“What is this?” Adeline breathed, ripping her fingers through her scraggly hair nervously. But no one was around to hear her question.

The sky was darker than the deepest sea, the only source of light being the stars, which covered the expanse of the sky without the blanket of pollution. Her voice echoed through the thicket forest, which wasn’t awake with a single bird song or scatter of paws.

Adeline shuddered, fear creeping into her. She hadn’t the faintest idea how she’d gotten here. One moment, she’s being chased down the city streets by the vendor, and the next, she was hiding behind a door in an alleyway that took her here. When she had turned to go back through the door, it was gone.

But she didn’t even know where “here” was.

Adeline tugged at her stained skirt, suddenly cold. Whispers of wind swished past her, sending goosebumps up her arms.

“What do I do, what do I do?” She asked herself, feeling a familiar pang of hunger rack her body. With a shaky hand, she pulled out the BLT that she’d stolen from the angry street vendor.

She sat down on a log stump, unwrapping her sandwich, and listened. For anything—the sound of a human voice, an animal chitter, anything.

And then there it was. Music. It was that kind of cheerful music that they played at birthday parties and parades. It was coming from her left, and Adeline looked up.

As if it had appeared out of nowhere, there was a massive carnival tent sitting a good hundred feet away from her. It was striped red and white, with fairy lights strung all around. Adeline thought it was beautiful.

Drawn by curiosity, she wolfed down the rest of her sandwich and cautiously made her way toward the tent. It was pulsing with a radiant energy that should have made her eager, but instead it made her skin crawl.

But it was too unusual to ignore. She slipped through trees and around weeds noiselessly, as she had gotten so used to doing ever since the accident.

As she got close enough to the tent, Adeline froze. There was a person standing outside the entrance. It was a man, but he didn’t look normal. He was short and paunchy, with a red top hat and a black tie to compliment his suit. He was looking straight ahead, and his mouth was stuck in a white-toothed smile.

Adeline crept forward, only because of the knowledge that if she needed to, she could easily outrun the chubby man.

“Hello?” She asked in her quiet, held back tone she had perfected and used with anybody new. In the years since she’d been alone, she’d figured out it was better to be underestimated.

The man robotically turned toward her. “Greetings, Adeline Daye! Welcome to Assassin! My name is Ryle and I will be your guide to Assassin!”

What was this? Some sort of horrible prank? Adeline decided to go along. She was used to playing the girl nobody saw as a threat.

“W-what is this?” She asked, making her voice tremble and eyes go wide.

Ryle seemed to not hear her. “Welcome to Assassin, Adeline Daye! Would you like to hear the rules?”

She opened her mouth to give a reply, but Ryle cut her off before she could speak. “Number one: you may not eliminate anyone except your designated target, which you will be assigned at the start of the game. Once you eliminate your target, you are assigned their target. And so on, until there are two people left. Only then it is a free for all, and one person may be crowned Assassin.

“Number two: you must use the weapons provided. Each person will be granted a limited array of weapons that suit their skills best. You may not use any personal items or weapons to eliminate targets. However, you may use any means necessary to eliminate your target within these boundaries.”

Weapons? Eliminating targets? Was Adeline going to have to kill someone? It’s not like she hadn’t done it before—she just didn’t enjoy the lack of challenge too much.

Ryle went on. “Third and final rule: you may not leave until the game is finished. If you try to leave the tent, you will be executed automatically.” He was still smiling. “If and when you do win the game, you will be transported immediately back to your home with a sum of gold.”

Home. She could go home if she won this “game.” She smiled grimly. She would clearly have to change her approach. Game on.

“How do I know what weapons I get?” Adeline asked, crossing her arms and abandoning the innocent act.

“Each person will be granted a limited array of weapons that suit their skills best. You may not use any personal items or weapons to eliminate targets. However, you may use any means necessary—“

“Yes, yes, you already said that,” Adeline said exasperatedly. What was this man? An NPC?

