Water World by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. I use them with permission and respect. This work involves underaged characters. You have been warned.
It had been a long week. One where each of the days had been dragging on. School was even more boring than usual. Jakk stared at the clock on the wall. The black plastic hands rotated at a very slow pace and may as well have not moved at all. He had already finished his work for the day and had nothing else so he just doodled on some scratch paper he'd taken out of his notebook. Every so often, Jakk would look at the clock and hope it had moved only to find it much the same.
The 12-year-old rabbit was your typical boy. The cub was interested in things like games and drawing. He was a budding artist with a veritable palette of pictures that he'd drawn in his free time. Even his friends were aware of the hobby as often time they would ask him to draw them and he would turn them into a caricature. He was something of a comic artist and had even gone as far as to make a few of his strips.
His most popular had been picked to be published in the school newspaper. A piece he called Star Keep. It was a mixture of Science Fiction and Fantasy, taking place in the fictional world of Everin. A kingdom stuck in antiquity where the inhabitants lived like they were stuck in the Dark Ages except when it came to the royal family and their constituents. It was very much a tale of the "have's and have-nots."
However, while the comic strip was designed to be a comical piece it had a moral to its fiber. A lesson that was often lost on his audience. The young cub's audience much preferred the slap-stick type comedy that Jakk used in the strips. It was very reminiscent of the style of comedy one might find in The Three Stooges, though many of the kids who enjoyed it would not have seen the connection.
Jakk stared at the clock again. It had budged a mere few centimeters. He sighed as looked back at the page in front of him. He had been sketching a good fifteen minutes and his drawing was beginning to take shape. He was working on a fully fleshed-out design of the main character of his comic strip, a squirrel known as Tacitus. He put in some more details working out the lines of the character.
Just as he was getting into it, the bell rang. He closed his notebook which he'd been working on and quickly stashed it into his backpack. Already the other cubs in class had rushed out of the room and he was one the last ones to make his way out. It was now officially the weekend. The crush of students was congested and the kids were trying to run through the halls despite there not being much room for movement. Jakk wasn't one of the kids who thought they could get anywhere and made his way through as casually as possible.
Jakk eventually made his way out of the school. By the time he got outside, he found that some of the other cubs had already left. After all, he knew that many of them walked home. But the rabbit boy had other plans. It was his birthday and his parents had promised him that they'd take him and one of his friends to the local water park. He looked around the front of the school for the other boy he'd invited.
The rabbit boy wasn't the most popular kid in school. On the contrary, he had a small group of friends that he hung out with. The boy he'd invited was an Arctic Fox kit by the name of Pent. The other boy was one of the few kids in school who was even more insular than he was. Yet, they got along rather well, even despite the fact they only shared a. few things in common. Jakk waved to the other boy when he saw him alone waiting near the bike rack. Pent smiled at him as the rabbit cub made his way over towards him.
"Hey, Jakk how were classes today?" Of the two Pent was the more studious and academically focused.
The bigger boy stuck his tongue out playfully. "Forget about classes….Are you excited for the water park?"
"Yeah, thanks for inviting me. I've never been but I have my swim trunks in my bag." The white fox aided with his usual calm and collected demeanor.
The rabbit cub hopped happily in place. "Alright, cool. Let's go. My parents are probably already waiting in the car loop."
Pent nodded and began to follow the other boy. The fox wasn't used to hanging around with people but he was comfortable enough with the other boy that he wasn't nervous about it. The two of them headed together to the car loop where there was already a queue of other cubs waiting for their parents to pick them up. Jakk and Pent made their way to the area with the least amount of them and proceeded to wait as the line of cars proceeded past them.
It was only a little while before Jakk's parents showed up in the family sedan. It was a small vehicle but plenty big enough for the two boys and the rabbit's parents. When they pulled up to the curb, both of the boys wasted no time in getting into the car. Already the rabbit cub could feel the excitement build within him as he buckled his seat belt.
"Let's goooo…." He said lacking any sense of patience anymore.
His mother chuckled at him. "Hang on honey….we have to drive there first. Did you have a nice day at school?"
The boy sighed and fidgeted in his chair. "I guess so. We had a test and I have homework for later and…"
"It will be fine, honey. We can work on that later. For now, I just want you to focus on having fun with your friend." The cub's mother wasn't worried about schoolwork right now since it was the weekend.
Pent looked over to him. "I can help you with the homework if you want."
