Metamorphosis

I've always enjoyed carnivals. Ever since I was a little boy, I was drawn to the laughter and bright lights that my town's annual fair always delivered. I would go every night during the week it was in town and ride all the rides and eat funnel cakes until I was sick. So, when I heard that a carnival was coming to our city, I had no choice but to go. I found it odd that such a populated city could fit in a carnival, but all those thoughts went to the back of my mind as soon as I heard the melodic rhythm of the classic carnival music. I remembered all the fun times I had as a kid. I saw that same joy in the faces of the children milling about.

A tent in the corner of the fairgrounds caught my attention. It was a brilliant purple that seemed to give off an eerie aura. I cautiously poked my head in through the opening in the front and saw a room of black. A voice called out from the shadows, "come forward." I did as the voice told me and was soon standing in front of a small round table with a crystal ball in the center. The ball shined brightly despite the fact that there was no light in the room. I sat down on the floor in front of the sphere and stared into it's endless void.

Soon, a woman in a blood red dress sat down at the other side. It was hard to make out any of her other features, but the dress seemed to take up the entire room. It's hue splashed over all the walls and tinted the crystal's light to shine a sickening dark maroon. She reached out and grabbed my hand. She slowly pulled on my forearm until my hand was caressing the crystal in the middle of the table. The tent was filled with a bright light as a sense of falling overcame me. I could feel pressure in my upper back, as though something was trying to break out of my skin, and my skin started to crawl as my bones and muscles moved through my limbs and torso. I opened my eyes to see a great expanse in all directions. I looked down and saw clouds churning under me.