Short story
I was at the carnival just about to get a balloon when I saw two people whispering to each other behind a trailer. Their conversation seemed important but secretive, which got me really interested for some reason.
One of them looked like he could be working at the ghost train because of what he was wearing. Dressed in all black and holding a clown mask in his other hand. One of them took a look around them and left the scene. Then the other one stood around until his phone rang for him to leave too. I stood there in the line staring at a blank spot until the person behind me tapped me on the shoulder to move.
I bought a balloon and went on the Ferris wheel. As I got to the top, I saw the pair again, they were now by one of the gaming trailers and there was a third person with them. The new one kept rummaging his bag, the guy with the mask was fidgeting all around the place and the last one was further away from the others having a phone call.
The wheel started going down and I saw the same trio by the balloon stand. I got off the ride and started walking around the carnival. My balloon was dragged around by the wind and I did my best to hold on to it. It’s like the balloon was picturing my nervousness. Walking past the rollercoaster I saw the trio again but with a fourth member.
It was getting late and I was more scared of the random people I kept seeing everywhere than I was interested in them. I walked in a quick pace to my bike so I could go home. Nothing had even happened, but I felt in my gut that something was wrong. As I was biking the balloon kept slowing me down and in a while the knot I’d made untied and it started floating off. I shoved my bike to the side of the road and tried to catch the string but for nothing. It was gone forever.
The morning after the news were full off of stories about a shooting at the carnival. No one knew who the felons were, but I think I do. And with that knowledge I would just want to float away in the air just like my balloon did the night before.