[CG]

By now her husband was stood by the building and put his hand to it. It wasn’t rock, or cement either. Or even brick. “This is fake.” He said as Goo came to a stop besides him. “But what’s it doing here…”

“Yeah it’s really weird isn’t it?” Goo asked, knocking on the red ‘building’ experimentally.

“Guys we don’t have time for this we have to make it to the house in time for the movers!” Goo’s mother started, coming to a stop behind the two.

“Relax, they have the keys they can start without us. Come on, let’s check it out.”

After a little persuasion the family began walking down the tunnel. At first Goo had protested, saying it was too weird in a ‘horror movie’ type of way saying she didn’t want to. Her parents said that was fine and she was free to wait by the car, or in it, whilst they explored instead. Appalled at the idea of being left alone, Goo quickly followed. The tunnel was longer then they all expected, it took them a good two minutes to end up in a big room at the end of it.

Shards of light splashed across the floor and walls from colourful windows. And taking up most of the space were seats you’d expect to find in ancient train stations. Wooden, old, some nearly rotting. It was dead quiet save for a few gusts of wind that managed to squeeze down the same tunnel they had been through, to burst through the door opposite it. Suddenly another noise filled the air; that of a tram. The chugging of the wheels was easily recognised, and the ringing of a bell.

“We must be near a tram station.” Her father said, “But why would one be all the way out here…” he stated walking again, his wife and daughter in tow, until they emerged from the exit/entrance of the building. What they saw was not what they were expecting.

Miles and miles of green hills everywhere. Various statues were scattered across the countryside. This really was not what you would expect to see in the middle of a city. In fact, you could not even see the city anywhere. The only signs of life were a whole ‘town’ of stores just across the way above a few hills. Goo’s father turned, to look up at the red building. It was larger and impressive on this side, with a tin roof and a large clock tower.

“I know what this is.” He finally said.

“Really?” Goo asked, looking up also. Massive clouds – bigger then any she had ever seen – floated serenely overhead making it seem the building was slowly moving forward. “Cuz what is it?”

“It’s an abandoned theme park.” He concluded. “They made so much of these throughout the years, but most of em went bust when the economy fell flat.”

It seemed like a reasonable explanation, so no one questioned it. Again after some more small talk the family began walking further into the new ‘world’ they had discovered. The breeze was cool and fresh, and the smell of the grass was unlike anything else. Eventually they came to what could have been made a river. Large smooth boulders cut right across the hills right before a set of stairs that led the way up to the chain of stores.

Whilst he was helping his wife across the rocks, Goo’s father caught scent of something. Food. Something was cooking.

“Hey smell that?” he asked as he took his wife’s hand. “Something smells… fantastic.” She too took a sniff of the air. She couldn’t place the smell (a cross between beef and chicken with some seafood maybe?) but whatever it was it smelt mouth-watering. “Maybe they haven’t gone out of business after all.” He said, and continued to lead his family up the steps. As they did, they passed another statue. This one was a big frog, as big as Goo, with it’s mouth agape. If you looked closely, it would appear like it had spouted water in the past, which had left green stains on the stone steps beneath it. But since the family wasn’t interested in looking at statues, they missed it completely.

The town really was nothing but restaurants. But not like the ones you see now days, with pimply faced teenagers behind the counters, specials or toys available with kids meals. They were actual stores, with glass panelling and sliding doors. Unlit lanterns hung around their rooves, and no signs were anywhere. It was deserted too. Not a soul to be seen, or be heard. But still the family continued on, following the scent on the breeze. It wasn’t long until they found what they were after.

It was the only one open, a huge buffet built in a square with all the stoves and cooking utensils (and meat) in the centre whilst all the food they had prepared on the buffet. There were huge fish heads (yum?), platters stocked high with food of all kinds. But nothing like Goo had seen before. She expected one platter was quail, since the birds were so small. Others had pieces of crayfish. It changed from platter to platter, and indeed all of it smelt so mouth-wateringly delicious even a super model would buckle at the knees and eat everything in sight.

“Oh wow. It looks delicious!” her mother took a seat at the buffet, looking at the bountiful food.

“Hello? Anyone here?”

When no answer came, the two parents debated. They couldn’t just ignore the food, oh no! How could they not? They hadn’t eaten anything decent since yesterday, having to feed off fast food chains along the highway. After a whole day of eating that you want something good and fresh and tasty in your stomachs. So they’d eat now, but wait until someone return so they can pay for him or her.