Adventures in Joyland(Excerpt)

Logline: Against her better judgment, sixteen year old Amanda Fredrickson must dive deep and uncover the mysteries of her great-grandmother's abandoned animation studio and theme park alongside her cousin, Gal.

Gal ambled down a brick trail, hobbling downhill as I followed her, and it wasn't long until we reached the front gates of the park.

Butterflies and bees dashed around a small patch of daisies, zipping back and forth while ivy draped over a pair of massive iron gates. Rusting chains sat on top of an old lock, spider webs holding them in place. A massive vintage padlock linked the chains together, its shank eroded by time and neglect. Birds chirped above us, swirling in the air while the sound of rustling leaves filled the air.

"How long has it been since your last visit?" I asked.

"Just a few weeks." Gal pulled out the keys from her back pocket. "I'd go more often, but school and work have been keeping me busy."

Scanning her keychain, she grabbed a small vintage key with a golden, heart-shaped bow. She swung the key on her finger and placed it in the keyhole, twisting the padlock open and yanking off the web laced chains.

I slanted my head, watching Gal pull out a second key the size of her hand from her pocket. How the-

Gal held the key with its ring-shaped bow and grinned. "Cool, isn't it?"

"Who thought it was a great idea to make a key that big?" I asked.

"Great-granny Essie," Gal placed the key's cuts into the lock. "She always said she saw the keys to the park as the keys to the kingdom."

My eyes shifted towards the gate. "Are you sure it still works?"

"Yep." Gal grunted. "Just gotta give it an extra crank." She turned the key.

The gates drifted open, letting out a massive screech and sending a flock of birds jetting towards the sky.

Gal jammed the keys into her pocket and bowed. "After you."

I glanced at the park and froze, goosebumps crawling on my arms. "Nah, you go first."

"You sure?" She tucked her bangs behind her ear.

I nodded.

Smirking, she grabbed my arm. "Let's go!"

She dragged me through the gate and sprinted through the turnstiles.

My jaw dropped as I looked around.

A trio of massive red-and-white circus tents towered over me, shadows blocking out the sun while a two-story carousel loomed above them.

Next to the carousel stood a tandem swing, its paint job fading while vines of ivy tangled around each swing's chain. Large swaths of shade swallowed a smaller red-and-blue tent next to them, hovering across its two points and smothering half of the carousel. Colored string lights dangled from old, green lamp posts, bulbs dusted with cobwebs and rotting spider corpses. In front of it all was a black wrought iron gate crowned with golden points and laced with brass coated spirals and bronze flourishes.

I slowed down and gawked at the massive buildings. Woah. My breath faded as I put my hands on my knees, basking in the shade of two tall pillars and scanning its details.

Chipped warning labels were posted at the caved-in corners of the door while burn marks and dents decorated their faces.

"Are those dents ...real?" I panted.

Gal placed a hand on her hip, leaning her head closer towards the doors. "I don't think so, but who really knows at this point? Those dents look real, though."

I glanced at the head-sized dents and shuddered. Let's hope not. "So, wait...is this the ride?"

"No, this is just the entrance to Area 059." She walked past them, smiling as she pulled out a large tubular key from her pocket.

I adjusted my glasses, eyes glossing over a massive clear dome.

A round telescope lens emerged from the top of its arc while small patches of wilting flowers and weeds surrounded it. Moss drenched the building's faces, painting the structure green while its lens glistened under the sunlight.

"What's that over there?" I asked. I took in the building, spotting a slick back spaceship with razor sharp wings, neon yellow flames painted on its sides.

Gal turned around, facing the giant dome. "Rebelle Base 189. There's a bunch of cool stuff in there like a gift shop, an arcade, and even a zero gravity lounge."

I froze. "Wait. What?"

"There was this room where you could eat lunch and play in zero gravity." Gal grinned at the building and scratched her neck. "But I'm pretty sure you needed to book reservations first."

My mind scrambled as I imagined kids floating around a room while eating churros and popcorn. Mina would love it. "It's a bummer this place burned down."

"I know." Gal blew her bangs off her face, leading the way towards the pillars.

I raced towards her and caught sight of a gargantuan white air hangar decked with shield shaped badges.

A pair of gray metal doors stood between them, panels dented and covered in black, purple, and neon yellow graffiti.

Gal took a breath and walked towards the right pillar. "You might want to stand back for this."

I backed away, hearing a loud click emerge from the door.

