The gravel crunched under my Velcro fastened shoes as I ran over the bridge and past the white castle that greeted you with a warm “PAY HERE” smile. I tried to stay still as my mom applied sunscreen on my friend and I’s faces but the bubblegum smell just fueled my excitement, we took off running. A feeling came upon me as my hair whipped in the wind that this time, this trip to Rainbow Valley would be different.
We watched the water ripple beneath our boat as we pedaled as hard as our little legs could. We thought we were powerhouses, speeding past others, but little did we know my Dad was doing most of the work. The thrill of the rides kept us running from one to another, weaving in and out of crowds and skipping lines. We went on the whale ride, the rollercoaster and the swans. We talked to Mrs. Owl, watched a magic show and went into the witches cave.
The day proceeded and the heat became almost unbearable so we decided to hit the pool area. It seemed almost magical, the water was misting everywhere creating rainbows in the air. I felt drops land on my skin cooling me almost instantly, for this reason I thought I was in paradise.
Ice cream dripped down my hand while I ran towards the blue and yellow train. We rode around the park with smiles on our faces, pointing out all of our favorite rides. One of the best things about the train was the driver. He was an older man with white hair and an imagination just as eccentric as ours, he told us elaborate stories about the trolls or the magic that took place in Rainbow Valley.
Eventually the day was coming to an end, we had been on every ride, waterslide and wandered every inch of the park. I now stood in front of one of my biggest fears, the gift shop. It was shaped like a UFO, with reflective circle windows and loud music playing inside. I almost refused to go in but then I realized that I was supposed to be the fearless child and this would ruin my reputation so I stomped my way up the ramp.
I watched other children’s eyes light up when their parents told them they could stay at the park a little longer. My parents on the other hand said we weren’t allowed to and I began to cry. My friend grabbed my hand and asked my parents if we could do one last thing, they nodded with guilt in their eyes from refusing my pleas. We took our time walking to our destination to prolong our time here. We ended up sitting under a tree talking about our day and how we would never forget it. Afterwards we returned to my parents.
I took in my surroundings as we exited over the bridge. I turned back and waved goodbye to the park and smiled cordially at the white castle, as if returning a favor. We drove out of Rainbow Valley, little did I know it would be the last time I saw those rainbow gates and the golden lions that sat guarding them.