#SaturdayShortStory - The Carousel

It’s fun at first.

You’re hanging on laughing with friends and waving to passersby.

Then you notice with every turn more and more friends get off.

The passersby are less interested in your fun ride.

You hang on and decide that “next time I’m gonna get off.”

The next time comes and fear forces you to hang on. 

You look around and all that’s left is yesterdays, wannabes, and coulda, woulda, shouldas.

You try to stand up, but you’re stuck.

You start to move your legs but you’re going in circles.

You cry, but that doesn’t change anything.

You say a little prayer and the ride slows down.

You try to jump off and the ride speeds up.

You say a little prayer and the ride slows down.

A few folks jump off but you’re afraid.

You walk towards the edge and the ride speeds up.

You pray and you keep praying until you reach the edge.

You keep praying until your feet touch the ground.

You look back at where you use to be and realize it wasn’t that fun after all.

You pray with every step you take away from the ride.

You pray until you can longer see where you use to be.

You pray for those that are still stuck going in circles.

You pray for those who laughed at you when you were struggling at the edge.

You pray for those who left you behind years and years before.

You pray and you pray and you pray and you never stop praying.