SVT Super Chiller #3 - The Carnival Ghost
This was my favourite SVT book; it's the first one I ever read from the Public Library. I remember borrowing it on the basis it was a ghost book, and then I got hooked on the SVT series, and, eventually SVH etc! I bought it from the library when they deemed it was too tatty to remain on the shelf any longer and I still have it now :-). So, here it is...
We'll start off with the cover shall we. I apologise for the blurriness. Elizabeth is featured in the foreground (wearing a really, err, hip shirt) and looking over her shoulder at what appears to be a rather sweet looking old fashioned ghost floating near a ferris wheel. In terms of covers, this one is spot on really, except for Liz likes the ghost until the end, but we'll come back to that later. I suppose it could be Jessica, but I can't imagine her dressing like that (it's not purple) and of course, there's the ponytail. So I'm sticking with it being Liz. 'Kay?
The book starts off with the twins and the rest of the Wakefield clan having dinner in a Chinese restaurant. A waiter comes along to hand out the fortune cookies. He comments on how, as the twins are identical, they should have identical fortunes. This is cue for the usual stock description of the twins differences, but how they are always best friends. Actually, I thought they slipped it in quite well in this book. So anyway, Jessica reads her fortune and refuses to read it out. She tosses it away, but Steven grabs it and reads it aloud - 'vanity is your greatest weakness'. She is embarrassed, but, c'mon guys, very fitting for Jess! Elizabeth reads hers out - 'Avoid high places if you do not want to fall'. She feels an odd chill as uttering the words (foreshadowing, anyone). Jess makes light of the fortune, and thinks about asking the waiter for new ones. Ned says no, and they go home. On the way they drive past the beach, and they are really surprised to see a carnival being set up (can anyone tell me what an American carnival consists of please. Cos I always thought it involved various animals and so on. But anyway). Surely the carnival would have been advertised. And, in fact, in an SVT Super Edition, 'BIG for Christmas', the carnival is again mentioned at being there, (but strangely minus evil ghosts, hmm) so the twins would be aware a carnival came every year at Christmas. Unless it only comes in their e-x-t-r-a l-o-n-g 12th year. Also, you'd think Liz would be a bit anxious going to somewhere she nearly died. But they seem to be very excited it's coming, anyway, and Jessica hints she wants a raise in her allowance (or pocket money, to us Brits). The parents say they will think about it.
Moving on to the next chapter, Elizabeth is in her room. Jess comes in moaning that she is bored. Liz, in her usual practical fashion, asks how can she be bored; Mom and Dad have just taken them to lunch, and Xmas Day was only yesterday. She then suggests riding their bikes down to watch the carnival being set up. Jessica, who thought Liz was going to suggest cleaning out their closets or something (sad but true that she would actually suggest doing that on Boxing Day) is agreeable, and off they go. I have to keep reminding myself that in California, it would be sunny and warm, cos in Britain all I want to do on Boxing Day is stay in the warmth as much as possible, not go bike riding near the sea. I wanna live in California!! When they arrive at the carnival grounds, they see a few of their friends, including Amy Sutton (who remember is Elizabeth's friend not Jessica's in this series), Lila Fowler and Ellen Riteman. Lila shows off about her new mohair sweater, which is 'pink, and covered in white fluffy tufts......Jessica thought she looked a bit like a rabbit. But she didn't tell Lila that". Haha I had to laugh! Fashion disaster, Li! They all agree to be there early the next morning.
The next morning, Jessica is ready before Elizabeth (minor miracle)! She basically drags Elizabeth through the door, and off they head to the carnival. It's not called the CARNIVAL Ghost for nothing, believe me! When they get there, they have to walk through a clown's mouth to enter (now, believe me, this would freak me out before I even started! Bleh)! They comment on how many food stalls there are, and how Steven will love it. Heh! They then decide to go through the Haunted House (not a frickin chance, I'm 20 and I can't go through them)!. They walk through, and then the path splits up. One way is Vampires, one way is Ghosts. Liz is nervous of splitting up, as I would be, but Jessica laughs at her, and heads off through Vampires, cos she doesn't like ghosts. Not sure which would be worse, personally. Liz hesitates, thinking she could go after Jessica, when a girl says from behind her "There's nothing to be scared of". With that, she walks past Liz and goes through the door. Liz notices she is wearing an old fashioned dress, tied in the back with a blue bow, and has long dark hair. She follows the girl through, to find the girl has disappeared. Liz follows the path, which leads through an open grave. As she goes, she notices the gravestone is granite, with the initials C.C and Victorian dates 10 years apart etched into it. Remember this for later, boys and girls! It's important. She quickly heads through and goes through a door marked Exit, hoping to catch up with the girl. As she hurries through, a figure rises up from behind a headless ghoul and chops her head off. End of book.
Not really. Ha ha ha!
Jessica jumps up from behind the headless ghoul and grabs Liz round the neck. Liz is angry (yep, i would be too) and they compare the two sections, which are similar except it's an open casket in the Vampire section. Elizabeth tells Jessica about the mysteriously disappearing girl, which Jess brushes off. As they step out the Haunted House, Liz says she sees the girl in the crowd and buggars off after her, leaving Jess on her own. Nice, Liz!
Jess goes a-hunting for the Unicorns, but can't find them. She spends nearly all her money on game booths and food, and with her last ticket decides to go visit the fortune teller, Mademoiselle Z. Second important fact to remember, people! She is a bit intimidated by the bloke outside, who is bald with piercings (very radical for SV) but steps in with his assurance of "step inside, she will not hurt you". Is that like saying to pop a balloon; it won't hurt you but sure gives you a shock? Hmm!! So in she goes, and MZ (as I am going to call her from now on, sorry, but fingers are aching) predicts that something good will happen to Jessica, and soon. Jess is duly impressed by MZ's technique of crystal ball staring. Is she just naive? Or stupid? Lol, well anyway, Jessica goes to leave, when she sees Elizabeth by the entrance/exit (clown's mouth, remember) and catches up. She is a bit annoyed that Liz upped and left her on her own, understandably if you ask me, but is soon bubbling over with enthusiasm about MZ and her prediction. Liz, likewise, tells Jessica all about the girl, who's name is Clare, and who's father owns the carnival. Apparently she is younger than the twins (10) but she acts 'so grown up'. Jess is like "don't you think you should be hanging round with kids your own age, Elizabeth". Good point. But, nopes, Liz is determined to be do-goody friends with Clare, as she thinks Clare is lonely.
Over dinner, the 'rents announce that they are going to give the twins, and Steven, a raise in their allowance. Jessica immediately starts enthusing about MZ, and how her prediction has come true. She asks to go back to the carnival later that night, to meet up with the Unicorns and show them MZ. Their parents agree to take them, this once.