“—to eliminate your target within these boundaries. You may be granted five weapons at the maximum. Our most frequently used weapons are as follows: sword, dagger, bow and arrow—“

“Shut up!” Adeline cried. “I get it!” She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache come on. This was too much, too much—

“If you like, you may choose a weapon of choice to use the entire game. Which weapon would you like to use?”

Adeline paused, contemplating. “Do you have throwing knives?”

---

Adeline pocketed her newly acquired knives, pacing her tiny tent. In a game of fifty players, each got a tent to use at their own risk.

She had no idea how she was going to go about this. She was confused and angry—so angry.

But she was bloodthirsty now. And she would stop at nothing if it meant she could return home.

Starting now, it was kill or be killed. And Adeline was in it to win.

The Ace of hearts is both admired and feared in the never ending carnivals.

Some say the place is cursed. A never ending parade of tricks and shows, with the closing act always being Ace. But a louder majority say the place is a blessing. Light amidst these enchanted realms. I agree with the curse.

When I was first brought to the carnivals, I was only seven. The ride was long, so long that the mist seemed to go on eternally. We passed every court and town until we reached the very end of the kingdom.

There, perched atop a hill, a glimmer of red and yellow lights lit up the night. It looked pretty at first. I was very wrong.

Most people come to the circus for entertainment. It’s not everywhere you can watch flying elephants and enchanted dances. And there’s certainly no other act like Ace’s out there. For that I am eternally grateful. Father thought I would enjoy the circus. He knew I was not like the folk who delighted in the unusually cruel, but he hoped I would find some sort of entertainment.

At first, I did enjoy my visit. I had a pleasant time watching the donkeys turn to humans, running around and throwing themselves out of cannons. But the lights soon dimmed, and the act everyone came for began. I wish I closed my eyes.

A young boy stepped out, hair as pink as cotton candy, eyes as red as blood. He wore a circus masters suit with gold and heart embroidery, yet he had no act in sight. I asked my father what was going to happen. I think my father didn’t know either.

The ground the boy stood on spun around, like a roulette wheel deciding an unknown fate. The boy didn’t fall or flinch, just pointed his ruby staff towards the crowd of hundreds, until it landed on a human boy.

The boy immediately attempted running. There’s no running from Ace.

Before the mortal could run, the crowd of folk and performers pushed him towards the stage, where a eager looking Ace awaited.

At the time, I thought he was picked to preform a trick. I envied the boy chosen. I pity him now. Looking back, I am mostly sure that the wheel was rigged to begin with. Out of less that a dozen mortals in the crowd it landed on a human. And it has landed on a human every time after that.

The weary boy shook his head, backing away from Ace who stalked closer.

“Rip his heart! Rip his heart! Rip his heart!” The crowd chanted. I think then my father realized what was happening. But it was to late. I saw it all.

I saw as Ace pounced on the boy, throwing him towards the ground. I saw how his hand dug deep into his flesh, pulling out a still beating heart. I watched as he ate the heart, blood staining his pearly white teeth. And then I saw Ace cry. Tears of glittery gold, like he never wanted to do it in the first place. Like a starving lion.

My father didn’t take me back there again. But now ten years later, I stand in front of the entrance, enchanted music echoing about. I will free the Ace of hearts. And then I will make him pay for taking Rollins heart, even if it’s the last thing I do.

His heart will soon be the last one stolen.

(This is heavily inspired by Star-fire taking the teen titans to that carnival and also the last few chapters in Renegades, its a book)

Apparently we weren’t acting like a team. Whatever that means.

Just because we don’t spend every waking second glued at each other’s hips doesn’t mean we hate one another. It means we like out own personal space. But the agency thinks we need to bond, become friends. Since we’re going to be spending the next 6 months together, it’s not like I’m already sharing a room with one of them or anything. I don’t know whether the minibus ride is loud or not, I put in my headphones and was listening to music. I’m pretty sure Maisie did the same, her whole thing is sound so she almost always has her headphones on. She does it because it calms her down. I do it because it gives me an excuse not to talk to people. Once we step off we are greeted by obnoxiously loud music and blinding colourful lights. I grimace at the sight. One of the agents sets out our rules, I don’t actually know their name. I don’t know any of their names no one ever tells us and it’s always a different agent. This one tells us that we will each be given £100 to spend on games and food, we should avoid talking to anyone who isn’t in the program and we have to be back at the minibus by 11:30. I check my watch and it is currently 8:17. I don’t know how I’m going to survive this.

