Bright, vibrant colours enliven the entrance to the carnival. Gentle sunrays caress her skin playfully as Nina waits in line along with her small, enthusiastic family.
They are mid-way into summer: the perfect time to visit one of the active fairs. The only problem is that everyone is touring the gala at this time. The wait to go in feels as disastrously long as a humdrum Sunday morning.
“Please step forward and swipe your entrance ticket along this assimilation machine.” Sighing with relief, Nina steps forward excitedly and does precisely that. Her family follows, and the four of them head into an erratically blusterous mass of kids and adults alike. Everyone has different agendas for the day: some want to enjoy the colourful and lively bazaars first, while others excitedly discuss the number of roller-coasters they want to ride. However, the biggest line yet is formed in front of the majestic Ferris Wheel which spins right at the end of the busy pathway. The metal rim of the Ferris Wheel branches into various cubical compartments containing young school clans, touring families and romantic couples. Nina hears squeals of laughter as people gaze upon the tiny fairground from a view afar.
Nina jumps up and down eagerly, excited to start her own day at the carnival, and her family eventually decides to split up into two: one group sprints towards the small bustling markets of accessories and jewellery while Nina and her Dad still contemplate what their first stop of exploration will be.
The sky is beautiful up above and is accented with mammoth, fluffy pieces of candy floss; the sun waves hello to the large sums of crowds bathing in its luxurious warmth.
Nina and her father finally come to a consensus. They are to mount the craziest and most berserk roller-coaster of the carnival. While they walk to their destination, whiffs of warm tomato sauce arise from nearby stalls selling hotdogs, and the buttery familiarity of caramel popcorn nudges at her nose temptingly. Nina swears a silent oath of returning for a delicious, wholesome meal later.
While walking the lengthy distance, the two have a casual conversation about the parade which will take place right before the carnival closes. “How it must look to watch the parade leisurely from a lofty Ferris Wheel cabin!” Nina exclaims dreamily.
After a few minutes, Nina’s limbs ache slightly. At last, the approach what seems to be a considerably animated ride, given away by its tell-tale name: ‘The Zombie Blackout’. Nina starts to feel some nerves about this scary thrill ride. There is a crowd of people surrounding the entrance already, and she feels comforted to see this. But when she sees a few kids run out of the exit shrieking and crying, a shiver rolls down Nina’s spine and she immediately wants to turn away. Her dad doesn’t help after noticing her fear, and makes mocking frightening gestures playfully around her face. He doesn’t seem shaken by the idea of a crazy ride; her dad has always been an adventurous one.
Nina feels fretfulness sashay inside her stomach mockingly, its gloating golden curls tickling her insides as she gazes onto the eerie colossal building. The square shaped structure reveals nothing except the ghoulish zombie sketched artistically upon its drab surface.
“Don’t think too much, Nina. Trust me, it’ll be fun!” Her father grins wickedly. “Besides, I didn’t realise that you were as big a scary-poo as your mom.” Nina rolls her eyes. Her mother has always been the one to back out of such situations. Now it is up to her to decide whether she has her father or mother’s genes.
Thinking this, Nina tries summoning up some courage, but her shoulders are tense with nerves. What if the roller-coaster freezes in the middle of an especially twisty turn?
Tugging her hand, Nina’s father lugs her along optimistically, until they both stand right behind the limited vertical gathering that faces the entrance booth. The line to go in is adjacent a dull, oblate wall, and consists of older youth and adults. Nina has always been tall for her age, but standing amongst these grown-ups makes her feel as if she is a looming outsider in a foreign country. Her treacherous nerves mock her persistently just as their turn arrives.
The two pass their carnival tickets along the smooth surface beneath the glass shield which frames the carnival attendant’s face. After the attendant stamps and returns them, they walk in. Nina immediately gapes at her surroundings.
Forgetting her anxiety for a moment, Nina twirls around dramatically as she takes in the great theatrical zombie vicinity. The area is purposely, spookily subdued into quiet murmurs here and there; only the attendants’ faint announcements dare to break the eerie silence.
Boldly challenging the spooky stillness, air whooshes about in loud gasps from several air conditioners that border the ceiling. Perhaps this is why little chills sweep past Nina’s back. Perhaps it is not her nerves, but the ride makers who purposely want to frighten everyone.
A disconcerting stench of rotten apples and sulphurous stinks are coming from unknown sources. These smells fill her nose uninvitedly the nearer she comes to the ride.
True to its name, The Zombie Blackout’s interior is dark and dingy, but there is enough artificial yellow light to accentuate the frightening and breath-taking zombie city that the fair’s talented geniuses have brilliantly crafted.
