Dec. 5, 2025

The Christmas Carnival: A Haunted Holiday Horror Story

The Christmas Carnival: A Haunted Holiday Horror Story
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Dive into a chilling Christmas horror story in this novella-length special from Weekly Spooky. Set in the snowy, eerie town of Strickfield, this episode combines cozy small-town Christmas vibes with truly scary, supernatural urban legends. Follow Bill and his family as they uncover the dark secrets of the haunted Christmas Carnival, a place where the rides still run and sinister forces lurk behind every corner.

Packed with mature themes perfect for the holiday spooky season, this episode blends folklore and horror stories into a gripping narrative you’ll want as a seasonal tradition. If you love scary tales with eerie atmospheres, prepare yourself for a winter fairground nightmare like no other. Pull on a sweater, pour some cocoa, and experience the terror of a haunted holiday fairground. Will they survive the carnival and see Christmas morning? Tune in to find out.

The Christmas Carnival — by Rob Fields

This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth — ultra-soft, temperature-regulating bamboo sheets, comforters, and loungewear that keep you warm without overheating while you binge scary movies. Get comfy, my spookies! 41% off at CozyEarth.com with code SPOOKY — supports the show!

🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!

🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join

📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!


🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
WEBVTT

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On Christmas Eve, mysterious lights appear outside of Strickfield. Five

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teens step through the gates as Carol's warp into carnival music,

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but they soon realize the Midway doesn't want their tickets now,

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it wants their souls. How did you get in here? Oh?

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Ho ho? What's that You want to be scared? Come

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with me? This is Weekly Spooky Hello, my spookies, Welcome

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to a fearful and festive Friday. I'm your host and narrator,

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Enrique Kuto, and all December long we'll have new shows

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for you to enjoy, to get you in the holiday spirit,

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although more like holiday ghosts. Tonight we're heading to a

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Christmas carnival that shouldn't exist, and the price of entry

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is steep. But before we get to that, I want

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to thank you all for joining us, because Spooky Season

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isn't a time on the calendar, it's a way of life,

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one that we hear weekly. Spooky take well, not too seriously,

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but it's pretty darn important. Make sure you're subscribed so

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you don't miss a thing. We have a brand new

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compilation of scary stories dropping tomorrow and on Monday, well,

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we're going to be talking Christmas folklore that gets very dark,

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and if you want to support us in a very

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direct way, go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join and

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for as little as one dollar a month, get two

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bonus episodes and over five years of exclusive audiobooks and

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creepypasta readings. That's at Weeklyspooky dot com slash join, And

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if you're looking for that perfect gift for yourself or

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someone who gets the chills pretty easily, head to cozyearth

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dot com and use promo code Spooky at checkout that'll

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give you forty one percent off your first order and

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support Weekly Spooky directly. They're sponsoring tonight's program and they've

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been a great supporter of us at Weekly Spooky. So

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head toczyearth dot com and get yourself ultrous soft bedding

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or loungewear and use promo code spooky for forty one

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percent off the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one,

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and it supports the show directly. Thank you to Cozy

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Earth for your support and to the Spookies for giving

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them some love. But as for tonight, imagine Christmas on

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a quiet farm, wood stove, burning snow on the fields

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and nothing outside but darkness and drifting flakes. Now, imagine

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you look out across those empty fields and see a

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ferris wheel turning in the dark, blinking red and green,

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on the edge of the woods, carnival music warping through

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the snow. No one built it, No one knows why

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it's there, But the Christmas Carnival is open. The Christmas

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Carnival by rob fields, down past the fields where the

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snow lies deep, where Christmas lights should be dark asleep,

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A midway hums in the frosty air. No one remembers

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who built it there. The ferris wheel turns slow and bright,

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like a halo bent out of winter night, while carols

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warp on a calliope's breath, sweet as sugar, sharp as death.

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The tickets cost you nothing at all. Just follow the

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flyers and answer the call. The gates swing open with

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jingle and chime, promising fun for a very long time.

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The cocoa is warm, the cotton candy is red. The

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prizes are things you dreamed of in bed, And every

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smiling face you see looks just a bit older than

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it should be. So if you see lights where the

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map says none, and hear faint laughter where there is

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no one. Think twice before you step through the glow.

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Some Christmas carnivals will never let go. I think I

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know which of my memories I want to tell you

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about next. Last time was for how right now it's

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the perfect season for a Strickfield Christmas tale. At the

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same time, I feel this one, I've got to get

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out there. I still see us at the old Strickfield

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Carnival many years ago on Christmas Eve. It wasn't the

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fact that the old junk shop owner named Isley Tinker

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weirded us out. It wasn't even the fact that he

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revitalized the old Strickfield Carnival just for Christmas Eve. It

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was the fact that our group came face to face

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with pure evil herself in the form of the Dark Mother.

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I don't know if any of the others still remember

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her to this day, but you can bet many meals

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at the Donnerly Farm that I still do. Was she

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the Devil? We may never know for sure. What I

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do know, and what I'm going to tell you is

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that I feel deep in my bones that our world

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as we know it now could have ended at the

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start of Christmas Day. You know what, Why don't I

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just tell you the story? I guess as good as

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starting place as any would be the Donnerly Farm just

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outside Strickfield Village limits. On Christmas Eve morning, Carnelian Miron

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was riding her scooter out to the farm with some

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items in the basket and back. As a matter of fact,

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Carnelian had been spending more and more time out at

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the farm since November one. Actually, so had I back

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on Halloween night, after our group got busted by Rose

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Donnerly for going into the backwoods, which is conveniently right

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across the road from the farm. Carnelian stepped up and

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took responsibility for her actions, rightfully so, since she was

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the one who dared Daisy May, Rose's daughter to go

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out to grim Manor, Rose made a deal with Carnelian

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for coming clean. She agreed not to tell her parents

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about the incident if she would agree to come out

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to the farm the very next day and do chores

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with Daisy May. Carnelian was prompt and did everything she

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was told. Along the way, she and Daisy May became friends.

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After a full day's work, Carnelian got to experience Rose's

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country cooking. You might call Carnelian a bit of a

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scrawny girl, but she definitely had an appetite. That girl

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ate plenty that night, so much so that she got

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a taste for down home country cooking. Even though Carnelian

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fulfilled her end of Rose's bargain, she came back to

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the farm right after school The very next day. Rose

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had no problem letting her work on the farm again

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in exchange for another delicious dinner. And from there Carnelian

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would start helping Daisy May with the chores around the

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farm after school and on week ends. But things took

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a rather interesting turn before Christmas vacation. Carnelian's parents would

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have to leave the gated community where she used to

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live to move to Cincinnati. Carnelian made it known that

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she did not want to leave Strickfield. You could say

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Carnelian had gotten used to working on the Donnerly farm.

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Then there was her growing friendship with Daisy May. Carnelian's

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parents were reasonable people and made a deal with her.

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It was that Carnelian's parents would talk with the donner

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Lees and see if they could make arrangements for her

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to stay at the farmhouse. Fortunately for Carnelian, the two

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sides came to an agreement. The Mirons would pay the

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donner Lees and agreed upon some for Carnelian to live

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at the farm at least until the school year was

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finished and learn more about the family business. If Carnelian

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kept her grades up and continued to show she was

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invested in farm life, her parents would keep paying the

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donner Lees on a six month basis. You could say

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it was a kind of work study program. Carnelian stopped

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her scooter just at the driveway of the farm. Her

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eyes went wide looking at the backwoods of Strickfield. Any

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other time, Carnelian wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, though,

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ever since she learned ghosts were real on Halloween night

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when we spent our time at grim manor even the

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mentions of hauntings could scare her. And who could blame her?

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I think she expected something to just come right out

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of those woods and pull her right in, never to

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be seen again. Carnelian cried out in fright when she

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heard the sudden barking. She calmed down when she realized

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the sounds were right at her foot and looked down

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to see Old McDonald, the family's little brown terrier, sitting there. Panting.

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Old McDonald, you stop right there, Daisy May Donnerly squeaked

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out in her southern accent. Carnelian looked up and saw

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her friend coming towards her. The little dog barked happily

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and turned to face Daisy May. When the little Donnerly

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girl reached them, her fists were tightened. There you go again,

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getting loose and coming out of these here woods. When

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Daisy May went to pick up Old McDonald, he assumed

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a playful attack dance and growled. Don't you growl at me?

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Daisy May snapped, now get you, any bitty butt crack

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back up to that house or no morning doggy yum yums,

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now get But Old McDonald turned and started running to

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the backwoods. Fortunately I was there to reach down and

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scoop him up. No you don't, little guy, I said,

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not today. Carnelian gasped, Where did you come from? Bill?

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How long have you been here? I cradled the dog

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into my arms like a little baby and gently scratched

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his tummy the way I knew he liked. Then I

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handed Old McDonald to Daisy May, didn't you close that window?

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Carnelian asked, that's how he got out last time. Also,

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you do know it's cold out here, right? She ain't wrong,

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Daisy May, I agreed. Daisy May was wearing her usual

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light blue bib overalls with a red T shirt. Her

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hair was braided and in pigtails. Carnelian was referring to

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her not wearing a jacket or shoes. Ah fu, Daisy

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May replied, cold ain't never bothered me. Then she told

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the dog, while cradling him, you darn mutt, always making

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me chase you. Again and again. The dog yapped and

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licked her nose In response. Carnelian turned off her scooter.

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Then we walked up to the house with Daisy May. U,

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why are you here, Bill, Carnelian asked again, Sorry, Carne

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I replied, I ran into rose in downtown village last night.

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She asked if i'd come out here and put the

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Christmas lights and decorations out at the front of the fence.

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She promised a breakfast I'd never forget if I said yes,

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He'll get a good breakfast, all right, Daisy May promised.

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Then She turned to Carnelian, mail came while you was gone.

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You got another letter from your folks waiting inside. I'm

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surprised they didn't send it with your new scooter. I

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missed my old moped, Carnelian muttered. I can't believe I

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let cousin Ariel talk me into loaning it to her.

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She used it to chase down your cousin Madeline and

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Carter Cross. And what does she do. She wrecks it

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under the old railroad street bridge. Actually, Aunt Adrian got

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it for me to replace my moped, And even though

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I was upset with Ariel, I felt sorry for her

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at the same time. Aunt Adrian's very strict on Ariel.

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At least on this new scooter. I can carry things

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your parents send me out for. When we got back

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to the porch, Rose was standing out there with a

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scowl on her face. Daisy May donnerly, how many times

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I gotta tell you about running around here barefoot like that?

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Just cause we's country folk, don't mean we got a

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show we are. Yeah, yeah, Daisy May muttered. As her

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mom opened the back door. Daisy May let go of

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old McDonald and watched him run right back inside. Then

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Rose turned her attention back to her daughter again. And

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you're even running around out here with no jacket, Rose yelled,

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What am I gonna do with you? Child? She pointed

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to the barn. Get your butt in there and get

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you some shoes and a jacket on. You want to

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be sick come Christmas tomorrow. Daisy May looked at her mother,

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stuck out her tongue, and then she laughed as she

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turned and ran. Before long, Straight Rose's husband looked outside.

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When she saw him, she pointed at Daisy, May, you

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see what that child of yours is doing. Straight was

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always an easy going kind of person. He just simply

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shrugged and told her you done put your fire into

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her deer. Rose scowled at him for a moment before

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she conceded, I suppose you're right. Straight came out and

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called to Daisy May. Come on, little lady, get in

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that barn and do what Ma tells you. She's right.

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It's plumb cold out here. You see Bill and Carney

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wearing their jackets. They know better. Daisy May stopped and

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faced her dad. But I'm fine out here, Pau now,

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Daisy May, or you can just forget about that fresh

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pumpkin pie you wanted for dessert tonight. Rose bribed. It

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worked because Daisy May walked straight to the barn. Then

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Rose gently nudged Carnelian and me make sure she does it,

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would you. Carnelian nodded, here's the stuff you wanted me

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to pick up. Rose. She handed her the change and

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the receipt straight went and took the items out of

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Carnelian's scooter basket. She motioned for me to come with

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her to the barn. As soon as we were inside,

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we turned and walked upstairs to the top floor. Daisy

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May was in her bedroom putting her sneakers on. What's up, guys,

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Daisy May asked, Oh right, Ma told you both to

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come look in on me. There's no fool in you.

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Carnelian replied, I can't believe you have your room in

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this barn instead of in the house. I know I'm

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living here now too, but still, how come your bedrooms

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00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:49.039
in this barn? I asked. Guess my folks ain't told you.

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Daisy May stood up after finishing with her sneakers. This

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barn used to be the farmhouse. Granny Donnerly had a

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lot of money to, So she built the farmhouse we's

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living in right now. Then she turned this old place

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into the new barn and leveled the old one. Everything

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00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:13.720
on this floor still works good, so the folks kind

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of let me have it. Old McDonald sleeps up here

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with me, since he don't want to be alone at night.

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00:19:20.759 --> 00:19:23.720
Speaking of which, how you like and living here with

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us country folk? Carneye or is living near them woods

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just a bit too scary for you now? Carnelian took

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00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:42.160
a deep breath. No, I'll be all right as long

241
00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:47.680
as we never go in there anyway. I don't know

242
00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:51.400
why farm life bit me the way it did. I'll

243
00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:55.559
admit I really love your mom's cooking, but it's more

244
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than that. There's just that atmosphere of being around the fields,

245
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all the animals, the chickens, even hearing that brewster at

246
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the crack of dawn. I just feel like I want

247
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to be here. Daisy May, Yeah, you got the feeling.

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Daisy May agreed, or you wouldn't have come back after

249
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Ma puts you to work after Halloween. She pointed to Carnelian.

250
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You're even dressing like country folk too. Carnelian went from

251
00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:35.319
her dignified suits to wearing jeans, flannel shirts, a jean

252
00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:40.319
jacket and sneakers. Come on, kids, let's get a move on.

253
00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:45.759
Rose called chores gotta be done before breakfast. Bill, you

254
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better be done with them decorations, they're finished, I called back.

255
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You can go see for yourself and I'll help with

256
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the chores. We better get to doing them, Daisy May said, MA,

257
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don't like telling us twice. You know that, Carney. Carnelian

258
00:21:04.200 --> 00:21:10.079
raised her finger, but first she handed Daisy May her jacket.

259
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You heard what your mom said, Ah thu. After Daisy

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00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:19.079
May put her jean jacket on, the three of us

261
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:23.920
went downstairs and began the morning chores. I assumed that

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Rose liked the job I did, since she didn't give

263
00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:30.519
me a hard time about it. As for the chores,

264
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we got done with those. Quicker with me helping. When

265
00:21:34.920 --> 00:21:38.759
we were finished, Carnelian took out her phone and opened

266
00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:44.319
up Facebook. Hey check this out. Jinks posted something about

267
00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:49.799
some Christmas bazaar going on at Gunter Square today. Yeah,

268
00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:53.680
I see it too, I said, looking at my own Facebook.

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Jasper tagged all of us. Daisy May came up by Carnelian,

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who turned her phone to let her see might as well,

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Daisy May said, unless you all got other things to do,

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00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:13.000
we made plans to go to the bazaar. Then I added,

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00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.759
we should see if Truck wants to go. I'm texting

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00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:21.240
him right now. Carnelian said, I'll also let Jinks know

275
00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:26.079
we're doing the bazaar. Then she gave me her evil smirk.

276
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It's only right since we all know she's so sweet

277
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on you, Bill, I groaned, Why are you so cruel, Carnie,

278
00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:41.559
We all know that girl ain't right. Daisy May snickered

279
00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:46.279
as she bumped Carnelian's shoulder. Just don't let her shake

280
00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:51.799
your hand, Carnelian pointed right at her. Don't you even

281
00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:57.359
go there, country mouse, Daisy May looked my way. Jinks

282
00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:59.839
had a pack of gum at school. She let me

283
00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:04.319
have a stick when she let Carney have the last one.

284
00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:10.000
Carnelian finished by growling, it had a spring like mouse

285
00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:13.720
trap thing that snapped on my thumb. You'd think i'd

286
00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:19.039
remember by now that Jinx is a prankster. I sigh, fine,

287
00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:24.400
invite her along, I mean the bazaar was her fine?

288
00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:29.359
Just then we heard the back door open. Okay, kids, come,

289
00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:35.920
and get it. Carnelian's mood changed fast when she smelled breakfast. Oh,

290
00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:40.480
I hope that's pancakes. Smells like it to me. Daisy

291
00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:44.799
May replied, come on, let's eat. You don't have to

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00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:49.400
tell me twice. I agree. Rose stepped aside to let

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00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:53.319
us come in to the big breakfast spread that awaited us.

294
00:23:53.839 --> 00:23:58.759
There were definitely buttermilk pancakes, among other things. If you

295
00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:02.880
didn't get full eating at the Donnerly's table, well that

296
00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:08.079
was your own fault. That afternoon, we met up with

297
00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:13.519
Jasper Jinx and Rodney truck Tucker. As usual, Jasper wore

298
00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:19.079
her nineteen eighties style clothes. Her hair looked like Madonna's

299
00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:23.839
from her first album. Carnelian and Daisy May both snickered

300
00:24:23.880 --> 00:24:28.640
as soon as Jasper saw me. Sure enough, she blushed

301
00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:33.559
and smiled, and before I knew it, Jasper snatched my

302
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:38.880
shoulders and planted one on my cheek. That's for always

303
00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:43.240
going to the movies with me, she gushed. Truth was,

304
00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:48.039
I just never knew how to tell her. No, believe me,

305
00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:52.680
I didn't call Jasper Jinks my girlfriend, but it just

306
00:24:52.880 --> 00:24:56.640
wasn't right to lie to her. My parents taught me

307
00:24:56.759 --> 00:25:00.480
better than that. Truck got his nickname because because he

308
00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:05.000
was the tallest and strongest kid at Strickfield Junior High

309
00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:09.279
football season was over for both him and Daisy May

310
00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:14.559
until eighth grade. Every time he and Daisy May got together,

311
00:25:15.240 --> 00:25:19.559
they always did a high five. You couldn't really blame them.

