The VFMS Spark | Page 42

be made fun of, and I would show her what I was made of. In mere moments, I was cascading down the zip line, my fate out of my hands. The forest around me became a blur of bright colors, blending together into a dazzling array of nature. As I plummeted down the zip line cord, I lost myself in the atmosphere. As I watched trees turn to cliffs and cliffs turn to beaches, the beauty of Puerto Rico enveloped me in its comforting grasp. It was by no means a short ride. I spent nearly five minutes a top a natural treasure, soaking up all the national park had to offer. Time slowed as I flew down, I cherished every second of the ride.

My brother was a different story. Unlike me, he was not taking in the wonderful sites around him. He was not witnessing the amazing landforms that dotted the landscape throughout the park. He was just screaming. As I gazed up at him, my heart gave way for him. He was flailing helplessly in the air, grasping onto whatever stability he could find as he hurtled down. As my mom snapped pictures of our harrowing adventures at the top of the mountain, her son felt as if he was screaming toward an untimely end.

Speaking of my mother, she was practically giddy as our ride was coming toward the end. Boy I hated it when she was right, and this turned out to be one of those times, which she would not let me forget. The image of El Yunque faded as I approached the platform near the ground. As I slammed into the mat, I could already imagine the tongue lashing I was in store for. After hearing the usual story about

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