I was assigned to clean and inspect the Phantom's Fury the roller coaster which had sat idle for over a decade in the farthest corner of a closed down section of Six Flags now it felt like a melum a tomb for the spirits of the past the park still buzzed on the other side with life that day families laughing children squealing with delight yet I was drawn to that forgotten section like a moth to a flame I had heard the whispers about the ride there was a malfunction and lives were lost when a rake's guard rail
swung open and many people fell to their deaths it did not make much waves in the national news due to the major political Scandal that broke the same day but there was a strange vibe to that section hey Avery my colleague Lucas called you really think it's safe to go back there it's just an inspection so we can move with a cleanup I replied waving him off what's the worst that can happen just saying people say there's a lot of bad blood here I'll be fine I assured him forcing A Smile as I ventured deeper
into the overgrown section the vibrant sounds of Joy faded replaced by an unsettling silence that wrapped around me like a heavy cloak the sun had set and a coldness enveloped the air everything there was in a state of decay and rot I stepped closer to the coaster my boots crunching on gravel that's when I heard it a soft clattering like an old chain dragging along the tracks at first I thought it was a figment of my imagination but each step brought the sound closer more pronounced it felt rhythmic mechanical yet Hollow stop it Avery I
muttered forcing myself to move forward the clattering morphed into distant screams but they weren't joyful shrieks no these were panic-stricken desperate cries rising and intensity before abruptly cutting off I stood Frozen breath caught in my throat trying to convince myself that it was just the wind but fear settled deep in my gut I was midway into my inspection when I heard the screams again but this time the ground vibrated beneath me it felt as if the very Earth was alive pulsating with a rhythm I couldn't comprehend I took a step back but the sensation clung
to me an unsettling reminder about this place just finish this inspection and get out of here as I passed a rusted ride car a cold gust of wind rushed past me sharp and unnatural leaving the scent of burning oil in its wake the contrast with the warm summer air sent a shiver up my spine I shook my head but then came the moment that shattered any remaining semblance of rationality I reached for one of the decaying seat belts analyzing the condition of the material but as my fingers brushed Against The Frayed material it jerked away
from me snapping back as though pulled away by an unseen force my heart came into my mouth and I retreated my steps there were no explanation no logic to grasp on to just an overwhelming sense that I was not alone I carefully reached for it again but this time everything was normal so I took a deep breath in and carried on with my work but I couldn't ignore the terrible stench it clung to the air and made my stomach churn few minutes later the atmosphere grew heavier suffocating and then the noises surged around me clattering
of chains faint screams gusts of cold air the vibrations beneath my feet intensified making my knees Buckle slightly the atmosphere thickened clinging to my skin like a shroud it felt as though the ride had awakened coming alive then without warning a rusted car lurched forward along the track I froze horror clawing at my insides as the sound of clattering chains roared around me the ride long dormant had somehow revived my stomach Twisted as the first car ascended the height of the tracks its Rusty Wheels squealing in protest what I saw next etched itself into my
mind forever strapped into the decaying seats were ghostly figures their bodies twisted and disfigured trapped in the moment before their demise they were translucent their faces were Hollow devoid of expression as if all hope had been snuffed out but what haunted me the most were their hands lifeless yet raised in a mockery of Joy No this can't be happening I gasped staggering back as the car plummeted down the first drive their hollowed faces turned towards me and I heard the faintest whisper join us the world around me blurred my heart raced and panic consumed me
I didn't think I ran I stumbled backward nearly tripping over my own feet as I bolted away from the Phantom's Fury the cacophony of chains and Hollow screams chased me in that moment I understood the truth the ride was alive holding on to its lost soul and I was merely a trespasser in their domain as I fled I could still feel the vibrations in the ground beneath me a haunting reminder that some stories are never meant to be forgotten and some places are better left alone my name is Mark and I had only recently started
my job as a maintenance worker at a Six Flags amusement park I was told that the park has its quirks which become prominent once the the rides Clos but nothing prepared me for what I encountered during my recent assignment the grand old Carousel the carousel had always been the Crown Jewel of the park with its vibrant hand painted horses and cheerful organ music that echoed throughout the grounds however after a recent renovation something felt off I'd been tasked with inspecting it after a series of complaints about it malfunctioning playing distorted music or starting up on