Back at the carnival, Liz goes off to meet Clare, obviously delighted to be able to spend more time with a girl she's known, what, 5 hours at most! Jess meets up with the Unicorns, and tells them all about MZ. Lila is skeptical, and insists they go round the carnival before going to meet MZ. Jess reluctantly agrees, and watches as Lila, after about 10 goes, wins a Jonny Buck T-shirt at a booth. She puts it on and preens. Jess then manages to drag the Unicorns off to meet MZ. She is very gracious to Jessica, as Jess tells her that her prediction has come true, but Lila starts making comments like "all fortune tellers are phonies, you know". MZ understandably gets a lil pissed off, and says to Lila that something bad will happen to her! Lila laughs and marches out, nose firmly in the air. Jess lags behind and apologises. MZ tells Jess to come again.
Outside, Lila stops to pet a horse. The horse goes mental and, Lila, backing away, trips over a rope and lands in a puddle. Her new Jonny Buck t-shirt is covered in chocolate milkshake and mud. Oh noes! As Jess is watching, she looks up and notices Liz strolling on her own a few yards away. She calls to her but Liz walks on as if she hasn't heard.
The next morning, Jess goes down to breakfast to find Liz has already gotten up and gone to the carnival without her. She is a bit surprised that she didn't wait. Jessica's mom suggests she give her room it's annual clean up before she goes out, much to Jessica's disgust! As she is on her way to do it, she peeks in Liz's room to find that Liz hasn't made her bed, and she has left a small pile of clothes on the floor. For Liz, this is a shocker! As we find out in 'BIG for Christmas', Liz has made her bed every day since she was five! Jess also sorts Lizzie's room out for her (not good enough Jess, you got a lot to make up for yet) and decides to head over to the carnival. She is in a rush, and decides to wear Liz's yellow blouse, however, upon inspection, Liz is already wearing it. She decides to wear a yellow t-shirt instead, even though they will look alike she hasn't got time to change. Just as she is getting ready, the doorbell rings. It's Amy Sutton. She wants to know if Liz is ready to go on the bike ride they planned a few days ago. Jess is a bit mean here, and basically tells Amy Liz has a new friend now. Feeling guilty slightly, she then tells Amy she will get Liz to call her later. Lila then rings, asking Jess to come over to help her plan a New Year's Eve party (yay, a party. In SV. No way!) Jess wants to go to the carnival, and asks Lila to go. Lila refuses; she says she has been cursed by MZ and is never going to set foot in the place again. So off Jess sets to the carnival.
Cut to Elizabeth. She has spent the morning wandering around the carnival grounds with Clare. Clare doesn't want to go on the rides, she says she is bored of them, as her dad owns the carnival. Elizabeth notes that every time she has met Clare, she has been wearing the same old fashioned dress (what, 3 times, twice in one day and today - gee that's a whole lot of times Liz). She mentions it to Clare and says it's her second favourite dress; her favourite dress (which was also cream and blue) got torn. They exclaim over how they have the same favourite colours. Clare tells her that the carnival employees won't be friends with her, as of who her dad is, they think she will spy on them. She says none of them will talk to her; they pretend she isn't there. As they are walking, a woman comes out of a tent and, upon noticing them, her expression darkens. Clare dismisses her as the 'crazy fortune teller'. Obviously, this is MZ. She comes over to the girls, and tells Clare to leave Elizabeth alone. Clare shouts at her, saying she and Elizabeth are playing. MZ is obviously scared, and falls back, and Clare leads Liz round her and they walk off. Liz thinks this is strange, but when she turns to Clare to mention it, her mind goes blank.
Back to Jessica: When she arrives, she notices a faint fog is hanging over the grounds as she enters. She heads straight to MZ's tent, where she finds MZ alone, with her eyes shut over the crystal ball. As she enters, MZ's head jerks up. Jess is nervous, and stutters she came to have her fortune told (again). MZ orders Jessica to sit down, not being her usual nice self. She says she knows what Jessica's friend is up to (what, Lila, says Jessica) and tells Jess she "will have no future unless she stays away from this carnival!". Jess is scared and runs out, accidentally knocking MZ's crystal ball over in the process. MZ shouts at her to leave, saying "Unless you value your life, do not come back to this carnival!" Jess is so scared she runs halfway home before realizing she has left her bike there. At first she is too scared to go and get it, but reasons as long as she doesn't set foot inside the actual grounds she'll be OK. She goes back and gets her bike, running into Patrick Morris hurrying from the grounds. He is white and shaken, and says he was on the ferris wheel at the top when he heard a voice saying "come and play, Patrick" When he looked, there was a girl floating next to his carriage. THE GHOST! Hmm!
Jess goes home and rings Lila. She tells Li about her curse, and now they are both 'cursed', they decide to throw a carnival themed party. Not sure that would be sensible myself, but OK. They meet up to plan the details. Jessica is going to be the fortune teller, Mademoiselle J, and Lila is going to be a witch.
Elizabeth comes home and Jess tells her about Patrick's experience, and of course about the curse. Liz laughs both experiences off, and says she is going to go back, as Clare needs her. Jess, hoping to inflict some good ol' guilt on her twin, tells her about Amy and the forgotten bike ride. Liz feels guilty and goes to call Amy, but when she does, Clare's face, with her 'big, sad eyes' floats in front of Liz's face. She can't ring Amy to arrange a bike ride, Clare needs to see her at the carnival. Jess also points out how she tidied both hers and Liz's bedroom up. She looks out her window and sees the shadow of a man standing across the window. When he sees her looking, he walks off. Stalker, anyone?
During the night, Jess wakes up thinking she has heard tapping on the window. There is a storm going on outside, and when the lightning flashes, she sees a skeleton outlined in her window. She screams, and her family rush in. They don't believe her though, and when Ned looks, the skeleton has gone. They dismiss it as a bad dream and go back to bed. Excellent parenting!
The next morning, Liz gets up extremely early and goes downstairs for breakfast. Her mom points out that they haven't seen much of her lately, and her room is getting to be quite a mess, and also how she needs to ring Amy.She also points out that Liz is wearing odd socks. She also makes Liz promise to ask Clare for dinner, as they are uncomfortable they haven't met the girl Liz is so lesbian-like obsessed with. Great parenting, maybe they think Clare is really a....BOY!!
