Roller Coaster
We shuffle nervously, foot to foot. The line snakes on forever, but we’ve already waited, and our turn is coming soon. I feel cocoons growing in my stomach as the Man In Charge, who looks more like a secret service agent than a rollercoaster operator, tells us we’ll have to wait, the coaster’s full. There are only two more seats, into which Ariel and Rebecca slide. Then they’re off, their screams of exhilaration and pure joy quickly fading into bustle and chitchat. But suddenly they’re back, and the first butterfly in my belly bursts out of its cocoon and hits the wall of my stomach, momentarily perturbed, but then its up and about again, looking desperately for a way out.
How was it? we ask, nervous yet anxious. But they don’t get a chance to answer us, as the Man In Charge is already ushering them out the gate.
Good luck! they call over the pushing crowd. Pavla looks at me. I squeeze her hand and we make for the nearest car. Pavla gets in and I slide in next to her. We fasten our seatbelts, and I chatter nonsensically. Pavla looks even paler than usual.
I feel the wheels under our car growl into motion. I take a quick look around the coaster. We’re the only girls on it. Everyone else is male, and most look to be around high school, college age. By now all the butterflies are hatched.
And we’re off.
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