Merry-Go-Round

It squeaked, and it bothered me.

Everything was a blur, though, and I could see him spinning around like a stationery rocket. His red shirt blended in with the trees and I thought of fire, but I didn't say anything.

"It's squeaking," I shouted.

He laughed but didn't say anything.

I slowed to a stop and fell off. The world kept spinning around me and I wondered if I could fall up if I spun fast enough.

"You okay?"

I squinted at his face above me. He looked like he was laughing, which was a little rude of him.

"You're spinning."

"Sorry." He held out his hand.

I grasped it and my world settled down a bit. He pulled me up and I waited until I could focus again. It sqeaked in the background, begging me to go around again.

"Up for another one?"

I stared at him until his face became clear, and he was still laughing.

"I'm dizzy," I replied.

"I know."

Somewhere from the sky, I could hear music. It was always the same song. Always the same song... and it squeaked. It sqeaked like a dying mouse. I didn't like that part.

"Okay."

I climbed back on and sat in the middle, and he spun it again and the music faded in and out, and it sqeaked and squeaked. I fell off while it was still going fast, and I closed my eyes and my brain kept going around and around, in circles.

"Stand up!" He said. He was still laughing. Again he pulled me up and then held me still while the air slowed to a gentle stop. Like an airplane.

"I have to go again," I said, and tried to pull away from him.

"Why?"

"I keep falling off..."

"You don't have to go again." His eyes smiled.

I struggled with this thought. "I have to," I said, uncertainly.

"No."

I tried to go back; he held me still.

"You don't have to go again."

"I keep falling. I have to stay on."

"You don't have to stay on."

I shook my head and listened to the music, off in the clouds, the same song repeating. "I don't have to stay on?"

He smiled. "No."

I looked back at it; it spun lazily. He was still smiling, still waiting.

When I walked away, I think I heard the music skip, stop, and change.