The doors slid open, creaking and screeching, while two amber beacon lights spun above their hinges. Baritone sirens echoed from a collection of decaying speakers, the sound warping as we walked through the doorway.

Plexiglass tubes stood like pillars on each side of a massive purple building, two screens hanging next to them. Bright yellow stars decorated a chrome neon sign that read "Stellabelle's Space Voyage."

So this was Stella's ride.

Gal drew a small silver key from her pocket and unlocked the glass doors. Propping one open, she walked in, turning on her flashlight.

I followed, scanning the large dark room, but I couldn't make much out, other than the rusted metal beams hanging from the ceiling.

"Any ideas on what we're going to find here?" Gal asked.

I looked around. "My guess, another coffin ... and maybe some trouble."

"Then maybe we should head back to the studio after this."

"No. If Briana's here, we should find her and get her to safety. Then, we come back and handle everyone else."

Gal walked towards the side of a wall and yanked a long gray lever.

Light flooded the room, bouncing off the chrome framework on the walls.

Purple and yellow lights shone down a winding hallway, sending a chill down my spine. Giant white stars lined the walls, pictures of nebulae and far away galaxies welcoming us to a world beyond our own.

Gal made her way up a ramp while stuffing her keys in her pocket, and I trailed her through a large silver pod. We were inside a space shuttle. Buttons and speakers filled the room, blinking on and off while a recording blasted instructions and commands.

I glanced around, imagining kids pressing the buttons and flipping the different collections of switches. This place must have been so much fun.

On my right stood an airlock door while on my left was a screen.

Gal grinned and flipped a silver switch, watching the screen glitch to life next to her.

A smiling face appeared on the screen, reciting directions and safety measures. I paused and watched the recording.

"Attention all passengers," a speaker said. "Stellabelle's Space Voyage is a turbulent, high-speed ride that contains sudden drops, sharp turns, speed boosts, and abrupt drops. Be sure to place all belongings in the storage unit in front of you. Buckle up by pulling the restraint over your head like so." The face grinned and disappeared into the top left corner of the screen.

A video of a woman and a kid pulling a large purple and silver restraint over their heads took its place, fading away on a freeze frame.

"Now, if you or anyone in your party has motion sickness, claustrophobia, or any pre-existing medical conditions, please inform the nearest crew member. They will escort you to where you'll meet your party after the ride."

My chest tightened as I watched the face return to full-screen mode.

"Thanks for watching! Have a great flight into the final frontier." The face smiled.

The screen flickered off.

I shuddered. "Um ... Gal, what kind of ride is this?"

"A rollercoaster," Gal turned off her flashlight. "It was a little ahead of its time, but it still works like a charm. Heck, it wasn't even that hard to repair."

I slanted an eyebrow.

"Think of a simulator, but you're actually moving along a track." Gal smiled and pressed on.

Scratching my head, I paused. What kind of coaster was this? I mean, if it discourages people with claustrophobia and motion sickness, then how could it have been rideable back in the eighties? I kept walking, catching sight of a roller coaster beneath me, rocket boosters attached to its back.

Wonder what it was like getting on this in its heyday.

Visions of kids pressing buttons and staring at galaxies filled my mind.

Long lines filled with kids on sugar rushes excited to feel the sheer thrill of jetting off into space? Sounds like a dream.

The lights cut off and a gasp left my lips.

A large gust of wind blasted.

My fingers numbed and my heart pounded while a shiver crawled down my spine.

An unearthly shriek roared through the room. Ink oozed from the walls and dripped onto the floors, sliding down the ramps and tainting the floor. Red lights flashed across the walls, an alarm blasting through the speakers.

Carvings of eyes with hyperextended pupils leaked with dark red ink around me, a soft red glow emerging from their centers. A message on the wall read "This is not our home."

What the-

The lights returned to normal and the alarm turned off, mechanical sounds filling the room while the eyes and ink disappeared.

I shuddered, fingers numbing while my gaze scattered across the walls. "What the heck was that?"

Gal gulped and shook her head. "I have no idea, but I have a feeling someone's watching us."

I turned towards Gal, shoulders tensing. "Maybe Briana?"

She shook her head as she whispered, "Someone worse."

My stomach churned and cramped.

A loud slam echoed behind us and the sunlight faded from the room.

"Gal," I breathed, voice hovering above a whisper.

"I'm right here." Gal pulled out her flashlight, hand shaking. "Stay close."

She took a few steps forward.

"Wait, where are you going?" I asked.

