Emily saw bright flashing lights shining in the distance. But they were descending in the opposite direction and further over a dark forest. As they came down to the level of the treeline, Pegasus whinnied and sharply veered away.
‘What is it, Pegs?’ Emily called nervously. She looked down and still couldn’t see anything hidden in the dark trees beneath them. ‘Have they seen us?’
Cupid glided closer to the stallion’s side. ‘He doesn’t want to approach as you and Joel are too chilled to confront them. He says we must find you warmer clothes first.’
Emily was conflicted. If they were close to finally finding her father she hated to leave the area. But she was freezing. Pegasus was right. She and Joel needed to warm up soon or they’d both be in big trouble.
‘I’ve got an idea!’ Joel called from behind her. ‘Pegasus, get us to those flashing lights. I know exactly where we are.’
Pegasus neighed once and changed direction in the sky again. He took the lead as Paelen and Cupid flew at his side.
Emily turned back to Joel. ‘Where are we going?’
‘Down there,’ Joel pointed at the bright lights. ‘Pegasus, you’ll have to land before we get there. We don’t want to be seen yet.’
As they approached, loud pounding music and terrible screams filled the air. Emily saw the flashing lights were from amusement rides. The screaming was from people on the rides.
‘Land right there!’ Joel called and pointed towards an opening in the forest near the fence surrounding the amusements.
Once on the ground, Joel stiffly slid off the stallion’s back. He called Paelen and Cupid closer. ‘This is perfect. A few years ago, my dad brought me up here for Halloween. It’s the Haunted Forest Festival. There’s a big haunted house, and all kinds of things to see and do.’
‘Joel, we don’t have time to go to the festival,’ Emily said irritably. She was reaching the point where her teeth no longer chattered. She was chilled and worried about hypothermia. ‘We need clothing and then we’ve got to go find my dad!’
‘I know,’ Joel shot back. ‘But look at us. We can’t go anywhere in daylight dressed like this. And look at them?’ Joel pointed at Cupid and Pegasus. ‘Look at those wings. We’ve got to find a way to hide them.’
‘So?’ Emily challenged.
‘Emily, it’s the Haunted Forest! Don’t you get it?’ Joel continued. ‘They have performers dressed in scary costumes. We could walk right in there and everyone would think we were part of the show. I bet we could get into the actors’ trailers and find some clothing.’
‘Oh,’ Emily said, finally understanding. ‘I get it. But wait. We don’t look scary. We still don’t fit in. We’re dressed like Olympians, not vampires, ghouls or ghosts—’
‘I do not understand,’ Paelen interrupted. ‘In this place, people are dressed as the dead? Why would they do that?’
‘To scare the people who come to visit,’ Joel explained.
‘And these people wish to be scared?’
Joel nodded.
‘I still do not understand,’ Paelen said.
‘Neither do I,’ Cupid added.
‘Nor me,’ Emily agreed. ‘I always hated the haunted house.’
‘Maybe,’ Joel said. ‘But right now, with all of us looking like this, it is the only place for us.’
They started to walk towards the festival. In the chilled night air rose the sweet aroma of candyfloss, toffee apples and all the other funfair delights.
‘They have food here?’ Paelen asked eagerly.
‘Oh yeah,’ Joel said.
Pegasus also lifted his head and sniffed in the strong fragrance of festival food.
Before long they crept up to a chain link fence. On the other side they saw bright flashing lights from the countless game booths as visitors tried their luck at winning large prizes. Further in, they spotted all the carnival rides. There was a tall Ferris wheel filled with people, while the Octopus spun its riders around in the air to the loud pounding beat of music. Across from the Octopus was the carousel, its horses rising and falling in steady rhythm as they chased each other around in the never ending race. Not far from the fence they saw the biggest, brightest ride of all – the Monster roller-coaster. Moments later, the coaster’s car whooshed down the steep tracks past them, its occupants screaming in both terror and delight. Joel was right. Emily spotted countless performers dressed in costume.
‘This is madness,’ Paelen hushed as his wide eyes tried to take in all the sights of the carnival. ‘I have never seen a sight like this before. I must see more …’
‘Paelen, wait,’ Joel said. ‘I’ve got another idea.’ He bent down and scooped up a hand full of wet mud and decaying leaves. He rubbed the mess on his face, arms and tunic until he was covered. Joel grinned at Emily. ‘There, now I fit right in. I’m an Olympian zombie.’
