Candy Floss 2016 Novels & Stories

I asked, eyeing it suspiciously. “Open it.” I peek inside and my jaw actually drops. It’s full of candy. Not just any candy, my favorite candy. Sour gummy worms, chocolate-covered pretzels, those weird strawberry things I can never remember the name of but always buy anyway, and even those little caramel squares that stick to your teeth. Knox pulls out two pieces and slides them across the table. “For every question you get right, you get a reward.” My entire mood does a complete one-eighty. I sit up straighter and grab the candy like it’s made of gold. “Are you serious right now?”

“It’s no trouble.” We kept working. The sun climbed higher in the sky, beating down on us until my skin felt like it was starting to burn. I had been at it for a while, so I decided to call it a day. I stood, dusting my knees off, then noticed something on the ground next to Lindsey. It was small and wrapped in shiny foil—a candy. My brows lifted. I recognized that brand, and it was expensive, imported from overseas. It was surprising enough to find one in a rogue camp.

Caramel apples, popcorn, and freshly grilled meat filled my nostrils. Lily was practically bouncing with excitement, her small fingers clutching onto Damien’s hand as she tugged him forward. She was our navigator, leading us to any booth that caught her eye. We spent the next hour indulging in festival treats. I got a stick of cotton candy and decided to try out meat skewers, while Lily munched on one sweet thing to the other. I was surprised she wasn’t full. “Mommy, can we get those chocolate figurines?” “You going to get a stomach ache if you keep eating all these sweets.”

I cross the street, my eyes still darting around, looking for any clue, any sign that this wasn't a wasted trip. As I step inside the Candy Corner, the bell above the door jingles, a surprisingly cheerful sound. The air inside is thick with the sweet, cloying smell of sugar and something vaguely fruity. Shelves are crammed with colorful packets of sweets, old-fashioned jars of hard candies, and a small, dusty display of newspapers.

Toad asked digging through the box until he found a red lollipop. “You got a passport?” Werewolf asked Knuckles pulling the box towards him. “What flavors are there?” “Strawberry.” Toad said pulling the candy out of his mouth. “What flavor do you want?” Nessie looked in the box and pulled out an off-white lollipop. “Apple pie.” “Hell yeah.” Werewolf said accepting the candy. “Yeah, call me Lollipop all you want.” Lollipop smiled. “These things fucking rock.” Ink came over holding his youngest infant, Camden.

They both made their order, which included the one for Finn. “Here you go,” the lady behind the counter said, handing three sticks of cotton candy to them, and Bella reached for her pockets to pay, but Kai beat her to it, placing his cash on the counter before she could take hers out. “Thank you,” she replied, turning around quickly to hide her cheeks, which were flaring up. “No sweat,” Kai replied, then they walked away from the stall, strolling around the carnival grounds while Bella enjoyed the large ball of candy, which tasted like a mixture of air and caramel.

They dashed into the nearest building, a supermarket named Happy Mart, alongside other people seeking shelter from the rain. “Where’s my cotton candy?” Felix asked, looking at the stick that he had been holding. When he had left the amusement park, a large ball of cotton candy had been attached to the other end. “It got dissolved in the rain. Did you know that cotton candy would melt if it came in contact with liquid?” Cassie asked pausing from wringing out her hair to stare at him quizzically. She snickered when he shook his head. “You’re so sheltered.”

Cassidy is devouring some cotton candy, and now I want some. "The fireworks start in an hour and a half. Shirley and Bill have a canopy setup on the corner by the store. Y'all should join us," Tisha says. Cassidy nods her head in agreement, mouth still full of cotton candy. "Is there room for our families to come too?" I inquire. "Of course," Cassidy answers, balling up the empty cotton candy bag in her hand. She is smiling big and looking back and forth between Jon and I. "Did you see something, Cassidy," Jon questions.

I chewed dramatically and sighed. “Oh my God. That one’s illegal. What is that, a crime of flavor?” “Raspberry Champagne,” he said, tasting his own piece. “Yep. We’re getting arrested.” Like it tasted too nice for it to be legal. We laughed through every flavor, rating them, arguing over frosting thickness, and debating the morality of fondant as if we could make any. It was stupid and perfect and everything I didn’t know I needed. Midway through tasting, a girl probably no older than sixteen tiptoed to our table, eyes wide and hands shaky.

“You’re home early.” “Couldn’t wait to get back,” I said, holding up the candy floss. “And I brought a surprise.” Her eyes widened with delight. “Candy floss? You remembered!” “Of course,” I replied, handing her one of the sticks. “I know how much you love it.” She took the candy floss and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best.” I laughed, feeling a rush of happiness. “So, what’s cooking? The house smells amazing.”