Shipwrecked (Choose Your Own Adventure)

Thirty

''I wish to be shown the face of my true love," you murmur, rubbing the lamp as hard as you can.

"What?!" John and Ringo cry.

''WHAT?!" Paul cries, sounding offended. (He's technically your boyfriend here, so naturally he thinks he's your true love.)

George doesn't cry at all. He's too busy playing This Little Piggy with Serenity's tiny toes, while she shrieks with laughter.

There's a huge puff of multicoloured smoke: blues, greens, pinks, yellows, and every colour in between. To your shock and delight, you find yourself being lifted up into the air and spun around like a human spinning top.

Then you stop.

You've come to a standstill, suspended in midair.

Then something gives way and you fall - and quite a long way, may I add. That weird, Technicolor smoke lifted you several dozen feet into the air!

You let out a scream and thrash around, frantically searching for something to cling on to. Unfortunately there's nothing here but thin air.

You fall down... down... down...

Then you hear someone cry out, "Don't worry! I've got you!"

You land on the ground with a heavy thud, but something - someone - has broken your fall! You sit up and look around in a daze... only to find you've landed smack-bang on top of Ringo's chest.

"Oh God!" you say, scrambling to your feet. "I'm so sorry, Ringo!"

Ringo just lets out a wheezy laugh. "I said I've got you, didn't I?"

"Darling!" Paul shouts, rushing over to you. "Oh God, are you all right? Nothing's broken?"

"I'm fine, Paulie," you say. "I think we should really be worrying about poor Ringo."

"Forget Ringo for a moment!" John says, sounding exasperated. "What on earth made you wish to see the face of your true love or whatever the damned thing was? All it did was lift you up in the air, flashed some pretty colours, and dropped you on the poor little drummer boy's tits!"

"Hey! Tone down the swearing!" George says, quickly covering Serenity's ears. "There are children present, y'know!"

"Sorry, George - but it was still a useless wish," says John.

"Maybe it wasn't useless," you say, staring intently at Ringo.

Ringo doesn't say anything in response, but he does reach out and gently take your hand in his own. "Maybe it wasn't useless at all," he says - and a tiny smile spreads across his lips.

You can't resist smiling back.

"I can't believe this!" Paul cries. "I thought I was your boyfriend! This is highly unfair!"

"Shut it, Paul, you git," John says, playfully pushing his friend. "Let the two lovebirds have a moment."

"But... but she's mine," Paul mumbled.

John chuckles and drapes an arm aroubd poor Paul's shoulders. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, old boy. You'll find one eventually."

You barely hear their conversation.

You and Ringo are too busy kissing to care.

"And they say the drummers never get the girl," Ringo murmurs.

"Well, this one did," you say.

Who would have thought that goofy, kind-hearted Ringo was your love interest all along!

Fate certainly works in mysterious ways, doesn't it?

THE END
(Go back and choose another adventure!)