Come on, Ri! Please!
I sighed for what felt like the hundredth time and opened my door.
Her pouting face and red cheeks were nothing new to witness whenever she wanted something.
I already told you no, Jo.
Why not?
Cause I’m gonna spend Mardi Gras with my friends tomorrow,
and I don’t want my little sister crashing my style!
It irritated me how she always got what she wanted whenever she pulled the crocodile tears.
I was determined not to fall for it anymore.
But you never wanna play with me anymore! Don’t you like me?
I had to get her off my back in a way I knew only an eight-year-old would fall for.
So you really wanna come out with me tomorrow?
She nodded.
The only way for you to do so is if you pass the big kid challenge!
Big kid challenge?
Normally we’d have to wait until you’re a little older
but if you're that insistent on hanging with the big kids,
then I guess I can let you take the challenge a little early. That is, if you're up for it?
What do I do?
I led her to the bathroom.
The Candyman?
That’s right! Take a seat and I’ll explain.
We sat on the floor facing each other.
I remember putting on a deep mysterious voice like they do in the movies.
Prepare yourself Jo. This will determine if you can be considered a big kid!
Jo gulped
According to legend, if you chant “Candyman”
five times in front of a mirror, he’ll appear behind you.
But who is he?
The legend dates back to the 1800s. The Candyman was the son of a slave who
grew up on a plantation. One day, a wealthy landowner wanted him to paint his daughter.
However, the landowner didn’t realize that the Candyman and
his daughter would eventually fall in love.
When the girl’s dad found out, he was mad!
He organized a lynch mob to hunt down the Candyman and kill him
because he was a black man! You see back then in America, slavery was still very much a thing.
There was so much hatred and racism, and poor Candyman fell victim to it! He tried to run
but, eventually, they cornered him in a barn and cut off his right hand with a large blade!
Jo was trembling now.
However, it doesn’t end there, Jo! They smeared his body with honey and watched
as bees stung him to death, then burned his body into ashes and scattered them!
But as you know, he isn’t really gone! Evil racists turned him into a spirit hungry for
vengeance and now summoning him through a mirror gives him the power to kill.
W-What does he look like?
The Candyman is a tall man who wears a brown fur trench coat and leather shoes. Remember
the hand he lost? Now he has a bloody hook that he uses to gut his victims.
But that’s not all! The trench coat he wears? He uses it to cover his gross skinless rib cage
where he keeps a huge nest of bees! After he died he rose from the grave
and became a vengeful spirit that torments anyone who dares question his existence!
And now it’s time for you to do the big kid challenge!
W-What do I have to do?
You have to summon the Candyman by calling out his name five times
Her eyes widened
And look into the mirror. Do this, and you can come with me. Unless you can’t?
I-I’m not afraid! I-I’ll do it!
Okay, I’ll stand back here and watch!
I watched as she closed her eyes and began to say Candyman five times.
Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman, Candyman.
She then opened her eyes and waited.
Nothing happened, until the lights turned off
Then a hand grabbed her shoulder and a voice leaned in.
Boo.
She screamed so loudly it echoed off the walls, and ran out the bathroom
straight into the kitchen to mom and dad. She started crying hysterically.
I tried to calm her down, saying that it was only a game
But the red eyes...
Huh?
After explaining the situation to my parents I was left with two choices:
either take her out and make sure she had the best time in Mardi Gras
or stay home and be grounded. My choice was pretty obvious.
However, I was under the instruction that I must never let her out of my sight,
and I had to do what she wanted. I reluctantly agreed and the next day we left around noon.
The festivities were booming as my sister reveled in it all. She was overjoyed despite what happened
yesterday. We did everything she wanted, visited all the stalls and ate all the food.
I remember feeling exhausted as she dragged me everywhere.
Jo slowly lets go and Ri goes to her friends. As we rested underneath a tree I spotted my
friends. I told her I would be right back, and she grabbed my
arm and whined. I told her I’d be right back. She frowned but slowly let go.
My friends introduced me to Mitch who was in our class.
He was so cute. We talked a lot and I felt on top of the world.
When I checked the time, it was half an hour later. I swore under
my breath and told my friends I had to leave. I knew Jo would be pissed.
However, when I returned to the tree she wasn't there. I walked up to a
man selling cotton candy and asked him if he had seen her. I gave him a brief description,
and he recalled her buying cotton candy then waiting under the tree with a frown on her face.
I felt extremely guilty. But what he said
next made my blood run cold. Just before I came, she took off running.
I asked him which way she went, and he pointed down the street.
How could I be so stupid?! I allowed myself to be sidetracked and now my little sister was missing.
I knew mom and dad would be furious when they found out,
but I didn't care. I just wanted to find her.
I ran and screamed out her name. But nothing.
The sun had already set now, and the streetlights were coming on.
My legs were on fire due to fatigue but I wasn't ready to give up.
From the corner of my eye, I managed to see bright pink quickly shifting from my vision.
I realized it was Jo! She was running away from the main street with speed I
didn’t know a small eight-year-old could possess.
I darted off after her, screaming for her to wait. She didn't hear me;
the festivities were growing louder and there were a lot more adults out.
I tried my best to push and squeeze my way through the crowds.
I kept my eyes solely on my sister. Because of all the bodies blocking my way,
she gained some more distance and I was afraid I’d lose her again.
Jo was gradually running away from the festivities, towards a less populated area,
making it easier for me to see her, but still ignoring me.
Then she bolted inside of an old public bathroom. I didn't hesitate for a second when entering.
But just as I was about to open the door, a loud scream pierced my ears.
I froze as I gripped the door handle. Part of me wanted to let go and run as I instantly recognized
her scream. The other half wanted me to charge inside to face whatever menace scared my sister.
I took a moment to steady my breath and went inside. The smell was awful. It was as if no one
cleaned the bathroom in years. I had to pinch my nose. The lights were flickering, buzzing loudly.
J-Jo?!
No response.
With a shaky breath I slowly approached the stalls. There were four of them, all closed.
One by one I opened them, cringing by the creaking of the door. She wasn't in any of the first three,
but when I got to the last one, my heart pounded so loudly I thought it was gonna burst.
The door popped open from the other side.
Suddenly bees flew out and surrounded me as I screamed and fell back. I
swiped and kicked away as I cried – feeling my pants get warm and wet.
Then suddenly, the bees scattered and disappeared.
I opened my eyes and gasped in horror. A large man wearing a long furry trench
coat was towering over me with a smile on his face. The Candyman.
I covered my mouth as I stared at his chest.
It was skinless and mutilated with nothing hiding the disgusting flesh and bees.
He raised his right arm up. I stared at the large hook.
Y-You’re… You’re real!
Ah, so you know who I
am? Then you must know what comes next. Worry not child, I have not come for you. However…
He walked towards me and smiled so sinisterly I backed up even further,
ignoring the pain in the back of my head as I hit the sink.
I have come to thank you.
W-W-Wha…?
Yes, for I have been waiting for a naive soul to bring me back. Thank you.
He slowly caressed his hook against my cheek then raised my head up, examining me.
To be so young and irresponsible. Absolutely marvelous.
He stood up and covered his chest
Farewell. I do hope to see you again soon.
He chuckled darkly
Oh and do mind your sister in there. She had quite the experience.
And with that he walked out the door and out into the night. I don’t know how long it took
for me to compose myself but the moment I did, I slowly walked up to the stall and opened it.
The last thing I remember
was screaming my lungs out as I collapsed to the floor in a pool of my own sister’s blood.