Callum and Maisie have already walked off together, making polite conversation. Liam wanders behind them staring at his feet. Amity is still standing beside me, I know her the best because she’s my roommate. But then again we’ve only shared the same room for 3 nights. Actually I don’t even know her last name. She smiles at me, a lopsided one and it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. I walk to catch up with the others. I can hear her footsteps trailing after me. I’ve never been to a carnival before, but I got the essence of it. Rides and game stalls and ridiculously over prized food. But this is… better then I was expecting. Sure there are a bunch of screaming children running about everywhere, but they’re happy. That’s cool I guess. We take our tickets from a lady standing in a booth and head inside. “Soooooo… what do you guys wanna do first?” Callum asks. He’s wearing black jeans and a Rolling Stones shirt, I don’t know if he actually likes the band or if he’s just wearing it for the sake of it. “I wanna try one of dance machines.” Maisie says, of course the girl with the super hearing wants to find the dance machine. That’s not a bad thing just kind of obvious. “If that’s okay with you guys?” She adds. We all give mummers of agreement. It take awhile for us to find the dance machine, lucky the queue isn’t to long. It’s one of the ones where you have to challenge someone else and whoever gets more points win. Although if we did go up against Maisie I doubt any of us could win. So when she asks who wants to do it with her none of us are to eggar to volunteer. She looks between us for a few seconds, before her eyes land on Callum and she gives him her best begging smile. He caves, laughs and steps onto the other lit up floor. “You guys can find something else if you want.” Maisie says over her shoulder. “We’re gonna be a while.”

Amity and Liam walk off somewhere I follow behind them. “I’m quite hungry you guys wanna get something to eat.” Amity says her combat trousers complement the grass floor and her golden chains stick out on her black shirt. Her platinum hair is being blown about by the end and the edges stick to her forehead. “Yea I could grab some food.” Liam replies he’s got his hands shoved into the pockets of his aviator jacket and a Yankee baseball cap sits on his head, a short black ponytail stick out of the back. She turns his head and hums in surprise, “I didn’t know pizza trucks were a thing?” Of course we all immediately start walking to the pizza truck. We get one big pepperoni pizza to share but Amity takes of hers and gives it to me and Liam because she thinks it make the pizza spicy. We fall into polite conversation as we eat. Mainly about what we think we’ve actually been brought to the base for, none of us buy the ‘honing our skills bullshit’ that we’ve been told. But we can’t figure out any connections that could tie us together. Maisie has super hearing, Callum can turn invisible, Liam can glimpse into the future (he has already warned us that he can’t do it on command), Amity can change her appearance( remember that short blond hair, yea yesterday it was ginger and down to her waist) and I can talk to the dead. Also only one of can fight, Callum’s parents are in the army so he can hold his own, but the rest of us only started training a few days and we have all been knocked on your asses by the instructor more then once. We leave a few slices for Callum and Maisie and start playing some trivial fair games, throwing darts at balloons, throwing rings over bottles, throwing baseballs at cardboard cutouts of clown faces. They all seem to involve throwing if that wasn’t obvious, and not being the most athletic person to ever live I’m pretty horrific at most of them. But Liam gets us enough tickets to buy a stuffed animal at the prize booth, a giraffe to be exact. Time passed quickly, now it’s 10:52 and we only have half an hour or so left.

We decide to ride the Ferris wheel. “Where do you think Maisie and Callum have gone off to?” I ask, I’m looking out of the window and I can’t see them on the dance machine anymore. “Probably making out.” Says Liam. Amity looks startled, “but they’ve only known each other a few days!” “Nah,” says Liam using his hand to swat the air. “They both did a summer camp thing last year for kids with abilities, for the past three nights all Callum has been talking about is how happy he is that he found her again. Hasn’t Maisie told you guys that?” “She doesn’t sleep in our room.” I say Amity continues for me. “I think it’s something to do with her hearing, like she needs dead silence to sleep.” “Good” says Liam, “when they wanna get all lovey dovey in her room instead of kicking me out of mine.” He laughs. I hope he’s not suggesting that their gonna have sex or anything. If they did it would put the whole team dynamic at risk. By the time our teammates dating life has been thoroughly discussed the Ferris Wheel has come to a stop and we are all stepping off of the platform and back on to the wet grass.

