Carouse
Definition
1 : to drink liquor freely or excessively
The bar at the back of the fairground was tucked away behind the ghost house. The inside was dark
and muted, with old and faded to sepia fairground posters peeling off the damp wooden walls. It was
a stark contrast to the gilded and bright attractions outside.
and muted, with old and faded to sepia fairground posters peeling off the damp wooden walls. It was
a stark contrast to the gilded and bright attractions outside.
It was exactly how the carousel horses liked it. After being spun about for hours and hours, constantly
being assaulted by the spinning lights, the repetitive hurdie gurlie music and small children shoving
their various/ice creams, hot dogs or candy floss down their ears or up their nose, they were grateful
for the comforting sepia sanctuary the bar provided.
being assaulted by the spinning lights, the repetitive hurdie gurlie music and small children shoving
their various/ice creams, hot dogs or candy floss down their ears or up their nose, they were grateful
for the comforting sepia sanctuary the bar provided.
Of course, normal humans couldn't get in. what was the point of going for a nice after work drink for it
to be spoilt by some random weirdo coming in and screaming at the sight of wooden horses sitting at
the bar and minding their own business.
to be spoilt by some random weirdo coming in and screaming at the sight of wooden horses sitting at
the bar and minding their own business.
Stan, his brilliant blue and pink tail, accented by purple and gold stars, now limp and trailing on the
dusty floor of the bar, was trying desperately to get some chewing gum out of his mane.
dusty floor of the bar, was trying desperately to get some chewing gum out of his mane.
“That’s never going to come out like that” Bill said somberly, his own brilliant silver mane still managing
to somehow sparkle in the dim lighting. The light also caught on the silver freckles dusted along his
nose as he gestured to the far corner. “Why do you ask one of the spooks from the ghost train to
freeze it for you? That might do it?”
to somehow sparkle in the dim lighting. The light also caught on the silver freckles dusted along his
nose as he gestured to the far corner. “Why do you ask one of the spooks from the ghost train to
freeze it for you? That might do it?”
“Hmm.” Stan said thoughtfully. “Well it can’t get much worse.” he hopped down off his stool and trotted
over to the table full of ghosts.
over to the table full of ghosts.
John sniffed his drink thoughtfully and shook his midnight and purple mane, dislodging a piece kernels
of popcorn as his did so. “Is it just me or are the weeks getting longer? Thank god it’s Monday
tomorrow and the park’s closed. Roll on winter when we’ll finally be able to go into hibernation for a
few months - my back’s killing me from that damn pole all the time.”
of popcorn as his did so. “Is it just me or are the weeks getting longer? Thank god it’s Monday
tomorrow and the park’s closed. Roll on winter when we’ll finally be able to go into hibernation for a
few months - my back’s killing me from that damn pole all the time.”
“Too true. All I want is a nice lie down after work these days.” Bill agreed. “I just don’t have the energy
anymore, the kids just drain it right out of me - just like little psychic vampires. No offence meant Ken.”
he said to the vampiric bar man who was currently polishing a glass. Ken nodded to indicate no
offense taken.
anymore, the kids just drain it right out of me - just like little psychic vampires. No offence meant Ken.”
he said to the vampiric bar man who was currently polishing a glass. Ken nodded to indicate no
offense taken.
“We’re getting old.” Stan said as he came back to the table, chewing gum successfully frozen and
crumbled out of his mane.
crumbled out of his mane.
They all sighed into their drinks.
“By the way.” Bill started, “Where’s Karl?”
The other two flinched. “Sshh.” hissed John. “you know that if you say his name he'll just..”
The door to the bar slammed open and a loud braying voice called out “Hi guys!”
“Magically appear…” finished John miserably.
Karl strutted in, his mane and tail looking like magical rainbows were pouring from his skull and arse.
The colours were so bright, they appeared to be luminescently fluorescent and strobing.
The colours were so bright, they appeared to be luminescently fluorescent and strobing.
The carousel horses peered closer. In fact, his mane and tail actually were lit up and strobing like a
cheap display at a dingy nightclub that let in minors and who’s wall ran with sweat and other liquids.
cheap display at a dingy nightclub that let in minors and who’s wall ran with sweat and other liquids.
“Guys, guys, guys!” he chanted as he got closer. “Why the hell are you here on a Sunday night? Why
aren’t you out celebrating the end of the week.”
aren’t you out celebrating the end of the week.”
“Are you high?” Stan demanded in a tone of utter incredulity.
“High and flying!” Karl happily agreed. “Soaring through my mental dreamscape as we speak. It’s
totes normal that the ceiling’s oscillating different colours right now right?”
totes normal that the ceiling’s oscillating different colours right now right?”
