Nightmare Carnival

Eventually, he took shelter in an abandoned wolf den on a desolate mountainside. The men of the carnival, led by an enraged and grieving Artemis, came with lanterns and rifles. Milo charged the hunters and they cut him down in a blaze of gunfire. He cursed them with his dying breath. And lo, a few years later, the carnival troupe became aware of a dark presence haunting the show. Mysterious and brutal killings began. Beasley had filled me in on the rest.

“Tonight is the fiftieth anniversary of Milo’s murder of Vinette,” Conway said.

“Of course it is.” I considered a void, then a crack of white light, all the fire pouring forth, and a sweet young thing’s face contorted in screams at the heart of the inferno.

Beasley leaned over and whispered into my ear.

“Please help. The Gallowses will make it worth your while.”

We’d see, wouldn’t we?

* * *

Benson and Robert Gallows returned from wherever in an antiquated flatbed truck. Fraternal twins, middle aged, dressed in fleece and plaid and denim. It appeared Benson was the drinker of the pair. His hair had gone white. Gin blossoms patterned his squashed nose. Robert’s hair was dark, his features somewhat delicate. No burst blood vessels or cauliflower ears. Both wore revolvers under their coats and wolfsbane garlands around their necks.

Beasley explained that I knew the history of the alleged curse and that I hadn’t entirely decided to play the role of doomed Vinette.

“What do you think?” Benson Gallows said.

“She doesn’t resemble Vinette,” Robert Gallows said. “However, the proper spirit counts for everything. There’s also the factor that we have little choice.”

“Agreed.”

“Hello, boys,” I said. “You two could try talking to me since I’m standing right here.”

“You were with Beasley when he discovered the remains,” Benson Gallows said. “You haven’t hightailed it for the hills. That is an intriguing sign.”

“Technically we’re in the hills. Also, I think you’re a bunch of kooks, or you’re having me on.”

“Come now, you saw the corpses,” Robert Gallows said. “No chicanery there.”

“I’ve some experience with murderers and none with mumbo- jumbo curses. Primarily because murderers are real while curses are not.”

“The belief some hold in them is real enough to draw blood. Leaving that aside, what would it take for you to indulge us our role-playing exercise tonight?”

“Role-playing?”

Robert Gallows nodded.

“Easy as pie, my dear. You dress to the nines, enjoy a world-class supper with the company, and then retrace Vinette’s path from the night she died.”

“From the night she was horribly murdered, you mean.”

“Yes. While you’re wandering in the field, the rest of us will enact—”

“We’ll perform our mumbo-jumbo,” Benson Gallows said.

“Your hoodoo is going to do what? Trap the ghost, or werewolf? My bad, I don’t know what you boys are calling your fairy nemesis.”

“It’s a revenant, a spirit of vengeance. We want to trap it in a circuit. Then open that circuit. Not your concern. Your concern is to look pretty and follow a scripted sequence of movements.”

“So, how much?” Robert Gallows said.

I thought fast.

“Uh, ten grand. Cash.” The ol’ Mace piggy bank rattled emptily of late. My heart sank when the brothers smiled as one.

“Done,” Robert Gallows said. “Let’s make you presentable, shall we?”

“Keep that creepy sheriff away from me. He’s a deal breaker.”

“As you say. Sheriff Holcomb will not come within a country mile of your person. Right, Beasley?”

“A country mile,” Beasley said without enthusiasm.

“Then we have a deal,” Benson Gallows said. “I must warn you, however. A deal really is a deal. Sealed in blood as far as we’re concerned.”

“Indeed,” said Robert Gallows. “Should you renege on our arrangement, there will be consequences. The sheriff sounds as if he’s taken a shine to you, Ms. Mace. I am sure he’d be amenable to drumming up any number of phony charges to lock you in his jail for a while. Vagrancy and trespassing on private land among others.” At least the bastard had the decency to seem embarrassed. He shuffled his feet and glanced away. “Apologies for this element of threat. The warning is necessary.”

“Beasley,” I said.

“Hey, you shook hands.” He too averted his gaze.

Benson Gallows sighed in exasperation.

“Please, please, everyone. Dispense with the melodrama. No one is going to jail. Keep your word and all will be well. Simple as that.”

“I’ll alert the girls,” Robert Gallows said. “They’ll prepare you for the festivities.”

“Blow it out your ass,” I said. But I went along.