I Write - Unstoppable

 At our monthly Writing is Fun meetings we decide a prompt for writing for the next meeting. Length is set at 2 pages so we can read them at the meeting. There is quite a diversity of writing. Some are real life recollections, some fictional vignettes, and sometimes there's a poem.

The prompt for September 2024 was Carnivals or Fairs. Here's what I wrote.

Unstoppable

It was the first week in October and Mayville was the last stop for the carnival before the trucks packed up and headed south. Josie and Dylan paid for their wrist bands and went around the corner to the gate. As soon as they entered the smell of kettle corn, grilled meats, and caramel apples swirled through the cool, light breeze. There was a small merry-go-round playing circus music with farm animals moving up and down among the horses and nearby there was a pirate ship, with parents and kids, swinging back and forth in front of a large canvas ocean. Screams from the bumper cars mixed with the midway sounds - "pop!pop!" of air rifles "tink!tink!" at the ring toss booth, and “clack! clack!” of the Wheel of Fortune.

Josie grabbed Dylan's arm and leaned into him. "I'm glad we brought our jackets. Once the sun goes down it's going to get chilly."

"And I'm the one who will have to make the run to the car to get them," Dylan chuckled. "Let's start with something to eat then hit the midway."

At the food cart "Tonight's Food" was listed on a blackboard and various condiments were lined up on the table nearby. The large trashcans were full, and a large brick held down a small supply of napkins.

“Yes. Hot dogs, and they have brown mustard,” Dylan said. “I’ll have two dogs and fries with gravy and a root beer.”

Josie looked at the hot dogs that a kid had bought and wrinkled her nose. “I’ll have two slices of pizza and a Coke. I’m saving myself for a funnel cake later.”

The dining tables were lined up between the midway and the bumper car booth. Right in front of the dining area was a “High Striker” to rate your strength. After cleaning up Dylan walked over, and turning to Josie, pulled up the sleeves on his “Real men love cats” tee shirt, gave the strong man stance to show his biceps, and picked up the hammer.

Whomp! He hit the platform. The ball only reached five stars for Superman, so he decided to take the other two turns allotted. Whomp! It reached seven stars for Champion and so did the third one.

“I’ll take a turn and see how I do,” Josie said as she stepped up to take the hammer. “Oh, the hammer’s heavy.”

Dylan laughed quietly. “You’re pretty strong and you go to the gym at least three times a week. And you were on your way home from the Performance Agility Camp when we met on the bus. You’ll do okay. For you, Superman will be Wonder Woman.”

Josie clutched the hammer with both hands and raised it high. WHOMP! DING! She reached eleven stars for Unstoppable. Then she quietly laid the hammer down and turned toward Dylan.

He slowly approached, reached out, and hugged her to him, laughing softly in her ear, “I’m standing behind you when the bad guys come.”

They worked their way through the midway, garnering a hacky sack ball and a small stuffed lamb. It was dark, getting chilly, and as predicted, he got their jackets from the car. Josie had her knit gloves in a pocket, and he grabbed his leather work gloves. He held up his coat and checked the inside pocket then he tucked his gloves in his pocket.

The carnival was closing at 10 o’clock so Dylan led Josie to the Ferris wheel. It was at the far end of the midway, away from most of the noise and giving great views across the fields to the mountains. This was the last stop for couples and most of the cars were loaded. “Here Comes the Sun” and “California Dreaming” rose up from the base as the wheel began to slowly turn. They slipped on their jackets before sliding into the car.

“This is so peaceful and a nice way to wrap up the night,” Josie sighed as she leaned into Dylan who wrapped his arm over her shoulders.

The wheel went slowly, allowing everyone a chance to take in the views. You could see stars and the moon. Car lights zig-zagged along a faraway road. On the downward arc they could see the midway booths begin closing down. Some of the workers were heading to a large tent at the other far end of the field.

Dylan leaned in and began kissing Josie. They were still in a world of their own as the wheel paused to let riders off. The young boy operating the wheel smiled to himself as he skipped them so they could have a longer ride.

They were at the top when the music stopped and Josie said softly, “I guess it will be our turn next.”

A few kisses later the lights on the Ferris wheel went out. Then they noticed there were hardly any lights on. How long had they been occupied? No one was at the bottom of the wheel or, for that matter, anywhere else. They called down but no one was around to hear them. Everyone had gone to the big tent, brightly lit, and blasting music.

They called until they were hoarse and realized it was no use. Josie noticed that Dylan was getting nervous. His leg was jiggling up and down, he was looking over the side and several times called out again. She sat quiet for a few minutes looking down over the side of the car. She had to do something. She reached out and touched his knee.

“Give me your work gloves,” she said calmly.

Putting on the work gloves she asked him to tightened the wrist straps. When done, she slowly pushed the lap bar away and stood up. Dylan was speechless as he watched her lift her foot over the side.

“Wait! What? I don’t understand,” Dylan, still hoarse from yelling, stammered.

She rested the foot on the outside circle of the wheel. With the precision of a tightrope walker she moved her other foot, balanced herself, bent from the waist, secured her gloved hands on the wheel, and slowly lowered herself to the spoke.

He leaned over the side, knowing not to shout, and quietly breathed out, “You’re crazy.”

She looked into his eyes and said, “I’m unstoppable … and I love you.”

Then hand over hand she lowered herself to the hub of the wheel and then again down the bottom spoke.

Dylan watched from the side of the car as she ran for the big tent. He reached into his inside pocket. The small box was still there. His plan for tonight was thwarted.

But, he thought, “Maybe this is a good thing because, seriously, that diamond is not big enough.”

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