From where he stood on the dock, he could see over the wall that surrounded the park. If he got a running start, he was sure he could jump over the barrier and into the confines of the complex. Before he had the opportunity to change his mind, the boy bolted toward the edge of the concrete terrace and leaped with all his might.
His estimation was correct and he easily cleared the fence, but he failed to take into account the distance to the ground. He landed hard and force threw him forward, buckling his legs and driving his chin into the pavement before he could put out his hands to brace himself. He lay on the ground for a moment, his body twisted unnaturally and his head spinning. Slowly he got to his feet and winced at the pain shooting through his skinned knees, elbows and face.
Glancing around he was relieved to find that the place definitely seemed deserted. He could hear the janitor's unintelligible murmurs coming from outside, but nothing else. No hum of electricity. No shuffling of feet. Not even a whisper of wind.
Sean made his way to the nearest concession stand and tried to force open one of the service windows. It was locked as well, so he picked up a landscaping stone and heaved it through the glass. Brushing the broken fragments away, he climbed through and went straight for the sink. Just as he feared: no water either. He knew he would have to find water if he was going to survive here for any length of time. The refrigerators that held bottled beverages had already warmed to the surrounding climate, but he grabbed every one that he could and stuffed them into a garbage bag he found under the counter. Before exiting, he glanced at the telephone hanging on the wall. Reaching out and lifting the receiver from the cradle, his heart practically stopped when he heard a dial tone. His trembling fingers punched in 9-1-1 and he held his breath.
It rang. And rang. And rang again. Then he heard a click. "Hello --"
It rang. And rang. And rang again. Then he heard a click. "Hello --"
"My name is Sean and I'm locked inside an amusement park and there are crazy people trying to kill me!" he shouted frantically into the phone.
"-- you have reached 9-1-1 emergency services. All of our operators are currently busy. Please stay on the line. *BEEP*"
A lump formed in Sean's throat and tears welled in his eyes. He sank to the floor, still gripping the useless device. Then it chirped to life again.
"If you come in contact with any persons behaving erratically or encounter individuals who appear violent or otherwise dangerous, do not approach them. Find shelter immediately and secure yourself inside. Do not attempt to help or hinder these people. Do not try to communicate with them. Further instructions to follow via the Emergency Broadcast System.*CLICK*"
He knew it was pointless, but Sean attempted dialing other numbers, only to be met with busy signals or endless ringing. Even answering machines and voicemails failed to pick up. As the rush of adrenaline gave way to despair, the tears came unhindered and he sobbed himself to sleep.