Firefly Carnival Series: Tower of Terror

[alianora]

So, boys and girls, what does alia do when she doesnt want to think about upcoming job interviews? SHE WRITES FIC.


Title: Tower of Terror
Author: alianora
Rating: PG
Summery: Fifth in Carnival series. Follows Cotton Candy, Ring Toss, Carousel, and Toy Boats.


Haunted houses ain't good places for crazy girls to go.



The girl had said she was gonna win him a goldfish at the next game. He had no idea why, but following her was easier than argueing, 'special since his stomach had just finally settled from the eight times round on the merry go round.

Natural-like, his life wasn't getting any easier, cause before they could even get over to the games with the fish as prizes, they passed the Haunted House.

And gorram girl suddenly came down with the desperate urge to go in. She was tugging on his arm and babbling at full speed about needing garlic and holy water, which made it hard for a man to get a word in edgewise.

So, he didn't bother trying to be polite.

When she tried to take off running to get in line, he hauled her right back against him by the back of her dress.

"Ain't no way we're going in there, little girl," he told her.

She looked about ready to spit fire at him, but he was a manly man, and he weren't scared. Much.

She clawed at the hand that was holding round her middle, keeping her from running off, and when that didn't work, she tried talking. "She needs to fight the demons," she patiently explained. "One girl in all the world, and all that."

"Looks like there are plenty a girls going on that ride, and you ain't gonna be one a them." He tightened his grip some. He couldn't grab her with both arms, 'cause he couldn't get around her and the gorram stuffed turtle she was clinging to.

She leaned her head back onto his shoulder and pouted.

"That ain't gonna work, neither," he told her. "I ain't crazy, and there ain't no telling what kinda gos se they got in there."

"Its not real," she said sullenly.

"And how long after we get in there will you be forgetting that little fact?"

"She can remember basic facts. She is not stupid." She crossed her arms over Turtle indignantly.

"Never said she was stupid," he said, giving her a little shake. "But she is crazy, and haunted houses are weird."

"So?"

"So, you're gonna have stuff you don't know about jumping out at you. And everybody around you is gonna be screaming and scared." He tightened his arm and bent down so he was speaking right in her ear. "Could you handle it?"

She hesitated. And that was all the answer he needed.

"So, we ain't going in." He loosened his hold, but she didn't step away.

She was looking at him specutively.

"How does he know?" she asked. "She could be fine and have a good time." She added a little wistful like, "Be a girl."

"What, you're a boy now?" He grinned.

She leaned back against his shoulder again, and he automatically put his hand on her waist to steady her.

"Girls go into haunted houses and scream in fun and hide their eyes on their boyfriend's neck," she explained sadly. "Girls don't get confused about what is real and what is pretend."

He snorted. "'Course they do."

She blinked up at him.

"You're a girl just fine." He patted her hip with one hand. "You been having fun, right?"

She nodded, big eyes hanging on his every word.

"I know plenty a girls who don't like haunted houses none," he told her. "And plenty a girls who didn't have nobody to win 'em no turtles or take 'em on the merry go round." He scowled down at the top of her head. "Most of 'em wouldn't have ridden the stupid thing in the first place."

She half turned under his arm, slipping one little arm 'round his waist. She tucked her head down into his chest and peeked up at him. "You really think I'm a girl?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What else would you be?"

She looked down at his chest. "Not a person. Something bad."

She sounded so sad that he pulled her a little tighter up against him. "You ain't bad. And you ain't nothing either."

"Promise?" Those eyes was starting to look all shiny again. Like she was fighting not to cry.

He sighed. "Promise."

"And she is a girl?"

"She's a girl."

"And he will take her on the Ferris Wheel?"

"No."

"Just once around?"

"No."

"Please?"

END

Back: Toy Boats
Next: Funnel Cake

Comments

[crazywriterchic.livejournal.com]

LOL1 Sneaky little River. Love this series! She's so good at getting him to do what he really doesn't want to. Ah, so great.