Liz gets to the carnival and sees her friend Julie Porter (sister of Johanna Porter). She tells Julie all about her great friend Clare, and thinks it's be great if Julie could meet Clare too, so Clare will have 2 friends. Gag me! When they go in, however, Julie suddenly looks terrified and rushes off, claiming she has something she needs to do at home. Liz considers going after Julie, but then Clare appears and when Liz tells her about Julie, Clare says she has Elizabeth now, and Liz agrees. They spend the day wandering around the carnival as usual. Clare does a trick where she guesses the number Liz is thinking, and also does a trick where she turns Elizabeth's lemonade to black. Liz is angry, as it scares her, but Clare meekly says sorry and Liz forgives her. She asks Clare to show her some of her tricks, so can write about them for the Sixers, but Clare won't tell her. They go behind the scenes at the fun-house, which Liz is uncomfortable with, as she can see all her friends but they can't see her, and they go to visit the horses. Liz likes horses, but Clare says they don't like her, so Liz goes in alone. As she is petting Jasper, he suddenly shies away. Turning round, she sees Clare entering. As she comes closer, Jasper rears up, his hooves nearly hitting Liz as he comes back down. Liz again shouts at Clare, but once Clare meekly apologises all is forgiven and forgotten. Aww bless! After this, they go do a target shooting booth. Liz says she can't shoot, but Clare convinces her to try. To Liz's surprise, she has suddenly turned into a great shot, and wins all the prizes, including the really hard grand prize (massive stuffed panda). The booth attendant ignores Clare, and when Liz talks to her he is confused as he thinks she is talking to him. Getting an idea of who Miss Ghosty is yet anybody? Liz forgets to ask Clare about the dinner; when she goes to she goes blank. She wants to go on the rides, but Clare won't, saying they will go on a ride, her very favourite ride, when the time is right.
Meanwhile, Jessica and the Unicorns have been planning their party. They go to a thrift shop and get costumes. Lila says her dad has booked a real ferris wheel and booths.
During the night, Jess wakes up really needing a drink. She goes into the bathroom and heard moaning noises. remembering her nightmare from the night before, she is scared. However, the noises seem to be coming from Liz's room. When she peeks in, Liz is having a nightmare herself.
Elizabeth's nightmare: she is whirling round in the fog. Carnival lights are spinning round her, and she can hear music. When everything comes to a halt, she sees an open grave in front of her. The tombstone reads C.C and the dates. She closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, the tombstone now reads E.W.
Jess wakes Liz up and tells her she was having a nightmare.
The next day, presumably Liz is with Clare and Jess is home. Lila comes round, saying she has a headache from Ellen and Mandy arguing over the decorations. They come up with a good idea for Jessica's fortunes....basically she will have a cheatsheet. Hmm. Steven walks by and makes some sarcastic suggestions. Important fact no3.
The next day is the day of the party. Liz is at the carnival all day. She gets back late, just as Jess is fretting about the time (role reversal, role reversal), and acts really confused and dazed. She doesn't realise it's Lila's party, and that Jess is dressed up as a fortune teller. When they get there, Lila appears dressed as a white witch. They go through the H/House, which in fact is Lila's pool house, and Liz is really jumpy. She keeps seeing Clare's face, crying. "Is she lonely without me," wonders Liz. Meh! Amy tries to talk to her, but she brushes her off. She tries to win at target shooting, but is really crap. Clare's influence, methinks! Meanwhile, Amy accosts Jessica, asking what's wrong with Liz.
Come midnight, Jess takes her place in the spotlight as the fortune teller. She reads out fortunes from a bowl under the table. Some are really good, Like Bruce is told he will be incredibly rich. Will be, don't you mean, is? Anyway so Amy pushes Liz forward. Jess, without looking at her 'cheatsheet' fortunes, says "you will soon learn the value of your true friends". Liz looks close to tears and wanders off dazedly. Lila then presents herself for her fortune to be told. Jess doesn't see the point, bur Lila says she has been keeping track, and the only one left is "you will be a famous supermodel" Jess pulls it out and reads "soon you will go completely bald". Lila is horrified, and Jess says she knew something would go wrong if they made fun of MZ.
The next day, Liz sleeps late. When she wakes up, she is wracked with guilt over Clare and heads off immediately to see her. Jess stops her, saying that the Carnival is shut, as it's New Years Day. Liz has no choice but to stay at home. Jessica reminds her that Clare is meant to be coming for dinner, and as Liz can't remember really what she and Clare talk about, she assumes she asks her and Clare said yes. The doorbell rings, and Amy is there, asking if Liz is home. Apparently she has found the bloke who built the Haunted House, and wants to ask him about nasty rumours she has heard about the carnival. Liz tells Amy to fuck off basically, and slams the door. Poor Amy, in the all the super chillers she gets fobbed off by Liz. Jess, on a whim,and fed up with Liz deserting her for Clare (makes a change eh Jess. Boot on the other foot, perhaps) decides to go with Amy.
When they get there, they find the man in his office, eating a 'sloppy joe'. What the fuck is a sloppy joe? He tells them that the carnival is owned by a big corporation in Texas, and the big boss has no children. Oh-er, is Clare's story about her dad owning the carnival a fake? He then proceeds to tell them that, when he designed the H/House, he built it to be the usual scary shit; sheets which billow out, headless skeletons popping out etc. He tells them that, when he built the Ghost room, he built a wooden tombstone, with R.I.P carved on it. He felt as if something evil then moved into the room. When he returned to the H/House the next day, the tombstone now had C.C and Victorian dates carved into it. He thought it was a practical joke, until he discovered the wooden tombstone had in fact become real. Surely this could have been written off as a joke too? Anyway, so that was the last H/House he ever built. When Jess gets home, she goes straight to Liz's room to tell her what she's heard. Liz refuses to believe it, and gets angry, claiming Jess is jealous of Clare and is trying to stop her being friends with her. She orders Jess out the room.
Come dinner time, there is no sign of Clare (I wonder why). The dinner is drying up, so they have to eat it late. Liz is miserable; she has no contact numbers for Clare and her parents refuse to let her go to see Clare anymore as she didn't bother turning up. SHOCK HORROR! Oh Noes!! She shouts at them, earning herself a grounding.
Come the next day, Liz is crying in her room. She imagines she can hear Clare calling to her. She HAS to go and see Clare, even if it means disobeying her parents. They have grounded her until she cleans up her room and her act. However, she HAS to go and see Clare. so she sneaks out. Very un-Lizzie like thing to do! Jess sees her going and goes after her, even though she is terrified of the Carnival. When Jess gets there, she sees Liz has just chucked her bike on the ground, not locked it up. Again, v suspicious! Jess hangs round the entrance, not daring to go in, when finally she sees Lizzie emerging from the entrance, waving at someone Jessica cannot see. She hurries Liz home and sneaks her in through the patio doors. It's started raining and they are both drenched. Steven covers for her too, as he sees how white Liz is, with massive black circles under her eyes. After the twins have dried off, Jess tries to talk to Liz again. Liz says that Clare told her to be nicer to her parents. Jess is disbelieving. Lila turns up with her hair plastered in mousse, saying it's to stop her hair falling out. Jess tries to tell her it was a joke, but she's having none of it, compounded by Steven going past asking if they've seen Bobo, his pet bat (bats can get tangled in hair, apparently).