"Thanks, Pent. That would be cool. Can Pent come over and help this weekend?" Jakk asked just to get it out of the way.
His mother nodded. "Sure, if his foster mother is alright with it."
"Thanks, Mom." The rabbit boy pulled out his phone to waste time on the way to the park.
The fox boy started to reach. Jakk's mother was surprised they got along so well considering how different they were. The trip to the water park took a short while. It was the spring so the park was scheduled to stay open until late. His parents had picked this day because it would be dark and cooler in addition to it being the boy's birthday. They had heard a lot about the light show the place put on at night.
It took about half an hour for them to arrive at the park. The site of the park's most iconic image, a large volcano loomed in the distance. The volcano spilled out water every which way with a few slides running on both sides of it. The place was themed to be a tropical paradise and was a big hit among both old and young alike. Jakk's parents had even gone the extra mile and bought the two boys fast passes, which meant they wouldn't have to wait as long in lines.
"We're here boys." Jakk's father said as he pulled into one of the parking spots in one of the lots adjacent to the park.
Jakk's mother looked back. "You two can take off your shirt but change into your swim trunks inside. I brought towels and sunscreen for both of you."
"Okay, mom and dad. Ready Pent?" The bigger boy looked over at Pent who was still reading.
The fox boy remained silent for a few moments as he finished the page he was reading. "Yup."
The four of them got out of the car. Once they were out both of the cubs took off their shirts and exchanged them with the swim trunks from their bags. Jakk's parents led them over to a waiting area where a small shuttle took them over to the entrance of the park. The rabbit boy was much more excitable than his friend was. Looking out the open windows, he could see the sight of the volcano in the distance.
He had never been to the park before and wondered what the rides were like. As they got closer, they could overhear the tropical-themed music that was playing. At the front of the complex, they were greeted by the park's mascot, a large tiki head that had its eyes animated so that they followed the guests as they entered the park. For those people who wanted information, they could press a button and an information booklet would pop out its mouth.
They proceeded to the front where a small line. It didn't take very long to work through it, heading under a small awning fashioned from faux bamboo. On the other side, they were greeted by some of the park staff who were wearing Hawaian-style floral shirts, complete with flowery lays. The two parents were given lays as they made their way past the entrance of the place. Jakk's father soon stopped the cubs to lay down some ground rules.
"You guys are old enough to handle yourselves. Here are your towels, fast passes, and sunscreen. We will meet here at 8 o'clock for dinner and then again at 9:30 to leave. Please don't be late." The older rabbit handed both of them each of the items.
His son smiled at him. "Thanks, Dad we will! Come on, Pent."
The two boys walked off on their own to the bathroom. After all, they were still in much of their school clothes, at least from the waist down. They changed into their swim trunks and left their school clothes in a locker. Both cubs put the fast passes on their wrists. They were bright neon elastic bands that were designed to be easily seen by park staff, complete with chips ingrained for verification of validity. They decided to go around bare-pawed since neither of them had brought sandals for the occasion.
Jakk and Pent each put the sunscreen on. They weren't sure why it was necessary since it was already getting darker but they weren't about the disobey Jakk's parents. When they were done, they met back outside the bathroom.
"Ready, Pent? You wanna try out the group slides first or individually?" The rabbit asked the other boy.
The smaller cub shrugged. "Whichever is keen. It's your birthday so you pick."
The bigger boy nodded and tugged on his friend as if to get him to follow them. The two of them made their way to the main portion of the park. At the center of it lay a huge wave pool with other furs all floating and swimming about. Every so often different size waves would roll through it with the people using different strategies to deal with it. At the back of it, was a large painted placard that had been designed to look like a swampy lagoon.
As they proceeded past it, they could hear the sound of bongo drums being played. Nearby there was a live performance going on and a burly toucan woman was playing her heart out for some people who were watching her put on the show. They clapped as she was joined by her compatriots in a traditional Hawaiian tune. They were all island natives so they were fairly familiar with the practice and made it as authentic as possible.
Jakk and Pent made their way past her and over to the first ride in their path. A large slide sat in front of them. Several lanes, each separated by a small plastic median between each of them. Every so often a group of furs would slide down it, racing towards the bottom. A clock was keeping time for each of them, so it was obvious the attraction was designed to be some sort of race. The rabbit tugged on his friend as if to get him to go faster.
