The Bridge (Para-Earth Series) (48 page)

             
On the shore Alex watched with sadness.  The number of female figures carrying infants in their arms was appalling, “So many…” he murmured.

             
“There won’t be anymore,” Veronica assured him. 

              Along a back road that ran alongside the stream, a blasted figure walked.  The explosion had burned away all his fine clothing, along with most of his skin.  What little remained was horribly charred and blistered. 

             
Yet with each step, blackened muscle and exposed organs were slowly healing.  Eventually, healthy new skin began to appear.

             
His white hair had just started to grow back when he paused in mid-step.  A curious look crossed his now healed face and jaw.  Turning off the road, he headed down the embankment.  There floating in the water, almost invisible in the darkness, floated a patch of black.

             
He smiled, “So a part of you did get away.”

             
In spite of the stream’s flow, the black patch suddenly halted and remained stationary.

             
“We both know you will not be able to survive without assistance,” the man said and reached out a hand. “Come.”

             
Slowly, a lone tendril rose up from the dark mass.  It reached out and shrank back tentatively before accepting the gesture.  Then it seized the man’s hand and quickly enveloped his entire body, leaving only his head exposed.  His face betrayed only the slightest hint of a struggle.  “Cooperate or I’ll finish you,” he warned, “Cyrus was known to us, and we to him.”

             
The battle of wills ceased.  Slowly the blackness released its victim and reshaped itself into a long flowing cloak. 

             
“Very nice,” the man smiled and headed back to the road.

             
After a few moments he said, “Yes, I did make the girl drop her weapon and cease her attack against you,” as if answering a question only he could hear. “If I hadn’t you might have killed her, and that I could not allow.  You see, soon I will open that which has been sealed.  And in order to that, I need Cassandra Elliott alive,” he told his new companion, as the night swallowed them.

              The procession of ghostly figures was coming to an end.

             
“Sarge, aren’t they…” Ryan began.

             
“Yes,” Veronica nodded.  The silvery figures of the young teenage couple, whose accident had started all of this, were walking past arm in arm.  They had come to the bridge to find out whether they would be able to remain together.  Now, they had all of eternity before them.

             
“Chase… Wells…” murmured Roy as two more familiar figures walked past them.  Both looked at him and smiled reassuringly. 

              Only Julie paid no notice.  She was still near the edge of the water, her eyes fixed on the man in the animal skin on the other side.  She could see nothing of his face under the white wolf head, except for his mouth, which was smiling.  The fire behind him slowly began to shrink.  But there was still enough light for her to see him slowly recede into the skin he was wearing. 

             
“Is that a dog over there?” asked a young Paramedic coming over to her.  The Fire Department and ambulances had just arrived.

             
Shaking her head she said proudly, “No, that’s White Wolf.”

             
The man shrugged.  “We’re getting ready to take Miss Elliott to the hospital, but she asked if you’d like come with her.”

             
Julie blinked.  Cassie!  She’d almost forgotten about her.  From across the stream she heard the white wolf howl imperiously at her.  Looking up she saw the animal wag its tail and disappear into the woods.

             
Smiling she nodded, “Yes, I want to be with her.”

              “Alex, look,” whispered Veronica pointing to the last figure to emerge from the water.

             
“Beautiful…” he smiled.

             
It was Rachel and her baby.  Unlike the others, they did not appear silvery but real. Only the faint glow that surrounded them betrayed their true natures.  When they reached the foot of what was left of the bridge, both mother and child turned and looked at them. 

             
“Thank you,” the girl mouthed.

             
“You’re both welcome,” Veronica answered, as a tear slid down her cheek.

             
Rachel looked at her child, then back at their two rescuers.  A strange little smile crossed her face as she turned away and stepped onto the bridge and vanished.

             
“Now, it’s over…” Veronica sighed. A moment later she felt her boyfriend go limp in her arms. “Oh God no… ALEX!”

new
Beginnings

             
Cassandra sat quietly in the backseat of her limousine as it headed for the airport.  She wore a sling to protect her left arm, and a black band on the right one.  A hand reached over and touched her leg.

             
“You okay?” asked Julie.

             
The heiress nodded, “I still can’t believe what happened.  So many lives ruined, and so many lost.”

             
“True,” her companion nodded and tried to lighten the moment, “Ronnie said Chief Peterson and the rest of their crew appreciated our showing up at the funeral.”

             
“It only seemed right,” Cassie sighed, “We fought alongside them and we know what they went through, even if no one else does.”  She fell silent for a moment and then added, “It isn’t fair.  They saved the entire town, possibly more than that, and they don’t get to tell anyone about it.”

             
Julie nodded and shifted uncomfortably.

             
“Your back’s bothering again isn’t it?” asked Cassandra with concern.

             
“A little,” Julie admitted and then looked at her curiously, “You sensed it didn’t you?”