Emily laughed at the leaves and twigs sticking up in Joel’s hair. ‘Good idea. Help me down off Pegs, I’m going to be a zombie too.’ She turned to Cupid. ‘And you. You’re going to be a winged zombie.’
Cupid shook his head and looked mortified. ‘You are not suggesting I rub that filth on me?’
Emily bent down and filled both hands with freezing, wet mud. She stepped up to Cupid. ‘Not at all.’ Before he could protest, Emily threw the mud at him. ‘I’ll do it for you. There, now you’re a zombie too.’
She turned to Paelen. ‘What about you?’
Paelen quickly held up his hands. ‘I will do it, thank you. I do not understand why, but I will.’
Finally everyone turned to Pegasus. In the dark cover of the forest, the stallion was glowing brilliant white. ‘Sorry, Pegs,’ Emily said softly as she stepped up to his head. ‘But you’re glowing. We’ve got to make you look like an ordinary horse again. Will you let us cover you in mud?’
Pegasus gently nudged her.
‘All right, everyone,’ she said. ‘Let’s cover Pegasus.’
A short time later they were all covered in mud and dead leaves, except for Pegasus and Cupid’s feathers. Joel demonstrated how zombies were supposed to move with a slow lumbering walk. Emily laughed as she watched Paelen and Cupid trying to mimic Joel.
‘And remember,’ Joel warned Pegasus and Cupid, ‘no matter what you see or what happens, try not to move your wings. They’re supposed to be part of your costume, that’s all.’
Getting over the tall fence was only a problem for Pegasus, who needed more space to launch into the air. They kept watch and waited for the area to clear before flying over the top.
Finally they were all within the grounds of the Haunted Forest Festival. Despite their disguises, nerves bunched up in Emily’s stomach. She was seated on Pegasus and even with her gold leg brace hidden under his folded wing, she still felt exposed and vulnerable.
As they walked through the early evening crowd, people stared at them curiously, but kept their distance. On one occasion, Emily caught two girls looking at Cupid and smiling radiantly at him. ‘Cute guy,’ she heard them giggle as they walked past.
They travelled deeper into the festival. The air was filled with screaming as costumed performers crept up on people unawares and did their best to frighten them. Not far ahead they saw the main attraction – the haunted house. Emily saw a performer dressed as the Grim Reaper carrying his scythe. He stalked the entrance, inviting people in and doing his best to terrify those waiting to enter.
‘People do this for fun?’ Paelen asked, as he watched the Grim Reaper driving girls into screaming terror.
‘I wonder how they would react if they saw a Nirad?’ Cupid added. ‘That would soon teach these humans the real meaning of fear.’
Joel sighed. ‘You don’t get it. People come here to be frightened because it’s safe fear. No one gets hurt. It’s meant to be fun.’
‘I still do not understand your world,’ Paelen said.
‘You don’t have to,’ Joel finished. ‘Let’s just grab what we need and get out of here before Emily and I freeze
to death.’
Joel led the way through the thickening crowds. Emily watched Paelen and Cupid’s faces as they stared in curious wonder at the costumed people around them.
‘Over there,’ Joel said. ‘There are all the trailers. C’mon.’
They approached a quieter area filled with a long line of performer’s trailers. They walked past a large sign that said PRIVATE AREA. DO NOT ENTER.
‘You and Pegasus keep watch,’ Joel said to Emily. ‘We’ll go grab some clothes.’ He turned to Paelen. ‘I know you gave up stealing. But for now, you’re a thief again.’
‘If I must,’ Paelen said in mock regret. He looked at Emily and flashed his crooked grin. ‘But I will not enjoy myself.’
Emily shook her head and laughed. ‘Just go!’
Emily waited with Pegasus. ‘I sure hope they hurry,’ she said, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.
As the minutes ticked by, she heard the sound of voices. People were heading their way. Emily looked back to the trailers and couldn’t see Joel or the others. She slid off the stallion’s back. ‘Easy, Pegs, let me handle this.’
