Paradise

Fortune A.
Sep 12, 2021
2 min read

“Charlie!” mom shouted.

“I’m coming!” I chuckled and replied

Today was the McFarren’s annual Family Vacation trip to paradise park. I’ve been going each year since I was one. I didn’t have a choice, I was a McFarren. When December came around, I already knew what was up.

Paradise park had so many attractions and was filled with so many people. Every single person there was an angel. All the neighbors at the resort were kind and all the staff were helpful. It was honestly a beautiful place to just relax and forget about the stress the year had served us. We always looked forward to the trip.

I looked forward to this year in particular. My father promised me that when I was 12 he would teach me how to set up a hole ice of the lake so we could go ice fishing. Newsflash… I am now twelve.

My bag looked very suspicious, all the toys, movies, and clothes I wanted to bring couldn’t fit. If I were to go through TSA, they would instantly tackle me because it probably looked like I had some sort of terrorist device on me.

I got my camping bag and my sweater ready. My favorite blanket was packed and my gallon of water was in my hand.

“CHARLIE!” Screamed mom

She sounded like she was panicking.

“Mom chill out I'm almost done” I snapped back

Mothers these days… She does this every year where she rushes me to hurry up so we can arrive at the resort on time.

“Goodbye room, i’ll see you in three weeks.” I chuckled.

I’m surprised my father hasn’t called me yet, he usually screams my name after mom calls me twice. I ran downstairs to go ask dad if the car was ready to go.

“Dad! Is the car hot and ready like Little Caesars?” I shouted

We always had this joke that the car would be hot and ready to go like Little Ceaser's because one year, everybody got frostbite, inside of the car, because of the cold weather, so we always tried to warm up the car two hours before we left.

No reply.

“Dad? Mom!”

No reply

I walk into the kitchen to see my mother, frozen in place, looking at my father.

His face had already turned pale. He stayed quiet. He didn’t move a muscle. He sat there in his rocking chair, Eyes closed, head tilted back... he was in his normal sleeping position.

Mom couldn’t speak so I did.

“Dad let’s go to paradise, I'm ready!” I said with excitement

Little did I know… He had already left without us.