             
Nodding with embarrassment, Cassie shrugged. “I can’t always help it.  The stronger the emotions or thoughts, the easier they are for me to pick up on even when I’m not trying.”

             
“I believe you,” Julie replied with a smile. “It’s just going take a while to get used to having a psychic for a girlfriend.  Oh, and for the record, my back wasn’t injured in the fight.  This is something else that happened a few years ago.  I’ll tell you about it one day.”

             
“I can wait,” Cassie promised and became quiet again, lost in her thoughts.  They were on their way to Santa Cruz, to deliver the cremated remains of Julie’s uncle to his children who lived out that way.  She looked down at the urn that rested in Julie’s lap and sighed.

             
If only she could’ve gotten to know the man better.  Their brief acquaintance had been magical and amazing.  And she could see some of the qualities that made him that way in Julie.  Perhaps this was why she’d been so attracted to her companion from the moment they’d first met. 

             
Ronnie had pushed her into admitting she was gay and she had hated her for it.   But now she was finding herself happier and more at ease than she’d been in years.  There were still many hurdles ahead, like Julie’s insistence that they were just ‘dating’ and not to get too serious about each other.  But that was okay.  Each day they were sharing more and more kisses and hugs.  And that was more than enough for now. 

             
Besides, it was obvious Julie wanted to share some things about the past and explain why she was being so cautious.  However, the girl wasn’t quite ready to talk about them, at least not yet.

             
‘And I’m willing to wait,’ Cassie thought contentedly.  ‘I know we’ll be together somehow…’

             
“I’ve decided,” Julie said suddenly, breaking her train of thought.  “I don’t want a private room in your hotel in Santa Cruz.”  The black-haired beauty turned to her and said, “I want to stay with you in that beach house you told me about.”

             
Cassie nodded trying to contain her excitement, “I’ll make sure the guest room is ready for you.”

             
Much to her delight, Julie shook her head, “Uh-uh, we share a bed.  We’re not necessarily going to do anything.  Not with your shoulder and ribs still healing.  But we can do other things like talk, get to really know each other, and cuddle some more.”

             
“I’d like that,” Cassandra smiled warmly and then suddenly stiffened.  She had just sensed a familiar presence nearby.  Looking out the window she saw they were getting close to the hospital where Alex was still recovering. 

             
Not only had his injuries had been more serious than hers, but he had lost a considerable amount of blood.  Fortunately, he was doing better and would hopefully be released in a week or two.

             
Julie followed her gaze and asked, “Shall we pop in on him before we catch our plane to Santa Cruz?”

             
Cassie closed her eyes and reached out with her mind.  A smile crossed her face, “I don’t think so. He’s kind of busy right now.”

              In a private room, Veronica had successfully pinned Alex’s hands on either side of his head, after he had tried getting out of bed again. 

             
“Wimp!” she smirked.

             
“Tease,” he snapped.

             
“Twerp.”

             
“Grouch.”

             
“Bozo.”

             
“Tool of the authoritarian regime designed to quell the masses.”

             
Ronnie’s jaw fell at that.  After a moment she retaliated, “Asshole.”

             
“I love you,” he smiled.

             
“I love you too,” she replied.

             
“Bitch.”

             
“Loser.”

             
“Dominatrix!”

             
“You wish.”

             
Alex winked, and then said more gently, “By the way, where have you been keeping that stack of porn you mentioned a while back?  I looked all over and couldn’t find it.”

             
“It’s in my hope chest,” she replied sweetly, and called him a disappointment. 

             
“DISAPPOINTMENT?” he gasped in mock disbelief.  Then his face became thoughtful, “Your Hope chest, eh?  That’s pretty big as I recall.  Course I’ve always admired your big chest.”

             
Blushing, Veronica shook her head.

             
“So, what have you got in there?”

             
“Some videos, but mostly pleasurable ‘items’ I haven’t used in about 3-4 years.”

             
“So calling me a ‘Disappointment’ doesn’t actually work in this case, does it?” he pointed out.

             
“I guess,” she shrugged, releasing him and settling down in the chair next to the bed.  “By the way, do you remember what we talked about when we were coming back from the Morgue after you collapsed?”

             
“You were talking about bringing Julie home and doing some oil wrestling …”

             
Veronica cleared her throat loudly and then smiled at him, pointedly.

             
Alex knew that smile.  It had brought terror to the hearts of many a suspect, as well as a few of her subordinates.  He decided to change gears.  “There was also something about me not proposing to you anymore,” he said seriously.

             
“And you’re not going to try and take advantage of this moment to break that agreement?”

             
He shook his head.

             
“Good,” she nodded approvingly.  Then she stood up and gently climbed onto the bed in order to snuggle him.  Then, after an affectionate kiss or two, she asked, “Will you marry me, Alex?”