A promise was a promise, and Daisy “Brite” kept this one for her overly social twin sister, Yarrow, who needed to skip work. N e e d e d. Nerd. Crimson Team Crimson, Mech Warriors of Galaxy piss-off-I'm-in-a-raid! Four twenty year olds versus the world, live at Starfart Gate Games. Unicorn Rainbows!, the most colorful cotton candy business around, was actually part of a work-study program in culinary brilliance in business. Removing rebel goats from Planet Spanky was not going to get anyone a good grade.
At least Daisy was going to make the best of the weekend, checking out who was around while she skillfully turned the flossy rainbow of colors, pouring in controlled scoops of sugar crystals with practiced ease. Bright purple and Barbie pink were gathered magically as they appeared seemingly out of the air. She added chocolate eyes, a licorice black smile, and tufts of green 'cotton' for pointed ears. This creation was handed over with a bright smile to a pair of kindergarteners who were going to be on a huge sugar high. Their triumphant father smiled wickedly, explaining he was dropping them off with his ex in an hour. Selling him a pair of extra large rainbow swirled lollipops, coupled with a bag of prismatic rock candy for future 'fun' was easy with a sweet conspiring smile and just enough attention as to not give herself a reputation amongst her High School peers.
"Brite", as some of the other food vendors called Daisy (as well as her sister), was restocking the containers for edible silver glitter and flame orange sugar, pausing for a second to listen to the tinny menacing voice. ”Holy shit, seriously? When did someone decide to test out a Halloween Horror night this early in the season? This wasn’t in the vendor info package.” There wasn’t anyone to call about a new calendar of events, and she figured someone was pushing some weird scary recordings button. ”Hey, hey….It’s a glitch..” This woman gave her the most fearful, frantic vibe of Momness anyone could ever have. Before she could even think about asking to take their order, or find out if giant crows were attacking the lady, the stroller was up and over the counter, knocking vibrant tubs of “Unicorn Farts” and “Rainbow Clouds” to the floor in a clatter of dull thuds. ”Whoa-ho there, there’s no demo..”
But Daisy had to smile, because there were two kids, the eldest probably not even in the first grade yet. Reminded her of her cousins who she used to babysit, or still does when there’s a spare night of not being focused on her junior year in college. ”Hey, kids! Welcome to where the unicorn candy is….spun.” The first metal shutter was slammed shut, and the Mother was not looking well. What the hell was attacking her? ”Kids, can you help me out and pick out your favorite jar of sugar? You can share..” Nothing came out of her mouth with that much enthusiasm, or perhaps it did, and she didn’t notice because her mind was wanting to black out each and every second as she felt herself move too slowly to help the Mom on the other side of the counter, in the food village. Daisy thought she saw blood, and maybe a brief smile, a jagged scream that mercifully was cut off by the last shutter being slammed in her face. Instinctively, she bolted each shutter as her body flushed with a tremble and an ill-fitting coldness. The sound of her phone exploding with dings and vibrations under the old-fashioned cash register brought a fear to her, knowing there was a reality outside the ‘safety’ of the cotton candy and confection stand that carried pained screams and broken, wet noises. The metal shutters screeched with the sounds of talons before heavy wings were heard.
”Kids…You have been chosen to bring candy to the queens of rainbowberry-land. We must be fast but sneaky. Ever sneak out of your bedroom to see what your older sister was watching on TV downstairs? Or go into the kitchen to try to get a cookie?” Daisy was tossing a handful here and there of the sparkles and colors of sugar they chose into pre-packaged bags of animal-shaped cotton candy masterpieces. Pointed ‘unicorn horn’ twisted rainbow lollies were shoved into the hands of the kids, as though that would be enough to defend themselves if worse came to worse. ”Sure, yeah…you can wear the glitter all you want. Throw that around.” Whatever made them happy and distracted; she knew they heard the screams as well, and kids were instinctual and full of survival, weren’t they? Daisy texted away, grabbing her phone finally, wincing at a pair of gory and gruesome pictures that came through. How were there giant crocodile blood-prints across the flipped over porta potty and pressed into the muck? THIS ISN’T AI!!!!!! was below that photo and the one that had some demented, grotesque weiner-costumed guy squeezing a giant yellow mustard bottle of acid at a couple of people who had fallen down near the Flying Cup ride. Seriously, this is some fucked up AI. She texted back angrily at Mateo and he sent her another picture of a flock of giant shadow-spawn birds fighting over an arm while flying above the House o’ Handpies. Nori the blue-haired bully from High School, and now friend, was with him but had her left fingers twisted up and probably broken. ”Meet me back service rd, smoking fence. Golf cart stashed.” Emojis galore.
The service road that ran behind this row of stalls was usually traversed by a golf cart or two so supplies could be moved easily from the vendor parking lot. The chainlink fence, by a dip in the narrow dirt road, was cut a few weeks ago for the smokers that needed a break and a brew. A cart was probably just sitting there behind a big wooden sign with a red arrow, directing customers to their personal five dollars a day parking spot. Hyacinth Street was right there, clogging traffic at Wembley Road’s blinking yellow or red lights.
Children at the ready, set with all the pastel sugar-energy they could shove into their sticky faces, focused on their mission so they could see Mom again at Unicorn Court with the precious gift of tater tots (Yes, with cheese and potato chips, and sure, put all the blue glitter you want on it when you’re there)., Daisy managed to fasten the not-so-fussy baby to her, looping the oversized quilted bag across her chest as well. As she worked on securing the youngest, she knew the kids weren’t totally picking up what she was throwing down. They knew something was wrong, and once they were out that door, ”You have to be brave and cry later. You can be afraid after we get to the parking lot, and then to the street, ok?” She heard something like that in one of her sister’s games. As the lights flickered on and off as Daisy stood at the door listening, she texted her sister telling her that she loved her and everyone else. The stroller was ready, and the sugar-glitter-coated kids knew to be quiet in their terrible excitement.
Out the backdoor, Daisy got the stroller to the ground and kissed the baby on their head. She kept her head low, wishing she hadn’t glanced at a light pole that had more than a pair of stained blue jeans atop of it with stretched …parts that glistened in their unraveled disembowelment. The young lady ran with care, ‘babies on board’. Snuffling was heard once, along with a slobbered chewing. Daisy moved closer to the fenceline, overcoming the overgrowth of weeds. Once she found the break, Mateo was there, shaking his head. ”She freaked out and wouldn’t come. Mia. I couldn’t help them..” After another fright of sharp, unnatural sounds clawing around the nearby rides, the toddler was hoisted up and carried past the fence by Mateo; the stroller left behind. Soon the young man, a psych major of twenty-one on a baseball scholarship, had the golf cart running. Daisy, the baby, and the now-crying five year old were in the cart, heads down as though they could make themselves small and non-existent. The road was so close. As unreal as monsters were, and ghosts merely superstitious nonsense, Daisy looked to the Park lights that were threatening to leave everyone in the dark. Whatever swooped through the air with claws and a ghostliness about them, was real and malevolent. There was no returning, for she was no hero and only a survivor with kids who needed to safely get home.