“Check this out!” Jack shoved through the trees. Before them stood a gate, the metal had rusted was overgrown with ivy. Through the gate, Zia could make out the shape of a Ferris wheel.

“Dude, that’s sick.” David said. “We should totally go in there.”

“I don’t know. It seems like it was abandoned for a reason.” Kate spoke. Jake tugged on the gate. The rusted lock snapped easily.

“Come on! Don’t be a chicken!” He exclaimed.

“Fine.” Kate sighed. “But don’t blame me if we get arrested.”

Jake walked through the gate first, followed by David, then Kate, and finally Zia. Once inside, Zia looked around in marvel. The place was an old carnival, complete with a Ferris wheel, rollarcoaster, merry-go-round, and fun house. Everything was overgrown, and the grass reached her waist.

“This place is kind of creepy.” Zia said.

“Come on. When else will you get to explore a place like this?” David replied.

Zia rolled her eyes, then walked over to the merry-go-round. The horses were gorgeous, even with the chipped paint. It was ob that they had been handmade. Zia ran her hand over one of them; the wood was smooth under her fingers. Kate was nearby, admiring a white horse.

“Aren’t these pretty?” Zia remarked.

“Yeah,” Kate agreed. “I wonder why they were just left here.”

“I don’t know. This whole place is really strange.” Jack said.

Zia walked around to the other side of the merry-go-round, then stopped dead in her tracks.

“Guys? Come over here.” She said. Sitting in front of her was a barrel marked “Toxic waste. Do not touch.” But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was that it was a pristine yellow, not dusty or overgrown, as if it had just been place there.

“I think we should go.” David said, pale.

The others nodded and they all rushed out of the carnival. They ran through the woods, desperate to get back to town. Sometimes Zia thought she could hear footsteps chasing them, but she didn’t stop to investigate. They sprinted to the city, and didn’t stop until they were back in their dorm room.

They never spoke a word about what happened in the woods that day.