Her Broken Rainbow

Come Away with Me

“Come away with me and we’ll kiss 

On a mountain top

Come away with me 

And I’ll never stop loving you”

~Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

Morning comes to my excitement and we busy ourselves getting ready for a day of fun at the theme park. I decided to wear my bright orange crop top tank and a pair of frayed jean shorts. I put on my orange DC’s and put my hair up in a tight ponytail. I decided to forgo makeup as it’s going to be a hot day, I’d melt under the sun waiting in line for the rides. We did get the fast pass so hopefully it won't be so bad. That and it’s a Monday, it’s not too bad during the weekdays, which is why we chose theme park day on a weekday. Heading out to the shuttle we ride until we reach the first theme park. We take our time going from the entrance in the direction of the Harry Potter world. I’m super excited for that area of the park. We make our way through the Simpsons theme area riding the Kang and Kodos’ Twirl ‘n” Hurl and the Simposon’s ride. It was gearing me up with excitement for what was to come in my favorite place, the Wizarding World. We made our way to the purple bus that appears in Prisoner of Azkaban and stopped for some selfies and group pictures. I take my time walking through the shops they have, the interactive wand features are just delightful. I stand in awe at the wall of messenger owls at the post office. They have these animatronic owls that just make me want one so damn bad. I watch their movements as arms slide around my waist from behind. “They’re really cool aren’t they.” Sky’s voice comes from above me. 

“Yeah, I absolutely love owls. This is my favorite part even though I know they’re not real.” I like to pretend. We continue on and make our way to the best ride in the park, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The enormous dragon that sits atop the building made to look like the bank in the story, is by far my second favorite animatronic feature they have. It literally spits real fire through the mouth and you can feel the heat spread over the whole alley. The wait in line for a fast pass wasn’t bad and we got to the front, next in line to board the ride.  This ride has everything I fear except clowns. It has spiders and dementors, darkness and dropping of my stomach with each lurch. I know I’m shaking just a bit because Sky wraps his arms around me and clasps his hands around mine. “Baby girl, are you scared?” His amusement laced voice asks. 

“No, I'm just super duper excited.” I lied. 

“Super Duper huh?” He chuckles at my failed attempt. It’s finally our turn and we all get on, 4 to a row. Sky is on the far end, me to his right then Alaria and Justin. Nick, Zoe, Shay and Zach in the back, of course girls in the middle. I have a death grip on Sky’s and Alaria’s hand. I squeeze my eyes shut as I feel the ride start. I know they do the pre-start check on the harnesses but I get so scared thinking it’s not going to work and I’ll fall out. I’ve always been afraid of roller coasters, but it’s never kept me from riding them. 

“Don’t close your eyes baby girl, you’ll miss the best parts.” Sky says beside me. I open my eyes and look to see his dashing smile and it eases my fears just a little. I’m still shitting bricks. The little story they play is cute and gets you to drop your guard right before the ride drops down a long shaft as if you’ve dropped into the deep caves that house the vaults in Gringotts. It starts racing along the track in a way to show like it’s in the caves running along the track of their trolly’s before changing scenery to the weeping willow thrashing around our heads, dementors suddenly appear as we whip about, leading through the forest with spiders crawling along, all of the children of Aragog jumping out and scaring the daylights out of me. I screamed more than I could have ever screamed in my life but I had a smile a mile wide the entire time. We come to the end and I am pumped and ready for the next ride. Once it’s fully stopped our harnesses release and we all climb down and out through the exit. 

“Oh my God, that was awesome! I think that’s my favorite ride so far!” Shay was jumping up and down as we headed off towards the train that will take us to Adventure Island. The train lets off in the remaining areas of Harry Potter, Hogsmeade. They have just opened the Hagrid’s Motorbike ride and I’m dying to get on it. 

It takes us an hour to get through Hogsmeade and into the Jurassic Park world. The river ride was awesome, the small bumps it goes over as you float on through give you a sense of comfort that nothing too scary is going to happen. But every time you enter the covered areas it makes you fearful of what’s to come. At the end there is a small bump that you’ve already been desensitized to that ends up dropping you straight down and capturing those cute little pictures of shattered hopes and dreams and sadistic grins. It was exhilarating. Next was the Velocicoaster.

There is an area as you wait for your turn on the ride where there are interactive animatronic velociraptors you can take pictures in front of. I was like a giddy child all over again, this is my favorite movie collection or one of them. I’m an all around huge movie buff so I guess everything is my favorite in some way or another. We finally get up to the end of the line and board the coaster. With Sky to my right, hands locked together I screamed more than I have all morning. If I thought the first few rides were scary this one almost had me shittin’ myself. The time spent in this themed area was well worth it. By now it’s lunch time and we’re all famished. We grab a bite to eat in the next themed area and move on to the Skull Island King Kong ride. It’s fantastic going through each ride in this theme park as each has something interactive for the wait as sometimes it’s long and this keeps some of your attention on anticipating what is to come when it’s your turn. 

If you ever have a chance to get out and take a trip to Universal studios, I highly advise it. Within the next few hours we weave our way through the Marvel superhero section of the park and back towards Dr Suess land. The details are adorably amazing and kids look so excited. We rode a few more rides before going back through the Hogwarts express back to Diagon Alley. We finish going through the first park hitting the fast and furious ride as well as the despicable me ride, I love minions. The excitement wears down and we agree it’s time to get dinner before we leave. Deciding on some good seafood, everyone agrees on Bubba Gump's Shrimp. I ordered the Crab and Shrimp boil which is meant for 2 but I wasn’t planning on sharing. Orders placed we fall into comfortable conversation, comparing what we found to be our favorite parts of the day. 

