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Calvin and I dove into our work with feverish excitement. There was a lot to do and very little time to get it done. In my mind's eye, I could kind of see what I wanted to create, but the picture was hazy. I just hoped that as things went on I would see it more clearly. The biggest problem was finding out just how much we really had to work with! At the moment I could see a lot of wreckage and twisted metal, but I didn't know yet how much of that was actually usable. Suddenly, an idea struck me.
“Calvin,” I said. “I have a task for you.”
“Anything, my dude. Just say the word.” Calvin replied.
“I want you to make your way over to the section of the theme park where the water rides are. Find out how damaged the rides are. But especially look and see how bad the pipes are that transport the water.”
Calvin dashed off as soon as he received his marching orders. In the meantime, I began picking up the felt canvas pieces that had been the walls and roofs of many of the small kiosks. Most of the pieces were torn and burnt now, but maybe that was a good thing. A picture was starting to become clear in my head!
Calvin returned to me with excellent news. The water rides had only sustained minor damage. And, most importantly, the pipes were unharmed! Knowing this, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
Once I set to work, time seemed to lose all meaning. The next twenty hours blurred into one single moment as I worked to create something worth riding on for the patrons coming the next day. And against all the odds, I succeeded! None of it would have been possible without the aid of Calvin, who did most of the heavy lifting, and operated the machinery while I gave instructions. He really was a great friend. When the morning finally came we were putting the finishing touches on our creation, and only then had a moment to step back and admire our handiwork.
The Happytown theme park had once been largely made up of old wooden buildings and small kiosks, dotted with a handful of boring rides. Using what remained from these things I had built one enormous pirate ship! Since the water pipes had not been damaged I thought this would be the perfect way to utilize them! We had constructed the ship using the leftover wood from the destroyed buildings as the hull, and the burnt canvas as the ship's sail. It looked amazing! The ride itself wound up, around, and through the ship, dodging carefully placed geyser's of water and bursts of flame as it went. The climax of the ride was a long climb up to the top of the ship's mast and a long, terrifying plummet back to earth, where the ride ended.
“I must say, Finley, you have outdone yourself here,” Calvin said as we admired the ride.
“I couldn't have done it without your help!” I answered.
“I guess the only question left to ask is what will Mr. West think?”
“We won't have to wait long,” I replied. “The doors to Happytown are scheduled to open in just a few more minutes!”