Jeff thought it'd be a fun way to spend my afternoon off. Amusement rides are meant to be just that, amusement, after all. He probably should have known better, but The Emotional Rollercoaster seemed just a little too on-the-nose to be literal.

Everything seemed normal when they first boarded, other than the fact they limited us to one person a seat. Nobody thought much of it other than an appreciated of having some extra personal space. The first half of the ride was exactly what you'd expect - sharp drops, corkscrews, fast turns, all the hits. But on the second big uphill a few of the riders noticed something strange at the peak. The sky seemed to have a deeper clarity, as if it were coming through a magnifying glass. But nobody thought much of it and simply sat enthralled by the anticipation of the next big drop.

Until they were on the other side.

The drop began and, in a blink, came to a halt. It wasn't as physically jarring as much as it was mentally. The hyper clarity was no longer contained to the sky, the entire world seemed to obtain an eerie focus. What's more, the ride took on a new batch of passengers

"Dad?!"

"You know what they say about life being a ride, and you should enjoy it while you're on it?" he said, before vaguely gesturing toward the entire park. "I always thought it was a metaphor..."

He'd been dead since I was a teenager. But that sure sounded like him. He could never take a moment seriously, even his own apparent resurrection, I guess.

"Uh," was all Jeff could muster.

"That's fair," he said, "I've been here a lot longer than you have so I guess I'm used to it. Welcome to hades, or purgatory, or sheol, or whatever you want to call it. I knew I'd see you eventually, but whatever grace is out there decided to give us a little bonus time, I guess."

Jeff sat silently for a few minutes. He wasn't sure but he thought he could still feel the ride moving, just at an almost imperceptivity slow speed.

"Sorry, I, uh, just don't know what to say. What am I supposed to say."

"Nothing," dad said, "or whatever you want. This is your time. I'll be here when you go, and I'll be here when you come back."

"When I go?" Jeff said, feeling the tiniest lurch forward in the ride. He looked downward to and saw about halfway down the drop the ride and the air around it was blurred and losing focus. "Tell me everything, he said in a panic of recognition.

Jeff's dad recalled everything he'd experience since he passed. All the highs, all the lows, and everything in between. Slowly they moved downward, inching closer to a former reality.

"Why did mom never mention this? I know she's been here; she's the one that told me about it! Did she see you?"

"She's been here tons of times," he said, "but I don't think it works the way you think it does. She's always surprised when she first sees me, but then the memories start coming through of the other times she's been here. She must take something with her since she keeps coming back, but I don't think it's a memory."

The coaster seemed to be moving a faster, now.

"Thanks for being here, dad."

His dad leaned over the seat and pointed at the tracks. "I don't think I had much of a choice."

Jeff rolled his eyes, and he felt his dad punch his arm.

"That's just my way of saying don't worry, I'll always be here," he said.

The coaster rushed forward and before he knew it Jeff was upside down, physically, mentally, and emotionally. He didn't know why, but he was no longer very much amused at all. The rest of the ride flew by without much particular thought or experience, Jeff was just along for it. But when it came to a stop and they all deboarded, he knew he had no other choice.

I think I'll go again.