𝖈𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊;
//
An abandoned highway of family entertainment, the snapped, steel cables lay surrounded by technicolour paint flakes & rotting wooden beams. A promenade of decorated shacks stood in disrepair, caved rooves crushing garish sideshow attractions. High above, spidering against the blue sky, crooked metal structures creaked in the icy breeze, caterpillar-shaped ride cars dangled precariously from broken tracks & fifty-foot sculpted clowns lost their rictus grins to crumbling plaster.
Kayley took cautious steps along the fading path. Wide, hazel eyes observed every piece of moaning architecture as she made her way towards the shuttered Tunnel Of Love. Gaudy pink paint flaked away from the heart-shaped opening, a ring of smashed lightbulbs decorating the inviting maw like jagged teeth. But Kayley wasn’t interested in the exterior.
Fifteen minutes. She'd timed it perfectly - from the entrance, to the deepest point of the defunct attraction. She'd narrowly avoided failing structures, halted ride vehicles & a swampy section of fetid water & now, triumphantly, stood before her prize.
Standing around seven feet tall, bright blue & displaying a permanent, toothy grin, was Ronnie. An animatronic rabbit, built to croon a sappy, saccharine song of love to riders. Unfortunately, eight years of abandonment had not been kind to Ronnie. His fur had lost it's vibrant lustre. His rubbery flesh had begun to slough off of his metal structure. The mask of synthetic skin that made up his face had begun to recede around his eyes & mouth, forcing each feature to bulge uncomfortably from his steel skull.
Regardless, Kayley leaned in to begin dismantling. She'd disconnect his feet first, to give herself the best chance of escaping with her invaluable leporine prize. Unhooking the screwdriver from her belt, she reached towards the filthy paws, only to find them already disconnected. And 𝙬𝙚𝙩.
The room echoed with an ominous hydraulic whisper.
"ɎØɄ ₳ⱤɆ ₥Ɏ Đ₳ⱤⱠł₦₲, ɎØɄ ₳ⱤɆ ₥Ɏ ₴₩ɆɆ₮ⱧɆ₳₳₳₳₳₳₳₳Ɽ₮--"
Originally written and shared as part of Verbuary 2020: https://tinyurl.com/3mcrw29s