Post by RandallBoggs on Oct 30, 2008 22:20:17 GMT -5
Ahem....ok....*coughs* Lets see....
*straightens* Alrighty....this story is what started the others that followed for the Halloween theme, but it wasn't finished till last because we wanted to make it some-what scary and suspensful, but still with a comedic touches.
So we pulled our ideas together and came up with this, and it's our longest bit, we think. So sit back and enjoy and hopefully get a little spook. Afterall, none of us are horror writers heh ^_^
The Darkening Ride
Sean took a look at the brochure they had been handed when they entered the "lobby" for the new ride. Hardly anything, it was just vauge, saying how scary the ride was or something like that. Looking up, he stared around the lobby. Cetainly a strange look for it. Behind him were the stairs leading back up into the mall, they were in the basement, where the ride was built. Ahead and to the left were doors that were blocked off for the moment, as was the ramp path between the doors, which lead left behind a wall, which he guessed lead into the ride. Around the lobby floor were poles with bulbs giving off dim light. Everything was pale gray or blue.
"Oooh real scary..." Randall replied behind him, the reptillian monster folding his arms and taping a pole.
Vee gave a negative smirk, looking at the ramp. "Wonder what they've got back there...". Behind him, Cody and Norb were each looking at a respective brochure.
"They tell ya squat..." Norb commented, shrugging and sticking the brochure to the tape inside of his diaper. "When they make this thing anyhow?"
"Maybe it popped up overnight..." Cody said, doing the same with his brochure, looking over the small crowd. And by small, there were less than 10. It was thought that the opening of the ride was exclusive.
"When are they starting it...." one mumbled.
"Same here..." Randall whispered in agreement.
Sean chukled. "Anticipation Ran?
"More like annoyance" Randall quickly replied. He stared over at the ramp. "...What is this thing about anyway?"
"Like said...tell ya squat..." Norb chimed in, moving between Vee and Randall.
Vee rolled his eyes, moving a little toward the ramp. "Nothing like a sneak peek" he said, turning back. "Gah!!". He jumped back, just as a human shaped employee came to black his path, he was wearing similiar colors like those on the brochure.
"Whoa! Sorry about that...."
Vee was holding on to a place where his heart was, but quickly reverted when everyone else came over. "What's the big idea?!"
The employee scratched his capped head with a claw. "Uhh...you peeking before the ride starts...."
Vee grumbled, Sean patting his head when he came over. "So hey is the ride starting yet?"
"Rather soon" the employee said. "Hence the reason I'm here..."
"Yeah we were looking at the brochure..." Randall chimed in, Sean noticing he'd lifted his brochure. "And it tells ya..."
"Squat" him and Norbie both said at the same time.
The employee, Bob, from his name tag, shrugged. "Ah keeps with the theme....allot of surprises I guess....". He paused, looking back at the ramp. "Anyways...I'm here to state a few things". He paused again, getting their attention. "Ahem...there's two entrances to the ride, and we'll split everyone up between them...". He paused, looking the five over. "You five together?". Nods. "Ok...you'll be taking the ramp past me....for you all....uhh lets see...". He took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Number 1....if you want to see me and Vern....that's her over there..." he said, pointing to a female employee giving similiar directions to the other half of the group. "...just take the first right when you enter the ride...".
"Wow...we get lost that easily?" Randall asked, getting a tot laugh from Norb.
Bob ignored him. "Number 2...to get out of the ride....just continue to the exit...if you need to get out before then, use one of the complimentary exits around the rid...". "Number 3....if anybody gets lost just follow the arrows....Number 4...an exit is located behind door 6...". He paused. "O...K...I think that's it..." he said. "OH! Yeah...Number 5...if something goes wrong...use one of the red call buttons we've placed in each area of the ride and one of us will safely guide you to an exit...". Then he put it away.
"Everybody got that?" Sean asked, halfly humorous. Everyone replied in their own ways.
"So how scary is the ride?" Vee asked.
Bob shrugged. "I...dunno...most of us got the jobs recently...personally I haven't been on through it...". He chuckled, pointing at Norb, in response to his previous comment. "But if it's dang scary...least those two won't be wetting their pants". Norbie eyed Bob as Cody blushed.
"So we walk though it?" Sean asked.
Bob nodded. "I think so...". He peered at his wrist, pushing the shirt he was wearing back to reveal a watch. "Ooh...I gotta go...just remember the notes and we'll see you safely at the end" he said, moving and disappearing behind one of the doors.
"That was informative..." Randall jested.
"Better than the brochure" Sean said, then both shrugged.
Vee leaned against one of the light poles. "Thats for sure...". He looked back and around. "Uhh...". Norbie and Cody noticed too. Then Sean and Randall finally. They were alone in the Lobby.
"Where is everyone?" Sean said. Everyone looked this way and that, but the rest of the crowd was gone.
"This part of the ride?" Vee asked.
"Oh jeez you guys..." Randall gruffed.
Suddenly, but gradually from there, the light on the pole Vee was against hummed, and went out. Vee went wide-eyed, backing away. "I...touched...nothing" he stated, hands up. But then, another on, near Cody, went out.
"Uhh...guys..." Cody said, backing away. One by one, the poles started to go out, the room starting to get darker and darker.
"Uhh...is this the start of the ride?" Norbie said with a grin.
"I...think so....they do something similiar in theatres...." Sean noted, looking at the ramp.
"Maybe...we should just go back upstairs..." Cody said.
"Lets just start this thing..." Randall said, going toward the ramp, another pole going out.
Sean bit his lip slightly, then looked back. "Yeah guys...lets go...we're in a group anyhow...so if it's a electical problem we use one of those buttons". Cody looked over at Norb, who was marching toward the ramp, following Vee. Cody grumbled, and followed, Sean walking behind him. When he was at the top of the ramp, he looked back, seeing the final pole go out.
*
There were small bulbs set into glass lining the top corners of the hallway. From the top of the ramp, it went left than forward. The group paused at the corner, looking back. The top of the ramp was half disappeared in the dark.
"Well...come on then..." Randall said, though he was still leaning near the corner. Everyone decided, the heck with it, and came around the corner. Ahead something was moving. It looked to be two converyor belts. One moving left, the other moving right. "Oooh...machines" Randall chuckled, nearly getting a hit on the back by Vee. As soon as they came to the end...
"GAH!". Vee jumped back, and he thought his heart did the same. To the immediate right, set in the floor, was a huge toy soldier, human, with large beady eyes and gapping mouth. After a moment, all it seemed to do was laugh and move it's right arm at an angle.
"Scared...." Randall scuffed, stepping past him and past one of the belts, looking around the room. There were lights overhead and the room had a slanted ceiling, getting smaller and small to the left till it met the ground. But there was still plenty of room to move. There were other toys around. And boxes stacked in the corners, and a wall of them behind the toy soldier, probably fake. There was hardly anything scary.
