Longmuir - Ghost Train & Other Stories

by ChrisLongmuir

Copyright 2011Chris Longmuir

SmashwordsEdition

SmashwordsEdition, License Notes

This ebook islicensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not bere-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to sharethis book with another person, please purchase an additional copyfor each recipient. If you are reading this book and did notpurchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then pleasereturn to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you forrespecting the hard work of this author.

Ghost Train& Other Stories is a work of fiction. Names, characters, placesand incidents are the product of the authors imagination or areused fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales orpersons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

The four shortstories in this book are a mixed batch of horror and paranormalstories which I hope you will enjoy. They include:

The GhostTrain - was previously published in issue 39 of Dark Horizonsin 2001, and is a dark story set in a fairground.

The GourmetClub - is a story about a restaurant which features anexclusive, invitation only, gourmet club with rather unusualtastes.

Brainpower - is a fantasy about what happens to a studentwho craves more and more knowledge.

Dj vu -is another paranormal story with a dark theme.

I hope you like mychoice of stories.

ChrisLongmuir

THE GHOSTTRAIN

Steve leanedover the wooden rail, his kiss brushing my forehead like the breathof a sigh. Have a nice night off, he said, and if you meet anyfriends, bring them here. The ride will be on me.

I shivered.Steve always erected the ghost train at the rear of the fairgroundwhere the wind seemed to find its way into every corner. Thewhistle of the wind creates a good effect, he always said,besides, the ghost train should be the climax of a visit to thefairground.

It was animpressive ghost train and Steve had built most of it himself. Hedassembled the exhibits. He was an avid collector of exhibits. Andhed painted those horrible gargoyles with the ghoulish grins. Ididnt like it. It spooked me. If it wasnt for Steve I wouldnthave gone anywhere near it.

Remember, hecalled after me as I turned to go, bring your friends here. Inodded and waved my hand. I didnt want to bring friends there, butI knew that Steve would be angry with me if I didnt.

The grass,cool, springy and slightly damp, caressed my sandalled feet. Ienjoyed the feel of it, knowing that it would soon be trampledflat. The first day of the fair always had this special feel to it,bright and glittering, before it lapsed into a shabbytawdriness.

I moved amongthe sideshows and amusements. Each one spilling out their ownmusical welcome, but it was too early for many people to bethere.

A group ofnoisy, young lads brushed past. They didnt even see me, they wereso busy joking and jostling each other. Steve would soon get rid ofthem. He hadnt forgotten a similar gang who had destroyed some ofhis precious exhibits and he certainly wouldnt give this lot asimilar opportunity. I slipped behind the nearest sideshow. Ididnt like rowdiness, and I didnt want to see how Steve wouldhandle them.

The vibratingnoise and engine smell of the large generator vans providing thepower and energy for the fairground attractions nauseated me, and Ifelt the urge to move on. All my life Id been attracted by thefriendliness and the glamour of the fairground but, even now when Iwas part of it, I still didnt want to know about the monsterspowering it all.

I hurried alongthe narrow alley between the sideshows and the vans until I emergedat the opening to the fairground. There were no generator vanshere, at the spot where an unseen line divided the fairground fromthe outside.

Calderhead wasclearly visible from where I stood. Was it only last year I left? Itried to remember what the town was like, but could only rememberthe humdrum streets and the dingy flat where I grew up. Even theflorists shop where Id worked, now seemed dreary, and I couldntrecall the fragrant smells that I was sure I used to enjoy so much.I looked toward the centre of the fair, vibrating with movement,and throbbing with noise and realized that this was where I nowbelonged.

The crowds werestarting to arrive and the fair seemed to pulsate with life, a lifethat I wanted to embrace and be part of. I turned my back on thetown which no longer existed for me. Smiling, I turned to walktowards the cacophony of sound, no longer looking for familiarfaces but just watching and enjoying.

Emma?

I hadntexpected anyone Id known before, in my past life, to see me. So itwas a moment before I realized someone had spoken my name. It hadbeen so long since Id heard it. Steve never used names, but thathad never bothered me. We had our own way of communicating.

Emma? It isyou, isnt it?

I turned to thegirl standing just to the side of me and smiled. I didnt feel likesmiling for Id never really liked Sharon. She was everything Idnever be, nor had any hope of being. Still that, in some ways, madeit easier.

I mumbledsomething in reply. It didnt matter a great deal what I saidbecause Sharon would probably talk enough for the two of us. Shealways had.

You are a slyone, she said. Fancy running off with someone from the fair. Isaw you, you know, with that peach of a guy. Nobody else noticed,but I did. Are you still with him?

I noddedmutely, watching her as she fingered her long brown hair. I used tobe envious of those curls, and of her hazel eyes that seemed to beable to flash green sparks at will, particularly when she wastrying to attract a man. Beside her Id always felt I wasnt there,but then, maybe I wasnt.

Can I meethim?

I could tellwhat was in her mind and couldnt bear it, so I turned to watch thebumper cars. They crashed, sparked and thudded before me; the hotelectric smell making me light-headed. The rumble of the cars andthe screams of their occupants faded into the distance, as if theywere no longer part of my existence. But they were still there,menacing and aggressive. I found myself wishing Sharon into thecentre of their arena, where they carried out their ominous bumpingand grinding.

As if sensingmy thoughts the cars slowed to a stop, and Sharon was still at myside saying, Can I meet him? Can I?

The crowdswayed before me as people struggled out of the bumper cars andothers pushed to take their places in the impending assault.

Come on Shar!Were going on the bumpers.

I hadntnoticed that Sharon was with a group of friends because I had beenso caught up in my resentment towards her.

Go with yourfriends, I grated. Glad of the chance to be rid of her.

No! I want tomeet your guy. She turned and shouted to the group who werealready boarding the cars, You go ahead. Im staying withEmma.

I could seetheir puzzled looks as the bumpers started off. It didnt surpriseme, for Id never been the type of person that anyone would chooseto be with.

Well, shedemanded, are you going to take me to meet him! Whats his nameanyway? Tell me about him?

His namesSteve, I didnt want to tell her but knew shed give me no peaceuntil I had, and he runs the ghost train.

Ooh! A ghosttrain. My favourite, Sharons eyes glowed.

I shivered. Ididnt want to take her to the ghost train and I didnt want her tomeet Steve. I knew she would flirt with him. It was one of hergames and I knew Steve would respond. For the first time since Idmet Steve I was afraid, and yet I knew that I belonged to Steve andthat he would never let me go.

The ghost trainwas a landmark in the fairground. It loomed over everything, talland menacing. The painting of the ghoul in the centrepiece, at theapex of the structure, seemed to embrace everybody. Watching andwaiting for those unwise enough to approach. Sharon was nowapproaching it and I had no option but to follow.