Chapter 6

~Drop an unbreakable object, it will always land on something more valuable~

“Well, well, well,” Murphy sat beside me as my Lamborghini crashed into the other cars; I revved the engine and ran over a pedestrian.  

“What would your mother say?”

“I really don’t care, Murphy. She is not here, is she?” Willow twisted the steering wheel to avoid hitting the corner of a small tin building. “What’s she going to do? Take it away from me?”

Murphy shrugged. “I’m just saying.” He looked up toward the large TV screen watching my car careen through the streets of New York, as I played my brand new PS4 console and game, Speed 4.

At first, I was scared my Mom would find out and Susan placed her forefinger over her lips and promised that no one would tell.

 “You did this?”  I had asked her. My emotions were a mix of everything.

 “Not just me.” She laughed, “It was all of us. We all came together and thought what would make you feel so special, something you would love and enjoy, that would make you feel happy.”  Susan took a deep breath as she said. “We all feel responsible for you, Willow. We were all around when you were a baby and watched you grow up into the amazing person you are today. I wish you knew just how proud we all are of you.”

  “Go on,” Susan had pointed towards the console. “Give it a try. There is still plenty of time until the carnival party. While you play, I will go help out a bit.”

“Murphy, will my parents get divorced?” I twirled the wheel again and just missed the barrier.

“Hmm, I don’t know.” He twisted his mouth, staring at the ceiling.

“You mean you don’t want to tell me.”

“If I don’t know, how can I tell you? Then again, if I did know, I couldn’t tell you.”

“So they are getting a divorce?”

“Willow,” Murphy sat upright, and I could feel his stare, that stare that always makes my skin tingle. “You humans are unpredictably irritating and change your minds all the time.”

“You always seem to know everything, Murphy, please. Can’t you just tell me anything?” My eyes began to burn as I tried to suppress my tears.

“There is nothing I can tell you, Willow.” He said standing up. “Sometimes things just happen.”

My thumb pressed harder on the controller button, accelerating to maximum speed until my car drove up the Highway, crashed through the barrier and flew into the dusty sky, and turned into a ball of fire as it landed on the road below.

***

I stood in front of the full-length mirror and smiled, twirling around from side to side, looking from my platform shoes, the short black skirt, to the blue tank top over the black strappy shirt. My favorite silver necklace rested upon my chest. I was not a little child anymore. I was growing up. My light brown hair with sun-kissed blond highlights hung in loose wavy curls around my face and down my back.

Soon people would start arriving and my Dad still had not called. Maybe he did forget me. I looked out my window and although there was still a few more hours of daylight left, lights of all colors were moving in various directions, shining, flashing, flickering, and twisting from the pool deck,  across the large open manicured garden, and stretching towards the boundary that led to the beach. I had a fantastic view of the ocean from my room and at certain times of the year, I could see whales if I held the binoculars in the right direction. I stood for a moment watching the final touches of the booths being set up.

There was a knock on the door. It was Susan.

“It’s time.” She said with a small smile. “Come greet your friends.”

“They’re not my friends,” I grumbled.

“Tonight, they all are, Willow. Everyone is your friend tonight,” she said with a crooked smile.  

“Can’t I just go play games tonight? No one will miss me.”

“Ah, young lady,” Susan winked. “I know you too well. I’ve already packed up the gaming station.”

“Aah! No, Susan.” I only played it for a little bit in the afternoon and there were many other games I wanted to try out, I added, “You’re mean.”

Susan just laughed.

***

As my Mom promised, she invited everyone. Some parents dropped off their kids, who I barely knew from school, some decided to include their entire family to attend the Carnival party. After all, who knew how long it had been since the McQuoid Mansion hosted a large event and many were curious. Funnily enough, I was the only McQuoid at the event, which was supposed to be my birthday party. Mom took this advantage and created an event that would be the talk of the town for months to come. None of my relatives came, not that it mattered I didn’t know any of them.

