Tyler breathed in the fresh summer air. He looked out over the city from the swinging compartment that he was in. Tyler was at the top of the Ferris wheel overlooking the rest of the city. It was a breathtaking view of the towering buildings over the bustling streets full of colorful clothes and happy people. The air smelt of cotton candy and funnel cakes, the heavenly scents drifting up from the vendors below, calling out to people to buy their food for outrageous prices. Tyler's brown hair rustled in the cool afternoon breeze and fell in front of his deep blue eyes. As the Ferris Wheel started to move to load more people on, Amy laughed loudly, bringing him back to the conversation. Apparently he has missed one of Jack's stupid jokes. Amy, Jack, Todd, and Mary were his closest friends. He spent every second of his free time with them. Tyler was trying to figure out what the joke was when a movement caught his eye.
Probably just some little kid, he thought to himself, dismissing the idea that anything out of the ordinary was happening There are a ton down there running around.
The Ferris Wheel jerked to a start when every compartment was loaded and the ride started. The sunlight washed Tyler in a warm glow. It felt so good just to be with his friends, relaxing and having fun.
"Hey, Guys!" Todd said, "We should grab funnel cakes after this!" Todd smiled widely at the thought of more sugar. The guy loved anything sweet.
"Ugh! No more funnel cakes! I can't even smell another one. Four is enough for me." moaned Tyler, clutching his stomach. Everyone laughed. Tyler smiled. He loved making people laugh. In the crowds below, he thought he saw something again. This time by the Brain Drain. The dark shadow disappeared after a moment more and Tyler paid no more attention to it.
"How about instead of funnel cakes, we hit the teacups?" Mary suggested.
"Sounds good to me, but I can't guarantee all those carnival foods will stay down" Tyler said, mock clutching his stomach and hurling over the edge.
Again, as he leaned over the edge, Tyler thought he saw something, moving closer to the Ferris Wheel. Now he started to become apprehensive but continued to joke with his friends. The ride had started moving up again and the breeze was rocking the compartment slowly. As the ride reached the top, Tyler started to relax again, forgetting the dark shadow.
As the ride slowed and the basket started downwards again, something lunged. Something brown and leathery and definitely not a bird. Something that should not exist. That something that should not exist dug its claws into Tyler's back and make him cry out. Todd screamed like a girl and dove behind Amy as the thing that should not exist struggled to pull Tyler over the edge. It made one last desperate grab and Tyler toppled out of the compartment and the world seemed to slow. Tyler did the brave heroic thing that saved him from a fall that would have killed him. He shrieked and flailed and tumbled through the air. He waved his arms and called for help to a flying bird. He even tried to flap his arms wildly desperately hoping he could somehow fly. It didn't work. He was still falling at deadly speed towards the hard asphalt below. Tyler closed his eyes and waited for the pain.
It didn't come. Well, that's inaccurate. It hurt. It hurt a lot. But not enough to kill him. A sudden wind had blown Tyler over into the Rapid Waters ride. The swift waters picked him up immediately, still wheezing from the fall. Before he could get a breath, the waves shoved his head underwater. Tyler flailed and kicked but the force held him down till there was a curve in the path of the ride. Tyler's head broke the surface of the water, gasping for air and filling his deprived lungs. His chest was burning, heaving, begging not to go back under, but the water did not comply. Tyler's head sank back under water when another wave came crashing hard onto his skull.
This time, the rapids were faster and Tyler's body was thrown into the bottom of the ride. The water grabbed him again and slammed him into a large rock, making his vision dim and his limbs weak. I am going to die here, in a water ride he thought, about to blackout.
But before the relief of darkness came, his head broke the surface once more and a hand reached down and grabbed his collar. The hand heaved him off the ride and Tyler looked around. There was no more ride. His savior had pulled him out of an actual river, not a man made one. Tyler was confused and didn't really want to think about it. He lie on the hot sand that he was now resting on and just breathed.
As his vision was fading and he was about to black out, he saw a figure above him murmuring "Stupid boy, stupid idiot boy" Then he passed out, welcoming the embrace of calm darkness.
