The sky was thick with smoke and sparks as the Ferris wheel groaned, metal twisting in tortured agony. Screams echoed across the fairgrounds as panicked people scattered like ants. One of the giant support beams had snapped, and the massive wheel tilted, swaying with a dangerous lurch.
Habib sprinted through the chaos, dodging debris and frightened bystanders. His heart pounded like a drumbeat in his ears, but his focus stayed sharp. He had seen her—up there. A girl, no older than twelve, was trapped in one of the higher gondolas, clutching the safety bar with white knuckles.
"Hold on!" he shouted, even though he knew she probably couldn't hear him.
He didn't hesitate. He climbed.
Gripping the steel frame of the Ferris wheel, Habib scaled the structure. The wheel creaked beneath him, shuddering with every shift of weight. A piece of the metal frame cracked free and plunged to the ground below. He didn't look down.
Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the girl's terrified face. She was crying, frozen with fear, her legs trembling.
"It's okay," Habib called out, finally reaching the gondola. "I've got you!"
He swung himself onto the thin platform beside her, the entire structure swaying under their combined weight. The wheel gave a sudden, thunderous shudder—another beam failing somewhere below.
"Come here," he said gently, reaching for her. "Trust me."
Tears streaming down her cheeks, the girl nodded and stumbled into his arms. Habib scooped her up, cradling her close. He looked down. The fastest way was the emergency ladder welded into the side—but it was a long way and shaking violently.
One step at a time.
As they descended, the wheel groaned louder, then shifted with a terrifying jolt. Habib lost his grip on a bar and slammed against the structure, shielding the girl with his body.
"Almost there," he growled through gritted teeth.
The final support beam snapped with a deafening crack. The entire wheel began to collapse in slow motion, toppling sideways. With one last burst of strength, Habib leapt the last few feet, rolling across the ground with the girl in his arms just as the massive structure crashed down behind them in a thunderous roar of twisted metal.
Dust filled the air. The ground shook.
Silence. Then—cheering.
Habib coughed, slowly rising to his knees, the girl safe in his arms. She clung to him tightly, sobbing into his shoulder.
"You did good," he whispered, holding her close as rescuers ran toward them. "You held on."
PRESENT…
Gabriel gaze intensively on the pair of fruit that was with him since the departure of Steven and others. He was baffledbarful by what he should do since they seemed to have gone for too long.
Maybe it's best if I just stay put as I was told. He thought to himself.
Shortly after there seemed to be gossiping and murmuring flying all around like a windy storm. Strangely, it looked like he was the center of attention as he noticed as they were stealing their gaze and peeping at him, which made him totally uneasy and uncomfortable.
What could it be?. He thought to himself as he observed.
Gabriel looked to his right side seeing some group of players, like a thug approaching him led by the figure head - Mason. This makes him even more thrilled and troubled, swallowing the gulp in his throat.
What do they want? I hope this doesn't end badly. Gabriel said inwardly. He tried acting calm by rubbing his sweaty palms together.
"What is it boy? You look lost," were the first statement of Mason as he got to Gabriel's side. They boy chucked anxiously.
"Do I?" He asked, looking at the three minions of Mason surrounding him like predators. The silly grinning expression Mason has been wearing vanished, replaced by a frown. Perhaps Gabriel's answer annoyed him. Mason sighed like an exhausted cave man before he spoke.
"Tell me fragile little being, how do you manage to survive so far in this cruel world you found yourself in? I'd like to hear," he asked in a mockery expression which the minions found amusing, but dumb and humorless to others including Gabriel.
Gabriel regained his speaking ability after being in a mute mode for a second.
"What can I say, fragile little beings do as they game instructed and survive. He uses when the brain is required and muscle for its own. Pretty impressive for a little being, right?" Gabriel replied.
"Or do you need a reminder that it was also a fragile being that solved the riddle for the last game," he added, shifting his glance to the minions who were gritting like a beast.
Mason knew the human was seriously gaining words on him and he didn't like the way Gabriel was dominating the conversation. So he decided to put the boy in his right place when he viciously grabbed him by cloth and lifted him from where he was sitting, all of him using one hand.
"You have a slippery mouth and you talk too much for someone that's weak." He pretended, not letting go of Gabriel.
Gabriel dug his fingers into Mason's arm forcing him to release the boy as he growled by the flash of pain. Gabriel landed heavily on his butt and tried to get away.
"You little piece of shit! Where do you think you are going? Hahaha!" He laughed maniacally, signaling to his minions to get the boy and drag him to Mason's feet. Gabriel raised his eyes looking at Mason who was enjoying the torment he was causing.
"I told you... you are going nowhere!" He repeated and started punching Gabriel to the ground. Gabriel groaned and gasped as he continued beating with no one interfering with the assault. When Mason seemed to have had enough of this,he viciously grabbed from the floor again.
"Go on... punch me, you little insecure prick!" He said in a voice others could barely hear. He has bruises and cuts all over, especially his face. Blood stains everywhere and his breathing was weak and slow.
"I am not the one on the brink of death. You see something... no one can help you because if they do they will end up just like you... a punching bag!" Mason said when someone gave a response to his statement.
"You sure about that because the boy has people that will mop the floor with you!" The voice responded making Mason turned around to see who said that when he spotted a bloodlust looking Steven who charged at Mason and delivered a deadly jew breaking blow at him.