Ferris Wheel.

• Heidi Tacon, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

“Mummy! Mummy! I wanna go on the Ferris wheel!” My little sister complained, pointing at the big, slow turning wheel.
“But you said you wanted to see the dolphins!” Mum protested. But Lily was already pulling her along.

I walked on glumly behind. Mum, Lily and I were at Fred’s Theme Park for Lily’s fifth birthday. We had only been here for one hour and I had already lost my bag, spilt chocolate sauce on my shorts, I couldn’t find anywhere to refill my water bottle and I was so thirsty, AND I had a headache from all Lily’s whining.

I looked ahead, Mum was already paying for the ride.
“Ivy! Look how big it is!” Lily squealed as I approached, jumping up and down.
“Wow!” I said, but she wasn’t listening, she has started wondering off.
“Ivy, honey, can you please grab some juice boxes from my bag?” Mum asked grabbing Lily’s hand before she could disappear. I crouched down and unzipped her bag just as the compartment door opened.

“Ooh!” Lily jumped and shrieked with laughter. She and Mum stepped into then compartment.
“Hey!” I shouted. Grabbing the shoulder strap, I sprinted into the compartment just as the door snapped closed behind me. I went to sit down on the seat opposite Mum and Lily, but I was stuck. I turned to see my jumper caught in the door. Dropping the bag I tugged at the corner a few times, then started pulling harder. It was no use. I stopped and stared at Mum impatiently. When she finally noticed me staring, she said, “Oh honey! Let me help!” And got up and yanked the corner of my jumper, causing it to break free, and me to tumble over onto the seat.

“Ugh!” I sat up grumpily and grabbed a juice box, the cart now swaying slightly. I stabbed the straw in so viciously, that the box burst open and spilled all over my jumper. “Come on!” I yelled standing up. I unzipped my jumper and slowly peeled it off.

Suddenly, the Ferris wheel stopped with a jolt, and started slowly turning the other way.
“Ahhhhh!” People where screaming in other compartments. I carefully peered out the window, the base of the Ferris wheel was cracked. We started rolling faster, out of the stands, crushing wooden stalls. I desperately reached out and grabbed both Mum, and Lily’s arms as my head banged against the roof as we turned upside down.
“Mummy, I wanna go home!” Lily screamed, crying and kicking her legs.
“Don’t worry!” Mum kept saying, “We’re going be ok!” But her eyes shon with fear.

The Ferris wheel fell down one side. We landed with a loud crash. The glass windows shattered around us, causing Lily to scream louder. Security men ran around, opening compartments to let crying children, and worried parents out. Once we were safely out, I looked around, and surveyed the damage. Little food stalls lay crushed on the floor, and a boy around my age was clutching his leg in pain. Glass lay everywhere, children cried louder as it started to rain. The old lollipop lady was started handing out free lollipops to the kids for being ‘brave’. I knew one thing for sure, I would never, EVER go there again.