Briggs1

MiriamBriggs
Mrs.Burr
English1010,Section8
8Mar2016
HeldCaptive
Tediously,Iwalkedupthesteepsteps,peeringdownatthethemeparkbelowme,then
slowlyraisedmyhead,viewingthevalley.Ilookedupevenfurtherattheskydottedwith
scatteredbunchesofclouds.Mypalminstantlypressedagainsttherailingforbalance,fingers
curlingaroundit.Icontinuedstepping,myhandslidinguptherailingasIclimbedthestairs
th
towardthe6
tallestandfastestrollercoasterintheUnitedStates:TheTitan.

WhenIwasasmallchild,Iwasstockedwithfears.Rollercoasterswasonethattiedmy
stomachinaknot.Dogswasanother.Iwasdeathlyterrifiedofdogs.WhenIgotevenwithin
fifteenfeetofthatanimal,nomatterthesize,Iwouldruntomydadalmostintearsbeggingfor
himtoholdme.ItwasntjustphysicalthingsIwasscaredofthough.Iwasfrightenedatthe
thoughtofbeingkidnapped,especiallybecauseIlivedintheageofElizabethSmart.Ideeply
fearedlosingamomordad,orworse,myparentsgettingdivorced.Becauseofmymanyfears,I
wasgreatlycontrolledbythem.
AssoonasIreachedthetopIcautiouslyturnedaroundtomeasureuptoaboardthat
wouldtellmeifIwastallenoughtoexperiencetheride.
Pleasedon'tletmebetall
enough...Please
,Isilentlypleadedtotheboard.Unfortunately,theboardagreedotherwise.But
ofcourse,itdidntknowIwasdeathlyafraidofrollercoasters.NotuntilninthgradeLagoon
Day,whenpeerpressureandultimatelymyownwilltoenjoytheride,wouldmyfeardissipate.


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Iglumlymademywaytotheboardingareawhilemyauntcheerfullyremindedmethat
ifIcouldgoonthisride,Icoulddefinitelygoonanyotherrideintheparkwithease.Looking
back,IhadforgottentoremindmyselfthatIcouldn'tgoonmanyridesanywaybecauseofmy
smallheight.UpuntilthattimeIhadriddenpurelycomfortridestheonesthattakeyouinafew
loops,turningrightthenoverabridge,buildingthesmallestofsuspensetotheclimaxbeingthe
heightofaswingset.
Istoodintheboardingline,heartthumpingasIwatchedthepreviouscartrolltoastop.
Afewriders,stillexhilaratedfromthethrill,hadhairintheirfaces.Somewerelaughingwith
joy,othersbarelylimpingoutofthecart,confessingtheirfreshlysickenedstomachornewfound
hatredfortheride.Thisdidnothelpmybuildingdread.
Thegateclickedopen,allowingustoentertherollercoaster.Isatdownandpulledthe
bardownovermylap.Amanwalkedbyandcheckeditssafety,pullingituptomakesureit
locked.Ilookedtomyrightatmydad,thenturnedaroundtoseemyevergrinningaunt.My
AuntMarniewastherelativewehadcometovisitinTexas.Shewastheonewhosentme
sparkly,purpledressesandfeatheredshoeswithamatchingsilvershimmerypurseformy
birthday,alwayswithapackofdoublebubbleontop.Hereyestwinkledasshelaughed,which
wasquiteoften,andsheneverfailedtohaveajokeonhand.
Miriam,thisisgoingtobesomuchfun,justyouwait!myaunttriedtoreassureme.I
wassureshecoulddetectthefearseepingthroughmyexcitementcoatedeyes.
Impatiently,Iwaitedinmyseatfortheridetobegin.Asmythoughtswandered,myDad
grabbedholdofthebeltlooponmypants."Dad,"Iexclaimed,"youdon'tneedtoholdontome!"
Butheinsisted,soIdidn'tletitbothermetoomuch.