Our food arrives, once the waitress walks away Zach raises his cup of Mountain Dew to toast our vacation. “Alright, let's toast. To friends who will ride into battle with you, yet knows how to make you feel free. To friends who will follow you to the ends of the earth. May we never forget, or break the bond we have built.” We cheer and drink to his declaration. This is going to be the best experience I’ve ever had. I’m falling in love and making new memories all with the people who mean everything to me. I couldn’t ask for a better group. 

With our stomachs full and our bodies sore from the jerking motion of the rides, the eight of us trudge into the hotel and up to our floor. Shay, Zoe, Ria and I rock paper scissors for the bathroom rotation, giving me the first shower to which I saved time and water and drug Sky in with me. 45 minutes later we come out freshly washed and satisfied by extra curricular activities while in there. The decision was made to have a Harry Potter marathon, apparently the rides gave everyone the Potter vibes. Between the third and fourth movie I can hear a heated argument building in the kitchen, what sounds like Alaria and Nick, more than likely the events finally coming to a head. 

“Alaria you know damn well why I’m upset. Almost 2 years and you couldn’t be honest with me once?” Nick sounds understandably disappointed and hurt. 

“I know, I’m sorry Nick, I knew either way your reaction would be bad and I had to make a decision. At that time I was high on the newness so I just didn’t want that to go away with you blowing up about it! So I pushed it off and eventually it grew into what I now know is a bigger explosion.” She replies back but lower in tone than him. 

“Oh no, no you don’t. Don’t get that f*****g look. You’ve been screwing my best friend behind my back and you expect me to just forgive you because you … No Alaria, suck them up right now! Take your punishment like a grown ass woman! “ There’s silence that stretches out for a few beats before we hear Nick cuss low and what sounds like sniffles from Ria. She’s always been good at getting him to cave and he’s such a sucker for his baby sister that he falls for it every time. Are those tears real? Probably to a small degree, but I don’t think it was innocent, oh no, not at all. 

I hear rustling beside me and turn to see Justin on his knees pumping his fists in the air like he won the lottery. 

“You know he’s only going easy on Ria…… He won't be this forgiving with you and I don’t think big crocodile tears will save your ass.” Sky throws at him, the rest of us laugh as his happy ending is obliterated from fairy tale to horror movie in seconds. 

“He’s right.” the voice of Satan calls from the doorway of the kitchen, all of us turning to see Nick burning daggers into Justin. “Zach, Sky… hold him down.” Best day ever with perfect company. 

Our vacation goes by all too quickly and we leave with more souvenirs than any tourist should buy, pictures apon pictures that we could take at any stand or ride they had. We swam with the dolphins and watched stingrays be flabby water pancakes. It was the most amazing, beautiful vacation I have ever had. The plane ride was silent, all of us tired and ready to fall into our beds. We arrive back at DIA, gather our bags at claims and head out to the trucks awaiting Alaria and Nick’s arrival request. Everyone is dropped off one by one and I decide to ask Sky if he wants to stay at my place, he agrees and we’re dropped off at mine. I unlock the front door and Sky carries the luggage into the foyer. Locking the door I instruct him towards my bedroom, trying to be as quiet as possible. 

Making it successfully into my room without a sound we set everything down and I flick the light on. Skylar turns around in a flash and smashes my face to his chest. “Baby girl I’m gonna need you to turn around with your eyes closed and walk out of this room. I don’t want you to question right now, just do as I ask and don’t look ok?” His voice has me beginning to panic. 

“What is going on Sky, I’m not moving until you tell me what’s going on.” 

“No. I will explain in a minute please just do as I ask. Close your eyes, turn around and leave. We’re going to go wake your mom up. Let's go.” I feel him push me back towards the door and once we stop the sound of the door closing can be heard. My heart is pounding and my knees feel weak. What did he see? I hadn't seen anything past the doorway with how tall he is, he took my complete view. He grabs my hand and starts down the hall quietly towards my mom’s room. He stops just outside her door which is half open, puts his finger to his mouth and enters low and cautious. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I can’t see anything out of the ordinary. He flicks the lights on and everything looks fine. My mom is asleep peacefully on her bed. The only problem is, she’s still wearing her day clothes and not pajama’s like you’d expect and not even under the blankets like any attempt to physically go to bed would look like. I gently shake her shoulder and she shoots into a sitting position screaming out bloody murder. Sky helps me calm her and hold her in place, “Mom, oh my God, mom it’s just me, it’s Raenn. Sh, it’s ok, it’s just me and Sky.” 

She calms down and looks at me, slightly dazed but a whole lot of panic. “Shyne, where’s Shyne?” She stutters out. I realize we’ve only gotten to my mom, we haven’t even looked for Shyne. As the thought hit me I leaped to my feet and ran full speed into Shyne’s room. There’s blood all over the floor and walls and a message written in it on the wall. My heart fell and the color drained from my face and vision. I saw everything in black and white and the words haunted my every thought. He did this. He took her. Shyne! 

                                                     Do I have your attention now?

                                                                          C.