*Mentor, where is this?*

  He was standing outside the entrance, which was designed to look like a face with its mouth open wide for you to walk through.

  This place is called Luna Park. It’s a theme park where people come to have a good time. I thought we’d come here to go through our learnings from this week for a change of scenery.

  Fair enough. Ever paid the entry fee in cash and walked in. People were doing all sorts of things: some threw balls to try and knock over dented, tin cans stacked on top of one another, while others were lining up, gripping an oversized mallet in both hands, bringing it down with a heaving grunt, to see who could get closest to striking the bell at the top of a pole.

  Ever spun in a slow circle, craning his neck as he watched a roller coaster follow a twisting, turning track that wound around the upper perimeter of the Park. It wasn’t going very fast, but even from this distance, he could see the utter delight on the faces of children and their parents alike.

  Let’s get a ticket for the ferris wheel, it will be a good first ride for you.

  Ever saw the large, white wheel at the other end of the theme park. He paid for a single ticket, waited in line and was promptly ushered into a carriage by himself.

  He looked out the window and became tense when the carriage stopped, gripping the side rails as it rocked slightly.

  Don’t worry, it will stop as everyone gets their turn at the top.

  Ever relaxed slightly but didn’t let go of the railing.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  So what’s new this week?

  Ever shifted in the metal seat, trying to get comfortable. Ever since the Mid-Summer Nights, the following weeks had felt uneventful. Birds flew by in an arrow formation towards the sun starting its descent - wait, that’s it!

  *I think I can talk to birds!*

  What?

  *I… I think I can talk to… well, maybe not talk to, but maybe I can understand them. Birds, that is.*

  Ever, have you been smoking something?

  *What?*

  The curious chat with the pigeon did occur after his mentor had left their conversation. He must not have been present when it occurred. The ferris wheel stopped again; Ever was at the top. He turned in place and looked down. People milled around like ants searching for food. Was this vantage point how Chaos viewed and felt about humans?

  How about Samantha?

  The memory of the musically and artistically gifted ghost wrapped him up like a well-worn jacket.

  *Samantha talked about how she had been on one path then an incident put her on another. While this incident was initially quite bad, I only sensed gratitude that she ended up on this second path, as it allowed her to meet up with her partner.*

  Right. The reality is that people can’t control what the Fates have in store for them. As humans, all they can do is adjust how they feel about their circumstances. How can this fact help you become a better reaper?

  The ferris wheel was on its way down. Ever looked at the top of the carriage, as if the answers were scrawled up there.

  *Help them be at peace with their circumstances, especially if they haven’t accepted that they’ve passed.*

  But what if what they’re holding onto is all that they’ve known? Is it so wrong for them to not want to let go of this? Ever kept this question hidden and unasked and so, it remained unanswered.