Dark Ride (7 page)

Chapter 16

Bigfoot's Rapids is one of the “improvements” Newcastle, Inc. brought to the park. A large whitewater raft ride. It's not something anyone would expect from a small, local amusement park. Nonetheless, Story brook Hollow has it, a hulking attraction that roughly covers a third of the park's land. For a while it drew the crowds as thousands of people surged into the park the first summer it was running to get a taste of the Falls, but the novelty wore off quickly. This resulted in Newcastle, Inc. not spending any more money on new attractions from that point on.

Amy is waltzing on cloud nine. This night has been perfect for her. That her parents had let her go off on her own had been a huge victory, but on top of that, Jack Braddock is paying a lot of attention to her. While she would never admit it publically, she had liked the boy ever since she was old enough to like boys—about the time she was five. Now, she allows herself to wonder,
Maybe Jack is interested in me?

She stays close to Jack in an effort to avoid being stuck beside Mason on another ride. To her, Mason Chick is the spoiled brat who tormented her childhood. She can't even begin to count the number of times he had destroyed her toys playing Godzilla with her Barbies. When this happened, Scotty would never say a word, but Jack, on the other hand, would at least try to distract Mason. He had always been so nice.

While waiting in the small line at the Rapids, Amy sees Mason grab the bear from her brother. Not knowing why, she looks around.

“Nice bear, Chick,” The voice belongs to a slender blonde-haired girl wearing a button-up white polo top and a plaid skirt that Amy would feel indecent wearing in public. It is the one and only Lauren Van Wormer. The girl stands just ahead of them in line, flanked by a redhead and brunette. Lauren Van Wormer, who's in the ninth grade, is that type of girl who sets such an unreachable standard of wealth and beauty that even seniors in high school tremble in her wake.

“This thing? Yeah, I didn't want to have to lug it around, but Braddock begged me to win something.”

What a jerk
, surmises Amy.
Does he think they're impressed?

Shooting a glance at Scotty, she sees her brother mesmerized by the blonde. Then she looks at Jack, who looks like even he is trying to push out his chest.
Boys
, she thinks.

“We tried to get our parents to take us to the mall, but they were dead set on making us come here one last time. Lame, right?” Van Wormer makes a face like she's just smelled some bad cheese.

“Yeah, you said it,” Mason blurts. “We got stuck here, too.”

Amy says to herself,
Won't this line move any faster? What is going on? The park is nearly empty, what is with this line?

The redhead says, “Oh, how nice you've brought your baby sis to tag along, Scotty. How cute.”

The wry grins of the girls send Amy into a helpless tailspin.

“It's Annie, right?” the redhead concludes.

“Her name is Amy,” asserts Jack.

“Oh that's right, Jack…Amy. Well, Amy, I hope you are tall enough to ride some of the big girl rides,” Lauren coaxes.

Mason gives the girl a chuckle, acknowledging that he is on their level.

Trying to hide, praying that they will move along, Amy turns away from the girls. Why would she think anyone would be attracted to her? These girls have it all. Amy chides herself, thinking,
“\What could Jack Braddock, or any boy for that matter, see in me? Everything about me is nothing compared to them. These ugly freckles, auburn hair, off-the-rack T-shirt, and khaki shorts.

The ride attendant breaks the uncomfortable silence. “You guys are next. How many in your party?”

“Three.” And with that, the girls walk forward and into one of the large black rafts.

“See you later, Mason.”

“Yeah, cool.”

Stepping up in line, the four of them await their turn.

“Don't mind them, Amy,” Jack says as he looks at her, “They say that stuff to make themselves feel better.”

Amy tells herself,
But they are better.

“Okay, we're up, Amy…. Amy?”

Amy is torn away from her own self-loathing by Jack's repeated calling of her name.

Jack waves and points her to a couple of seats on the far side of the raft. Scotty and Mason are already buckled and ready to ride. The large bear is strapped across Scotty's chest. An older couple fills out the raft. After Jack and Amy are settled, the raft stutters and shakes down a ramp into the man-made river.

“I've got this strategy. I always pick the seats that are the driest. That's where the people who didn't get wet sat. Like the signs say, on this ride you
could
get soaked.” Jack recites.

“Does it work?” Amy asks, thankful for the small talk that eases Lauren Van Wormer and her gang out of her mind.

“No, hardly ever. I am like a water magnet.”

This makes Amy laugh. She can breathe freely again.

The raft bounces all over the watery course. A huge rapid washes over the older couple. The man's three grey hairs stand at attention atop his head. After another spin and a whirl, a huge wave hits the side of the boat where Scotty sits.

“So much for staying dry,” a soaked Scotty chuckles.

“No one gets away from Bigfoot unscathed!” Mason cheers.

