Chapter 10- Carried Away by Balloon
Disclaimer: Still, still not mine!
AN: Again, an adult could not go on the ride described in this chapter. Free plushie character of your choice to anyone who can tell me which musical inspired the title and one line.
After Benny had had his accidental ride on the Frog Hopper, he fled to his friends in embarrassment. Mark and Roger were both doubled over, laughing. "It's not funny!" Benny defended. "I thought it was the Timberland Twister!" "Actually," Mimi pointed out, "the Twister's over there." She gestured toward the ride. "Well, I'm game," said Maureen. "What about you, Pookie?" Joanne looked uncomfortable. "Uh," she hesitated, "Well, that doesn't look like my kind of ride. I'll just look around and meet you guys back here."
The others joined the long line for the popular roller-coaster. Joanne walked around for a bit, exploring the amusement park and watching the other tourists, but then she spotted it: the perfect ride. After Mark, Mimi, Benny, Angel, Roger, and Maureen had finished their ride, Joanne was nowhere to be seen.
"This is weird," mused Maureen, "Joanne's never late!" After a short discussion, they decided to split up. While the others started off in groups, Mark went on his own. The most obvious place was a souvenir stand, he decided. After checking all of the souvenir stands, though, Mark was almost ready to give up. But wait a minute! That whooping was coming from the balloon ride! And it sounded kind of like…
"Joanne?" Mark was astounded. There Joanne was, sitting in a basket behind another one filled with what looked like a group of three-year-olds. Joanne was clearly having the time of her life, however. "Mark!" called Joanne, waving. Mark didn't know whether to laugh or bash his head against the nearest pillar. Joanne finally, mercifully, got out of her plastic hot-air balloon. "Hey, Mark," Joanne said, reaching her friend, "That ride's really fun! D'you want to try it?" "Uh, no, thanks," Mark said, trying to look a bit tempted by the offer. "The others are looking for you. We'd better go back now."
Joanne reluctantly followed him back towards the Timberland Twister, where the group was waiting. "Where was she?" asked Mimi. "Well," replied Mark, "she was on…" "Yeah…" Roger pried. "The balloon ride." Everyone burst out laughing, startling a nearby tourist's baby into bawling. "What can you say," shrugged Maureen, defending her girlfriend, "She got carried away."