Judith followed her best friend Patricia through the gates of the carnival, wishing she was anywhere else but there. Multicolored tents with twinkling lights stretched out before them, and the air was thick with the scent of fried dough and cotton candy. If she were still a child, that would have felt like Heaven, but she was twenty-two, too old to still carry within her a sense of innocent wonder, and too young to consider herself a functioning adult. Finals were just around the corner, and she needed to study, but Patricia wanted to party, and when Patricia wanted something, it was almost impossible to turn her down.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Judith asked as she was being dragged around. “I should be studying right now.”
“Of course I am sure!” Patricia replied with a joyful cackle. “Studying? Pfft! Don’t be a buzzkill, girl! The books can wait a couple of hours.”
“If you say so…” Judith rolled her eyes. “But if this night out impacts my grades, you’ll never hear the end of it.”
Patricia immediately dismissed her concerns. “You’re one of the smartest people on campus. You’ll do great! Let’s go. It’s been too long since I’ve come to one of these and I want to see it all.”
Judith shook her head but allowed herself to be bossed around, thinking that the sooner she indulged Patricia the faster they would be out of there. It was a risky move, but it could work.
Walking side by side, the two women couldn’t be any more different. Judith stood tall and elegant, her long legs carrying her with grace as she tried to keep up with Patricia’s quick pace. Her light-brown hair fell over her shoulders in gentle waves and her big, round hazelnut eyes reflected the sparkling lights of the tents around them. Dressed in a simple white blouse and high-waisted black trousers, Judith appeared quite chic. A silver locket hung around her neck, an old heirloom that reminded her of her grandmother who had passed away last Summer.
On the other hand, Patricia was petite and lively, her short stature belying the energy that seemed to radiate from every pore. Her fiery red hair was cut into a pixie crop that framed her oval-shaped face, and she never stopped smiling even when she was confused or sad. She wore a fitted leather jacket adorned with colorful patches and ripped jeans that were splattered with paint stains. Her combat boots clacked against the pavement as she darted from one attraction to the next, her eyes wide with excitement.
“This is so cool!” she exclaimed, navigating through a sea of people with surprising ease. “God, I love this!”
“At least one of us does,” Judith thought, stopping right before her lips verbalized her true feelings. 
As they made their way through the bustling fairgrounds, more people poured in, drawn by the aura of merriment that seemed to be never ending. Beyond a row of stalls selling colorful trinkets, a towering Ferris wheel loomed in the distance and Patricia pointed at it with trembling fingers. “Oh, look how big it is! Let’s go on that first!”
Patricia was enthralled by the spectacle surrounding them. The carnival pulsated with energy, each moment brimming with possibility and wonder. All the ingredients for an unforgettable night were there. Now, they just had to make the best of it.

Judith sighed but put on a smile for her friend. She knew Patricia had a knack for finding joy in the smallest of things, and she couldn’t help but admire her carefree spirit.
They joined the line of eager carnival-goers waiting their turn to board the colorful gondolas that circled high above. The evening sky was painted with hues of pink and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon, creating a stunning backdrop she couldn’t get enough of.
The queue was slow but steady, and a soft breeze carried the sounds of laughter and friendly chatter from families from all over the estate as they inched closer to their turn. 
At long last they reached the front of the line and stepped into a gondola. The metal bars clanked shut behind them, sealing them inside their small, swaying carriage. Patricia squealed with delight and pressed her face against the glass. The wheel groaned and creaked as it lifted them higher and higher into the darkening sky.
As they reached the very top, the entire carnival stretched out below them like a vibrant tapestry. The twinkling lights of the stalls and attractions merged into a dazzling mosaic, and the distant laughter of children and the faint strains of music drifted up to meet them.
Patricia was bouncing in her seat, pointing out different rides and games with infectious enthusiasm. Her laughter echoed in the enclosed space, filling it with a joy that was impossible to resist. Judith found herself smiling despite herself, caught up in the magic of the moment.
And then the wheel froze.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen, right?” Judith asked, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension. Although she wasn’t afraid of heights, the thought of being suspended in the air for too long made her skin crawl.
“I’m not sure but I don’t think so,” Patricia replied. “Don’t freak out on me, okay? I’m sure we’ll be going back down soon.”
“Okay.”
Patricia leaned back in her seat, trying to appear nonchalant despite the slight edge in her voice. She drummed her fingers against the side of the gondola, a nervous habit that proved she was anything but calm.
The minutes ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity as they remained suspended in mid-air. Tension coiled in her stomach, a sense of unease creeping over her like a shadow. She stole a glance at Patricia, whose facade of bubbly excitement was beginning to crack under the pressure of the unexpected delay.
“Say, now that we’re stuck here for a while,” Patricia began, her voice as casual as possible, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
Judith turned to look at her friend, curiosity piqued despite their current predicament. “What is it?”