312
00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:23.839
Since the Villagers won the state championship. Truck didn't go

313
00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:28.759
for basketball since he wasn't a fan. Our group walked

314
00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:34.200
around Gunter Square and checked out the different vendors on site.

315
00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:37.920
It took some time to walk up and down the sections,

316
00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:41.119
even though the three of us had a nice breakfast

317
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:45.119
at the Donnerly Farm. We all ended up buying some

318
00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:48.920
kettle corn from the vendor who was making it fresh

319
00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:53.920
right there. Later, we left Gunter Square and walked around

320
00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:58.720
downtown village. It was getting close to four thirty and

321
00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:04.039
starting to get dark. We talked about heading to Roth's Rings,

322
00:26:04.039 --> 00:26:09.359
maybe even Boble Topia or Strickfield Video. When this flyer

323
00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:14.079
blew up from the street and landed right on Truck's chest.

324
00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:20.240
He peeled it off his jacket and looked at it. Funny,

325
00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:27.640
I thought the Strickfield Carnival was closed. He muttered this

326
00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:34.440
flyer's saying there's a Christmas Carnival going on there tonight.

327
00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:42.960
What Carnelian asked in disbelief, isn't that place supposed to

328
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:49.079
be just Strickfield legend. I mean, you can read about

329
00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:54.400
it on the university's website and it's under the legends category.

330
00:26:55.640 --> 00:27:07.079
It can't be real, can it. Well, where did this

331
00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:11.480
flyer come from? Then, Truck wondered, it looks like it

332
00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:16.440
was just printed. Let me see that, Jasper said, taking

333
00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:19.640
it from him. We all looked at her when she

334
00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:26.359
smelled the paper. Yeah, this is definitely not photocopied. A

335
00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:30.920
few of us moved by Jasper so we could read it.

336
00:27:30.920 --> 00:27:35.079
It says the old Strickfield CARNI all right, Daisy May said.

337
00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:39.160
Then she went and looked around to see if there

338
00:27:39.160 --> 00:27:43.759
were other flyers. After checking out a few street light polls,

339
00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:49.319
she returned, don't see nothing except the one Truck got.

340
00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:55.240
Carnelian had her phone out. I'm looking at the university's website.

341
00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:58.880
It says the Old Carnival was located about a mile

342
00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:04.160
from Denoyer's Grin Bill on Indian Hallow Road. It was

343
00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:09.400
owned by Belden Carnivoche and opened during the days of

344
00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:14.160
the Great Depression. It was a huge thing in Feldner County.

345
00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:18.640
The carnival started to fall on hard times in their

346
00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:23.599
last years. To help bring in more money, Belden Carnivoche

347
00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:28.559
kept the carnival open during weekends in October, even adding

348
00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:32.599
a Halloween theme to it. He also invested in new

349
00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:37.319
funhouses to add to the scariness. Even though it brought

350
00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:41.279
in more people, it lost even more money. It was

351
00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:45.799
discovered that someone was embezzling from the carnival, which finally

352
00:28:45.880 --> 00:28:51.759
closed for good on Halloween in nineteen fifty five. Carnelian

353
00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:56.039
looked up from her phone. And it hasn't been open

354
00:28:56.160 --> 00:29:01.400
again since unless someone prints to that flyer up as

355
00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:06.039
some kind of joke, I muttered, But why go to

356
00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:09.759
all that trouble to do that, and for a Christmas

357
00:29:09.759 --> 00:29:14.400
themed event? I don't know, but I wouldn't mind seeing

358
00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:19.200
it for myself, Daisy May said. We were all looking

359
00:29:19.240 --> 00:29:24.240
at each other. Then Carnelian's eyes went wide as she

360
00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:29.200
pointed to Daisy May, no way, I Am not going

361
00:29:29.240 --> 00:29:34.000
to any place that has ghosts. I'll walk back to

362
00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:39.279
the farm, and Jasper turned to face Carnelian, you really

363
00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:42.400
think it's still the haunted Carnival from back in the day.

364
00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:48.279
Carnelian got frustrated. I don't know, Jinx, I just know

365
00:29:48.359 --> 00:29:52.079
I'm not going anywhere near where there could even potentially

366
00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:56.039
be ghosts. I definitely got my fill from our little

367
00:29:56.359 --> 00:30:02.920
Halloween night at grim Manor. But Jasper showed her mischievous face.

368
00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:09.240
If you did come, she pointed at Truck, you'd have

369
00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:15.160
your big strong man there to protect you. She was

370
00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:19.400
referring to when Carnelian felt safe in Truck's arms at

371
00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:26.400
that very night in grim Manor. Carnelian growled, seriously, why

372
00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:31.519
do I put up with you? Suddenly Jasper grabbed Carnelian's

373
00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:35.920
hand and shook it once again. She got her with

374
00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:42.680
the shock buzzer. When she let go, she quickly sprang away, Yeah,

375
00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:49.440
you better run, Carnelian snapped, easy there, Carnee. Truck told her,

376
00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:52.480
ain't nobody gonna make you go out there if you

377
00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:57.519
don't wanna. At least I ain't gonna make you. Daisy

378
00:30:57.640 --> 00:31:02.279
May raised her finger. Oh I guarantee Carneal come out

379
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:06.960
there with us. Carnelian put her fists on her hips

380
00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:11.440
and why would I do something so stupid country mouse,

381
00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:15.880
because you'd have to explain to my folks why you

382
00:31:16.039 --> 00:31:21.519
came home and I didn't. Daisy May said, simply, what's

383
00:31:21.519 --> 00:31:24.039
you gonna tell him that you left little old me

384
00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:27.240
to go off to what might be a haunted Carnie.

385
00:31:27.920 --> 00:31:32.319
Imagine what they'd say. But why do we have to

386
00:31:32.400 --> 00:31:37.160
go to this thing, Carnelian groaned, Just because we saw

387
00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:41.440
some dumb flyer. You people heard what I read off

388
00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:46.759
the website. Carnelian was getting hysterical. Truck came to her

389
00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:51.480
rescue again and held her It's all right, we're here

390
00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:56.279
in downtown village. Hain't no ghosts around here, at least

391
00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:01.440
not while it's still daylight. I've never heard anything about

392
00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:05.960
ghosts around here at night either, I add, besides Carney,

393
00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:10.640
none of us is committed to going to this Christmas carnival.

394
00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:15.079
But what if the Christmas carnival is the real thing?

395
00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:20.319
Jasper asked eagerly. It might be something we ain't never

396
00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:26.599
seen before. Carnelian growled and held up her phone again.

397
00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:31.519
Weren't you listening when I read about the Strickfield Carnival

398
00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:35.440
off here? Daisy May folded her arms in front of

399
00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:40.240
her and what if somebody bought that Carnivoche carnival and

400
00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:46.039
fixed it all up? Don't you at least wanna see it? Carnee, No,

401
00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:52.960
Carnelian belted out. Daisy May laughed again like I was saying,

402
00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:57.359
you gotta go with me, or you're gonna be explaining

403
00:32:57.440 --> 00:33:02.039
to my folks why I ain't wit you. Truck tried

404
00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:05.839
to be the voice of reason. Ah, come on, Daisy May,

405
00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:11.000
Come on nothing, Daisy May returned, I want to see

406
00:33:11.039 --> 00:33:16.359
this Christmas Carnival, and I'm gonna Daisy May shrieked when

407
00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:20.319
Truck easily lifted her up to face him. Do I

408
00:33:20.359 --> 00:33:25.440
gotta take you back home? My Truck was looking Daisy

409
00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:29.240
May right in the face. I don't know about the others,

410
00:33:29.799 --> 00:33:33.400
but I knew Truck had a thing for her. Daisy

411
00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:35.839
May was just as close to him as she was

412
00:33:35.920 --> 00:33:41.240
to Carnelian. You put me down right now, Truck, Daisy

413
00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:46.200
May fired. Truck shook his head quickly. No way, girl,

414
00:33:46.519 --> 00:33:48.440
I'll put you on my shoulder and carry you all

415
00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:52.880
the way back to your farmhouse. But Truck forgot just

416
00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:57.799
how wiley Daisy May could be. She gave him her

417
00:33:57.960 --> 00:34:02.200
evil look before she melted out a scream that nearly

418
00:34:02.319 --> 00:34:07.079
sounded like Coach Neepher's whistle truck got startled enough to

419
00:34:07.160 --> 00:34:10.800
lose his hold on Daisy May. She dropped to her

420
00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:16.679
feet and looked at us. Nanna can't catch me, she squeaked,

421
00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:26.639
and ran off. Unfortunately, Daisy May was right. Even though

422
00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:30.360
she was one of the three Donnerly triplets, each of

423
00:34:30.400 --> 00:34:36.599
them had different characteristics. Daisy May was easily the most mischievous,

424
00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:41.760
possibly the one who wasn't scared of anything, and she

425
00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:45.920
was fast on her feet. The only one I knew

426
00:34:45.960 --> 00:34:49.800
who might likely catch her would be Ariel Mirn, but

427
00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:56.159
she wasn't anywhere close by. Carnelian was easily the second

428
00:34:56.280 --> 00:35:00.360
fastest of us, but even she couldn't so much put

429
00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:04.760
a hand on Daisy May. We chased her through downtown

430
00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:10.079
village and even back through the Christmas Bazaar. After leaving

431
00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:14.760
Gunter Square, Carnelian came the closest to Daisy May again.

432
00:35:15.719 --> 00:35:19.519
Then she went for it all and tried to tackle her.

433
00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:24.519
But Daisy May showed Carnelian why she was an instant

434
00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:29.360
sensation on our football team last fall. She sprang up

435
00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:34.400
and watched Carnelian slide underneath her fast as fast can be.

436
00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:41.280
Daisy May shrieked when Truck snatched her up and placed

437
00:35:41.320 --> 00:35:44.960
her over his shoulder. You put me down right now,

438
00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:49.559
you big snake in the grass. Then she howled and

439
00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:56.159
started squirming nothing doing Daisy May. Truck replied, we already

440
00:35:56.199 --> 00:36:01.280
done seeing ghosts on Halloween night, Assuming Carne's right about that, Carnival,

441
00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:04.239
I ain't getting up in front of no ghosts, not again.

442
00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:09.960
Daisy May was still squirming. You and Carnie are both yella.

443
00:36:10.599 --> 00:36:14.360
Then she growled and thrashed more. Let me go, Truck,

444
00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:19.280
Hugh gonna be might sorry. Let's get her back to

445
00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:24.880
the farmhouse, Carnelian said, can you hold on to her

446
00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:31.719
that long? Truck Jasper asked, uneasily. She's always fussing like this,

447
00:36:32.320 --> 00:36:36.800
but I can handle her, Truck assured us. Daisy May

448
00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:43.760
growled again and started pounding Truck's back with her tiny fists. Fortunately,

449
00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:48.079
that was one common thing with the Donnerly triplets. None

450
00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:52.400
of them were any stronger than the other two. Daisy

451
00:36:52.440 --> 00:36:57.760
May's fists felt like feathers against Truck's strong back. But

452
00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:03.840
Daisy May wasn't finished yet. She stuck her finger in

453
00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:09.119
her mouth and then right in truck's ear, which was called,

454
00:37:09.239 --> 00:37:14.280
in case you weren't aware, a wet willie. What the

455
00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:19.280
truck cried out. She laughed as she twisted her finger,

456
00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:25.440
making him lose his concentration. Daisy May finally got loose

457
00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:29.679
and landed just in front of him. Get her bill,

458
00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:35.639
Carnelian yelled. Daisy May took off running again. We were

459
00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:40.519
in hot pursuit. I think Daisy May remembered where Carnelian

460
00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:44.599
had said the old carnival was, because she turned right

461
00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:50.199
down Harlow Road and started running toward Denoyer's grill. She

462
00:37:50.360 --> 00:37:55.840
fully intended to get to Indian Hollow Road. Daisy May's

463
00:37:55.960 --> 00:38:00.639
just way too fast, I groaned. Now you know firsthand

464
00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:05.639
why we won the state football championship. Truck pointed out, haint,

465
00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:11.000
nobody can catch Daisy May. Then she turned around to

466
00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:17.599
put her thumbs in her ears. From there, she turned

467
00:38:17.639 --> 00:38:23.440
back around and started skipping along. She was definitely taunting

468
00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:28.719
us for sure. Jasper stopped and started gasping for breath.

469
00:38:29.559 --> 00:38:32.760
I can't run no more. Go on, I'll catch up

470
00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:37.480
to you. No you won't, I told her, you're definitely

471
00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:42.840
no athlete. Jasper gave me a weird look. G Bill,

472
00:38:43.480 --> 00:38:49.079
you think, Carnelian growled, tightened her fists and sprinted after

473
00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:53.159
Daisy May with everything she could muster. Truck and I

474
00:38:53.320 --> 00:38:56.800
wanted to call out to her, but Carnelian was just

475
00:38:56.840 --> 00:39:01.000
as stubborn as Daisy May. Once either of those girls

476
00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:05.079
got something in their heads, they were seeing it through.

477
00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:08.760
To be honest, I felt deep down their efforts to

478
00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:15.360
catch Daisy May would be for nothing. And then got you. Hey,

479
00:39:15.639 --> 00:39:19.719
no fair, Daisy May cried out, Let me go, you

480
00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:26.280
hicke and bottom never, Carnelian declared. Jasper waved for us

481
00:39:26.360 --> 00:39:31.920
to forget about me. Go help Carney. Seeing Jasper would

482
00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:35.559
be okay, Truck and I went to the wrestling girls.

483
00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:39.840
Carnelian backed off once Truck had hold of her again.

484
00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:46.320
How'd you get Daisy May, Carney, Truck asked, because she cheated.

485
00:39:47.000 --> 00:39:52.880
Daisy May growled. Carnelian pointed at her, cheated nothing. H

486
00:39:53.079 --> 00:39:57.480
got too overconfident with your skipping and dancing. That's how

487
00:39:57.519 --> 00:40:01.119
I caught you, and now I I've got you again.

488
00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:05.920
Daisy May. Truck told her, no way, We're going to

489
00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:10.960
no ghost carnival. Daisy May pounded her little fists against

490
00:40:11.079 --> 00:40:15.440
truck's back again. Let me go, you big bully, Hugh,

491
00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:19.360
just wait till I get down from here. Carnelian stopped

492
00:40:19.440 --> 00:40:24.960
Daisy May before she could give truck another wet willie. Nope,

493
00:40:25.320 --> 00:40:29.639
and now we are going back. I just want to

494
00:40:29.719 --> 00:40:34.000
see the Christmas carnival. Daisy yelled, You've got no right

495
00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:38.280
holding me like this. She roared and thrashed in truck's

496
00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:44.280
arms harder and harder. I'm going to that carnival. Daisy

497
00:40:44.320 --> 00:40:49.480
May finally broke free and slid to the snowy grass below.

498
00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:54.199
Then she got up and ran off again. With the

499
00:40:54.280 --> 00:40:59.039
chase being on, Daisy May let us further down Harlow Road.

500
00:41:00.039 --> 00:41:03.480
He knew we were getting close to Indian Hollow Road

501
00:41:04.199 --> 00:41:08.920
when we saw the lighted sign of Denoyer's grill. Daisy

502
00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:12.320
May was too determined to play around with us this time.

503
00:41:13.440 --> 00:41:17.519
You got another burst of speed in you, Carney. Truck asked,

504
00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:22.880
that was it? She muttered, hold it stop, Jinx is

505
00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:27.320
out of breath again. As Jasper was gasping, Truck lowered

506
00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:31.000
himself and let her climb up on his back. She

507
00:41:31.159 --> 00:41:35.280
held on as he easily carried her. I'm sorry, you guys,

508
00:41:35.880 --> 00:41:42.320
she said, I just ain't no runner, that's obvious. Carnelian replied.

509
00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:47.079
We can follow Daisy May's tracks, I said, pointing them

510
00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:51.360
out on the snowy sidewalk. We eventually reached Daisy May

511
00:41:51.840 --> 00:41:54.920
as she stood at the guardrail on Indian Hollow Road.

512
00:41:55.880 --> 00:41:58.400
You guys have got to take a look at this,

513
00:41:59.360 --> 00:42:09.119
Daisy May gasped, pointing down the slope. We all looked,

514
00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:14.639
but we weren't believing it. The picture on the Strickfield

515
00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:20.679
University website showed the old carnival as being decrepit and

516
00:42:20.840 --> 00:42:25.480
long since departed. He would never have known that if

517
00:42:25.519 --> 00:42:30.119
you would have seen what we were seeing. The Strickfield

518
00:42:30.199 --> 00:42:36.400
Carnival was brightly lit, the rides were definitely going. We

519
00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:41.880
could actually see people down there moving around. The carnival

520
00:42:41.920 --> 00:42:46.679
didn't look like a summer attraction, however, it was like

521
00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:51.119
the bright lights of summer were taken down and replaced

522
00:42:51.239 --> 00:42:58.559
by Christmas colors. Carnelian shook her head quickly. There's just

523
00:42:59.440 --> 00:43:04.639
no way. Sure looks like it to me. Jasper disagreed.

