La Ronde, home of thrills, chills, and cotton candy. “Tighten your seat belts!” The operator gives me a once-over, bares a devilish smile, and sets the ride in motion. Wood rubs on wood as the roller coaster rumbles up to heaven. Grinds to a halt. Hovers mid-air. A purple haze hangs over Montreal’s skyline. My breath catches—I’ve never seen it from this angle. Then everything blurs as The Monster trips into wild rocket action. Whoosh, bang, swerve, drop. Hair flies, cheeks blaze, screams fill my throat. The car slows. Stops. The operator sniggers. “You can open your eyes now.”
Vivian Hudson lives in Beaconsfield, Quebec and participates in a local writer’s group. She also enjoys music, travel and life in a large family.