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Post by Kurt Wagner on Nov 10, 2010 10:30:14 GMT -4
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Kurt?"
A life spent travelling Europe, never in the same place for more than three days at a time. It wasn't like he could be seen outside in the daytime. Kurt spent many, many days in books - in whatever language he could get them.
He drove Margali crazy with his constant questions.
Peter Pan, Robin Hood, The Count of Monte Cristo. They were young Kurt's closest friends and playmates. They and dozens of others.
Until it was time to perform.
For Kurt, it was all just normal. He hadn't really thought about it.
"I suppose", he answered with an apologetic shrug. The coaster lurched forward as it connected with the tow chain. It clattered noisily as it drew them up the inclined tracks.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 10, 2010 11:24:13 GMT -4
She couldn't hide the wince when the thing lurched forward, the sound a bit terrifying for reasons she didn't understand, couldn't understand. "Well," she hurriedly stated as if to distract herself. "It's a good thing I like your kind of surprises." Her blue eyes started to dart a bit, trying to make sure that this thing was safe.
The noise reminded her of something - just what she couldn't remember. She gulped quietly and chanced glancing down - automatically wishing she hadn't.
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Post by Kurt Wagner on Nov 13, 2010 16:40:05 GMT -4
The best part of a coaster is always that weightless feeling when you finally reach the top and the car lets go and you get a good look at what's coming right before gravity takes over. The anticipation, the adrenaline, the realization of just how high up you are - that was just like the moment of leaping from the platform to a trapeze and it was exhilarating to Kurt.
The tracks loomed below them and Kurt's eyes gleamed. At the last second he reached out and grasped Christine's hand. They plunged down the first, best hill gaining speed. He was laughing as he held his hands, and one of hers, high into the air.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 13, 2010 23:43:08 GMT -4
Christine squeezed his hand tightly, her eyes closing for a moment in terror before she slowly opened them and started to slowly enjoy herself, even joining in the screaming when they hit the second hill. She shot a look at Kurt, to see how he was faring.
"This is my first," she said, laughing. "Didn't think I'd enjoy it."
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Post by Kurt Wagner on Nov 14, 2010 13:58:02 GMT -4
Gaining speed, the coaster banked and lurched. It clattered down a series of smaller humps and switched back sharply into its own support columns. No matter how many times he rode them and how much his mind told him he could never reach the metal beams as he sped through the lower superstructure, Kurt's instincts always made him duck his head and pull his arms back in, if just a little.
He cast a glance at his companion with just a little surprise. He knew that she had led an isolated childhood, but he couldn't possibly remember the first time he had done this.
It made him Kurt a little sad for her. "You're welcome", he said, happy to draw her a little bit out of her shell.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 14, 2010 21:24:55 GMT -4
She smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling. "Are all coasters like this or are they different?" she asked, clearly curious at this point. She smiled at him again, hoping he'd answer her questions. At least, he seemed willing to talk to her about these things.
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Post by Kurt Wagner on Nov 15, 2010 10:08:42 GMT -4
"They are all very different", he answered. This one surprised Kurt. It was good. Almost too good. He hadn't expected a fly-by-night carnival to have something so....impressive.
He looked it over again, doing calculations in his head.
"Ach du lieber!", he mumbled to himself. It was bigger than he had originally thought. He wondered how the carnival could make enough money to....
...and then, abruptly, the ride lurched to a stop. The waiting crowd was bigger now and the attendants rushed to unlock the restraints and usher them off the coaster. Kurt slid from his own seat, then helped Christine hurry off so the next round of riders could get on.
"Whoo", Kurt remarked, a little breathless.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 15, 2010 12:24:33 GMT -4
"Whoo is right," Christine said quietly, breathless as well. She was almost tempted to ask if they could do it again but refrained. He probably wanted to see the others and she'd let him go if he mentioned as much. She glanced around, biting her lower lip as she examined the rides around them. "So many different rides, I wonder how they could afford them?"
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Post by Kurt Wagner on Nov 16, 2010 10:24:12 GMT -4
Before he could answer, Kurt turned his attention to the Midway crowd. There was a surge of incoming children, laughing and pushing past each other to get to the ticket booths. To get to the rides. It was like watching a tsunami of matching red sweatshirts wash over the carnival grounds.
He felt lucky they had chosen to ride something before this mob got there.
They must have been bussing them in from somewhere, he thought to himself. "I guess....marketing...?", he answered with widened eyes.
Whatever it was, it was impressive.
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Post by Fate on Nov 16, 2010 10:41:55 GMT -4
"Those exiting the ride, please keep moving from the platform", said one of the attendants. Several of them gestured toward the exit.
Like livestock, they were herded away from the ride.
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Post by Kurt Wagner on Nov 19, 2010 10:02:07 GMT -4
Kurt held tightly to Christine's hand.
"I guess...", he said, trying to decide their next move as they found themselves trying to navigate an increasingly dense crowd , "...we should try to find the others....?"
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Nov 19, 2010 17:41:27 GMT -4
"Okay," she said quietly, a faint hint of reluctance in her voice. After all, she had argued with Kitty before encountering Kurt and didn't want to get into round (what count was it? She had lost track). She squeezed his hand tightly and followed him.
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Rahne
Training Mutant
Having a cane and being a doctor doesn't make me House
Posts: 25
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Post by Rahne on Dec 3, 2010 5:07:09 GMT -4
Her leg hurt.
This was so familiar by now, close to twenty years after the bones in her calf had been broken and irreversiblely shortened, Rahne barely noticed it. Navigating rubbish on the ground and turf with a cane and a limp was just about as routine. The lift-insert in her shoe helped. At least disablity products had gotten a little better over the year. This one was pretty comfortable.
Spotting two of the people she was meant to be looking after in the crowd, the Scottish medico headed over to Christine and Kurt. After this long, people should have been used to waiting for her a little bit, maybe walking a little slower. Sometimes, the selfishness of the able bodied really got to her. Rahne wanted a cup of tea, a piece of cake and a sitdown quite badly, and she hadn't even been at the fair for very long. There was a smell of rotting garbage on the air, people stank as badly as the garbage, there were no seats anywhere unless she wanted to get on a ride and Americans just didn't do tea.
It all added up to a grumpy lycanthrope.
"Enjoying yourselves?" Rahne said to Christine and Kurt once she'd struggled her way to their sides. Her pleasant tone and small smile of greeting were second nature. The kids were trying to have a good time after all. No need to be a crabbit, auld harridan around them. Even if that was how she was feeling inside.
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Post by Christine MacTaggart on Dec 3, 2010 9:09:54 GMT -4
Christine gave a tiny chirp of surprise before turning and seeing the older woman. She smiled and hugged her. "Kurt took me on my first roller coaster, Rahne," she chirped. "It was amazing!" The sound of excitement never left Christine's voice as she pointed to the ride and looked at Rahne. "It was a bit scary at first but it was awesome once I started to relax and let myself have fun."
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Post by Fred Dukes on Dec 3, 2010 15:08:47 GMT -4
//Crossposted with Midway Mayhem// Suddenly there was a loud screeching sound and a collective gasp from a crowd of people The wind whistled through shredded metal as a fairly good sized piece of a truck sailed up through the air in a high arc. It was on a direct impact course toward an unsuspecting mother and her two small children that were standing near Kurt, Rahne and Christine.
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