524
00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:11.719
You think that's really a ghost carnival truck asked quietly.

525
00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:16.920
Only one way to find out, Daisy May replied, and

526
00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:20.239
before any of us could stop her, she left right

527
00:43:20.280 --> 00:43:25.239
over the guardrail. Then she sat down and slid down

528
00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:32.440
the snowy hill with a lively w ah. Come on,

529
00:43:32.760 --> 00:43:38.960
Daisy May, Truck groaned. Carnelian shook her head again. Uh

530
00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:42.000
uh uh, there is no way you're getting me to

531
00:43:42.079 --> 00:43:46.800
go to a ghost carnival. We looked to see Carnelian

532
00:43:46.960 --> 00:43:52.559
holding herself. We gotta go after Daisy May, I reminded her.

533
00:43:53.480 --> 00:43:57.920
She shook her head faster. No, Bill, No, don't you

534
00:43:58.039 --> 00:44:03.920
understand I can't be a round ghosts ever again. Jasper

535
00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:08.519
came down off the truck. Daisy May's our friend, Carne,

536
00:44:09.039 --> 00:44:12.440
she pointed at her, And you live with her now.

537
00:44:13.079 --> 00:44:15.800
I know you're doing a kind of work study program,

538
00:44:15.840 --> 00:44:18.760
but you still got to be part of her family.

539
00:44:19.800 --> 00:44:23.320
She raised her finger, and don't forget what her parents'll

540
00:44:23.320 --> 00:44:27.840
do if you come home without her. Carnelian gave Jasper

541
00:44:27.920 --> 00:44:35.280
her meanest look. I really hate you, jinks. Jasper grinned,

542
00:44:36.079 --> 00:44:41.559
because you know I'm right, Truck spoke up. Fine, Carne,

543
00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:45.400
you can stay up here. Yeah, if we don't come

544
00:44:45.440 --> 00:44:50.320
back you'll have to get help, I added, I'm coming too,

545
00:44:50.960 --> 00:44:55.559
Jasper snapped. Then she stood in front of me. I

546
00:44:55.599 --> 00:45:00.760
couldn't possibly leave you to go alone. But I'm not,

547
00:45:01.440 --> 00:45:08.880
I stammered. I'll be with Truck here again. I didn't

548
00:45:08.920 --> 00:45:14.079
have a romantic interest in Jasper Jinx. Still, that crazy

549
00:45:14.159 --> 00:45:17.760
girl had a way of getting to me. Probably that

550
00:45:18.000 --> 00:45:21.760
part of her that was hard to read, the part

551
00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:26.920
I thought made her crazy. When I realized Jasper was

552
00:45:27.000 --> 00:45:32.079
taking my hand, I cried out and staggered back. Now

553
00:45:32.119 --> 00:45:35.880
I was tumbling over the guard rail and down the hill.

554
00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:41.400
Eventually I was flat on my back. You okay, buddy,

555
00:45:42.000 --> 00:45:46.639
Truck asked, helping me to my feet. I gasped when

556
00:45:46.760 --> 00:45:50.960
Jasper suddenly wrapped her arms around me. You'd better be

557
00:45:51.880 --> 00:45:55.679
I love going to the movies with you, bill. Then

558
00:45:55.840 --> 00:45:59.559
she squeezed me. I humored her and patted her on

559
00:45:59.599 --> 00:46:06.320
the back gently. Let's find Daisy may first. Okay. Jasper

560
00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:10.519
finally let me go, but not before she pecked my

561
00:46:10.719 --> 00:46:17.639
cheek again. Why me, I wondered to myself. We turned

562
00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:21.840
to look at the Christmas carnival. Guess we're going in,

563
00:46:22.559 --> 00:46:29.360
Truck muttered, Yep, I agreed, reluctantly. We had only taken

564
00:46:29.440 --> 00:46:33.599
a few short steps toward the carnival when we heard

565
00:46:34.440 --> 00:46:38.920
wait up, you guys. We stopped and turned around to

566
00:46:38.960 --> 00:46:44.199
see Carnelian had finished sliding down the hill. I'm coming

567
00:46:44.280 --> 00:46:48.719
in there with you, she groaned. But I don't have

568
00:46:48.880 --> 00:46:53.079
to like it. You could have just stayed upside, like

569
00:46:53.159 --> 00:47:00.360
I said, Truck reminded. Carnelian pointed at Jasper. Can thank

570
00:47:00.519 --> 00:47:07.559
this fruitcake here? Jasper brightened up. Hm, I love Grandma's

571
00:47:07.639 --> 00:47:13.400
Christmas fruitcake. Carnelian growled, made a snowball and threw it

572
00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:18.039
at her. Can you be serious for once in your life? Jinx,

573
00:47:18.960 --> 00:47:24.719
Jasper laughed, This is my serious side, Carne. She raised

574
00:47:24.760 --> 00:47:28.960
her finger. Laughter's good for the soul, as my mom

575
00:47:29.079 --> 00:47:34.360
loves to say. In fact, that's the Jink's motto. You

576
00:47:34.440 --> 00:47:39.719
sure you want to come, Truck asked Carnelian directly, I'll

577
00:47:39.840 --> 00:47:45.880
just stay close to you, if that's If that's okay,

578
00:47:46.719 --> 00:47:52.760
she stammered. Truck sighed and took her hand. Come on, then,

579
00:47:54.159 --> 00:47:58.880
Carney was scared, no two ways about it. I could

580
00:47:58.960 --> 00:48:04.960
see how much she squeeze Truck's hand. Still, she didn't complain.

581
00:48:06.159 --> 00:48:11.800
Soon we were finally entering the Christmas carnival. We already

582
00:48:11.840 --> 00:48:16.280
heard the music from Indian Hollow Road. It was carnival

583
00:48:16.400 --> 00:48:22.719
versions of popular Christmas carols blaring through the midway. Right now,

584
00:48:22.920 --> 00:48:27.800
jingle Bells was playing. We could see food stands selling

585
00:48:27.960 --> 00:48:33.280
Christmas themed items. There were carnival games. Even the high

586
00:48:33.320 --> 00:48:38.480
striker game was flashing red and green Christmas colors. As

587
00:48:38.519 --> 00:48:43.159
for people, we weren't the only ones there, but just

588
00:48:43.320 --> 00:48:49.320
looking at them, you knew something wasn't right. I couldn't

589
00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:52.400
put my finger on it, but I had the feeling

590
00:48:52.480 --> 00:48:57.159
we were going to find out before too long. What

591
00:48:57.239 --> 00:49:00.559
I could tell you about the people was that many

592
00:49:00.599 --> 00:49:05.199
of them were wearing different fashions, like they came here

593
00:49:05.320 --> 00:49:10.360
from different times or something. You should have seen the

594
00:49:10.400 --> 00:49:14.280
way they were looking at us, Okay, no, the way

595
00:49:14.360 --> 00:49:18.000
they were looking at Jasper. The rest of us could

596
00:49:18.000 --> 00:49:23.159
blend in. Okay. Truck Daisy May and Carnelian were wearing

597
00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:27.360
farm clothes. I was wearing my usual white T shirt

598
00:49:27.400 --> 00:49:31.679
with jeans and a leather jacket with boots. Everybody else

599
00:49:31.800 --> 00:49:36.119
acted like the nineteen eighties fashions Jasper was wearing were

600
00:49:36.679 --> 00:49:40.280
too weird for them I even heard a woman ask

601
00:49:40.360 --> 00:49:43.079
her if Jasper had stuck her finger in a light

602
00:49:43.199 --> 00:49:48.559
socket to get her Madonna esque hare. Another one commented

603
00:49:48.599 --> 00:49:52.840
on her makeup. Jasper must have heard them herself, because

604
00:49:53.360 --> 00:49:57.480
she got defensive. Yeah, well, at least I don't buy

605
00:49:57.519 --> 00:50:01.559
my clothes from the local thrift store like you. When

606
00:50:01.639 --> 00:50:07.639
people gave Jasper more weird looks, Carnelian even noticed. Maybe

607
00:50:07.679 --> 00:50:12.519
they did, and you hurt their feelings, jinks. But Daisy

608
00:50:12.559 --> 00:50:17.119
May wasn't deterred. Well, since we's here, we might as

609
00:50:17.119 --> 00:50:23.280
well have some fun, Carnelian remembered herself. Now, on second thought,

610
00:50:23.800 --> 00:50:28.280
shut up, jinks. If these people are ghosts, we might

611
00:50:28.440 --> 00:50:37.400
just be asking for it. Daisy May rolled her eyes.

612
00:50:38.360 --> 00:50:42.280
Look you here, Carnee. Them people's eating food they just

613
00:50:42.320 --> 00:50:46.400
got from that stand. Far as I know, ghosts can't

614
00:50:46.440 --> 00:50:50.199
eat nothing. Yeah, well, i'd be lying if I said

615
00:50:50.239 --> 00:50:57.039
I didn't think something was wrong here, I admitted, Gee,

616
00:50:57.079 --> 00:51:02.519
you think, Carnelian muttered. When I went to argue with her,

617
00:51:02.800 --> 00:51:07.920
she snuggled in closer to truck. Hey, now, girl, you

618
00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:10.400
might want to ease up a little, he told her.

619
00:51:11.039 --> 00:51:14.639
Don't worry, I won't let nothing hurt you. We heard

620
00:51:14.679 --> 00:51:18.679
some man call us over. Looking at him, you'd have

621
00:51:18.760 --> 00:51:23.360
sworn he looked kind of like Popeye, except you wore

622
00:51:23.360 --> 00:51:28.000
a flannel shirt with jeans and smoked a cigar. One

623
00:51:28.039 --> 00:51:30.000
of you boys want to step right up and hit

624
00:51:30.079 --> 00:51:34.559
this thing? His voice was rugged, win something for your

625
00:51:34.599 --> 00:51:39.920
sweeties there right then. I gulped at knowing what Jasper

626
00:51:40.079 --> 00:51:44.280
must have been feeling at hearing that. But did I

627
00:51:44.400 --> 00:51:49.280
really want to step up and win something for Jasper? Sure?

628
00:51:49.760 --> 00:51:55.199
Truck said how much? The man sneered, tell you what

629
00:51:55.800 --> 00:51:59.000
I'm gonna let you take a swing on the house.

630
00:52:00.119 --> 00:52:04.280
He handed Truck the sledgehammer. Show me what you got.

631
00:52:05.320 --> 00:52:10.079
As the rest of us watched in anticipation, Carnelian wasn't

632
00:52:10.119 --> 00:52:14.400
looking so scared now, as she seemed to admire Truck.

633
00:52:15.119 --> 00:52:19.440
We all gasped when Truck suddenly brought the hammer straight

634
00:52:19.519 --> 00:52:23.480
up and then swung it like it was really light.

635
00:52:24.480 --> 00:52:31.400
The hammer made contact, it seemed like less than a

636
00:52:31.440 --> 00:52:35.199
second for the puck to shoot up and slam into

637
00:52:35.239 --> 00:52:39.599
the bell up top. Gravity pulled it back down just

638
00:52:39.679 --> 00:52:45.840
as quickly. The Popeye looking guy sneered in admiration. Yeah,

639
00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:49.639
I knew you could do it, kid, go ahead, pick

640
00:52:49.719 --> 00:52:54.079
something out for your girlfriend. There. Truck looked guilty when

641
00:52:54.119 --> 00:52:59.320
he turned around and saw both Carnelian and Daisy May.

642
00:53:00.920 --> 00:53:04.320
Deep down, I think he wanted to tell Daisy May

643
00:53:04.599 --> 00:53:09.079
to select the prize. And again, I think he truly

644
00:53:09.400 --> 00:53:12.480
was afraid to lose her if he told her how

645
00:53:12.519 --> 00:53:17.280
he felt. Go ahead, Carney, Truck told her, choosing the

646
00:53:17.320 --> 00:53:24.480
greater good. Um, are you sure, Carnelian asked. When Truck nodded,

647
00:53:25.039 --> 00:53:29.639
she went and selected a Teddy Bear dressed like Santa Claus.

648
00:53:30.159 --> 00:53:34.239
How much for playing the game? Truck asked? No charge,

649
00:53:34.760 --> 00:53:39.679
the man replied. Just then, this other man, wearing a

650
00:53:39.760 --> 00:53:46.519
Christmas colored suit approached us. Who owns this carnival? I

651
00:53:46.599 --> 00:53:52.599
asked the man? I do? He answered, Isley Tinker at

652
00:53:52.639 --> 00:54:00.679
your service. Normally I'd be running my odds and shop,

653
00:54:00.760 --> 00:54:06.360
but I'm moonlighting, if you will. This carnival's been sitting here,

654
00:54:06.519 --> 00:54:11.880
all empty and abandoned since nineteen fifty five. It seemed

655
00:54:11.960 --> 00:54:14.280
like such a shame to let it remain that way,

656
00:54:14.880 --> 00:54:19.320
so I decided to revitalize it. I'm so happy you

657
00:54:19.440 --> 00:54:23.159
kids decided to come and visit here on Christmas Eve.

658
00:54:24.039 --> 00:54:29.199
It's nice the Carnival is getting some fresh new faces.

659
00:54:29.719 --> 00:54:35.039
Isley Tinker. Now, where had I heard that name? Then

660
00:54:35.320 --> 00:54:40.039
I remembered yesterday evening we got together and hung out.

661
00:54:40.679 --> 00:54:44.719
Carnelian really wanted to go to Strickfield Town Center Mall

662
00:54:45.679 --> 00:54:48.960
so she could see the winter wonderland that her cousin

663
00:54:49.079 --> 00:54:53.559
Harmony had there each and every holiday season. As soon

664
00:54:53.599 --> 00:54:56.480
as we entered the mall, it was as if the

665
00:54:56.559 --> 00:55:02.119
place just brightened up fast. We could hear oh Christmas

666
00:55:02.199 --> 00:55:06.920
Tree playing over the speakers. Carnelian's eyes brightened up just

667
00:55:07.000 --> 00:55:11.639
as much as the lights themselves, really loving what she

668
00:55:11.840 --> 00:55:15.960
was seeing. Harmony spared no expense when it came to

669
00:55:16.079 --> 00:55:20.519
decorating her mall for the holidays. The only thing that

670
00:55:20.639 --> 00:55:24.920
had brought Carnelian out of her trance was the wooo

671
00:55:26.239 --> 00:55:29.679
of the train that gave rides to kids smaller and

672
00:55:30.280 --> 00:55:35.440
younger than we were. Easy there, Carney Daisy May told her,

673
00:55:36.039 --> 00:55:40.239
don't need you getting run over before Christmas. Oh listen

674
00:55:40.320 --> 00:55:46.159
to you, Carnelian muttered. We walked around the mall. There

675
00:55:46.199 --> 00:55:51.320
were times when Carnelians stopped to admire other animatronic scenes,

676
00:55:52.159 --> 00:55:56.079
especially the one where the elves were making toys in

677
00:55:56.320 --> 00:56:00.360
Santa's workshop at the North Pole to be Hodes. Honest,

678
00:56:00.440 --> 00:56:03.440
I could probably spend much of this story giving this

679
00:56:03.639 --> 00:56:07.440
mall the justice it deserved, but I'll get to the

680
00:56:07.480 --> 00:56:11.920
reason why we were there later on. We walked down

681
00:56:12.000 --> 00:56:15.800
this one wing to see if any other seasonal stores

682
00:56:15.840 --> 00:56:20.480
were there. See at the time, Strickfield Town Center Mall

683
00:56:21.039 --> 00:56:25.880
only looked like a revitalization or a grand opening around

684
00:56:25.920 --> 00:56:30.880
Halloween until just after the New year. The rest of

685
00:56:30.920 --> 00:56:35.400
the year, there were several vacancies, maybe a select few

686
00:56:35.440 --> 00:56:39.199
of them got filled when new stores decided to come in,

687
00:56:39.960 --> 00:56:43.679
much like when Boble Topia had opened a second location there.

688
00:56:44.800 --> 00:56:49.159
The only open store we saw was this Rarities and

689
00:56:49.320 --> 00:56:55.000
Curiosities place called Tinkers. Knowing this was the last night

690
00:56:55.079 --> 00:56:58.840
the mall was open late for Christmas shopping, we went

691
00:56:58.920 --> 00:57:02.920
inside and looked at It was one of those places

692
00:57:03.000 --> 00:57:07.880
where it was possible to make a rare discovery. I

693
00:57:08.000 --> 00:57:11.000
went to the counter when I saw there were video

694
00:57:11.079 --> 00:57:15.840
game consoles. Not too many people knew, but I actually

695
00:57:15.880 --> 00:57:20.880
had an old Sega setup, the Original Genesis, the thirty

696
00:57:20.920 --> 00:57:25.119
two X add on, and even the Sega CD. I

697
00:57:25.199 --> 00:57:29.719
knew there were far more powerful platforms available, but I

698
00:57:29.920 --> 00:57:34.440
just couldn't ever get over Sega. My older brother handed

699
00:57:34.480 --> 00:57:37.320
that down to me when he decided to trade up

700
00:57:37.440 --> 00:57:42.360
for a better, newer system. Every now and then, I

701
00:57:42.559 --> 00:57:47.199
liked looking for titles to add to my collection. As

702
00:57:47.239 --> 00:57:50.920
I was checking out the display, Jasper came up by me.

