Foreboding Drive

The sun hadn’t set yet, but for whatever reason, the girls felt a darkness then. It might’ve been the alien grey sky that they’d never seen in real life before. Now that they were far out enough from larger parks, they’d reached land where the people owning it couldn’t afford to control the weather there. With the sky drained of its color, the grass became pale and the pigment of their bright clothes faded into muted tones. Breathing in this almost refreshingly stilted atmosphere, unable to work things out in her clouded head, Frankie continued to make conversation with her sister, even if only to work through her own ease.

“So do you think… we’re good people?” As usual, eye contact between the two was forgone at moments like these. Frankie was examining why it was this third pair of flip-flops seemed even less comfortable than the first two.

“Uh, sure.”

“Even after today?”

“Well, do you even think people in general are good?”

Frankie sighed at herself, embarrassed by her pointless worries.

“No, not really.”

In stoic silence, the girls listened to the same sounds of machines and howling riders as they marched, letting the noise drown their thoughts for a time.

Then Frankie spotted an automobile coming down the road.

“Oh, car! Katie, wave them down!”

The girl shook her hand in the air. Watching it pass, Frankie became more and more sure it would ignore them as it grew close. By the time she resigned to believing they’d never find a ride, the white vehicle was already stopped in front of her with the door open.

“What are you standing around for?” Katie said from inside the backseat. “We got a ride! Let’s go!” She thanked the driver, asking if he needed any of their hard-earned pay.

“And what’s your name?

“…Conrad.”

Frankie sat inside and closed the door. Buckling up on the right side of the car, she saw this driver. He didn’t look very interesting. Just a man with a rectangular face and a simply cut head of short hair with sturdy features wasted on a lack of expression. He wore white- just a polo, paired with dark brown khaki pants- and he didn’t have any recognizable tattoos or accessories.

Still looking out at the road, he was completely unmoving, only cycling his fingers atop the wheel while he waited to make sure everyone was buckled. He didn’t start driving again until they answered his question.

“Where to?”

“Kidneyland.” Katie did the talking. “Kansas.”

“Good. That’s just past where I’m going.” He began to drive.

“Where are you going?”

“The Creaking Manor in Missouri.”

“What’s that…?” Frankie hesitantly joined the discussion, turning to look out the window before he responded.

“An attraction. S’not part of a park.”

“Oh, I know that one!” Katie shot. “Isn’t it in Missouri?”

“Close to the west edge. I hope you don’t mind me stopping there, I really want to see it.”

“We don’t mind!” She assured. “We’re trying to see every theme park anyway.”

Conrad laughed, but just a little.

“Every theme park?”

“Every one.” She pridefully confirmed, nodding passionately above her crossed arms. “You’d better believe we’re not missing out on the scariest ride in America. Or is it more of an “experience?” I’ve never really known.”

Frankie turned to face her sister.

“Scariest…?”

“Oh, come on! It’s not that bad! Haven’t we seen way worse?”

“True..” she tried to calm herself. Geez. She’d never been scared of a ride before. Why start now?

“So, why are you headed there? Are you a fan of theme parks?” Katie talked to him like they were newly-made childhood friends.

“A “fan” of… theme parks?”

“Yeah! Like me!”

“That’s like if people were fans of… food.”

“Aren’t they?”

“I guess.”

“So why are you going there?”

“It seems scary is all.”

“Oh, you like horror? Hey… is it true someone really haunts that ride?”

“Must be.. the owners themselves promote it that way…”

“Spooky.”

The entire rest of the ride was spent in almost complete silence.