They continued to the stairs leading up to the ramp. There was already a small line leading up to the entrance where a ride attendant managed the attraction. A thinned-out hay awning had been assembled to overlook the area and act as shade. Some colorful palm torches lined up the area, though they hadn't been turned on yet. Slowly but surely they made their way through the line until they were at the front of it.
Now that they could see the ride itself, they could see down the slope. Several bumps interrupted a slight curve downward with it spilling into a larger pool at the bottom. A small mechanical ramp led upwards, carrying the fabric mats that they were to use to go down the ride. Each of the two cubs was handed one as they waited their turn to be given the okay to go. After setting up, a few seconds passed and the riders all sped off down the slope.
The six riders went at full speed down the ride. Picking up the pace with the initial drop that inclined slightly back upward into the hump. Sending them flying a bit before a final dip to the bottom. The ride itself didn't last very long but the initial rush of adrenaline in addition to the cool water splashing on their fur was nothing short of refreshing. Both cubs ended up at the bottom at mere milliseconds after the other.
Jakk looked up at his time and compared it to Pent's. In his mind, he had "won" the race despite falling behind some of the riders who had gone earlier. He smiled over at the fox boy who shook himself in an attempt to dry his now soaking-wet fur.
"Looks like I won!" The rabbit puffed out his chest proudly as he took great pride in his little victory.
The smaller boy looked at the clocks and compared them. He didn't have much time to look at it before they were asked to move by another ride attendant at the base of it. After all, they had other guests to attend to. Jakk and Pent headed off to the side of the ride and immediately began walking off. Already the bigger cub had forgotten about "winning" and was looking forward to another ride.
They continued past the racing ride and just behind it entering into a small tunnel. Water fell overtop of them but since they were already wet, it mattered to neither of them. The two of them chucked as they went under it, the sound of their voices echoing through the cavernous underpass. The small tunnel had been fashioned to look like a cave, with sounds of dripping water and groaning winds reverberating through it. Of course, the constant chatter of the other guests made it difficult to hear the ambiance that had been created for it.
Jakk and Pent passed through to the other side they were welcomed by the sight of the foot of the volcano. Its faux molten lava shined against the sun and was rouge against the magma rocks that were strewn all around it as if the thing had erupted recently. A small strig of stairs was right at the base of it, spidering around and curling around each of the corners of the ridges that had been carved into it. Even from the bottom, they could see some of the larger slides that looped every which way.
"Come on, Pent…Let's go to the big slides!" Jakk said excitedly as he wanted nothing more than to get to the big drop slide.
Pent nodded and followed his friend, who took the lead. The fox boy wasn't one to turn down the idea of a thrill, even if he didn't entirely know what the other cub's intent was just yet. They headed over to the bottom of the stairs where an attendant stood, making sure that riders met the height requirements of the rides. Neither of the two boys was short enough for her to worry about it so she just let them pass.
They began their way up the stairs. Palm trees had been planted in some of the earthen sod that had been used to decorate the volcano. After all, the owners of the place didn't want it just to be a molten rock as it wasn't too appealing. The same island theme music played through some speakers. The small paths of stairs were somewhat crowded with furs going in both directions, up and down it. As they got closer to the top, they could hear more audible chatter and hubbub.
They soon reached an area that split off into a few directions. In front of them stood a sign with a list of the rides that were set up on the volcano. Underneath each of them was an intensity indicator with green being the easiest and red being the most extreme. Jakk looked at them and looked through each of them and found the slide designated as "The Big Dip." This was the very slide he'd heard a lot about and was looking forward to.
"Ready for the drop slide, Pent?" The rabbit looked at the smaller cub to make sure there was no hesitation on his part.
The white fox nodded. "Totally."
Jakk excitedly hopped in place and headed to the left split path. It began to ramp upwards towards a stone staircase that had been molded to fit the shade of volcanic rock. As they got closer to the top, they found there was a bit to wait. The rabbit looked back at Pent who was but a single step below him. Jakk couldn't help but smile and feel a tinge of excitement as the anticipation was already building in his mind.
The rabbit looked over the side, seeing how far he could see into the town as they were pretty far. The rabbit looked into the distance and he thought he could see the town hall. The building was somewhat iconic for the town as it was the only one with a spire. The little flour de lis on top of it represented one of the province state symbols. Jakk was soon nudged by Pent as he wasn't paying attention and the line had moved.