[rinalin.livejournal.com]

*cuddles this fic* I want to lean against Jayne's chest and have him wrap his arm around me, yes I do.

So, yeah... the guy emailed me. And now I have a date with him. Sorta. And I'm a nervous wreck. And none of my co-workers know that he emailed me yet, but any minute they're gonna ask, and then they'll know, cause I can't lie worth beans, and it's going to be horrible.

*Cuddles this fic again*

[eustacia-vye28.livejournal.com]

aw.... They're so cute! *snuggles up with fic*

[fiareynne.livejournal.com]

Darn, so close! I almost thought he was going to fall for it. But River should know that if he's clever enough to figure her out, he's not going to fall for sneak tactics.

[fiareynne.livejournal.com]

Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's had the "one girl in all the world" though in connection with River. Seems to me maybe at some point between Buffy and the exodus from Earth-That-Was, maybe demons went squish and so mo more slayers were called or something, but then with the onslaught of the Reavers, the Alliance decided to make their own... But then you have to try to figure out the timeline for Fray, since it's set in NYC in the distant future, and it's about a slayer, and Joss says it's canon, and it just becomes too much work for li'l ol' me since I'm still trying to get my feet wet in the fandom. But anyway.

[fiareynne.livejournal.com]

*thought, not though

Ha

[hafthand.livejournal.com]

Loved it and loved the last. Ferris wheel? No lol. Cannot wait for the next part, cause there is going to be a next part. Right>? RIGHT? :)

Love, Ally
'I'll be in Jayne's bunk!'

[laurelcrowned.livejournal.com]

YAY!

oh, this was fantastic!

can't wait for the next part!

[realdedanaan.livejournal.com]

Loved Jayne's logic in this one. He said all the right things to make her rethink her desire to visit the haunted house. Loved the reference to BtVS too. ^_^

[shakinbacon22.livejournal.com]

Eeeee! So cute! I loved the hugging and the face-in-neck stuff.

Can't wait for the next part! ;)

[winkingannie.livejournal.com]

Loved the Buffy allusions. And Jayne convincing River she's a real girl based on their experiences at the carnival was just terrific. Avoid thinkging about job interviews all you want. (I generally just go shopping or bake, but I like your coping methods.)

[writwritewrote.livejournal.com]

Patient!Jayne...*gah&

/Melts/

Lovely, as always.

[scoob2222.livejournal.com]

So cute. Loved how you snuck the Buffy in there.

[ragingparsley.livejournal.com]

Whee!!

I just located this wonder series and wonder where I have been all this time. It's a great story. I love the way that Jayne and River have a cute little brother/sister relationship. Very good work and update soon!

[calijirl5150.livejournal.com]

This series makes me wish for Summer. Loving it very much. Ya know that Jayne will want to toss things down at the ppl when they are at the top of the Ferris wheel :)

[literarylemming.livejournal.com]

*HUGS!* I have just spent a happy half hour rereading all your "Carnival" series, babe, and all I can say is THANK YOU FOR BEING SO AWESOME AND 'SWONDERFUL AND FUNNY AND 'SMARVELOUS! God, I've had the worst last few days, and these giggles were a lifesaver.

*MORE HUGS!!*

And can I just say I LOVE how you have River use her eyes against Jayne? That's so CUTE! And so totally a River thing to do, too. ;)

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

*blushes like crazy* aww..shucks. *kicks the ground shyly* i didnt do nothing..just wrote some silly stories, is all.

im so very glad you like them so much though. i write these very much as a stress relief, and its so fabulous and lovely to see that other people love them as much as i do.

and dude, River would SO use her eyes on Jayne.

