Chapter Text
“Have any of you ever heard of a place called... Wonderland?”
That was what Lucretia had said when she’d handed the documentation over to Lup. Of course, Lup had spent the next week pouring over the reports and articles. Which was why the whole ghost hunting crew had gotten back together, plus one former ghost in the form of Barry Hallwinter, to go check out this abandoned roadside attraction.
Taako pulled his car into a parking space in the part of the lot closest to the old ticket concession gates and looked around. There was grass growing up between the cracks in the asphalt and a pair of crows sat over the gate gazing down at them. Lup got out and grabbed her backpack from the floor at her feet.
“Okay, so this place is creepy as fuck.”
Taako got out and leaned against the car.
“What were you expecting, Lulu? Rainbows and kittens? It’s a haunted theme park.”
Barry got out of the backseat, looking a little green. He leaned heavily against the car for a long moment before turning towards the gates.
“Did uh... did you guys hear that?”
Lup and Taako exchanged a look and then followed Barry’s gaze. Kravitz got out of the car then, going to the trunk to grab the gear bags. Lup looked at Barry, slightly concerned.
“I didn’t hear anything, Bear.”
Barry was still staring at the gates but then he shrugged.
“Maybe it was nothing.”
Julia and Magnus pulled in then and it was time to get moving. They approached the gates to the park, surrounded as they were by a jungle of overgrown weeds. The ticket concession stands themselves were covered in messy graffiti, but the graffiti didn’t spread up to the sign. The sign was untouched people. Only time had changed it from what had originally been there. For a moment, the six of them stood there and looked up at the sign over the gates with its faded paint and unlit neon: Welcome to Wonderland. Taako shivered and took a sip from his iced coffee.
“You know what, on second thought, Taako’s good out here.”
But Magnus was already running towards the gates with a camera in his hands. Kravitz was just behind him with a duffel bag over one shoulder. A moment later, they all heard Magnus yelling.
“We should’ve brought Carey! It’s locked.”
Lup grinned and turned to Barry.
“Wanna go pop that bad boy wide open, babe?”
He returned her grin and jogged up to join Magnus. For a moment, he just looked at the gate, then he closed his eyes. There was a flicker almost like reality had static for just a moment and then Barry was gone. They heard a squeak and the lock popped. The gate creaked open and Barry reappeared, standing in front of them. For a long moment, everyone but Lup stared at Barry in shock and horror. He was smiling sheepishly.
“Did uh... did I forget to tell you guys I could do that?”
Kravitz stared at Barry and then looked back at Lup who was grinning like the cat that got the cream. He pinched the bridge of his nose and walked through the gate.
“I hate all of you right now.”
Magnus was still staring at Barry as everyone else walked in. He raised his camera and took a picture of Barry. Then he lowered the camera slowly.
“Are you still dead?”
Barry sighed a little.
“Nope. Definitely alive. Ask Lup if you don’t believe me.”
Then Barry turned and followed Lup into the park. Magnus jogged a little to catch up with Julia. A moment later, they were standing by the large map of the park.
“Okay,” Kravitz took charge of the conversation, tracing a finger along the paths on the dusty map. “Each pair take a different section of the park. Barry, Lup, you two have Future Town. Julia, Magnus, take the Western Adventure. Taako and I will start in the Fantasy Zone. If you leave your section, radio in. Don’t leave your partner. Don’t go anywhere alone. And Barry, don’t do whatever the hell you did by the gates on camera.”
Barry rolled his eyes but he didn’t say anything. Lup was giggling as she reached for his hand. Julia was looking the map over.
“Looks good to me, Krav. Radio check-ins every hour, gang. If you miss your check-in, we’re gonna come looking for you.”
Each pair grabbed their respective equipment and checked the time to set for the first check-in. Then they split up, each heading off to their own sections. As Barry and Lup turned down the path towards Future Town, he stopped again and looked up at the castle with a little frown.
“Bear?”
Barry shook his head, trying to clear it.
“Sorry... Just thought I heard something again. But I think it was nothing.”
Somewhere in the decrepit castle in the center of Wonderland, two spirits stirred. Someone had entered their domain, six someones if they were any guess. Both spirits stretched and rose up out of their slumber. It had been so long since they had had a source of suffering, of fear. Two nearly identical smiles curled on two nearly identical faces. Today, they would get a chance to feed.