A cold chill passes down my spine and arms, my breath is stolen from my throat and I can’t breath. I look around frantically for the ghost (all of those things are paranormal indications). Instead my eyes find a very concerned Amity and Liam. “You okay there Cleo?” Liam reaches out to touch my arm but I flinch away, he immediately retracts his hands and holds them up in surrender. “Got it, I’m not touching you.” “Is this a ghost thing?” Asks Amity, she’s looking around. As if she could actually see the ghosts. Her voice is muffled. I spot a figure moving behind them I push my way forward and no one reaches out to stop me. I stand in the centre of the carnival and watch as the ghost of a mother and daughter elephant pass through the stalls. Travelling elephant circus. Apparently they didn’t treat their animals very well. Good thing they don’t have them anymore. They pass in front of me, unaware to their single audience member. I don’t feel cold anymore I feel warm, I feel their love for each other. How happy they are that they can stay together even in this life. How happy they are. How peaceful. They disappear from my view and suddenly the noises of families and fun blasts through my ears and colourful lights blind me. Suddenly a hand holds out a packet of tissues towards me. I hadn’t realised that I had started crying. I take the tissues with a muttered thanks and dry my eyes. “You okay?” Asks Amity. “Yes” I actually feel better then I have in a really long time. Maybe people were right when they said love was the most powerful thing in the world. “Your eyes like glossed over, I thought you’d be possessed of something.” Liam laughs, as if possession is a funny thing. “No it’s wasn’t a poltergeist, just animal spirits, they’re generally quiet docile.” “Animal spirit?” “Pretty sure this used to be a travelling elephant circus, some of the elephants souls must have tethered to something that they still carry around.” It’s a pretty simple explanation I think but both Amity and Liam’s faces look like I’ve just spoken gibberish.

“Whatever lets just go back to the bus.” A say walking between them. “But we’ve still got like half an hour left.” Reasons Liam slightly jogging to catch up with me. I turn to face him, “okay, is there anything else you want to do.” He shakes his head, “Amity?” She’s done as well she says. “Well the lets find Callum and Maisie and go back to the bus.” It doesn’t take long to find them both, just needed to look in the most obvious make out spots. They were in the third one we checked. Behind all the food stalls. They had their arms wrapped around each other and their tongues shoved down one another throats. It was a disgusting display of attraction. They started apart very quickly once we made ourselves known. After fixing each other’s hair and Maisie tucking her tie dye shirt back into her shorts we finally started heading back to the bus.

We arrived with 17 minutes to spare. The bus ride was less awkward then it was there. Maisie and Amity launched into a conversation about the best type of coffee brand, occasionally asking for my opinion which I gave. Callum was giving Liam tips on fighting and proper stance, while Liam kept on cracking jokes and getting occupied by something else, he wasn’t listening at all. As we drove by the carnival I felt cold again, I looked out of the window to see two transparent elephants walking together through the tents and running through unaware people. “You good Cleo?” Liam had once again stopped listening to Callum and had turned to face me his arms holding on to the top of seat. “I’m fine.” “You put cinnamon in your coffee! That’s absolutely rank!” The appalled voice of Maisie rings out through the car. Immediately followed by Amity who was trying to defend her coffee making habits. Liam smiles at me before he pretends to listen to Callum again. Honestly I was kind of dreading this whole team bonding thing, I think we all were. But maybe these guys aren’t so bad. I mean sure the situation we are all in is hella shady but we can all be in a shady situation together.

It’s a happy bus ride back.

The carnival is filled with wonderful things, but sometimes their not the funnest in the world. The worst part about this specific carnival was that it had clowns in their mirror maze to encourage everyone. The person who thought of that really should have their head screwed on again.

