Shadow Heights

by E. N. Goeking

“Well, pack your stuff and we can get out of here sooner.”

  “I’m sorry. You’re not comfortable being here. Since I’m leaving anyway, you can go now and I’ll meet you.” He grabbed onto my arm and pulled me upright.

  “I don’t think so. It seems things always happen when I leave,” he said. I got off the bed and went to my closet in search for clothes while he kept busy looking through my piles of CDs.

  “A lot of punk,” he commented from the other side of the room. I threw the clothes I picked out into my bag and sat it on the floor.

  “I know. It’s mostly due to Greg’s influence.” His face tensed up when I mentioned his name but I tried to ignore it. I didn't want us to get in an argument over something so trivial. I went into the bathroom and grabbed my hair essentials—everything I needed to make me look relatively normal—and when I walked back in, he was staring out the window. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, walking over to whisper in his ear. “Jaden?”

  He flinched, turning back around. “Huh?”

  “Come on.” He followed me out of the room and went downstairs. I went into the kitchen and wrote my mom a complete fabrication of a story but I knew she’d believe me. All I could hope was that she didn’t call Greg’s parents to check on me. I realize I was still living in her house but I had to have some personal freedom.

  I got into my car and headed out first. I drove past downtown and was going to turn but the whole street was blocked off. Colorful lights and cotton candy stands could be seen farther away. The carnival. I forgot. I turned off my blinker and went up a couple blocks and took my turn, circling back around to get to his house. When I pulled into his garage, he scampered out of his car to help me with my bag.

  “I can carry that, you know. I’m plenty capable.”

  “I like doing things for you,” he replied. I locked my car and followed him in the house. He stopped in the living room and turned to face me. “This is sort of awkward. I don’t want to presume something and have you think less of me.”

  “What about?” I studied his eyes.

  “Uh, would you be more comfortable staying in the guest room or do you want to stay in my room with me?” I walked up to him and brushed my hand across his back.

  “That’s very considerate of you. Your room,” I said quietly into his ear. He grinned with the left side of his mouth. We made our way up the stairs and he took my arm, pulling me along with him. He sat my bag down on the floor as soon as we walked in and took me in his arms. I rested my head against his chest, listening to his perfect heartbeat.

  “So, did you still want to go to the carnival?” he asked. I looked up at him and I knew he didn’t want to go but he’d do it anyway. His face was sincere.

  “Yes.”

  “All right. I’ll call the guys.”

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  The drive to the carnival took less than two minutes and we probably could've walked there just as easily. His friends were meeting us there and they were nowhere to be seen when we arrived but we decided to go in anyway. There were no security searches at the gate, which was surprising but this was a small town. Jaden paid for our way in and an alcohol bracelet for him.

  After walking through the open fences, the many smells of food entered my nose. The combination of sweet sugar cane and grease. The buttery goodness of popcorn mixed with fried meats on sticks. Even though all those things could kill you with heart disease, they still were tempting. Since it was Friday night, I wasn’t surprised to see hundreds of kids around. I assumed most of the adults were in the beer tent, which I knew the guys would be hitting soon enough. I didn’t know what I would do. I wouldn’t be able to get in since I was underage. I didn’t want to ruin Jaden’s evening; although, it was probably already ruined just by being there.

  There were only a few rides. There was a Ferris wheel, the Sizzler, the Gravitron, and some other kiddie rides. There were tons of game stands set up across the road. Stuffed animals as far as the eye could see. There were shooting games, tossing games, darts, anything you could imagine to win a lame prize.

  We walked through the entire festival which only extended for a distance of two blocks and caught quite a few stares from the public along the way. I tried to ignore it but after getting wrathful stares from other girls my age, it was impossible to pretend. I chose to cling close to his side and overlook the unnecessary stresses of the outside world. After only walking for a total of five minutes, we reached the end and I started to laugh.

