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“Oh-my-God. Your look is giving Elsa vibes Anura!” Malika dropped her lipstick when Anura walked into her room. “Drop dead gorgeous bride.”
“Who is Elsa?” Anura’s brows furrowed. She stood in front of the mirror. She was pleased with her reflection. She further smeared her lipstick and let her mascara smudge. “More like it.”
“Everyone in this town knows the story of Elsa. On this day sixty years ago when this town was a peaceful and quiet suburb, a strange thing happened. Mr. Dram and his sweetheart were going to go down the aisle when Elsa mysteriously disappeared on her way. Some claimed to have seen a woman dressed like a bride being sucked into a portal. The afterlife!” Malika made faces.
“A portal for dead people?” Anura rolled her eyes.”
“This town is believed to have doorways to the afterlife scattered in every corner. They say that only those with a third eye can see them.” Malika smoothened her black body con dress and pressed her red hair. “Do I look enough like Hades’ bride? I'm dining with Hades tonight.”
“It's 2024! You've got to be kidding. Do people still believe these things? I came here for the carnival only to have fun. Stop trying to scare me.”
“But that's what the carnival is all about. Well, Dram was so broken that he sought the help of mediums and sorcerers to help him find Elsa. They all couldn't help. To make matters worse. The people of the town began to dress up like the dead every October 16. They would tease Dram to make him believe that the portal to the afterlife had opened and its inhabitants were out to play. That drove Dram to insanity and he's lived alone in hallucination all his life ever since. The true meaning of October the 16th has been lost. Now people just play dress up and take a trip to the fair just for fun.”
“Now that's one hell of a creepy story. The afterlife isn't real. Everything has an explanation. Perhaps Elsa got too nervous and she's out there living her best life somewhere.” Anura blurted.
“Oh well.” Malika put her hands up in surrender before the two girls left the room.
Anura and Malika were college best friends. Anura had come with Malika down to her town for the holidays. She had heard so much about the carnival that she wanted to experience it for herself. Anura liked to think of herself as a fearless explorer.
It was chilly and a little windy outside. The full moon illuminated the quiet street and gave it the ambiance of an old town. Everyone was at the funfair in the heart of the town.
Anura and Malika had walked a little distance when a frail old man came out from a dilapidated dark house.
“Elsa? Elsa!” His weak voice startled the two girls. Anura felt a chill down her spine.
“That's old Dram. You are dressed like a bride and he thinks you are Elsa.” Malika Nudged Anura who had stopped walking.
Anura didn't take her eyes off Dram until he was out of sight. She felt sorry for him.
The fun fair was nothing short of enchanting. People were wearing all sorts of costumes, and magical decorations. The moving Ferris wheel made Anura's blood rush. She wanted to have some of the tasty treats and hop on the fair rides. She wanted everything all at once.
Her eyes caught a caravan called a ‘terror house.’ “We are definitely going in there,” she whispered into Malika’s ears excitedly.
“Let's save it for last then.”
It was almost midnight and the girls were having mad fun. Anura’s attention was drawn to a dwarf in a costume she couldn't place. He had a horn in the middle of his head and his eyes were completely black. He pulled out a black whistle and blew it. The sound was very mild compared to the blast of music being played. Anura noticed that some people began withdrawing into the terror house.
“Weren't we going to try that?” She pointed at the caravan.
“Let's go.” Malika locked hands with Anura.
Inside the caravan looked much bigger than on the outside. It smelled like burning wood and the air was stuffy. The caravan had many doors and there were more people in weird costumes than outside. Anura was peeking outside when she was a lady in a wedding dress exactly like hers. Then she saw Dram. He had walked up to the lady and he held her in a tight embrace. Anura thought it was weird that the lady didn't freak out.
“I want to try the house of Hades.” Malika's voice brought Anura's mind back to the Caravan.
“Forgotten souls? I'll try that one.” Anura pointed to a door by her left.
The girls parted ways. Anura let herself through the door. She found a lot of people who looked lost, frail, and pale. They just lingered around moping. Malika felt another chill run down her spine for the second time that night.
She heard the sound of the whistle from earlier and more people sauntered through the door. Anura was startled when she saw that they didn't have to even open the door. They merely just passed through like wind. Her heart skipped a beat. At that moment, something told her she shouldn't be there.
Anura went for the door and opened it but no matter how much she tried, she couldn't pass through the doorway. It was as though an invisible shield had blocked the passage.
“It is no use trying. The whistle was the last call for us souls. You are alive, aren't you?” Anura heard a voice. She turned to find a middle-aged woman with black hair and round eyes.
“What are you talking about?” Anura was now holding back a well of tears.
“It happened to Elsa sixty years ago. My friend, Sia, is a dead bride. She'd missed the last call sixty years ago and Elsa was around a portal at the wrong time. She was sucked in because the matrix had to be complete. If a hundred souls come out to play, a hundred souls must return. It's the rule of the realm. I'm Aida by the way.”
“You are telling me that this is the afterlife, I'm here in Elsa’s stead and there is a dead bride, Sia roaming amongst the living?” Anura let the tears fall as she tried to piece the story together. She recalled Dram and the lady dressed just like her. A smile managed to escape her lips amidst the tears. Knowing that Dram had reunited with Elsa was the only light in this nightmare she was experiencing.
“The portal only opens every 16th of October when we come out to play. Perhaps Sia will return and you'll be able to be replaced.” Aida added. “It is not as bad as it looks here. I promise.”
Anura swallowed hard looking around her. She couldn't believe that she was going to live with the dead for another year before the portal opened again. Then she thought about Malika. “Perhaps she is having dinner with Hades.” She let out a sigh of consolation. She couldn't imagine life in hell for a year. “Maybe hell isn't such a terrible place.” she shrugged.