Four men in heavy make-up approached. Two were dressed as vampires; the other two were a zombie and Frankenstein monster. ‘You there,’ called the zombie. ‘Can’t you read? This area is off limits to the public. What are you doing here with that horse? The costume competition is on the other side of the festival.’
‘I know,’ Emily said. ‘I’m sorry, but my horse was getting spooked by all the crowds, so I brought him here to calm down.’
‘It was stupid of you to bring him here at all,’ a vampire shot back. ‘This is no place for animals. That’s why they don’t allow pets.’
The Frankenstein monster came forward. ‘What are you supposed to be anyway?’
‘Olympian zombies,’ Emily answered as she watched the performers start to circle around them.
They all laughed. ‘Olympian zombies?’
‘I’ve never seen a horse zombie before, let alone one with wings,’ said a vampire.
‘He’s supposed to be a zombie Pegasus,’ Emily explained.
They came closer and started to inspect Pegasus. ‘Great wings,’ Frankenstein said as he reached out and patted the stallion’s folded wing. ‘How long did they take you to make?’
Emily’s heart nearly stopped as Frankenstein closely studied Pegasus’s wing. The stallion never took his wary eyes off him and seemed to be getting agitated by the man’s closeness. ‘Please don’t touch him, he doesn’t like strangers,’ she warned.
‘That’s another reason why you shouldn’t have brought him,’ challenged the zombie.
‘No I shouldn’t,’ Emily agreed. ‘If you give us a few more minutes alone, we’ll go.’
‘How about you go now?’ suggested a vampire. ‘Or should I call security?’
The sound of running footsteps came from behind one of the trailers. Emily turned and was grateful to see Joel, Paelen and Cupid emerging from the shadows.
‘Are you all right, Em?’ Joel ran up to her. Paelen was right behind him, carrying a bundle, followed by Cupid.
‘What were you kids doing back there?’ the zombie demanded. Then he saw the bundle in Paelen’s arm. ‘And what have you got there?’
‘Who, me?’ Paelen said innocently.
‘Hey, isn’t that Jamie’s coat?’ the vampire said to his friends.
‘I think it is,’ agreed Frankenstein as they all approached Joel. ‘Have you kids been stealing from the trailers?’
‘Not stealing,’ Paelen said, ‘borrowing with intent to keep.’
The zombie moved towards Paelen. ‘You got yourself a smart mouth, kid. Give me that stuff and get out of here.’
‘Or you will do what?’ Cupid challenged as he took a step.
‘Or we’ll take it from you.’
‘I should like to see you try, human.’
The situation quickly deteriorated. Emily saw the wings on Cupid’s back flutter slightly. He was getting ready to fight. Quickly, she moved forward and stood between the two groups. ‘C’mon guys, let’s just go.’
Cupid shook his head. ‘Flame, stay back. I will not have these humans speak to us like this.’
‘OK, that’s it!’ the zombie said. He turned to one of the vampires, ‘Jimmy, go get security. We’ll keep them here.’
But Pegasus blocked Jimmy’s path. When he moved to the left, Pegasus did the same. To the right, Pegasus moved again. Each move he made was stopped by the stallion.
‘Hey, call off your horse,’ Jimmy said as he tried to get around Pegasus.
‘Please,’ Emily pleaded. ‘We don’t want any trouble. But we’re freezing and need those clothes. Please just let us take them and go.’
‘No, Flame,’ Cupid said, ‘you must not beg. It is beneath you.’ He turned to the performers and opened his wings threateningly. ‘Now we are going to leave here and you will not stop us.’
The costumed men took a nervous step back as they stared up at the large set of open wings. ‘What’s going on here? How’d you do that?’
‘Cupid, stop it! Close your wings,’ Emily cried. She looked at the stallion, ‘Pegs, tell him to stop.’
Pegasus snorted, shook his head and pawed the ground before he reared on his hind legs and spread his own wings wide. After an angry whinny, he lunged forward.
When the actors realized Pegasus’s wings were as real as Cupid’s they tried to run. But Paelen and Cupid stopped them. The fight was quick but brutal. Within seconds, the four men were unconscious on the ground.
‘Why did you do that?’ Emily demanded furiously. ‘You might have killed them with your strength!’
