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Description
Three circles in one. An endless spin.

A lone figure, helpless against its bonds.

As above, so below.

-:-

I entered the amusement park, unease creeping through me as I walked over the rusty iron grating. The scene before me was something out a horror movie: an abandoned amusement park, late at night, with mist seeping in.

"Where am I…?"

I turned back to the neon sign above the entrance. Lakeside Amusement Park.

Well, that answered one question.

I glanced around a little more before feeling something in my hand. Looking down, I saw that I was holding a switchblade, and also that in the breast pocket of my vest I had a flashlight, and a radio that played nothing but static in another.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I had to look for someone—anyone!—who could help me get out of here. I first tried the popcorn stand, but no one was there, so I went to the rabbit mascot sitting on a bench. They didn't respond to me calling to them, so I tried shaking them awake, only for them to slump and fall off the bench, letting loose a sickening, pungent smell.

I covered my mouth against a choked gasp before falling to my knees and dry-heaving next to the bench.

Why wasn't I waking up?!

After dry-heaving for a good few minutes, I ran back to the front gates, only to find that both were shut tight. I struggled to open the damn things, no doubt looking and sounding like some caged animal, before leaning against one of the stubborn gates, sobbing quietly.

This was it. I was trapped here, and sooner or later, this place would get to me…if it didn't kill me first—

No, NO! I quickly wiped away my tears and drew in a sharp breath. I was not going to be one of those damsels in distress! I was Heather Mason, dammit! and I was not gonna give in like those dumb broads! I just gotta keep it together…

With a shuddering sigh, I made a beeline to the giant map signboard, keeping my eyes averted from the corpse.

After studying the map, I saw that if I went north, the direction I was facing, I would find the roller coaster. Why my first choice was the roller coaster, I didn't know, but I decided to hell with it. I had to remember that this was a dream, so if I wanted to get out of here, I would have to think outside the box.

I found another gate and entered it, only for the radio's static to crackle. Just when I reached for it, a doglike creature knocked me over and tried to maul me. Instinct kicking in, I pushed the snarling creature off and went for my switchblade, stabbing it repeatedly before it could get back up. As it lay twitching and bleeding on the grates, I kicked it a few times before it finally stilled and fell silent.

After regaining my breath, I got a better look and saw that the "dog" was a mummified thing with a mouth that opened vertically. Well, that didn't help my cynophobia…

Before I could dwell on that, I saw a figure approach out of the corner of my eye—two-legged, thankfully. I was about to call out when I saw that it was no less monstrous than the dog, standing at well over average height, with gargantuan arms that almost reached the ground, and giant lips taking up most of its face.

It raised an arm as if to attack and I quickly rushed inside the nearest door I could find, trying to get the creature's obscene squelching noises out of my head. I turned on my flashlight and saw that I was in a gift shop. Surely there was somebody here—!

I felt a sudden sharp pain in my arm. When I turned to look, I saw lines of red oozing from the bite wound. Great. Knowing my luck, that "dog" had some new form of rabies…!

I shook away the disgusting thought and searched for some form of first aid, but only found the usual souvenirs—rows upon rows of shirts, plushies of that creepy rabbit, and the like.

None of this was gonna help me. I tried the two doors I could find, only to discover that their locks were broken. The only remaining door was the one I had just entered. Any dread I felt at the thought of wading through monsters was quickly brushed aside. The sooner I got out of this nasty place, the better.

Opening the door slowly, I peered around, relieved to see that that thing had wandered away and had its back turned to me. Maybe I could make a clean getaway.

I dashed to the next door I could find and entered before the creature could see me, only for the sound of grinding metal to pierce my ears. I raced into the next area, only to see the source of the sound: mechanical rusty beings that looked like two torsos welded opposite each other at the hip, a blade sprouting from each head, and what looked like bladed stilts extending from the welding. In fascinated horror, I watched the creatures spin their freakish bodies round and round, making me think of a pendulum.

I was brought back to my senses when one of the things tried to skewer me. Thankfully, I was at the roller coaster, so I wasted no time dashing up the stairs, dodging any of the beings that reached for me.

Once I reached the top of the stairs, I tried the door to the control room, pounding it, shouting for somebody, anybody, to open up. After a few more minutes of useless pounding, I finally gave up, giving the door an angry kick before walking down the tracks. No way in Hell was I going back to that sea of monsters.

I had walked some distance down the winding tracks when I felt a stinging in my leg. When I looked down, I saw a bleeding gash on my thigh, probably from the pendulum things. Just what I needed. Rabies, then tetanus.

Just then, a chill ran through me when I heard something start up and careen down the tracks. Turning in the direction of the sound, I saw a bright light closing in on me, fast. Fuck! I gotta get—!

But before I could jump, the car hit me, sending me plummeting to my untimely doom…