I followed Susan down the staircase to the foyer and watched as people entered they presented gifts to someone dressed as a clown who probably took them to the Entertainment room. Usually, Mrs. Bradford would greet at the door, but a tall blond woman stood at the door dressed in a terrible shade of purple. Her bubble-looking skirt stopped just above her knee, beige leggings, her body lifted by black high-heeled shoes, her white blouse peeped at her waist from beneath a sleeveless waistcoat.

“Where’s Mrs. Bradford?” I asked, pulling a face. “Who’s that lady…? And, what is she wearing?” 

Susan stifled a laugh and gave me a soft nudge. “That’s Sonya. She is the party planner. It’s been quite a day so I haven’t had a chance to introduce you yet.”

“It’s alright; I don’t have to meet her.”

“Of course, you do!” Susan tried to stifle another laugh. “Please, don’t do anything embarrassing.”

‘Okay,” I said, but I couldn’t promise anything. I just hoped she was not as weird as she looked.

Something disturbed me. Murphy had been quiet for a long time and it was not like him to be silent for so long. For a split second, I wondered if I missed him, but I knew that was not the reason. I ignored this unpleasant knot growing in my stomach. 

“Haallooo…” Sonja greeted me with a soft fish-like handshake, “Happy birthday, Willow, you must be so excited.” Her voice sounded younger than how she looked maybe it was just the make-up.

I just smiled at her with a small nod. After greeting a few people that I did not know and thank them for coming, Susan let me go so I could start enjoying my party. The rest was left to Sonja.

The pool deck was amazing. The soft lights of the arches extending across the pool slowly flickering, colors reflected from the pool onto the long tables, decorated with many assortments of platters, amongst the platters stood tall a large five-tier carnival-themed cake. I was stunned. I had never seen such a beautiful monstrosity before. It was incredible.

Guests ambled between the tables and helping themselves to the platters and waiters walked around offering drinks. I followed a waiter across the deck, down the polished staircase, past the gardens of bushes and trees, all flashing with lights. I was surprised not to see Luke hanging around anywhere. The waiter led me to the Carnival. I blinked away tears, if only Dad could see this. The smell of popcorn lingering in the air, mixed with candyfloss, doughnuts; she closed her eyes and could almost taste it. Sounds of clanking, laughing, chattering, and music sounding from booths filled her ears as she walked past them. A sudden giant roar from the Dragon rollercoaster looping followed by screams of delight beat against Willow’s eardrums, and she smiled. This was totally awesome. Did Mom really pull this off herself?

“Hey, Willow.”  My stomach knotted as I heard that shrilly voice. Of course, she had to be here. Her layered ash-blond hair accentuated her pretty face. Her ice-blue eyes stared straight through me.

“Great party,” Ashley said, flicking a strand of hair from her face. Her pert nose lifted as she tried a cheery smile. “I’ll beat this, you know.”

Ashley’s groupies sniggered. I noticed Aimee and Daniel were not with her. Maybe neither of them had come.     

“You can’t beat this.” I smiled, “This is truly amazing. You’re not even capable of walking my dog.”

“You don’t have a dog!” Her eyes narrowed.

“Exactly,” I laughed, feeling a little better. In my opinion, she wasn’t capable of doing anything. “I really hope you enjoy my party, Ashley.”

Jayde had to hold Ashley back as she began to move towards me. Before I turned my back on Ashley and her groupies, I added, “You know, you really need to sort out your temper. You’ll get wrinkles.”

***

I would not let Ashley Walters spoil my birthday. Mom didn’t know my favorite rides. The Monster Trucks were dipping up and down and the Tea Cups were spinning slowly for the younger kids that came. People came screaming out of the Haunted Mansion followed by a diabolical laugh. I ran to the Drop Tower, secured in my seat, waiting anxiously as it slowly turned as it rose to the top, and below everyone began to look like ants. My heart raced as it stopped turning and stopped. I felt a sudden thrill as I screamed, it dropped like a hot potato and stopped mid-air, slowly rising again, it suddenly dropped again and I let out another scream until it landed to the very bottom. 