Vee recovered when Sean walked by him, then Cody and Norbie. "Uhh...Cody...mind if I borrow one your diapers?".
Cody eyed him. "No.....why?"
"No reason!" Vee said, a big cheesy grin.
"Looks like a part of a toy factory assembly belt..." Sean noted, looking around.
"Best they could do?" Randall scuffed.
"Yeah..." Vee chimmed in, while he was securing one of Cody's Tiny Roarer diapers around himself, getting a confused look from Cody.
"I give this a thumbs down..." Norbie said, pointing down with his claws.
"Oh come on...just the first thing..." Sean said, looking down the room from his left. "There we go...another hall...".
*
The hall was just like the last one...except there was a path to the right, and one ahead that turned a corner right. Sean, Vee, and Cody started forward. "Whoa...wait a sec..." Norb said, all turning to him. "Didn't that guy say to take right to see him or something?"
"Oh yeah that's right..." Sean replied. They turned their attention to the right, starting down the short hall and turning left.
"Oh...jeez...". Sprawled in what appeared to be wreckage from the ceiling....were Bob and Vern. But they were twisted in strange, unnatural positions, though most of them was covered in plaster and an assortment of pipes. Their eyes were white and glassy and they didn't appear to be moving. Sean was surprised, Vee was afraid he would really need the diaper, Cody DID, and Norbie was looking at the sight awkwardly. Randall on the other hand...
"....Nice..." Randall said, casually walking past them and up to the sight. He looked at everyone else. "What? You guys don't think this is REAL do you?"
"W...Well..." Vee started.
Randall rolled his eyes. "If it was...WHY would he say..." he started, raising all four arms to demonstrate. "..."if you want to see me and Vern take the first right"...RIGHT?"
Sean shrugged. "You got a point...but got to admit...it's freaky looking..."
"Oh riiiight..." Randall noted, walking past the group and back on the path.
"Well....come on guys..." Sean said, following him. Norbie followed a minute later.
"Heh...he...DOES have a point..." Vee said uneasily, walking past Cody, diaper crinkling.
Cody stared at the spectacle a little longer. "I...hope so..." he said, following, looking back.
*
The path lead to a straightforward room, a little wider than the hall they came from. On the left and right walls, spaced equally apart, were different sized mirrors. The small group started down the hall slowly.
"That's weird..." Sean said, stopping at one mirror, then looking at the others. They were smashed.
Randall idly passed by him. "Wonder why they did that..." he mumbled.
"Aren't these suppose to be fun house mirrors?" Vee asked, proding his hardly seen reflection on one.
Norbie went past him, looking at one of the last mirrors. "THIS is part of the attraction?" he said, pointing like a hitchhiker.
"Well there's no glass..." Sean said.
"Good...considering your the only one with shoes..." Randall said. They all started slowly again, eyeing each mirror. It was eriee that they smashed...but what happened to the glass? And more so, WHY smash them in the first place? What was the point?
*
The next room was even more bizzare. It was huge, more than four times the size of the assembly line near the start. It was like a scene from a fun house. Huge blocks with multiple clown-like colors on them. To be put bluntly, it looked more like it was a room where giants played Tetris. There were huge blocks, right angles, long straight pieces. None of them could see the other side of the room because the pieces were so high.
"Neat..." Norbie chuckled.
"Here we go..." Sean said with a smile, turning left, following the laid out path. Evereyone followed. Left...forward...right...left. "Huh...." Sean said. Dead end. Thee clown colors looked back at them in an almost mocking way.
"Maybe it's like a hall of mirrors..." Cody chimmed in. Everyone looked back at him. "Maybe we missed something...".
"Good idea Cody..." Sean said. They all started back tracking, looking at each wall for any imperfections. But a minute or so later, they found themselves back at the entrace.
"Great..." Norb muttered.
Randall shrugged. "Great...they make this shabby thing and didn't finish....let me go check..." he muttered, placing his suction cup hand on one of the cube walls. "Good...not slippery...". Sean and Norb placed their backs against the wall as Randall started climbing, disppearing from view when he got on the top.
"Yeah...maybe they didn't finish it..." Vee said, slouching a bit, which made him look funny, even more so with one of Cody's diapers on him.
"So far...I do find it more weirder though..." Sean said, shrugging.
"Hey....at least found one of those buttons that guy was talking about" Cody said. All three looked at him, then to where he was pointing. Towards the direction of the dead end, upward, near the ceiling was a pedastol with a red button on it, and behind it on the wall was the familiar colors of an emergency message.
"Yeah...if we get bored to death push it..." Norbie grunted, crossing his legs over his diaper.
Sean looked up, the lights in the room big ovals. "Ran's taking a bit....". He got off the wall and rounded the corner, placing a hand in his pocket and looking up.
"Maybe it's a maze up there too" Norbie chuckled.
Cody followed beside Sean looking up. Vee stuck near the entrance, looking along the walls in cased they didn't find anything before. Then with a tired sigh, sat his back against the start of the hallway. "Hopefully find the entrance before trick or treating..." he said, looking down the hallway. Then something caught his eye. Wasn't it lighter back there when they came through? Then something else happened. The light right at the corner flickered....then died. The the one ahead of it flickered....then died. Vee twiddled his mouth, getting off the wall and backing up. "Uhh...g...guys..." he started, slipping a little and crashing on his diapered rump. "GUYS!"
All three turned to the entrance. And as if set with a cue, the lights in the hall started to flicker and die right after the other. And even now the overhead lights of the room they were in wre starting to flicker. Vee backed up until Sean and Cody came over, Sean helping Vee to his feet, at first he didn't seem to stand, So Sean pulled him over his back in a piggyback fashion. Norbie joined them, all four looking at the blackened hall, and then up at the lights.
"T...This is part of the ride right?" Cody asked, gulping.
Then suddenly...the lights went out.
Tssssssshhhhhh
"GAAAAHHH!!!"
"Who was that!?"
"Me..."
"Oh jeez...I'm feeling something warm on the back of my neck...."
"Oh!....Sorry...."
A moment later, though....the room seemed to light itself dimly. The thick swaying symbols around the different pieces of blocks, were lit. Green, pink, dark blue colors...it was like they were made with glow in the dark paint. But the room still seemed menacing. The volume was dark, only guided by the faint colors of the paint....
Vee was chattering his teeth, a sign of being freaked out of course. Sean was looking up at him unamuzed, aware the diaper he was wearing was full. Both Norbie and Cody were clinging to a respective pantleg of Sean's blue jeans. Moments of silence passed...nothing seemed to do anything. "Uhh...guys...it's ok..." he said. Norbie quickly backed away, crossing his arms.
"Pfft..."
Cody was still near Sean. "This is freaky...".