Fake but very realistic zombie dummies are abundant in number around the area, and what seems to be rolls of toilet paper are artistically draped around each of their outstretched arms. Their mouths are comically left open, revealing nasty, rotten wax teeth. Lastly, ripped clothes and ragged hair perfect their ghoulish appearances.
In the gloominess, Nina can see large posters hanging from the wall in front, containing scrawly red handwriting: We want braiiiinnnsssss. Nina laughs, despite herself.
Suddenly, one of the carnival officials declares the previous ride’s end through a mysteriously hidden speaker. Before she knows what is happening, something zooms by in front of Nina’s eyes and she adjusts her eyes in the darkness to see a few uniquely shaped seats hanging from a long bar on top. The seats are specially made and don’t have any foot-bar to support one’s legs, so ultimately you would just have to hold the rubber seat belt enclosing your upper body for dear life. The seats are dark brown in colour and blend completely into The Zombie Blackout’s inky environs.
The previous riders seem to be shaky as they hop out and push the seat belt up until it stands vertical to the seat. Nina can hear mixed analysis over the thrill ride: some wish to go again and some think it was the worst decision of their life.
“Cool, huh, Nin?” Nina jumps into awareness, snapping out of her awestruck deliria over her surroundings.
Nina struggles for an answer. Her dad smiles knowingly, but comes up with the wrong interpretation of her feelings. “There’s no reason to be scared, okay, honey? I’m right here,” Nina forces a grin and looks away.
She knows her dad is just trying to help, but up until now, she had completely forgotten about her nerves! She had been too busy admiring everything. Alas, the nerves are back again, laughing evilly in the back of her mind. She gulps as she sees the pitch blackness of the tunnel that they are about to go into.
“Hello, newcomers! Please be seated, and enjoy the ride,” Nina barely hears the attendant as he makes his announcement. Her eyes are fixed upon the seat that awaits her, while her heart thumps a million beats a second. Her dad’s consoling words are a jumble of unknown sounds in her ears, and she looks around apprehensively, trying to get someone to help her out of this mess.
Barely controlling her body, she walks towards the black seat and sits anticipatingly. The seats are singular, so her dad has to sit behind her instead of next to her.
She can do this. Deep breaths. Closing her eyes, Nina thinks about all the good times she has had today. She thinks about the parade that awaits. She even thinks about punching the fake zombies through the head, and giggles, just a little.
Suddenly, WHOOSH goes the ride. Whoosh, up and down, twist and turn, zombies murmuring their desire for brains here and there. “Vee vant braiiinnnsss!”
Nina doesn’t even realise what is happening in the pitch darkness and her heart beats thunderously, until they start slowing in front of a narrow slope. Sprinkles of wetness appear from nowhere and coat her sweaty skin, and brains are abundant in nature until they pause triumphantly, as if the ride itself is taking a moment to breathe after running so fast.
Nina grips her seat belt handles and pushes back against the seat cushion, cursing the lack of foot support. Slowly they edge towards the brink of the slope. The constant plunging of the roller coaster has made adrenaline charge up inside Nina until she craves more thrill, but this narrow descent is just crazy.
Nina hears shouts and squeals coming from behind her as people also realise where The Zombie Blackout is now headed. They are about to dive into a hole of dimness, where all sorts of insanities roam.
Nina’s heart thumps in her head as she looks down unwillingly into the dark void of nervousness. The fact that she didn’t have to strain her neck while looking down must mean that they are slowly tilting over the rim. From the vaguest corners of her awareness, Nina can hear her dad whooping with ecstasy and asking if she is okay. Struggling to talk over the evil, repetitive motto of the zombies—“Vee vant braiiinnnsss”—she is just about to admit to being
absolutely terrified until—
WHOOSH.
“Open your eyes, love,” someone laughs, amusement abundant in his voice. Nina obliges and finds familiar grey eyes holding her own. From the corner of her eye, she can see a few concerned attendants looming beside her father.
“Is it… over?” Her dad understands her question immediately and suggests that she sees for herself. Nina does, and after studying her surroundings once, the familiar zombie mannequins back again, she leaps up from her seat confidently. Her dad looks at her expectantly, waiting for some comment, and she beams in reply.
“When can we go again?”
Unable to stop grinning, Nina skips out of The Zombie Blackout building. On the way, she assures two or three people that this is, in fact, the best ride ever.
True to her word, Nina eats a tasty snack and then her family gets together again to board the Ferris Wheel. They watch the parade while sitting on the Ferris Wheel, and laugh and talk amongst each other about their amazing experiences they had in the carnival today. Ribbons of aesthetic colours spread out in the parade, into an articulate dance of peacocks uniting in a beautiful rainforest.
And when Nina goes home and gets into bed, she thinks to herself: “I can’t wait for the next carnival.”