Briggs3

Theridebegan.Ieagerlyclutchedtheonlythingthatwasholdingmein:asingleblack
baraboutfourinchesabovemylap.Igrippedit,thefirmrodgivingasecurefeeling,causingme
tooverestimatehowsafethebarwouldactuallykeepme.
Click,click,click,thecartsoundedasitraisedmeslowlyhigherandhigherintothesky.
Myheadrotateddown,andmyeyeslonginglypeereddownatthedistantground.Anxiety
suddenlyfilledmystomach.ItachedwithfearandregretthesamefearandregretIhadfeltjust
ayearearlierafterthrowingmylittleviolinacrosstheroomout,watchingitcrumbletopieces.
Click,click,click,stop.Itookonefinalglancearoundme,twistedmyarmsaroundthe
bar,andgrippeditwithmypetitefingers.Tryingtoeliminatemyfear,Ikeptmyheadheldhigh
intheair.
Thecartdroppedfromthesafetyofthepeak,plummetingdownwards255feet.Wind
scrapedatmyfaceandneckasIstruggledtokeepmybodyonmyseat.NosoonerdidIrealize,
theimpactoftheridewasliftingmeoutofmyseat.Thatoverratedbarwasdoingnothingfor
me.Mybodywasliterallyslippingoutofmyseat.Frantic,Itriedtopullmyselfinwithallthe
strengthmylittlearmshadnoluck.Iattemptedtobringmyheaddowntoaduckingposition,
butthewind'sstrengthexceededfarbeyondmyown.Iwashelpless,heldcaptivebymyfate,
surrenderingtoanunknownforceandpower.SurelyIwouldplummettocertaindeathinafew
moments.AtthattimewhenIfeltallwaslost,ananonymousstrengthpriedmefromtheskyand
pulledmedowntotheluxuryofmyseat,holdingmethere.Instantly,Iduckedmyheaddown
andharshlyresteditonthebarinwhichmypurplefingersconstricted.Withmyeyescemented
shut,thecoastertookmethroughsomeaddedloops,bothsharpandgradualturns,andan
additionaldownhearteningdescend.


Briggs4

Afterlongawait,theridecametoanendandthecartscreechedtoasuddenstopinthe
sameboothwheretheridehadbegun.Ilookedupatthepeoplelaughingwithjoyinfrontofme.
HowcomeI'mnotlikethat?
Iquestionedtomyself.SomehowIwasnotgettingthethrillthatthe
otherswere.ThatridefrightenedmesomuchIpracticallyleaptoutofmyseattothesafesolid
groundlikeahotpotato.
Myauntcasuallystrolledovertomewearingthatcontagiousgrinofhersthatmakesyou
smilejustaswide.
"Wasn'tthatFUN!"shecriedout.
"Umm,yea,itwasreally,umm,exciting."Irespondedhalfheartedly,tryingtosoundat
leastalittleenthusiastic.
"Doesn'tthatjustmakeyouwanttogobackagain?"
Ihonestlydidn'tknowwhattosay.Ididn'tdie,whichwasgood.Ifacedmyfear.Igotto
rideononeofthetallestrollercoastersever.Iwentonthefirsttime,sowhynotasecondtime?
Afterall,it'snoteverydaythatyougetthethrillofalifetime.
SothatswhatIdid.Iwentonasecondequallyasterrifyingride.MaybeIdidittoplease
myaunt.OrmaybeIwantedtoprovesomethingtoher.ButmostlikelyIwastryingtoprove
somethingtomyself.Ibelievethateveryoneatmanytimesthroughouttheirliveshavetoface
themselvesanddecidewhattheyaregoingtodowiththefearsthattrytorulethem.Justlikemy
fearofdogs,ofbeingkidnapped,andnowrollercoasters,Ihavelearnedconfidencein
overcomingthem.IwasjustluckyenoughtohavesomeonetheretoholdontomybeltloopasI
startedmyjourneyofovercomingmyfear.