The Magic Maze, The Pendulum, Star Flyer, or Zero Gravity, I did not know which one to try next.

“Willow!” I heard someone shout out my name, “Hey Willow, over here!”

Looking around I saw Daniel, Damien, Wesley, and some of his other friends hanging around Zero Gravity.

“Happy Birthday, Willow.” He said as did the other boys. Daniel’s large lopsided grin made me blush.

Wesley stepped to Daniel’s side. “This party rocks, we’re going on the Zero Gravity.” He brushed his hand through his sandy blond hair and tilted his head. Unlike, his cousin, Jayde, he had always been kind to me.

“Why don’t you come with us?” Daniel said.

“Yeah, sure,” I smiled, trying not to look too excited and butterflies swirled like a tornado inside my stomach. “I was just thinking which ride to go on next.”

He let me go ahead and followed me inside. I was not sure whether this exhilarating feeling was from being sucked to the sides by this incredible force at such a speed leaving me breathless creating a lump in my stomach as the floor suddenly disappeared, or was just being by Daniel’s side.

The photo booth was close so we all went there and took a couple of crazy photos. I could not be happier. Thoughts of my Mom and Dad, even Murphy, were far from my mind.

From out of nowhere, Susan appeared. How did she find me? Did she put a tracking device on me?

“There you are,” she said, panting. “I’ve been looking everywhere.”

“Why, what’s wrong?” I looked over at Daniel and his friends. “We’re going to the Pendulum, then the Star Flyer.”

“It’s time for your cake.”

“My, what…?”

“Cutting the Birthday Cake,” Susan placed her hand on my shoulder.

“The cake?” I sighed, “Really, Susan? I am not a kid anymore. I don’t do this happy birthday song anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter, you still need to cut it, you’re the Birthday girl, and the waiters will hand slices to everyone. Do your friends want to come?”

‘It’s okay.” I looked over at Daniel, “You go ahead. I’ll come and join you later.”

I watched them walk towards the ride and smiled. In the Photo Booth, Daniel told me, 'I looked good'. I wanted to tell Susan but she walked ahead and I had to trail behind her.

There were many people on the pool deck and I wondered if Susan had called everybody just to watch me butcher this monstrosity. I breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Graham who winked as he handed me a large knife. Having Susan and Graham by my side was comforting because this multitude of people and their eyes just peering at me as if waiting for some magical moment made me feel very nervous. Dad would always cut the cake, but he was not here. There was no birthday song and I began to slide the knife deep inside the cake, and the spectators let out a cheer as they began to clap so elegantly as if it were some kind of debutante ball.

As Graham took the knife from my hands, the air filled with screaming sirens wailing from every direction. I had no idea where this sound was coming from and everyone looked confused.

In a matter of what seemed like seconds police flooded the entire area, slinking like crabs through every opening, their weapons at the ready. Aside from the wailing sirens, everything just stopped, the music, the laughter, the chatter, even time stopped.

Was this supposed to be another surprise? I looked around; both Graham and Susan paled, as did everyone else.

I almost choked on my own breath as one of the police officers called out for Susan. Susan Manning, my Susan. She looked confused; her eyes like saucers, and shot me a reassuring look when she responded. Two police officers almost immediately came forward and whipped her around, handcuffed her reading her rights. …to an attorney…anything said…used against you…

“Susan!” I yelled, tears burning my eyes. Graham caught hold of me as I was about to run to her. The police were about to take her away. I screamed her name again. I told the police to leave her alone.

“Willow, I’m sorry,” she managed, looking at me, tears running down her face. “I let you down.”

Graham held me tight as I screamed and cried, helplessly watching the police drag her away. It didn’t take long for the pool deck to clear and the Carnival abandoned, all the laughter, music, and chatter disappeared. Everything was silent, except for my sobs as I screamed for Susan.