Fun at the State Fair

Written for the Start to Finish Challenge sponsored by the Opal Twins.

Little Susie and her big brother Jimmy shrieked with joy as the State Fair’s merry-go-round started turning. This was a trip of a lifetime. Growing up on a farm with little money, little Susie and Jimmy had never been to town, but they had looked longingly at the one magazine the family owned that featured an article about the State Fair that came to town every fall.

“I’m tired of riding this old horse,” said little Susie sounding somewhat like Ellie Mae Clampett. “I’m gonna go ride that old big lion.”
“Careful, little Susie,” Jimmy shouted with a Jethro Bodine twang, “ Better keep your leg away from that old lion’s mouth. He might bite it off.”

Their parents stood near the merry-go-round gate and watched their children enjoy themselves.
“Paw,” their mother said, “I’m so glad we got to bring the children to the Fair. They are having such a good time.”
“Me, too, Maw,” their father said, demonstrating where the kids got their speech patterns, “I only regret they couldn’t a come sooner. I mean, it’s a shame two youngans had to wait till they was 16 and 18 before they got to the Fair.”

Suddenly a violent wind seemed to materialize around their area. Paw looked up to survey the sky and determine what the weather was when he saw it. A big round pie shaped apparatus that had spinning edges and an otherworldly glow. Laser shots from the apparatus abruptly began firing at various objects around the Fair.

“Run for cover,” Paw shouted, “It’s the whirling wheels of Ezekiel!”
But Maw shouted back, “Paw, if it’s the end of the world! Ain’t no need to run, the Lord will find you no matter where you run!”
“Well, I gonna run,” answered back Paw, “It may not be the Lord! It may be the other side!”

Several lasers hit the animals on the merry-go-round in rapid succession and every one hit came to life. Little Susie was on the lion and when it was hit, it came to life and bolted from its position on the wheel. Jimmy was on a big old hog and it, too, came alive. When it started off the merry-go-round he dug his heals in trying to stop it cause it was a big pig and he had ideas of butchering and barbecuing.

Paw had finally regained his senses and realizing his family was in danger, ran back to the pickup truck and retrieved his .22 caliber rifle. With his .22 rifle full loaded with.22 hollow point long-rifle ammunition, he began firing at the alien spacecraft. And being an uncommonly lucky man, he had once won the cowboy horse clock with the first punch of the contest down at the country store, one of the many bullets he fired hit the exact center of the most vulnerable spot on the craft. The rim stop spinning and with a sound like a record player slowing down the craft suddenly began to settle to the parking lot right on top of a bunch of cars.

Aliens poured out of the craft searching for components to rebuild the RIM-MOD.exe, which had been damaged by the rifle attack of Paw. They broke open cars, looked under hoods and pulled radios and cell phones out of the cars looking for anything that could be modified for use.

Maw and Paw went to find their children. Little Susie was stroking the now plastic lion saying, “It’s OK. You gonna get to go back to the merry-go-round where you’ll be happy.” Jimmy on the other hand had finally wrestled the hog down and was trying to cut him up with his Barlow knife.

“Jimmy, put that Barlow away,” Paw said, “you can’t barbecue plastic. Ya’ll come on; we’ve had enough fun for one day. Let’s get out a here before them aliens get reloaded.”
“Can we come again next year?” asked Jimmy.
“We might,” answered Paw hurrying the family to the parking lot, “But I don’t suspect you’ll be with us. You know you been planning on joining up with the army.”

When they arrived at the parking lot, folks were scurrying around wondering what to do. The aliens were all over the parking lot. Suddenly the big craft roared to life and the aliens began running into the craft. Everyone sighed with relief when the aliens finally boarded their spacecraft and zoomed off into the heavens.