"T...tell me...about it..." Vee chattered out. Sean rolled his eyes, grabbing Vee and setting him down, Norbie holding back a laugh from the gray tinted diaper. Sean got back up, looking around.
"Randall! You up there?"
Nothing.
"Randall...?". All four looked up and around, the faint luminescent paint glowling erieely.
"BOOOO!!!!"
"YIIIKEKEEESSS!!!!" Vee yelled, hopping nearly five feet in the air, though his to-the-brim filled diaper brought him back down just as fast. Randall appeared right behind him, catching Vee in midair with his upper hands before he hit the ground, which would've probably burst his diaper open. He swung Vee back upward, and close, eying Vee to the side of his head.
"My scare instincts tell me your a "little heavier"..." he chuckled. Vee blushed at first, but then looked back.
"Hey Randall...come're..." he said, motioning with a finger.
"What to comment tinkler?" Randall said, leaning in. As he did, Vee socked him in the chest, making Randall blow out a breath, as he landed on his feet, thankfully. "Cah...OW..." Randall muttered. Vee twirled his wrist and folded his arms, tapping a foot as Sean came over.
"We were worried you know..." he said a little sternly. "You see the exit?"
"Tah...". Randall took a moment to recover, leaning up. "I'll get you again later..." Randall mumbled, Vee giving a grin of pride. "YES...I did..." he said turning to Sean. "It's right on the other side....duh..."
"And...path?" Sean asked.
"....I didn't see anything down here..."
"Great...." Sean mumbled.
"Uhh...does anybody hear something?". Everyone looked back at Norbie, who shrugged.
"Like what?" Vee asked.
"Gears...?"
"I don't hear anything..." Cody said.
KRRRCCHHH
"I heard that...."
The sound of, yes, gears and motors started up, seeming to come from beyond the walls.....
"Cody...stop getting chummy" Norbie complained, brushing his back.
"I'm over here..." Cody said, Norbie seeing he was a few feet away.
"Wha??". Norbie turned. The block he was near was...moving!
Sean looked back, seeing the enormous block moving towars them. "Everybody! Back to the path!". Cody and Norbie ran over, Sean grabbing Vee, all five of them moving to the side and to the middle of the path, the block settling in front of the way back to the hall. As they moved, so did other pieces. The blocks extending from the ceiling were moving across, and those on the ground were moving. All of them moved to the dead end, which wasn't a dead end anymore, there was a path leading ahead and to the right. Everyone took it without a word, following the path. It split left and right, but the right path was quickly blocked with a long vertical block piece. Norbie and Cody took the turn quickly, Randall quickly behind them. Sean had kicked against one of the walls to make the turn faster, and grabbed Vee's arm a little firmer to get him in the turn too. Then the path went left, but...
"DEAD END!" Norbie yelled, backing up, everyone else crashing into, or toppling over, him. Suddenly a block on the left moved, and a new path opened. They all took it without hesitation. It went the same way, then turned another left.
"EXIT!" Sean yelled. Ahead was another hallway, just like the one they used to come in, except a little ahead the lights were still on. They all ran for it. Norbie and Randall reached it first, raptor speed and eight feet ensured that. Sean quickly caught up with Cody, grabbing his paw and running along with them. Overhead, another block was slowly coming to intercept the entrace. Without much thought, Sean pulled Cody and Vee and thrust them ahead, Cody hitting Norbie, and toppling him over, and Vee smaking into Randall, as Sean slid in, the block coming to rest behind him three seconds later.
*
"Oohhh...THANKS for that..." Norbie mumbled, pushing Cody off of him.
Randall looked down at Vee, who had his arms around his stomach. "DO YOU MIND?" he said, pushing Vee back, who toppled onto his heavily squishy rear end. Vee stayed where he was, still breathing.
Sean got up, brushing off his shirt. "Ok...this going over a bit..."
"Your telling me..." Norbie said, leaning up.
"We should've....pressed that switch..." Cody said between breaths.
"Didn't have the time..." Randall replied. "Room was getting faster the closer we got HERE...."
"Yeah...the lights going off I get becausee of the paint...but some stuff in there could hurt people..." Sean said, looking around. At least they had some good light now. The path went forward for awhile, then right. "Lets get out of this thing..."
"Yeah...!" Vee surprisingly said, hopping to his feet, the diaper he had on flopping a little. "There's....there's plenty of other things we could be doing"
"Here here!" Cody said.
Once all five of them were settled, they continued on the path, coming to another extending hall, like the one with the mirrors, which opened up into another room....
*
"Whoa...weird..."
The floor of the entire room was....well it was like a carousel. The floor was was like what a carousel top was like, with enrgraved bits and decorations. In the center, was the familiar top pole. It extended to the ceiling. But what was strange, was that the ceiling had the animals you ride on. Horses mostly, aside from one carriage, probably a carousel considerate for the older folks. In fact it was like a carousel that was turned upside down and inside out. Some of the horses were in a "charge" position. Sean had to duck as he came in, as did Randall. Vee had to even lower his head. Norbie and Cody on the other hand didn't have as much trouble. As they all stepped in, they each backed up when suddenly lights around the rim of the room turned on. They waited for another unexpected action...but it seemed that's all there was for now. But something else was noticeable. Around the round room, were several doors in different shapes, each one numbered 1-8.
"Great...weirder and weirder..." Randall mumbled. Vee trotted over to one of the doors, gripping the handle and tugging.
"Ehh...well...think these are locked...". Everyone else joined in, trying each door, all locked.
"Nowhere to go again..." Norbie said, coming to the center. He noticed something there. A blue switch was encased around a swirling decoration of red and white. "Hey what's this?". Experienced with Norb, Vee didn't let his ocean of a diaper stop him from rushing over and halting Norbie's claw from pressing the switch.
Vee immediately jabbed a finger at him. "DON'T...TOUCH...ANY...BUTTONS..." he said sternly.
Norb just looked at him, then down at Vee's diaper. "I...don't think your in the right mind to tell me" he said, smiling a large raptor grin. Vee rolled his eyes in response.
"Found something?" Sean asked, coming over, Cody and Randall following.
"Switch..." Norb stated.
"Well...nothing else in this room...". Sean looked over each of them. "Get ready...". He waited a few seconds, then pressed the button.
Suddenly, the sound of clicks could be heard, and then a large bolt sound. "The doors..." Randall said, working on the sounds. The other three sighed with relief....it was short lived.
CRRRCKKK!
Before any of them could react, the middle of the room and the ceiling started to spin like the carousel it appeared to be. Vee and Norbie were flung slightly toward the wall of the room. Cody was flipped on his back, Randall got on all eight to secure himself, and Sean grabbed onto the center pole. The classical music started to come from somewhere, but wherever the speakers were, they blended in.