"We need to reach the master computer." Gal said. "That way, we can open the doors and turn the lights back on."

I grabbed her wrist. "But what about-"

"If we don't pose a threat, she won't have a reason to engage," Gal said. "Now, come on."

I followed Gal, feeling the room grow colder.

My hand gripped Gal's wrist while spiders crawled across the walls, scurrying towards the darkest corners of the room.

Gal let go of my hand and steadied her flashlight before climbing a tall cast iron ladder. "This way."

I moved to grip its railing, but my hands grew weak when a small breeze drifted past me.

Reaching a small hatch door, Gal pushed upwards and grunted. She held her flashlight in her mouth and tried again, using both hands to shove the hatch open.

"No luck," Gal panted. "I can't get the door open."

Goosebumps dotted my skin as I looked for another way out.

Jumping down, Gal walked down the hallway. "There's only one other way out of here."

I trailed behind her, teeth chattering.

Gal leaped over a rail, drawing her pen and opening the loading gates. "I call shotgun."

I paused. "Wait a minute-you don't mean-"

"The only other exit is through a gift shop," Gal said.

I clenched my teeth together. Dangit.

Gal tossed her backpack into the first seat. "If trouble comes knocking, I want to make sure we're prepared."

Her hand shook as she reached over and grabbed a control from behind an operation desk.

Hopping in the car behind hers, I placed my satchel in the pocket in front of me. My gaze shifted heavenward.

A U-shaped plastic bar hovered above my seat.

I grabbed its end and tugged it towards me, letting go and cringing as a loud screech echoed around the room. Hopefully, no one else heard that. I winced, the sound burning my ears until the restraint locked into place.

Gal pressed a green button on the control and jumped in her seat, gripping her pen.

The train jerked forward, wheeling down the track while darkness swallowed the area around us. A walkie talkie blasted in the distance, spitting out coordinates and commands from its speakers.

I looked around.

A sea of virtual workers typed at their computers, shadows looming over them while men in suits paced down the aisles.

"Control Center to Launchpad. Are we ready to launch?" one worker asked.

A large static screen burst to life on my right, revealing a live recording of us preparing for launch.

Turning to the left, I spotted the camera and waved at it, watching Gal lean back into her seat.

"Affirmative. Mission: AstroTour is a go." A second worker gave us a thumbs up and placed a hand on his earpiece. "Launchpad to Stella. Are we ready for takeoff, over?"

The screen cut to black.

"Affirmative, Dr. Houston," Stella said. "Mission's a go."

"Alright, places, everyone! Mission's a go." Dr. Houston said in the control center.

Workers chattered through their headpieces, eyes locked on their computer screens.

The coaster ambled up an incline.

"Hello? Is this thing on?" Stella's voice rang through the speakers.

She paused, voice glitching as she cleared her throat. "There we go! Welcome, everyone! Hope you're nice and snug in your seats. Make sure those restraints are on tight so we can have a nice flight."

I tugged on my restraint. Yep, nice and tight.

"To kick it all off, I just want to say congratulations! You'll be the first ones to test our new AstroTour! Hang tight, I'll be back in a blast!"

The speakers cut off and the cars pulled to a stop. A rocket sound effect boomed behind us.

"Keep your eyes open," Gal said.

I let out a breath, chest tightening. Let's hope we don't get any surprises while we're on this thing.

Pulling forward, the coaster treaded towards an incline, stopping at its base. Two massive curved screens surrounded us on each side, morphing into a bright orange sunset dusted with cumulus clouds.

A lush green valley sat underneath it while trees and flower fields drifted through the breeze.

Stella appeared on a screen in front of us, fixing her headset. "Launching at T-minus ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one ... and ... blast off!"

The rollercoaster churned and sped up the rest of the incline, the walls around us revealing a massive blaze at the back end of the train.

I gripped the rail in front of me, letting out a yelp.

Cold air zipped by me as we dashed up the track, the coaster shaking.

Piercing through the clouds, the coaster left Earth's atmosphere, the sky blackening while stars glistened around us.

My jaw dropped and I glanced around, hands trembling. Now that's an energy rush!

The train slowed at the top of the incline, leaving Earth what seemed like miles behind us.

"Woo! We made it guys," Stella grinned. "Welcome to outer space!"

Cinematic music played in the background while we floated around the planet, clouds gliding beneath us.

