My
Journey to Atlantis
“Thump, thump, thump!” my feet slammed against
the beige steps climbing to the ride’s entrance. The chatter of water splashing
and kids screaming filled my ears.
“Are you
ready to have a great time?” my dad blurted out over loud yells.
“Super
excited!” I replied.
My dad,
wearing his dark gray shirt, stared at me. He grinned with a grateful smile. He
looked as though he was really going to enjoy this.
As we
stepped onto the platform to where the raft stops, my dad announced, “There it
is!”
As it pulled
to a complete stop, my dad and I slowly sat down on the raft. The raft’s cushions
were wet, slimy, and black. Its outer side was colored gold and green.
Meanwhile, I started to get anxious. My heart was pounding out of my chest with
excitement. I smiled proudly at my dad.
The next
thing I knew, the ride drifted away from the platform. Floating farther out,
the ride tilted and I clung to my dad’s side.
As my head
lay against my dad, all I could think was, “I can’t wait to begin! This is
going to be so amazing!!!”
I sat up
and peered far ahead into the dark canal. I felt cold water gently splash my
leg. It smelled like chlorine and thick air.
Glancing
down to wipe my leg, immediately surrounding me was an underwater world so
magical it looked surreal. Shells were scattered on gray boulders, giving the
illusion that we were actually part of this remarkable seascape. Sea creatures
swam beside us. Lights and dark, scary voices appeared everywhere.
I quickly
stopped admiring the scene before me because suddenly, in mere seconds,
darkness surrounded us and the mood changed to a scary one. A huge mouth
appeared in the distance with teeth the size of a student’s desk. Its eyes
glowed a tint of green. It felt like the mouth was going to swallow us whole.
“Ahhh!” The
raft fell down a steep ledge, then plunged back into the water. Slowly,
splashing across the water, a large metal crank exposed itself. Further ahead
was a tall hill that the ride would have to climb.
My hands tensed up. Underneath my dad and
me, the crank pulled the raft.
“Click!”
every time we heard the clacking noise, we’d jerk forward until we got to the
top.
The
view was fascinating. I could see the whole amusement park! The rides stood tall
and the sky was a clear blue. A few clouds filled the sky. It felt like I could
reach out and touch the trees.
“How’s
it going Dad? Do you like it?! Do you like it?!” I exclaimed uncontrollably.
“Of
course, but please calm down!!!”
“Creak!” the raft fell full force, tugging me forward. The strength of
the wind pulled my face into an uncomfortable smile. The wind’s strength whirled
my hair into my mouth. I pushed against the safety bar so I could lean up on
the cushion again. Looking down, the hill felt like it went on forever.
“Splat!” Water splashed onto my dad and me, as we smacked back into the
ride’s path. My head spun around in amazement. It was so much fun!!!
As the raft wobbled to the flow of
the water again, I shouted to my dad, “That was awesome… and very refreshing.”
My dad nodded his head in agreement. We both
then turned our bodies forward and waited to see what would happen next.
Riding
Journey to Atlantis is one of my favorite memories with my dad. I would do it
again in a heartbeat. I will never forget our day together.