UN expectedly in the dead of night it was on a particularly still evening after the park had closed when I first heard the music I had just finished running a series of tests on another ride's motor when the soft familiar notes of the carousel began to play floating through the air like a siren's call the lights flickered on casting a warm glow but I knew the power was off what technical glitch do we have here shaking my head as I approached the carousel I had worked on that ride bunch of times yet that night felt
off the horses with their intricate designs and shimmering paint Stood Still beneath the light ominously I dismissed my unease attributing it to fatigue and continued my work but just when I was down in checking the machines I suddenly felt someone's hand on my shoulder I let out a yell but as I turned I realized that there was no one that is when the lights and the the music went off all of a sudden and I just scuttled the following night I returned to the Carousel heart heavy with a mix of apprehension and curiosity as I
approached The Haunting Melody began again gentler this time with an almost childlike quality but something was wrong one of the horses seemed to be facing me directly its eyes glimmering with a lifelike quality that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up it was different from the others it looked old and had paint chipping off all right this is getting weird Mark a voice called from behind me pulling me from my revery it was Lucas my colleague stepping into the glow of the carousel's light you back here again yeah I said still
staring at the horse you ever notice anything strange about this ride it's been acting up a lot lately Lucas chuckled but there was an edge of uncertainty in his voice you mean like theb Legend they say one of the horses is haunted I shot him a skeptical look haunted yeah there's this old story about a special horse it was modeled after the owner's little girl who used to visit the park all the time when it opened tragic accident took her life nearby and they say the horse was cursed guests complained about it and since rumors
are bad for business it was removed seriously I'd heard Whispers of ghost stories but I've always dismissed them as folklore yeah people would freak out said it was just too lifelike it must still be in the archives I wouldn't want to be here alone at night if I were you he laughed but it sounded Hollow after Lucas left I found myself drawn to the archives digging through old records and photographs of the Carousel hours later I stumbled upon an old photo that made my heart race there it was the very horse I had seen its
paint chipping off standing next to a little girl who looked so joyful a chill washed over me as I read the accompanying notes the carousel horse Leela was destroyed years ago after complaints of strange Behavior I swallowed hard the realization sinking in how could this be determined to confront the mystery I returned to the Carousel the park was eerily quiet and the moment I stepped near the ride began to spin on its own the cheerful music now twisted and distorted the light flickered violently as well as the carousel spun faster my eyes widened in horror
there she was Leela the cursed horse and on its back sat the little girl from the photograph her eyes locked onto mine unblinking and eerily calm Mark she whispered her voice barely audible over the chaotic Symphony of the carousel I could feel my heart racing the cold grip of of fear tightening around my throat the ride's music distorted further morphing into a chilling lullabi that felt impossibly alive no this can't be real I shouted my instinct screaming at me to run but my legs felt heavy paralyzed the girl's eyes boring into my soul just as
I turned around to escape I saw the girl before me her hands stretching out join us mark she said her voice sweet but laced with a chilling undertone I was looking into her eyes which were pitch black Panic surged within me and in a sudden Rush of adrenaline I tore myself away from the carousel sprinting through the dark Paths of the park the distorted music echoed behind me the laughter of the girl Twisted into something sinister as I fled when I returned the next morning I rushed to the office but they wouldn't believe what I
had seen along the way I ran into Lucas again but that is when I received the Shocker he said that he had been on a leave for a week and wasn't in the park the previous night it made me wonder who did I run into and why did they guide me to the archives I quit my job then and there it was going to be the greatest summer yet Rachel and I along with friends had had been planning this trip to Six Flags for months looking forward to a day filled with roller coasters carnival games
and overpriced snacks the sun was bright when we entered the park and the air was alive with the excited screams of Thrill Seekers Rachel was always up for an adventure encouraging everyone to try the most terrifying rides in the park nothing today would change this pattern today she had set her Target on the Cyclone this newest most extreme roller coaster in the park standing out as the tallest ride above the park its Twisted tracks seemed to be warping with the laws of physics come on guys it's going to be epic Rachel shouted her eyes sparkling