*snuggles with you*

[literarylemming.livejournal.com]

*snuggles you right back*

I love these stories! I love ALL your stories! :D I especially love the "voice" you use, in all your stories. Without a lot of embroidery and frou-frou (*cough/blush/is guilty*) you're able to get across the silliness/creepiness/angstiness of any given situation, as well as keeping the characters totally in character. How the frak do you DO that? And can you bottle it and sell some to me, because I'd so pay for that. *HUGS!*

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

*blushes and hides under bed*

really, its just my voice. i TRY putting in extra details, and it always sounds crappy. i would love the ability to use details sometimes..like in my nano...*sigh*

characterization is my big picky point, cause if they ARENT in character, i will get very twitchy and end up scrapping the whole thing. so the fact that you, whose writing and characterizations are so very fabulous and among my favorites in many fandoms, think that my characters are on, makes me flaily and blushy and hidey.

*clings to you, just because*

[literarylemming.livejournal.com]

Awww

*clings back!*

You rule, chiquita. ;)

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Did I review this? I can't remember. Oh well. I am in love with the humor and sweetness that is this series. That is all. :)

[purpleskyfly.livejournal.com]

*giggle*

I love the haunted house. The ferris wheel, I think I would cry and shake from fear. *River makes Ferris Whell cart move back and forth* NO, RIVER, DON'T!!!

Shiny, I love the fair. I HATE THE FERRIS WHEEL!!!!!!!!

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

i love being able to see everything, but the height and the movement. EEK. *hides under bed*

thanks for reading!

Utterly unrelated but...

[literarylemming.livejournal.com]

...what would it take for me to get you to write me a Charlie/Gabrielle fic? *winsome smile and coy batting of lashes* Because I NEED some, and I'd write it myself but I'm feeling horribly greedy. LOL!

So? *wink nudge* What's it gonna take, lady?

Re: Utterly unrelated but...

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

*blinks* umm..a bunny. or some Fleur and Gabby interacting. or, some Fleur talking to Bill about the crush.

or anything along those lines...*plots* i still like the letters idea, so ill see what i can do while you find a house bunny to drop on me.

Re: Utterly unrelated but...

[aliaspiral.livejournal.com]

i just reread every single Bill/Fleur fic you have in your memories. and then reread Valentine. And then Dragon Tamer.

So, here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/aliaspiral/114804.html). Its not wrapped or anything. I hope you like it.

i also hope you get this comment, as lj is being wonky still.

[nsahdmdto.livejournal.com]

Um, why does River want to do something that's even scarier than the haunted house? Ferris wheel . . . *shudders*

I love this series. It was one of the first I hunted through the past entries of the comm. for.

[nomdeploom.livejournal.com]

So I read all the fic you have over at the river/jayne "objects in space" archive. I uhm, well ... here it is... I love you. haha.. it was all so very very good and cute and a great thing to read when it's snowing outside (the day before thanksgiving...yet) and well... it would be great to read all around. I adored them all ... even the wiggy one where you killed everyone and made them dolls (gee I hope that really was you) Anyway... I will be checking your journal, etc. often. You're an amazing writer, and (screw nano! it's insane anyway!) I hope you keep it up, you feed my obsessions marvelously. (Neville is cuuuuuteee! in Gof, ugh! I could like... die.

[niz4.livejournal.com]

"And she is a girl?"

"She's a girl."

"And he will take her on the Ferris Wheel?"

One of the (many) things I adore about this series is how you capture that River is not unfocussed in her fey-ness...she may experience the world about her in a surreal way, but it doesn't mean that she's unconcious of what's happening around her, and she is capable of shaping events (and people) to her benefit.

I really like this...that she's as manipulative as everyone else, and I don't mean this in a negative way, but that she is just like everyone else in this way...and not this complete innocent 'child', which is how she is sometimes portrayed. Beneath her fey coy charm, beats the heart of a mature determined woman...and Jayne just doesn't stand a chance *grins

[neroli66.livejournal.com]

"And he will take her on the Ferris Wheel?"

"No."

"Just once around?"

"No."

"Please?"

LOL! I think we all know his response to that last "Please?"....*g*