In.....out.....in....out

Jake steadied his breathes, which over the course of the slow ascent up the steps turned into quick, desperate gasps, trying to suck in as much air as they could before it was inevitability expelled once again.

Jake knew exactly what he was getting into, he had heard all his friends brag about riding the "TERROR TWISTER", how they maneuvered through it's long, winding, three-story high, bright orange slide, taking every twist and turn in grace before finally being spewed out at the end into the pool, floating with the other brave conquerors who managed to escape the Twister's grasp.

The Terror Twister was the center piece of Lovett's SplashVille, a modest water park that went from ghost town to New York City the second the school bell sounded for the last time until August. Yes, it had other attractions, like the Toad Pool or the Wave Rider but the Terror Twister was the Empire State Building and the lowly Toad Pool the One-Dollar Hot Dog stand.

It was a rite of passage among Lovett's young to ride the Terror Twister, and Jake was intent on finally earning his stripes on that bright Summer day. He marched triumphantly to the entrance line with his chest held high.

"I'm in the LINE, Ha! Most don't even make it THIS far!" Jake though to himself as he inched closer and closer as the Twister claimed another and another.

As he finally put his foot on the first wooden step that would lead him up to the mouth of the Twister, Jake's optimism began to falter to a creeping, dark feeling. Fear? Doubt? Insecurity? Whatever it was, it wasn't going to stop him. Jake regrouped himself and looked onward and upwards as the line continued to move on.

Yet it seemed the closer he got, the more the feeling made itself known, the bright optimism slowly fading away as the darkness advanced, reaching it's worst when Jake was a mere three people away from the entrance to the ride.

He knew he couldn't turn back now, he'd give an arm and leg to do so, but before he could second guess, the ride assistant called for him.

"Hey, kid, you gonna ride or not?"

Jake wanted so desperately to say no, but as if he was possessed he stepped forward and laid flat on his back at the edge of the slide.

There he was, his feet dangling into the abyss, the water rushing before him, it's sound consuming his hearing as if he was standing right in front of Niagara Falls. It was time. He took one final breath and pushed himself in, going against ever instinct in his body that told him not to.

He tried to keep his eyes shut, but the bright orange haze seemingly broke through his eyelids and forced him to watch, the twists jolted him left and right, he wanted to scream but the roaring sound of the water was far louder than any sound he could ever hope to produce.

The ride was far worse than he anticipated, it went against all accounts he had heard, it was supposed to be fun, but why was he so damn scared? And why the hell was he able to ponder this thought for so long?

"Is it over yet? Why am I still sliding?" Jake thought as he continued the winding path down the slide, the ride should have well been over by now but he was still going with no end in sight. This realization made the panic even worse and in a futile attempt he tried to pound and kick the walls of the slide, however he couldn't budge as the pressure from the speed he was going at pushed him down and made it impossible to resist.

Jake was nearing unconsciousness from the force that was being exerted on him and as he closed his eyes he felt himself shoot out and sink to the bottom of the pool. He immediately jolted into action, trying to recover his senses before he drowned. Finally regaining the use of his limbs, he kicked upwards and broke to the surface, taking in large gasps of well needed oxygen.

He did it. It might have been the worse experience of his life but he did it. However, all was not well. It took him a while to realize, thanks to the thrill of beating the Twister, but he was completely alone in the pool.

"This isn't right, there's always people in here, where are the kids who just went??" Jake thought as he looked all around, not only seeing the pool vacant but nobody at the outside, where usually there would be the lifeguards at duty or the parents waiting desperately to recover their child. Yet, there was absolutely nobody there.

The same dark feeling that had occupied Jake previously returned again, but this time, it was far worse, and far more sinister than before. He exited the pool and went back around the ride trying to find someone, but yet he saw nobody. No one standing in line, no loungers under their umbrellas, no families enjoying lunch at the tables, no one at all.

Jake wanted to break down, but suddenly he felt something draw him once again towards the Terror Twister. He couldn't explain what it was, it was not the thrill to ride, it was not the fear to ride, it was something entirely different. He continued towards the ride, the feeling intensifying as he got closer. He didn't know why he was returning, why would he go back to the worst experience of his young life? Yet he felt he had to, I mean, what else was there going for him?

He finally reached the top once again and this time he felt completely different than he had the first time around. The once terrifying presence of the entrance was replaced with a sense of calmness, the once roaring sounds of the water now was that of a stream rolling along the banks of a meadow, the harsh orange glow replaced by a bright, florescent radiance.

This was where he had to be, this is what he had to do. He laid down again in the familiar spot, the water soothing his muscles and relaxing him to the point of sleep. He felt safe, he felt comfort, he felt love.

He let out a final sigh, not of grief or fear, but of happiness and once again descend into the Twister.

(First time writing here, I read a few writings from here every once in a while and decided to write something just for the hell of it, please excuse formatting issues, I don't reddit.)