The MW: Becoming Darkness

Chapter 3:The Other Side (Pt. 2)

We first went to Viper, a medium-sized rollercoaster. One of the oldest in the park. It is close to the park's front gates. Normally has a tiny waiting line but it is a good coaster to get your blood starting to feel the adrenaline.

Jack insisted on sitting by my side on the second row, as he pushed Addie with Marcus to the back row before they could say anything to contradict his plans. There were about 5 carts between us.

Why is he acting so odd?

He just told me it was because he wanted to ask me something after we were going up, but I didn’t pay attention I had my stomach full of butterflies and something else. One of the most nervous moments you can experience in a good or a bad way it all depends on how much you can handle adrenaline.

For me, it’s one of the best feelings in the world. I can feel real freedom when surrounded by adrenaline. But in rollercoasters, you get a feeling of flying, as if nothing can stop you.

After the second time, we stayed on Viper, we went all the way to Revolution, and it was good, we were all joking around, having fun with the photos, and getting a keychain of all the rides we were going to ride today.

Finally, it was time for the ride I was waiting for in the Baja Ride area, what we consider the first zone of the park that has Viper, Revolution, and the almighty rollercoaster we're going to, X!

This was the ride of the year. Maybe from the decade, a total thrilling experience.

The last time I came to the park it had just opened and the line was insane, so I didn't end up getting on. There was no chance I wouldn't this time around.

Jack got us flash passes, so our reserved time to get to the front of the line was up.

I was craving only to experience X and nothing else.

I wanted it badly, but for our bad luck, the Flash Pass line was about an hour wait. The regular line was looking about four hours long.

After they saw my face drop at the sight of the line they started to get me out of the funk I was clearly in.

My impatience irradiated out of me probably sucking out the fun out of the day but I just couldn't help it.

Out of nowhere, Marcus got out of the line without a word.

Jack was trying to joke around and be goofy so I would laugh, but I didn’t fall for that.

Addie started talking about god knows what and I didn’t fall for that either. Then salvation in the form of Marcus bribing the people who were almost at the front of the line. It looked to be about a 3-minute wait.

He wouldn’t say how much he gave them. For the first time, I didn’t feel bad about anybody spending any money on me, I wanted this and I wanted this now.

The people that he bribed looked astonished and happy. They looked like they just got a million dollars and I wondered how much he gave them but wasn't going to stress about that.

I started to feel bad about the people behind us that didn't get anything out of us cutting line, felt bad but not guilty yet.

The three minutes went by so fast that I didn't have time to dwell on it. It was our turn, we went to the back of the ride. Everything was a bright yellow, it was all I could see at first, then the seats. Like the reviews I read before it was a 4th dimensional ride. I don’t know what that means. Something about pushing all of our senses. It seemed so cool.

It had two sets of individual seats per row.

There were two seats on the left. There was a pole between the other two seats on the right.

The review also said that the seats are 360º, meaning that the seats go round and around on their own gravitational space, while the ride is in movement and you have your feet hanging in the air so it sounded like the best ride ever.

Addie asked Jack to sit with her because she might need to squeeze his hand.

Without noticing, I was sitting on the edge of the left seat with Marcus by my side.

“Hey Violet, can I ask you a favor?” He says with a little smirk on his eyes.

“Sure what is it?” I say just focusing on preparing myself to forever be changed by this ride.

“Can I hold your hand while the ride is on, I don't know what to expect of this ride it looks fierce," He admits shily.

“Sure… Just don't know how the rotation will change the dynamics between our seats, so I might not be able to keep holding it safely,” I say as I grab his hand without thinking about it and focus again on the look of the desperate line of people waiting. And hold his hand a bit tighter as a thank you for the gift I loved the most, time being mine and not squandered while on an atrocious emotional state.

I guess I am a sucker for instant gratification.

I was glad I wasn’t on the front row that’s for sure.

I was eager but also quite nervous. He was right, this was a very imposing ride.

The car started moving and I got excited and intrigued the butterflies were simply so emotional at this moment. The adrenaline in my veins made me bounce on my seat in anticipation.

Without expecting it, the freaking car moved and it seems we were in the first row instead of the last because we were the first to fall.

I was screaming like hell, enjoying every second of it; feeling the air on my face.

Feeling the warm hand between mine, and after the first spin I looked at him, he was smiling at me and I felt complete.

I smiled back and we started screaming together I just could hear Jack’s laughter and hear Addie whining a little.

It was the best ride ever.