  “You were right. It’s lame.” He joined me in my laughter and squeezed me into a hug. Since we were away from the crowds, we stood near the back gate and smoked a cigarette. People were so against smoking nowadays that you couldn't even smoke outside without getting ticketed in some places.

  “I’m gonna get a beer. Do you want one?” he asked.

  “Yeah but how is that gonna work?”

  “Don’t worry about it. I own this town, they won’t even question it.” I narrowed my eyes. “I’ll be right back.” He bent down and kissed me on the neck, tickling me with his goatee.

  I stared at the various people around me. People were eating corn dogs, cotton candy, caramel apples, and elephant ears to name a few. I had lost some weight since moving here and I wasn’t about to gain it back by eating that junk. But it was so appealing.

  An older woman dressed for a night on the town was heading in my direction. She was looking right at me and I turned my eyes away, hoping she commanded someone else's attention.

  “Do you think I could get a cigarette?” she asked with a southern accent. I glanced over at her, scrutinizing her appearance. She had overly bleached curly hair that went past her shoulders. Her makeup was reminiscent of a 70s porn star and her dress was a hideous shade of gold. I was hoping that was all she wanted so I agreed.

  “Sure.” I reached into my purse and gave her one.

  “Thanks hon.” She handed my lighter back. I was hoping that she’d leave but she didn’t. She inched herself over and I felt myself move away in response or maybe it was her cheap perfume that made me back away. “Are you with that Jaden Laenzar?”

  “Yes,” I admitted without shame but I was surprised by her question. Her eyes went agape and she leaned her face over to my ear.

  “Did he do that to your face?” I crinkled my brows.

  “No.” I could feel the rage growing inside of me as she continued.

  “Oh honey. He is a whole lotta trouble, a dangerous young man.” I scrunched my eyes at her, my face tightening in annoyance. “A pretty girl like you with her whole life ahead of her shouldn't throw it away on someone like him. Go out and find yourself a nice young man.” I was almost ready to pounce at this point but my inner morals prevented me from hitting a stranger.

  “What gives you the right to tell me how to live my life? I don’t even know you.” She flinched back from my tone.

  “I just wanted to inform you that he’s perilous to anyone who goes near him.” She took a step away, glancing over at Jaden who was paying for the drinks at a nearby booth. “You should remember my advice for he is the spawn of Lucifer himself. It might save your life someday. Those Laenzars are wicked men.”

  We both saw Jaden coming our way and she hurried to rejoin her group, walking away happily as if nothing happened. Okay. What the hell was that? There's nothing wrong with him. Was I blinded by love? Was I stupid like everyone thought? No wonder they were all staring at me. In my eyes, Jaden wasn't a wicked person but quite the opposite.

  He handed me a giant plastic cup full of beer. My eyes went wide and he chuckled. “I've seen you drink before. I know you can handle it.” I laughed in response. He took a big gulp, exhaling loudly after he swallowed. “Why was Tonya Pickler talking to you?”

  “Is that who it was?” I glanced over at her, she was keeping her distance but her eyes were wandering in our direction. “She was talking about you actually.” He took a drink of his beer, eying her over the glass.

  �
��What’d she say?” His tone was pleasant when I thought he'd be angry.

  “First she asked if you were the one that mangled my face and then felt it was her duty to warn me about you,” I answered with a laugh. I could feel the heat radiating off his body as his expression changed to one of anger. I moved myself in front of him, hoping to calm him down or distract him somehow. “Jaden, don’t pay attention to her. I shouldn't have told you that.”

  “It is incredibly aggravating when people can’t mind their own business.”

  “Then why don't you leave?”

  “Believe me, I wish I could,” he said quietly.

  “Hey Jay,” someone yelled through the crowd. Chad soon appeared with the rest of the brood a few steps behind him. He was the second leader of the group I decided. I always thought Ryan was number two but Chad always proved to be more domineering.