They continued to wait for a bit as the line slowly filtered upwards. The stairs continued up toward the peak of the volcano. Once they were at the top of it, the stone stairs edged off into a platform. Every so often the ride attendant would call a patron to get set up. This was the first time either boy had felt a breeze as it had been obstructed by the volcano til now. It was only a few more people until it was their turn.
Jakk was soon called to the staging area. He approached the slide and slowly moved into the pool of water that dipped into the slide. Not much could be seen as the slide dropped into the pit of the volcano. He completely submerged himself in the water as the jets pushed it continuously passed him. The cub looked back at the ride attendant waiting for a sign to go. Moments passed…and he was given a thumbs-up.
The rabbit looked forward and slowly pushed himself so that gravity took over. After mere centimeters of movement, his body catapulted downward. The darkness of the cavern of the volcano surrounded him for what seemed like a split second. Immediately after met with a rush of light as he saw himself drop ever further down the slide. His body came to a screeching halt as he hit the end of the slide and splashed paws first into a pool of water.
Jakk emerged his head from the water and began walking. The adrenaline rush of the ride was all too real. He couldn't help but want to go again but he knew the wait had been long and wanted to enjoy more rides. The lifeguard at the bottom of the slide motioned for him to get out of the base pool. He made his way to the side of it, stepping out to the side where a waiting area was. He proceeded to wait for Pent.
The cub watched from the bottom as a moment of silence passed. He was certain that Pent was either waiting or just had started his ride down. Soon he heard a rush of water as a huge wave of it splashed from the opening between the closed-in area and the open one. The movement was so quick that he couldn't even catch a glimpse of Pent as he made his way down. Seconds pass before the fox explodes into the water below just as he had done moments before.
Pent soon emerged from the base pool at the bottom of the slide. He had a big smile on his snout and seemed to have enjoyed the slide just as much as Jakk had. The rabbit waved over to him to join him. The bigger cub didn't have much patience today as he wanted nothing more than to ride slides all day long. The arctic fox soon made his way out of the pool and joined his friend in the waiting area.
"That was cool, wasn't it?" The smaller boy couldn't help but smile.
Jakk nodded. "Heck yeah. Let's go on another slide. There was a whole bunch on the volcano. Let's do all of them!"
The fox kit's tail wagged behind him as he followed along with the other cub. They proceeded back to the base of the volcano where the steps started to lead upward again. Once they got to the split path, Jakk looked at the sign again. There were a few group slides that sounded interesting. The rabbit tugged on his friend to follow him without a word, wasting no more time in deciding.
They went up the right path this time. Just like before the stairs wound around the rear end of the volcano. It was a much wider path this time, with a lot more twists and turns to accommodate longer lines. They continued forward until they hit a line. In front of them, some families chatted about things that didn't concern them. Jakk looked back at Pent and then over towards the local park that was just down the street.
The line moved much quicker than the drop slide. It was a group slide designed for pairs or groups of people. Near the top, they could see a conveyor belt delivering tubes to the top of it. Some of the tubes were smaller to accommodate two people while the other was larger to accommodate four. Jakk and Pent were soon called over to the slide. The fox picked up one of the smaller tubes and they continued over to the staging area.
Two slides split off from the entry area. A ride attendant sat at the center of it, holding the tubes so that patrons could get inside without the tubes sliding off. A small jet of water pushed them forward so there was always constant motion. Pent went first since he was the smaller of the two and had the tube. The tube was taken from him and placed in the water. The fox kit straddled it with his legs and Jakk soon joined him from behind.
Once they were both inside, the ride attendant pushed them forward. The small tube soon slid into the slide causing it to spiral back and forth. The slide was a wider one with lips on both sides of it to allow for rocking back and forth. Each time the tube went up one direction or the other, it often rotated so that it reversed its facing. Both boys couldn't help but chuckle as the ride continued ever downward.
They soon reached the first dip, facing backward with both cubs not expecting it. The ride soon entered into a twist sending them into a spill that fed into an enclosed exit. As they filtered into it, their tube continued to spiral and cascade backward. Within moments they were soon ejected from the tube as the thing hit the base pool, expelling both of them backward into it.
Jakk and Pent spit out some water as they emerged their heads from it. Both of them had big smirks on their face as they had enjoyed the ride. The fox boy got out first since he was closer to the exit but Jakk wasn't far behind. They looked at each other for a moment.
"Do you want to go back up the volcano or something different?" The rabbit asked since he'd been the one who had picked most of the rides.
The smaller cub thought about it for a second. "Isn't there a slide called the Twister?"