Claire has hated mirror mazes since the first time she stepped into one. She had walked straight into a mirror almost her first few steps into the maze, so you could guess why she didn’t like them. She had also never liked clowns either. The thought of them made her shiver. Her friends, Maria and Zoey, knew these facts, they made Claire go into the mirror maze with them.

Claire kept her hands in the air in front of her, feeling for the opening between mirrored walls. Her friends insisted on her going first into the maze. A cold shiver ran up Claire’s spine as she peered at the eerie reflections of reality. She had to have been stumbling for about fifteen minutes when she noticed her friends were not behind her. “Zoey! Maria! Where are you! This isn’t funny!” Claire cautiously called out.

Claire only heard one echoing response back to her cries. “Heheheheheheh,” the twisted and dreadful laugh in ringed and crept Claire’s ears. Desperately looking for the source of fear, Claire scanned her surroundings. The only thing that could be seen in the mirrors were herself. Her heart lurched when she pieced her vision together looking into the mirror back at herself.

She shouldn’t have kept staring sometimes your reflection gets mad at you when you stare at them. Her eyes started to look to the right, but she wasn’t looking to the right. She was staring straight at her self moving in the mirror. Claire looked back at the reflection that looked like hers, but wasn’t.

She glanced to her right like her reflection. When she looked back at her reflection her reflection was normal again. She immediately looks back to her right, as when she realizes what’s in the mirror to her right she freaks out. The clown was standing there was the clown. His mask had a twisted smile. Not the kind you would see a normal still terrifying clown wear.

---

Claire had gone missing after the carnival. The little carnival game Zoey and Maria played proved to be fatal. The next morning after 2 weeks of search and rescue teams racing around the clock to find her they did. She was found drowned in the river next to the field where the carnival was sprung out 2 weeks prior.

She gave a hint of a grin before turning around, and walked purposefully into the crowd. What a little… I was taken aback by her speed and ran after her. Damnit, she was fast despite her short legs; I struggled to keep pace, unintentionally bumping into angry villagers.

“Right. So… Excuse-me sir… Oops, sorry Ma’m… so where are your parents?”

She did not even deign to look at me, her stride unaltered. But she answered nonetheless.

“Under the purple tent, on the other side of the field. Mom is telling fortunes tonight, and she doesn’t want me sticking around and scaring clients away. She says I talk too much. But I think it’s not true. If she’d only let me perform my tricks, we would have tons of people coming in, of course. But I’m not going to wait around until she makes up her mind. It would be much more fun to go on the ride, wouldn’t it? It’s so easy to get free tickets. I say that my parents work here and I look all sad and lost, and in most cases I’ll win a ride and a lollipop. My favorite flavor is raspberry. The problem is that they don’t let people under eighteen go on the carrousel on their own and they are all working. I needed you to come with me. You are old, right? Careful, there is ice-cream on your jacket.”

Overwhelmed and awe-struck by the flow of words coming from such a small person, I had not noticed that a toddler had taken advantage of his caretaker’s inattention to reach out from his stroller and apply a generous coating of melted vanilla ice-cream on my left sleeve. With a sigh I wiped it off; when I looked up again, she had disappeared.

“If you keep being so slow I will have to ask someone else.”

I jumped in fright. She was standing right beside me with the sole purpose of scaring me off, obviously. Very happy with herself for startling me, she did not wait for an answer to set off again. I mumbled some things that should probably not be said near a thirteen year-old girl, or boy for that matter, and resumed following her.

I found her strapped into an open carriage mimicking a section of a gigantic fire-breathing purple snake, furiously waving at me so that I would sit next to her. We were the last car that made up this fantastic animal, and I noticed the staff member looking in our direction to check, so it seemed, that she was indeed escorted by an adult. On the big TV screen on the wall, a forty-something blond woman wearing a purple lizard costume mechanically delivered a speech about security aboard the ride that no one really seemed to care about, her included. The girl next to me was growing restless, fighting against the straps to turn and look around expectantly.

