Cathrine

For a moment I lost myself. Allowed the scene so vibrant and awake shake me from reality and blow my cares away. The hot sun on my face, the breeze in my hair. A faint shred of popcorn and cigarettes The last thing I wanted was to be seen here. Who wants to hang out with a jerk who goes to an amusement park by himself? Oh why did I let myself wander onto this path? Because Cathrine was here of course. Somewhere in the surging crowd of chaos and sweet Cathrine was waiting for me to say all the right words and sweep her off her feet.

Her sapphire eyes offset by her long, brown hair. How could I not come? She was probably going to reject me. I knew that, but I couldn't make myself turn away. Not now. I walked through the shoddy turn-stall, the only barrier between me and the bustling carnival grounds. I was immediately awed by the bright lights and whirring sounds of rides rocketing around at nauseating speeds. A perpetual stream of screams mixed with laughter combined by a steady hum of conversation filled the background. I started to feel overwhelmed and thrilled. Caught in an ocean of people. Rubbing shoulders with perfect strangers without a care. But even with a world of distractions at my fingertips, Cathrine couldn't be pushed from my thoughts. I lazily scanned the faces in the crowd, waiting for a familiar expression to wander into my view. She can't be far, I told myself. I ran my fingers along the cool, metal railing next to the merry-go-round. Maybe you should just forget her, I said to myself. She's just a pretty girl; the world is full of them. But I knew that wasn't true. There was something about her eyes that had permanently burned her image into my mind. She consumed my thoughts. How could I think of anyone else until I had exhausted all possibilities of hope. I scanned the crowd again and a cold tingle ran up my spine.

An overwhelming sense of dread flooded through my body. Panic welled inside me. Fight or flight taking over as my adrenaline peaked. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Easy, you aren't done here yet. It's alright. Just keep looking. I opened my eyes and looked to the left. I sputtered and my heart skipped a berat. There! Behind the rollar coaster track! Cathrine was standing alone in all her glory. Thunder rumbled and rain began to fall. An ominous moan rose from the collective masses. Cathrine looked my way. Now way! She saw me! My heart was racing. I wet my lips with my tongue as she made eye contact. Suddenly I was ice again.

I remembered why I couldn't forget her face. Why her eyes were so fixating. It was that flat coldness almost masked by a vindictive smile. I felt my stomach turn. "No!!!" I screamed. But I was too late. I saw her laughing as she touched the track briefly, pulling her hand away just in time as the rollar coaster car thundered past. Her eyes were shining now. She looked positively joyful as the car hit the object she had placed in its path, de-railing into the pool of onlookers. Sickening crunches accompanied by the sound of twisting metal filled the air. It was silent for a moment before the screaming started. Everyone panicked, running too and fro. Confusion filled my mind. How could I forget? I fell to the ground, my head spinning. Why couldn't I stop this? Dazzled, I looked up. Cathrine was standing over me, her eyes sparkling more than ever.

"You," I sputtered. A wide grin spread across her face. "Yes," she replied. Her hand moved rapidly. Striking before I could see the large knife that pierced my throat. She laughed as I gurgled on my own blood. Trying to cry for help but unable to form audible pleads. My eyes began to dim but I could still hear her bell-like laughter as I drifted to sleep for the last time.

By Matthew Lynn