Oneshot
The Wish
The ride creaks and groans as the wind slams against it, howling through the cracks on the windows, chilling the boy and his parents.
“Mom?” the young boy says, scooting forward in his seat.
“Y-yes dear?” she replies, her teeth chattering from the cold.
“Are you cold?” he asks as he watches her scoot closer to his father, the boy looks at his father then to his mother in worry, the young boy takes off his blanket, his mother moves to stop him, and all of a sudden the Ferris wheel jerks and a blinding light flashes outside the window, he screams and everything goes black.
Thunder rumbles in the distance, the aftershocks cause the ride to rattle, a brief lightning strike illuminates the pod, allowing the young boy to glimpse the location of his discarded blanket, smoldering in a heap where he had dropped it only moments before. The boy glances around the dark confined pod, straining his ears to hear anything, -failing to notice the now approaching storm clouds- his parents breathing, or even a hint of the rides condition, he flinches as the wind, now a raging storm, batters the would be protective cage, holding him and his parents hostage.
“M-micah ...” his mother groans out in pain
“Yes mom?” he asks, his voice full of concern.
“Micah… whatever you do…. Don’t directly touch the metal…” she commands, her voice getting weaker.
“Mother!” Micah cries out in alarm, as lighting strikes once again, causing him to shield his eyes at the sudden brightness.
Directly across from him sits his parents. Electricity is dancing across their bodies; his father jerks, causing a ‘zzt’ sound, he winces.
“Father!” Micah whimpers, close to tears, never in his 15 years of life has he seen him like this, not even when he broke his arm and his leg while falling off the roof getting the cat.
“I’m fine, son” his father says and winces again. His voice giving nothing away.
The Ferris wheel lurches forward, and ever so slowly, their pod begins to rise. As it creaks and groans, forced forward by the strong winds, Micah once again looks around, lightning flashes, casting the enclosed space in black and white, he sees his parents, but they aren’t moving.
“Mom?” he whimpers.
-no response.
“Mom?” he repeats again, this time more urgent .
-still no response.
Lightning flashes, allowing him to see his parents once again, their eyes are closed and on their faces rests a peaceful expression. He begins to cry, sobs wracking his body, but the raging storm would not let him be heard; he staggers as the ride begins to lurch downward.
Good, he thought, let it lower, that way we can get off of this ride. Maybe… maybe I can get help from someone… his thoughts trail off as he ponders the thought, unaware that the storm outside is only getting worse.
“Just hold on for a bit more, okay? Mom? Dad?” he chokes out, still crying.
-no response
The ride slowly lowers until finally, he hears the pod they’re in scrape against the boarding boarding steps.
“Since I’m wearing my rain boots… I should be able to do…This!” he grunts and he kicks open the flimsy metal door, he looks back at his parents, his mind racing. If I bring my parents with me, maybe they can get help faster, he thought, but how will I get them there? They ‘are’ bigger than me… he quickly goes over every possibility he can think of, but there is none, not any that are logical anyway, his heart sinks.
“I guess I can only do this then, this should at least help… even a little” he mutters aloud as he pulls his raincoats sleeves over his hands and begins to tug on his mom's arm, she slides to the floor and he proceeds to drag her off of the Ferris wheel.
“Hah” he pants, wiping his brow after he finishes getting her away from the ride, he glances back, turning to get his dad out, but the ride has begun to move again.
“No!” he exclaims exasperatedly and dashes for the pod, he slips and falls, face planting in the mud, but that does not stop him, he only gets up again and runs, confidence in each of his steps.
Lightning flashes again, and thunder rumbles soon after, the storm is getting closer, the young boy manages to drag his father out right before the cage leaves the steps, he crouches, hands on his knees gasping for air. That was a close call…he thought, standing up and glancing around, it was dark; save for the light produced by the storm clouds buzzing with electricity. It doesn’t look like it’ll stop anytime soon… Urgh! If only I had listened to my cousin and stayed home… mom and dad wouldn’t have gotten like this! He mentally cursed himself and wiped the mud and tears from his grime covered face.
A stranger approaches Micah from behind. In the name of- what is a kid doing here?! The man thinks to himself, but glancing over the boys shoulders, he sees the boys parents, sprawled in the mud. He staggers backwards, momentarily taken aback by the sight, he catches the young boy by surprise with the noise.
“Who?!” Micah yelps and whirls around in surprise at the tall, dark haired strange man's appearance.
“My name is…” the man's voice dies in his throat as he sees the boys face. Holy mother of- his eyes, his eyes! How can they be so blue?! A-are they contacts? Or are they real?! The man thinks, alarmed by the bright electric blue of the boy’s eyes.
“You- why are you here? Who are you anyways?!” the boy shouts with such force his bangs fall over his eyes and cover them, snapping the older man from his trace.
“I’m Christopher, Christopher Thoss, I work as a security guard here…” he regains his voice, “I never would have thought someone was still here…” he crosses his arms and stares at the boy, “who are you? I introduced myself, it’s your turn now, boy”.
“My name is Micah, I’m grateful someone is here” the boy answers, walking over to his parents, “please! My parents need help! We were on that Ferris wheel when the storm started, I think they’re hurt…or worse!” He pleads and begins to cry once again.
The security guard was at a loss, he glances helplessly at Micah, then to Micah’s parents, quickly coming to a decision, he walks over to the boys parents and crouches down, checking their pulse.
“I-I’m sorry kid…” he looks away, his eyes looking anywhere but the boy and his parents bodies, he swallows “they didn’t make it” he forces his eyes to meet the young boy.
“This was my fault.. all my fault” the boy sobbed to himself, collapsing to the ground, “why?!” he screamed to the sky, “why them?! Why not me?!” he roared, the wind picking up in response, it tosses his damp hair around, he listens.
A look of calm crosses the boys face, and a split second later, everything is bathed in white, the smell of burnt flesh fills the air, and Christopher staggers back in horror.
That day, the boy had gotten what he wished for, but in a roundabout way… “A day with my parents was all I wish for, dear god” the hollow echo of the boys wish fills the air, seemingly sung by the wind, everything gets silent, and the storm fades away, almost as it was all a dream, but its not, the boys parents are dead, and so is he, but Christopher .. Christopher was left alive…
