Page 11 of Make Her Scream

OPHELIA

I’ve ridden on the swing carousel, which I loved. The twister ride, with those chairs that just spun around and around, I hated—it just made me feel sick and dizzy. Then we played a game where I had to try to shoot things to win a large plushy. I kept losing, so, in the end, Cain shot the things and won me a huge rabbit, which he’s now carrying for me. I can’t hold it because my hands are full with the most delicious, sugary, sweet treat I’ve ever tasted. I’m eating a huge pink cloud of cotton candy, wrapped around a paper cone, and I think it’s one of the best moments of the night.

I feel like a kid, like the child I should have been while enjoying this for the first time. The way it sticks to my teeth then melts away is yummy.

“This is the nicest thing ever. I could have it for lunch and dinner every day.” I bite some more off, feeling it dissolve against my tongue.

Roman watches me lick my lips, his eyes dark and hungry, and my stomach flips.

“You’d lose all your teeth if you did that,” Cain points out with a grin, hoisting the floppy bunny into his other arm.

I finish my cotton candy, and now I’m thirsty, so the guys buy me a large container of lemonade filled with ice and big slices of fresh lemon. It’s deliciously tart when I take a sip, and a refreshing contrast to the cotton candy.

We go on a couple more rides, and my favorite of the entire night is the merry-go-round with the horses. It’s so romantic and fun, but not scary. Cain holds my hand the entire time around, and by the time the ride is finished, I sense the change of atmosphere between my men.

“I think it’s time for the funhouse. What do you guys say?” Cain asks as we step down off the merry-go-round.

“Absolutely.” Malachi states the word as if he’s been waiting for this all night.

“Why are you all so excited about the funhouse?” I ask. “It doesn’t seem as good as some of the rides I’ve already been on. I’ve looked them up, and they seem kind of lame.”

“Oh, but this one is a haunted funhouse, and there might just be monsters chasing you in there.”

He snaps his teeth at me, and my stomach somersaults because I understand straight away that the monsters will be them.

6

CAIN

While Ophelia was distracted, I used the excuse of putting the bunny stuffy in the truck to sneak back and pick up our robes. I suspect she already knows what’s coming, but I hope she’ll still enjoy our surprise.

There are staff lurking around this place, but they’ve been instructed to keep their distance while this plays out. We’ve also ensured that there’s no CCTV running, but apparently, they never have any here anyway. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

I return to find the others standing in front of the funhouse. It’s on three levels with another open-mouthed clown, his gaping mouth creating the entrance. I feel like I sense a theme here. Normally, the place would be all bright lights and color, but this one has been redressed especially for Halloween.

It’s been strung with cobwebs and fake skeletons. Bloodied handprints scale the walls. A set of human-sized ghosts are set to one side of the entrance, lit spookily white from inside, and there are pumpkins everywhere. Tombstones are scattered around the grass outside, and a low-hanging fog creeps around our feet. Screams echo from inside, played over loudspeakers.

A bloodied sign warns us to enter at our own risk.

As much as I might have felt the rest of the carnival could have done with a lick of paint, the owners have definitely gone all out with the Halloween theme on the funhouse. I guess at this time of year it must be one of their main attractions.

I stand behind them a little, the robes in a bag, held behind my legs. It’s just a plastic bag and we’ll put our clothes in it once we have the robes on and leave it by the entrance.

Ophelia stares up at the front with that same expression of awe. “Oh, wow, this is… something.”

Roman frowns. “Is it too scary for you? Just say if it is, and we’ll do something else.”

Because of her time in the cult, and the awful abuse she suffered there, Ophelia can be sensitive to a lot of things, and we’d never want to trigger her. Ghosts might also be a bit of an issue, since she spent a while thinking she could hear the cult leader and thought he was haunting her somehow. I hope this trip to the carnival doesn’t bring up any horrible memories for her. Maybe we are playing with fire?

Ophelia playfully thumps Roman on the arm. “Are you kidding? This looks like so much fun.”

He produces a silky purple blindfold from his back pocket and dangles it in front of her. “Mind putting on this?”

She eyes it suspiciously. “I’m not going to wear it in the funhouse, am I? I might struggle to get around.”

“No, it’ll just be out here for a minute, I promise.”

She nods her agreement, and he covers her eyes and ties it around the back of her head.