Patricia hesitated for a moment, chewing on her lower lip. “Well, we’ve been friends for a long time, right?”
Yes, almost twelve years. They were neighbors before attending the same school together and then followed each other around through high school and college. Despite their differences, they trusted one another and would always have each other’s backs. There was nothing in the world that could keep them apart, but the world was full of surprises and one of them was waiting to be unleashed.
“Of course!” Judith replied. “You can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I love you.”
“I love you too, but…”

“But what, Patricia? What’s bothering you?”
“You say it as a friend, but I… Well, I see you more than just that, you know?” Patricia rubbed her right hand against Judith’s legs and blushed. “Fuck, I said it! I can’t believe I said that.”
Judith couldn’t believe it either. At first, she thought Patricia was pulling her leg as she was prone to do, but as she stared into her companion’s anxious eyes, she realized she was being dead serious, and gasped.
“Oh! You mean…?”
“Yes, I do,” Patricia chuckled to break the tension of the moment. “Surprise!”
“Wow! I…” Judith was perplexed. “I didn’t know you were…”
“I didn’t know it either until a few months ago but looking back it all makes sense now. I never felt comfortable with the guys, and I was always dreaming about beautiful women. It was when I started dreaming about you that I realized the truth.”
“That’s very sweet of you, but I…” Judith’s voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words. She had never seen Patricia in this light before, never even considered the possibility that their friendship could be something more. Her mind raced as she tried to process this new information, the world around them fading into the background.
Patricia watched Judith intently, her eyes searching for any sign of what the other woman was feeling. The silence between them stretched on, filled only by the distant sounds of the carnival below. Judith took a deep breath and met Patricia’s gaze.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” Judith began, her heart pounding in her chest. “I never imagined… I mean, I care about you so much, but I never thought…”
“It’s okay,” Patricia said, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “I can see that you don’t feel the same way. She told me this would happen. In fact, until now, everything she told me came true.”
“She told you? Pat, what are you talking about?”
Patricia’s gaze shifted from Judith to the horizon beyond, a melancholy smile playing on her lips. The sun had begun its slow descent, casting a golden hue over the fairground below as the carnival lights flickered to life like a thousand stars against the darkening sky. In that moment of quiet introspection, Patricia seemed to be transported to another time and place.
“I have another confession to make, Judith,” she whispered over the gentle hum of the gondola’s machinery. “This is not my first time in this place.”
Judith’s brow furrowed, her earlier bewilderment giving way to newfound curiosity. “What do you mean, Patricia? Have you been here before?”
“Yes. Yesterday.” Patricia took a shaky breath, steeling herself before she continued. “I came looking for her - Madame Vespa. She’s a fortune teller. When I knew the carnival was in town, I had to find her to see what the future held for me.”
Madame Vespa. The name echoed in Judith’s mind, a faint memory from her childhood surfacing like a distant dream. She remembered the rumors that circulated around town about the enigmatic fortune teller, whispers of her uncanny ability to predict the future with chilling accuracy. But Judith had always dismissed such stories as mere superstition, the stuff of fairy tales and legend.
Judith listened in disbelief as Patricia revealed her secret visit to the fortune teller. A mix of emotions passed through her face - confusion, skepticism, and a tinge of disappointment. She had always known Patricia to be practical and grounded, so the idea of her friend seeking guidance from a wannabe mystical figure seemed out of character.
“Patricia, why?” she asked.
“Because I believe certain things you don’t, and my intuition was justified. From the moment we met, I knew she was the real deal. What she told me… Judith, it was like she could see right through me. She knew things about me that no one else could know,” Patricia replied.
“It’s a scam, Patricia. These people are all con artists! God damn it, why did you have to get involved in something like this?”
“I wanted to know if there was a chance…” Patricia fidgeted her thumbs. “A chance for you and I to get together. You mean the world to me, Judith, you do, and I couldn’t bear the thought of coming clean to you and risk ruin our friendship forever, so I asked her. I asked her what the future had in store for us.”
“Right…” Judith clicked her tongue, annoyed. “And what did her glowing crystal ball tell you, huh?”
“That love would be mine up in the sky. She said I could get everything I wanted…”
“Let me guess… for a price, right? And then, she sold you some fucking trinket or something to help you out? Is that what happened? Jesus, Pat!”
Judith was fuming at the thought of her best friend in the entire world having been scammed just because she was in love. The moment the Ferris Wheel started working again, she was going to look for the fortune-teller’s tent and punch her right in the face.
“Not a trinket… This!” Patricia revealed a small perfume bottle she had been hiding in the back pocket of her jeans. The liquid inside was pink with tiny golden specks glittering in the dark. It almost didn’t feel real, some sort of magical concoction existing between dimensions. “It’s a love potion, she said.”
