Wally clung to the rollercoaster seat with six tiny legs. The wind whipped his yellow-and-black stripes as the cart lurches upward. Click-clack, click-clack — each tooth of the track lifted him higher.
The cart crested the peak and dropped. Wally buzzed his wings in pure delight. He held on tight as the world fell away below him.
Two girls in matching baseball caps buckled into the row behind him. One gasped. 'It's a wasp!' she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.
Wally flew straight up between the two girls, hovering right in front of their faces. The boy squeaked and hid behind his hands.
The girl peeked through her fingers and noticed the wasp's wings doing a happy little spin. The coaster hit a sharp turn and the wasp looped the loop right beside them.
At the very top of the biggest hill, the wasp dropped below the seat rail and hung upside-down. Its legs curled up like it was on a playground swing. The girls stopped screaming.
'He's having fun,' the girl said, and she reached out one finger. The wasp tapped it gently with its foot and buzzed a bright, cheerful hum. The track shook as the coaster sped down the final stretch.
The wasp rode out the last curve and fluttered down to land on the empty seat between the two girls. They sat very still and very close.
The boy offered the wasp a tiny crumb of a fairground pretzel. The wasp took it and gave a satisfied little buzz. The girls smiled at each other.
The rollercoaster chugged back to the station. The wasp buzzed happily as the ride came to a stop. Another perfect day at the fair.