Boardwalk Blues

Ellie saw the lights of the Ferris wheel from her seat at the edge of the beach. The day she had been dreading was here. From her place on the beach she could hear the engines of the ride starting, she could see the light on the rides come on in perfect unison, as the crowds of people began to file into the fair. As if the events of the past had never happened. Ellie took a deep breath.

"One year down." Ellie said as her fingers brushed against the long, now faint scar on her calf.

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Ellie had waited all year for this, a day at the fair with my friends. No school, no parents, no rules; She didn't have a care in the world. This was going to be the best day of my life.

Ride after ride, strange food on a stick, and cotton candy. The group of teens spent hours at the fair, until sunset. This was the best part of the day, the fireworks.

"We should get in the tallest one, so we can see the fireworks." Brit said looking up at the tallest ride at the fair, The Whirlwind. The ride was at least 10 feet taller than the Ferris wheel, with several four person riding compartments. It would turn sideways and the compartments would hang out over the ocean.

"I don't know..." Danny made a face, "I think I might throw up just looking at that thing, let alone riding it."

"Not riding with Danny!" Ellie and Chris said in unison. Danny scoffed.

"You have to unless you want to ride with complete strangers." Brit said, breaking away from the group walking to the line for The Whirlwind.

The teens wait in line for about twenty minutes, when they reached the front of the line.

"Congrats folks, you're the last group to get on. At least until the shows over." The operator of the ride said. There were groans of disappointment from the line of people behind them, but the group didn't care. The teens filed into the ride, they pulled the safety harnesses over them. The operator checked the harnesses, then closed the door, and started the ride.

"Time?" Brent asked, as the compartment climb up. Ellie looked out of the window like hole of the door.

"7:59. A minute to go." The ride slowed to a stop, the group was above the Ferris wheel, their car was over the ocean.

"This can't get any better." Brit giggled; turning in her seat, with some difficulty, to look at the fireworks.

Boom, the first firework went off a beautiful green, Ellie's favorite color. Ellie hear a strange creaking sound, but she ingoreed it. The next pair of fireworks went high into the air, exploding to make the shape of a red heart with a golden ring. Ellie heard the creak sound again, only louder this time.

"What is that noise?"

"What noise?" Danny raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Before Ellie could answer, the compartment holding the group broke loose from ride and plummeted into the ocean below

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The pain of that day was painted Ellie's face, she would never see them again. Ellie took a deep breath again, as the first of many tears rolled down her cheek. As she looked up the first firework, a beautiful green exploded in the sky above the ocean.

Ellie whispered, "One year to go."