"SOMEBODY GET A DOOR OPEN!" Randall yelled over, his fronds flailing with the movement. Cody stayed where he was, the eradic movement, making the shapes and colors mix, like when your going through a subway tunnel too fast. Norbie was getting dizzy, so he stayed like Cody, looking at a white horse on the ceiling.
Vee got up, trying to balance himself. Funny enough, the weight between his legs at the moment was helping, as he sid stepped while the floor was moving in it's circular pattern. "I think I can get to a door!" he yelled over, turning to the walls and slowly marching for one.
"Vee!" Sean called over. Vee turned his head, still side stepping. "DOOR SIX!"
Vee gave him a funny look, though remembered the intro for the ride, and grinned. "GOT IT!".
WACK!!!
Though...he probably forgot it when one of the changing upside-down horses wacked him in the head. "Oooh...I go...ride merry...go...too..." he said, wiggling his head, till he fell foward to the ground, his dropping diapered rear and the air and the tip of his tail coming in front of his head.
Cody noticed, since he was close to the event. "He gonna be ok!?" he yelled over at Sean.
"Ehh...Vee has a hard head...he'll be alright...Ran check on him...I'm getting that door!". While Randall grudgingly went over to Vee, Sean pushed from the pole when he was coming up to the sixith door, which was a green oval. He banged his left shoulder against one of the walls, ignored it for the moment, and grabbed the knob, pulling. Surprisingly the door opened up, nearly whacking him in the face. He pulled the door around and went in. Inside was a hall like the others, but with a relieving EXIT sign on the corner, and guard rails against the left and right walls.
"Screw collatorel damage..." he murmured, though it was usually said by Vee. He grabbed the guard rail and kicked the door open, keeping it that way with a firm foot on the knob. Cody was first, scampering to his feet and in a sort of pouncing way, leaped for the door, Sean steadid him with his free hand. Norbie came in the same way, Cody steadying him. Randall had a much easier time, though he did toss Vee in, then followd himself.
*
The door swung back, closing off the gear sound, thought the carousel music was still heard. Everyone was breathing heavily. Sean was sitting down near the rails, Vee's head over his lap, Cody and Norbie was sitting beside him, and Randall was steadying himself with the rail.
"OK...." he breathed, running a hand over his fronds. "Ride or not...you shouldn't have to be in the olympics to go through it!".
Nobody replied. Vee was till woozy, Sean was patting his head, Norbie was dizzy, and Cody was shaking. But a moment later, Vee leand up. "LETS GET THE HECK OUT BEFORE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS!!!!!" he yelled, getting to his feet, nearly getting caught in his drooping diaper, and running the exit. And gear sound made him jump once, but he continued, but then everyone else started to follow hurriedly. The path went left and finally showed the tall tell one-way of an exit, complete with the metal bar that, for normal reasons, but not this, trigger a fire alarm. Vee wasted no time grabbing his shoulder against it, and everyone clamered into some othr room, the door slamming shut behind them.
Sean was the first to notice where they were, and boy was it more cold. "We're....outside....." he said. Everyone got to their feet. Sure enough, they were outside the mall alright. From the cold, everyone ran to the entrace. The inner doors were locked, but you could still get past the first pair into that small square space. Warmer there than outside.
"I...am NOT moving from this spot for a bit..." Norbie said, taking a seat on one of the wooden style benches. "That...and I SERIOUSLY need a change...". Cody sat beside him, still shaking a little. Randall placed his back against one of the doors, hardly in a mood to crack any remark. Sean did the same, placing an arm on one of the doors. Vee was slouching again, but breathing steady. "So do YOU Vee-boy..." Norb chukled.
"THAT...was a stupid idea..." Vee started, ignoring Norb, then looking past them. "...The mall's closed?"
"Just noticed that huh?" Randall remarked. Ok, maybe one remark.
Sean himself seemed to notice the darkened insides of the mall. "...Wait a second..." he started. Then he looked over at Norbie. "Norb...You got a lockpick or something?"
"Now WHY would you think THAT?" Norb started. Cody groaned, pulling at Norb's diaper, on the side, and retracted a small black pen-like object. Norb stared at it. "....Ok...so afterwards I wanted to plunge the candy shop...".
Sean grabbed it, coming over to one of the doors. "WHAT are you doing?" Randall started.
Sean began picking the lock. "There's something I got to check...Vee your coming..."
"ME?"
"Yeah...Ran...you watch Norb and Cody..."
"You inverted our jobs..." Randall said, but Sean had already opened the door, Vee passing by him.
*
Sean aimed for the basement, though he had to slap Vee's hand from trying to get into one of the electronics stores. They came to the stairs, and started down slowly, Vee a little more slowly. Sean asked him if he wanted the diaper off, but Vee replied that if they were going anywhere NEAR the place again, he wouldn't be suprised of something else happening. When they reached the foot....
"Oh jeez..."
Vee blinked. "You sure this is the right basement?
"Yeah..."
It was the same basement. But it sure didn't look that way. You could see the entire basement, outfitted as if it were planning to put something there, with plastic coverings and boxes all around. No inner walls....no inner doors...no completed rooms...and certainly no "set-up" site for a horror-themed walk-in amusement ride. The ride...was gone...
"W...W..." Vee started, looking up at Sean. "What made you...?"
Sean shook his head, still amazed. "I don't know...I...just wondered why the mall was closed if we were still in the ride..."
"B...But...". Vee looked back at the open space. "Where did it go...!?"
Sean took a step forward, kicking a fallen ball of plaster. "I dunno..."
Vee nearly tore out his "ear" extensions. "But it makes no sense!" he started, gesturing everything with his hands. "We were standing in a lobby...we SPOKE to the workers...we went through the assembly line...the house of mirrors...nearly got side squashed by huge legos! And then twirling in an upside down merry go round!" he yelled, spinning himself, though he got dizzy unexpectidly, crashing on his squishy rear.
Sean shook his head. "Well it's gone now...". He turned, looking down. "I can't help but wonder what the rest of the ride was like..."
Vee looked up at him in disbelief. "WHAT?"
Sean held up his hands. "Whoa...don't get me wrong...". He looked at the expansive empty space. "Still....". They both stared for a moment. "Heh...come on lets go home...". He came over to Vee. "Norb's probably chewing on Ran's tail because he ticked him off..." he chuckled, picking Vee up. "Guess that WAS a good idea" he noted, tapping the side of Vee's diaper.
Vee grunted. "Yeah whatever..." he said, and they both started up the stairs, their steps echoing through the space as they reached the top. The door shut loudly, echoing in sync as it traveled through the empty basement, the plastic coverings flapping slowly. The ride was gone. But where it went, nobody knows. Just like why it was made so strangely in the first place. Did the toy theme mean something? What happened to the attendants? Were the mirrors smashed for a reason? Was it part of the right for the lights to go out? And what laid behind the other seven doors in the carousel room? Or was it really a ride at all? Was it something else? Something...that grew darker the deeper you went? Maybe that's why it has the name....the Darkening Ride.....
