My throat burned from lack of water, and I could barely see through my tears. I kept running though, not wanting to turn around yet. I did stop running, however when I reached a big iron gate. I sniffed and dug a key out my pocket, and, after fiddling with the lock on the gate for a few seconds, heard a click and pushed the gates open. I gulped, and then started running again, running in no specific direction, just running. Finally, I couldn’t run any farther. I gasped for breath and, panting, looked around me. There were the Farris Wheels and roller coasters, all which belonged to my parents, owners and founders of Six Flags New Orleans. My eyes were drawn to the Titan, the tallest roller coaster in all of the amusement park, thus making it a popular attraction. But right now, there were no people laughing and playing, and no screams were heard from the track. The whole Six Flags had been closed for a hurricane that was coming our way, but that wasn’t going to stop me.
I was sure that the hurricane-Hurricane Sandy, they called it- wouldn’t be coming anytime soon, so I felt free to roam the park. This place was always a big comfort to me when I was in despair (I don’t really know why), and boy did I need comfort right now. I could feel the drying tears about to pour again, so I began running again, this time to a destination; Titan. I slowed to a walk when I reached the place where people boarded and got off the roller coasters. I walked past the roller coasters and stepped onto the track, the cold metal on my bare feet making me shiver. I kept walking on the track, using the long metal bars that ran across the track as ladder rungs when it came to steep hills. Thoughts raced through my head, and I tried to stop them before they made me dizzy. But then I remembered what my Aunt Hannah had once told me. “It’s best to just cry your problems out. Never keep them in, otherwise you will feel worse.” I took a deep breath and painfully let the thoughts flow. I forced myself to not start running on the track, and stiffly kept walking.
My brother was leaving. I sucked in my breath in pain. How could he leave! He had just come home from college and now he was leaving to join the army! What if he got killed? What if he got worked to death in boot camp? What if I never saw him again? He had just revealed the news to us tonight, and my parents had been thrilled for him. But I was devastated!
I reached the highest hill of the roller coaster and turned to look out over the park and into the woods behind it. I realized that the cool evening breeze had turned to a vicious, freezing cold wind. I squinted in the darkness and began to make out a lot of big storm clouds. “What!” The words caught in my throat. Was this Hurricane Catrina? I watched the storm clouds warily, and in five minutes my fears were confirmed. I was in the middle of a category five hurricane.
My instincts told me to get off the track as soon as possible, but my brain seemed to have lost control. I couldn’t move. I could feel the wind about to blow me off the track to the ground twenty or so feet below. I came to my senses enough to at least get on my stomach on the track and cling onto the rungs. I loved heights, but this was terrifying. The storm raged on for about an hour longer, but it seemed like days. By the time the weather settled, I felt sick. I thought I could feel the roller coaster still swaying a little, but then again maybe it was just me. I willed myself to sit up from my very uncomfortable laying position, and nearly fell off from shock. My mom and dad’s park was ruined! Everything within sight was damaged, but most of it I couldn’t see because it was covered in water. I didn’t feel ready to start climbing down, but just then I thought I heard sirens in the distance. I watched as fire trucks and police cars pulled up to the amusement park, followed by one normal vehicle that I recognized as my parents minivan. Relief swelled over me in an instant, and that was when I realized how tired I was. I saw as my parents and brother jumped out of their vehicle screaming for me. I yelled back, my voice squeaking.
Later, when I looked back at the amusement park, my heart went out to it. No more Six Flags New Orleans.
</
No comments:
Post a Comment