The Dare
'From up the mountain you can see
A place where happiness ought to be;
Yet the once beloved sea of light
Has vanished for the people's fright.
Neither laughter nor music you will hear,
But fear the howling of the dangers near.
Yelps of delight are present no more,
Since screams fight the past's terror.
You must seek the answers in a maze of stars
And let her guide you with the gift of farce,
Thus we can finally welcome you to Mars.'
The rain has stopped, but one can still smell its traces in the night’s looming air. The boy is confident in having solved their riddle. In fact, he anticipated a far more complicated one and was relieved when they presented his dare. The abandoned fare popped in his head the moment he heard the first stance; and so he stands now on top of the adjoining hill, looking down on the desolate remainders of an area that once brought joy to the people of his town. Faded have the bright lights of the various booths, attractions and carousels, which time has turned to shadows of their former prime.
As he enters the amusement park through its rusty gate, he is greeted by the ruins of the past; and if he had not known the former beauty of the fare, finding his set destination would have proven to be a hustle. Fortunately, the boy knows exactly where he is headed, and the luminous glimmer that it oozes out confirms his suspicion. Thus, he stands in front of the fortune teller’s tent, ominously the sole source of light in the fare, ready to enter and embrace the final act of his endeavor.
[To be continued]
Geschichte vom August: Two Soldiers at Sunset
Geschichte vom April: A Cautious Rendezvous