“Don’t blink! You might miss!” she laughed.

Her smile had no effect on his hidden expression.

He took aim with the small gun, and fired.

DINGDING
“We have a winner!”

A man with a scraggly beard and smelled like cigarette smoke handed him a huge, stuffed animal snake, which he quickly passed on to her.

“Great shot!” she laughed again, wrapping the snake around her arm. “Ready? Let’s roll onto something new!”

“Stop.”

His seriousness instantly melted her smile off her face.

“I’ve had it with this game,” he whispered. He was barely audible above the screams, laughs, and noises of the fair.

“What’s wrong?” she said, hushed by his expression. Deep concern replaced the vanished smile.

He started walking away from her, into a noisy crowd of people.

“Wait!” she yelled. She ran after him, and caught his arm.

“Pace yourself from me!” he yelled.

“Tell me what’s going on!” she said “What’s wrong?”

“Maybe later!”

“No! Tell me!”

“I said maybe, baby! Please!”

He tore his arm away from her and melted away.