Paper Towns~ A Continuation

Chapter 8. Unamusing Amusement Park

"What?" I reply incredulously.

"You heard me."

"Nuh-uh. No way. No way are we breaking into Sea World again," I say, remembering last year when Margo and I snuck into the ocean-themed amusement park. "Too risky."

She rolls her eyes."The risk factor didn't stop you from breaking in last time."

"Margo, this is different and you know it. We're criminals now. If we get caught sneaking in...that'll be the end."

"It'll be the end for me. Not you," Margo points out. "You didn't murder anyone, Q. I did. Sure, when you get caught, you'll get a few years in jail for being an accomplice to a killer, but at least you'll get out. You're going to live a nice, long life, finish out college, meet someone nice and normal, have barrels of children, and jail will just be a distant memory. I, on the other hand, will spend quite a bit of my life in jail and by the time I get out, I'll be too old to do anything cool. So basically my life is already over."

Margo pauses, so I take that as my cue to say something back, but she cuts me off and continues. "I want to do one last cool thing. I want to be able to say to my fellow inmates that 'Not only did I break into Sea World once, I broke into it twice. TWICE.' It'll make me sound uber rad and no one will even think about messing with me."

I laugh. "I'm not sure that's how jail works."

She laughs, too. "Whatever. So...are you in? Wanna break into Sea World with me?"

My smile fades. She must know that my answer is still no. Sea World will be covered with security guards, even after hours.

"Margo..."

"We are ninjas."

"Uh."

"We are ninjas, we will not get caught. Ninjas do not get caught." Margo unbuckles her seat belt and reaches to the backseat. She grabs her duffle bag, pulls out a pitch-black ninja suit and holds it out for me to see. "Remember this? I wore this suit when I climbed into your window last year and when we broke into Sea World."

Of course I remember.

"Well, of course you remember, it was only the best night of your life. Well don't you want to have another night like that? One last cool, awesome night before we get caught by the police? One last cool, awesome night hanging out with me in Sea World?"

Yes.

"Great!" Margo says excitedly. Did I say yes out loud or does she just assume I want another night like that? "One last adventure!"

I set my GPS for Sea World as Margo turns on the radio for the last time.

Even though I don't say it, I get a feeling in my stomach. The type of feeling that is caused by knowing that our trip to Sea World will not end like I hope it will.

I hope it will end well.

~

I exit the interstate and turn into International Drive, the tourism capital of the world. What is usually a street packed with tourists is deadly quiet. I guess that's one of the side effects of coming here at four A.M.

I drive by store after parking lot after store after parking lot. I remember taking this route to get to Sea World one year ago, so I kind of know where I'm going.

"Sea World is just past the parkway. Just go right past the parkway, and on our left will be this souvenir shop," Margo says. She strips off her shirt and pants.

"Uh," I say, trying to keep my eyes on the road.

"Control yourself, boy. I'm just changing into my ninja suit." Margo slips into her black ninja suit and pulls the hood over her head. "Ninja."