The queue has been moving very slowly, but it's been moving steadily. Alek can feel Deryn's impatience as she taps her foot rapidly, waiting for the people to move along. Not surprisingly, this is the longest queue at the carnival; though it's expected from the biggest attraction.
Deryn is about to jump out of her trousers as they board the carriage, rocking as their weight settles. Her excitement mounts as the wheel begins to turn and they leave the ground behind.
The little carriage sways in the wind and Deryn leans her head out of the window, grinning as she watches the people turn to ants.
"Deryn, perhaps you shouldn't do that," tries Alek. "It could be dangerous."
"Don't be such a bum-rag," is her answer. "Come on, try it. It's fantastic."
Admittedly, it is, even as reluctant as he is to try it. From this point in the sky, the mountains stretch on for kilometers, with a gentle fog settling over the peaks. The cluster of skyscrapers do almost that, looking like they touch the sky and rising beyond the mist. He hadn't known that the Frankfurt trees could look so green, contrasting with the rushing color of the river. And Alek can see it all.
Deryn's looking at him from the other window, beaming. He understands how she's feeling, the wind against his face and the earth miles away and feeling suspended in the sky for eternity. It's liberating.
Opening the window all the way, Deryn sticks her entire front half out of the carriage, arms raised and shouting. The gale blows her hair up and tries to force her eyes closed, but like always, Deryn pushes back. Laughing like a madman, she yells into the open air.