I gasped, gripping the seat. "W-What happened?! Why did we stop?!"
"Looks like it's stuck," Caspian said, his voice low. "Maybe a breakdown or an electrical short-circuit…"
Panic crept in slowly, rising with the realization that we were suspended high above the ground, in total darkness, and no one seemed to notice.
Alex pulled out his phone. "I'll call for help—" He squinted. "Ugh. Weak signal."
Ten minutes passed. The tension grew with every second. The small space felt even smaller, the silence louder. The gondola swayed gently at first—then more noticeably.
The air grew thick and warm. A breeze rolled through the vents, carrying the damp scent of oncoming rain. Distant thunder rumbled low and deep.
"It's going to rain," I whispered.
"Seems like it," Alex replied, frowning at the faint signal bar on his phone.
Another gust of wind rocked the gondola. I tensed up. My fingers gripped the seat tighter.
"Mia," Alex suddenly said, reaching out to me, "Come here. Sit on my lap. We need to redistribute our weight. It'll help balance the gondola."
But before he could touch me, Caspian moved quickly.
"Let me." He slid closer and gently pulled me onto his lap instead. His arm wrapped around my waist, holding me securely.
I was startled. The warmth of his body, the way he held me—soft but firm—sent a shiver up my spine.
"Don't move," he murmured near my ear. His voice was calm, but I could hear the tension underneath.
Inside the gondola, with only the glow of Alex and Lucas' phone lights, everything felt more intense. My senses sharpened in the dark. I could hear Caspian's heartbeat, feel his breath near my neck.
It wasn't unpleasant. Just… unfamiliar. As this was my first time being this close to a guy.
Suddenly, a deafening crack split the air, followed by a flash of lightning that illuminated the entire sky.
BOOM!
"ARGHHHH!!" I screamed and instinctively buried my face into Caspian's chest, shaking.
He held me tighter.
"Mia, are you okay?" he asked urgently, concern thick in his voice.
"I—I…" I couldn't speak. My heart was pounding. My whole body trembled.
"She's afraid of thunder," Alex said worriedly, his voice barely rising above the wind.
"It's from childhood… a trauma she never really got over."
Caspian stiffened slightly, tightening his hold around me. "What? Why didn't anyone say anything earlier? What do we do now?"
"Keep her from hearing or seeing the lightning. Cover her ears. She'll calm down if she feels safe," Alex instructed, his tone calm but urgent.
Without hesitation, Caspian gently placed his large hands over my ears, pulling me closer against his chest. His arms wrapped around me fully now, warm and protective.
"She's shaking," he murmured, worry etched in his voice.
"Mia… listen to me," Alex leaned forward, his hand resting on my knee. "You're okay. We'll be safe soon. I promise. Just hold on a little longer."
"I'll protect you from the thunder," Caspian added, his voice barely above a whisper near my ear. "I won't let anything scare you. Just stay with me."
"Wait a minute, I got the line—hello, HELLO!" Lucas suddenly shouted, his voice sharp in the stillness.
***
"Hello, sir."
"What happened? Why hasn't she come home yet?" Martin's voice was tight with concern.
"There's been an issue. Something happened… she got stuck."
"Stuck? Where?" Martin asked, his brows drawing together.
"Inside a Ferris Wheel gondola. She was with her friends when the ride suddenly broke down. It's been over half an hour now, and sir… it just started pouring. There's thunder, too."
Martin stood up abruptly, his grip tightening on the phone. He strode toward the window and pulled open the curtain. Heavy rain was slashing against the glass, and the distant sky flared with lightning, followed by the low boom of thunder.
His face darkened. "She's terrified of thunder…"
Without another word, he reached for his coat and moved with swift determination toward the door. Downstairs in the living room, Mikael and Matteo were lounging on the couch.
"Big bro? Where are you going in this weather?" Mikael asked, standing up as Martin passed.
"It's Mia. She's in trouble."
"What did she do this time?" Matteo muttered with a roll of his eyes. "That girl—"
"No time to explain. If you want to know, follow me." Martin's tone left no room for argument.
He was already at the front door when Mikael and Matteo exchanged a glance—both puzzled, both concerned. Without saying another word, they grabbed their jackets and followed him out into the storm.
***
The sound of wailing sirens pierced the howling wind, red and blue lights flashing across the storm-swept night. Rain poured in heavy sheets from the sky, drenching the streets and flooding the park entrance. In the distance, the Ferris Wheel stood deathly still, its silhouette looming like a broken skeleton against bursts of lightning.
An ambulance arrived first, quickly followed by a fire truck. Paramedics jumped out, umbrellas snapping open as they rushed forward with stretchers, while firefighters in soaked raincoats hauled ropes and emergency gear toward the stalled ride.
