Morning Star Rising

Rachel gazed over the bridge at the amusement park marveling at the crowds on its grand opening, Decoration Day. Over forty years later, the country would change the name of this holiday weekend to Memorial Day. Rachel preferred the old name, some things in the past were never meant to be changed, some were. She only saw blue herons, egrets and a flock of misdirected seagulls for now. She was on the look-out for any of those ratty turkey vultures, they gave her the creeps. Her thoughts were suddenly disturbed by the piercing screams of patrons on the inaugural voyage of the Old Mill Shoot, one of the greatest roller coasters of its time. She held her face up to the sun for a few minutes. Rachel felt like she was just released from a lonely dark prison, soaking up the energy of the sun for the first time. But this was no dream, she felt like she was here. She knew the year 2063 was her real prison, with no sun and no hope like the past had to offer her. Living in the past was all she ever wanted.