703
00:57:51.840 --> 00:57:55.079
Oh wow, I can't believe there's actually a store here

704
00:57:55.119 --> 00:57:59.039
in Strickfield that sells these old systems. I got the

705
00:57:59.079 --> 00:58:04.239
newest Xbox myself. Do you have a console the Genesis,

706
00:58:04.760 --> 00:58:11.480
I simply said. Seriously, she asked. I know it's ancient history,

707
00:58:11.559 --> 00:58:17.320
but there's nothing wrong with having it, I explained. Ooh,

708
00:58:17.840 --> 00:58:28.039
Jasper uttered when she saw it. There was this snow

709
00:58:28.079 --> 00:58:32.079
globe on a stand behind the counter. It looked like

710
00:58:32.159 --> 00:58:38.480
a Christmas carnival inside a world of water. So pretty.

711
00:58:39.519 --> 00:58:43.880
Jasper couldn't help herself and went behind the counter to

712
00:58:44.000 --> 00:58:49.920
look at it. Jasper, I whispered, fast too late. She

713
00:58:50.079 --> 00:58:54.280
lifted the snow globe into her hands and gazed into it.

714
00:58:55.280 --> 00:58:58.639
Thinking about it, you'd have sworn the globe had this

715
00:58:59.280 --> 00:59:05.360
weird globe coming from it. Jasper turned to me, this

716
00:59:05.880 --> 00:59:11.559
is so pretty. Bill. Suddenly, this man looking to be

717
00:59:11.679 --> 00:59:16.039
in his late forties to early fifties came out from

718
00:59:16.039 --> 00:59:20.199
the back. Seeing Jasper behind the counter with the snow

719
00:59:20.239 --> 00:59:23.480
globe in her hands. You would wonder if he was

720
00:59:23.559 --> 00:59:27.679
going to scold her for it. I'm sorry, young lady,

721
00:59:27.760 --> 00:59:31.079
but you are not allowed back here, he said mildly.

722
00:59:31.960 --> 00:59:35.480
And I'm afraid that snow globe is not for sale.

723
00:59:36.400 --> 00:59:41.480
It's a keepsake that I display only. Jasper handed the

724
00:59:41.519 --> 00:59:45.480
snow globe back to the man. I'm sorry, it's just

725
00:59:46.000 --> 00:59:49.719
so beautiful. The rest of the gang met up with

726
00:59:49.840 --> 00:59:52.920
us as Jasper was coming back to stand beside me.

727
00:59:54.320 --> 00:59:58.760
What did you do now, Jinx Carnelian snapped. The man

728
00:59:58.960 --> 01:00:02.519
raised his hand in front of him. Oh no, it's

729
01:00:02.559 --> 01:00:06.159
all right now. Is there anything I can help you

730
01:00:06.679 --> 01:00:12.960
kids find today? We're just looking, Daisy May told him,

731
01:00:13.000 --> 01:00:18.719
not a problem, The man replied, Isley Tinker at your service.

732
01:00:21.320 --> 01:00:23.800
You sure you don't want to sell that snow globe,

733
01:00:24.440 --> 01:00:28.679
Jasper beckoned to the man. No, I'm sorry, but I'm

734
01:00:28.719 --> 01:00:33.679
afraid it's very near and dear to me, Tinker explained

735
01:00:33.719 --> 01:00:40.400
to her. Okay, Jasper said, defeated. We looked around the

736
01:00:40.480 --> 01:00:44.400
store a little bit longer before we headed back out

737
01:00:44.400 --> 01:00:47.679
into the mall. I didn't know what it was, but

738
01:00:48.400 --> 01:00:54.440
something about Isley Tinker sat heavily on my mind now

739
01:00:54.480 --> 01:00:58.440
we were seeing him here at the Christmas Carnival? Did

740
01:00:58.480 --> 01:01:01.440
Tinker have the money to be able to restore and

741
01:01:02.079 --> 01:01:07.840
reopen the Strickfield Carnival? Just looking at everything? How did

742
01:01:07.840 --> 01:01:12.000
he get the entire place up and running, looking like

743
01:01:12.079 --> 01:01:16.719
it hadn't been closed in nineteen fifty five? We would

744
01:01:16.800 --> 01:01:23.519
learn that answer and many others before long. Looking at Tinker,

745
01:01:24.239 --> 01:01:27.679
he appeared more like a ring master than he did

746
01:01:27.719 --> 01:01:32.159
the owner of a junk shop. Eventually, Tinker stepped aside

747
01:01:32.239 --> 01:01:36.679
and motioned for us to pass. Don't let me keep

748
01:01:36.719 --> 01:01:41.280
you from enjoying the Christmas Carnival, he told us. We

749
01:01:41.400 --> 01:01:45.199
moved away from the high striker game and walked the midway.

750
01:01:46.000 --> 01:01:50.039
Every so often, I'd glance over at the others. I

751
01:01:50.159 --> 01:01:52.840
was glad to know I wasn't the only one who

752
01:01:52.920 --> 01:01:58.480
felt uneasy, especially when Carnelian was clutching her new toy

753
01:01:58.679 --> 01:02:04.760
to her some kind of security blanket. But Carnelian showed

754
01:02:04.840 --> 01:02:09.559
she wasn't altogether scared when she reached out and poked

755
01:02:09.679 --> 01:02:15.159
Daisy May with her finger. Okay, country mouse, you've seen

756
01:02:15.239 --> 01:02:19.519
your carnival. Now let's get out of here. Yeah, I

757
01:02:19.679 --> 01:02:26.400
second that, Jasper added. Daisy May sneered, Nah, I'm liking

758
01:02:26.519 --> 01:02:30.519
what I'm seeing here. And you don't think none of

759
01:02:30.559 --> 01:02:36.000
this looks off to you, Truck asked her. Daisy May

760
01:02:36.119 --> 01:02:39.760
waved us all off. Ah, you all are just playing, yella.

761
01:02:40.199 --> 01:02:42.800
There ain't nothing wrong with this carnival. We ought to

762
01:02:42.840 --> 01:02:46.480
be glad there's something like this here. I raised my

763
01:02:46.639 --> 01:02:51.239
hand a little now, hold on, Daisy May, I pointed

764
01:02:51.239 --> 01:02:54.880
to Carnelian. Weren't you listening when she told us the

765
01:02:55.000 --> 01:02:59.599
story about this place? And don't you remember Halloween night

766
01:03:00.159 --> 01:03:04.559
when we were out at grim Manor, Carnelian added, or

767
01:03:04.719 --> 01:03:09.159
was there nothing wrong with that place either? When Daisy

768
01:03:09.239 --> 01:03:12.840
May gave us what seemed to be a skeptical look,

769
01:03:13.440 --> 01:03:17.559
Truck stopped all of us. Hold up, what are you

770
01:03:17.639 --> 01:03:21.119
trying to say? You ain't believing we saw ghosts on

771
01:03:21.239 --> 01:03:25.079
Halloween night? Daisy May, the five of us were all

772
01:03:25.119 --> 01:03:29.800
out there trapped in grim Manor. He pointed at her,

773
01:03:30.599 --> 01:03:36.000
you were there. Daisy May raised her finger. This ain't

774
01:03:36.039 --> 01:03:40.880
no haunted house. We's at a carnival, not the same thing, right,

775
01:03:41.800 --> 01:03:46.559
Carnelian growled, shoved her Santa Bear right into truck's arms,

776
01:03:47.039 --> 01:03:51.920
and confronted Daisy May. Look, I did not read what

777
01:03:52.039 --> 01:03:54.920
I did about this place from the website. Just to

778
01:03:55.039 --> 01:03:59.880
prove that I can read. We live in Strickfield. I

779
01:04:00.159 --> 01:04:02.880
know for a fact we saw ghosts at grim Manor

780
01:04:02.960 --> 01:04:05.920
on Halloween night, and I'm willing to bet this place

781
01:04:06.119 --> 01:04:10.440
didn't just get restored over time. Believe me, there would

782
01:04:10.480 --> 01:04:14.039
have been something in the Strictfield Journal about it. All

783
01:04:14.079 --> 01:04:17.920
we saw was just that one flyer, and only we

784
01:04:18.280 --> 01:04:21.599
saw it. Have you seen how the people here are dressed?

785
01:04:22.400 --> 01:04:25.639
We were at that bizarre earlier and everybody there was

786
01:04:25.760 --> 01:04:30.800
dressed normally. I'm sorry, but no, I'm not buying this place,

787
01:04:32.159 --> 01:04:36.599
I sighed in relief. Thanks Carney, I was thinking the

788
01:04:36.679 --> 01:04:40.559
same thing. Maybe I'm out of line here, but what's

789
01:04:40.599 --> 01:04:44.440
to say we're not in some ghost carnival? Or did

790
01:04:44.480 --> 01:04:46.760
we forget that we just saw the shop owner from

791
01:04:46.800 --> 01:04:52.079
the mall here. But Daisy May wasn't listening you seeing

792
01:04:52.159 --> 01:04:55.920
any ghosts around here? She sprang away from us and

793
01:04:55.960 --> 01:04:58.800
went up to some man wearing what looked like an

794
01:04:58.840 --> 01:05:02.480
Amish hat. She leapt up to snatch it off his head.

795
01:05:03.199 --> 01:05:06.840
Then she turned around. I'm holding this thing sure as

796
01:05:06.880 --> 01:05:13.119
I'm wearing overalls, you wicked little. The man started to roar, Ah,

797
01:05:13.320 --> 01:05:18.159
keep your breeches on, Daisy May fired back. After she

798
01:05:18.320 --> 01:05:23.320
handed the hat back to him, she took off running again. Next,

799
01:05:23.440 --> 01:05:27.440
she reached another man and stopped in front of him. Hey.

800
01:05:28.360 --> 01:05:31.360
Then she put her thumbs up to her ears, stuck

801
01:05:31.360 --> 01:05:41.679
out her tongue, and went When the man went to

802
01:05:41.800 --> 01:05:46.360
swatt at her, Daisy May swatted him right back. We

803
01:05:46.400 --> 01:05:50.880
could clearly see them make contact. The man's arm moved

804
01:05:50.960 --> 01:05:55.039
back as he was about to grab her. She sprinted

805
01:05:55.079 --> 01:06:00.400
away and came back to us. Nope, no ghosts here, Carneye,

806
01:06:01.079 --> 01:06:07.079
Daisy May told her. Carnelian just looked right at her. Okay,

807
01:06:07.639 --> 01:06:12.000
maybe these people aren't ghosts, but something is definitely off

808
01:06:12.079 --> 01:06:16.360
about this place. I'm not backing down from this country mouse.

809
01:06:17.280 --> 01:06:21.599
Daisy May waved her off, like I said, you're just

810
01:06:21.800 --> 01:06:27.679
plain yella. Carnelian was upset. Now, fine, be that way.

811
01:06:28.199 --> 01:06:31.960
You can stay here if you want. I'm leaving while

812
01:06:31.960 --> 01:06:36.400
we still can truck put his foot down. We ain't

813
01:06:36.519 --> 01:06:39.960
leaving you here Daisy May. Now, I'm with Carnie and

814
01:06:40.000 --> 01:06:44.000
Bill on this. Something's wrong with this here, Carnival. We're

815
01:06:44.039 --> 01:06:47.800
getting out of here right now, so go ahead and

816
01:06:47.880 --> 01:06:52.400
go then, Daisy May muttered, I'll leave when i'm good

817
01:06:52.400 --> 01:06:57.480
and ready. I'm gonna have some fun first, don't make

818
01:06:57.559 --> 01:07:00.000
me pick you up and carry you out of here myself.

819
01:07:00.800 --> 01:07:04.199
Truck threatened, Ah, you ain't gonna have to do that,

820
01:07:05.119 --> 01:07:11.320
Daisy May smiled mischievously. You gotta catch me first. She

821
01:07:11.599 --> 01:07:15.519
was away from us before Truck could grab her. Carnelian

822
01:07:15.639 --> 01:07:20.000
screamed and ran after her. So much for her being scared,

823
01:07:20.679 --> 01:07:24.599
the rest of us went after them. Daisy May led

824
01:07:24.719 --> 01:07:28.480
us through more and more of the midway. We ran

825
01:07:28.639 --> 01:07:32.719
past a ferris wheel, a carousel, some bumper cars, and

826
01:07:32.840 --> 01:07:38.119
even the zipper renamed the chimney for Christmas. We even

827
01:07:38.239 --> 01:07:43.400
ran past several more games and food stands. Eventually, Daisy

828
01:07:43.440 --> 01:07:47.039
May led us back to the bumper cars. She sprang

829
01:07:47.119 --> 01:07:49.840
up over the barrier and got into an empty car.

830
01:07:50.719 --> 01:07:55.960
Carnelian wasn't too far behind. She didn't get into a car, though,

831
01:07:56.599 --> 01:07:59.599
In fact, she was moving to get around the other

832
01:07:59.639 --> 01:08:05.440
bumper cars to get at Daisy May. Hey, The operator yelled,

833
01:08:05.920 --> 01:08:10.719
what do you kids think you're doing? Can't catch me, Carnee.

834
01:08:11.360 --> 01:08:16.199
Daisy May jeered, woohooo, just wait till I get my

835
01:08:16.399 --> 01:08:20.720
hands on you. Carnelian yelled. I was about to go

836
01:08:20.800 --> 01:08:25.720
over the barrier myself, but Jasper stopped me. When I

837
01:08:25.760 --> 01:08:29.039
looked her way. She pointed to the operator, who had

838
01:08:29.079 --> 01:08:32.920
come out of his booth to go after Carnelian. Then

839
01:08:33.119 --> 01:08:37.079
truck told Jasper and me go to the entrances. We

840
01:08:37.119 --> 01:08:39.720
can block Daisy May and catch her when she comes out.

841
01:08:40.760 --> 01:08:44.199
Then I saw the operator was about to get Carnelian.

842
01:08:44.760 --> 01:08:48.359
As she was about to get Daisy May, look out, Carney,

843
01:08:49.279 --> 01:08:53.880
I yelled. The operator grabbed her. Get out, get out.

844
01:08:54.760 --> 01:08:59.720
As Carnelian struggled with the man, Jasper nonchalantly opened the

845
01:08:59.760 --> 01:09:04.520
gate and walked in to the ride. She easily avoided

846
01:09:04.560 --> 01:09:08.479
the cars and approached the two of them. Soon she

847
01:09:08.680 --> 01:09:13.039
was standing right next to the man. Hi, my name's

848
01:09:13.119 --> 01:09:17.119
Jasper Jinx, please to meet you. When he went to

849
01:09:17.199 --> 01:09:21.920
reach out for her, she grabbed his hand. The man

850
01:09:22.159 --> 01:09:25.920
cried out as Jasper pulled the shock buzzer handshake again.

851
01:09:27.000 --> 01:09:29.960
I laughed a little at knowing how many times Jasper

852
01:09:30.399 --> 01:09:35.359
had pulled that very trick on Carnelian. This time, Jasper

853
01:09:35.439 --> 01:09:39.119
did it to help Carnelian get free, kind of poetic.

854
01:09:39.840 --> 01:09:42.319
At the same time, Daisy May got out of her

855
01:09:42.319 --> 01:09:45.479
bumper car and leaped over the barrier on the other

856
01:09:45.680 --> 01:09:49.359
side to escape. Then the girls made their own way

857
01:09:49.399 --> 01:09:54.800
out and don't come back. The operator yelled behind us,

858
01:09:55.359 --> 01:10:01.159
You girls all right, truck asked, yeah, I'm fine. Carnelian

859
01:10:01.239 --> 01:10:05.720
muttered that little country mouse got away. She could be

860
01:10:05.880 --> 01:10:10.359
anywhere in this carnival by now. Then she tightened her fists,

861
01:10:10.920 --> 01:10:16.319
looked up and roared. As Carnelian breathed to calm down,

862
01:10:17.039 --> 01:10:22.640
Jasper took her hand. It's okay, we're gonna find Daisy May.

863
01:10:23.760 --> 01:10:28.760
Carnelian screamed, now realizing it was Jasper holding her hand.

864
01:10:29.520 --> 01:10:33.279
You're not shaking my hand again, Jinks, get out of here.

865
01:10:34.359 --> 01:10:43.359
I wasn't gonna, Jasper said, sounding a little hurt. Carnelian nodded, fine,

866
01:10:43.760 --> 01:10:49.000
I'm sorry. She held out her hand reluctantly. Jasper pulled

867
01:10:49.039 --> 01:10:54.119
Carnelian into her arms and instead gave her a comforting hug.

868
01:10:55.399 --> 01:10:59.840
Carnelian's eyes bulged for a moment, at least until jas

869
01:11:00.359 --> 01:11:04.439
let her go. I imagined getting a hug from Jasper

870
01:11:04.680 --> 01:11:09.199
was much better than getting the shock buzzer handshake. We

871
01:11:09.319 --> 01:11:14.479
can't leave here without Daisy May, Carnelian said. If I

872
01:11:14.600 --> 01:11:17.479
come back to the farm without her, I'll never hear

873
01:11:17.520 --> 01:11:20.439
the end of it from her parents. I really don't

874
01:11:20.479 --> 01:11:22.399
want to tell them that I lost her in some

875
01:11:23.720 --> 01:11:30.039
ghost carnival, she sighed. I don't think they'd even believe me. Well,

876
01:11:30.359 --> 01:11:34.920
this is strickfield, I reminded her. You might be surprised.

877
01:11:36.279 --> 01:11:40.520
I still don't want to take the chance. Carnelian emphasized,

878
01:11:41.560 --> 01:11:44.359
I think it's safe to say Daisy May still here.

