The Carnival Beckons

Chapter 1
The Carnival Beckons

The envelope was unassuming. Andrew Thompson picked it up, noting that it had no return address. “Odd.” He stated before prying the glued down flap open with his fingertips. Inside was a piece of paper, colored orange. He pulled it out and saw that it had the face of a jack-o-lantern.

Andrew looked at it, and it stared right back, as if glaring into his eyes, looking for something. At the bottom of the paper, it read in plain black writing: The Carnival Beckons. He flipped the paper over to see if there was any other information, but nothing presented itself, save from the laughing pumpkin face that was still glaring at him intently. He couldn’t take his eyes of their cold black glance for what seemed like hours, but was only moments.

The silence he shared with the flat piece of paper was broken only when the loud ring of his phone snapped him back to reality. “Hello? Oh, Hi, Julie!” He said, as he carefully folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope, and began to speak to his girlfriend. “Wait. You got what in the mail? What did it have printed on it? Yeah...I got one too. No, I have no idea what it means!” Andrew stated as he rested the phone on his shoulder while began to cook his dinner. “It just says The Carnival Beckons. Nothing Else. No Address, no Name, not even a phone number. Look, if you got one, Julie, then I am sure we aren’t the only ones. It’s most likely some kids idea of a prank, after all it is Halloween, and every one is entitled to one good scare. Julie...if it freaks you out that much, just throw it away and don’t think about it. I, for one, don’t care one bit. Well, Have a good night, hon. Don’t think about, okay? Night.” With a click, the conversation was over. Andrew thought about the letter, and came to the simple conclusion that it was a prank and nothing more. “I hate Halloween. Makes kids think they can do anything to anyone.” With that, he crumpled the envelope containing the letter, and threw it in the trash.

Andrew and his girlfriend were not the only ones to receive the grinning letters in their mailboxes. All of the locals had76received the same letter, the same face, and the same message: The Carnival Beckons. No one knew what to think of these orange pieces of paper they had been given. The town was jittering with the whispers and rumors of what these strange notes could mean.

Halloween was four days away, and Andrew was dreading it. He had long hated Halloween, growing old with the concept before many children his age. He would not attend any Halloween partied he received invitations to, nor would he indulge the local children when they rang his buzzer, looking for sweets. He hated scary movies, and would avoid costumes at all cost. In essence, he was the Ebenezer Scrooge of the Halloween season, but he wasn’t alone. Most of the town had grown weary of the holiday, and it was evident Most houses in most ordinary towns have the coffins, the skeletons, and the fake spider webs strewn about, and a big welcome bowl of candy, but not this town. Only a few houses had decorations, and even then, it was nothing of note. Even the children knew to go to the next town over, if they wanted to get good candy. This town had truly lost the spirit of Halloween. The locals were baffled by these unmarked orange jack-o-lanterns showing up in their mail, and wondered who could have sent them. Each day, the locals kept receiving these letters, each counting down the days till Halloween, then stating The Carnival Beckons.

“Everyone is curious, man. It’s got the whole town in a panic.” Said Trent Anderson, an athletic young man, holding up one of the Pumpkin letter. He was sitting at a small booth in the local diner, while his friend, Andrew, ate his lunch. “I mean, it’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to this town since...well, ever. What do you think it means, Andrew?”

Andrew took a break from his sandwich and looked at his friend Trent, and simply sighed. “It’s a bunch of bullshit, is what it is.” He said firmly. “Some nutcase wants us to get our panties in a bunch, and it’s working pretty damned well, if you ask me.”

“But, it has to mean something. Just sending letters to people is pretty boring.” Trent said with amusement in his voice. “Maybe it’s an invitation or something.”

“An invitation? To what?” asked an unenthused Andrew.

“A Carnival, man.” Trent said, a grin creeping across his face.

“Well, you have fun at your little carnival, Trent. I myself am going to spend this Halloween inside, retreating from this hellhole of a holiday.” And he walked off, leaving Trent alone at the booth. Trent just laughed as he took what was left of Andrew’s sandwich and wolfed it down.

The road home from the Diner was a plain one. Andrew had walked it hundreds of times before, and enjoyed the view of the local fields. Not a house in sight, it was the one escape from the suburban hell that Andrew lived day to day, but on his way home something caught him off guard. In what was once an empty field lay a carnival. He could hardly believe his eyes, as he say a ferris wheel, a funhouse, carnival games like the one where you shoot water to win a prize, and all the makings of an old time carnival. The lights were off, and the gate was closed, but a tall man, thin, with a kind face stood in front of the gates, and tipped his top hat to Andrew as he passed.

