"The Week Before the Gates"
The final week of June carried a weight unlike any before. For nearly two years Lucas had lived with Serpent's Run as numbers on paper, steel on trucks, concrete foundations, and later as twisting track rising above the Jungle Zone. Now, with the temple walls finished and the serpent heads glaring at the boardwalk, the ride stood complete. And for the first time, the world beyond the fences was about to see it.
Emma sat in the PR office, eyes darting between screens as the last batch of invitations rolled out. The glow of her monitor lit her face, her lips curving into a satisfied grin as she clicked send all. "That's it," she said, leaning back in her chair. "They're coming. Journalists, vloggers, YouTubers, the lot. Even Ben got his invite."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "ThrillSeeker Ben?"
Emma laughed. "You should have seen his reply. All caps. I think he's crying behind the keyboard."
It was true. In another corner of the internet, Ben's response was a tangle of exclamation marks and gratitude. "I've never been invited to a grand opening before. Thank you, Elysion Park. You have no idea what this means to me." For a vlogger who had built his channel on shaky handheld shots of mid-tier parks, being recognized by an official invite wasn't just access—it was validation.
Posters went up that same afternoon. A serpent coiled around golden letters, its emerald eyes blazing above the date: Grand Opening – July 2017. Commuters stopped in front of billboards, taking photos on their phones. Social media lit up with shares and comments. At dusk, a teaser video dropped across YouTube and Facebook: half a minute of darkness, a glimpse of torchlight, the hiss of air, the flash of a launch, screams cut short, and then the tagline: The Serpent Awakens.
Within an hour, forums were overflowing.
---
Two days later, the first soft openings began—not for the public, but for staff and their families. Lucas stood in the station, clipboard clutched a little too tightly, watching as the first train rolled out with a handful of employees strapped in. Torches flickered against freshly painted walls, serpent eyes glowed, and then the muffled thunder of Launch One rattled the building. Seconds later, a scream tore through the Jungle Zone as the train crested the first hill.
When it returned, the riders were buzzing. One young technician laughed, shaking his head. "That second launch—my stomach's still back there!" Another, a quiet woman from the catering team, wiped tears from her eyes. "I don't even like coasters, but… that was magic."
Lucas let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Walter, beside him, gave a nod that was more like a benediction. "She's perfect," he said. "And they love it. That's what matters."
By the second evening, Lucas allowed himself a ride. Sitting in the front row, the torches dancing in the darkness, he felt the pauses stretch longer than they really were. His heartbeat matched the hiss of air as serpent eyes glowed red. And then—Launch One. He was thrown into sunlight, the jungle exploding into motion, bridges and vines and water flashing past. By the time he rolled back into the station, his hands trembled—not from fear, but from the crushing relief of a dream made real.
---
The world beyond the park began to stir. Shaky phone footage from staff families leaked onto forums. Frames were dissected, angles debated. "Look, you can see the outerbank!" one user wrote, circling a blurred screenshot. Another posted a theory thread titled: Animatronic confirmed in finale?? Drone photos, snapped from fields outside the boundary, showed the temple in golden evening light, the track weaving like a serpent through jungle canopy.
And then came Ben's vlog.
He filmed from the boardwalk, voice trembling with excitement as the camera swung toward the façade. "You guys. Look at this. The serpent's head is done. The vines, the stone, everything—it's insane. And listen—" He held his mic toward the temple. The hiss of air, a muffled roar, a burst of screams. His eyes widened. "That wasn't empty. That was real riders. They've started."
He turned back to the lens, emotion cracking through his voice. "And—I… I have to say this. Elysion invited me to the press opening. Me. I know I'm just some guy with a camera, but they thought my voice mattered. So if you've watched my videos, if you've been with me on this—thank you. Next week, I'll bring you with me inside the serpent."
That line struck harder than any scream. Comments flooded in: "You earned it, Ben." "So proud, keep the thrills alive!" For him, it was more than a ride—it was the first time a park had reached out and said: you belong here.
---
Late one evening, as the park closed and the boardwalk fell silent, Lucas walked alone toward the lagoon. Work lamps cast pale halos over the temple walls, highlighting cracks and vines. The golden serpent head gleamed faintly in the dark, emerald eyes glowing as if alive. He stood there for a long time, listening to the faint drip of water, the creak of scaffolding still being dismantled.
Tomorrow the cameras would arrive. Journalists, influencers, guests who would carry the story far beyond the fences. After years of planning, risks, and sleepless nights, Serpent's Run was ready.
Lucas put his hands in his pockets, staring at the serpent's eyes as they caught the light. Pride swelled in his chest, tangled with nerves, gratitude, and something else—hope.
Softly, he whispered into the quiet:
"Tomorrow, the world meets you."