  He whistled and said, “Mina, looking good.” Jaden watched him with intent eyes and grabbed onto my arm, pulling me close to his side. Tonya Pickler trembled from afar as she covered her face in alarm.

  Ryan was with the same girl from the other night. She was dressed in a short black skirt and pink top that did nothing to cover her bra. I looked over to inquire if Jaden was checking her out but he wasn’t. As pleased as I was with his conduct, I was unhappy to see that his attention was still focused on the disco queen from afar who was waiting in line for the Ferris wheel with a male companion. I wish he would drop it already. What was the big deal? It’s not like I was going to listen to her. It was my own decision to be with him and nobody else’s.

  “I told you it sucked,” Ryan commented after seeing how enthused I was to be there. I shrugged my shoulders.

  “I had to see it for myself.” I took a drink of my beer. “But you were right.” He chuckled. Eric and Logan walked up carrying two glasses of beer a piece. They shared with the others. Eric punched Chad on the arm and they left.

  Jaden and I took a stroll with Ryan and his gal; although, neither of us said a word. We passed by a shooting game and the boys were eager to play. I stood near Jaden's side as he prepared for the target practice. They were both pinned against each other, competing for the prize. You had to hit all six targets, knocking down the beams that held them.

  The carnie signaled for them to shoot and they were off. Jaden had his lined up in his mind, shooting them all in a row without missing one, and doing it in less than ten seconds. Ryan had only knocked down half by the time he finished. I clapped and he turned his face to see me. He looked happy, calmer than before like all of his worries had washed away.

  The carnie walked over to us and inquired which prize we wanted. Since Jaden did so well, he was rewarded one of the larger prizes.

  “Which one of these do you want?” His question was directed at me. I looked above, searching through the various animals. There were giraffes, fish, turtles, bears, and I found one male lion in the back. They were always my favorite animal.

  “The lion.” The guy grabbed a hook and pulled it down, tossing it at me. I placed it under my arm and it was soft against my skin, like velvet.

  “That’s so sweet,” I thanked him. He put his arm around me and kissed my head as we walked away. He took a big drink from his cup, wiping away the droplet of beer that rolled down his chin. “We can leave if you want.”

  “Only if you want to.” I could tell he wanted to but he bore the craziness for me. I could see why he spent so much time out at the cabin and away from town, it was the only place he felt safe and could be himself. People were everywhere and you had to weave through them just to get anywhere. We stopped near a railing and watched the ride go by. But after a while, I had to avert my eyes away because of motion sickness from the cars flying past us.

  We both finished our beers within a few seconds of each other and I was surprised that I could keep up with him. Beer was different on tap, less thick and easier going down. I could feel the alcohol flowing through my veins and I finally started to relax. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of Jaden and the smile on my face felt permanent. I was riding a new kind of high and I was in love.

  “Did you want another?” he asked, while walking over to a trash can nearby.

  “Can we share one?”

  “Yeah. We can do that.” He looked into my eyes and I wanted him. I went for it, letting passion take over, and our tongues intermingled with each other.

  “After this beer,” he reached across to touch my face, “we’re out of here.” He kissed me once more and left my side, walking to the nearest booth that sold alcohol. I faced the colorful lights reflecting off the ride and closed my eyes, feeling the cool breeze coast in across my skin.

  A pair of cold hands reached across my face and covered my eyes. Afraid for my life, I flipped myself around quickly, ripping their hands from my face.

  “Argh!” I screamed when I saw Chad's smiling face. He just couldn’t let up. “You’re on thin ice with me already Chadwick.” His face went into a pout but he laughed it off.

  “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “Spare me, please. Jaden told me all about it.” He lit up a cigarette, balancing himself on the metal railing. I secretly hoped he’d fall over but I wasn’t that lucky.

  “What’d he tell you?” he inquired.

