Shipwreck
It had been years since I'd worn greasepaint. I really didn't care to think about exactly how long. Back then, I had friends. Back then, I had family. Now all I had was a death wish, some C6 in my pockets, and a desire to scream.
So I screamed.
No one heard me of course. They couldn't. That worked just fine though. I pretended to close a door and fight with it until it finally shut and wiped my brow of sweat that wasn't there.
The cheers would've felt rewarding if they didn't blast into my eardrums like missiles. I bowed silently and smiled through my black and white face paint. No one minded a mute if you were a mime.
It was the second day of the Judges' festival. Tomorrow the captives would be executed and served as dinner to everyone in attendance. Until then, the humans were supposed to party. Not that they knew about the plans for the following day of course. Only Tammy (the girl whose side I had stitched up) and myself knew, thanks to a mole Tammy knew on the inside. I had assumed it all to be a trap from the beginning, and I was right. The festival was just to draw me in and make me vulnerable.
I pulled myself over to a drinks tent with an invisible rope and winked at the barracuda behind the counter. The fish grinned toothily.
"What do you want?"
I drank from an invisible cup, making sure to spill some on myself and try to clean it up. The twist toothed fish snickered.
"Alright alright. I'll get you a drink. It's on us today."
I gave him a thumbs up and smiled wide. Damn right it'd be on them. I had headed out for the day before Tammy woke up and started scouting positions to plant the C6. She'd be pissed, I was sure. That was too bad. I didn't work well with teams and if she had a problem she could come find me later.
The 'cuda tossed me a can of soda and I caught it. I waved and started "pulling" myself in a different direction.
The barracuda was calling security as I started moving.
"This is Rahk. Do we have any mime street performers booked for this thing? I know we were told to keep an ear out for any mutes. One just came through my stand dressed as a mime. No? No mimes? Alright, he's headed down the midway, west side, standard black and white outfit."
I'd been found out. Finally. It had taken long enough. I had been ready to plant explosives for most of the day, and I only had one charge left to deposit. I wanted it to fasten right to the door security came from, but they had hidden themselves from sight pretty well. Now they'd have a reason to get moving.
I slid between two tent-like stalls and shrugged off my black vest and beret. I kept walking as I tore my striped shirt in half and wiped at my face with it. With how much I was sweating, the paint would be off in a flash. I tossed the rag aside and cracked my neck. Now I was wearing black pants and a ragged tank top. My hair was a mess and I was dripping with sweat.
They'd ignore me at first. I hoped.
Ah, there it was. The sound of heavy boots stomping towards my position. Their HQ must've been on the east side of the midway, tucked back inside the rides. A door slammed and music started again. Car crashes. No, not car crashes. Bumper cars.
Perfect.
I cut back through the back of one of the game tents and snarled at the people on the other side. It was a simple dart game and its fish was missing. One of the kids was hollering for his prize. He had just landed three bulls eyes. I snarled again, grabbed a large white elephant and handed it to the kid. He stopped his bawling and I walked away. The fish would be there any second, I had to move.
The elephant had a nice healthy block of C6 in its belly. The Judges would take the prize away from the kid just because I had touched it. The C6 was encased in what looked like a much more complicated device. They'd spend most of the day trying to fool with it, and if they were so unfortunate as to try and remove the C6, it would detonate. I had preferred to make all the explosions go off at once, but a target gone was a target gone. It would still make things easier tomorrow.
Three piranhas were following me. That was annoying. They seemed quite intent as a matter of fact. I needed to work on my acting skills apparently.
I veered left this time, towards the rides and the fish continued to follow, gaining on me. I hopped the fence for the fun house and went in through the operator's door. I could hear one of the piranhas slow and call for backup.
By the time anyone arrived, there wouldn't be anyone to apprehend. I ducked into the nearest supply closet and grabbed a mop. The first two piranhas passed without hesitation, but the third slowed a bit. Its hand touched the door knob.
I kicked the door out and ran the mop handle through its throat and into the wall of the fun house. I held onto the mop as it squealed and bled out. God my ears hurt. Within a minute, it was dead enough to shut up. That was all I needed. I let go of the mop, and grabbed a can of red paint out of the closet before racing down the hall. The other two knew heard me coming. No one does.
I swung the can in an arc and drove it into back of both of the piranhas skulls. They lurched forward and I hit them again, driving them into the ground. Paint spattered the cold concrete floors and wildly painted walls. I looked up and saw a barracuda watching me. The barracuda turned and walked away without blinking.
Ah, yes, double-sided glass. We were in a fun house after all. That meant...
I turned to my left and pushed on the wall. The wall spun as I pushed on it and I slipped through. There was a manhole in the floor, already open. I stepped onto the ladder below and slid the cover back over behind me.
The first backup was just starting to arrive at the door to the fun house.
They wouldn't find me again before I wanted them to, and that wasn't until tomorrow afternoon. We'd wait and see just how raucous this festival got.
After all, I was having too much fun to stop now.
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