Read Online Space and Time Issue 121 by Hildy Silverman - Free Book Online

Zipped by me.”
    “Was this the first time you encountered a ghost there?”
    “No. I’ve heard of strange goings on and sightings before. I figured it was just a bunch of kids playing a prank, or there to steal the props. It’s happened. And get this, someone told me that a murder occurred at Funland years ago.”
    “What happened?”
    “Some employee got whacked there after hours. It’s still unsolved. Rumor has it that his spirit haunts the park and that he was responsible for some fatal accidents on rides.” Dan shook his head. “Creepy. Anyway, management has been slow to respond. That’s why I’m here…I don’t have much money but I’ll pay you what I can.”
    Taylor grinned reassuringly. “No worries. I’d be happy to help.”
     
    * * *
     
    Taylor and Jan went to Bizarro the following day, during a break from the convention. The dry summertime heat of Sacramento hit them as soon as they stepped out of Taylor’s air conditioned station wagon. Like a slap in the face.
    Jan frowned. “Oh!”
    Dan greeted them at the entrance. “I know, tell me about it. Believe it or not, people like me actually live here and get used to it.”
    “Why torture yourself?” she asked.
    “You look like Jean Rasey.”
    “Who’s that?” Jan asked curiously.
    “She was the actress who played George in the Nancy Drew TV series from the late ’70s.”
    “Oh.” She smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
    They went inside the crowded amusement park that was thronged with screaming teenagers and children. Dan gave them a brief tour of the park and then introduced them to the owner, a middle-aged man who donned a cowboy hat and boots.
    “Howdy, name’s Skyler,” he said, extending his big, calloused hand.
    Taylor and Jan shook it.
    “Heard you were comin’,” Skyler continued. “I’m gonna be up front with chu, Taylor. I don’t need no witch doctor snoopin’ around here, performin’ your mumbo-jumbo. But I like to consider myself an open-minded man from time to time. So I listened to young Dan here and he convinced me. So I tell you what. I’m gonna give you two days max to find this ghost. After that, you’re history. Clear?”
    “That’s not a lot of time,” Taylor replied. “Sometimes it takes a while for spirits to appear. You have to build a rapport with them, bond with them.”
    Skyler chuckled. “That sounds so frickin’ gay! No wonder you’re from Berkeley.”
    Taylor was beginning to not like this dude but kept his cool.
    “Two days,” Skyler said firmly, and he stormed off.
    Dan’s face was red. “Sorry about that. Sometimes he’s nice, other times…”
    Taylor nodded understandingly. “People have their days. I definitely won’t debate politics with him. Can you show us the rides?”
    “Sure,” he said, drying the perspiration off his face with his handkerchief.
    They passed by a long, twisty roller coaster called The Serpent. A string of cars zipped by, hanging upside down above them, with kids dangling their arms and screaming.
    “Ahh, the good ole days of summer,” Taylor remarked with a grin. “Carnival rides, cotton candy, corndogs, funnel cakes, and pretty women in shorts.”
    Jan elbowed him. “Hot looking guys, too,” she added.
    Dan laughed, leading the way. They reached the Funhouse minutes later, seeing the long line outside of it. The Haunted Goldmine had an equally lengthy queue. Two teens got in a black car and it cruised along the track at the Funhouse, entering the giant mouth of a clown. The car paused at the dungeon-style doors beyond for a moment, then continued in slowly. The teens giggled. Later they screamed.
    Taylor looked at the entrance of the Haunted Goldmine. It was essentially a man-made cave opening that ore carts on the track went through. He thought the 1800s period detail looked pretty accurate for an amusement park ride. An ore cart with a skeleton in it sat on one side of the entrance, while on the other stood the life-sized figure