“Who Would've Thought Getting Knocked Down Would End So Well?”, chapter 4
You can read new chapters of this story and post comments on Mibba.
Billie Joe and I were walking through Disneyland and I was dragging him onto just about every ride we passed. We even went on the rides meant for little kids - we got some weird looks from parents and children alike, especially when we cut in line. I was having too much fun to notice, especially being with Billie Joe. He really was a great guy, funny and sweet. As we sat on a bench, sharing a giant mound of pink cotton candy, I looked over at a huge roller coaster, the biggest I
Had ever seen. It was filled with twists, turns and monstrous loops.
"Oh, so you want to take on the Ring of Death." Billie Joe said through a mouth of melting fluffy sugar. I almost could not make out what he was saying.
"Right. Ring of Death, at Disneyland" I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "It does not look that scary"... Yes it did, who was I kidding?
"Well, that's just what Mike, Tre and I call it" he replied. "The ride is so intense. You almost feel as though you won't survive it. Your heart races and you scream until you're hoarse." Billie Joe was making fun of me but I wasn't really listening. I continued to stare at the ride. "And, on the biggest loop, the ride stops, leaving you suspended in mid-air for a few seconds, except that it feels like hours. Then, you fly down the loop and go through the ride again..." He paused, "... Backwards." It sounded scary and exhilarating at the same time. I could not pass up this opportunity.
"So what are we waiting for?" I asked him. "Let's get in line!" With that, we threw the pink sticky mess into a nearby garbage can and got into the line - and it was a L O N G line, at least an hour wait.
Billie joked, "If you get scared, you can just hold my hand and I'll squeeze back to remind you that you're safe with me."
"Ha, ha. But I bet you'll be the first one screaming!" We continued to laugh and make fun of each other as we moved to the front of the line and got onto the ride. As we were being locked in, I became a bit nervous and Billie Joe noticed this.
"All joking aside, if you don't want to do this we don't have to."
"It's ok, I'll get over it, in a few minutes I will be wanting to do it all over again." I smiled at him and he squeezed my thigh for encouragement. Hmmm... More thoughts about ripping off that belt. It's funny how that happens. The ride began and I was excited. The twists were endless, the loops unbelievable. We were about to begin the largest, and last, loop.
"This is it" I screamed, barely audible among the screams of everyone else on the ride.
"Here we gooooooooo" Billie Joe half-laughed, half-screamed as we began the loop. The ride, as expected, stopped mid-loop and left us hanging in mid-air. It was terrifying. A few seconds passed and we still had not moved. I remembered Billie Joe telling me that a few seconds felt like hours but I did not feel comforted. Something was not right. We were not moving. People began shifting nervously and I looked over at Billie Joe. There was a flash of fear in those sparkling green eyes but he quickly tried to hide it when he realized I was looking at him.
"Don't worry babe, I'm sure they're just trying to build the suspense and make the experience even better for us." He smiled for both of our benefit. We were scared. A few minutes passed and the blood was rushing to my head. I was beginning to panic. I did not even hear the screaming around me because my heart was threatening to leap out of my chest. What I did begin to hear was the sound of our harnesses buckling under the pressure of our weight. I reached for Billie Joe's hand, remembering his promise to make me feel safe. I know he promised not expecting this outcome but I knew his touch would help. When he did not squeeze back I looked over at him. His eyes were closed.
"B-B-Billie Joe? Wake up! We're going to get out of this soon. You promised me that you were going to make me feel safe, remember?" I tapped his cheek trying to get him to respond. He didn't move. "BILLIE JOE!" I screamed and began to shake him. No answer. Suddenly I felt dizzy. I closed my eyes just as rescue workers rushed to the scene.
Had ever seen. It was filled with twists, turns and monstrous loops.
"Oh, so you want to take on the Ring of Death." Billie Joe said through a mouth of melting fluffy sugar. I almost could not make out what he was saying.
"Right. Ring of Death, at Disneyland" I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "It does not look that scary"... Yes it did, who was I kidding?
"Well, that's just what Mike, Tre and I call it" he replied. "The ride is so intense. You almost feel as though you won't survive it. Your heart races and you scream until you're hoarse." Billie Joe was making fun of me but I wasn't really listening. I continued to stare at the ride. "And, on the biggest loop, the ride stops, leaving you suspended in mid-air for a few seconds, except that it feels like hours. Then, you fly down the loop and go through the ride again..." He paused, "... Backwards." It sounded scary and exhilarating at the same time. I could not pass up this opportunity.
"So what are we waiting for?" I asked him. "Let's get in line!" With that, we threw the pink sticky mess into a nearby garbage can and got into the line - and it was a L O N G line, at least an hour wait.
Billie joked, "If you get scared, you can just hold my hand and I'll squeeze back to remind you that you're safe with me."
"Ha, ha. But I bet you'll be the first one screaming!" We continued to laugh and make fun of each other as we moved to the front of the line and got onto the ride. As we were being locked in, I became a bit nervous and Billie Joe noticed this.
"All joking aside, if you don't want to do this we don't have to."
"It's ok, I'll get over it, in a few minutes I will be wanting to do it all over again." I smiled at him and he squeezed my thigh for encouragement. Hmmm... More thoughts about ripping off that belt. It's funny how that happens. The ride began and I was excited. The twists were endless, the loops unbelievable. We were about to begin the largest, and last, loop.
"This is it" I screamed, barely audible among the screams of everyone else on the ride.
"Here we gooooooooo" Billie Joe half-laughed, half-screamed as we began the loop. The ride, as expected, stopped mid-loop and left us hanging in mid-air. It was terrifying. A few seconds passed and we still had not moved. I remembered Billie Joe telling me that a few seconds felt like hours but I did not feel comforted. Something was not right. We were not moving. People began shifting nervously and I looked over at Billie Joe. There was a flash of fear in those sparkling green eyes but he quickly tried to hide it when he realized I was looking at him.
"Don't worry babe, I'm sure they're just trying to build the suspense and make the experience even better for us." He smiled for both of our benefit. We were scared. A few minutes passed and the blood was rushing to my head. I was beginning to panic. I did not even hear the screaming around me because my heart was threatening to leap out of my chest. What I did begin to hear was the sound of our harnesses buckling under the pressure of our weight. I reached for Billie Joe's hand, remembering his promise to make me feel safe. I know he promised not expecting this outcome but I knew his touch would help. When he did not squeeze back I looked over at him. His eyes were closed.
"B-B-Billie Joe? Wake up! We're going to get out of this soon. You promised me that you were going to make me feel safe, remember?" I tapped his cheek trying to get him to respond. He didn't move. "BILLIE JOE!" I screamed and began to shake him. No answer. Suddenly I felt dizzy. I closed my eyes just as rescue workers rushed to the scene.
