The Devil In Disguise

CHAPTER 3: A Figure

Each and every ride was off — all of them except for the carousel. All music had stopped, all lights were off, all people were gone — except for me. The carnival was illuminated by the pink-blue sky and its wispy clouds, looking just like the candy floss those children were eating just a few minutes ago.

With shaky legs, I stepped off of the horse and stumbled off the carousel, turning in a three-sixty degree circle, gaping at the eerie emptiness of the carnival.

What. The. Fuck. Was. Happening?

My heart was beating so wildly it felt like a bird, trapped in a cage, frantically trying to escape, its efforts futile. My knees were so shaky I felt like they wouldn't be able to take my weight if I stayed standing much longer.

"Mum?" I called out, but though my voice sounded like a hoarse whisper, it cut through the deafening silence like a knife.

"Dad?"

No reply.

My breath caught in my throat and my anxiety level boosted to a million. I felt like I was going to throw up.

Suddenly, the carousel's music turned back on and it's lights started flashing. I spun, my eyes wide and my stance alert, adrenaline pumping through my body.

"It's like you disappear,
Where'd you go?"

I stilled at the accuracy of those lyrics, small tremors shooting through my body like electric shocks.

Spinning, I ran.

I ran around the entire carnival, searching for anyone — searching for my parents —but it was like I was running in circles.

At one point, I was so terrified I decided to just run for the exit. I knew where it was, and I had to escape — but try as I might, I just ended up in the exact same place, next to the carousel.

My insides were a mess and my emotions were getting the better of me. I couldn't think straight — the last time I was this scared, he was there.

My ears tuned back in to the carousel music and I breathed in and breathed out, telling myself it — this — wasn't real. But it didn't work. My anxiety stuck to me, refusing to let go.

"But you've already bought a ticket
And there's no turning back now!
Round and round like a horse on a carousel ..."

My head snapped to the carousel as I sensed movement — and my heart caught in my chest when I laid my eyes on it.

Not it. Him.

Standing there, his back to me, casually leaning on the horse I had previously occupied, his hand lighting a cigarette, his suit and tie flawless. A figure of beauty, a figure of surrealism, a figure of horror, a figment of my imagination.

But was he just an image my mind conjured? He looked so real ...

I didn't let myself scream. Or move. Or breathe. I was frozen.

I remembered, distantly, what my therapist had told me.

"Confront your fears. Don't let them get the better of you!"

Shitty advice, I had thought back then. But maybe she was onto something.

Slowly but surely, my feet unfroze. I breathed in a deep breath in silence and, focusing on the figure, took one step forward, and another, and another, towards him. My mind told me to run, run away, turn back, what was I doing?! But I shoved it down and kept my fears at bay.

Quietly, I stepped back onto the carousel. He puffed out a cloud of smoke, oblivious to me at that moment, looking at the morning sky with a twinkle of grim amusement in his stormy blue eyes.

Before I knew it, I was behind him.

I tried so fucking hard not to run away. Or to scream for help. So, so, hard. I stayed there, barely breathing, silent, telling myself that I was only imagining the smell of his unique cologne.

In the blink of an eye, before I could even say a word, he spun, his gaze now fixed on me. I fought myself, not backing away, not letting the masses of fear I felt show in my eyes. I just looked at him with a steady gaze.

He dropped his cigarette by the horse and with a thud, he stepped on it, his immaculate, polished shoe squishing it like a bug. I stopped myself from jumping, but felt my heart skip a beat.

His face split into a slow grin, his pearly white teeth bared in such a wicked smile that he looked like a shark with his prey. My heart felt like a hummingbird that ingested five kilograms of sugar — it was beating unbearably fast and I was getting light-headed.

His eyes darkened as they bored down into mine. His smoky breath fanned my face and I took a shuddering breath. How easily he could shove a knife into my chest. How easily he could wrap his fingers around my neck and decide to either strangle it or snap it.

"Not just yet, darling," his velvet voice suddenly pierced through the silence and my eyes widened as the carousel started spinning again. I gasped as his figure vanished like a puff of his smoke but had no time to investigate as the carousel's speed was increasing faster than it was supposed to. I grabbed the rod and swung myself back onto my horse as the carousel whizzed round, my eyes squeezed shut and my hands once again holding tight.

A/N:

Goddamn, are you pissing your pants? I sure am!

 It's been happening for a while. This is not a joke, help, pls -

Okay, I shall shut the front door now. It's getting real cold here.

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--deainlustris