"Oh…um…I'm not sure. Let's find a map and find out." Jakk hadn't paid much attention to ride names other than the star attraction.
They headed away from the Volcano to a nearby information kiosk. A small computer was set up at the center of it. On the screen was a virtual map they could explore. Jakk looked at it scanning through the various names until he found the one Pent was talking about.
"Looks like it's at the part of the park where the wave pool is. I guess we passed right by it. Let's head over there." Jakk didn't mind backtracking since it was what his friend wanted to do.
The two boys went back to the other side of the park past the wave pool. This was the much more family-friendly area of the park, where things oversized sprinklers, water spouts, hoses, waterfalls, and the like were located. Much younger cubs were running around, many of them wearing water wings with their parents close by. On several occasions, some of them ran right into the two boys who simply brushed it off as no big deal.
Jakk and Pent proceeded past it to an area that had a giant tiki head that was set up with a rope jungle gym. Spray nozzles were sprinkled throughout with some other play areas that cubs could enjoy. Just past it, they could see the ride that was the twister. Its bowl-like top towered over the play area and cast a shadow over it, making it much cooler in that area of the park. The two cubs made their way past it to the bottom of the twister ride.
The entrance to the twister was a spiraling wooden staircase that led upward. Bamboo trees were sprawled around with thicket branches woven between to complete the look. Jakk led up to the bottom of it. Some other furs were going up the stairs at the same time as them. The two boys continued up the staircase until they filtered through a tunnel where they were splashed with water as a raft passed by.
They continued to the top, there wasn't much of a line at this ride since it was at the end of the park removed from all the other main attractions. It was considered one of the less extreme rides, so younger cubs could ride if they wanted so long as their parents accompanied them. Jakk and Pent were ushered in at the top of the ride. Two large hurricane flags flapped nearby to indicate the theme of the attraction.
The fox and rabbit joined in the raft with the family who was just in front of them. The rafts were big enough to fit 6 people so they had no choice. Once they were onboard, they sat on one side of the raft with the family sitting on the other. The raft was soon moved into a place where a small track picked it up and began to move it toward the slide. Ever so slowly the raft edged towards the slide.
The raft dropped at once into a large bowl, swirling around in a spiral carried on by the constant current of water that pushed through it. They rotated around the widest part of It, narrowing ever so slightly as the loops became tighter and tighter. Soon they were dumped into the middle of it, filtering out into an open area. Soon they found themselves in an area with rough water that was built to resemble white water rapids.
The waves crashed back and forth causing the raft to rock along both sides of the wall that kept it contained. From both sides of it, cubs from the outside sprayed them with water with guns that had been stationed on the edges. Soon passing underneath a large waterfall, soaking the whole lot of them more than they already were. The ride ended as it emptied into yet another large pool where an attendant held it so everyone could get out.
Jakk and Pent got out, the ride wasn't very thrilling but the two cubs enjoyed it. The bigger cub put his arm behind his friend as they got out of the pool of water. A nearby clock showed it was just about time for them to meet up with the rabbit's family for dinner. They couldn't believe how late it had gotten but they had to abide by the parent's rules, so both of them made their way back up front.
The fox and rabbit cub joined Jakk's parents at the restaurant at the front of the establishment. The older rabbits were already there waiting for them to get dinner, though neither of them was mad since the boys were only a few minutes late. The boys rushed to get food since the place was a cafeteria and they could serve themselves.
"You two don't need to rush. You're going to have to wait until the food settles anyway. I don't want you complaining about cramps." Jakk's mother said.
Jakk and Pent finished the meal in no time, as they were still excited about getting back into the thick of things. They waited, as they were told to, before going back to riding the slides they were interested in. The two parents chuckled at them as they raced back off into the dark of night back into the main part of the park. Jakk's parents remained there as they had already exhausted their interest in the place.
The rest of the night would go much the same for Jakk and Pent. They would ride another few slides in increasing intervals. The lines would become ever slower as the night pressed on and people began to leave. By the end of it, when the bell rang and the speaker announced several times to wrap things up, they had ridden most of the rides they wanted to. Both cubs had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
On the way home, both Jakk and Pent were exhausted. The combination of school had taken its toll on them. Easily fell asleep inside the car as Jakk's parents took both of them home. Waking up Pent so he could go back to his house. The rabbit boy would remain asleep and be carried in once they arrived home. It had truly been an amazing day and one they would not forget for some time.
