Short Thrills

Bizarre Fair

etarango
"Wait! We should go there!" Efren yelled in the car.
"No," scolded his mom. "We came to Garden to pick up some groceries. Not go to some silly fair. The answer is no." Efren slumped in his seat.
"Just 1 hour?" Efren begged. His mom continued to shake her head. "How about 30 minutes?"
"No."
"Fine then. How's 20?"
His mom sighed. "Sure." Then she pulled over and they walked to the fair.
* * *
"What kind of a fair is this??" Efren mom asked, panicking.
Efren smiled, obviously proud of himself. "It's a special fair where people from all over come to show their weird or strange bodies, talents, etc. Some people call it a bizarre fair." Efren's mom looked confused but nodded her head showing that she got the gist of it.
   The family continued through the fair seeing things like two headed sisters, mind readers, men who morphed into wolves, etc. That was how it was until they saw something all too normal. A painter. Outside his tent stood all his pictures. Efren's family was too busy looking around to see Efren wander off towards the painter's tent.
   Efren walked into the tent with curiosity. Inside were painting of flowers, vases, or just swirls or splats of paint. Except, strangely, everything was in the pictures were red. Efren continued through the tent, staring at the artwork, until he smacked into a blue, fold-out table.
   Efren looked up too see a kind, smiling man looking down at him. "Hello," said the man.
   Efren waved back. "Who are you?"
   The man laughed, holding his hands up. "I'm the person who made all these paintings. I'm an artist."
   Efren caught a glance of huge scars on the mans arms. The man must've seen Efren curiosity in his eyes because he said, "Oh, these? That's how I get my paint."
   Efren's breathing stopped. "What?"
   The man smiled kindly. "Don't be afraid," he said. "I'm running low, care to share?"
   Efren's breathing stopped for good this time. His vision started to get hazy, he felt cold. The man smiled his sweet smile one last time. "Thanks young sir!" He said as walked to the back of the tent swinging an ax, now covered in Efren's blood, resting it on his shoulder.