“So far, so good. We' re dry,” says Amy, who crosses her fingers playfully.

“Oh great, now were jinxed for sure.” Grinning, Jack mockingly puts his head under his barricading arms.

The raft jets up and down over rushes of water. The cave is just ahead.

Inside the cave, a large Bigfoot dummy, holding a boulder above his head in a threatening stance, growls piped in sound effects at the riders.

The raft spins. Jack and Amy's backs are to the front. Just then, the raft dips and a monstrous flood of water spills over the front of the raft, soaking Jack and Amy.

The ride ends shortly after the drenching, and the attendant laughs at the soaked crew.

“Look at me, not a drop of water!” Mason crows.

Amy cannot believe how water logged she is.

Now we have to walk around like this. It will take forever to dry.
Jack thinks.

Upon seeing the monstrous damage, the attendant throws Jack a towel.

“Thanks.”

Jack takes the towel and begins to wipe it across his chest when he stops.

“Here, Amy, you first.”

The act is so unselfish, so kind. While she stops herself from taking it too seriously, she can't help but let the small, simple offer warm her heart. In spite of the Tennessee summer heat and the sun's departure, the sudden soaking has sent Amy chattering.

Jack goes on, “Hey, wait a second. Here, take this Amy.” From his backpack, Jack produces a red hooded sweatshirt. “Try this on. At least it will keep you warm.”

“Thanks, Jack.”

Now she can't help but take the second act to its logical conclusion. Something about the boy has changed. This was not a simple action. This was a deliberate act of chivalry. Jack Braddock has been intentionally thinking of her.

Drying his glasses with his shirt tail, Scotty offers, “Think Clyde's got the Forrest on line? It's been 27 minutes. Let's get back.”

Chapter 17

A little train with seats for eight riders, two per cart, wheels past Clyde.

“Looks like we're open for business.” Clyde declares.

“So you gonna let the kids ride?” Gwen';s statement reveals that she is still not sure about the reopening.

“Well, I haven't been flipping switches for nothing. I should have said no. I wish I had. Would have saved us some time, but it's Jack. Ever since he was a little runt, he's been haunting this park from open to close every other day or so. It's not just that. There are lots of kids like that. Heck, I've seen most of this town get older. But Jack, well not many kids take the time to talk to this old man. He's been tugging on my shirt tail for years, and this ride…well, it's almost his ride.”

“Okay, I just don't want to have to go in and bail them out of there.”

“Neither do I. That's why I'm going with them. The power should hold up as long as they go ahead and get here. It's been holding steady for about 40 minutes at a time. ”

“Here they come, Clyde.”

The motley crew of four sees the trains move, they hear the sound effects and the piped in screams. Clyde watches as their pace quickens.

“Looks like the power's on—you did it, Clyde!” Jack beams.

“Yep, and you and your crew better hop on now. Not sure exactly how long it's going to stay.”

“Come on Scotty,” Mason calls, “front row.” Mason clambers forward, blowing past Jack. Scotty places Lucky in the cart behind him, carefully lowering the bar over the stuffed bear.

Jack takes the seat behind Lucky and looks to make sure Amy follows.

“Okay, Gwen, I've got my radio. If the power shuts off, I'll let you know where we are.”

Jack shoots a quizzical look up to the old man.“Clyde, are you coming with us?”

“Yep, just to make sure I don't have to go in and fish you out if there's a problem.” The old man lowers himself in the final cart. “Oh man, they don't make these little trains for people my size do they? Urgh, it's been years since I have actually gotten in one of these. Too many TV dinners I guess.”

Mason clears his throat and calls back to Clyde, “Hey, thanks for fixing the ride and all, but you don't have to babysit.”

Clyde can see disappointment in the Chick boy's face.
What's that all about?
wonders Clyde
. That Chick boy, never got a good feeling around him.

“No problem, I want to ride, captain. Gonna take her for one last spin for old time's sake.”

The sound system, which has not been updated since the 70's, cackles to life.

The train pulls out of the entrance cue and rambles forward under a large black metal archway, the official entrance to the ride. Etched into the cast iron frame are the words,

Just under the sound effects and piped-in music, Clyde hears what he thinks is calliope music. He swallows hard and thinks,
No it's just in your head. Anyway, too late to get off now, let's just get this over with.
A singular face forces its image into his mind—Douglas Finch.

Chapter 18

Things have suddenly gotten very complicated for Jack, and the timing could not be any worse. With Clyde behind him and Amy beside him, would Mason still expect him to somehow take the golden goose from the ride?
It's Impossible
, thinks Jack. He chides himself for thinking up the plan in the first place. There is no doubt in his mind that the mission is off. Surely Mason would not go through with it? And, why should he be worrying about it anyways? This is his last ride. He wants to enjoy it.