879
01:11:44.920 --> 01:11:49.199
Truck suggested, long as she's having a fun time, she's

880
01:11:49.279 --> 01:11:52.840
gonna stay right where she's at. I've been friends with

881
01:11:52.880 --> 01:11:56.439
her long enough to know that much about her. Guess

882
01:11:56.479 --> 01:11:59.279
all we do is keep searching this carnival until we

883
01:11:59.359 --> 01:12:05.960
find her that Jasper added, no, duh, Carnelian muttered, the

884
01:12:06.000 --> 01:12:09.920
way I see it, we can split up or stick together,

885
01:12:10.439 --> 01:12:16.000
I suggested. Carnelian's eyes bulged and she pointed right at me.

886
01:12:17.079 --> 01:12:21.600
You just close your trap about splitting up, Then she

887
01:12:21.720 --> 01:12:25.399
got brave again and showed she still had some of

888
01:12:25.439 --> 01:12:39.520
her evil left from Halloween. As she smiled devilishly. Carnelian

889
01:12:39.640 --> 01:12:44.760
laughed a little. Okay, yeah, Bill, why don't we just

890
01:12:45.159 --> 01:12:49.239
split up. I'll go with truck and you can spend

891
01:12:49.279 --> 01:12:53.199
more time with your girlfriend here. Yeah. I walked right

892
01:12:53.239 --> 01:12:56.279
into that one, and I wasn't even trying to get

893
01:12:56.319 --> 01:13:00.399
on Carnelian's bad side. That was when I pulled out

894
01:13:00.399 --> 01:13:05.720
my smartphone. I sighed in relief and turned to the others.

895
01:13:06.039 --> 01:13:08.600
We've got a signal here. If one of the group

896
01:13:08.640 --> 01:13:13.279
finds Daisy may then send a text. After we agreed

897
01:13:13.840 --> 01:13:18.239
we split up, I couldn't believe how big this carnival was.

898
01:13:18.920 --> 01:13:22.399
Then I noticed it had been lightly snowing since we

899
01:13:22.439 --> 01:13:26.319
got here. I noticed fast when I felt Jasper right

900
01:13:26.359 --> 01:13:32.600
by me. Her eyes were wide open and sparkling. Of course,

901
01:13:32.920 --> 01:13:37.039
she was smiling from ear to ear. I had to

902
01:13:37.119 --> 01:13:42.159
admit Jasper was cute when she smiled. I just didn't

903
01:13:42.159 --> 01:13:46.359
want her to smile for me. Where are we going,

904
01:13:46.920 --> 01:13:52.079
Jasper inquired, I sighed, I guess we can go this way.

905
01:13:53.000 --> 01:13:56.239
We walked down a part of the midway. I didn't

906
01:13:56.279 --> 01:14:01.159
recall us walking through. Seriously, how do we let Daisy

907
01:14:01.239 --> 01:14:04.640
May donnerly get us into trouble? I said out loud.

908
01:14:05.640 --> 01:14:12.720
She does, don't she? Jasper answered, huh, I uttered. Jasper laughed,

909
01:14:13.479 --> 01:14:16.720
you're so funny, Bill, no wonder. I love hanging out

910
01:14:16.720 --> 01:14:19.880
with you so much. I gulped when I felt her

911
01:14:19.960 --> 01:14:25.600
taking and holding my hand. Don't worry, I won't let

912
01:14:25.640 --> 01:14:29.520
nothing happen to you. I wanted to yell at Jasper

913
01:14:29.960 --> 01:14:32.720
and tell her I wasn't her boyfriend and to stop

914
01:14:33.039 --> 01:14:37.680
treating me like I was. No, I just couldn't do it.

915
01:14:38.560 --> 01:14:44.199
Jasper didn't deserve that she was crazy, but I just

916
01:14:44.560 --> 01:14:48.600
couldn't do it. Several minutes later, we came to some

917
01:14:48.680 --> 01:14:55.239
more rides. Jasper squeezed my hand. Bill over there, I

918
01:14:55.319 --> 01:14:59.039
looked to see her pointing at a second carousel. The

919
01:14:59.039 --> 01:15:03.520
one we passed earlier had reindeer instead of horses. This

920
01:15:03.600 --> 01:15:07.760
one had polar bears. Daisy May was on the back

921
01:15:07.800 --> 01:15:11.840
of one of those bears, going around and around. There

922
01:15:11.880 --> 01:15:15.000
weren't too many people on the ride with her, making

923
01:15:15.039 --> 01:15:19.239
it easy to identify her. Jasper wouldn't let go of

924
01:15:19.279 --> 01:15:25.439
my hand. Full transparency. I don't think I could get

925
01:15:25.479 --> 01:15:29.800
on there. I turned to face her. It's only a

926
01:15:29.840 --> 01:15:32.760
Merry Go Round. It's not like it's gonna throw you

927
01:15:32.880 --> 01:15:37.640
far out somewhere. I get dizzy on those things fast,

928
01:15:38.000 --> 01:15:43.680
she quickly admitted, always have. She pointed to the carousel

929
01:15:43.760 --> 01:15:47.800
with her free hand. And as fast as that one's going,

930
01:15:48.359 --> 01:15:52.279
I'll probably be stumbling all over the place, or maybe

931
01:15:52.319 --> 01:15:55.159
even fall down and not be able to get back up.

932
01:15:56.319 --> 01:16:01.520
I sighed, Okay, Jasper, you can stay here. I raised

933
01:16:01.520 --> 01:16:05.239
my finger on my free hand. You know what, why

934
01:16:05.239 --> 01:16:07.640
don't you stick close to the Merry go Round and

935
01:16:08.199 --> 01:16:11.720
go after Daisy May when she comes out. You just

936
01:16:11.880 --> 01:16:16.119
know she's gonna run once she sees me. Jasper pointed

937
01:16:16.199 --> 01:16:21.239
to the continuously passing Daisy May. She's got her eyes

938
01:16:21.319 --> 01:16:24.600
face front if she don't turn and see you coming

939
01:16:24.840 --> 01:16:28.760
from behind. I hate to admit it, but that crazy

940
01:16:28.800 --> 01:16:32.760
girl was actually on to something. When I saw where

941
01:16:32.800 --> 01:16:36.239
I could get on without being seen by both Daisy

942
01:16:36.319 --> 01:16:40.239
May and the ride attendant, I told Jasper to stay

943
01:16:40.279 --> 01:16:43.479
out of sight until she saw Daisy May making a

944
01:16:43.560 --> 01:16:48.560
run for it again. Then I remember Jasper herself didn't

945
01:16:48.600 --> 01:16:52.680
really have any stamina, which meant her trying to chase

946
01:16:52.800 --> 01:16:58.399
Daisy May was pointless anyway. I moved to my hiding

947
01:16:58.439 --> 01:17:03.079
place and waited. As soon as Daisy May passed by.

948
01:17:03.680 --> 01:17:06.960
I waited a couple more seconds before making my move.

949
01:17:07.760 --> 01:17:12.159
Getting on the carousel was easy enough. I quickly got

950
01:17:12.159 --> 01:17:15.720
over the barrier and was on the ride. The operator

951
01:17:15.840 --> 01:17:21.079
wasn't really looking at the people riding, more like reading something.

952
01:17:22.159 --> 01:17:25.520
I eased my way closer and closer to Daisy May.

953
01:17:26.399 --> 01:17:30.560
Her eyes were still facing front. She'd turn her head

954
01:17:30.600 --> 01:17:33.720
to the right a little bit to look out as

955
01:17:33.760 --> 01:17:37.319
long as she wouldn't look to her left. I was

956
01:17:37.520 --> 01:17:41.279
just a few more steps to Daisy May when she

957
01:17:41.439 --> 01:17:47.399
suddenly turned and looked right at me. Gotcha, billy, she declared.

958
01:17:48.279 --> 01:17:52.520
I growled and made my attempt to graver her. Unfortunately,

959
01:17:52.720 --> 01:17:56.399
she was just a microsecond too fast and was off

960
01:17:56.399 --> 01:18:02.119
her polar bear fast as fast can be. Daisy May cheered.

961
01:18:03.000 --> 01:18:06.760
Now I was chasing that crazy farm girl around the carousel.

962
01:18:07.640 --> 01:18:12.800
Eventually the operator looked up from his console. Hey, Daisy

963
01:18:12.840 --> 01:18:15.239
May wasn't going to wait for him to try and

964
01:18:15.319 --> 01:18:19.159
stop the ride. She sprinted enough to where she could

965
01:18:19.199 --> 01:18:24.239
leap off the carousel and land beside the barrier. She

966
01:18:24.439 --> 01:18:28.119
easily leapt over it before she turned around with her

967
01:18:28.760 --> 01:18:33.640
wicked little smile. Don't know why you guys don't want

968
01:18:33.680 --> 01:18:38.399
me having fun here, Daisy May said. Still ain't seen

969
01:18:38.520 --> 01:18:43.079
no ghosts, Billy, She raised her finger, But you can

970
01:18:43.199 --> 01:18:47.840
keep on trying to catch me. Ta ta. When she

971
01:18:47.960 --> 01:18:52.520
saw Jasper, she quickly took off running again. I made

972
01:18:52.520 --> 01:18:55.720
my move and got off the ride. Then I made

973
01:18:55.760 --> 01:18:59.960
it over to the barrier myself, just before the operator

974
01:19:00.279 --> 01:19:06.760
could grab me. Whew. I resumed chasing Daisy May. It

975
01:19:06.840 --> 01:19:10.199
was then when I wished I was friends with Ariel Miron.

976
01:19:10.640 --> 01:19:13.039
Maybe I could have called and convinced her to come

977
01:19:13.079 --> 01:19:16.279
to the carnival and help me chase down Daisy May.

978
01:19:17.079 --> 01:19:20.840
Since I knew back at school the debate over which

979
01:19:20.880 --> 01:19:25.039
girl was fastest on her feet was still not resolved.

980
01:19:26.119 --> 01:19:32.960
How on earth am I going to catch her? I

981
01:19:33.039 --> 01:19:36.199
was able to keep my pace, but Daisy May could

982
01:19:36.279 --> 01:19:39.960
keep enough distance between us to where I just couldn't

983
01:19:40.039 --> 01:19:43.960
run any faster. But I wouldn't have to keep chasing

984
01:19:44.079 --> 01:19:48.079
Daisy May around the midway for long. When she saw

985
01:19:48.119 --> 01:19:53.239
what looked like a Christmas funhouse, she braked to a halt.

986
01:19:53.600 --> 01:19:56.199
She was about to pay for a ticket. When I

987
01:19:56.319 --> 01:19:59.840
finally reached her, uh huh, you ain't taking me away

988
01:19:59.840 --> 01:20:03.800
from from here, Billy, Daisy May snapped, I'm going through

989
01:20:03.840 --> 01:20:07.479
this here and you ain't stopping me. Then I suddenly

990
01:20:07.560 --> 01:20:14.279
knew something Daisy May did not. I smiled a little Seriously,

991
01:20:14.880 --> 01:20:18.399
you're really going into I looked at the name of

992
01:20:18.439 --> 01:20:24.560
the attraction, Santa's Sleigh Ride. Something tells me you're gonna

993
01:20:24.560 --> 01:20:28.199
get ripped off. It's probably all the scary stuff with

994
01:20:28.520 --> 01:20:33.119
Santa hats and tinsel attached to them. Then the ticket

995
01:20:33.159 --> 01:20:38.119
taker interjected, shows how much you know, kid? Everything's all

996
01:20:38.279 --> 01:20:41.520
new inside because this is the first year we got

997
01:20:41.520 --> 01:20:45.279
this ride. Now, are you gonna quit yapping and go in?

998
01:20:45.439 --> 01:20:50.479
Or are you gonna keep wasting my time? Jasper appeared

999
01:20:50.520 --> 01:20:54.359
next to me. Then the man saw her and sneered,

1000
01:20:55.239 --> 01:20:58.279
why don't you take your little girlfriend through? Or are

1001
01:20:58.319 --> 01:21:02.720
you a cheapskate? Just as Daisy May was digging into

1002
01:21:02.760 --> 01:21:08.079
the pocket of her bib overalls, two big hands snatched

1003
01:21:08.119 --> 01:21:13.399
her shoulders. Like I said, I knew something, she did not.

1004
01:21:14.760 --> 01:21:18.880
Oh no, you don't truck, Daisy May growled and tried

1005
01:21:18.920 --> 01:21:23.600
to run. Oh no, you don't Daisy May. Truck returned,

1006
01:21:24.399 --> 01:21:26.920
I got you again. Now I'm going to keep you

1007
01:21:27.479 --> 01:21:32.439
cause we're getting on out of here right now. Daisy

1008
01:21:32.479 --> 01:21:36.279
May could have bucked and thrashed like she usually did

1009
01:21:36.520 --> 01:21:41.000
whenever Truck had her, but she suddenly turned around in

1010
01:21:41.119 --> 01:21:46.760
his hands. She raised her finger and said, okay, tell

1011
01:21:46.800 --> 01:21:51.039
you people what She just saw that. Carnelian was there too,

1012
01:21:51.199 --> 01:21:54.880
but she finished her thought, I want to go through

1013
01:21:54.920 --> 01:21:57.960
this thing. Just let me go through one time, and

1014
01:21:58.039 --> 01:22:02.840
I promise we can leave right after. Carnelian was right, Honor,

1015
01:22:03.560 --> 01:22:08.359
you're lying, country mouse. I saw your eyelids twitch. I've

1016
01:22:08.399 --> 01:22:10.760
been living with you long enough to know that about you.

1017
01:22:12.000 --> 01:22:15.640
Daisy May wasn't backing down. I ain't leaving here till

1018
01:22:15.680 --> 01:22:21.239
I go through this thing. Carnelian wasn't either. A. We're

1019
01:22:21.279 --> 01:22:25.039
all surrounding you. B Truck still got hold of you.

1020
01:22:26.000 --> 01:22:33.199
That means, see, you're definitely leaving. Daisy May yelled, ah,

1021
01:22:33.239 --> 01:22:39.039
come on you yell a hickinbottom. No. Carnelian returned, we

1022
01:22:39.319 --> 01:22:43.760
are going home before your parents start worrying about why

1023
01:22:43.800 --> 01:22:47.760
we're not back for dinner. Is there a problem here?

1024
01:22:48.760 --> 01:22:53.399
A familiar voice called out, We all looked to see

1025
01:22:53.439 --> 01:22:59.239
that Tinker guy standing with the ticket taker. Yeah, we're leaving,

1026
01:22:59.840 --> 01:23:07.960
Carnelian told him why. Tinker asked softly, aren't you enjoying

1027
01:23:08.079 --> 01:23:15.520
the Christmas Carnival? Where's the exit, Carnelian demanded, ignoring Tinker's question,

1028
01:23:16.760 --> 01:23:22.319
He pointed just over Carnelian's shoulder. There's actually one right

1029
01:23:22.399 --> 01:23:29.079
over there. Let's go, Daisy May, Truck demanded, aw fu.

1030
01:23:29.359 --> 01:23:33.439
Daisy May tried to spin and run, but Truck made

1031
01:23:33.479 --> 01:23:37.560
sure she wasn't going anywhere fast. In a way, I

1032
01:23:37.720 --> 01:23:40.720
was kind of wondering if maybe we were being a

1033
01:23:40.760 --> 01:23:44.800
little too hard on her. Then I remembered how the

1034
01:23:44.840 --> 01:23:48.880
rest of us felt about that carnival and knew we

1035
01:23:49.079 --> 01:23:52.359
had to get out of here, whether Daisy May wanted

1036
01:23:52.399 --> 01:23:57.720
to go or not. We reached the exit, but what

1037
01:23:57.960 --> 01:24:06.239
the jasper uttered? Oh are you serious? Carnelian growled in disbelief.

1038
01:24:07.319 --> 01:24:11.800
You just knew something was definitely wrong. We could all

1039
01:24:11.960 --> 01:24:15.479
clearly see the exit. We could look out past the

1040
01:24:15.560 --> 01:24:19.319
grounds and see the cars parked. We could even see

1041
01:24:19.319 --> 01:24:23.680
the street lights off Indian Hollow Road. The only problem

1042
01:24:23.880 --> 01:24:29.119
was we couldn't walk through the exit. It was as

1043
01:24:29.159 --> 01:24:34.000
if an invisible wall was right there. We were all

1044
01:24:34.039 --> 01:24:37.279
pushing on it. Truck and I were throwing our backs

1045
01:24:37.319 --> 01:24:41.600
into it. No matter how hard we tried, it was

1046
01:24:41.680 --> 01:24:48.199
evident we were not going anywhere. Suddenly Isley Tinker was

1047
01:24:48.279 --> 01:24:53.520
right there with us. Although I never did say any

1048
01:24:53.560 --> 01:24:56.680
of you could leave. In fact, the five of you

1049
01:24:57.279 --> 01:25:01.119
might as well have as much fun as you can.

1050
01:25:02.119 --> 01:25:07.960
Carnelian pointed right at Tinker, seriously, what is your problem?

1051
01:25:09.079 --> 01:25:13.720
Why are you doing this? Jasper added, what did we do?