The other horse looked up to the plain, beige painted, stippled ceiling. They looked back at Karl.
“Well, no mind.” Karel said, clearly completely unbothered by his hallucinations.
“It’s barely 11.00pm and you’re high already?” Bill said flatly.
“I know, started a bit late.” Karl said, almost apologetically, “My hand a bit of an issue with my reins
being padlocked to my pole by some little brat. So I've had to do a bit of houdini work to get out of
that kinky bondage situation - good thing i’ve kept up with my yoga!” he let out an enormous braying
laugh.
being padlocked to my pole by some little brat. So I've had to do a bit of houdini work to get out of
that kinky bondage situation - good thing i’ve kept up with my yoga!” he let out an enormous braying
laugh.
The ghosts in the corner flinched away from this bright, disco ball of a personality that was currently
taking over the entire room with his, his, his-ness.
taking over the entire room with his, his, his-ness.
“What did you want Karl?” Stan asked, trying to get the conversation back on track - if one had ever
actually been started in the first place.
actually been started in the first place.
“Oooh, yeah, so, right, the humans right, the middly ones, not the old ones or the kiddy kids, the ones
that seem to go around in packs or those super smoochy pairs that make you want to vomit but at
least don’t stick shit up your ears, are all in the next field over having a rave! A rave guys! Doesn’t that
seem like so much fun?”
that seem to go around in packs or those super smoochy pairs that make you want to vomit but at
least don’t stick shit up your ears, are all in the next field over having a rave! A rave guys! Doesn’t that
seem like so much fun?”
That would explain the small vibrations that had been felt all night, gently shaking the bar so that a fine
layer of dust constantly sprinkled the inhabitants below, as if they were being sprinkled with icing
sugar by some mysterious baker above them.
layer of dust constantly sprinkled the inhabitants below, as if they were being sprinkled with icing
sugar by some mysterious baker above them.
“No. that does not sound fun. It sounds super inconvenient for when i was to sleep.” John said bluntly,
shaking hsi midnight mane in disgust.
shaking hsi midnight mane in disgust.
“Oh come on johnny boy, when did you get so doddery? Time was you loved to go soaring up and
down the country freaking out those weird UFO spotters.”
down the country freaking out those weird UFO spotters.”
John twitched his mauve and purple wings, embarrassed. “That was a long time ago, when I was
much younger and stupider.”
much younger and stupider.”
Karl snorted. “Yeah, right mate. Except we’re immortal remember? We don’t age. Ever. so we’re, like,
perpetually young. Which is why i don’t understand why you lot want to pretend that you’re all old
fogies and sit here and rot in this stinking bar. No offense Ken.”
perpetually young. Which is why i don’t understand why you lot want to pretend that you’re all old
fogies and sit here and rot in this stinking bar. No offense Ken.”
Ken just scowled at him ad polished his glass harder.
“Come on, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” chanted Karl.
“We can’t go.” Said Bill, his silver mane throwing sparkles across the room. “Humans remember?
They’re not supposed to see us move. I don’t know about you, but immortal or not, I don't want to be
chopped up into itty bitty pieces for firewood.”
They’re not supposed to see us move. I don’t know about you, but immortal or not, I don't want to be
chopped up into itty bitty pieces for firewood.”
Karl scoffed. “Please, it’s a rave. They’re so high or off their faces right now, hey most of them
probably think they’re aliens or wizards or some sort of mutant teenage turtle that they won’t even
blink at eye at walking carousel horses. In fact, they’ll probably love us and worship us as their gods.
Or, worse case, try to ride us in which case we can just chuck them off.”
probably think they’re aliens or wizards or some sort of mutant teenage turtle that they won’t even
blink at eye at walking carousel horses. In fact, they’ll probably love us and worship us as their gods.
Or, worse case, try to ride us in which case we can just chuck them off.”
He started prancing on the spot, hooves hammering into the wooden floor in time with his words,
“come on, come on, come on!” he sang/chanted.
“come on, come on, come on!” he sang/chanted.
Stan eyed Ken’s increasingly irate expression with unease. The other inhabitants of the bar were also
starting to look at them with surly expressions.
starting to look at them with surly expressions.
He interjected quickly before Karl could get them banned from yet another bar. “Ok, ok, well go. For a
little bit. Just to check if it’s safe for you to be prancing about there.”
little bit. Just to check if it’s safe for you to be prancing about there.”
“Yay!!!”
“Just for a little bit.” Stan reiterated, clocking his companions horrified stares.
“Away we go!” Shouted Karl and charged out the door happily. Luckily he’d left it open and so no
damage reparations had to be made to the bar, this time.
damage reparations had to be made to the bar, this time.
