The Lost Boys

Carnival Nights

This concept came to me more than a year ago.  I began to write it, and them my computer died and I lost all of my files.  For a writer (especially a lazy one that never bothers to make back up copies) this is the worst experience in the world.  A few weeks ago I decided I needed to try again. 

            I started with David's POV, but it didn't work.  Star's didn't either.  So I did what any one would do.  I combined them.

I breathed in the salty sea air as I walked down the boardwalk, my best friend and room mate, Teena, beside me.  She was wearing a pair of shorts over her bathing suit, her shoulder-length blond hair pulled into a slightly silly ponytail that stuck straight out from the back of her head.  Her look was 'beach casual'.

I, on the other hand, find Santa Carla to be a weird, magical, The Ramones playing Beach Boys music kind of place.  I don't own anything 'beach casual'.  It's an insult to the ocean.  I was wearing a long skirt with tinsel thread woven into it and a white tank top.  Around my shoulders was a sparkling silver-white shawl.  I sparkled different colors with the lights from the rides.  My hair streamed down my back in dark curls.

"…and he said that as soon as he broke up with her he would go out with me.  Well that was two weeks ago and…."  Teena was talking, but I wasn't listening, lost instead in my surroundings. 

I love Santa Carla with all of my being.  The boardwalk, the ocean, but especially the people.  All kinds could be found on the boardwalk at night.  Tourists from the other side of the country with sunburns and cameras, teenage punk runaways that live on music and sex because they can't afford to eat, and the locals who sit around and scoff at the aforementioned tourists. 

Teena and I fell into that last group.  We had grown up in the tiny town.  We had just graduated from high school and had settled into a house on the beach with two other girls.  I worked in the drug store in town, while Teena shifted from job to job, depending on her mood.  Right now she operated the roller coaster in the amusement park. 

"…so this kid starts giving me attitude for not letting him stay and ride again, so I said…"

            The sound of dirt bikes approaching.  It was a gang of boys, all in black and delicious punk clothing--one of them was wearing blue velvet tights.  I loved this type of boy.  The ringleader seemed to be a boy with spiky bleached blond hair.  He was at the head of the pack.  He glanced at me as they road by and winked. 

            I grabbed Teena's arm tightly.  "Did you see those boys just now, on the bikes?" I interrupted her conversation with herself. 

            She looked at me, annoyed.  "You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?"

            I ignored her.  I had suddenly become a frantic quivering mass with only one thought on my mind.  "The blond one in the long coat.  Did you see him?  He winked at me."

            "Wha?  Oh ew, Star!  What have I told you about those looser types?  Do you know how many bad relationships with leather wearing assholes I've pulled you out of?  A motorcycle and bleached hair is all you need to be set off."

            I protested.  "One of them had green hair."  She shook her head in disgust.  "He went off in that direction," I pointed.  "I'm going to follow."

            "Go right ahead.  I'm going home.  Night."  She stalked off, leaving me stranded and alone on the boardwalk.

*****

            We were out early in the evening.  I was hungry and wanted to take advantage of the summer tourists.  Marco, my second in command, agreed with me.  We roared off on our bikes, the boys obediently following me every turn.  God, I hate that.  If I drove off a cliff they would follow.  (Actually, that sounds like fun…)  Those three guys have no minds whatsoever.  They're really okay to hang around with most of the time, but other times I want to be left alone.

            The boss chose them, but I made them all.  They answer to me, not him.  Marco first, the smallest and weakest of us, but without doubt the smartest.  Then Paul, who had challenged my command before being beaten into submission, and finally Dwayne, who had an affinity for small children that even I don't quite trust.

            We were all runaways, looking for someplace better.  I was here because of my stepfather.  Marco was here because he was bored of middle-class suburban life.  I know Paul is here now because his car broke down on vacation and he couldn't afford to fix it.

            On the boardwalk people ran from our bikes as we plowed through the crowds.  I laughed out loud at their panicked yells.  That's when I glanced to my left and saw her.  She was a glittering glam-punk-hippie.  Gorgeous lips, wonderful curves.  Our eyes met and I winked at her.

           

            We parked our bikes against a wall.  I started towards the spot where I had seen the girl.  The guys tried to follow.  "Back off boys," I bellowed at them.  "You have brains.  Go get your own meals for once and leave me in peace."

            Paul and Dwayne stared at me, but Marco nodded with understanding.  "C'mon guys, let's go leave Romeo to himself."