Liz tidies up her room the next day, and apologises to her parents. She seems back to her old self. In fact, she's so sweet that she asks her parents if she can go say goodbye to Clare, as the carnival is leaving the next day. They say yes, as they think she had the flu and that's why she was acting so weirdly (hmm, yet another example of parenting skills). Liz tells them that Clare's whole family had the flu, and that's why she didn't turn up for dinner, or call, cos she was too sick. Yeah, right! Jess asks her to help with a spying mission on Steven, as she is convinced he is th one that wrote the bogus fortune at Lila's party. They find a crumpled up test in his room, which shows his handwriting to be like the one on the fortune. Liz then heads over to the carnival, even tho Jess begs her not to!
It gets late and Jess is worried. Liz is never late, until recently. Her parents have gone to a party and Steven is in charge. He isn't bother but her twin sense is bugging her. She decides to go and get Liz when the phone rings. It is a gruff man's voice. He tell her that "the girl is in great danger. The evil one is about to strike". She panics, and rings Amy for help. No answer. Lila refuses as she has just put some special hair stuff on, and besides, she is cursed. Jess hangs up, and goes alone.
When she gets to the carnival, she nearly decides to wait outside, but, remembering the man on the phone she goes in. The carnival is nearly deserted; it's late and foggy. She runs all over looking for Liz until the only places left are the H/House or MZ's tent. Now, i dunno about you, but I would take a living person over a H/House anyday, but Jessica disagrees with me. Off she goes to the H./House. It is deserted but unlocked. She goes in, thinking it's scarier because nothing is working. When she gets to the split, she chooses Vampires, but it's locked. She retraces her steps but the main door is locked. Oh no, there's only one way out! Ghosts! She goes through, and the door through the grave is locked. She turns round and sees a white shape behind her, with two sad solemn brown eyes staring through it. She screams, and launches herself at the door only to bump into the solid figure of a man, standing in the swirling fog. Oooh v creepy! She realises it is MZ's assistant, the bald pierced man. He's like "thank god we found you in time, come to see MZ". When she gets there, MZ is happy to see her, and explains it has been her fiance, who is the assistant, Nicolai, who has been following her and tapping on her window to scare her from coming to the carnival. Jess is confused, she HASN'T been at the carnival since MZ 'cursed' her. MZ explains that, a long time ago, a man and a woman owned the circus. They were world renowned acrobats. One day, the man fell and hurt his leg. Unable to work, he bought the circus, but was very bitter, and took it out on his wife and daughter. The mother died after a long illness when the little girl was very young, and the dad bought her up alone. He refused to allow her on any of the rides, as he couldn't bear to see anyone happy. Over time, she became as bitter and twisted as her father. One night, on her tenth birthday, she asked to be allowed one gift; to ride the ferris wheel. He refused. The little girl crept out after the carnival was shut, in her favourite cream and blue new dress, and managed to get the ferris wheel going by herself. She rode all night until she grew tired. When she was near the bottom, she tried to jump down, but her dress caught and she was suspended by the wheel until it tore. She fell to the ground and died. Her body was found the next day. Overcome by grief, the dad sold the carnival the very next day. The little girl's name was........................CLARE!! Later on, carnival workers began to report ghostly noises and sightings. Some said she inhabited the H/House.
Suddenly all becomes clear to Jessica. Liz is playing with a long dead ghost. MZ, who still thinks it is Jess who was with Clare, goes on to say that she has been dead nearly a hundred years. Jess is like "No, MZ, you have seen my twin sister, Elizabeth". MZ catches on and explains that Clare appeared to her, but she fought her and won. Clare's goal is to kill Elizabeth so she can be like her, and stay with her forever. jess asks MZ to find Liz using her mystic powers, and MZ admits she is a fake. Lila was right, hehe! MZ orders Nicolai to let the horses free, as horses sense ghosts and are scared of them (remember the stable scene)? They will scream and alert them to where Clare is, and of course, Liz.
Elizabeth has been wandering with Clare as usual. Come dusk, Clare suddenly turns mean. She demands that Liz stay with her forever, or she will be lonely. She takes Liz to the ferris wheel and orders her to get on. Just then, Jasper the horse comes up and screams. Clare utters a terrifying growl and he gallops off. Jess, MZ and Nicolai rush up, and Jess climbs into the same carriage as Liz, just as the wheel starts to move. She can now see Clare. MZ pleads with Clare to "spare the girl. Take me instead". Clare refuses, saying she had her chance twenty years ago, and besides, it looks as if she will have two playmates now.
Up the wheel goes, and stops when the twins are at the very top. Jess been trying to talk to Liz but Liz is in her own world and doesn't hear her. She doesn't even realise Jess is in th same carriage. Jess looks down and moans; Clare is floating upwards as if on strings. When she reaches the twins, she stretches out to Elizabeth and asks her to come "come and play". Liz goes to step over the side into oblivion; all she can see it Clare's sweet face and voice asking her to come and play. Jess grabs her and holds on. For the first time, Liz realises there is someone else in the carriage with her, but she doesn't recognise Jessica. Clare again asks her to come and play, because she needs her. Jessica shouts "No I need you, I'm your twin sister". Clare shoots something at Jessica with her eyes, which hurts her arm. Jessica starts crying. Liz realises (bit slow on the uptake, this one) that Jessica is with her. Clare is furious and her skin starts to melt away, leaving behind a 'ghastly skeleton'. Liz then realises that Clare hurt Jessica, and screams "No, Clare, i will not!!!". The air rattles with Clare's scream of fury and she fades away. Liz sinks down beside Jess and hugs her. Jess says "you sure owe me for this one, Lizzie" Aha, now we know why Liz does a lot for Jess in SVH!!!
The book ends with a scene at the twin's house the next day. Liz is back to her old self (again); she rings Amy and apologises, and tells her parents Clare won't be popping round to say goodbye as she had an unexpected appointment she had to keep. Now, personally, I think I'd be traumatised, but not so the Wakefield twins! Jessica has a phone call with Lila, and tells Lila to come round in ten minutes. When she arrives, they ask Steven to open the door....in comes Lila with a bald head!!! Steven screams and runs up to his bedroom.....nice revenge girls! Of course, don't panic Lila fans, she is wearing a bald wig. The girls teehee about their victory. Jessica then gets a letter in the post from Irene Zaleskis (MZ) saying that basically she may not have true fortune teller skills, but she can predict without her crystal ball that the twins have special unbreakable bond. Aww! Then the book ends, no foreshadowing of the next book as it's a Super Chiller.