After that, we went to the Samurai Summit zone and the first one we rode on was Superman The Great Escape, it was ok, but nothing compared to X. I was wondering if any other game was going to be even remotely close to a thrill as X.

We were all about joking and having fun, talking about the series that was on TV about Superman, judging and comparing them.

Then Marcus said something about Batman being better than Superman, and Jack was all defensive of the accusation his friend had just made.

They started a hard debate about it, while Addie and I were talking about nothing in particular.

Addie stopped and froze, I asked her what happened and she simply took something out of the Six Flags events booth.

She showed me a pamphlet that said that 3 Doors Down was playing today in the park. They are Addie´s and my favorite band in the whole world.

We just started screaming like babies and Jack and Marcus simply ran to us as fast as they could. Without thinking twice about the reason why we would be screaming the way we were. They saw us jumping up and down, still screaming as well as the beaming light in our faces and they both stopped running immediately suddenly annoyed. Instead of reaching us, they yelled they were going to buy some lemon ice cream for everyone. I didn’t care about lemon ice cream! This was way better than anything I could envisioned for the day. The perfect ending to this day, 3 Doors Down in concert at my happy place, with the best people to enjoy it with.

I just thought of the perfect place, the perfect moment, and the perfect boy.

Addie and I after a lot of the same throw ourselves to the grass and start laughing silly.

“Are guys alright?” I hear Marcus ask.

“Yeah, are you done with the crazy stuff, sis?” I hear Jack tease Addie and by default me.

“YES!” We yelled at them and started laughing louder.

“Ok, so let’s go, so you guys want to go to Ninja?” Jack asks.

“No, we want to show you that Batman beats Superman’s ass” I tease, making Marcus chuckle.

“Well, when you are comparing the games Batman the Ride is better, and The Riddler is way better, and it's closer,” Jack admits while also hopeful we could do The Riddler first.

“Ok so let’s go to The Riddler’s Revenge first,” Addie says.

“Hey guys, let's go throw ourselves in the bungee afterward please?” I plead still over the moon and just utterly happy. I haven't felt this happy in years.

“Sure V. whatever you want, love,” Jack said looking at me with our usual pretend-in-love look and lovey tone of voice.

And for the first time, I saw Marcus frown at Jack

Jack noticed his expression too and shut it down instantly.

Addie was the impatient one this time, it was 1 o´clock and the concert was at 7 p.m. and she wanted it to be time for the concert already. She walked fast as if running out of time. But we had a lot of time to kill thanks to the Flash Passes and Marcus' bribe back at X.

The Riddler is a great experience. It is one of my ultimate favorite rides if you find the right position to set yourself before the ride starts. It has the perfect speed. You can be in a standing, squatting, or sitting position. You can even smile at the camera after the third time we when on it. And obviously, that was the key chain we bought. Everyone looked good at the last picture we took. I was sitting on the front with Addie by my side followed by Jack and at the other end Marcus.

Then we went to the Batman ride was ok…

I prefer the Riddler, Batman as a ride is a little too slow for my taste. But Marcus proved his point anyway, Batman was and always will be better than Superman, at least I thought so too.

Everyone immediately thought about the same thing. Food. We all started to walk towards the closest food spot that had the shortest line.

After a while of playing just some of their carnival-like games, I just tried to be away from everyone. I got these moments in which I get peopled out. And although this is my happy place, sometimes sorrow just invades my system and don't want to be around anyone in this state.

I sat nearby so they could see I was okay. Both Jack and Addie were used to me needing a moment for myself.

I texted my mom that everything was going well and that the weather was very nice.

Marcus made a move to come to me but Addie stopped him redirecting his attention to a competition game.

Jack was winning a lot of stuffed animals for his sister. They were just too many Addie and Jack went to the lockers to put them inside some big ones. For me, it was all a setup. But to be honest I was entirely willing to live through it. I stayed put and saw him be. Watching him smile, laugh, be defensive and kind of sarcastic just enjoying his presence, admiring it.

I was ready to spend time alone with him and, try to figure out more about him. I want to know everything that it's to know about Marcus B. Ritter.

He motioned me to come along and I stood up and went to him. We passed all the stands without really looking at anything in particular. The sun was bright and cozy; I looked at the sky and saw the clouds pass slowly. We were walking without talking for a while pretending to stare at a play aimed at children.

Bugs was beating Daffy as always, Porky and Sylvester were there too on a really cute stage. It was good actually, the colors were colorful just as the half smile came out I heard his voice subtle as the wind so near me.