with excitement me I'm not a fan of heights but I didn't want to appear to be a coward yeah sure let's do it I mumbled trying to sound like I was enthusiastic we waited in line the slow pace only picking up as we all edged closer to the ride Rachel couldn't help but notice an old man near the entrance he was weathered in face and eyes filled with the weird mix of sadness and a warning he caught Rachel's eye shaking his head slowly as he mouthed words that she couldn't hear did you see that guy
she whispered to me he looked strange I Shrugged just probably one of those theme park weirdos don't let it get to you we inched closer to the front of the line we buckled ourselves in the safety bar snapped into place as we settled in the operator gave us the thumbs up and the coaster lurched forward starting up a slow climb to the top the anticipation built with each Clank of the chain lift as we crested the summit the park stretched out below us and for an instant all was silent then with a jolt the coaster
hurled down in the wind whipping past us as we screamed in acceleration and Terror the twisting curves came Fast and Furious G forces pinning us to our seats halfway down something seemed off the coaster rattled and my heart stopped the ride was breaking down Panic flooded the operator's face as he frantically pressed buttons hoping to regain control Rachel what's happening I yelled over the din of the ride I don't know hold on Rachel was yelling back as she gripped the safety bar until her knuckles were white again the coaster jolted and I could feel my
restraints loosening fear was racing my mind this wasn't supposed to happen we were supposed to be safe jarring the ride came to an abrupt dead stop and we hung precautious at an angle sounds of mechanical failure echoed from all sides and through loudspeakers the voice of the operator crackling and remaining as calm as possible please remain calm there are technical problems emergency services are on their way my heart kept pounding in my chest chest the roller coaster ride was no longer a thrilling experience it had turned into a nightmare I could hear my friends whispering
in fear and a feeling of realization of vulnerability hit us we sat there waiting for rescue minutes looking like hours then the rotor sound of a helicopter and a few figures climbing up the structure a first responder reached us his face hidden under a helmet as he set up each Rider in a harness they got us out of there with without any further problems Rachel and I were last as we were lowered from the awning relief washed over us except that something felt off the park was deathly silent the usual cacophony of noise had been
replaced by concerned murmurs and flashing lights of rescue vehicles as we were being dragged away I could feel I was seeing that old man sitting in a corner there he had his voice to various officials while speaking with them voicing some murmured words in his face looked grave I felt the old man must have known something we did not later coming together to our friends we felt a park official caught hold of us we're sorry for the scare the ride had malfunction due to a technical error we're conducting a full investigation Rachel nodded still dazed
thanks we're just glad we're safe as I left the park I heard two maintenance guys it's the same problem from last month they should have shut it down then my blood blood ran cold we nearly became victims of negligence I looked at Rachel and my voice quivered we should report this they knew it was dangerous Rachel nodded Gravely to the responsibility let's make sure nothing like this happens again our exciting day turned into a close call but still we learned that no one else would go through such Danger The Twist in our adventure was not
just the malfunction but also the way that our lives had been gambled for profit it a week later Rachel and I were sitting in a dingy dismal room there was the parks attorney and an insurance investigator for one they were trying to have us tell them everything about the incident the air was tense as we described what happened we understand your concern said the attorney lastly however there is something you need to know Rachel and I stared at each other in bewilderment what is it I asked the lawyer took a lung full of air the
Cyclone was to have been demolished months ago the thing is unsafe he said it had been inspected multiple times and declared unsafe however the management reinstated the order due to its budgetary constraint Rachel's mouth opened in shock you mean that they were well aware it was unsafe but they continued running it the attorney nodded yes but worse we found that the ride was intentionally designed to fail I felt a wave of cold shock what why anyone's going to do that the investigator Advanced well we think it is some sort of insurance fraud attempt the management
had good hopes to collect a big amount from its insurance policy due to an accident Rachel's face ped to a whitish color so we were just a pawn in their game the lawyer nodded grimly unfortunately so but thanks to your testimonies and the evidence the perpetrators will be brought to Justice r and I walked out of the office days Six Flags was the destination a day of rides Thrills and fun and after all into the clutches of greedy corporate individuals walking away from the park I turned around one last time my adrenaline now replaced by
a sense of resolve in me we had just ridden out of the Cyclone but the real roller coaster was just starting to go