Reading back on this, I still love this book! It may be a bit tacky in places, such as Clare shooting hurt stuff out of her eyes and so on, but it's great. This is probably my favourite SV book of all time! I think I'm going to carry on with the Super Chillers!!
We'll start off with the cover shall we. I apologise for the blurriness. Elizabeth is featured in the foreground (wearing a really, err, hip shirt) and looking over her shoulder at what appears to be a rather sweet looking old fashioned ghost floating near a ferris wheel. In terms of covers, this one is spot on really, except for Liz likes the ghost until the end, but we'll come back to that later. I suppose it could be Jessica, but I can't imagine her dressing like that (it's not purple) and of course, there's the ponytail. So I'm sticking with it being Liz. 'Kay?
The book starts off with the twins and the rest of the Wakefield clan having dinner in a Chinese restaurant. A waiter comes along to hand out the fortune cookies. He comments on how, as the twins are identical, they should have identical fortunes. This is cue for the usual stock description of the twins differences, but how they are always best friends. Actually, I thought they slipped it in quite well in this book. So anyway, Jessica reads her fortune and refuses to read it out. She tosses it away, but Steven grabs it and reads it aloud - 'vanity is your greatest weakness'. She is embarrassed, but, c'mon guys, very fitting for Jess! Elizabeth reads hers out - 'Avoid high places if you do not want to fall'. She feels an odd chill as uttering the words (foreshadowing, anyone). Jess makes light of the fortune, and thinks about asking the waiter for new ones. Ned says no, and they go home. On the way they drive past the beach, and they are really surprised to see a carnival being set up (can anyone tell me what an American carnival consists of please. Cos I always thought it involved various animals and so on. But anyway). Surely the carnival would have been advertised. And, in fact, in an SVT Super Edition, 'BIG for Christmas', the carnival is again mentioned at being there, (but strangely minus evil ghosts, hmm) so the twins would be aware a carnival came every year at Christmas. Unless it only comes in their e-x-t-r-a l-o-n-g 12th year. Also, you'd think Liz would be a bit anxious going to somewhere she nearly died. But they seem to be very excited it's coming, anyway, and Jessica hints she wants a raise in her allowance (or pocket money, to us Brits). The parents say they will think about it.
Moving on to the next chapter, Elizabeth is in her room. Jess comes in moaning that she is bored. Liz, in her usual practical fashion, asks how can she be bored; Mom and Dad have just taken them to lunch, and Xmas Day was only yesterday. She then suggests riding their bikes down to watch the carnival being set up. Jessica, who thought Liz was going to suggest cleaning out their closets or something (sad but true that she would actually suggest doing that on Boxing Day) is agreeable, and off they go. I have to keep reminding myself that in California, it would be sunny and warm, cos in Britain all I want to do on Boxing Day is stay in the warmth as much as possible, not go bike riding near the sea. I wanna live in California!! When they arrive at the carnival grounds, they see a few of their friends, including Amy Sutton (who remember is Elizabeth's friend not Jessica's in this series), Lila Fowler and Ellen Riteman. Lila shows off about her new mohair sweater, which is 'pink, and covered in white fluffy tufts......Jessica thought she looked a bit like a rabbit. But she didn't tell Lila that". Haha I had to laugh! Fashion disaster, Li! They all agree to be there early the next morning.
The next morning, Jessica is ready before Elizabeth (minor miracle)! She basically drags Elizabeth through the door, and off they head to the carnival. It's not called the CARNIVAL Ghost for nothing, believe me! When they get there, they have to walk through a clown's mouth to enter (now, believe me, this would freak me out before I even started! Bleh)! They comment on how many food stalls there are, and how Steven will love it. Heh! They then decide to go through the Haunted House (not a frickin chance, I'm 20 and I can't go through them)!. They walk through, and then the path splits up. One way is Vampires, one way is Ghosts. Liz is nervous of splitting up, as I would be, but Jessica laughs at her, and heads off through Vampires, cos she doesn't like ghosts. Not sure which would be worse, personally. Liz hesitates, thinking she could go after Jessica, when a girl says from behind her "There's nothing to be scared of". With that, she walks past Liz and goes through the door. Liz notices she is wearing an old fashioned dress, tied in the back with a blue bow, and has long dark hair. She follows the girl through, to find the girl has disappeared. Liz follows the path, which leads through an open grave. As she goes, she notices the gravestone is granite, with the initials C.C and Victorian dates 10 years apart etched into it. Remember this for later, boys and girls! It's important. She quickly heads through and goes through a door marked Exit, hoping to catch up with the girl. As she hurries through, a figure rises up from behind a headless ghoul and chops her head off. End of book.
Not really. Ha ha ha!
Jessica jumps up from behind the headless ghoul and grabs Liz round the neck. Liz is angry (yep, i would be too) and they compare the two sections, which are similar except it's an open casket in the Vampire section. Elizabeth tells Jessica about the mysteriously disappearing girl, which Jess brushes off. As they step out the Haunted House, Liz says she sees the girl in the crowd and buggars off after her, leaving Jess on her own. Nice, Liz!
Jess goes a-hunting for the Unicorns, but can't find them. She spends nearly all her money on game booths and food, and with her last ticket decides to go visit the fortune teller, Mademoiselle Z. Second important fact to remember, people! She is a bit intimidated by the bloke outside, who is bald with piercings (very radical for SV) but steps in with his assurance of "step inside, she will not hurt you". Is that like saying to pop a balloon; it won't hurt you but sure gives you a shock? Hmm!! So in she goes, and MZ (as I am going to call her from now on, sorry, but fingers are aching) predicts that something good will happen to Jessica, and soon. Jess is duly impressed by MZ's technique of crystal ball staring. Is she just naive? Or stupid? Lol, well anyway, Jessica goes to leave, when she sees Elizabeth by the entrance/exit (clown's mouth, remember) and catches up. She is a bit annoyed that Liz upped and left her on her own, understandably if you ask me, but is soon bubbling over with enthusiasm about MZ and her prediction. Liz, likewise, tells Jessica all about the girl, who's name is Clare, and who's father owns the carnival. Apparently she is younger than the twins (10) but she acts 'so grown up'. Jess is like "don't you think you should be hanging round with kids your own age, Elizabeth". Good point. But, nopes, Liz is determined to be do-goody friends with Clare, as she thinks Clare is lonely.
Over dinner, the 'rents announce that they are going to give the twins, and Steven, a raise in their allowance. Jessica immediately starts enthusing about MZ, and how her prediction has come true. She asks to go back to the carnival later that night, to meet up with the Unicorns and show them MZ. Their parents agree to take them, this once.