The ride itself tells the hair-raising story of four fairy tale characters lost in the woods. Each room reveals another scene in the story. The story is “told” by a mannequin who appears in most of the 16 rooms. He is an older gentleman dressed in a white suit with shaggy white hair and a beard, and he carries an open oversized book in his hands as if he were reading. Jack always thought he resembled the author Mark Twain

The narrator stands still as the first lines of the story pipe over the speakers while they pass by.

“Once upon a time…”

And with that, the cart rolls through two large black doors that automatically open into the second room of the ride.

Jack glances over at Amy. “So this is your first time?”

“I know, I just, well, it always frightened me as a kid and I never got around to it.”

“It's not so bad. I'll give a shout when something scary is about to happen. Don't worry, the next couple of rooms are a breeze.”

Haunting music chimes over the speakers, and Jack takes pleasure in seeing Amy grip the handle bar so hard that her knuckles turn white. Also, she scoots, ever so slightly, closer to Jack, who thinks,
This is going to be good.

Passing by the doors, the cart begins a slight climb up a hill. Plastic trees and a green floor give the allusion that the woods are getting thicker. Two mannequins, a boy and a girl in playful poses, occupy the space to the train's left during the slow climb. The mannequins look like the ones you would see at department stores, except they are not modeling the latest fashions. Both show signs off age: the peach paint is wearing off the boy's face and the girl with a red-hooded cape is missing her left pinky finger.

The narrator speaks again.

“Blair always tells me this Jack looks better than me.”

“Well, she's wrong.”

Heat rises up into Jack's face while he wonders,
Is she flirting with me?
“Your face isn't peeling off.”

At the top of the rise, just to the left, an old fashioned wishing well sits to the side of the next set of doors. It has become a tradition for riders to throw coins into the well for good luck.

From his vantage point, Jack watches as Scotty and Mason throw coins at the well. He sees Mason raise his hands in victory. The doors open into the second room.

“Hold on, Amy.”

The train—with a sudden jolt—rushes down a short incline.

At the bottom of the hill, the two plastic children are on their knees recovering from the fall. The atmosphere of the ride changes for this room, everything is much darker. Sound effects of hooting owls and howling wolves play loudly. It is clear to Jack that the sounds are having their desired effect on Amy. The girl nudges herself closer to Jack. Now Jack is sure things are going his way. He wonders,
Should I take her hand? No, not yet. There is still some time.

Traveling on the track toward the next set of doors, Jack breathes deeply. He allows himself a moment of victorious thought. For the first time in his life, he's experiencing the excitement of a real budding romance. Of course, Jack does not count Jenny Pappadill.

A large vulture on a string falls from the ceiling.

Jack ducks. He had forgotten about the startling bird.

A playful laugh escapes Amy. “Oh, so the brave Sir Jack has a chink in his armor?”

Embarrassed, but not above giving a playful laugh, Jack excuses himself. “I forgot about it, that's all. Nothing much in the next room. But from there….”

“Well, maybe I should be the one looking out for you?”

The playfulness in the girl's voice warms Jack's heart.

The next room introduces the other main characters of the ride. To the left of the tracks stand a tailor and his apprentice, who look ready to enter the woods. The tailor is adorned with a large gold badge. The apprentice holds a silver trumpet.

Up ahead in the front seat, Jack can hear Scotty playing know-it-all for Mason.

“In German fairy tales, the tailor is renowned for killing giants,” Scotty lectures.

Scotty knows just about everything there is to know about this stuff, and he's a little too quick to point this fact out.

The train approaches the figures. Mason turns to Jack and shoots him a wink.

What is he up to?
wonders Jack.

Then, with catlike reflexes, Mason leans over the side of the train and yanks the badge from the tailor's chest. A patch of white shirt rips, and the tailor hobbles forward. The mannequin appears about to lose its balance but steadies itself with its own weight.

Jack asks himself,
Did I just see that?
Looking at Amy, hoping the girl did not witness the theft, he relaxes a little to find Amy staring up at the ceiling, perhaps scouting for another vulture.

Then Jack realizes,
What about Clyde!
Instantly, Jack turns to Clyde and thinks that Mason is perhaps the luckiest kid on earth or that maybe the coin in the well worked. Clyde is looking down behind them at an entire tub of popcorn an earlier guest had discarded on the floor.

“No respect for anything these days. See that mess back there, Jack? You know who will have to pick that up tonight?” Clyde pauses for effect and then says, “Gwen.” The old man gives a chuckle at his own joke.

Shocked at the boldness of Mason, Jack realizes the quandary now. The plan is still on, and Mason will expect Jack to come through. He has to get the goose. The gauntlet has been thrown down.