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Lonesome Crowd
By Matt Simone
submitted on: 2000
One bright singing morning, Mr. Tenkai and his daughter Kaiya were traveling along a winding snake-like road. The small compact car, no more than three years old, bounced and hopped upon the pimply rock-sand paths. After one final sharp right turn, a small, white, dwarf-like sign, slightly tilted, read among black lettering, "Continue toward Carnival." The sign also had an arrow pointing nondescriptly forward. After parking in the dirt clad car lot in a clearing to the left side; the father and daughter filled with excitement as they followed the precarious sign. Walking side by side, hand in hand. The two steadily, but swiftly, continued along the path defined by the sign. The father, who towers over his daughter, looks ahead peering over trees and branches trying to spot the entrance. Suddenly he stops his swift pace, looks down at Kaiya and utters, "Here we are!" She jumps and skips in ecstatic splendor, arriving at the front gate. The entrance was a tall steel sign, four feet above Mr. Tenkai's head. It was encrusted with light bulbs scattered about the sign, except for the top, in which the lights were arranged to spell "CARNIVAL." However, some were obviously burnt out and at night the sign reads "CRNVAL." Exuberantly, Mr. Tenkai takes out his wallet. He pays the respectable ticket price for Kaiya, who is only seven. Although the adult ticket price issomewhat ridiculous, he paid it anyway. They passed through the entrance, their ticket stubs to a short silent man, standing by a rotary with bars jutting out from it, blocking the way through. They walked past pushing the bar forward, which turned the mechanism so that a bar comes up in front of others who follow behind. Finally, Kaiya looked up and gazed upon the wonderfully powerful machines, rides, and games. Her bright eyes engorged her in the sights of the carnival. Her father leaned down close to her and uttered once more softly, "I've got to go to the bathroom honey. Stay put." Kaiya nodded slowly. Five long, dragging minutes pass and Kaiya saw from afar a large lollipop hanging in a candy stand. Her eyes glimmered in the shining sun as she meandered toward the rainbow swirled treat that coaxed her away from her father's orders. Finally, she reached what seemed to be miles away. At that moment, her father, Mr. Tenkai, stepped out of the strong urine smell emanating from the carnival restrooms. Suddenly, he noticed that Kaiya did not remain where he instructed her to stay. He looked out over the enormous flock of people with despair and concern in his eyes. At that precise moment, Kaiya, gazing upon this great carnival, sauntered away toward other sights she saw. Mr. Tenkai frantically did all he could, from inquiring strangers to prompting security of his situation. Nothing seemed of use. All the people, all were of no help. He was alone among such a crowd. He increasingly began to tire, and it seemed as though his searching was in vain. He couldn't seem to find her, his daughter who was so plain. It simply became close to impossibility. Illustriously bright light turned to darkness, changing everything to black. He held his face in his hands and tears fell, soaking the ground, his face, and hands in salty puddles. That fateful day he lost his daughter among a crowd of the uncaring. He withers away to the exit of the park. Everyone has left; the park is an empty void of space. He then looks up and spots the white sign he and his daughter passed upon entering the carnival. Yet, the sign sat in the ground upright, almost mocking him. As he slowly meandered toward the blurry car with tear-filled eyes, he looked inside and saw a small toy belonging to Kaiya. It lay in the front passenger seat and a single tear escapes his eye as he reaches for the car door. |