“One More Day til’ Halloween, my boy. Are you coming to the carnival?” he asked, waving his hands like a game show presenter.

“No, sir. I grew up along time ago, and Carnivals are for kids, I’m afraid.” Andrew responded with a bit of a nervous twinge in his voice. Something about this guy freaked him out.

“Oh, sorry to hear that. Well, I hope you have a Happy Halloween regardless, Andy.”

Andrew was stunned. How did this strange barker know his name? What was he playing at, this old man in a top hat. He gulped and asked the question on his mind.

“What did you call me?” his voice quivered slightly.

“Andy...that’s your name, right? It’s printed on your backpack, there,” The Barker said with a smile. “We carnival folk can read, you know.”

“Sorry to have bothered you, sir.” Andrew said with a slight sense of embarrassment. His name was printed on the bag his mother bought him last year. He felt so stupid for thinking that this guy was...well, Andrew wasn’t even sure of what he thought of the guy.

“No Bother at all. It’s a shame we won’t see you at this year’s Pumpkin Carnival. The Pie is delicious. Have a good day, son.”

Andrew hurried home, where another invitation awaited him in his mailbox. By this time, the word had gotten around that a carnival really was in town, and everyone wanted to see it, and even Andrew was curious now to see it. Something deep inside him felt as if he would like to go, just for old time’s sake. He called up Julie and asked her if she wanted to go.

“Of course I do, hon.” Julie Parker said as she smiled. She had wanted to go to the carnival since word of it had gotten around. She, like the rest of the town, seemed to forget the reservations they had about the strange invitations. “So, you’ll pick me up, Andy? See you then.” She hung up the phone, and went over to her computer. She chatted up several of her friends from school and work, and everyone was going to the carnival.

The morning arrived, bringing one the most beautiful sunrises that Andrew had ever seen. As he sipped his morning coffee, he looked out his apartment window and surveyed the town. He knew, im a matter of hours, the entire town would descend up on the field where the Barker had set up his carnival. He sat there, amused that something a simple as a Carnival could entrance an entire town. In less than a day, the entire town went from suspicious to curious, to downright excited, all over a few tents, a ferris wheel, and the smell of freshly baked Pumpkin Pie.

The day moved quickly and Andrew walked over to Julies house. She still lived with her parents, but was planning to move in with Andrew soon. He arrived and she was already waiting for him, chatting with her mother.

“Have a good night, you two! We’ll see you there!” she said as she waved to the two young lovebirds. “This is the first carnival I’ve been too since I was a little girl, Joseph.” She said as she smiled at her husband.

“I Know, Kristen. I can’t remember the last carnival I went to. It’ll be fun, for old times sake. We should get ready.”

The couple moved out of the door way, and, like the rest of the town prepared themselves for what was to be a interesting evening.

The line was already long by the time Andrew and Jules got to the carnival. The buzz of the crowd was unmistakable. The excitement was at it’s peak when the gate to the carnival opened with a loud creak and the old barker stepped forward, wearing an old suit, and a dusty top hat. “Welcome” he said “to my Carnival. Please enter.”

The people of the town filed in, whispering to each other as they walked through the gates. The Merry-go-Round and Ferris Wheel were lit up in the dusky sky. Once everyone was inside, the gate closed, and the Barker got up to speak.

“I know you all must be very excited. I am so sorry for all the secrecy, but I wanted to make it a surprise. Oh well. Tonight, this carnival is for you, so all the rides and games are free!” The crowd gasped, how could such a wonderful thing not cost anything. “All I ask...is that you each try a piece of my pie. Fresh Pumpkin Pie, to put you all in the mood of the season. If I could get all the kids under 10 over at this table, and the adults at this one.” He said, as he unveiled two tables full of pies. He had all the townsfolk line up and passed out a single piece of pie to each of them, along with a gift bag, one he told them not to look at until the right moment.

The crowds enjoyed their pie, all smacking their lips from the sweet taste, and the last person to get his piece finished it as the Barker took the stand once more.

“The fun is just about to begin folks. Now, tell me, do you remember the last time you had a good, fun Halloween?” he asked of them, and none could give a straight answer. “As I thought. You see, the reason for my visiting your little town is not a simple one. I have come to give you back the Halloween spirit, and there is no simple way to do that, I am afraid. I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of making a potion, which I placed in every piece of pie. The potion, which is taking effect as I speak, will regress you to childhood.