“Hey, by the way, I’m Salim. What’s your…”

“Mathilda. Why aren’t we starting? We’ve been waiting for hours already!”

And suddenly we felt the carriage move off. Mathilda had immediately stopped making a fuss and sat there, her eyes like saucers as if she were in shock. Then, slowly, as we picked up more and more speed, a fantastic smile bloomed on her face. The extraordinary creature began twirling around at high speed, following an intricate system of rails that seemed way too delicate for that kind of heavy work, and I felt the pressure of the centrifugal force on my whole body. The increasing speed blurred my vision, and all I could see now were swirling sporadic lights passing me by, and in shadows the back the person sitting on the carriage in front of me. Rushing on the tracks, all I could hear at first were the clunks of metal and the wind in my ears, but in this noise chaos another sound stood out, a laugh so bold and unashamed, freed from anything but the thrill of the moment, rising above the earthly turmoils of the Carnival and lifting me up with it: Mathilda.

I was staring at a colorful Ferris wheel, proudly raised against the sky. Around me, a growing number of people attending the Carnival, taking turns on the bumper-cars or eating cotton-candy. There were families tearing themselves apart over which child would get to keep the giant purple teddy bear, couples awkwardly sharing toffee apples, the famous “Pommes d’Amour” as they called them, and groups of friends daring each other to go into the haunted house. I couldn’t recall ever tasting a toffee apple. They did not have those in the South. The clouds were fading away and the puddles that remained on the field’s patchy grass reflected the beautiful orange glow of the setting sun.

As darkness settled, I observed the lanterns and neon lights creating repetitive scintillating patterns. Eerily, the strangers all around turned to distorted, hypnotising silhouettes. I leaned against a metal fence, losing myself in the contemplation of an old-fashioned carousel, the kind you see on children’s books - although, here, the kids’ features were deformed by the playful dance of lights and shadows that swapped monstrous masks for angelic faces.

I was so absorbed in the revolutions of the white and golden petrified horses that the high-pitched authoritative voice startled me.

“Are you on your own?”

I turned around to find a set of big black eyes staring at me with deadly seriousness. I was so stupefied I could not utter a word.

“Hello. Will you come with me?”

The eyebrows above those eyes sunk in frustration at me and the stupor that I could not seem to shake.

“Come. With me. I have two tickets.”

The voice belonged to what appeared to be a 13-year-old girl. As I came to my senses, I noticed that she wore dark clothes on a Peter Pan-like figure, and her black hair was tucked under a rust-colored wooly hat. She was staring intently at me, waiting for me to say something. Her spiteful gaze was so unsettling that I wondered if she could even blink.

“So?”

She seemed determined. I had no choice but to say yes. I had nothing to lose.

“Well, okay, why not.”

You’re making your way through the carnival. It’s so colourful and fun. There is music playing everywhere, and sounds of laughter enter you ears. Your friends all ditched you to go to a concert, but you didn’t want your ticket to go to waste, so you came alone. It’s pitch black at this time of night, so the bright lights of the carnival give off an odd yet intriguing sensation. For a while, you wander aimlessly, wishing your friends were there, and quickly realize that you can only have fun if you stop sulking.

All do the sudden, you see a guy. At first you only noticed him because of his funny clown hat, but now you slowly walk closer. He seemed familiar, in a comforting sort of way. This boy had light brown waves, running just past his hat. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans with a plain black t-shirt. You walk towards the Cotton Candy stand, trying to get ahead of it, so you can see his face. You casually turn around, as you lean on the side of the stand. His eyes were big, brown and beautiful. You usually preferred to see green or blue eyes on a guy, but these eyes were amazing. You kept staring in amazement at his face, not sure what to do. He glanced over to you. You held eye contact for a while. This moment feels so surreal. Who is this guy?