            Paul laughed.  "Is that it then?  Okay, we're gone." 

            Finally.  Peace.

            I wove through the crowd with a cat-like grace.  Oh, the joys of being a vampire.  I could separate the smells washing in from the ocean and mixing with the carnival, the dolphins from the whales from the hot dogs cooking a few feet away from me.  The lights were brighter and the music was louder.  When you first change you go into a sensory overload.  The overwhelming change takes a bit to get used to.

            Then I caught a whiff of her sent, which had past me ever so briefly.  She smelled of lilac and sea foam.  This enticed me more than the fresh bodies of blood that surrounded me.  I moved in the crowd, following the scent, loosing it with a passing cotton candy eater, then picking it up again as I approached the carousel.

            I saw her then.  She was lifting a little boy of maybe seven onto a large brown horse with chipping paint.  He had not been with her before, and from the looks of him, the boy had been on the streets for a few days. 

She mounted her own horse, a purple one right beside the boy's.  Her skirt rode up on her legs, revealing smooth tanned skin that I could imagine running my hands over.  I stepped closer to the carousel, staying out of her sight range. 

*****

I thought it would be hopeless to track Blond in Black with the heavy crowds.  The most wonderful thing in the park distracted me:  the Carousel.  It's a big beautiful old thing, with chipping paint and a missing horse that was later replaced with, of all things, a duck.  Who wants to ride a duck?

            I jumped into line, which was remarkably long.  I knew I would have to wait two rides before I could get on. 

            In front of me was a remarkably grubby child with dirt on his face and long, messy hair.  He didn't seem to belong to anybody, as he was looking around rather lost.  I bent down to his level.  "Hi.  My name is Star.  What's yours?"

            He looked at me with wide eyes then wiped his nose with the back of his hand.  "Laddie."

            "Pleased to meet you."  I smiled.  "Laddie, where are your parents?"

            He shrugged.  "I dunno.  Mommy told me to go play and she would be back later."  Oh no.

            "And how long ago was that?"

            "A long while ago.  Will you buy me a hot dog?"

            "Are you hungry?"

            "Yeah."

            "C'mon then," I said, offering my hand.  "I'll buy you a hot dog and french-fries!"

            He agreed.  "But merry-go-round first," he insisted.  The line had moved forward, and we were next.

            "Okay," I said.  I would take him on the ride, get some food into his stomach, then find a police officer.  The poor thing.  Probably has never been loved.  I knew how he felt.  My parents had spent a lot of time ignoring me while I was growing up.  I hadn't seen them since I moved out, and preferred it that way.  But for someone to dump their little kid….A hard concept to understand.

            Laddie and I circled around the carousel until he chose a horse he deemed a worthy steed.  I helped boost him up onto the painted saddle, and then mounted the purple one beside it. 

            As the carousel turned, I thought I saw him.  Blond in Black.  But next time around he was gone.  "Dammit, dammit, dammit," I whispered under my breath.  Just had to get on the carousel.  Just had to help the little kid….

            I felt a hand on my bare leg.  I turned angrily towards whoever it was.  It was Him.  "Oh!  Hi." 

            "Hi."  He smiled at me.  "I saw you on the boardwalk.  You wanna' hang out?"

            I looked at him, then for some reason glanced back at Laddie who was staring.  My conscience was ripped in two.  "Yes."  The bell rang as the carousel slowed to a stop. 

            He lifted me down.  "My name is David."

            "Star," I said of myself.  Laddie jumped down from the horse without any help.  "Um, I need to take care of Laddie first though."  I put a hand on his shoulder.  "He's lost." 

            "S'okay," David said.  "The security office is just around the corner." 

            I felt incredibly guilty for going back on my promise of food, but Laddie didn't protest, only looked up at me with wide eyes.

*****

Star and I dropped the kid quickly, and I pulled her back towards our bikes.  She looked back at the security office once, but I put an arm around her waist and pulled her close to me, making her forget the little boy. 

The boys were waiting for me.  What would they do if I weren't around?  Probably starve to death. 

Boys, this is Star."  Dwayne smiled, and Paul leered from his bike.  Marco fiddled with his bent back fender, as if to say, 'Whatever.'  Star stared at them as if they were things to be afraid of.

"So who's the kid?" Dwayne asked.  I whirled around.  The child we had dumped at the security office was right behind us.  He walked up and squeezed between Star and I.  I glared down at him in surprise.