“Are you nuts!” hissed Bill as they followed him out.
“Look, he’s clearly not going to give up.” Stan hissed back. “And i’m tired of Karl getting us kicked out
and banned from places when he throws one of his hissy fits. We’ll just go for a bit to be polite, wait
until he seems happy enough and distracted, and then just do a runner and go back to the bar for a
quiet nightcap and turn in for an early night. Sound good?”
and banned from places when he throws one of his hissy fits. We’ll just go for a bit to be polite, wait
until he seems happy enough and distracted, and then just do a runner and go back to the bar for a
quiet nightcap and turn in for an early night. Sound good?”
“Fine.” Grumbled John. “But I'm really not in the mood and my hooves hurt. One drink and then we’re
going right?”
going right?”
“Right. Just one drink.”
***
Ten hours later and the sun was well up in the sky and seemingly trying to sear its way into Stan’s
skull.
skull.
“Ugggghhh.” a muffled groan came from the side and Bill, adorned with various wreaths of flowers
and leaves staggered out of some nearby bushes, a human rave attending sliding off his back with a
thump as he did so. This didn’t seem to bother the human who kept snoring comfortably on the
ground.
and leaves staggered out of some nearby bushes, a human rave attending sliding off his back with a
thump as he did so. This didn’t seem to bother the human who kept snoring comfortably on the
ground.
“Have you seen John? Or Karl?” Stan asked through squinted eyes. The sparkles Bill gave of in the
morning sunshine were viciously attacking his eyeballs.
morning sunshine were viciously attacking his eyeballs.
“Bollocks to Karl.” Bill said savagely. “Where’s John? John!” he called.
“Here….” said a small, hung over voice. They peered down the small hill to see John trying his best
to clamber out of a ditch. “My hooves really hurt.” he said pathetically.
to clamber out of a ditch. “My hooves really hurt.” he said pathetically.
“I’m surprised they even touched the ground the amount of time you spent in the air.” Stan remarked,
not unkindly.
not unkindly.
“Don’t talk to me about wings.” John said darkly. “I’m currently trying to pretend I don't have any. I really
don’t want to think about what kind of muscle pains i’m going to have later.”
don’t want to think about what kind of muscle pains i’m going to have later.”
“Can anyone remember what happened?” Bill asked blearily.
“We had a drink.”
“Then another one.”
“Then a lot more.”
“Then that nice lady in the flower outfit gave us this multicoloured dust then……”
They all paused.
“Music? Lights? I don’t know. It’s all a blur.” Stan admitted. “We should get back. Looking at the sun
the park attendants are going to turn up soon and they’ll freak out when they find us missing.”
the park attendants are going to turn up soon and they’ll freak out when they find us missing.”
In the distance, panicked shouts coming from the fairground could be heard.
“Or they’ve already noticed we’re missing and now we’re screwed.”
John shook his mane and managed, shaking like a newborn foal the whole time, to stand up on all
four legs. “Com eon, we’ll just get back and latch back onto the carousel. Even if they know we’re
missing, if we can get back without them noticing us moving about, they’ll put it down as some sort of
prank. You know human, can find a way to explain anything, except the truth.”
four legs. “Com eon, we’ll just get back and latch back onto the carousel. Even if they know we’re
missing, if we can get back without them noticing us moving about, they’ll put it down as some sort of
prank. You know human, can find a way to explain anything, except the truth.”
Slowly, leaning against each other for support, trailing their tails behind them, they made it through
the fence and into the fairground.
the fence and into the fairground.
“Should we have looked for Karl?” Stan asked worriedly.
“Screw Karl.” Bill said. “Karl can look out for himself.”
“Sure he can.” BIll said in tones of grim death. “And he did. Bastard’s already here.”
Indeed he was. Bright, bushy tailed and pristine, looking like butter would never melt in his mouth,
Karl was already at carousel, ready and waiting for the day ahead.
Karl was already at carousel, ready and waiting for the day ahead.
The other three horses dragged their tired, wrecked and aching bodies onto the carousel. Bill was
still covered in flowers, John’s mane had taken ‘windswept’ to a whole new level and Stan was
coated in various strands of multicoloured beads. All three of their heads were pounding.
still covered in flowers, John’s mane had taken ‘windswept’ to a whole new level and Stan was
coated in various strands of multicoloured beads. All three of their heads were pounding.
“All right mates?” Karl said cheerfully. “Cor, you look like you all had a night and a half.”
“Shut up Karl.” they said in unison.
He snickered. “Feeling a little under the weather are we?”
In response, Bill just kicked him.
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