*straightens* Alrighty....this story is what started the others that followed for the Halloween theme, but it wasn't finished till last because we wanted to make it some-what scary and suspensful, but still with a comedic touches.
So we pulled our ideas together and came up with this, and it's our longest bit, we think. So sit back and enjoy and hopefully get a little spook. Afterall, none of us are horror writers heh ^_^
The Darkening Ride
Sean took a look at the brochure they had been handed when they entered the "lobby" for the new ride. Hardly anything, it was just vauge, saying how scary the ride was or something like that. Looking up, he stared around the lobby. Cetainly a strange look for it. Behind him were the stairs leading back up into the mall, they were in the basement, where the ride was built. Ahead and to the left were doors that were blocked off for the moment, as was the ramp path between the doors, which lead left behind a wall, which he guessed lead into the ride. Around the lobby floor were poles with bulbs giving off dim light. Everything was pale gray or blue.
"Oooh real scary..." Randall replied behind him, the reptillian monster folding his arms and taping a pole.
Vee gave a negative smirk, looking at the ramp. "Wonder what they've got back there...". Behind him, Cody and Norb were each looking at a respective brochure.
"They tell ya squat..." Norb commented, shrugging and sticking the brochure to the tape inside of his diaper. "When they make this thing anyhow?"
"Maybe it popped up overnight..." Cody said, doing the same with his brochure, looking over the small crowd. And by small, there were less than 10. It was thought that the opening of the ride was exclusive.
"When are they starting it...." one mumbled.
"Same here..." Randall whispered in agreement.
Sean chukled. "Anticipation Ran?
"More like annoyance" Randall quickly replied. He stared over at the ramp. "...What is this thing about anyway?"
"Like said...tell ya squat..." Norb chimed in, moving between Vee and Randall.
Vee rolled his eyes, moving a little toward the ramp. "Nothing like a sneak peek" he said, turning back. "Gah!!". He jumped back, just as a human shaped employee came to black his path, he was wearing similiar colors like those on the brochure.
"Whoa! Sorry about that...."
Vee was holding on to a place where his heart was, but quickly reverted when everyone else came over. "What's the big idea?!"
The employee scratched his capped head with a claw. "Uhh...you peeking before the ride starts...."
Vee grumbled, Sean patting his head when he came over. "So hey is the ride starting yet?"
"Rather soon" the employee said. "Hence the reason I'm here..."
"Yeah we were looking at the brochure..." Randall chimed in, Sean noticing he'd lifted his brochure. "And it tells ya..."
"Squat" him and Norbie both said at the same time.
The employee, Bob, from his name tag, shrugged. "Ah keeps with the theme....allot of surprises I guess....". He paused, looking back at the ramp. "Anyways...I'm here to state a few things". He paused again, getting their attention. "Ahem...there's two entrances to the ride, and we'll split everyone up between them...". He paused, looking the five over. "You five together?". Nods. "Ok...you'll be taking the ramp past me....for you all....uhh lets see...". He took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Number 1....if you want to see me and Vern....that's her over there..." he said, pointing to a female employee giving similiar directions to the other half of the group. "...just take the first right when you enter the ride...".
"Wow...we get lost that easily?" Randall asked, getting a tot laugh from Norb.
Bob ignored him. "Number 2...to get out of the ride....just continue to the exit...if you need to get out before then, use one of the complimentary exits around the rid...". "Number 3....if anybody gets lost just follow the arrows....Number 4...an exit is located behind door 6...". He paused. "O...K...I think that's it..." he said. "OH! Yeah...Number 5...if something goes wrong...use one of the red call buttons we've placed in each area of the ride and one of us will safely guide you to an exit...". Then he put it away.
"Everybody got that?" Sean asked, halfly humorous. Everyone replied in their own ways.
"So how scary is the ride?" Vee asked.
Bob shrugged. "I...dunno...most of us got the jobs recently...personally I haven't been on through it...". He chuckled, pointing at Norb, in response to his previous comment. "But if it's dang scary...least those two won't be wetting their pants". Norbie eyed Bob as Cody blushed.
"So we walk though it?" Sean asked.
Bob nodded. "I think so...". He peered at his wrist, pushing the shirt he was wearing back to reveal a watch. "Ooh...I gotta go...just remember the notes and we'll see you safely at the end" he said, moving and disappearing behind one of the doors.
"That was informative..." Randall jested.
"Better than the brochure" Sean said, then both shrugged.
Vee leaned against one of the light poles. "Thats for sure...". He looked back and around. "Uhh...". Norbie and Cody noticed too. Then Sean and Randall finally. They were alone in the Lobby.
"Where is everyone?" Sean said. Everyone looked this way and that, but the rest of the crowd was gone.
"This part of the ride?" Vee asked.
"Oh jeez you guys..." Randall gruffed.
Suddenly, but gradually from there, the light on the pole Vee was against hummed, and went out. Vee went wide-eyed, backing away. "I...touched...nothing" he stated, hands up. But then, another on, near Cody, went out.
"Uhh...guys..." Cody said, backing away. One by one, the poles started to go out, the room starting to get darker and darker.
"Uhh...is this the start of the ride?" Norbie said with a grin.
"I...think so....they do something similiar in theatres...." Sean noted, looking at the ramp.
"Maybe...we should just go back upstairs..." Cody said.
"Lets just start this thing..." Randall said, going toward the ramp, another pole going out.
Sean bit his lip slightly, then looked back. "Yeah guys...lets go...we're in a group anyhow...so if it's a electical problem we use one of those buttons". Cody looked over at Norb, who was marching toward the ramp, following Vee. Cody grumbled, and followed, Sean walking behind him. When he was at the top of the ramp, he looked back, seeing the final pole go out.
*
There were small bulbs set into glass lining the top corners of the hallway. From the top of the ramp, it went left than forward. The group paused at the corner, looking back. The top of the ramp was half disappeared in the dark.
"Well...come on then..." Randall said, though he was still leaning near the corner. Everyone decided, the heck with it, and came around the corner. Ahead something was moving. It looked to be two converyor belts. One moving left, the other moving right. "Oooh...machines" Randall chuckled, nearly getting a hit on the back by Vee. As soon as they came to the end...
"GAH!". Vee jumped back, and he thought his heart did the same. To the immediate right, set in the floor, was a huge toy soldier, human, with large beady eyes and gapping mouth. After a moment, all it seemed to do was laugh and move it's right arm at an angle.
"Scared...." Randall scuffed, stepping past him and past one of the belts, looking around the room. There were lights overhead and the room had a slanted ceiling, getting smaller and small to the left till it met the ground. But there was still plenty of room to move. There were other toys around. And boxes stacked in the corners, and a wall of them behind the toy soldier, probably fake. There was hardly anything scary.
