The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Corporate Team-Building Exercise
by Terrie Leigh Relf

Corporate had decided to treat us all to a night at the local amusement park. It was the least they could do, as our annual sales had skyrocketed over the past few quarters. While I may have had a hand in that, it was definitely a team effort. 

While the retrofitted roller coaster was the main attraction for most of the employees, it was the Kamikaze Ferris wheel that my team guided the corporate big-wigs toward. 

“Just imagine the view,” we told them. They nodded and headed toward the platform en masse, queueing up in single file, occasionally looking up at the immense Ferris wheel, its chairs rocking back-and-forth with an invitation.

Once they had all boarded, I nodded to the engineer, and he pulled the lever. My team gathered to watch, cheering them on as the cars slowly made their way to the top and then back down again. From their smiling visages, it appeared that they were enjoying themselves and the view.

After the second circuit, the engineer cranked the lever higher, and the third go-round was a bit faster—until it screeched to a halt. There were a few shrieks of surprise until the Ferris Wheel rumbled into action.

The engineer glanced toward me with raised eyebrows, and I nodded again. He grinned, switched to another lever, and the Ferris Wheel began to go backwards. Now, their shrieks morphed into screams as it picked up speed with each rotation until all that remained was blissful silence and empty chairs swinging back-and-forth.

My team and I let out a collective sigh. “Well, that takes care of them,” the engineer said when he joined us. “Come on, let’s take a ride on that roller coaster!” he added. 

The amusement park was all ours for the rest of the night. So, too, was the company.

Fiction © Copyright Terrie Leigh Relf
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

More from author Terrie Leigh Relf:

The Sisterhood of the Blood Moon

For thousands of Earth years, the Transgalactic Consortium has had a quiet interest in this planet and its inhabitants, the Haurans. While the Sisterhood of the Blood Moon works together with the Consortium and Haurans to maintain balance in the universe, the Blood Moon is fast approaching. The power of this moon reveals untold secrets . . . including a sacred covenant with the Mora Spiders. There is an ancient pact that needs to be honored—but at what cost and for whose purpose? The world may come to an end. But will there be a chance for a new beginning?

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