"I'm surprised we made it off there alive!" I exclaim, still shaking from the crazy coaster.

Maggie looks quite pleased with herself and Robyn quite green. As we exit the platform Robyn sprints to the nearest trash can, her many years in track and field helping her make it in time. Maggie rubs her back and holds back her hair as I go to get her a bottle of water.

I buy her water from one of the booths and in the small alley created by the stands I notice a dark figure in the back.

He's bent over and I can't tell much about him due to the shade from the booths making it hard to make out any distinguishing features. I get a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something doesn't seem right.

I try to ease my nerves though as I do have a tendency to over think things. But honestly who doesn't these days?

I take a few deep breaths and try to come up with some logical explanations as too why some strange person would be lurking in between the booths at a state carnival. I continue watching him work as I come up with some explanations.

Probably one of the workers. I think to myself. But...there are a lot of wires back there. Wait that's not how you fix a cable...what the fuck is he doing?

I watch as he seems to be cutting wires and finally my curiousity gets the best of me.

"Dude...should you really being doing that?" I yell backing out of the alley to create a safe distance between us.

He looks up at me but I can't make out anything from under his dark sweater's hood. He takes another step towards me causing me to take a few steps back. I hear him take a deep breath as if he had finally processed what I said. He turns away from me, swiftly and starts sprinting to the back of the trailer styled booths.

I follow as fast as I can, which to be honest isn't that fast. My pulse instantaneously quickens as I make it to the back, almost tripping over some wires in the process, and see no trace of him. I'm honestly kind of relieved though because I have no idea what I would do if I caught him. What am I, Nancy drew? I don't catch "bad guys". I just watch them on the news.

I turn back around and jog towards the front of the booths, shooting quick glances behind me to make sure I'm not being followed. I laugh a bit, as the action reminds me of when I was little. I remember sprinting up the steps of the basement when I turned off the lights, looking over my shoulder to make sure the monsters wouldn't get me. I start laughing even harder because I realise that I probably just chased some stupid teen trying to pull some dumb prank, genuienly thinking that the security guards around the park wouldn't be on it if there really was any danger.

I guess I was trying to fill my childhood dream of being a superhero. I keep laughing to myself as my friends catch up to me, offering me worried looks as to why I'm dying of laughter all by myself at the entrance of a dark alley.

" I don't know what you just did in that alley...or what you took...but it seems fun! Can I have some?" Maggie asks cheerfully.

I laugh even harder and hand the still queasy Robyn, her drink. She chugs it and throws it in the trash.

"Thanks for sharing babe." Maggie says sarcastically.

We all chuckle and as we walk away to find my brother, through the massive crowd of people and I tell them about the strange figure in the alley.

"So you're telling me, that out of what, maybe four hundred people? You're the only carnival goer that saw this weird person in the alley? In broad daylight? I think Maggie's right...did you take something questionable in that alley?" Robyn asks half joking and half serious.

"I'm telling you I know what I saw. Plus, it's not like it happened in the middle of the carnival where everyone could see. This was a narrow and dark alley where you'd have to look really hard to see anyone in there. But it could've been a prank. I don't know I got this really weird feeling and-"

I look around and notice that I'm now alone talking to myself. I make my way through the crowd, turning back to look for them. I spot then making out near some benches.

I pull them apart from each other slightly annoyed.

"I get swept away by the fucking crowd and you guys instead of looking for me decide to make out? What were you doing? Searching for me in her mouth? Plus I looked like an actual moron because I looked like I was talking to myself! "

They avoid my glare and stare at their feet.

"Sorry dude" Maggie says "But how can you resist such a delicacy?" She says wrapping her arms around Robyn's waist.

"Smooth." I say slipping in a sigh and an eye roll.

I grab their hands and guide them through everyone until I spot Jessie's shiny blond mane and Jordan's unkept, curly, bird's nest styled head.

I wave them over and we meet at the entrance of a huge structure with two cable cars at the end. I watch as the structure does some flips, making the cars go upside down. I thought they were going to the alien spinning thing. I should've known that why wouldn't have settled for a ride so mundane when they could go on something that threatens their lives. My brother and his girlfriend are massive adrenaline freaks. A quality that I -thankfully- did not inherit.

"You guys went on that?" I ask only slightly shocked.

They nod excitedly like small children, being the crazy daredevils they are.

"Wanna go on it with us? It seats five!" Jessie says excitedly.

"No!" We reply in unison.

"I'm not sure about you JoJo, but I actually value my life! And my girlfriend's!"

Jordan sighs clearly annoyed by Robyn's choice of pet name.

"How about something a little less..."

"Dangerous?" Maggie chimes in.

I nod. "Yeah...what about the Ferris wheel?"

Everyone seems to agree so we form a human chain and make our way through the masses. When we get there we're surprised that there's almost no line so we get in a carriage in almost no time.

Maggie, Robyn and I head into the first one and my brother and Jessie head into the one after us. We chat quietly and yell at Maggie a bit for trying to rock the carriage but we make it to the top alive and admire the beautiful sunset looming. The park is going to look so beautiful when it's dark. The only think that I can compare it too is Las Vegas. Well, a carnival is basically a casino for kids anyways.

My thoughts are interrupted by Robyn's shaking me.

"Hey Lola look! There's a weird guy in that alley! You were right!" She says pointing to the same alley between the booths.

I look down and surely enough, there's a dark figure in the alley. I don't understand why she seems so excited though. This is a bad thing. Why didn't I listen to my grandma? She's always told me to trust my gut.

AN: What do you guys think?! Sorry it took so long to update lol! I'll get better (hopefully XD)! Anyways any predictions as to what's going to happen? Or any questions? Comments? Concerns?

Well as always thanks for reading and don't forget to...well you guys know the drill!

Xoxo

Jellybean