Stories of Things That Never Happened

Misfortune

August 3, 1956

Everywhere, newspapers, television sets, and radios blew up with these terrifying headlines: "fifteen missing from county fair." Thirteen of the fifteen were children, the other two older workers. Their pictures and names covered the remaining part of the next page. This killer had crossed all lines – age, gender, race. Everyone was a target, and when those headlines were released two days after the incident, all knew it could be them. No one felt safe, and that was the worst of it. They lost the illusion under which we all live.

No one knew how. No one had seen anything. But it was a county fair with hundreds of enclosed games and rides and horror shows and mystics, so it was easily possible that each of the fifteen had walked straight into a trap.

Two days earlier...

It was seven o'clock and Sammy and his older brother Jake had ridden almost every ride in the fair. They usually didn't get to go, because the tickets costed so much. But this year, their dad had gotten a small raise and their mom had taken another shift, and this was their reward. Jake was fascinated with the rides – the spins and drops kept his head spinning. As they walked by the magicians, the mind readers, and the freak shows Sammy was drawn to them just as Jake was to the rides.

"Can't we go in there?" he said, pointing at a little booth that read "enter if you dare – take a seat on the magic chair."

"No way," said Jake. "It's probably just a crazy old man that makes up a bunch of stuff and makes you pay for it. Let's go ride something. We only have eight tickets left anyway."

At first, Sammy was sad, but then he figured he would just go anyway. He waited until they were on their last ride.

"Jake, Jake," he said tugging at his sleeve. "I don't feel good. I think I'll just stay here. I'll go use my ticket on that ball toss right there, okay?"

"I guess so," he replied and handed over the sacred ticket. As soon as Jake was lost in the line, Sammy ran as fast as he could all the way back to the little b ooth. There was an elaborate rug hung up as a curtain, hanging open in the light summer breeze. In the middle, taking up most of the room was the big green chair with a purple sheet draped over it. And behind that was another curtain, this one closed. Sammy jumped up on the big chair and waited. He swung his feet back and forth, hardly aware of the world outside. After about a minute, he stood on his tip toes and read the sign again. "enter if you dare – take a seat on the magic chair – two tickets to see your fate." Sammy pulled out his one ticket and gazed sadly at it.

"Hello there, young sir," said a deep, animated voice behind him. Sammy turned around to look at the tall, mustached man behind him.

"Oh, sorry. I – I only have one ticket."

"For you, young man, one ticket is plenty." The man snatched the ticket and threw it behind the curtain.

Sammy sat back in the chair, and the man placed his fingers on his skull.

"Somewhere far, far away... soon you will be... far... away from all you know..."

Sammy was confused. "Far away? What does that mean?"

"Well, if you had another ticket, I'd take you back there," said the man. "And I'd show you."

Sammy gazed at the edge of the curtain as it fluttered. His face turned downward.

"You know what, I'll let you back there, but you've got to do something for me, okay? Here's a few pennies, go buy me a kettle corn across the way."

Sammy ran and stood anxiously in line. Then, he started to hear something.

"Sammy! Sammy! Where are you, kid? Where are you?"