Pausing a moment to catch his breath, he leans against the bole of a tree. Burning embers fly about him, burning when they land upon his skin. He takes out a cloth and puts it over his mouth in an attempt to draw in a good, clean breath. His eyes water and sting from the smoke and his body is wracked with another coughing fit. When it’s over, he pushes himself away from the tree and once again attempts to outrun the fire.
The wind suddenly changes direction and begins blowing from his right. With any luck, it will keep the blaze from following him quickly. Continuing to race straight ahead, he keeps the wind on his right.
After cresting the next hill, he looks back and sees with relief that he has managed to put some distance between himself and the fire. Taking another short breather to recover his strength, he pauses there atop the hill. A flash of color at the base of the hill catches his eye and he sees something pink and brown rolling along the ground.
Glancing back at the fire, he hurries to the bottom and finds the object to be a wadded piece of cotton candy, matted with dirt and twigs. Something in the back of his mind sparks a memory.
Suddenly filled with the need to reach where the cotton candy originated, he turns into the wind and races between the hills. As he runs, another bit of pink fluff is blown toward him upon the breeze. Quickening his pace, he races forward.
The hollow between the hills comes to a stream which he jumps across without even pausing. Landing on the other side, he begins climbing the next hill. When he reaches the top, he sees a valley on the far side. Within the valley is a carnival, or what used to be one. It looks like a tornado ripped through there recently. Buildings are shattered, the Ferris wheel is lying on its side, and the whole place looks deserted.
From somewhere in the back of his mind, a memory of golden hair comes to him. Then it all comes back; the dreams, the golden haired girl and the Tunnel of Love. Scanning the carnival, he sees the Tunnel of Love ride situated over on one side of the midway. Moving quickly, he makes for it.
As he enters the valley, the fire appears on the top of the hill to his right and begins making its way down toward the carnival. Moving as fast as his legs will carry him, he races to the ride.
No carnies are present here this time, all the rides stand deserted and broken. The roller coaster track is broken and one of the coasters sits smashed on the ground below. He hunts for the golden haired girl but she’s nowhere to be seen. Ahead of him stands the Tunnel of Love and inside must be where the golden haired girl will be.
Approaching the ride, he sees the channel that once contained the water the boats floated upon is empty and dry, the chain which pulled the boats along sitting exposed and still. Hopping over the rail, he lands within the channel and races for the opening. Boats sit askew in the channel and he has to dodge around them to continue.
At the entrance, he pauses a moment and glances back to the fire. It has crept further down the side of the valley and is now threatening the edge of the carnival. Not sure how much time he has before it reaches him, he moves into the Tunnel of Love.
On the side of the wall, the large heart containing the two points of light is now dimmed. One light is all but out and the other is only half the brilliance it was before. Racing past he moves further into the darkened enclosure. With a thought his orb flares to life and he continues on.
A haze of smoke fills the tunnel giving it an eerie feel. He remembers the shadows that had moved along the walls the last time but so far none have made an appearance. Slowing his pace, he moves along with caution.
Then out of the smoke before him, a shadow appears. Moving quickly, the shadow closes the distance and reaches out to grab him. Backing up fast, he removes the medallion from within his shirt and its light blazes forth.
A shriek of pain more felt than heard erupts from the shadow as it falls back. Behind it, he sees another moving. The tunnel begins to fill with shadows and they form a circle around him staying away from the light being emitted by the medallion.
Moving forward, he holds the medallion up high and forces the shadows back. Step by step he presses onward, the shadows falling back to avoid the light. As he works his way through, the number of shadows surrounding him increases until dozens circle the edge of the medallion’s light.
Continuing down, a light appears from up ahead. Moving closer, he sees again the golden haired girl standing upon the dais. Next to her hangs a man by his wrists from a rope that descends out of the darkness above. She’s singing the man a song, a sad song filled with loss.
As he moves ever closer to the dais, the girl stops her song and turns to look at him. For the first time, recognition comes as their eyes meet. “Cassie?” he asks in bewilderment. It can’t be, she’s been dead for over a year. If that is Cassie, then the man hanging next to her must be…Tinok.
A ripple seems to flow through the shadows as he works his way closer to the dais. They fear to go into the light coming from the dais as much as that of the medallion and move aside. He finally reaches the edge of the dais and sees that the man hanging there is indeed Tinok. Bruised, cut and looking to have been tortured, he hangs there limp.
Cassie moves to the edge of the dais and stands there before him. “You haven’t much time,” she tells him.
“ Time?” he asks. “Time for what?”
Turing to glance back at Tinok she says, “My love is almost lost to me.” She begins to sing again her lament for her beloved.
“ What do you mean?” he says interrupting her. “How will he be lost to you?”
Growing quiet she turns back to him. “You’ve killed him,” she accuses.
“ Me?” he asks aghast.
“ When the Shroud of Killian blinds the giant’s eye a second time, the knife will fall,” she says. Then she tilts her head back and begins wailing.
“ What knife?” he asks but she turns her back to him and again moves to her beloved’s side.
Suddenly, a wall of the Tunnel of Love collapses as fire rages through. The shadows which had surrounded him vanish as the fire spreads rapidly. A crack sounds from above and the ceiling collapses over the dais.
“ Cassie!” he cries but both Cassie and Tinok are lost amid the flames. Turning away from the dais, James finds the shadows have now completely disappeared. Running for the entrance, he flees for his life.
Around him, smoke billows down the tunnel from the fire raging behind him. The walls on either side flare as fire consumes them. He rounds a corner and sees the entrance, the fire has already begun to consume it. Doubling his speed, he bolts for freedom. Just as he reaches the opening the ceiling collapses and he dives through barely in time.
The carnival is on fire. Looking around, he can’t find anyway through. Pulling his shirt over his head to provide some protection, he moves to the rail and vaults over. Racing through the carnival, he tries to escape.
Eyes watering from the smoke, he runs through the midway practically blind. Then as he passes the side of the fun house, the wall gives way and the flaming structure crashes down upon him. Trapped beneath the burning wall, he tries to escape but the fire reaches him and begins to burn.
“ Ahhh!”
Screaming, he bolts upright in the back of the wagon. Hands flailing as he tries to extinguish the flames, he hits Miko in the side of the head.
“Calm down James!” Miko cries out as he grabs James’ flailing arms.
Eyes snapping open, he sees Miko staring at him with deep concern. “What?” he asks.
“Thank goodness you woke up,” Miko tells him. “You had us worried.”
James looks down at himself and sees his clothes untouched by the fire. He puts his hand on his shirt to make sure it’s real and pain erupts from his chest. Pulling up his shirt, he sees that his entire chest is covered in burns.
Then it comes back to him. The fire in his dream had burned him in the real world. “Cassie!” he cries out. Looking around he sees Jiron riding closer with a grin on his face.
“Cassie?” Jiron asks then looks to Miko who shrugs.
‘ When the Shroud of Killian blinds the giant’s eye a second time, the knife will fall,’ she had said.
“What did you say?” Brother Willim asks from his seat next to the driver.
Not realizing he had spoken aloud he glances to the brother. “When the Shroud of Killian blinds the giant’s eye a second time, the knife will fall,” he repeats. Glancing around at the others he can see they think him mad.
