The Amusement Park

Susan J. O.

As we were driving down the highway my stomach growled with excitement. As I glanced over to the driver, I felt a sense of safety. This was our first trip as a couple. We’ve only been dating for 6 months. It took us months to make the plan, and it finally happened. The sun was setting on the ride to the amusement park. The clouds gave off a warm orange with a hint of coral pink. As he drove, he held my hand the whole way. His fingers wrapped mine in a soft gentle way to show that I was safe with him. As we got closer, I started to dance in my seat, wiggling with joy like I was a little kid. We pulled into the parking lot and obtained a spot in the back. As we got out of the car, I felt the kiss of Jack Frost on my face. It was the middle of October, almost Halloween. I could feel the amusement park pulling me in with joy. I grabbed my boyfriend's arm and pulled him in closer as we walked to the ticket booth. The lines were long, filled with kids and adults awaiting the seduction of the amusement park.

It was dark and gloomy, with a contrast of the warm lights coloring sky. We finally entered the park hand-in-hand, jumping with glee. The leaves lay perfectly on the amusement park rides, waiting to get blown away by the sounds of screams. There were people dressed up in costumes to try to scare us, but we weren’t scared—we were amused. I glanced over to the right and saw the octopus ride I’ve always rode as a kid. I rushed over to the octopus ride to get our place in line. As we were waiting in line, I couldn’t hold my excitement. I was going to explode with the amount of happiness I had. I hope he did too. I turned to him, babbling about my memories here, and he just looked back at me with a soft look. I thought at that moment that maybe, maybe this might be real. We climbed onto the ride and he sat on the outside protecting me from getting crushed. He pulled me in close making sure I was in his arms and making sure I was safe. As we got off the ride, we were drunk from the spinning of the amusement ride. We tried walking to the car rides, but failed and had to sit down. After we walked over to the car rides, we sat in the cars and just talked about our future. As the night got darker and colder, we went through the haunted houses. Every scare and scream brought us closer to holding each other tighter. I felt happy. For our last ride, we rode the ferris wheel, and the amusement park was coming to a close. As we got to the top I’ve never felt more on top of the world. I looked at him with the same eyes a girl looks at her dad and I knew that I was always going to be safe with him.

Summer

Addie Elizabeth Haas

As I opened my eyes, the bright sun shot through my window. Annoyed, I threw my comforter over my head, not wanting to get up. I felt completely unmotivated until I remembered it was the first day of summer. No more stress – I finally got to live life. Summer’s my favorite because it’s when I’m at my best. It radiates positive energy and calmness through the vibrant skies. The trees are no longer begging for the sun; they’re full and bright green. One of my favorite things to do is go for a drive and blast my favorite music with the windows down in my car. I feel as if each day has something fun I’m able to do and I have

Moments

an abundance of time. Tan skin, rosy cheeks, and freckles appear on my skin after swimming in the hot sun all day. At night, there is the sound of the crackling fire while I try to get a perfectly roasted s’more. The sparks crackle into the air, almost falling onto my t-shirt. Around the fire, my brothers make jokes that make my mom and I laugh. Nothing but happiness surrounds the atmosphere. Not only do I feel more alive during this time, but it seems like society does, too. Restaurants are crowded with outdoor seating, more people are involved with outdoor activities, and everyone’s out on a body of water.