Back at the carnival, Liz goes off to meet Clare, obviously delighted to be able to spend more time with a girl she's known, what, 5 hours at most! Jess meets up with the Unicorns, and tells them all about MZ. Lila is skeptical, and insists they go round the carnival before going to meet MZ. Jess reluctantly agrees, and watches as Lila, after about 10 goes, wins a Jonny Buck T-shirt at a booth. She puts it on and preens. Jess then manages to drag the Unicorns off to meet MZ. She is very gracious to Jessica, as Jess tells her that her prediction has come true, but Lila starts making comments like "all fortune tellers are phonies, you know". MZ understandably gets a lil pissed off, and says to Lila that something bad will happen to her! Lila laughs and marches out, nose firmly in the air. Jess lags behind and apologises. MZ tells Jess to come again.
Outside, Lila stops to pet a horse. The horse goes mental and, Lila, backing away, trips over a rope and lands in a puddle. Her new Jonny Buck t-shirt is covered in chocolate milkshake and mud. Oh noes! As Jess is watching, she looks up and notices Liz strolling on her own a few yards away. She calls to her but Liz walks on as if she hasn't heard.
The next morning, Jess goes down to breakfast to find Liz has already gotten up and gone to the carnival without her. She is a bit surprised that she didn't wait. Jessica's mom suggests she give her room it's annual clean up before she goes out, much to Jessica's disgust! As she is on her way to do it, she peeks in Liz's room to find that Liz hasn't made her bed, and she has left a small pile of clothes on the floor. For Liz, this is a shocker! As we find out in 'BIG for Christmas', Liz has made her bed every day since she was five! Jess also sorts Lizzie's room out for her (not good enough Jess, you got a lot to make up for yet) and decides to head over to the carnival. She is in a rush, and decides to wear Liz's yellow blouse, however, upon inspection, Liz is already wearing it. She decides to wear a yellow t-shirt instead, even though they will look alike she hasn't got time to change. Just as she is getting ready, the doorbell rings. It's Amy Sutton. She wants to know if Liz is ready to go on the bike ride they planned a few days ago. Jess is a bit mean here, and basically tells Amy Liz has a new friend now. Feeling guilty slightly, she then tells Amy she will get Liz to call her later. Lila then rings, asking Jess to come over to help her plan a New Year's Eve party (yay, a party. In SV. No way!) Jess wants to go to the carnival, and asks Lila to go. Lila refuses; she says she has been cursed by MZ and is never going to set foot in the place again. So off Jess sets to the carnival.
Cut to Elizabeth. She has spent the morning wandering around the carnival grounds with Clare. Clare doesn't want to go on the rides, she says she is bored of them, as her dad owns the carnival. Elizabeth notes that every time she has met Clare, she has been wearing the same old fashioned dress (what, 3 times, twice in one day and today - gee that's a whole lot of times Liz). She mentions it to Clare and says it's her second favourite dress; her favourite dress (which was also cream and blue) got torn. They exclaim over how they have the same favourite colours. Clare tells her that the carnival employees won't be friends with her, as of who her dad is, they think she will spy on them. She says none of them will talk to her; they pretend she isn't there. As they are walking, a woman comes out of a tent and, upon noticing them, her expression darkens. Clare dismisses her as the 'crazy fortune teller'. Obviously, this is MZ. She comes over to the girls, and tells Clare to leave Elizabeth alone. Clare shouts at her, saying she and Elizabeth are playing. MZ is obviously scared, and falls back, and Clare leads Liz round her and they walk off. Liz thinks this is strange, but when she turns to Clare to mention it, her mind goes blank.
Back to Jessica: When she arrives, she notices a faint fog is hanging over the grounds as she enters. She heads straight to MZ's tent, where she finds MZ alone, with her eyes shut over the crystal ball. As she enters, MZ's head jerks up. Jess is nervous, and stutters she came to have her fortune told (again). MZ orders Jessica to sit down, not being her usual nice self. She says she knows what Jessica's friend is up to (what, Lila, says Jessica) and tells Jess she "will have no future unless she stays away from this carnival!". Jess is scared and runs out, accidentally knocking MZ's crystal ball over in the process. MZ shouts at her to leave, saying "Unless you value your life, do not come back to this carnival!" Jess is so scared she runs halfway home before realizing she has left her bike there. At first she is too scared to go and get it, but reasons as long as she doesn't set foot inside the actual grounds she'll be OK. She goes back and gets her bike, running into Patrick Morris hurrying from the grounds. He is white and shaken, and says he was on the ferris wheel at the top when he heard a voice saying "come and play, Patrick" When he looked, there was a girl floating next to his carriage. THE GHOST! Hmm!
Jess goes home and rings Lila. She tells Li about her curse, and now they are both 'cursed', they decide to throw a carnival themed party. Not sure that would be sensible myself, but OK. They meet up to plan the details. Jessica is going to be the fortune teller, Mademoiselle J, and Lila is going to be a witch.
Elizabeth comes home and Jess tells her about Patrick's experience, and of course about the curse. Liz laughs both experiences off, and says she is going to go back, as Clare needs her. Jess, hoping to inflict some good ol' guilt on her twin, tells her about Amy and the forgotten bike ride. Liz feels guilty and goes to call Amy, but when she does, Clare's face, with her 'big, sad eyes' floats in front of Liz's face. She can't ring Amy to arrange a bike ride, Clare needs to see her at the carnival. Jess also points out how she tidied both hers and Liz's bedroom up. She looks out her window and sees the shadow of a man standing across the window. When he sees her looking, he walks off. Stalker, anyone?
During the night, Jess wakes up thinking she has heard tapping on the window. There is a storm going on outside, and when the lightning flashes, she sees a skeleton outlined in her window. She screams, and her family rush in. They don't believe her though, and when Ned looks, the skeleton has gone. They dismiss it as a bad dream and go back to bed. Excellent parenting!
The next morning, Liz gets up extremely early and goes downstairs for breakfast. Her mom points out that they haven't seen much of her lately, and her room is getting to be quite a mess, and also how she needs to ring Amy.She also points out that Liz is wearing odd socks. She also makes Liz promise to ask Clare for dinner, as they are uncomfortable they haven't met the girl Liz is so lesbian-like obsessed with. Great parenting, maybe they think Clare is really a....BOY!!