  “That you like being competitive with him and fighting over girls is like your little fetish or something.” He glanced back at me with an egotistical smirk. He was actually proud of his arrogance. He stepped back onto the ground and leaned against the railing, watching the people go by. By the look of his eye line, he was mostly looking at the girls walking by in tight clothes and short skirts without paying any attention to their age. I rolled my eyes at his chauvinistic display. If those were the type of girls he went for, why was he giving me the time of day?

  Jaden approached us and I moved myself away from Chad, meeting him halfway. I took the beer from his hands and chugged a third of it down. I glared at Chad while he performed for the ladies, acting like he was god’s gift to women.

  “He’s driving me nuts.”

  “Do you want me to beat him up?” Jaden asked in a serious manner. I looked up at him. “I’m just kidding.” He chuckled at my amusement. I took another drink of the beer. He placed his arm around my back and rested his hand on my shoulder, massaging it with gentle grace. I handed the beer to him and he drank it down quickly, trying to keep up with me.

  A woman screamed and both Jaden and I looked up in the direction it was coming from but everyone around us kept moving. It was as if no one else had heard her. Perhaps her cries had lost their way in the sounds of children screaming and laughter of the passerby. But this was not a normal scream and it drew my attention like a moth to a flame.

  On the top of the Ferris wheel, a man was climbing out of a cart that was turned on its side, hanging by one piece of metal. I could hear it scrape against the frame while it dangled. He wrapped his body around the top of the frame and tried to shimmy his way down to the next cart.

  I could barely see what was happening since it was so far away but as the woman stood up inside the dangling cart; I recognized her sparkling gold dress. My eyes danced to Jaden but his eyes were settled higher. Was it a coincidence? What were the odds that something bad would be happening to her at this moment?

  When she was halfway out, her leg reached for the railing and a loud metal screech sounded. I gasped, covering my mouth, afraid the whole thing would fall.

  “It is beginning. He will return for us all,” she shouted. What the hell did that mean? “We can no longer hide.” She let out a loud cackle that made my skin crawl. Chad started to chuckle near the railing as most onlookers ventured on.

  The cart detached from the frame and the woman fell, screaming for her life. Everyone looked up when they heard her cries, while just a moment ago they had chosen to ignore her. Her head hit a metal rod that was sticking out and her voice was silenced on impact. I turned my face away when I heard the sickening thud. It was t
oo gruesome of a scene to witness.

  When her body hit the pavement, half of her body weight in blood squirted out around her, spraying the ground and some of the nearby people. Everyone started to scream like we were inside of a horror movie. Parents were grabbing their children and shielding their eyes.

  Chad came running over to us. “Oh, shit. Did you see that?” We both nodded our heads since we were lost for words; I was more sickened than anything. I could feel my color changing. Two security guards immediately came to the scene and blocked it off.

  “Move away!” they shouted. “Keep back!”

  Everyone seemed to be running out of the carnival and we were trying to do the same but the only way to leave was to pass by the scene. I glanced over as we ran and saw the woman’s head cracked open, brain tissue lying out in plain sight. I looked away before getting sick.

  I stared up at Jaden and his eyes were focused on the people in front of us. He was completely calm considering what was happening. He held my hand tightly as we fought our way through the crowd, making sure I wasn't lost in the pack. There was a mass panic. Everyone was scurrying around, shouting, shoving people away. Some were even crying.

  We ran all the way to his car and stopped to rest when we got there. Eric straggled out; he obviously had a few beers in him. He jogged over to a patch of open grass away from everyone and threw up. He bent over, resting his arms on his legs, and heaved everything out of his stomach. I looked away while still fighting my own nausea but Jaden burst into laughter as he watched the display. I gawked at him with my arms across my chest. What was so funny?

  “Eric’s always had a weak stomach. He used to faint in Biology class when we dissected worms.” He looked down at me and I knew he sought my attention by the feeling of his eyes. “Do you want to go back to my place?”

  “How can you be so calm?” I commanded, revulsion in my tone. He shrugged.

  “What’s the big deal?”

  “You've taken what just happened in jest while everyone else is freaking out.”