"The Cyclone," a roller coaster renowned for its heart-stopping loops and gravity-defying turns, have the time of your life," the advertisement had read. The moment she was buckled in her seat, the cute boy who sat next to her gave her a wink. She couldn't believe her luck, she never sat next to cute boys. He was in front of her in the line, but she thought he’d go in the front row, given her usual luck. But today seemed like her lucky day. It all changed in the next couple of minutes. Now there were screams all around her. As she dangled 100 ft above ground, strapped to her seat, all she could do was shout.
She had planned her whole life with him the moment she laid eyes on him, and he gave her a little smile. He had red hair and was wearing a Flash t-shirt, so he was also a DC fan just like her. Standing behind him, she had noticed his expensive shoes, that meant their kids could go to private school. Though he was wearing only a mildly expensive watch, which probably meant there was no trust fund waiting for him. But she could try to adjust, after all she was adjusting to her meagre waitress salary also. All she needed from him was his name and then the rest she could easily find out from her trusted internet searches. Her father always said she could easily get enamored by people.
His backpack suggested he went to a state university, no ivy league but she would adjust. The adjustments she was already making for this man, he better be worth it. But what if one of his friends or siblings had loaned him that backpack and he was just a junkie who spent his time under the bridge getting high. She shuddered at the thought. She couldn’t possibly go through all the withdrawal symptoms again like her father. But she would never leave his side no matter how difficult it got. She was loyal like that.
The moment they sat down, and their elbows brushed together, an electric current went through her and she smiled knowing it was fate that had brought them together. Afterall, he could have sat at any other seat but, here he was, sitting next to her. Hence, they were meant to be together. Their babies would look cute too, she especially wanted the girls to have his red hair and not her dirty blonde hair. Wouldn't they look cute in their matching sky-blue dresses with dolphin pins in their beautiful red hair? They would have his eyes but her smile. It would be even better if they could be twins. She wanted a big family in a beautiful house in a nice suburb. She just hoped he would be able provide her with everything she wanted, after all he was the love of her life, her fated lover, who had waited for her over many centuries to be united with her again. That wink from him confirmed every thought in her head. He loved her just as much and was waiting for an opportune moment to propose to her. The carnival music sounded like wedding music to her ears.
The moment the roller coaster started, the boy next to her squeezed her hand, he seemed a little afraid. But he was her knight in shining armor, how could he be afraid? The way her seat had groaned, she was also a little afraid. But she didn't show it, she decided to be the strong one for the sake of all their future children. She hoped they had checked the ride properly before strapping them all in and sending them on the ride of a lifetime. But she was confident nothing could harm her today, she had just found her soulmate, the universe could not be so cruel as to take him away from her the same day. She imagined herself in black mourning clothes that she would wear for the rest of her life in his honor. She did not like the image at all.
As the ride started shakily, she looked at him dreamy eyes, encouraging him to talk to her, but if he seemed afraid earlier, he looked petrified now. That’s when she felt the first pangs of doubts, was he really her prince charming? What kind of scaredy kids would they have together if he himself was so intimidated by a roller coaster? How could he be her knight in shining armor? How could she take him home to her father? He would eat the boy alive and not even burp. Instead of squeezing her hand, now he was crushing it uncomfortably. She tried to pry her hand away, but he wouldn’t let go. His eyes looked big as saucers, and he looked like he could puke at any moment. If he spoiled her new dress, she would never forgive him, despite his red hair.
Just as she was regretting sitting next to him, the roller coaster jolted forward, the clanking of the chain lift growing louder as it ascended the steep incline. The first drop was exhilarating, the wind whipping through her hair as the coaster plunged downward. Laughter and screams mixed together, creating a cacophony of joy. The Cyclone twisted and turned, the world becoming a blur of colors and sounds. Then came the first loop, and the coaster soared upside down, defying gravity. She was enjoying herself so much that it took her a while to notice that the boy who was squashing her hand a few seconds back was not holding it anymore. She turned to look at him and saw that he had already fainted. She was relieved as now she could enjoy her ride in peace without having to worry about him too. But as they reached the apex of the loop, something went terribly wrong. There was a loud, metallic snap, followed by the groan of twisting metal. The coaster jerked to a sudden halt, hanging precariously upside down. Panic spread through her as the realization set in—she was trapped.
Below, a crowd gathered, their faces a mixture of horror and helplessness. Parents held their children close, shielding their eyes from the unfolding nightmare. The carnival music, once cheerful, now seemed hauntingly out of place. The boy next to her came back to his senses and fainted right back when he saw the view from his seat. Not for the first time in her life, she started thinking that she may not survive it.
Like the time the drug dealer her father had failed to pay his debts came home to collect. She hid behind the sofa as the men talked or that’s the way her father had put it. But there was way more gun waiving and less talking from where she could see. They had left after breaking her father's couple of ribs, but they had come close to taking her with them. Or the time, robbers had come to the restaurants she worked at. They were just a couple of neighborhood kids. She recognized them immediately but that didn’t stop them from pointing a gun straight at her. She had barely escaped that day too. But as the blood came rushing to her face, she realized this one might be the real deal.
Minutes ticked by, each one an eternity. The structure of the coaster groaned under the strain, and the unthinkable happened. With a final, catastrophic screech, the section of the track holding the car gave way. Her screams were drowned out by the deafening crash as the car plummeted to the ground. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but it was too late. The once jubilant Cyclone now lay in a shocked silence, the air heavy with grief. Whoever saw them together, holding hands lying in each other's embrace thought of them as lovers.