Their scoffs were quicly silenced as each notices a change in their body. They were shrinking right out of their clothing. The women were loosing their breasts, as the men lost all major muscle mass. Andrew looked down at himself in disbelief. He wasn’t that old to begin with, so to watch his muscles and manhood shrink away was too much. He, like many of the townsfolk started to shriek in terror. The kid’s table, full of the town’s children watched with amazement as their parents, siblings, extended family, everyone was brought down. Several of those being changed tried to run to the gate, but were tripped up by their own clothing, which had now pooled at their ankles. The regression was taking place in every corner of the carnival, as adults became children in mere moments. Most were regressed to a ripe old age of 6, but the younger adults, like Andrew, were now 4, almost toddlers again, baby fat returning to their stomachs, and the smiles on their faces now wiped away along with their adult hood.

“Now, if you would all look here for a moment” smiled the Barker. “In the bags I have given you, you will each find a suitable Halloween costume. Please put that on now. “ and the rustle of the bags was heard all over. Each newly minted child took out their costumes and slowly, begrudgingly put them on.

“If he could change us into kids, I don’t wanna make him mad” Andrew overheard his friend Trent saying as he changed into what turned out to be a Jack Sparrow costume. Andrew pulled his costume out and saw a Ninja Turtles costume, mask included. He put it on, remembering the days when he used to watch the Turtles, and smiled slightly. At least it was a cool looking costume. After he got it on, he turned to see what Jules had been given, but she was no where to be seen.

“Well, don’t you look sweet” the Barker said to one of the girls who was dressed as Belle from Beauty and the Beast, “You all look so good” he said to the hundreds of kids that now sat there, under his control. “I know this must be shocking to you, and I know you don’t want to be children again, but...it’s the only way. Here’s the deal, my friends. If you can enjoy this night, as a child would, then, and only then, will you be returned to your normal age. Each of my workers has candy, so feel free to Trick or Treat, and the rides are all open, and are all kid friendly. The real kids are in charge, so take care of your loved ones, make sure they have a good time! Smile, kids, how often do you get the chance to be young again! Let the Carnival Begin!”

The night began with a nightmare, but soon turned into a dream, for most of the formerly adult victims. The candy was sweet, the rides were fun, and the hot apple cider washed down the sweets with ease. Andrew had never had so much fun in his life. He and Trent ran from ride to ride, played the water gun games to win stuffed animals, and ate sweets to their hearts content. “This is so cool, eh, Andy!” Trent said, “I don’t even wanna go back, I like it this way!” Andrew looked at his friend, and couldn’t believe the words coming out his mouth.

“Are you joking?” Andrew asked.

“No, man, I love being a kid again!” Trent laughed.

“Is that so, young man?” the warm voice of the Barker said from behind. “Then here, have this. Happy Halloween, my friend.” He gave Trent a small piece of candy wrapped in orange plastic. Trent placed it in his mouth, and wolfed it down quickly.

“There, Now my sweet child, you will remain so. My treat to you!” he said as he patted Trent on the head. Andrew was taken aback. His best friend would remain a child, forced to grow up all over again, but he seemed so happy. Perhaps it was for the best, and what worried Andrew the most was the similar feeling he was getting.

The carnival lasted well into the evening, past may of the real children’s bed times, and the regressed adults were starting to notice their smaller bodies getting tired. The rides began go close, and the candy was gone, and soon the Barker took his perch and spoke with power, and warmth.

“Well done, my friends, the carnival has been a great success! I am so glad that you all got so into it. As promised, the antidote!” and he passed out cups full of apple juice that tasted a bit sweeter than usual. Soon the children became adults once more, and their old clothes were returned to them, so as not to have a carnival full of naked people. “For those who relearned the spirit of Halloween, I congratulate you. For those who have chosen to remain as children, I hope your lives are much more fun this time around, but for now, the Carnival is Closed. Happy Halloween All, and Good Night!” he said as he ushered them out of the gate. He had yet to see Jules, but he couldn’t wait to get home and talk to here. This was the most wild, out of body experience he had ever had. He then felt a tug at the back of his shirt as he walked out of the gate. He turned around to see a little girl, around 5, wearing a Snow White dress. Her face looked exactly like...

“Jules” he gasped.

“Hey mistah!” she said, spit hissing through the gap in her baby teeth. Andrew’s eyes widened in horror as she raised up her candy bag, and smiled...

“Trick or Treat.”