Out of nowhere, the boy started to walk up to you. You could feel butterflies in your stomach, and your heart was beating especially fast. You’d never felt this nervous about a boy before. He stopped in front of you, staring deeper into your eyes with each passing second. “Hi” He said to you casually. “I’m Riley, I’m new in town.” You smiled softly for a second. “Oh hi, I’m Mia, it’s a pleasure to meet you Riley,” you blurt out. He scratched the back of his neck for a seconds, before turning his attention back to you. “I noticed you staring at me, I was worried you mistook me for someone,” He explains. “Oh no. I just was curious since I’ve never met you before,” You chuckle with embarrassment. He chuckled with you. “Yeah, well, everyone seems to be pretty curious. The new kid in town always has people looking over their shoulder.” “I’m sorry,” you say quickly. “What are you apologizing for?” “I don’t want to be a bother,” You say. He chuckled softly and then smiles. “Hey Mia, I don’t really have any friends. Would you want to hang out for a bit? Maybe show me around the carnival?” He asks you sweetly. “Sure,” you smile. “I’d love to.” The the two of you stride off into the night, as the bright lights of the carnival glow.

Camelot breathes out, blue smoke swirling into the air and into the face of a rather annoyed looking Key. Camelot leans in, eyes hazy.

“I’d worship you,”

He knew these were dangerous words by the way Keys eyes flashed. If dying by the other boys hands is the way he goes then he’s okay with that. Camelot pauses again to take a drag, lazily blowing the smoke from his nose

“Like the god you are.”

Key snatches the blunt from his mouth and throws it to the ground of their ride, smothering the rest of its life with the bottom of his shoe. Camelot looks at it, slightly amused.

“Start by quitting. If you go cold turkey from this moment forward maybe I’ll reward you.”

Camelot shifts his golden eyes to Keys, a devilish smile forming on his lips. To him, this was just a game.

“As you wish”

The caress wheel halts again, leaving them at the top. They can see the carnival from their vantage point, the entire cornfield glowing gold and red.

For someone who just got called a god (and rather liked it), Key was feeling the lesser of the pair. Thanks to his date, the pod they were in was filled with a bluish smoke. It made Camelot seem otherworldly. He’s always been more vibrant, his craving for pleasure driving him to live fast and reckless.

Key looks away as Camelot turns back from looking outside. He lays his head in Keys lap, reaching up to trace a pale finger across his jaw.

“After this let’s go get cotton candy, my lord”

Key huffs and shoves Camelot off his lap.

Maybe it’s possible they both worship each other.

Every three years, Carnival De Novis came to the village.

Monsterous horses, far larger than any taxidermied elephant exhibited at the museum, appeared over the horizon. Carts and carriages would shadow them, painted in the richest plum and deepest burgundy, their windows black, lace curtains drawn tight.

The mysterious convoy would trundle quietly through the streets, the old wagon wheels churning up the sandy roads. Flakes of straw sprayed out in glittering confetti, showering the head and shoulders of the expectant crowd in gold.

The path to the carnival was always easy to find.

After dusk, when the moon glazed the town in a sheen of crushed pearls and the autumnal sea air nipped at children’s noses, Carnival De Novis opened its ivy-wound gates.

All who desired it were welcome; the only rule was: Have fun.

And fun they had...

Hung in swooping festoons, the glow of hundreds of sea-blue lanterns lit up the star-shaped boundary of the carnival.

Flavourful foods and floral incense called those enticingly to the first point of the Carnival star.

Sweet carts offered arrays of colourful sugared mice and peppermint bullseyes, the round hard-boiled sweets a hypnotising swirl of black and white.

Hog roasts sizzled and spat over large open fires, orange flames biting the succulent browning skin as the carcass spun, rotating on a spit. Heat and sticky grease fell heavy in the air, chasing away the chill from bones and filling the gnawing stomachs of all.

Stalls laden with jars of aromatic spices and sprigs of green herbs offered a refreshing respite and a cleansing of the palate—although most items on display were not cut for eating.

The second point of the Carnival gave way to a plethora of games.

Black barrels hemmed and bolted with gold were positioned into a halo. Eager villagers queued behind, watching as those in front dunked their heads into the inky water.

Hands tied, gaping mouths sucked at the bobbing fruit like hungry fish, the curse of the water numbing their skin and turning their lips blue. Most came away empty-handed—or mouthed—as players were careful not to damage the apple’s flawless skin or risk the chance of expelling the fleshy white poison beneath.

