Scream Park

One thing about Maflia, most of our scary rooms and game booths are inspired by submission ideas from locals following our Facebook account.

The owners of these bright ideas are invited to build the room from the ground up. How were we supposed to know that 3 in 10 people in this town are psychotic? You know what they say. It only takes 1 person to ruin it for the rest of us.

Especially for Priscilla, who was a victim of the Endless Loop

I wait in the parking lot, a distance from the entrance for my best friend and boyfriend to show up. We were all supposed to meet here straight from work.

I keep calling them but none of them hit up their phones. I wait in the car for an hour enjoying my heater and listening to the music and fun from inside the theme park.

I would have left to go back home an hour ago but I was still debating whether to go to the palace without them anyway. I mean this place is only here 2 weeks in a year. Some years, they don't show up. Do I really want to miss that because I was shy.

I master up the courage to go out into the cold and towards the entrance of the park. My cell phone, wallet and headphones in hand.

I pay the entrance fee. I personally think R250 entrance is a rip off. Especially if the food and games aren't free. Sure parking is free and there's a concert happening and there's rides included but still.

First thing first. Get something to eat. I feel I will feel less awkward if I have some inside snacks in my hand.

After buying some popcorn I ride the single rider Ferris Wheel. This place gets me.

From the top I can see the entire park. I see some interesting rides I want to go on next. I can see the game booths with interesting prizes. I can see another ride I can go on alone. I can see my boyfriend. Finally!

I get off the ride and head to to the spot I spotted him. I was glad to finally catch him.

He's back is turned towards me. I tap his shoulder and call out his name.

"Babe?" I say to him

He turns towards me. Shocked to see me, he covers his lips and hides a person behind him.

"Llyod?" I ask for an explanation.

"Hey. We've been looking everywhere for you. We've been so worried," my boyfriend tells me.

I try to get a look at the other woman, but she has hidden her face well.

"So, you thought I would be some random girls' throat," I ask. My voice is getting a bit higher.

I don't like that people are passing by starring at us fighting. I would very much like the attention not in me. But the music of the park is muting our entire argument so at least they don't know what we are saying .

"I'm sorry. I know it looks wrong. She said she would allow me to use her power bank if I kissed her," He says.

"And you agreed? You know what? I don't care. Have a nice life and enjoy the rest of the night," I say, breaking up with him.

I walk away cutting the argument short. My night is ruined and I just want to go home. Eat ice cream with my bestie.

As I walk, he follows behind me. He keeps calling out to me, saying sorry and trying to explain his point of view.

I throw my popcorn on him in anger.

"Give me space," I beg embarrassing him in the process but he doesn't budge.

Getting away from seems hard, so I try to hide. I walk into the first booth. I see.

It's like a life-size fort. Instead of cardboard, it is made of a thin sheathe of wood. The height is double mine. It could not be more than 3 rooms. 'The Wooden Loop is what the mini house is called.

On the outside it seems to be made out of brown. It looks like a giant fort, but for its size, I think it may have 2 rooms max. I walk inside of it.

I seem to have lost Llyod off my track.

Inside is so different from the outside. The walls and floors are painted with bright neon colours. There are little openings on each side, even on the walls and doors. They are no windows, just doors.

"Priscilla" I hear my name being called and I enter through a random other door.

The next room has the same dimensions and doors as the first but then the walls are painted in a polka dot fashion. I keep moving forward, squeezing through the doors. I take off my jacket off in the next room, which had striped walls. It's been making it hard to squeeze through the room. Next is the floral tiled room, animal print room then back to plain. The animal print room has different wall prints on each wall. Zebra, cheetah, dalmatians, tiger, snake and what looks like chicken skin.

The rooms are dimly lit. There is also nothing else in the rooms. It just walls.

The feeling of claustrophobia starts creeping.

Is this a fort or a fortress. This place was very interesting to see but I had my fun now. It's time for ice cream.

I trace back my steps. Going through all the rooms in reverse. Walking straight back into the animal print room, floral tiled-, stripes-, polka dots- and finally the plain room. Picking up my jacket I left in the stripes room.

In the plain room, I can't seem to find the exit. The big door I walked through has disappeared. There is no signal in my phone either.

I try to move leaving my jacket behind. This place is not that big, I will find ultimately find the exit. I keep moving straight passing the rooms in the same order. When I head to the next plain room, I am greeted by the sight of my jacket.

How am I moving forward but seeming to get back to the room I started in. This is so cool and a little scary.

I start moving up. The place from outside did not look like it will be more than a single floor. I am surprised to be in the polka dot room. I keep climbing up. 4 rooms up from the polka dot room and I am back to my jacket in the plain room.

I peep my head through all the doors in the room, no matter the door, I am always greeted by polka dots.

I hear Llyod call out for me.

"Llyod. I am in here," I scream out in a panic.

I walk towards his voice, squeezing through the doors, climbing, going straight, falling down, turning left. The closer I get to his voice, the more tighter the rooms feel.

He keeps calling out to me. His voice getting quieter the more deep I walk into the fort. I stop walking when I don't hear him call out to me.

I think I walked through 15 doors and each plain room had my jacket. The next room, no matter what direction I take, follows the same pattern. Plain, polka dots, stripes, white floral tiles and animal print.

I want to get out. I have to get out!

I press my ear against the wall. I can hear muffled music through it. I listen in on the other wall surfaces. They are quiet.

I bang my feet against the walls. I know it is made of ply wood but they feel as strong as brick. I make a dent in the wall and with time, effort and injured feet, I make a hole. The size of half my fist. Through it, I can see the park lights.

I shout for help. But people only walk passed me. I keep shouting for help but it is all in vain.

I peep my head through the door to see the other side of the wall I just broke. I was expecting to see the hole that maybe looks into a different angle of the park. The polka dot wall is smooth and sealed. There is no sign of tampering or damage

I just watch people pass by. They are living their best lives and I start to regret mine.

I lived much of my life in a box. Under people's shadow. Seeking validation in others. I gave Llyod everything. I went to places outside my comfort zone to please him.

I think to give up for now. I'm tired. I'm in pain.

The park reaches closing time and I watch people leave. The rides go off and the lights in the park turn off.

I sleep on the floor for the night.

I wake up to some banging vibration happening below me. It seems like someone is trying to get to me.

"Hello? Help!!!" I say. I help break down the wall until we make a hole. After that, my kicks don't seem to weaken the wall at all.

"Can you hear me? Help me," the voice says.

"Are you Rescue? Are you trapped too?" I ask.

"Are you Rescue?" I ask again

"No. I'm stuck too," he says disappointed.

We take a minute to catch our breathes.

"At least we are here together," I say to myself.