Safe Harbor

| 3 |

I walk briskly, trying to keep the vivid green of Marco's shirt in sight as I follow him through the enormous, merciless crowd. We'd been out here for an hour, and I'd almost lost him twice.

Marco wasn't bluffing when he said that the fair was a huge event. Just about everyone in town was here; adults, children, teens, and the like. Just the sheer size of the mass of people was probably enough to make any claustrophobic faint in panic.

I couldn't believe my eyes at how much Town Square had been transformed overnight. Almost everywhere I looked, there was a ride, or a booth, or a food stand just waiting to be visited. There was color and vibrance and light to be held every place your glance fell upon. There were a plethora of aromas dancing around in the air, as well; everything from freshly grilled hot dogs to sweet cupcakes. Music played loudly, coming out of numerous speakers mounted all around.  It was sensory overload for a newcomer to fairs like me, but I was loving every second of it.

"Alex, we've got to ride this one!" Marco cried with delight, stopping in front of a magnificent looking roller coaster. It seemed to carress the sky, towering in the air at a jaw-dropping height.

"Er..." I started, trying not to sound scared. "It's tall."

He laughed, unperturbed by my reluctance. "It's not that bad, trust me. I've been riding this baby forever," he reassured me.

"Why not then?" I laughed, letting him shove me into a seat. After taking the seat next to him and buckling down, we shot the conductor eager smiles.

"We're ready!" Marco informed the man, who looked bored out of his mind. "Please keep your hands and feet inside at all times," he drawled, his voice monotone.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we've got it. Let's do this!" Marco whooped, eliciting a laugh out of me.

"Enjoy the ride."

And with that, we were off. We slid along at a normal pace for a moment or two, and I felt fine. Then, our seats began to roll steeply upwards, up the incline, and I could feel my excitement mount.

'Marco, you're right- this really isn't bad," I told him with a grin. Our tiny car seems to pause for a moment.

Marco smiled at me mischeviously. "Just wait for it," he promised.

"Wait for wha-AHHH!" I cried loudly, taken completely off guard as we plummeted downwards. My heart leaped up to my throat as adrenaline coursed through my body. The speed of the car began to increase; faster every second, and the wind blew through my hair like a tornado. I could feel the car shake as the coaster turned to the left and to the right sharply. From next to me, I could hear Marco screaming in delight but I could barely hear him with the wind whooshing through my ears. Exhilaration rushed through me like water in a river; I'd never felt more alive.

When we got off the ride, I staggered a little, feeling dizzy.

"Whoa there, mate," Marco steadied me. "So how was your first ever roller-coaster ride?" He asked, enthusiastically.

I looked at him, grinning like a madman, feeling almost drunk. "Bloody brilliant."

Marco grinned in reply. "Let's go get some grub, shall we?" He carted me through the still growing crowd, away from the fair.

"Where are we going?" I pouted childishly. "I wanted go on more rides."

Marco chuckled. "Patience, young grasshopper. We're going down the street to Sid's. There'll be less people there," he explained.

Sid's was an old-fashioned diner right by Town Square. It was rumored to be the oldest food place in this side of the country; built in the 1700's. It was a well-known diner, and a regular hang out place for most kids our age. However today, it was nearly empty.