Paelen pointed angrily at Cupid. ‘We had to because of him!’ He charged Cupid and shoved him violently back. ‘Joel told you not to show your wings. We are trying to blend in here and not expose ourselves. Because of you we had to hurt these innocent men!’
Once again Pegasus whinnied loudly.
Paelen turned to Emily and Joel. He took a deep breath to calm himself. ‘Pegasus says we must bind the men and hide them. Then we must leave before they are missed.’ He bent down and went through the bundle of clothes. ‘Here,’ he said as he held a full-length coat up to Emily, ‘please put this on and get warm.’
Emily and Joel dressed in the coats while Paelen and Cupid used the men’s belts to bind their hands behind their backs. They carried them over to one of the trailers and deposited them inside.
Back in the thick of the festival, the evening was in full swing. There were even more costumed performers charging through the heavy crowds scaring the visitors. Countless people stared and pointed at Pegasus walking amongst them. They commented on his wings, but all seemed to accept him as part of the show.
They walked past a man dressed as a clown at a dunk-tank. He was seated on a plank over a glass tank of water, hurling insults at visitors. It was his job to goad them into throwing balls at the target that would cast him down into the water.
When he saw their group, his eyes settled immediately on Paelen. ‘Well folks, what have we got here?’ he called through a loud microphone. ‘Ain’t he simply adorable! What a pretty little boy walking with his pet pony. Does your mother know you’re out tonight, sweet thing?’
Paelen looked at the clown but said nothing.
‘What’s the matter, toga boy? Don’t you wanna come over here and play? What about your friends? Hey, freaks, this is Halloween, not a toga party! Get it right.’
‘Are you going to accept his rude comments?’ Cupid challenged.
‘Yes he is,’ Emily said. ‘We’ve caused enough trouble here already.’ She looked at Paelen. ‘He’s only teasing you so you will go over there and pay to throw a ball at the target to knock him in the water. That’s how he makes money.’
Paelen frowned at the clown above the water-filled glass tank. ‘He wants me to throw a ball at him?’
‘Not at him,’ Joel said, pointing at the bullseye, ‘that target beside t
he tank. If you hit it, it drops him in the cold water.’
Paelen walked closer to the dunk-tank.
‘Paelen, no,’ Emily cried. ‘Don’t do anything. Please come back.’
But Paelen was already standing before the line of balls to throw at the target. The clown’s assistant was tossing one in the air and telling Paelen the price for three balls.
‘What’s the matter, toga boy? Are you chicken?’ The clown started to cluck like a chicken. ‘Maybe your little winged pony can help you.’
‘Let’s go,’ Emily said as she caught Paelen’s arm. ‘Please.’
When they started to walk away, the clown whistled. ‘I guess we know who wears the pants in your relationship, huh? You gonna let a dumb girl with a bum leg tell you what to do, toga boy? Or maybe you’re frightened she’ll take off that brace and beat you with it!’
Paelen stopped. ‘He may insult me,’ he said softly, ‘but never you. That man should be taught some manners.’ With lightning speed, Paelen snatched up a ball and used all his Olympian strength to throw it at the target. The ball exploded on impact with the bullseye and shattered the target’s arm. As a bell rang, the plank holding the clown split and he was cast into the freezing water.
Paelen rubbed his hands together and smiled at Emily. ‘He will not insult you again.’
Part of Emily wanted to scold Paelen for losing his temper. But she realized he’d done it for her, so she stayed quiet. She shook her head. ‘C’mon, hero, let’s get going.’
Before long, they were walking past stalls of food. The air was filled with the aroma of cooking hamburgers, candyfloss and a thousand other delicious smells.
‘I’m starving,’ Joel commented as he looked enviously at all the food.
‘Me too,’ Cupid agreed. He crossed to a stall selling toffee apples and candyfloss and held out his hand. ‘Give me one.’
‘Not you now …’ Emily moaned as she chased after him. ‘Cupid, wait, you can’t go around demanding things. We do things differently here. If you want something, you have to buy it.’
‘But I am hungry.’
‘Yes, so is everyone else, but we don’t have any money.’ Emily looked apologetically at the vendor. ‘I’m sorry. My friend is new here and doesn’t understand. We can’t pay for that.’