Vee recovered when Sean walked by him, then Cody and Norbie. "Uhh...Cody...mind if I borrow one your diapers?".
Cody eyed him. "No.....why?"
"No reason!" Vee said, a big cheesy grin.
"Looks like a part of a toy factory assembly belt..." Sean noted, looking around.
"Best they could do?" Randall scuffed.
"Yeah..." Vee chimmed in, while he was securing one of Cody's Tiny Roarer diapers around himself, getting a confused look from Cody.
"I give this a thumbs down..." Norbie said, pointing down with his claws.
"Oh come on...just the first thing..." Sean said, looking down the room from his left. "There we go...another hall...".
*
The hall was just like the last one...except there was a path to the right, and one ahead that turned a corner right. Sean, Vee, and Cody started forward. "Whoa...wait a sec..." Norb said, all turning to him. "Didn't that guy say to take right to see him or something?"
"Oh yeah that's right..." Sean replied. They turned their attention to the right, starting down the short hall and turning left.
"Oh...jeez...". Sprawled in what appeared to be wreckage from the ceiling....were Bob and Vern. But they were twisted in strange, unnatural positions, though most of them was covered in plaster and an assortment of pipes. Their eyes were white and glassy and they didn't appear to be moving. Sean was surprised, Vee was afraid he would really need the diaper, Cody DID, and Norbie was looking at the sight awkwardly. Randall on the other hand...
"....Nice..." Randall said, casually walking past them and up to the sight. He looked at everyone else. "What? You guys don't think this is REAL do you?"
"W...Well..." Vee started.
Randall rolled his eyes. "If it was...WHY would he say..." he started, raising all four arms to demonstrate. "..."if you want to see me and Vern take the first right"...RIGHT?"
Sean shrugged. "You got a point...but got to admit...it's freaky looking..."
"Oh riiiight..." Randall noted, walking past the group and back on the path.
"Well....come on guys..." Sean said, following him. Norbie followed a minute later.
"Heh...he...DOES have a point..." Vee said uneasily, walking past Cody, diaper crinkling.
Cody stared at the spectacle a little longer. "I...hope so..." he said, following, looking back.
*
The path lead to a straightforward room, a little wider than the hall they came from. On the left and right walls, spaced equally apart, were different sized mirrors. The small group started down the hall slowly.
"That's weird..." Sean said, stopping at one mirror, then looking at the others. They were smashed.
Randall idly passed by him. "Wonder why they did that..." he mumbled.
"Aren't these suppose to be fun house mirrors?" Vee asked, proding his hardly seen reflection on one.
Norbie went past him, looking at one of the last mirrors. "THIS is part of the attraction?" he said, pointing like a hitchhiker.
"Well there's no glass..." Sean said.
"Good...considering your the only one with shoes..." Randall said. They all started slowly again, eyeing each mirror. It was eriee that they smashed...but what happened to the glass? And more so, WHY smash them in the first place? What was the point?
*
The next room was even more bizzare. It was huge, more than four times the size of the assembly line near the start. It was like a scene from a fun house. Huge blocks with multiple clown-like colors on them. To be put bluntly, it looked more like it was a room where giants played Tetris. There were huge blocks, right angles, long straight pieces. None of them could see the other side of the room because the pieces were so high.
"Neat..." Norbie chuckled.
"Here we go..." Sean said with a smile, turning left, following the laid out path. Evereyone followed. Left...forward...right...left. "Huh...." Sean said. Dead end. Thee clown colors looked back at them in an almost mocking way.
"Maybe it's like a hall of mirrors..." Cody chimmed in. Everyone looked back at him. "Maybe we missed something...".
"Good idea Cody..." Sean said. They all started back tracking, looking at each wall for any imperfections. But a minute or so later, they found themselves back at the entrace.
"Great..." Norb muttered.
Randall shrugged. "Great...they make this shabby thing and didn't finish....let me go check..." he muttered, placing his suction cup hand on one of the cube walls. "Good...not slippery...". Sean and Norb placed their backs against the wall as Randall started climbing, disppearing from view when he got on the top.
"Yeah...maybe they didn't finish it..." Vee said, slouching a bit, which made him look funny, even more so with one of Cody's diapers on him.
"So far...I do find it more weirder though..." Sean said, shrugging.
"Hey....at least found one of those buttons that guy was talking about" Cody said. All three looked at him, then to where he was pointing. Towards the direction of the dead end, upward, near the ceiling was a pedastol with a red button on it, and behind it on the wall was the familiar colors of an emergency message.
"Yeah...if we get bored to death push it..." Norbie grunted, crossing his legs over his diaper.
Sean looked up, the lights in the room big ovals. "Ran's taking a bit....". He got off the wall and rounded the corner, placing a hand in his pocket and looking up.
"Maybe it's a maze up there too" Norbie chuckled.
Cody followed beside Sean looking up. Vee stuck near the entrance, looking along the walls in cased they didn't find anything before. Then with a tired sigh, sat his back against the start of the hallway. "Hopefully find the entrance before trick or treating..." he said, looking down the hallway. Then something caught his eye. Wasn't it lighter back there when they came through? Then something else happened. The light right at the corner flickered....then died. The the one ahead of it flickered....then died. Vee twiddled his mouth, getting off the wall and backing up. "Uhh...g...guys..." he started, slipping a little and crashing on his diapered rump. "GUYS!"
All three turned to the entrance. And as if set with a cue, the lights in the hall started to flicker and die right after the other. And even now the overhead lights of the room they were in wre starting to flicker. Vee backed up until Sean and Cody came over, Sean helping Vee to his feet, at first he didn't seem to stand, So Sean pulled him over his back in a piggyback fashion. Norbie joined them, all four looking at the blackened hall, and then up at the lights.
"T...This is part of the ride right?" Cody asked, gulping.
Then suddenly...the lights went out.
Tssssssshhhhhh
"GAAAAHHH!!!"
"Who was that!?"
"Me..."
"Oh jeez...I'm feeling something warm on the back of my neck...."
"Oh!....Sorry...."
A moment later, though....the room seemed to light itself dimly. The thick swaying symbols around the different pieces of blocks, were lit. Green, pink, dark blue colors...it was like they were made with glow in the dark paint. But the room still seemed menacing. The volume was dark, only guided by the faint colors of the paint....
Vee was chattering his teeth, a sign of being freaked out of course. Sean was looking up at him unamuzed, aware the diaper he was wearing was full. Both Norbie and Cody were clinging to a respective pantleg of Sean's blue jeans. Moments of silence passed...nothing seemed to do anything. "Uhh...guys...it's ok..." he said. Norbie quickly backed away, crossing his arms.
"Pfft..."
Cody was still near Sean. "This is freaky...".
"T...tell me...about it..." Vee chattered out. Sean rolled his eyes, grabbing Vee and setting him down, Norbie holding back a laugh from the gray tinted diaper. Sean got back up, looking around.
