Chapter 1

It was Thursday afternoon and Bobby Blaine was bored. He sat in his bedroom, doing some pushups. His dad burst into the bedroom. Hey kiddo, I have a surprise for you!” Dad exclaimed. He had something hidden behind his back. Bobby climbed to his feet and smiled. “What is it, dad?” Bobby asked.

Dad pulled out two purple tickets. I have two tickets to Scream Land Amusement Park!” Dad asked.

“Sure, I guess.” Bobby played it cool.

“So it’ll be just the two of us, mom isn’t coming?” Bobby asked.

Dad’s big belly jiggled as he chuckled.

“I’m taking you and a friend to the Amusement Park. I’m going to the Ohio State Football game!” Dad said.

Bobby’s eyes lit up. “You mean, I get to be alone, all afternoon in Scream land?” That’s awesome!” Bobby exclaimed. “You won’t be alone, you’ll be with Darren,” Dad said as he adjusted his glasses.

Bobby’s heart sank. “I’m going with Darren?” Bobby asked.

Dad nodded. “I’m sure you and your brother will have a wonderful time,” Dad said.

Darren walked into the room. He wore a black Kiss t-shirt and dingy blue jeans. “Hey, Bobby you ready to go?” Darren asked.

“Dad please don’t make me go with Darren, he’s a creep!” Bobby pleaded with his father.

“You know, if you don’t want to go, I can always give the tickets to Darren and he could take his girlfriend Amy,” Dad said. Bobby’s mouth hung open.

Bobby sighed and mumbled under his breath. “I’ll go with Darren,” Bobby grumbled.

The two kids hopped into Darren’s blue Chevy Nomad and the two were headed toward Scream land.

Halfway to their destination, Bobby smelled a heinous fart. Feeling like he was moments from gagging, Bobby, rolled his window down and stuck his head out of it.

Darren laughed as if he were a supervillain or something. Bobby just gasped for as much fresh air as he could take in. ’What is wrong with you, Darren, you’re sick.” Bobby groaned.

I shouldn’t have had that chili dog for lunch.” Darren chuckled.

I cannot even believe we are related.” Bobby groaned. The Nomad pulled up in front of the big iron gates of Scream land. Darren handed the tickets to Bobby. “I’m taking Amy to a movie, so I called your friend, Joey, and he said, he’d meet you by the gates, in fifteen minutes or so got it? Good, now beat it, puke stain!” Darren exclaimed. Bobby happily climbed out of his brother’s Chevy Nomad and he slammed the car door, closed behind him. The Nomad sped away and finally, I was alone. The iron bars were tall and Bobby thought they looked oppressive. Inside was all the fun. There were laughing children, smiling teenage couples, held hands, and laughed and happy parents captured pictures to be enjoyed by all when their children grew up and moved away from home. “I hope Joey gets here soon man, I want to ride some roller coasters.” Bobby thought quietly to himself.

Bobby decided to try to amuse himself. He whistled happy little tunes to himself as he kicked a Styrofoam cup around the parking lot. Finally, he saw a red Cincinnati baseball cap moving toward him. He knew it was Joey. Joey always wore his Reds ball cap. Bobby waved and smiled at Joey as Joey approached him. The two friends slapped each other high fives and cheered together real loud in unison. Bobby handed his friend one of the purple tickets. The iron gates swung open and the two friends walked up to the ticket booth.

Working the ticket booth was a wrinkly-faced woman with dark eyes and black hair. “Do you boys dare to step into the scariest roller-coaster in the world?” The ticket lady asked.

’We sure do.” Joey said, as he slid his purple ticket through the open slot in the ticket booth’s window and next Bobby followed suit.

The ticket lady ripped the two tickets up to and threw the remaining pieces into a brown wastepaper basket, which was located inside the booth. “This is a land of illusions, and a utopia of fear, be warned, not all those who enter are not always allowed to leave ha ha ha. Enjoy your stay boys it may very well be your last.” The ticket lady’s voice came out as a harsh rasp. Her words made Joey shudder. The ticket

lady seemed to vanish in a ring of fire. The flames crackled and popped. The heat from the fire could be felt by both boys. Finally, the fire was gone and the ticket booth was left empty.

“What the heck was that all about?” Joey asked.

“That was a great magic trick, man.” Bobby boasted.

Do you think that was an illusion? I don’t know man those flames seemed real to me.” Joey insisted.

Bobby laughed heartily. Man, the ticket lady said herself, this is a land of illusions remember? Relax man, everything’s cool dude, I promise.” Bobby ran his fingers through his shaggy blonde hair.

“She also said that not everyone who enters this place is allowed to leave, remember?” Joey reminded his friend.

Dude, stop being so gullible, it’s a scary theme park, nothing here is real.” Bobby said.

A blonde woman: wearing no bra and a tight- pink- tank top walked by, “Especially those.” Bobby whispered as he pointed to the blonde girl’s chest. Joey laughed and soon he felt a whole lot better.

The boys walked into the theme park and instantly they knew that they were no longer in a regular theme park. They knew this was a true scream park. There was a fountain that was shaped like a headless female body. Red liquid simulating blood spurted out of the seemingly bloody stump of the statue. The food court smelled delicious but they looked totally scary. I’m hungry dude, how about we get something to eat?” Bobby asked his friend.

”I’m not that hungry but I am thirsty.” Joey replied.

“Did your mom give you any money?” Bobby asked.

“Yeah, she gave me a couple of dollars, do you have any money?” Joey asked. Bobby nodded.

Bobby headed to Monster Pizzeria and Joey, headed to the food cart entitled Transylvania Juice Bar. Behind the counter, a large ruddy-faced man stood. He wore a white undershirt and green khaki pants. “What do you want, kid?” The big man’s voice sounded croaky, like a frog’s voice.

I’ll take a slice of your gone batty pepperoni pizza, please.” Bobby said.

The large man tossed the dough and spun it with such ease it looked as if he were spinning a Frisbee.

The man slid the pizza into a large metal oven and in practically no time at all the pizza was ready. He sliced a generous slice of pizza and placed it on a paper plate.

That’ll be a dollar o nine.” The large man said.

Bobby handed the man his money and Bobby took the pizza. The pepperoni was shaped like little brown bats. Bobby thanked the man and he found a bench to sit at. Soon after he was seated, Bobby was soon found by Joey. Joey sat next to his friend on the bench and the two friends ate and drank, in peace.

Joey’s cup was cool. It was shaped like a mummy and the red straw was placed in the mummy’s forehead so it would give the illusion that the person drinking from the cup was drinking the plastic mummy’s brains.

“How’s your mummy juice?” Bobby asked.

“It’s warm but it’s good. How’s your gone batty pizza?” Joey asked.

’’The pepperoni is kind of crunchy but the cheese is super gooey,” Bobby said.

After the boys were finished, with their beverage and food, they tossed away their trash.

“What do you want to do now?” Bobby asked.

Let’s ride some rides.” Joey suggested.

“What do you want to ride first?” Bobby asked.

“Let’s ride Coaster of Doom!” Joey cheered.

The boys stood in line and they gazed up at the massive wooden coaster.

“They say it’s the tallest wooden coaster in America and the fastest,” Joey whispered to his friend.

Bobby looked up at the coaster in awe and amazement.