Page 6 of Montana's Bravest

One day I’ll ask Sienna out. One day—when my prayer is answered, that she breaks up with that rich S.O.B. What does she see in him? Really!

Suddenly, Dad pulls Jack out of the line. “You’re not tall enough, buddy.”

I glance at the board.Min. height 50”.

“Dad!” Jack protests, sulking.

I defend my brother. “Come on, Dad, Jack is probably just half an inch short. He’ll be fine.”

“No. He’s only forty-eight inches. Next time, son.” My dad keeps pulling him away.

I should quit too and join Jack, but I’ve been dreaming about the Thunderbolt for weeks!

My little brother purses his lips sideways.

“Jack, you’ll join me here next year, buddy, I promise,” I comfort him.

Kids on the line laugh at Jack, some calling him ‘shorty.’ One boy loudly mocks, “Pissing your pants already?”

Jack cowers, shielding himself from the laughter coming from all sides of the queue.

I turn toward the boy. He looks so adult. His jeans are way too tight, apparently the fashion now. He’s bigger, but no one makes fun of my brother!

“Do I see pink panties under your fly?” I challenge him.

“The fuck?” The boy pushes forward to get to me.

I’m twelve, but with my physique, people often think I’m fourteen or fifteen. I’ve started practicing Jiu Jitsu and I have a dream of becoming a pro-MMA fighter. Dad won’t agree, but I’ll find a way.

“Red!” My dad calls to me to shut it.

The boy goes back to his place.

But I’m not done. “I bet your fucking balls won’t make it past the first loop!”

“Samuel!” my dad shouts, but I’m so far into the queue that he can’t catch me. “I’ll deal with you later!”

Meanwhile, the boy stays where he is. He doesn’t even have the courage to look at me now. I take the front-row seat, and the Thunderbolt takes me to the sky.

We slow down as the coaster climbs the three-sixty loop, and when gravity sucks us down the circle, my life is complete.

At the end of the first lap, I see Dad and Jack waving at me, but the second time around, they’re nowhere to be seen—as if they’d been erased from a photograph that I just took barely thirty seconds ago. They might’ve felt that cheering me once was enough, but uneasiness fills my gut, and it’s not the by-product of the twisty ride.

My feelings get heavy when I still can’t find them at the rollercoaster’s exit. They’ve probably gone to the Ferris wheel, but it’s unlike them to just leave me.

I circle the perimeter of the roller coaster. People’s cheers and screams whooshing past me—ride after ride—but my dad and Jack haven’t turned up. I further my search, checking the nearby toilets, rides, and games.

Until my feet take me to the Haunted Mansion.

There’s commotion. A couple of policemen and the Fair’s security people gather in one spot, covering something, or someone.

As I sneak closer, I discover that the someone is my dad.

Without Jack.

“Dad!”

His face is pasty, as if a white neon light had been shone on it. Even the dark of night can’t hide the terror that stretches his skin.

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