"Randall! You up there?"
Nothing.
"Randall...?". All four looked up and around, the faint luminescent paint glowling erieely.
"BOOOO!!!!"
"YIIIKEKEEESSS!!!!" Vee yelled, hopping nearly five feet in the air, though his to-the-brim filled diaper brought him back down just as fast. Randall appeared right behind him, catching Vee in midair with his upper hands before he hit the ground, which would've probably burst his diaper open. He swung Vee back upward, and close, eying Vee to the side of his head.
"My scare instincts tell me your a "little heavier"..." he chuckled. Vee blushed at first, but then looked back.
"Hey Randall...come're..." he said, motioning with a finger.
"What to comment tinkler?" Randall said, leaning in. As he did, Vee socked him in the chest, making Randall blow out a breath, as he landed on his feet, thankfully. "Cah...OW..." Randall muttered. Vee twirled his wrist and folded his arms, tapping a foot as Sean came over.
"We were worried you know..." he said a little sternly. "You see the exit?"
"Tah...". Randall took a moment to recover, leaning up. "I'll get you again later..." Randall mumbled, Vee giving a grin of pride. "YES...I did..." he said turning to Sean. "It's right on the other side....duh..."
"And...path?" Sean asked.
"....I didn't see anything down here..."
"Great...." Sean mumbled.
"Uhh...does anybody hear something?". Everyone looked back at Norbie, who shrugged.
"Like what?" Vee asked.
"Gears...?"
"I don't hear anything..." Cody said.
KRRRCCHHH
"I heard that...."
The sound of, yes, gears and motors started up, seeming to come from beyond the walls.....
"Cody...stop getting chummy" Norbie complained, brushing his back.
"I'm over here..." Cody said, Norbie seeing he was a few feet away.
"Wha??". Norbie turned. The block he was near was...moving!
Sean looked back, seeing the enormous block moving towars them. "Everybody! Back to the path!". Cody and Norbie ran over, Sean grabbing Vee, all five of them moving to the side and to the middle of the path, the block settling in front of the way back to the hall. As they moved, so did other pieces. The blocks extending from the ceiling were moving across, and those on the ground were moving. All of them moved to the dead end, which wasn't a dead end anymore, there was a path leading ahead and to the right. Everyone took it without a word, following the path. It split left and right, but the right path was quickly blocked with a long vertical block piece. Norbie and Cody took the turn quickly, Randall quickly behind them. Sean had kicked against one of the walls to make the turn faster, and grabbed Vee's arm a little firmer to get him in the turn too. Then the path went left, but...
"DEAD END!" Norbie yelled, backing up, everyone else crashing into, or toppling over, him. Suddenly a block on the left moved, and a new path opened. They all took it without hesitation. It went the same way, then turned another left.
"EXIT!" Sean yelled. Ahead was another hallway, just like the one they used to come in, except a little ahead the lights were still on. They all ran for it. Norbie and Randall reached it first, raptor speed and eight feet ensured that. Sean quickly caught up with Cody, grabbing his paw and running along with them. Overhead, another block was slowly coming to intercept the entrace. Without much thought, Sean pulled Cody and Vee and thrust them ahead, Cody hitting Norbie, and toppling him over, and Vee smaking into Randall, as Sean slid in, the block coming to rest behind him three seconds later.
*
"Oohhh...THANKS for that..." Norbie mumbled, pushing Cody off of him.
Randall looked down at Vee, who had his arms around his stomach. "DO YOU MIND?" he said, pushing Vee back, who toppled onto his heavily squishy rear end. Vee stayed where he was, still breathing.
Sean got up, brushing off his shirt. "Ok...this going over a bit..."
"Your telling me..." Norbie said, leaning up.
"We should've....pressed that switch..." Cody said between breaths.
"Didn't have the time..." Randall replied. "Room was getting faster the closer we got HERE...."
"Yeah...the lights going off I get becausee of the paint...but some stuff in there could hurt people..." Sean said, looking around. At least they had some good light now. The path went forward for awhile, then right. "Lets get out of this thing..."
"Yeah...!" Vee surprisingly said, hopping to his feet, the diaper he had on flopping a little. "There's....there's plenty of other things we could be doing"
"Here here!" Cody said.
Once all five of them were settled, they continued on the path, coming to another extending hall, like the one with the mirrors, which opened up into another room....
*
"Whoa...weird..."
The floor of the entire room was....well it was like a carousel. The floor was was like what a carousel top was like, with enrgraved bits and decorations. In the center, was the familiar top pole. It extended to the ceiling. But what was strange, was that the ceiling had the animals you ride on. Horses mostly, aside from one carriage, probably a carousel considerate for the older folks. In fact it was like a carousel that was turned upside down and inside out. Some of the horses were in a "charge" position. Sean had to duck as he came in, as did Randall. Vee had to even lower his head. Norbie and Cody on the other hand didn't have as much trouble. As they all stepped in, they each backed up when suddenly lights around the rim of the room turned on. They waited for another unexpected action...but it seemed that's all there was for now. But something else was noticeable. Around the round room, were several doors in different shapes, each one numbered 1-8.
"Great...weirder and weirder..." Randall mumbled. Vee trotted over to one of the doors, gripping the handle and tugging.
"Ehh...well...think these are locked...". Everyone else joined in, trying each door, all locked.
"Nowhere to go again..." Norbie said, coming to the center. He noticed something there. A blue switch was encased around a swirling decoration of red and white. "Hey what's this?". Experienced with Norb, Vee didn't let his ocean of a diaper stop him from rushing over and halting Norbie's claw from pressing the switch.
Vee immediately jabbed a finger at him. "DON'T...TOUCH...ANY...BUTTONS..." he said sternly.
Norb just looked at him, then down at Vee's diaper. "I...don't think your in the right mind to tell me" he said, smiling a large raptor grin. Vee rolled his eyes in response.
"Found something?" Sean asked, coming over, Cody and Randall following.
"Switch..." Norb stated.
"Well...nothing else in this room...". Sean looked over each of them. "Get ready...". He waited a few seconds, then pressed the button.
Suddenly, the sound of clicks could be heard, and then a large bolt sound. "The doors..." Randall said, working on the sounds. The other three sighed with relief....it was short lived.
CRRRCKKK!
Before any of them could react, the middle of the room and the ceiling started to spin like the carousel it appeared to be. Vee and Norbie were flung slightly toward the wall of the room. Cody was flipped on his back, Randall got on all eight to secure himself, and Sean grabbed onto the center pole. The classical music started to come from somewhere, but wherever the speakers were, they blended in.
"SOMEBODY GET A DOOR OPEN!" Randall yelled over, his fronds flailing with the movement. Cody stayed where he was, the eradic movement, making the shapes and colors mix, like when your going through a subway tunnel too fast. Norbie was getting dizzy, so he stayed like Cody, looking at a white horse on the ceiling.
