Still Waters

Late one winter night I returned to a water park I first visited during a middle school field trip. Cold and lonely I wandered down the empty path taking 4 second exposures without a tripod.

Now I stood before the roller coasters in the same spot as that day in my past. Alone now, then I had been surrounded by friends…

Nervously standing next to the ruler it was determined that I was only just allowed on the biggest coaster which earlier I had announced that I would ride. A gate was lifted although now doubt plagued me while the crowd goaded me to approach the line-up of carts.

In a moment of blind panic I turned back, unable to go through with my earlier boasts. As I began to disembark an employee closing the gates shook his head and pointed me towards the ride. There was no turning back and as I settled in the wild, up, and down ride that could become my life had lurched to its hesitant start.

I entered that park on a fiery summer afternoon and now along with my hometown I leave it behind on a cold February night.