Martin's car screeched to a halt just behind them. The moment it stopped, he flung the door open and stepped out into the rain without hesitation. In seconds, he was soaked to the bone, but he didn't care. Mikael and Matteo followed close behind, huddling under a single umbrella that barely stood a chance against the wind.
"Sir, you came!" the staff member who'd been on the phone earlier ran over, panting. "She's still up there."
"Where is she?" Martin asked sharply, his voice tight.
"She's in the gondola at the very top. It's been stuck for over an hour—an hour and fifteen minutes now."
Martin repeated the words slowly. "One hour and fifteen…" His jaw clenched as his expression darkened.
"There!" a firefighter pointed upward. "Fourth gondola from the top. We've confirmed four people trapped inside."
Martin's eyes shot skyward. His heart dropped when he spotted the small, swaying cabin high above, a faint light flickering within—likely from a phone. Each violent swing in the wind made it look like the cabin might break loose at any moment.
"Mia…" he breathed, his voice barely audible.
"Sir, please stay back," one of the responders said, trying to keep him behind the line. But Martin had already pushed forward.
"She's terrified of thunder!" he shouted, rain streaming down his face. "Get her down! Please—do something!"
"We're working on it, sir," a firefighter assured him. "The crane is almost ready. We'll start extraction shortly, one at a time."
—
Up in the gondola, I felt like I was suffocating.
The air was thick with fear. The wind slammed against the sides. The entire cabin rocked, swaying harder with each gust. Rain pelted the windows. My hands were cold and shaking.
I curled tighter into Caspian's arms, my face buried in his soaked shirt, flinching at every crack of thunder. I couldn't stop trembling. My chest was tight and aching, my stomach turning with nausea. I felt like I might faint.
"I'm here," Caspian murmured gently, his hands over my ears. "You're okay, Mia. Just a little longer."
Across from us, Alex sat soaked and tense, trying again and again to hold onto a weak signal with his phone. Lucas, unusually quiet, braced one hand against the fogged window, the other gripping the seat rail. His usual smugness was gone. He looked genuinely worried.
"I lost the signal again," he muttered, defeated.
"There's light down there…" Alex murmured, leaning close to the window. "I think… someone's coming."
"They came for us…" Caspian echoed, his breath warm against my ear.
***
Down below, the crane began to rise. A firefighter in a full harness was hoisted upward, suspended by thick ropes. He swayed dangerously in the wind as he ascended, a small glowing beacon of hope inching closer through the storm.
"Don't worry. We'll bring her down first," a medic said beside Martin, who stood frozen in place, fists clenched, eyes locked on the gondola above.
"No. Get them all down safely," Martin said firmly.
***
Minutes passed like hours.
Then finally—thump thump—a knock came against the gondola's glass.
A firefighter clung to the frame just outside. "It's okay! You're safe now!" he shouted through the rain. "We're getting you down!"
I stared at him, wide-eyed and frozen. My lips parted, but no sound came. Caspian gave my hand a gentle squeeze and guided me forward. "It's okay. Go," he whispered.
"I… I'm scared," I whispered hoarsely.
"You'll be fine, Mia," Caspian said softly. "Just be brave, alright?"
"You come with me," I cried, clutching the fabric of his coat, refusing to let go.
"Later. I'll come right after you, I promise."
"But—"
"Mia," Alex cut in, voice firm but gentle. He leaned forward and slowly pulled my fingers free from Caspian's coat. "You have to go first. Trust us. We'll come right after you."
I nodded faintly, tears stinging my eyes, unable to fight anymore. The firefighter opened the door, and a violent gust of wind slapped against my face. I squinted, struggling to keep my eyes open as the storm screamed around us.
Carefully, they fastened the harness around me. Caspian, Alex, and Lucas worked together to guide me toward the edge, steadying me as I crawled into the rescuer's grip.
I took a deep breath and stepped out onto the narrow ledge, heart hammering, hands gripping the firefighter for dear life. I was being lowered slowly using the crane.
Below me, the world shimmered through the curtain of rain—streetlights, flashing sirens, and scattered movements blurring together in the downpour. But the thunder still rumbled, deep and relentless, and lightning continued to claw across the sky like angry fire.
Then, through the haze, I saw a figure.
A dark silhouette.
Standing completely still in the storm. Unmoving. Face tilted upward—looking straight at me.
At first, I couldn't believe it. My eyes burned from the rain, but the shape didn't fade.
Martin.
My heart began to pound, louder than the thunder above. He was really here. Standing in the storm without an umbrella, soaked from head to toe—but not moving an inch.
Suddenly, the fear hit me all over again—sharp and suffocating.
I was in serious trouble now. And there was no escaping it this time.