Liz gets to the carnival and sees her friend Julie Porter (sister of Johanna Porter). She tells Julie all about her great friend Clare, and thinks it's be great if Julie could meet Clare too, so Clare will have 2 friends. Gag me! When they go in, however, Julie suddenly looks terrified and rushes off, claiming she has something she needs to do at home. Liz considers going after Julie, but then Clare appears and when Liz tells her about Julie, Clare says she has Elizabeth now, and Liz agrees. They spend the day wandering around the carnival as usual. Clare does a trick where she guesses the number Liz is thinking, and also does a trick where she turns Elizabeth's lemonade to black. Liz is angry, as it scares her, but Clare meekly says sorry and Liz forgives her. She asks Clare to show her some of her tricks, so can write about them for the Sixers, but Clare won't tell her. They go behind the scenes at the fun-house, which Liz is uncomfortable with, as she can see all her friends but they can't see her, and they go to visit the horses. Liz likes horses, but Clare says they don't like her, so Liz goes in alone. As she is petting Jasper, he suddenly shies away. Turning round, she sees Clare entering. As she comes closer, Jasper rears up, his hooves nearly hitting Liz as he comes back down. Liz again shouts at Clare, but once Clare meekly apologises all is forgiven and forgotten. Aww bless! After this, they go do a target shooting booth. Liz says she can't shoot, but Clare convinces her to try. To Liz's surprise, she has suddenly turned into a great shot, and wins all the prizes, including the really hard grand prize (massive stuffed panda). The booth attendant ignores Clare, and when Liz talks to her he is confused as he thinks she is talking to him. Getting an idea of who Miss Ghosty is yet anybody? Liz forgets to ask Clare about the dinner; when she goes to she goes blank. She wants to go on the rides, but Clare won't, saying they will go on a ride, her very favourite ride, when the time is right.
Meanwhile, Jessica and the Unicorns have been planning their party. They go to a thrift shop and get costumes. Lila says her dad has booked a real ferris wheel and booths.
During the night, Jess wakes up really needing a drink. She goes into the bathroom and heard moaning noises. remembering her nightmare from the night before, she is scared. However, the noises seem to be coming from Liz's room. When she peeks in, Liz is having a nightmare herself.
Elizabeth's nightmare: she is whirling round in the fog. Carnival lights are spinning round her, and she can hear music. When everything comes to a halt, she sees an open grave in front of her. The tombstone reads C.C and the dates. She closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, the tombstone now reads E.W.
Jess wakes Liz up and tells her she was having a nightmare.
The next day, presumably Liz is with Clare and Jess is home. Lila comes round, saying she has a headache from Ellen and Mandy arguing over the decorations. They come up with a good idea for Jessica's fortunes....basically she will have a cheatsheet. Hmm. Steven walks by and makes some sarcastic suggestions. Important fact no3.
The next day is the day of the party. Liz is at the carnival all day. She gets back late, just as Jess is fretting about the time (role reversal, role reversal), and acts really confused and dazed. She doesn't realise it's Lila's party, and that Jess is dressed up as a fortune teller. When they get there, Lila appears dressed as a white witch. They go through the H/House, which in fact is Lila's pool house, and Liz is really jumpy. She keeps seeing Clare's face, crying. "Is she lonely without me," wonders Liz. Meh! Amy tries to talk to her, but she brushes her off. She tries to win at target shooting, but is really crap. Clare's influence, methinks! Meanwhile, Amy accosts Jessica, asking what's wrong with Liz.
Come midnight, Jess takes her place in the spotlight as the fortune teller. She reads out fortunes from a bowl under the table. Some are really good, Like Bruce is told he will be incredibly rich. Will be, don't you mean, is? Anyway so Amy pushes Liz forward. Jess, without looking at her 'cheatsheet' fortunes, says "you will soon learn the value of your true friends". Liz looks close to tears and wanders off dazedly. Lila then presents herself for her fortune to be told. Jess doesn't see the point, bur Lila says she has been keeping track, and the only one left is "you will be a famous supermodel" Jess pulls it out and reads "soon you will go completely bald". Lila is horrified, and Jess says she knew something would go wrong if they made fun of MZ.
The next day, Liz sleeps late. When she wakes up, she is wracked with guilt over Clare and heads off immediately to see her. Jess stops her, saying that the Carnival is shut, as it's New Years Day. Liz has no choice but to stay at home. Jessica reminds her that Clare is meant to be coming for dinner, and as Liz can't remember really what she and Clare talk about, she assumes she asks her and Clare said yes. The doorbell rings, and Amy is there, asking if Liz is home. Apparently she has found the bloke who built the Haunted House, and wants to ask him about nasty rumours she has heard about the carnival. Liz tells Amy to fuck off basically, and slams the door. Poor Amy, in the all the super chillers she gets fobbed off by Liz. Jess, on a whim,and fed up with Liz deserting her for Clare (makes a change eh Jess. Boot on the other foot, perhaps) decides to go with Amy.
When they get there, they find the man in his office, eating a 'sloppy joe'. What the fuck is a sloppy joe? He tells them that the carnival is owned by a big corporation in Texas, and the big boss has no children. Oh-er, is Clare's story about her dad owning the carnival a fake? He then proceeds to tell them that, when he designed the H/House, he built it to be the usual scary shit; sheets which billow out, headless skeletons popping out etc. He tells them that, when he built the Ghost room, he built a wooden tombstone, with R.I.P carved on it. He felt as if something evil then moved into the room. When he returned to the H/House the next day, the tombstone now had C.C and Victorian dates carved into it. He thought it was a practical joke, until he discovered the wooden tombstone had in fact become real. Surely this could have been written off as a joke too? Anyway, so that was the last H/House he ever built. When Jess gets home, she goes straight to Liz's room to tell her what she's heard. Liz refuses to believe it, and gets angry, claiming Jess is jealous of Clare and is trying to stop her being friends with her. She orders Jess out the room.
Come dinner time, there is no sign of Clare (I wonder why). The dinner is drying up, so they have to eat it late. Liz is miserable; she has no contact numbers for Clare and her parents refuse to let her go to see Clare anymore as she didn't bother turning up. SHOCK HORROR! Oh Noes!! She shouts at them, earning herself a grounding.
Come the next day, Liz is crying in her room. She imagines she can hear Clare calling to her. She HAS to go and see Clare, even if it means disobeying her parents. They have grounded her until she cleans up her room and her act. However, she HAS to go and see Clare. so she sneaks out. Very un-Lizzie like thing to do! Jess sees her going and goes after her, even though she is terrified of the Carnival. When Jess gets there, she sees Liz has just chucked her bike on the ground, not locked it up. Again, v suspicious! Jess hangs round the entrance, not daring to go in, when finally she sees Lizzie emerging from the entrance, waving at someone Jessica cannot see. She hurries Liz home and sneaks her in through the patio doors. It's started raining and they are both drenched. Steven covers for her too, as he sees how white Liz is, with massive black circles under her eyes. After the twins have dried off, Jess tries to talk to Liz again. Liz says that Clare told her to be nicer to her parents. Jess is disbelieving. Lila turns up with her hair plastered in mousse, saying it's to stop her hair falling out. Jess tries to tell her it was a joke, but she's having none of it, compounded by Steven going past asking if they've seen Bobo, his pet bat (bats can get tangled in hair, apparently).