Those brave enough to pull an apple from the water and not die received a prize of a goose-down quilt.

Hidden shyly in the shadow of the bobbing barrels, seven tall sticks propped up seven identical human skulls. A tin bucket rested before the macabre display, jammed brim full with palm-sized balls ready to throw.

Gnarled bushes twisted the labyrinth of the third point of Carnival De Novis. Pathways of dark lead far into the unknown...

Footsteps pounded behind unseen...

It was a place impossible to miss... yet so easy to forget.

The fourth point hosted a collection of performed entertainment.

Figures stood on stages of stone. Masks of animal skulls disguised their faces, their bodies shrouded in cloaks of black.

Red fire... White doves...

And long, snaking vines...

Would burst magically from their fingertips.

Blood dripped from a coffin-shaped box. Closed padlocks glinting greedily from either end, its companion, a rusted saw, waited readily for the cut flesh of its next victim.

At the fifth and final point of the star, the villagers could try their hands at axe throwing, sword fighting, and trying their luck in the ring. Cut and bruises and sores weeping blood were the only prizes to be won...

As well as walking away with your life.

Every three years, Carnival De Novis came to visit. Will you be there next time it's in town?

Welcome to the Harven Happy Home Of travelling entertainers. Also known as the most amazing group of circus performers to ever come about this land. And at the head of it all is Mr. Rowen Jemrick Harven. No one knows exactly where this man and his travelling partners arose from but man is the world grateful they did and today is the day I get to see one of there shows. Today the famous triple Hs make a stop in good, old, Rizzer Lake. A small remote town that was once considered a buzzing city in its golden days. Now a days it looks like it could use a bit of cheering up. It’s not much but it’s my home. For one day this dreary dull place will get the joy of large shiny rides, carnival games, and the big tent where at the end of the night the real show begins. They say they never put on the same show twice. And every show supposedly gets better each time. Can’t wait to see it for myself. On the first day of this carnival I of course purchase my all day pass. I am a law biding citizen after all. also I’m not getting on the rides if I actually got in without a pass. Speaking of the rides I’m gonna try all of them today. All seventeen of them. Well actually there are nineteen rides but the extra two are for small children so. Anyway off to enjoy the rides Started with the carousal a classic, with many more rides to come. Of course breaking for snacks along the way. A healthy happy human needs snacks to stay strong. Ending off this journey of adrenaline machines as the sun starts going down. It’s a bit to early for the show to begin but you know what there is time for. That’s right carnival games. Specifically the ring toss game next to the “Dragon Wagon” one of the kiddie rides. They have these huge plushes on stand outside including this huge fluffy golden retriever one with a green bow around it’s neck. The moment It I knew she had to be mine. Walking up to the stand I flash the man my pass which allows me 1 free attempt. The man passes me the rings and explains that off I want one of the big prizes I have to land all three rings on the back three bottles from the throwing line. Never have been good at things like this but this is important. Okay me do this for Rainbow, you know she wants to go with you. If you don’t she will remain on this shelf forever. Or until they pack up but still you need to do this for her. Ring one… Ring two… and… YEEEAAAAS woohoo I did it “Thank you good sir I will be taking my prize now” The worker in the booth, thier name tag says Paul, took her off the wooden pedestal she was displayed on passed her over and bid me a good day and I’m off to wait for the final event for such an amazing. About half an hour left I can’t wait. Well honestly I can I have to plus the line to get a seat in the tent but hey that’s what expressions are for. Taking my seat not to far from the front row I sit back and watch as the show begins. “Welcome folks welcome one and all to Harven’s Happy Home!” A man in the middle of the ring shouts. “Welcome welcome, I am your ring master tonight. You all should know my name, if not you can call me Rowen,” so this is the man of the hour huh. “and tonight we have an amazing show for all you wonderful people here tonight. Let’s get on with is shall we.”

Wow what a show. The lights, the energy, the music. I especially loved the part with the motorcycles and the ribbons. That part was so cool. On top of that the acrobats choreography thing to literally you favourite song I’m so glad I got to see it. This was a day well spent.