“A love potion? Oh, Patricia…” Judith sighed. “How much did that thing cost?”
“It doesn’t matter, okay?”
“How much?” Judith insisted, her patience already wearing thin.
“Five thousand dollars but if it works, it will be worth it… Please work!”
“Worth it? Patricia, you’ve lost your mind!” Judith’s voice rose in frustration, her eyes narrowing at the absurdity of the situation. “Love potions? This is not a fairytale, this is real life!”
Before Judith could say anything else, Patricia unscrewed the cap off the bottle and without hesitation, flung the pink liquid towards Judith’s face. The shimmering concoction seemed to hang in the air for a moment, catching the light from the gondola’s lanterns before splashing across Judith’s cheeks.
Gasping in shock, Judith stumbled back as the sweet scent of roses filled the air around her. Her initial fury gave way to confusion and then something else. A warmth spread through her body, starting from where the liquid had touched her skin. It was as if a gentle flame had been ignited within her, thawing the ice that had encased her heart for so long.
Patricia watched with bated breath as Judith’s expression softened, the lines of anger and disbelief smoothing out. The pink liquid seemed to have a hypnotic effect, weaving its magic around Judith and enchanting her senses.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still in the gondola as Judith blinked, trying to make sense of the sudden rush of emotions flooding through her. She turned to Patricia, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of wonder and desire, a feverish need that couldn’t stop growing stronger.
“Please forgive me,” Patricia whispered as the Ferris Wheel started moving again. “But I love you so much.”
Judith’s lips parted in silent astonishment as she reached out a hand to touch the side of Patricia’s face. The warmth that radiated from her enveloped them both, and reality changed forever. The angry woman was now docile, her mind turning into a puddle of obsessive goo.
“I love you too. God, I love you so much!” Judith said, no longer in control of her emotions.
“You do?”
“Yes,” Judith muttered. Patricia’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears of relief and joy as Judith leaned in closer, drawn to her with an inexplicable magnetic pull. Their lips met in a soft, tentative kiss that deepened into something more passionate and all-consuming. They lost themselves in one another, their connection growing stronger with each passing moment.
As they broke apart, breathless and flushed with desire, Judith knew with unwavering certainty that she would go to the ends of the earth for Patricia. The desperation to please and protect the woman she now realized she loved, consumed her every thought and action. Nothing else mattered but this maddening devotion that had turned her brain into an addicted mess.
Patricia was ecstatic. The love potion had worked beyond her wildest dreams, binding Judith to her with an unbreakable bond of love and obedience. It was a heady feeling, knowing that she now held Judith’s heart in her palm.
The gondola reached the bottom, coming to a smooth stop as the ride ended. Without a word, Patricia took Judith’s hand in hers, their fingers intertwining, and led her out of the gondola, their footsteps echoing on the wooden planks below. Her friend’s thoughts had all been replaced by images of love and obedience. Anything for Patricia. Absolutely anything.
“I love you and I’ll do anything to please you,” Judith declared. 
“Perfect!” Patricia said.
They strolled along the moonlit boardwalk, the sound of crashing waves mixing with the distant laughter of carnival-goers. Judith walked beside Patricia, a dazed smile playing on her lips as she gazed at her newfound love with complete adoration.
As they wandered through the carnival, the vibrant lights and tantalizing scents of fried food enveloped them in a surreal haze. A carousel nearby spun in a whirl of color, casting a kaleidoscope of shadows on the ground as lively music filled the air. Patricia guided Judith back to the entrance, smiling from cheek to cheek.
Madame Vespa’s tent came into view, a red and golden circle, its entrance adorned with shimmering curtains that whispered enticing promises to those who dared to enter. The older woman sat outside, her eyes sharp and knowing as she observed the world passing by. When she caught sight of Patricia and Judith, a sly smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
“Is this your lover, my dear? Or should I say your pet?” the fortune-teller said to Patricia, her words laced with amusement.
“I’m whatever she wants me to be,” Judith replied, the words coming from the deepest recesses of her brainwashed heart and mind. “I’m hers in every way.”
“Of course you are,” Madame Vespa laughed. “It’s not like you have a choice.” She turned to Patricia and added, “Take care of your new possession, dear. And if you ever need a refill, look me up. Have fun.”
The fortune-teller waved them goodbye. The two women exited the carnival grounds, leaving behind the enticing lights and joyful melodies of all the attractions. The effects of the potion continued to hold Judith in its spell, promising a future filled with unbridled pleasure and devotion.
Hand in hand, they returned to their dorm room for the first of many nights as lovers, and something more. Judith fell to her knees as she entered the bedroom, eyes glazed and happy. She would love and adore Patricia for the rest of her life.