Free-Falling | Teen Ink

Free-Falling

February 26, 2012
By Noobtuber BRONZE, San Diego,, California
Noobtuber BRONZE, San Diego,, California
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

We never really remember the beginning of a dream. The action always traces back to the climax, the part where what really happens never fades. This everlasting emotion described how I felt when time and I froze at the top of Splash Mountain, staring down at my friends and at the emptiness that the sky had brought. My whole body vigorously trembled, and my mouth leaned over my stomach, and I realized how cold I felt at this ride's mercy. Fear rang in my ears like gunshots and I pondered about what the future had cooked up for me. Gazing at the world, it felt so much like a dream, but even in a dream, there is a time where you remember the beginning.

It was early evening. The sun started to set and our hopes arose as we knew this was a night of our lives. I was 13 years old, and also a self-confident boy too. Peering ahead, I noticed our next inevitable stop, Splash Mountain. Its rocky slopes and curves deceived us to believe that the ride possessed fear. The ride contained in itself a drop and a splash, which presented me with second thoughts for a split-second. However, I could see young children having a good time, so it didn't appear scary.

"Hey, this one doesn't look too bad. Wanna try it?" questioned my friend.

Being my ever-childish-self, I declared, "Are you kidding? A ride like this is nothing. Why, I will probably be sleeping on it."

I knew that I acted overconfident and careless, but what did I have to fear? Splash Mountain was a ride that I knew was going to be a stroll through the park. I began trudging my way over to the queue.

"There's a huge line. Is it really worth it?" I inquired.

My friend glared back at me, nodding in approval. I could tell that he began to think that the ride was a waste of time, just like me. Maybe it was.

I looked and realized one major fact.


"Hey, why are the stairs so steep?" I interrogated.


"Uh...I don't know..." replied my friend, who contained as much fear as I did.

Bored waiting, I peered around and noticed how everything contained the image to portray fear that this ride played with my emotions. A window looking down, a bell high in the ceiling, and a roof that pulled you closer and closer to the top the more you stared at it. Suddenly, I felt like the walls were squeezing me in. I couldn't help but panic as the air got tense. Did this ride scare me? How am I supposed to predict the future that I didn't have the slightest clue about? I reminded myself that everything was going to be okay, but even I understood that those words didn't make sense. My mind kept playing tricks on me, but I just shook my head and walked on. Just to make sure, I took a nervous look ahead; to my displeasure, our turn approached.

The line drew me in, mocking me with its power to determine my future. Hallucinations. That's what these were. And another thought also appeared, this one more tempting. Was I going to die? The thought passed my mind like a stray bird, but now it stayed in my mind like a moth to a light. Our turn had arrived. Confused, I couldn't make out whether that was a good thing or not. I started to move, but my legs were constructed of lead. Creeping my head down, I noticed the car that we would be riding in. The seat had no belt, which not only questioned me about the law, but also trespassed my confidence's barrier. As I prudently climbed over into my seat, I couldn't help but try to ease up the tension that was rising, while also complain about how wet my clothes were becoming.

"Ugh...so much for souvenir shirts," I exclaimed, "Anyone got a hair dryer?"


"Very funny," smirked my friend.


When I thought over the story so far in my seat, I suddenly realized that fate played with me, making me revisit something that I should have learned from.

It was a hot summer day, and I just arrived at my tennis tournament. This occurred a while ago, around 2 years. I noticed my adversary and foreshadowed predictions about him. Easy. Weak. Amateur. Only one word expressed my feelings then, and it wasn't overconfidence. It was simple. He didn't look like much; however, on the court his actions proved my hypothesis false. Just after the first game I panted for breath and sweat trickled down my face. In the end, I lost to him. My underestimation didn't disappoint me, but since I thought I could win so easily by expressing no hints of fear, showing no signs of curiosity, and giving no symptoms of a challenge made me foolish enough to believe I could easily pull through just by boasting I would.

My eyes awoke me to the feeling of falling. No, not the big drop, but a tiny appetizer on my platter of horror. My ears twitched to the sound of my friends yelling and screaming.

"Wahoo!!" my friends hollered.

I couldn't help but grin at the thought of my friends enjoying themselves. I wished I could have too. My smile quickly faded to horror as I shuddered in the sight of the mountain which lay in front of me. I obtained a dread of heights ever since I looked down one, but that didn't help subside my pain. As the ride came back to the peak, I sat staring at my friends. I came back to reality.


The dream arrived to the climax. My heart raced cheetahs, jumped cliffs, and fell mountain-lengths. I struggled to keep my heart rate down, but the rapid pump of blood caused me to shiver in my seat even more. Thump-Thump. My blood pressure beat more and more rapidly, my mind sped faster and faster, and my fingers shook more and more intensely. Thump-Thump. My whole body trembled in its seat, and the absence of seat belts couldn't hold it back from me. At this point of time, all that noise closed out as I thought to myself, Really?

The next thing I knew, I fell. My hand stumbled for the handle. HOLD ON!! DON"T LET GO!!! Oxygen escaped from my lungs, as my life flashed before my eyes. Everything felt so cold. My mind couldn't read much, couldn't comprehend much. My eyes didn't witness anything. Something bitter and blue shot me in the face. This was water, in its worst form: cold and dreary. The cold water caused me to shiver, and the fear wept right out of me. My mouth dropped, my hair stood up, my clothes drenched and my fingers twitched. At this point, I couldn't help but laugh with my friends. We laughed until our car came to a complete stop. And we laughed even more. The night sky had fallen and the park glimmered with life as we watched dancing lights and parading individuals welcomed us into a different world. Going back to it, my childish remarks about the ride seemed like years ago. Even now, I know that in the end, it was just a ride and an experience that would last a lifetime. Fear grabs you by the edge, throws you off, and sets you down gently. For me, it couldn't have been any gentler.


The author's comments:
A story of a time when I was afraid to go on a rollercoaster.

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