Finish The Story Contest - Week #59! Entry

Coaster Town

by @zeldacroft

“Carl, I’m not telling you again. No.” The teen shook his head emphatically as he shut his locker. John started to walk away, with Carl close behind. Most of the students had already escaped after the release of the final bell, leaving the two teens mostly alone as they exited the grimy public school halls.

“Aw c’ mon, man, my first shift starts tomorrow and I promised you’d be there,” Carl begged.

“I don’t understand, why did you even take the job if you knew you needed another person?”

“Because I knew I could count on you. My oldest, best friend. Buddy, Old Pal?” He nudged John in the ribs, who rolled his eyes and started walking faster out of the building. John could feel his resistance waning under the shallow arguments and incessant prodding. Saturdays were valuable, but it was almost summer and getting a job wouldn’t be so bad if he could do it with a friend. He could still make Carl work for it though.

“I don’t know, I’m not liking all this peer pressure,” he teased. “Mrs. Campbell would be very disappointed in you.”

“Peer pressure doesn’t include perks like Coaster Town has,” Carl clarified.

“What perks?” John questioned.

Carl stopped and faced him, taking a dramatic, deep breath.

“Fifteen percent off park entry!” He exclaimed, inciting an amused eyebrow raise from John and a chuckle from a passing teacher. “Plus a free pass for the Twister of Doom and free hamburgers from the café!”

“Oh, I’m sure unlimited hamburgers won’t get old fast.”

“They pay over minimum wage, too. Seriously, this could be our big opportunity for some cash before summer hits.”

They were nearly outside, the fresh late-spring air drifting in through the open door. It was a nice change from the mustiness and body spray overdoses, and it made John almost look forward to working at a theme park. He felt the call of freedom in the form of sunlight breaching through the school windows. Stepping outside, the afternoon warmth of the sidewalk between the brick institution and the emptying parking lot won him over.

“Did you say we get to work outside?” John asked. Carl’s face lit up with optimism.

“Yep, at least most of the time.” John stepped next to his bike, one of the last few chained nearby. He ignored the eager inquisitiveness emanating from Carl as he unshackled the bicycle and stood up.

“Well, I suppose I could give it a try, anyway,” he conceded. Carl did a strange sort of clapping dance motion as his grin grew its customary vastness.

“Thanks, John you won’t be sorry,” he promised as he proceeded to unhook his own bike. “And don’t worry, they provide our costume and everything.” John halted.

“Wait, our costume? Singular?” John could have sworn he heard the job description as entertainers, plural.

“Yeah, the mascot costume. I haven’t seen it yet but I’m sure we’ll fit.” Carl climbed onto his bike as John filled with horrific regret.

John walked up to the gates of Coaster Town. Carl was waiting with a big smile on his face, and he guided John to the cast entrance.

John still couldn’t figure out what the Coaster Town mascot was. After filling out their paperwork they headed over to the costume area and were told to wait.

“You won’t regret this John. Soon enough we will be cashing our first check.”

“We don’t even know what the costume is yet Carl, and if it is a horse I am out.”

Carl laughed a bit and then went back to looking at his phone. They walked in, it was a train. They explained it, one of them would be the conductor the other a rider. They suggested switching off each day who was in the back as that person was expected to yell a lot.

“Carl your in the back today”

Carl agreed. They headed over to get a burger before they had to start their shift. They sat down to eat and John looked around the park. So many people walking around. How could he turn this into something fun? He looked at his smartwatch and saw the photo button and got an idea.

John was able to hide his phone so the camera was able to take photos. He snapped a few test shots backstage and they went out. They only had to stay out for 30 minutes at a time before taking a break. It went pretty fast and it was fun to see the smiles on the kids' faces. As they went in for the first break he started to look at the photos he took of random groups around the park. Hoping to find something funny. Then he gasped.

“What John?

“No way carl check this out.”

John had pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed him the image. Carl didn’t see it at first. Then his jaw dropped.

“Is that the Principal with Sara?”

“Yup!”

“What are you going to do with it?”

“I am not sure but keep quite Carl”

They finished up their first shift and went home. John looked at the image for sure it was proof the Principal was kissing one of the students. John wanted to share it but he knew Sara. What should he do? He looked at his computer. He had to share it. He logged into his steem. He made a new account “Coaster Town Scandals. This job might be a lot of fun after all.

By the time summer started his new account had been featured on the local news. It was amazing the pictures he could get in is mascot outfit. People just didn’t realize he was there and none one ever told him he couldn’t go anywhere in the park. He had to give Carl some of the earnings but he was on his way to much more money than he earned at the park.

Hope that you enjoyed my ending. Try to check out the other stories also if you like the start of this one.

Image by @EdibleCthulhu