy world" was.

Thursday was setup day.  Some older brothers made a few bucks as temp workers.  Plus they got to check out the cool stuff; could give their younger brothers tips on what to spend their money on, and what was a waste.

Like avoid the bearded lady.  Who cared about the beard.  She was ugly by any measure.

On the other hand, the two headed blonde was a fake, but what a body!

Technically, the FABULOUS CARNIVAL opened Friday afternoon, but that was for the little kids.  Everybody else looked forward to going after supper, with the real action starting under the lights after dark.

There were the usual rides, the Ferris Wheel, the midget mouse coaster, and the flying saucer ride.  Robbie's parents insisted that he take his little brother on that one.  He picked the golden cup and saucer.  If he had to go on with the drip, at least he could have some style.

"Mom, there's Richard, Eddie and John.  Can I go on some rides with them?" Robbie asked.

Having done his duty on the ride with the drip, he caught a break.

"Hey guys," Robbie said, "I've served my time.  Let's see what's to see."

He joined up with the guys to see what could be found.  They ate their way down the Midway, stuffing themselves with any and all choices, as long as they didn't qualify as health food.

"There it is," Robbie said, pointing to the next attraction, "Fantasy World, designed to test our nerves."

It was the largest attraction on the Midway.  Fronted with the face of a clown.  Not a comical image, but a reminder of the image from "IT", the book by Stephen King, and the movie by the same name.

Robbie had always thought clowns were scary, but this one seemed particularly threatening.  It tilted out over the Midway, ready to pounce on the innocent carnival goers just trying to have a good time.  The entrance was through the clown's gaping mouth, that opened and closed as a challenge to those who wanted to enter the hidden terror beyond.

An ominous sign warned the faint of heart.

"Enter not if you fear the dark.  Enter not if you are easily lost.  Enter not if you would be tasty for the evil that waits within."

"Wow," Robbie laughed.  "All that fear for only 10 cents."

"Think you can handle it bud?" asked a sleazy looking guy leaning down from his perch next to the entrance.  "You're right.  Just 10 cents to find out if you've got it."

"Got what?" Robbie asked.

"A head on those shoulders," he replied, "or empty air between those ears.  Fantasy World is the ultimate labyrinth.  You can lose yourself in there son."

"A labyrinth?" Robbie asked.  "What the hell in a labyrinth?"

"Hah,' the sleaze bag smirked.  "Even out here in the boonies, you must have seen a corn maze."

"Sure," Robbie said, "even out here in the boonies, we've got them."

"You can lost easier in Fantasy World then in any small town maze," the barker said.  "If you get lost, well, we might not be able to find you.  Just 10 cents to give it a try."

The gang managed to scrape up forty cents, handed it over to the strange Midway barker, and headed for the flapping clown's mouth.  Timing their entrance was easy.

What they weren't ready for, was having the floor drop out below them, and the chutes that separated them.  Robbie had no idea where Richard, Eddie and John were.  For that matter, he had no idea where he was.

It wasn't completely pitch black.  There was a weak flickering light coming from some where.  In time with the flickering light, the temperature seemed to rise and fall.  First causing him to shiver, then to sweat.

As he felt his way along, Robbie realized that he was going down, first slowly, then at an accelerating rate.  That didn't make any sense, unless the Carnival had dug a big hole under Fantasy World.  A big hole in Johnson's Field?  Didn't make any sense.

Suddenly, Robbie took a step, and there wasn't anything for his foot to land on.  He tumbled over and over on a steep slide down and down.  The alternating cold and heat got worse.  Then blackness.

He had no idea how much later, but Robbie finally realized that he was regaining his consciousness.  There were voices, gradually becoming clear enough for him to make out the words.

"All of the prep," one voice said, "and all that we get is this one small one!"

"Hey," a second voice replied, "an appetizer is better then going hungry."

"What?" Robbie screamed.  "What are you talking about."

"Good," the first voice said, and now Robbie could see what was talking, although he had no idea what it was, only that it wasn't human.

"Yeah," another creature said. "Welcome to our Fantasy World.  Sorry that it won't turn out to be yours."

They both moved toward Robbie, who had now lost even his ability to scream.