1052
01:25:15.039 --> 01:25:23.840
Then she looked guilty. We didn't shoplift from your store? Right, No,

1053
01:25:24.720 --> 01:25:30.039
you didn't, Tinker assured us. But now you five are

1054
01:25:30.079 --> 01:25:34.039
the last souls that I need to give my offering

1055
01:25:34.199 --> 01:25:41.760
to the Dark Mother herself Dark Mother. Truck asked, what

1056
01:25:41.800 --> 01:25:47.520
do you mean, Dark Mother? Suddenly Tinker produced that beautiful

1057
01:25:47.600 --> 01:25:52.800
snow globe that Jasper had wanted the day before. He

1058
01:25:52.920 --> 01:25:58.880
uttered some strange words. Then the scenery changed. We were

1059
01:25:58.920 --> 01:26:03.760
suddenly in what looked like an office. Now I can

1060
01:26:03.840 --> 01:26:10.159
explain everything much better, Tinker said. He told us that

1061
01:26:10.239 --> 01:26:14.319
he was much older than he looked. In fact, he

1062
01:26:14.359 --> 01:26:19.119
had actually been around since the Middle Ages. He was

1063
01:26:19.239 --> 01:26:22.880
excellent when it came to fixing things. He was a

1064
01:26:22.920 --> 01:26:28.079
man ahead of his time. He was living in Europe

1065
01:26:28.119 --> 01:26:32.560
when the Black Death claimed his wife and children. Tinker

1066
01:26:32.680 --> 01:26:35.920
himself had never caught the plague, but he had been

1067
01:26:35.960 --> 01:26:40.720
torn up inside at the loss of his family. He

1068
01:26:40.800 --> 01:26:46.600
kept mostly to himself and wandered the world. Upon realizing

1069
01:26:46.640 --> 01:26:50.159
that he was getting up in his years, he finally

1070
01:26:50.279 --> 01:26:55.359
came apart and demanded to the sky an answer to

1071
01:26:55.479 --> 01:27:00.680
why he himself was spared from the Black Death, only

1072
01:27:00.800 --> 01:27:05.520
to have to go through life without his family. No

1073
01:27:05.560 --> 01:27:11.439
one answered him. That fateful day came when Tinker passed

1074
01:27:11.439 --> 01:27:15.840
a book shop and saw it on display in the window.

1075
01:27:16.960 --> 01:27:19.800
He went into the store and took hold of the book.

1076
01:27:20.840 --> 01:27:24.159
The pages were written in a language he should not

1077
01:27:24.359 --> 01:27:29.479
have been able to read, but somehow he could understand

1078
01:27:29.640 --> 01:27:36.279
every word and took it as a sign. Tinker managed

1079
01:27:36.319 --> 01:27:40.479
to steal the book and began to fervently study it.

1080
01:27:41.640 --> 01:27:48.319
Tinker read from the book and summoned the Dark Mother herself.

1081
01:27:55.920 --> 01:27:59.840
The Dark Mother was known by many names. Some of

1082
01:27:59.840 --> 01:28:04.720
you may know her as Hell Weaver. Now there she

1083
01:28:05.119 --> 01:28:10.000
was before Tinker. She made him the offer of giving

1084
01:28:10.079 --> 01:28:14.479
him back his family in exchange for his very soul.

1085
01:28:15.640 --> 01:28:18.399
You would think that that would be an offer Tinker

1086
01:28:18.600 --> 01:28:25.359
simply could not refuse. But he declined he didn't want

1087
01:28:25.399 --> 01:28:28.760
to have them back, only to lose them again when

1088
01:28:28.800 --> 01:28:34.079
they die. Naturally, Tinker knew that the Dark Mother was

1089
01:28:34.119 --> 01:28:39.800
a goddess and wanted even greater rewards from her. The

1090
01:28:39.920 --> 01:28:44.399
Dark Mother admired his eagerness and made him an offer

1091
01:28:44.960 --> 01:28:50.560
he would gladly accept. All that I require is for

1092
01:28:50.640 --> 01:28:56.520
you to capture a thousand souls for me, Isley Tinker,

1093
01:28:57.359 --> 01:29:02.359
She said, prove your loyalty by doing this, and you

1094
01:29:02.520 --> 01:29:08.640
shall know great power and riches. Once I have conquered

1095
01:29:08.680 --> 01:29:15.680
the multiverse, then your reward shall be even greater. How

1096
01:29:15.720 --> 01:29:19.279
shall I gain these souls for you, my Dark Mother,

1097
01:29:20.079 --> 01:29:26.000
Tinker asked. She saw into his dark soul and learned

1098
01:29:26.680 --> 01:29:31.199
that he had a pensiant for fixing things. So she

1099
01:29:31.319 --> 01:29:37.079
had the perfect idea. I shall make you immortal from

1100
01:29:37.279 --> 01:29:43.760
this day forward. Use the powers contained within the volume

1101
01:29:44.439 --> 01:29:49.960
in which you have summoned me. Use your means and

1102
01:29:50.079 --> 01:29:54.840
your gifts, for they shall be the tools with which

1103
01:29:55.039 --> 01:30:01.079
you shall obtain the thousand souls that I have demanded

1104
01:30:01.119 --> 01:30:07.039
of you. You have until such time in which to

1105
01:30:07.159 --> 01:30:12.960
deliver them. On to me. From there, a contract was

1106
01:30:13.039 --> 01:30:20.159
negotiated and signed. Tinker read the Dark Mother's Book. Within

1107
01:30:20.319 --> 01:30:24.000
its pages, he found the means with which he could

1108
01:30:24.039 --> 01:30:29.239
fix things that needed to be repaired. As he fixed

1109
01:30:29.279 --> 01:30:33.000
the items, he would curse them to make them do

1110
01:30:33.239 --> 01:30:38.960
something special. In some cases, they could serve whoever had

1111
01:30:39.000 --> 01:30:45.079
the item, or they might corrupt the soul. Among the

1112
01:30:45.159 --> 01:30:49.279
items he took in was that very snow globe that

1113
01:30:49.520 --> 01:30:55.000
Jasper wanted. Now we would understand why Tinker did not

1114
01:30:55.560 --> 01:30:59.399
want to sell it. Using a spell from the Dark

1115
01:30:59.479 --> 01:31:03.800
Mother's Bad Book, he changed the snow globe into a

1116
01:31:03.920 --> 01:31:08.920
soul prison. From there he started collecting the souls of

1117
01:31:08.960 --> 01:31:12.680
those who had been taken by the cursed items he

1118
01:31:12.760 --> 01:31:17.319
had sold through the years. Tinker was not in any

1119
01:31:17.359 --> 01:31:23.399
big hurry because the deadline wasn't immediate. Getting back to

1120
01:31:23.479 --> 01:31:30.119
now with the five of you, that makes exactly one

1121
01:31:30.159 --> 01:31:37.479
thousand souls, Tinker reminded us, the deadline is at midnight

1122
01:31:38.520 --> 01:31:44.399
Christmas Day. I shall personally give this very snow globe

1123
01:31:44.800 --> 01:31:48.680
to the Mother herself. Then she will give me a

1124
01:31:48.760 --> 01:31:55.279
place with her as she conquers the entire multiverse. Daisy

1125
01:31:55.399 --> 01:31:59.199
May was so angry that she howled and rushed at Tinker.

1126
01:31:59.760 --> 01:32:02.760
She leapt up on his desk and tried to jump

1127
01:32:02.760 --> 01:32:08.039
at him. To her surprise and maybe ours, Tinker caught

1128
01:32:08.039 --> 01:32:12.000
her with almost no effort. He set her down on

1129
01:32:12.079 --> 01:32:17.159
his desk and gently shoved her away. Truck caught her

1130
01:32:17.319 --> 01:32:21.399
before she could fall to the floor. When Daisy May

1131
01:32:21.600 --> 01:32:25.840
was back on her feet, she pointed at Tinker. You're

1132
01:32:25.840 --> 01:32:28.840
gonna wish you ain't never met me, you old goat.

1133
01:32:30.000 --> 01:32:34.399
Tinker rolled his eyes, Spare me your threat's little girl.

1134
01:32:35.279 --> 01:32:38.760
Then he looked at his watch before speaking to all

1135
01:32:38.800 --> 01:32:43.560
of us. You've only got precious little time before all

1136
01:32:43.640 --> 01:32:46.960
of your souls will be given to the dark Mother.

1137
01:32:47.920 --> 01:32:51.359
He pointed to the door. You might as well go

1138
01:32:51.479 --> 01:32:58.640
on out and enjoy the Christmas carnival. Carnelian scared us

1139
01:32:58.680 --> 01:33:02.319
half to death when she tightened her fists and belted

1140
01:33:02.359 --> 01:33:05.279
out a blood curdling scream that would have made her

1141
01:33:05.319 --> 01:33:10.319
cousin Ariel proud. Then she roared and tried to rush

1142
01:33:10.399 --> 01:33:16.399
Tinker as well. Unfortunately, her efforts would be useless since

1143
01:33:16.479 --> 01:33:21.640
Tinker disappeared before she could grab him. She hit the

1144
01:33:21.760 --> 01:33:25.479
side of her head and dazed herself a little but

1145
01:33:25.960 --> 01:33:29.800
was able to stop herself from falling by slamming her

1146
01:33:29.840 --> 01:33:34.159
palms on the desk. When Truck put gentle hands on

1147
01:33:34.239 --> 01:33:38.760
her shoulders, she spun to face him. I am not

1148
01:33:39.319 --> 01:33:44.000
spending the rest of my life in this this ghost Carnival,

1149
01:33:44.880 --> 01:33:49.199
she pointed hard at him. You got that. Then she

1150
01:33:49.359 --> 01:33:55.039
tightened her fists again and started heaving. For a brief moment,

1151
01:33:55.479 --> 01:33:58.800
I thought she was going to scream again, but Truck

1152
01:33:58.880 --> 01:34:02.720
took hold of her shoulders. We'll get out of here, Carneye,

1153
01:34:03.239 --> 01:34:05.399
but we all got to keep our heads on straight.

1154
01:34:06.439 --> 01:34:10.600
H don't even know the way out, Carnelian fired back.

1155
01:34:11.640 --> 01:34:16.720
And do you even know carnee? Daisy May asked. Knowing

1156
01:34:16.760 --> 01:34:21.319
the answer, Carnelian spun out of Truck's hands and walked

1157
01:34:21.359 --> 01:34:24.640
right up to Daisy May. You'd swear that two of

1158
01:34:24.680 --> 01:34:28.079
them were ready to fight again, just like on Halloween.

1159
01:34:29.199 --> 01:34:32.199
We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you,

1160
01:34:32.399 --> 01:34:38.880
country mouse, Carnelian accused. Daisy May tightened her fists. What's

1161
01:34:38.920 --> 01:34:42.600
you gonna do about it, you yell a hickinbottom. I

1162
01:34:42.720 --> 01:34:46.279
quickly got in between them. This ain't happening, Break it up,

1163
01:34:47.319 --> 01:34:50.199
I could tell Carnelian was itching to call me a

1164
01:34:50.279 --> 01:34:54.079
greaser like she did back in the fall. Since I

1165
01:34:54.159 --> 01:34:57.800
came from the biker community and many of them were mechanics,

1166
01:34:58.359 --> 01:35:02.039
people like to call us greaser. I was a bit

1167
01:35:02.079 --> 01:35:07.079
of a mechanic myself, so I owned it. Carnelian softened up.

1168
01:35:07.800 --> 01:35:11.760
She really had changed for the better since Halloween night.

1169
01:35:12.520 --> 01:35:16.760
She looked past me to Daisy May. This is still

1170
01:35:16.880 --> 01:35:22.079
your fault. Before Daisy May could lash out, I turned

1171
01:35:22.079 --> 01:35:26.079
to face her. Carney's right. We tried to tell you

1172
01:35:26.159 --> 01:35:28.800
not to come here, but you always got to have

1173
01:35:28.920 --> 01:35:32.720
your way. You always got to get us in trouble.

1174
01:35:33.319 --> 01:35:42.720
Jasper muttered, we'll be lucky to survive Christmas Eve. Daisy

1175
01:35:42.760 --> 01:35:47.039
May looked at truck for support. Even though he had

1176
01:35:47.079 --> 01:35:51.760
feelings for her, he spoke his mind. They're all right,

1177
01:35:52.600 --> 01:35:56.439
You're as stubborn as your ma. Daisy May looked down.

1178
01:35:57.479 --> 01:36:00.560
I just wanted to see this place. Didn't mean to

1179
01:36:00.640 --> 01:36:05.720
hurt nobody none. She looked up sadly. You think I

1180
01:36:05.800 --> 01:36:08.560
knew some crazy old badger was going to keep us

1181
01:36:08.600 --> 01:36:13.319
here and take our souls? She raised her finger. Ain't

1182
01:36:13.359 --> 01:36:18.199
none of you pinning that on me? Carnelian calmed down. Now,

1183
01:36:19.199 --> 01:36:22.680
I don't want to fight you again, country mouse. You're right,

1184
01:36:22.840 --> 01:36:26.560
you didn't trap us here on purpose. But if we

1185
01:36:26.680 --> 01:36:29.560
don't get out of here, we can plan on spending

1186
01:36:29.560 --> 01:36:33.720
the rest of our lives. I don't know. Then she

1187
01:36:33.840 --> 01:36:38.039
got scared again and growled, I don't want us to

1188
01:36:38.279 --> 01:36:43.399
die in here. She hugged herself. Daisy May's mom had

1189
01:36:43.479 --> 01:36:45.600
said we were in for a treat tomorrow at the

1190
01:36:45.640 --> 01:36:50.800
dinner table. She dropped her arms and declared, I want

1191
01:36:50.960 --> 01:36:55.720
that Christmas dinner tomorrow. Okay, So how we getting out

1192
01:36:55.720 --> 01:36:59.439
of here? Truck asked? How did we even get in

1193
01:36:59.520 --> 01:37:04.359
here in the first place, Jasper wondered. Carnelian looked like

1194
01:37:04.439 --> 01:37:07.159
she was going to give Jasper a hard time again.

1195
01:37:08.239 --> 01:37:12.319
She thought better of it and sighed, Jinx is right.

1196
01:37:12.960 --> 01:37:15.439
I know. The rest of us followed Daisy May in here.

1197
01:37:16.680 --> 01:37:20.119
Getting in here was easy as devouring one of Ma's pies,

1198
01:37:20.760 --> 01:37:25.880
Daisy May said. Truck raised his finger. Hey, I was

1199
01:37:25.920 --> 01:37:28.720
the one who got that flyer for this place. You

1200
01:37:28.800 --> 01:37:32.000
think maybe that's how we got in here? I mean,

1201
01:37:32.760 --> 01:37:36.239
no one else got it, right, We don't know that

1202
01:37:36.399 --> 01:37:40.760
for sure, big guy, I replied, even if we could

1203
01:37:40.840 --> 01:37:44.640
find it. Truck dug into his pocket. I got it

1204
01:37:44.720 --> 01:37:48.479
right here, Daisy May snatched it. Give me that thing.

1205
01:37:49.279 --> 01:37:52.399
She dug into one of her pocketbooks and took out

1206
01:37:52.399 --> 01:37:56.960
a lighter. What do you need a lighter for, Carnelian asked,

1207
01:37:57.800 --> 01:38:00.600
you smoking your dad's cigars up in the bar or something.

1208
01:38:01.680 --> 01:38:06.119
All listen to you, you feeble minded shike poke. Daisy

1209
01:38:06.159 --> 01:38:09.560
May fired back, I used this thing to light up

1210
01:38:09.560 --> 01:38:12.319
the woodburn and stove upstairs in the barn at night.

1211
01:38:13.439 --> 01:38:19.000
Cornelian backed off and uttered, oh. Daisy May flicked open

1212
01:38:19.039 --> 01:38:22.479
the top and then flicked the wheel to get a flame.

1213
01:38:23.319 --> 01:38:26.319
She held it to the paper and watched it burn,

1214
01:38:27.079 --> 01:38:32.119
dropping it shortly after. We watched as the paper burned

1215
01:38:32.119 --> 01:38:36.640
to nothing. Guess we go see now, Daisy May said.

1216
01:38:37.800 --> 01:38:41.479
We left the office and went to another entrance just

1217
01:38:41.600 --> 01:38:44.720
like the one we were at. We couldn't go past it.

1218
01:38:45.680 --> 01:38:50.640
The same invisible barrier kept us inside. So much for that?

1219
01:38:51.319 --> 01:38:57.039
Truck muttered, now what? Suddenly Jasper brightened up. I got it.

1220
01:38:57.680 --> 01:39:00.239
Why don't we find what's keeping us all in here?

1221
01:39:00.239 --> 01:39:05.239
And shut it off again. Carnelian looked like she was

1222
01:39:05.279 --> 01:39:10.119
going to give Jasper a hard time, and again she conceded,

1223
01:39:11.239 --> 01:39:15.840
Jinx is right. She growled a little. I hate saying

1224
01:39:15.840 --> 01:39:21.640
you're right, especially when you're flipping crazy. Jasper smiled from

1225
01:39:21.720 --> 01:39:25.239
ear to ear and laughed. I was ready to laugh

1226
01:39:25.800 --> 01:39:30.079
when she turned right to me. Oh, I am crazy

1227
01:39:30.640 --> 01:39:34.520
about you, Bill. She was ready to peck me on

1228
01:39:34.600 --> 01:39:37.840
the cheek when I held up my hands, tell you

1229
01:39:37.920 --> 01:39:41.640
what if we get out of here, it's a date,

1230
01:39:42.239 --> 01:39:46.840
Jasper cried excitedly. Now part of me was kind of

1231
01:39:46.880 --> 01:39:51.399
hoping we wouldn't get out of the Christmas carnival. Just

1232
01:39:51.560 --> 01:39:55.479
seeing Jasper's toothy smile made me wonder if she really

1233
01:39:56.039 --> 01:39:59.640
was crazy. I realized I had to get us out

1234
01:40:00.319 --> 01:40:05.199
and figure Jasper Jinks was the least of two evils.