Vee got up, trying to balance himself. Funny enough, the weight between his legs at the moment was helping, as he sid stepped while the floor was moving in it's circular pattern. "I think I can get to a door!" he yelled over, turning to the walls and slowly marching for one.
"Vee!" Sean called over. Vee turned his head, still side stepping. "DOOR SIX!"
Vee gave him a funny look, though remembered the intro for the ride, and grinned. "GOT IT!".
WACK!!!
Though...he probably forgot it when one of the changing upside-down horses wacked him in the head. "Oooh...I go...ride merry...go...too..." he said, wiggling his head, till he fell foward to the ground, his dropping diapered rear and the air and the tip of his tail coming in front of his head.
Cody noticed, since he was close to the event. "He gonna be ok!?" he yelled over at Sean.
"Ehh...Vee has a hard head...he'll be alright...Ran check on him...I'm getting that door!". While Randall grudgingly went over to Vee, Sean pushed from the pole when he was coming up to the sixith door, which was a green oval. He banged his left shoulder against one of the walls, ignored it for the moment, and grabbed the knob, pulling. Surprisingly the door opened up, nearly whacking him in the face. He pulled the door around and went in. Inside was a hall like the others, but with a relieving EXIT sign on the corner, and guard rails against the left and right walls.
"Screw collatorel damage..." he murmured, though it was usually said by Vee. He grabbed the guard rail and kicked the door open, keeping it that way with a firm foot on the knob. Cody was first, scampering to his feet and in a sort of pouncing way, leaped for the door, Sean steadid him with his free hand. Norbie came in the same way, Cody steadying him. Randall had a much easier time, though he did toss Vee in, then followd himself.
*
The door swung back, closing off the gear sound, thought the carousel music was still heard. Everyone was breathing heavily. Sean was sitting down near the rails, Vee's head over his lap, Cody and Norbie was sitting beside him, and Randall was steadying himself with the rail.
"OK...." he breathed, running a hand over his fronds. "Ride or not...you shouldn't have to be in the olympics to go through it!".
Nobody replied. Vee was till woozy, Sean was patting his head, Norbie was dizzy, and Cody was shaking. But a moment later, Vee leand up. "LETS GET THE HECK OUT BEFORE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS!!!!!" he yelled, getting to his feet, nearly getting caught in his drooping diaper, and running the exit. And gear sound made him jump once, but he continued, but then everyone else started to follow hurriedly. The path went left and finally showed the tall tell one-way of an exit, complete with the metal bar that, for normal reasons, but not this, trigger a fire alarm. Vee wasted no time grabbing his shoulder against it, and everyone clamered into some othr room, the door slamming shut behind them.
Sean was the first to notice where they were, and boy was it more cold. "We're....outside....." he said. Everyone got to their feet. Sure enough, they were outside the mall alright. From the cold, everyone ran to the entrace. The inner doors were locked, but you could still get past the first pair into that small square space. Warmer there than outside.
"I...am NOT moving from this spot for a bit..." Norbie said, taking a seat on one of the wooden style benches. "That...and I SERIOUSLY need a change...". Cody sat beside him, still shaking a little. Randall placed his back against one of the doors, hardly in a mood to crack any remark. Sean did the same, placing an arm on one of the doors. Vee was slouching again, but breathing steady. "So do YOU Vee-boy..." Norb chukled.
"THAT...was a stupid idea..." Vee started, ignoring Norb, then looking past them. "...The mall's closed?"
"Just noticed that huh?" Randall remarked. Ok, maybe one remark.
Sean himself seemed to notice the darkened insides of the mall. "...Wait a second..." he started. Then he looked over at Norbie. "Norb...You got a lockpick or something?"
"Now WHY would you think THAT?" Norb started. Cody groaned, pulling at Norb's diaper, on the side, and retracted a small black pen-like object. Norb stared at it. "....Ok...so afterwards I wanted to plunge the candy shop...".
Sean grabbed it, coming over to one of the doors. "WHAT are you doing?" Randall started.
Sean began picking the lock. "There's something I got to check...Vee your coming..."
"ME?"
"Yeah...Ran...you watch Norb and Cody..."
"You inverted our jobs..." Randall said, but Sean had already opened the door, Vee passing by him.
*
Sean aimed for the basement, though he had to slap Vee's hand from trying to get into one of the electronics stores. They came to the stairs, and started down slowly, Vee a little more slowly. Sean asked him if he wanted the diaper off, but Vee replied that if they were going anywhere NEAR the place again, he wouldn't be suprised of something else happening. When they reached the foot....
"Oh jeez..."
Vee blinked. "You sure this is the right basement?
"Yeah..."
It was the same basement. But it sure didn't look that way. You could see the entire basement, outfitted as if it were planning to put something there, with plastic coverings and boxes all around. No inner walls....no inner doors...no completed rooms...and certainly no "set-up" site for a horror-themed walk-in amusement ride. The ride...was gone...
"W...W..." Vee started, looking up at Sean. "What made you...?"
Sean shook his head, still amazed. "I don't know...I...just wondered why the mall was closed if we were still in the ride..."
"B...But...". Vee looked back at the open space. "Where did it go...!?"
Sean took a step forward, kicking a fallen ball of plaster. "I dunno..."
Vee nearly tore out his "ear" extensions. "But it makes no sense!" he started, gesturing everything with his hands. "We were standing in a lobby...we SPOKE to the workers...we went through the assembly line...the house of mirrors...nearly got side squashed by huge legos! And then twirling in an upside down merry go round!" he yelled, spinning himself, though he got dizzy unexpectidly, crashing on his squishy rear.
Sean shook his head. "Well it's gone now...". He turned, looking down. "I can't help but wonder what the rest of the ride was like..."
Vee looked up at him in disbelief. "WHAT?"
Sean held up his hands. "Whoa...don't get me wrong...". He looked at the expansive empty space. "Still....". They both stared for a moment. "Heh...come on lets go home...". He came over to Vee. "Norb's probably chewing on Ran's tail because he ticked him off..." he chuckled, picking Vee up. "Guess that WAS a good idea" he noted, tapping the side of Vee's diaper.
Vee grunted. "Yeah whatever..." he said, and they both started up the stairs, their steps echoing through the space as they reached the top. The door shut loudly, echoing in sync as it traveled through the empty basement, the plastic coverings flapping slowly. The ride was gone. But where it went, nobody knows. Just like why it was made so strangely in the first place. Did the toy theme mean something? What happened to the attendants? Were the mirrors smashed for a reason? Was it part of the right for the lights to go out? And what laid behind the other seven doors in the carousel room? Or was it really a ride at all? Was it something else? Something...that grew darker the deeper you went? Maybe that's why it has the name....the Darkening Ride.....