The ground shifted below our feet as the machinery slowly clanged awake. My sister and I were safely strapped into the hanging chairs, at least the ride lady said so, and we were bouncing in the restraints.

It started slow, an easy crawl, before speed began to take it, and take us, higher off the ground. Daisy grinned, teeth glowing in the midday sun, as she kicked her legs in excitement. I’m sure I looked equally happy as the ground went further away.

It didn’t seem to stop, we continued spinning and rising, but with a loud clink, we stopped rising. Spinning around the machinery in the middle, legs being pulled under our chairs, we laughed brightly as we felt the wind glide through our hair.

Everyone looked so small down there, gazing up at us. We waved to our parents but the view was just so distracting. From up here, we could see the rest of the fairground rides and stalls, the houses and shops beyond that, and the clouds and birds beyond that.

We knew we had to go down eventually, like everyone else had before us and everyone will after, but for these few moments, Daisy and I were birds, stretching our arms out to reach even higher, to touch the clouds that always looked so soft.