1235
01:40:05.960 --> 01:40:09.920
Daisy May had been thinking, again, she's definitely as smart

1236
01:40:09.960 --> 01:40:14.600
as her other two cousins, Like Jink said, we gotta

1237
01:40:14.640 --> 01:40:17.840
find the source and shut her down way I'm seeing it.

1238
01:40:18.159 --> 01:40:21.239
We gotta find that rotten badger because he's gotta have

1239
01:40:21.359 --> 01:40:25.880
the key. Right, We were all in agreement. We put

1240
01:40:25.880 --> 01:40:29.239
our heads together to determine where we could find Tinker.

1241
01:40:30.159 --> 01:40:35.840
Then Jasper brightened up and walked away from us. Jinks,

1242
01:40:36.479 --> 01:40:41.720
Carnelian uttered, We followed Jasper back onto the midway. Then

1243
01:40:41.880 --> 01:40:45.359
she pointed to the big tent. Tinker's the man in

1244
01:40:45.479 --> 01:40:49.279
charge here right then. That means he's the ring master.

1245
01:40:50.000 --> 01:40:53.920
I mean, you'd think so. We were all in agreement

1246
01:40:53.960 --> 01:40:58.000
and made our way to the big tent. Sure enough,

1247
01:40:58.079 --> 01:41:01.680
it was a Christmas circus. There were elephants dressed in

1248
01:41:02.000 --> 01:41:07.159
seasonal garnish, even a few lions and tigers. But we

1249
01:41:07.279 --> 01:41:12.600
immediately saw Tinker at the very center. When he spoke,

1250
01:41:13.079 --> 01:41:16.640
he must have had a microphone on. Thank you all

1251
01:41:16.760 --> 01:41:21.000
for being here on this fine Christmas Eve night. This

1252
01:41:21.159 --> 01:41:24.520
will be the final show you'll all be here to see,

1253
01:41:25.199 --> 01:41:29.000
because very soon you're all going to see the greatest

1254
01:41:29.079 --> 01:41:33.560
spectacle that will never be seen in any other attraction.

1255
01:41:34.720 --> 01:41:40.439
A big pause, the coming of the dark mother herself.

1256
01:41:41.359 --> 01:41:47.079
Jasper's eyes suddenly glowed. Such a pretty snow globe he's holding,

1257
01:41:47.920 --> 01:41:52.439
Carnelian snapped her fingers. Yeah, we saw him using it

1258
01:41:52.479 --> 01:41:55.600
in the office. That's gotta be our ticket out of here.

1259
01:41:56.600 --> 01:42:00.800
We ain't got much time, Daisy May reminded us. It'll

1260
01:42:00.840 --> 01:42:04.640
be midnight soon. Well, we sure need a plan right

1261
01:42:04.680 --> 01:42:09.720
about now, Truck muttered, I think I got one. Daisy

1262
01:42:09.760 --> 01:42:13.359
May said, I got us into this and I'm gonna

1263
01:42:13.359 --> 01:42:18.479
get us out. We huddled together as Daisy May explained

1264
01:42:18.720 --> 01:42:32.600
her plan. That's crazy, Jasper blurted out. Then she returned

1265
01:42:32.640 --> 01:42:38.000
to Carnelian, and you say I'm the crazy one. Nobody

1266
01:42:38.039 --> 01:42:42.079
objected to Daisy May's plan, not when it was the

1267
01:42:42.079 --> 01:42:47.720
only one we had. Also, time was not on our side.

1268
01:42:48.800 --> 01:42:54.199
Daisy May left the group and went underneath some nearby bleachers.

1269
01:42:54.239 --> 01:42:58.119
Soon she was climbing up like a ladder. When she

1270
01:42:58.239 --> 01:43:00.840
reached the top, she untied one of the ropes that

1271
01:43:01.000 --> 01:43:04.800
was there to support the tent. We weren't paying attention

1272
01:43:04.960 --> 01:43:08.119
to what Tinker was saying, since we were keeping our

1273
01:43:08.159 --> 01:43:13.079
eyes on Daisy May. When she was ready, she called out,

1274
01:43:13.920 --> 01:43:18.720
and away we go. All eyes went right to Daisy

1275
01:43:18.760 --> 01:43:23.039
May donnerly as she leapt off and swung towards Tinker.

1276
01:43:24.039 --> 01:43:28.319
We quickly ran her way. Tinker pointed right up at her,

1277
01:43:28.960 --> 01:43:33.640
you little upstart. He tried to grab Daisy May when

1278
01:43:33.680 --> 01:43:38.680
she was almost to him. Missed me, she jeered. When

1279
01:43:38.760 --> 01:43:41.960
Tinker turned around to try and catch her. On the return,

1280
01:43:42.640 --> 01:43:48.439
Jasper surprised everyone even Tinker himself by suddenly snatching that

1281
01:43:48.560 --> 01:43:52.199
snow globe right out of his hand. I said, I

1282
01:43:52.359 --> 01:43:59.119
want this, old man, She snapped, No, Tinker shrieked, return

1283
01:43:59.199 --> 01:44:03.560
that snow globe this instant. You meddling kids don't understand

1284
01:44:04.399 --> 01:44:07.199
the dark Mother will be here soon. Doom will come

1285
01:44:07.239 --> 01:44:10.359
to us all if she doesn't receive that snow globe

1286
01:44:10.720 --> 01:44:17.319
at exactly midnight. Give that back now. Since Jasper wasn't

1287
01:44:17.319 --> 01:44:21.399
a fast runner and didn't have the best endurance, Tinker

1288
01:44:21.520 --> 01:44:24.880
caught her. He turned her around and slapped her hard

1289
01:44:24.960 --> 01:44:29.479
across her face. She shrieked and dropped the snow globe.

1290
01:44:29.600 --> 01:44:32.960
Tinker shoved her aside and moved to pick it up.

1291
01:44:34.399 --> 01:44:39.960
What the no put me down immediately, Tinker cried when

1292
01:44:39.960 --> 01:44:43.920
he found himself hoisted up and being carried around on

1293
01:44:44.039 --> 01:44:48.199
truck Tucker's shoulders. You ought to be ashamed of yourself,

1294
01:44:48.239 --> 01:44:53.800
mister Tinker, slappin' Jasper like that, Truck admonished him. Ain't

1295
01:44:53.880 --> 01:44:57.800
no way to treat a lady. Don't care what she's done, No, sir,

1296
01:44:58.720 --> 01:45:02.680
we learned Truck like to watch professional wrestling, because he

1297
01:45:02.760 --> 01:45:07.279
started spinning around and around real fast with Tinker still

1298
01:45:07.319 --> 01:45:11.840
on his shoulders. The move was called the airplane spin.

1299
01:45:12.960 --> 01:45:15.920
Tinker shrieked and complained as the rest of us ran

1300
01:45:16.000 --> 01:45:19.039
off with the snow globe. We knew Truck would join

1301
01:45:19.159 --> 01:45:23.319
us when he could. When we got to a safe distance,

1302
01:45:23.560 --> 01:45:27.039
Jasper had the globe in her hands. I hoped she

1303
01:45:27.079 --> 01:45:30.319
wouldn't take it the wrong way. When I checked her face,

1304
01:45:31.359 --> 01:45:36.159
You okay, I asked, She smiled from ear to ear again.

1305
01:45:37.319 --> 01:45:41.079
You really do care, Bill, and I'd shrieked to myself

1306
01:45:41.119 --> 01:45:45.399
again as she pecked me on the cheek. I pointed

1307
01:45:45.479 --> 01:45:50.479
right ad her focus. Jasper Carnelian pointed right ad her

1308
01:45:51.000 --> 01:45:57.119
shatter that thing now, okay already, she groaned. Ah, but

1309
01:45:57.239 --> 01:46:02.960
it's so beautiful, Jasper, we all called out together. She

1310
01:46:03.119 --> 01:46:06.159
groaned again and screamed as she raised the snow globe

1311
01:46:06.560 --> 01:46:09.920
and threw it at a concrete wall with everything she had.

1312
01:46:11.159 --> 01:46:14.920
The Christmas item hit hard and just bounced right to

1313
01:46:15.000 --> 01:46:18.479
the ground back to us. I picked it up to

1314
01:46:18.520 --> 01:46:24.720
see it ain't even scratched. Knowing I was stronger than Jasper,

1315
01:46:25.159 --> 01:46:29.319
I repeated her action again. The snow globe came right

1316
01:46:29.399 --> 01:46:35.399
to me again. It wasn't damaged in any way seriously,

1317
01:46:36.079 --> 01:46:42.439
Carnelian groaned. Then she saw something, give me that. She

1318
01:46:42.600 --> 01:46:45.720
snatched the snow globe and went to the high striker.

1319
01:46:46.600 --> 01:46:49.479
We thought the attendant would fight us on this, but

1320
01:46:50.239 --> 01:46:53.960
when he saw the snow globe, he immediately handed over

1321
01:46:54.079 --> 01:46:59.960
the sledge hammer. Break it free us. He beckoned Carnelia

1322
01:47:00.039 --> 01:47:03.000
and put the snow globe down on the lever. She

1323
01:47:03.159 --> 01:47:06.760
seemed to struggle a little bit, but she was mad

1324
01:47:06.880 --> 01:47:09.640
enough to wear She raised the hammer over her head.

1325
01:47:10.760 --> 01:47:14.640
She screamed with that anger and hit the snow globe hard.

1326
01:47:16.079 --> 01:47:20.800
The globe just panged away. I quickly ran after it.

1327
01:47:21.479 --> 01:47:24.560
I almost had it in my hand when I got

1328
01:47:24.640 --> 01:47:29.520
swatted away. No, no, boy, that does not belong to you.

1329
01:47:30.640 --> 01:47:34.920
Tinker had found us. He was about to reclaim the

1330
01:47:35.000 --> 01:47:39.840
snow globe when Jasper suddenly appeared. She opened her hand

1331
01:47:39.880 --> 01:47:44.960
and blew some powder right in his face. Immediately, Tinker

1332
01:47:45.119 --> 01:47:49.520
started sneezing up a storm. That'll teach you to hit me,

1333
01:47:50.239 --> 01:47:55.279
she jeered, Never mess with a jinx. She snatched the

1334
01:47:55.359 --> 01:48:00.239
snow globe back and handed it to Carnelian. It's ill,

1335
01:48:00.319 --> 01:48:03.840
not broken, she yelled. What do we have to do

1336
01:48:04.000 --> 01:48:08.279
to get out of here. Let's move, I told the girls.

1337
01:48:08.880 --> 01:48:12.560
We ran off. I was worried about Truck and Daisy May,

1338
01:48:12.720 --> 01:48:17.159
since they had not joined us yet. Tinker mentioned midnight.

1339
01:48:17.840 --> 01:48:21.359
I looked at my phone and saw it was getting close.

1340
01:48:22.000 --> 01:48:26.119
In fact, the winds started to pick up. Give me

1341
01:48:26.399 --> 01:48:31.840
that snow globe, Tinker yelled, finally shaking off the effects

1342
01:48:31.880 --> 01:48:38.920
of Jasper's sneezing powder. The Dark Mother is almost here now, truck.

1343
01:48:39.800 --> 01:48:43.279
We heard Daisy May call out. We didn't know what

1344
01:48:43.600 --> 01:48:49.399
was going on until we heard Tinker utter oof. We

1345
01:48:49.479 --> 01:48:53.960
stopped and saw that Truck had thrown Daisy May all

1346
01:48:54.000 --> 01:48:57.960
the way to Tinker. She landed on him and took

1347
01:48:58.039 --> 01:49:01.760
him to the ground. She got back to her feet quickly.

1348
01:49:02.439 --> 01:49:05.720
When Tinker was back to his and ready to grab her,

1349
01:49:06.399 --> 01:49:12.399
she scurried away fast as fast can be. I will

1350
01:49:12.560 --> 01:49:17.479
have that snow globe, he growled. We turned and ran again.

1351
01:49:18.239 --> 01:49:21.079
But you just knew Tinker had a trump card up

1352
01:49:21.079 --> 01:49:25.960
his sleeve. Remember all those circus animals that were in

1353
01:49:26.039 --> 01:49:30.000
the big tent. Tinker was using them to try and

1354
01:49:30.079 --> 01:49:33.880
get us. The elephants were slow moving, but the lions

1355
01:49:33.920 --> 01:49:38.319
and tigers moved like Daisy May's little dog, old McDonald.

1356
01:49:39.319 --> 01:49:43.800
I can't run no more, Jasper groan. I'm a goner.

1357
01:49:50.319 --> 01:49:54.000
Jasper shrieked when Truck lifted her on to his shoulders.

1358
01:49:54.680 --> 01:49:59.359
Keep moving. Carnelian yelled, I ain't liking the look of

1359
01:49:59.399 --> 01:50:03.479
that sky, Why none, Truck said. The sky was in

1360
01:50:03.560 --> 01:50:07.479
shades of black and red, and the winds were getting worse.

1361
01:50:08.560 --> 01:50:13.359
The dark mother is nearly here. Tinker called out, give

1362
01:50:13.399 --> 01:50:18.600
me that globe or you'll do us all. Tinker suddenly

1363
01:50:18.680 --> 01:50:22.199
ripped Jasper from Truck's shoulders and threw her to the

1364
01:50:22.239 --> 01:50:26.000
ground to get the globe from her. Ah ah ah,

1365
01:50:26.399 --> 01:50:30.720
Daisy May squeaked, sliding into home plate and snatching the

1366
01:50:30.800 --> 01:50:35.000
snow globe. Tinker turned to chase her down, making the

1367
01:50:35.079 --> 01:50:39.159
mistake of taking his eyes off of Jasper. She was

1368
01:50:39.239 --> 01:50:44.159
back on her feet again. Hey, you old fart, Merry Christmas.

1369
01:50:44.880 --> 01:50:48.680
Jasper surprised him by shoving a full, unwrapped stick of

1370
01:50:48.800 --> 01:50:53.840
gum in his mouth. Tinker impulsively chewed on it and

1371
01:50:53.920 --> 01:50:59.760
quickly started fanning his mouth ghost pepper gum, Jasper revealed,

1372
01:51:00.359 --> 01:51:04.640
let's go. We tried to flee again, but the elephants

1373
01:51:04.680 --> 01:51:08.520
were blocking our attempts to get out, even Daisy May

1374
01:51:08.720 --> 01:51:11.439
wasn't small and thin enough to be able to slip

1375
01:51:11.479 --> 01:51:15.840
by them. Before we knew it, we were completely surrounded.

1376
01:51:16.319 --> 01:51:20.920
When the lions and tigers closed in. Tinker was still

1377
01:51:21.000 --> 01:51:24.800
fanning his mouth from the trick gum when he entered

1378
01:51:24.800 --> 01:51:29.880
the circle. No more running away and no more games.

1379
01:51:30.520 --> 01:51:34.600
He held out his hand, give me that snow globe.

1380
01:51:34.680 --> 01:51:41.039
The Dark Mother is here now, was it Vanity? Who knows?

1381
01:51:41.560 --> 01:51:46.319
Once again, Jasper took the snow globe. I said, I

1382
01:51:46.560 --> 01:51:51.279
want it. That was when I noticed it glowed brighter

1383
01:51:51.920 --> 01:51:55.880
when she held it. Carnelian and I must have been

1384
01:51:55.960 --> 01:52:00.319
thinking alike, because she told Jasper, you who was the

1385
01:52:00.359 --> 01:52:04.479
snow globe? Jinx, get us out of here. Jasper was

1386
01:52:04.520 --> 01:52:07.600
so entranced by the globe that Daisy May had to

1387
01:52:07.640 --> 01:52:11.279
slap her hard on the arm. Come on, Jinks, get

1388
01:52:11.319 --> 01:52:14.319
your head back in the game. We're in big trouble here.

1389
01:52:15.279 --> 01:52:18.640
But none of us had any further time for speculation

1390
01:52:19.479 --> 01:52:25.399
when we saw her entering the circle. This was undoubtedly

1391
01:52:26.039 --> 01:52:31.840
the Dark Mother. She had metallic razor like wings, horns

1392
01:52:31.880 --> 01:52:36.319
on her head, claw like hands. You just knew she

1393
01:52:36.680 --> 01:52:40.239
was a powerful demon of some kind, but at the

1394
01:52:40.319 --> 01:52:45.000
same time she was a very beautiful woman. I don't

1395
01:52:45.039 --> 01:52:49.279
know if this demon was some kind of gargoyle or something.

1396
01:52:50.039 --> 01:52:53.039
I didn't know about the others, but I had a

1397
01:52:53.079 --> 01:52:58.239
feeling deep down we really were goners. I knew. I

1398
01:52:58.319 --> 01:53:02.359
remembered Tinker saying some thing about the Dark Mother wanting

1399
01:53:02.439 --> 01:53:06.359
to conquer the multiverse, and that she was a goddess.

1400
01:53:07.439 --> 01:53:10.880
The Dark Mother looked over all of us now. Then

1401
01:53:11.079 --> 01:53:15.279
she saw the snow globe with her thousand souls inside

1402
01:53:15.920 --> 01:53:22.319
Clutched in Jasper's hands. She turned to face Tinker. You

1403
01:53:23.039 --> 01:53:28.079
have failed me, she told him. Our bargain was for

1404
01:53:28.159 --> 01:53:33.319
you to personally deliver one thousand souls to me on

1405
01:53:33.560 --> 01:53:40.239
this very night, at this very moment. But but I

1406
01:53:41.079 --> 01:53:45.960
have your soul's Dark Mother, Tinker protested, You just have

1407
01:53:46.039 --> 01:53:52.079
to take the snow globe. Dark Mother raised her nose. Ah.