Liz tidies up her room the next day, and apologises to her parents. She seems back to her old self. In fact, she's so sweet that she asks her parents if she can go say goodbye to Clare, as the carnival is leaving the next day. They say yes, as they think she had the flu and that's why she was acting so weirdly (hmm, yet another example of parenting skills). Liz tells them that Clare's whole family had the flu, and that's why she didn't turn up for dinner, or call, cos she was too sick. Yeah, right! Jess asks her to help with a spying mission on Steven, as she is convinced he is th one that wrote the bogus fortune at Lila's party. They find a crumpled up test in his room, which shows his handwriting to be like the one on the fortune. Liz then heads over to the carnival, even tho Jess begs her not to!
It gets late and Jess is worried. Liz is never late, until recently. Her parents have gone to a party and Steven is in charge. He isn't bother but her twin sense is bugging her. She decides to go and get Liz when the phone rings. It is a gruff man's voice. He tell her that "the girl is in great danger. The evil one is about to strike". She panics, and rings Amy for help. No answer. Lila refuses as she has just put some special hair stuff on, and besides, she is cursed. Jess hangs up, and goes alone.
When she gets to the carnival, she nearly decides to wait outside, but, remembering the man on the phone she goes in. The carnival is nearly deserted; it's late and foggy. She runs all over looking for Liz until the only places left are the H/House or MZ's tent. Now, i dunno about you, but I would take a living person over a H/House anyday, but Jessica disagrees with me. Off she goes to the H./House. It is deserted but unlocked. She goes in, thinking it's scarier because nothing is working. When she gets to the split, she chooses Vampires, but it's locked. She retraces her steps but the main door is locked. Oh no, there's only one way out! Ghosts! She goes through, and the door through the grave is locked. She turns round and sees a white shape behind her, with two sad solemn brown eyes staring through it. She screams, and launches herself at the door only to bump into the solid figure of a man, standing in the swirling fog. Oooh v creepy! She realises it is MZ's assistant, the bald pierced man. He's like "thank god we found you in time, come to see MZ". When she gets there, MZ is happy to see her, and explains it has been her fiance, who is the assistant, Nicolai, who has been following her and tapping on her window to scare her from coming to the carnival. Jess is confused, she HASN'T been at the carnival since MZ 'cursed' her. MZ explains that, a long time ago, a man and a woman owned the circus. They were world renowned acrobats. One day, the man fell and hurt his leg. Unable to work, he bought the circus, but was very bitter, and took it out on his wife and daughter. The mother died after a long illness when the little girl was very young, and the dad bought her up alone. He refused to allow her on any of the rides, as he couldn't bear to see anyone happy. Over time, she became as bitter and twisted as her father. One night, on her tenth birthday, she asked to be allowed one gift; to ride the ferris wheel. He refused. The little girl crept out after the carnival was shut, in her favourite cream and blue new dress, and managed to get the ferris wheel going by herself. She rode all night until she grew tired. When she was near the bottom, she tried to jump down, but her dress caught and she was suspended by the wheel until it tore. She fell to the ground and died. Her body was found the next day. Overcome by grief, the dad sold the carnival the very next day. The little girl's name was........................CLARE!! Later on, carnival workers began to report ghostly noises and sightings. Some said she inhabited the H/House.
Suddenly all becomes clear to Jessica. Liz is playing with a long dead ghost. MZ, who still thinks it is Jess who was with Clare, goes on to say that she has been dead nearly a hundred years. Jess is like "No, MZ, you have seen my twin sister, Elizabeth". MZ catches on and explains that Clare appeared to her, but she fought her and won. Clare's goal is to kill Elizabeth so she can be like her, and stay with her forever. jess asks MZ to find Liz using her mystic powers, and MZ admits she is a fake. Lila was right, hehe! MZ orders Nicolai to let the horses free, as horses sense ghosts and are scared of them (remember the stable scene)? They will scream and alert them to where Clare is, and of course, Liz.
Elizabeth has been wandering with Clare as usual. Come dusk, Clare suddenly turns mean. She demands that Liz stay with her forever, or she will be lonely. She takes Liz to the ferris wheel and orders her to get on. Just then, Jasper the horse comes up and screams. Clare utters a terrifying growl and he gallops off. Jess, MZ and Nicolai rush up, and Jess climbs into the same carriage as Liz, just as the wheel starts to move. She can now see Clare. MZ pleads with Clare to "spare the girl. Take me instead". Clare refuses, saying she had her chance twenty years ago, and besides, it looks as if she will have two playmates now.
Up the wheel goes, and stops when the twins are at the very top. Jess been trying to talk to Liz but Liz is in her own world and doesn't hear her. She doesn't even realise Jess is in th same carriage. Jess looks down and moans; Clare is floating upwards as if on strings. When she reaches the twins, she stretches out to Elizabeth and asks her to come "come and play". Liz goes to step over the side into oblivion; all she can see it Clare's sweet face and voice asking her to come and play. Jess grabs her and holds on. For the first time, Liz realises there is someone else in the carriage with her, but she doesn't recognise Jessica. Clare again asks her to come and play, because she needs her. Jessica shouts "No I need you, I'm your twin sister". Clare shoots something at Jessica with her eyes, which hurts her arm. Jessica starts crying. Liz realises (bit slow on the uptake, this one) that Jessica is with her. Clare is furious and her skin starts to melt away, leaving behind a 'ghastly skeleton'. Liz then realises that Clare hurt Jessica, and screams "No, Clare, i will not!!!". The air rattles with Clare's scream of fury and she fades away. Liz sinks down beside Jess and hugs her. Jess says "you sure owe me for this one, Lizzie" Aha, now we know why Liz does a lot for Jess in SVH!!!
The book ends with a scene at the twin's house the next day. Liz is back to her old self (again); she rings Amy and apologises, and tells her parents Clare won't be popping round to say goodbye as she had an unexpected appointment she had to keep. Now, personally, I think I'd be traumatised, but not so the Wakefield twins! Jessica has a phone call with Lila, and tells Lila to come round in ten minutes. When she arrives, they ask Steven to open the door....in comes Lila with a bald head!!! Steven screams and runs up to his bedroom.....nice revenge girls! Of course, don't panic Lila fans, she is wearing a bald wig. The girls teehee about their victory. Jessica then gets a letter in the post from Irene Zaleskis (MZ) saying that basically she may not have true fortune teller skills, but she can predict without her crystal ball that the twins have special unbreakable bond. Aww! Then the book ends, no foreshadowing of the next book as it's a Super Chiller.
Reading back on this, I still love this book! It may be a bit tacky in places, such as Clare shooting hurt stuff out of her eyes and so on, but it's great. This is probably my favourite SV book of all time! I think I'm going to carry on with the Super Chillers!!