"Oh, Laddie," Star moaned.  She sunk down on her knees in front of him.  "Why didn't you stay where we took you?"  He didn't speak.  "Do you want to stay with me?"  No words.  Slowly, a nod.  "Okay."

She stood up and looked at me.  She was trembling, as though she knew she was about to do something very dangerous.  "Laddie comes with me."  Her voice was soft, and you could hear the fear behind it.

I laughed.  "It's cool Star.  Dwayne likes little kids."  Dwayne grinned. 

Star considered for a long time.  "Okay."

I offered her the back of my bike.  "My faithful steed, my lady."  Paul laughed.  "Shut up, if you want to live to see the day," I spoke softly so only the boys would hear me.

I helped Star onto the bike, and Dwayne lifted the kid onto the back of his own.  Then we were off.

We rode at full throttle, flying across the boardwalk and onto the beach.  Star screamed as we rode down the set of concrete stairs that lead down to the sand.  She clutched me tight around the middle, burying her face in my shoulder.  I could hear her muttering to herself, "Just don't look.  Just don't look."  I went faster.

Sand sprayed behind our tires as we flew across the beach.   Paul jumped some kid's sand castle. 

We approached our hiding place quickly, skidding to a halt in front of the cave entrance.

******

I nearly collapsed when I got off the bike.  I hadn't had much experience with the things and he had been going so fast...I thought for sure we were going to die.  Laddie however, jumped off the dark-haired guy's bike grinning.  He had been thrilled.  And he hadn't been wearing a helmet.  God, if he had gotten hurt I would have never forgiven myself.

The smallest of the four--Marco-- went through the hole in the side of the cliff first.  Laddie almost jumped for joy before following.

"Come on, Star," David said. 

"I am not going in there."  He took my hand anyway and led me in, despite my weak protests.  The short tunnel lead to a huge room.  A hotel lobby, deep under the ground.  It was lit with hundreds of candles and fires in barrels. 

I stood in awe at my surroundings.  I had never seen anything like it.  "It's beautiful," I whispered, afraid that it would all shatter with my words.  The stuff magic was made of.

He nodded.  "I know."  He led me by the hand to a worn sofa with only one armrest.  "Marco.  Food."

"Right here."  He tossed a couple paper wrapped tacos to him, which he caught with one hand.  The three older boys and Laddie were attacking the other Taco Bell bags.  David handed one to me, and I accepted the greasy lump.

He sat down next to me and pulled a bottle from under the seat.  It was covered in guild and what looked like actual sapphires and rubies.  He took a long drink before passing it to me.  I laughed.  "Tacos and wine?"

He shrugged.  "Blame Marco."  I smiled and took a long drink.  It had been a long time since I had tasted wine.  There was something different about it, or maybe it had been longer than I thought. 

I had taken a few sips when it was yanked from my hand.  "Laddie!" I cried.  He had started chugging the bottle.  I took it away quickly.  "This is for grown ups."

I noticed David was looking at they others strangely, as if they were reading eachothers thoughts through their eyes. 

"I'm sorry," I said to David quickly.  "He's just a little boy, doesn't know any better." 

"What?  Oh, no it's okay."  He glanced over at the guys.  They started to get up and casually wander away, towards a hole in the floor. 

Dwayne took Laddie's hand.  "C'mon kid.  We'll show you the downstairs."

"Dwayne," David said in a warning tone.

The other boy waved him off.  "It's cool, man."

Soon the others were gone, leaving David and I alone in the majestic room.

******

They were gone.  Good.  But the kid.... I didn't worry about it.  I didn't even think he'd make it through the change.  Too young.  I turned my attentions to more important matters. 

"I want to make love to you under the stars," I whispered in the girl's ear.  She stared at me wide-eyed, but didn't speak.    I lead her over to an old canopy bed.  All four legs had collapsed and one of the posts had broken off.  The canopy itself was a bit ragged and torn.  The entire top was ripped out.  Looking up there was a hole in the ceiling.  As we slipped under the sheets we looked up into the stars.

She was sleeping in my arms.  Her hair held the sweet smell of the ocean.  Soft flickering candlelight, which had all but burnt out, reflected on her skin.  The sky over our heads was turning pink with the morning sun.  She could stay there, but I   had to leave.  I kissed her shoulder gently and glanced at the bite marks on her neck, already healing.  "Tonight," I whispered to her, "You're going to get the surprise of your life."