Grabbing a joystick, she pulled the ship forward. "Alright, get your cameras out, folks! Our first destination is-"

"Alert! System compromised!" a robotic voice announced. "Alert! System compromised!"

Red lights flashed around us while an alarm blared in the background.

Stella cocked an eyebrow. "Hey! What gives?!"

A fleet of mangled fighter jets surrounded us, drawing a collection of laser guns and pointing them at the coaster.

Static filled the speakers while a pair of armed aliens appeared on the screens next to us.

Golden armor plated their bodies while pale white tentacles twisted around them. Bright blue and purple light swirled in their helmets, glimmering while a bursting white light hovered in the center of it.

"Listen well, Sorun Scum," a raspy voice said. "We know you have a piece of the Ukuri on this ship and we're not planning to leave until you make your choice. You give us the piece or we destroy everyone on your ship."

"Are you kidding? Over my dead body!" Stella pulled a lever and pressed a few buttons. "You want the piece? Come and get it."

The coaster activated its thrusters, its engine roaring behind me.

"Hang on tight, everybody! This is gonna get hot!" Stella grinned and put on her sunglasses.

I froze, stomach churning and head spinning. Oh, god.

A lean, muscular figure jumped in front of Gal, glaring at me while it pulled out a pair of black, box-shaped guns.

Gal punched the side of the rollercoaster and lifted her restraint, turning her pen into a handgun.

My breath hitched.

"Get down!" Gal yelled.

The figure blasted at us, smirking while the coaster dashed down a hill.

I let out a scream and ducked, covering my head with my hands.

I chanced a peek and saw Gal blast a few rounds at the figure's head.

It climbed towards us and chuckled, fingers locked on its guns' triggers.

The car bolted through the atmosphere, music swelling around us while the coaster spiraled down a corkscrew and dashed through a loop.

My eyes watered. This is just ridiculous.

Flashes of light burst around us as my grip on the bar tightened.

Bits and pieces of the figure's face emerged under the light. Fractions of fresh scars and bruises flickered under the light, drops of ink glistening under the light while a short set of dark brown bangs shielded part of its face.

A scrape smeared a once-bright yellow star on the figure's cheek.

I gasped and looked closer. Stella?

Locking eyes, Stella and Gal dodged each other's ammo, hands latched to their guns.

My breath shallowed as I gripped the sides of the shoulder bar, watching Stella fire at Gal and miss only by an inch.

Sweat dripped down my face in droves and my shoulders tensed, heart pounding out of my chest.

Stars and UFO's swirled around us while the coaster bolted down a spiral, gaining speed while adrenaline coursed through my veins.

Gal grunted and blasted a shot towards Stella's head, gritting her teeth as Stella fired a pair of star-shaped bullets aimed for Gal's chest.

Bullet shells rained into the coaster's seats, rolling towards my feet and turning into spouts of smoke and ink.

My eyes darted around the train for a release button, trying to find a way out of the restraints.

The ride slowed as it pulled into a dark tunnel, snuffing its boosters. A chorus of loud applause filled the air while a screen lit up on the right side of the track.

Scientists, rebels, and engineers alike cheered as we pulled into the launch bay, pumping their fists in the air while others hollered and roared. In the forefront stood Stella, sunglasses on top of her head and grin glistening.

A recording of her voice blasted through the speakers. "Great job, everyone! Thanks for dealing with me and my shenanigans. You can tag along anytime!"

White light surrounded us while the music faded, replacing the sounds of grunts and growls as the train screeched to a halt.

I let out a breath, tears welling in my eyes as I searched for a hiding place.

Gal bolted out of her seat towards Stella, dropping her pen and pouncing at her.

Kicking her away, Stella hissed and tossed her guns to the side.

Gal crashed into a pillar and collapsed onto the ground.

"Oh my god!" I ran towards her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine-" Gal placed a hand on her back.

Ink dripped down the walls as red lights blared around us.

My heart stopped. Uh-oh.

Gal's eyes widened as she glanced behind me. "Move!"

Huh?

A piercing screech filled the silence, and Stella slammed Gal against the pillar.

"Where's Mina?" Stella asked.

Gal elbowed her. "Like I'd tell you."

Ripping herself from Stella's grip, Gal spat at her.

Stella landed a kick to Gal's face, throwing her to the ground, and placed a boot on her back, summoning one of her guns.

The gun jetted into her palm, cocking itself while she trained it on Gal's head.

Her mouth frothed as the bases of her eyes blackened. "Tell me right now or I'll blow your head off!"