1408
01:53:52.560 --> 01:53:58.399
The terms of our contract were quite specific. It is

1409
01:53:58.560 --> 01:54:03.439
the appointed hour, and this mortal girl has taken possession

1410
01:54:03.479 --> 01:54:08.960
of both your vessel and the thousand souls. It contains,

1411
01:54:10.199 --> 01:54:14.960
the souls are no use to me any longer. You

1412
01:54:15.239 --> 01:54:20.840
have failed your end of the bargain. Isley Tinker and

1413
01:54:21.119 --> 01:54:29.600
I am most displeased. Tinker tightened his fists. No, the

1414
01:54:29.720 --> 01:54:33.520
souls are right there for you to claim. Just just

1415
01:54:33.640 --> 01:54:37.760
take them. The Dark Mother grabbed him with one hand

1416
01:54:38.319 --> 01:54:42.399
and raised him off the ground. Rules are in place

1417
01:54:42.640 --> 01:54:47.680
for a reason. The contract that we agreed upon had

1418
01:54:47.840 --> 01:54:53.640
explicit terms. Did you not bother to read our contract

1419
01:54:54.479 --> 01:54:58.840
before you signed it? You were to give the snow

1420
01:54:58.880 --> 01:55:06.119
globe contain the thousand souls to me yourself. This mortal

1421
01:55:06.199 --> 01:55:11.439
girl is not a part of our arrangement. The souls

1422
01:55:11.479 --> 01:55:16.079
are of no use to me now. You see. You

1423
01:55:16.680 --> 01:55:20.439
were to use the power I had given you to

1424
01:55:20.560 --> 01:55:25.319
give them to me at your midnight hour on the

1425
01:55:25.439 --> 01:55:32.600
dawn of Christmas. You have failed me, and I shall

1426
01:55:32.640 --> 01:55:38.079
not tolerate this failure. You and I shall have a

1427
01:55:38.159 --> 01:55:44.760
most serious talk. Await me in my domain of perdition,

1428
01:55:46.119 --> 01:55:49.680
Tinker cried out as the Dark Mother opened a portal

1429
01:55:50.319 --> 01:56:00.319
and shoved him through it. Once it was closed, turned

1430
01:56:00.399 --> 01:56:04.159
to us. I think this was the first time all

1431
01:56:04.239 --> 01:56:10.760
of us were too scared to run. Well, maybe not Jasper,

1432
01:56:10.920 --> 01:56:15.680
since she still coveted that snow globe and wouldn't hand

1433
01:56:15.720 --> 01:56:22.159
it over. She shook her head. No, these souls are lives.

1434
01:56:22.760 --> 01:56:27.079
You can't just take them. It ain't fair. The Dark

1435
01:56:27.159 --> 01:56:33.720
Mother looked down on her. Now you intrigued me, Jasper jinks,

1436
01:56:34.760 --> 01:56:39.239
even though you understand your end would be well at hand,

1437
01:56:40.119 --> 01:56:45.560
you would still defend those thousand souls. Do you know

1438
01:56:45.720 --> 01:56:50.520
that five of them belong to you and your friends?

1439
01:56:51.520 --> 01:56:55.760
Jasper shook her head. I won't give them to you.

1440
01:56:55.760 --> 01:57:00.920
You'll have to take em from me. The Dark Mother smiled.

1441
01:57:01.880 --> 01:57:06.640
Were you not paying attention? Those souls are of no

1442
01:57:06.960 --> 01:57:11.279
use to me now. Tinker failed to give them to

1443
01:57:11.359 --> 01:57:16.319
me himself. He allowed a group of children to take

1444
01:57:16.439 --> 01:57:22.079
those souls he worked so hard to claim. The terms

1445
01:57:22.119 --> 01:57:27.720
of our contract were quite explicit. Tinker failed to honor

1446
01:57:27.880 --> 01:57:32.039
his end. Even though he did not intend for you

1447
01:57:32.279 --> 01:57:36.479
to have his conduit for housing the thousand souls, he

1448
01:57:36.640 --> 01:57:40.840
still failed me. But the fact that a child would

1449
01:57:40.920 --> 01:57:47.319
selfishly stand between me and those thousand souls is worthy

1450
01:57:47.560 --> 01:57:54.920
of both my respect and admiration. As it is now Christmas,

1451
01:57:55.680 --> 01:58:01.600
I shall grant upon you a gift. The Dark Mother

1452
01:58:02.239 --> 01:58:13.399
suddenly snatched the snow globe from Jasper's hands. We all

1453
01:58:13.439 --> 01:58:18.680
looked scared as this evil goddess now held it. She

1454
01:58:18.840 --> 01:58:23.520
took one of her long finger nails and easily cut

1455
01:58:23.640 --> 01:58:29.760
through the glass. Bright energies emitted from the cracks. Soon

1456
01:58:29.880 --> 01:58:37.439
the glass itself shattered. More bright energies shot up into

1457
01:58:37.520 --> 01:58:41.760
the demonic sky. In minutes, the remains of the snow

1458
01:58:41.800 --> 01:58:47.840
globe were normal again. Because those souls were of no

1459
01:58:48.159 --> 01:58:53.680
use to me, it is only right that I release them.

1460
01:58:55.039 --> 01:59:00.600
They may resume their lives for now. In the mean time,

1461
01:59:01.119 --> 01:59:05.800
the five of you shall be allowed to resume your own.

1462
01:59:06.960 --> 01:59:11.760
And with the wave of her hand, she restored the

1463
01:59:11.800 --> 01:59:18.000
snow globe to the way it was. Then she returned

1464
01:59:18.039 --> 01:59:24.000
it to Jasper. Since you covet this so greatly, I

1465
01:59:24.159 --> 01:59:28.640
see no reason why you should not be allowed to

1466
01:59:28.800 --> 01:59:33.439
keep it. Do what you will with it. It is

1467
01:59:33.520 --> 01:59:39.000
no longer enchanted. I shall take my leave of you

1468
01:59:39.199 --> 01:59:45.960
now to deal with Isley Tinker. As for this pathetic event,

1469
01:59:47.199 --> 01:59:52.000
it is now closed. When the Dark Mother waved her

1470
01:59:52.159 --> 01:59:57.399
hand over us, this bright light was the end of

1471
01:59:57.439 --> 02:00:08.319
our Christmas Eve adventure. Christmas morning, I found myself sitting

1472
02:00:08.399 --> 02:00:14.039
at the Donnerly table. Actually all five of us were there.

1473
02:00:15.000 --> 02:00:18.920
We were about to enjoy the most wonderful Christmas dinner.

1474
02:00:19.840 --> 02:00:25.119
Courtesy of Rose donnerly looking at the spread. If you

1475
02:00:25.159 --> 02:00:28.439
were there and didn't get full from it, that was

1476
02:00:29.000 --> 02:00:34.600
your fault Entirely. During the dinner, we talked and enjoyed

1477
02:00:34.640 --> 02:00:38.680
each other's company. At times we five looked at each

1478
02:00:38.720 --> 02:00:43.319
other and knew we'd be talking about other things later on.

1479
02:00:45.319 --> 02:00:49.159
But one thing that was funny was Old McDonald kept

1480
02:00:49.239 --> 02:00:54.600
barking and scratching at my jeans leg. You get away

1481
02:00:54.600 --> 02:00:58.760
from Billie, you darn mutt. Daisy May told him you

1482
02:00:58.880 --> 02:01:03.079
got your own food. Get Old McDonald barked at Daisy

1483
02:01:03.159 --> 02:01:08.560
May and walked away, but he kept coming back and

1484
02:01:08.680 --> 02:01:13.359
wanting me to feed him. I suppose I did slip

1485
02:01:13.439 --> 02:01:16.880
him a few scraps. I always had a soft spot

1486
02:01:17.000 --> 02:01:21.399
for little dogs like him. It wouldn't be until the

1487
02:01:21.520 --> 02:01:25.600
late afternoon when we'd finally be able to talk about

1488
02:01:26.000 --> 02:01:31.319
what had happened. What do we all remember, Daisy May asked,

1489
02:01:31.640 --> 02:01:36.119
when we were all upstairs in her room. Carnelian gulped,

1490
02:01:37.359 --> 02:01:41.439
I remember that that monster coming here at the end

1491
02:01:41.479 --> 02:01:45.239
of Christmas Eve? I mean, I know we were all

1492
02:01:45.319 --> 02:01:50.079
at that ghost carnival too. We really did go there, right.

1493
02:01:51.239 --> 02:01:57.159
I still can't stop thinking about the dark Mother be kind.

1494
02:01:57.560 --> 02:02:03.000
She let us live, Jasper said, sure did. Truck agreed.

1495
02:02:03.960 --> 02:02:06.880
If I didn't know any better, I would think we

1496
02:02:06.920 --> 02:02:10.800
repeated Christmas Eve again. I remember us going to that

1497
02:02:10.960 --> 02:02:15.920
bizarre at Gunter Square together, same as before. Then he

1498
02:02:16.000 --> 02:02:20.680
had a thought, you don't suppose we're still in the

1499
02:02:20.760 --> 02:02:27.760
snow globe in some way, do you? I shook my head.

1500
02:02:28.600 --> 02:02:32.279
Not if we're all here together like this, and definitely

1501
02:02:32.399 --> 02:02:36.039
not after that wonderful meal we just had at Daisy

1502
02:02:36.079 --> 02:02:42.600
May's table. Daisy May looked sad. I'm thinking I owe

1503
02:02:42.640 --> 02:02:45.800
all of you an apology for what happened to us.

1504
02:02:46.399 --> 02:02:49.239
I know the rest of you had concerns about that carnival,

1505
02:02:49.279 --> 02:02:54.079
but I couldn't help it. I just wanted to see it.

1506
02:02:55.079 --> 02:02:59.199
Strickfield's got all these stories and legends. I can't help

1507
02:02:59.239 --> 02:03:02.680
being curious and want to see if they're all true.

1508
02:03:02.840 --> 02:03:07.239
She sighed. I never imagined we'd meet someone like the

1509
02:03:07.359 --> 02:03:12.399
Dark Mother. There ain't even nothing honor on the university's website.

1510
02:03:13.279 --> 02:03:18.039
Carnelian sighed herself and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

1511
02:03:19.199 --> 02:03:23.039
You're right, we should be mad at you, all of us.

1512
02:03:24.079 --> 02:03:27.119
I know. I keep thinking that if we didn't go

1513
02:03:27.239 --> 02:03:31.359
to that carnival, Tinker still would have gotten his last

1514
02:03:31.399 --> 02:03:35.960
five souls. Anyways, I can only imagine what would happen

1515
02:03:36.000 --> 02:03:41.319
if Tinker did fulfill his contract. She nodded. Jasper's way,

1516
02:03:42.479 --> 02:03:46.960
we interfered with his plans. But Jinx there saved all

1517
02:03:47.000 --> 02:03:52.760
of our souls and Christmas, and you're still keeping that

1518
02:03:52.840 --> 02:03:58.199
snow globe, I asked Jasper. I can't help it, she

1519
02:03:58.359 --> 02:04:03.479
replied shyly. I know it's a bad thing, but it's

1520
02:04:03.520 --> 02:04:08.119
still so pretty. She shook it and let the snow

1521
02:04:08.239 --> 02:04:13.439
inside fall. I love it. I just hope the Dark

1522
02:04:13.520 --> 02:04:22.119
Mother really disenchanted it, Carnelian said. Anyway, country mouse, there's

1523
02:04:22.159 --> 02:04:26.319
nothing to forgive here, not when a thousand souls got

1524
02:04:26.319 --> 02:04:31.479
to return to this mortal plane and have Christmas. At least,

1525
02:04:31.920 --> 02:04:34.479
I'd like to hope they all got to have Christmas.

1526
02:04:35.640 --> 02:04:39.199
We're good, and we all know you're gonna get us

1527
02:04:39.199 --> 02:04:44.680
in trouble again. Anyways, Truck added, Daisy may got that

1528
02:04:44.800 --> 02:04:50.479
wicked gleam again. We're still kids, right, Ain't we supposed

1529
02:04:50.520 --> 02:04:55.720
to get in trouble? Not like last night, Carnelian snapped,

1530
02:04:56.760 --> 02:05:02.600
then looked scared, and not like what happened during our

1531
02:05:02.720 --> 02:05:07.199
second go at Christmas Eve. When it comes to that

1532
02:05:07.439 --> 02:05:13.680
story that took place between Daisy May and Carnelian, I'll

1533
02:05:13.680 --> 02:05:15.920
have to tell you that one at a later time.

1534
02:05:17.079 --> 02:05:20.039
Let's just say they found out what happens when you

1535
02:05:20.159 --> 02:05:26.640
break certain traditions that should never be broken. The five

1536
02:05:26.720 --> 02:05:30.399
of us eventually parted ways so we could spend the

1537
02:05:30.439 --> 02:05:35.119
rest of Christmas with our families. Carnelian would remain at

1538
02:05:35.119 --> 02:05:39.439
the Donnerly house. One thing I can promise you, though

1539
02:05:40.359 --> 02:05:43.399
we did indeed save a lot of souls on that

1540
02:05:43.479 --> 02:05:47.439
Christmas Eve, I was glad to be able to tell

1541
02:05:47.479 --> 02:05:51.439
the tale to all of you. As a matter of fact,

1542
02:05:52.279 --> 02:05:55.399
I'll be back in the future to tell you more

1543
02:05:55.520 --> 02:05:59.840
stories about my second family that I grew up with.

1544
02:06:01.159 --> 02:06:05.079
That means Daisy May Donnerly would get us into a

1545
02:06:05.159 --> 02:06:10.720
lot more trouble, and there were many, many more adventures

1546
02:06:11.479 --> 02:06:16.159
until my next memoir. Take it easy and have a

1547
02:06:16.319 --> 02:06:28.399
very merry Christmas, well, my Spookyes, what a lovely little

1548
02:06:28.560 --> 02:06:32.960
ride that was. Next time you see a Christmas carnival

1549
02:06:33.039 --> 02:06:37.159
pop up where there shouldn't be one, maybe don't grab

1550
02:06:37.239 --> 02:06:42.079
the cotton candy quite so fast. But the holiday horrors

1551
02:06:42.119 --> 02:06:46.079
are not clocking out yet. Tomorrow we crack open another

1552
02:06:46.239 --> 02:06:50.760
Christmas horror compilation from the Weekly Spooky Vault Hours of

1553
02:06:50.840 --> 02:06:54.800
Yule Tide Chills dug up just for you like a

1554
02:06:54.840 --> 02:07:00.000
big blood red bow on your December binge. And on Monday,

1555
02:07:00.079 --> 02:07:03.880
Verifying and True is heading into the Frozen Alps as

1556
02:07:03.880 --> 02:07:07.439
we learn all about Frau Perchta and the perch Tin.

1557
02:07:08.199 --> 02:07:12.479
She's the Christmas witch who inspects your home, judges your chores,

1558
02:07:12.880 --> 02:07:17.600
and is very particular about what's in your belly on

1559
02:07:17.720 --> 02:07:21.600
the twelfth night of Christmas. So make sure you're subscribed

1560
02:07:21.680 --> 02:07:24.039
my spookies, and if you love what we're doing here,

1561
02:07:24.319 --> 02:07:28.359
you can support us very directly by heading to Weeklyspooky

1562
02:07:28.479 --> 02:07:31.960
dot com slash join and teaming up with ninety other

1563
02:07:32.119 --> 02:07:35.239
spookies for as little as one dollar a month. You'll

1564
02:07:35.239 --> 02:07:38.960
get two bonus episodes every single month. And speaking of

1565
02:07:39.039 --> 02:07:40.800
I want to say an extra special thank you to

1566
02:07:40.840 --> 02:07:44.079
our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who pay a little bit

1567
02:07:44.119 --> 02:07:46.359
more to hear their names at the end of the show,

1568
02:07:46.520 --> 02:07:49.560
and they are Johnny Nicks, Kate and Lulu, Jessica Fuller,

1569
02:07:49.600 --> 02:07:53.159
Mike Ish, Skewey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Karen We met,

1570
02:07:53.359 --> 02:07:57.319
Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. If you head to Weeklyspooky

1571
02:07:57.399 --> 02:07:59.680
dot com slash join right now and sign up at

1572
02:07:59.680 --> 02:08:02.880
the fish teen dollars a month or higher tier. You'll

1573
02:08:02.880 --> 02:08:05.039
hear your name at the end of every episode of

1574
02:08:05.039 --> 02:08:08.600
Weekly Spooky from then on, and I'll consider it a

1575
02:08:08.640 --> 02:08:11.600
personal Christmas present. But now it's time for me to

1576
02:08:11.600 --> 02:08:13.880
get back to work. There's so much to do and

1577
02:08:14.039 --> 02:08:18.039
so many scary stories and strange happenings to share with

1578
02:08:18.119 --> 02:08:21.600
all of you. So for myself, for my executive producers

1579
02:08:21.680 --> 02:08:26.119
Rob Fields and Bobbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder,

1580
02:08:26.159 --> 02:08:29.439
and of course my creepy composer Ray Mattis, I'll be

1581
02:08:29.520 --> 02:08:34.439
talking at you tomorrow. Thank you for listening. Make sure

1582
02:08:34.520 --> 02:08:39.000
to find your way back next week. But for now

1583
02:08:39.479 --> 02:08:42.680
you are safe, trust me,