by Karl Morgan
Carl woke to lightning and heavy rain. The Rope Bridge was swaying wildly in the hurricane force winds. Sylvia was still screaming. One of the straps snapped, and he was launched off the bridge. The remaining strap held and Carl revolved around the bridge as lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and large hail stones struck him and the bridge. With each revolution, the strap shortened, and he slammed into the floor of the bridge. Carl wrapped his arms around the twin-rope floor of the bridge and held on for dear life. He looked to the side and groaned. A number of tornadoes were headed their way. Carl quickly reattached the broken strap to tie his hands together on the far side of the floor of the bridge.
The first tornado struck the bridge. It seemed to stall over them, and the suction pulled his legs upward. He groaned as he fought to maintain his grip. He felt his shoes and socks being sucked off his feet. The twister finally passed, and his body slammed down on the bridge, knocking the air from his lungs. “This is awful!”
“I don’t want to die!” Sylvia shouted.
“None of us do,” Carl replied.
Barbie’s voice was soft and warm. “I trust you, Carl.” He could feel her lips on his and the warmth of her breath on his cheek.
“Have fun with her later, Carl,” Sylvia screamed. “Two more tornadoes have our names on them!”
The two tornadoes struck simultaneously. The bridge began to sway and swing like a giant jumping rope. All three screamed. As it swung up, it turned upside down. Through the clouds above, Carl thought he could see Heaven. The Rope Bridge swung the other way and he slammed into the floor of the bridge again. Between the ropes, he could see Death’s head reaching out toward them. The mouth opened and a blast of hot wind blew through them. It had the distinct smell of brimstone.
After a dozen or more rotations, the bridge slammed back into place. Carl’s lower body struck the ropes. He groaned and ached. He felt like all of his exposed skin had rope-burns. He prayed for an end of the storm. That was when he noticed he was lying on sand, and his bindings were gone. He got up on his knees and noticed he was wearing some kind of tunic with a rough leather belt.
Strange lizard-like hands pulled him up to his feet. “Are you well, Friend?”
Carl turned his head to see Viszreaagh smiling at him. “Hi. I’m Carl.”
“Yes, I know that. I was told to be expecting you. Please come along. My place is not far away.”
“Viszreaagh, am I still on the Rope Bridge? What happened?”
The lizard turned back to him and bowed. “I do appreciate your attempt at pronouncing my name. However, your biology is sufficiently different from ours, which makes our language impossible for you. You may call me Vic.”
“You speak English very well, Vic.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Not really. Because this meeting was ordained by Him, we can speak our own languages and be understood.”
“What about the bridge? Did I fall off?”
“You are still on the bridge with your friends. However, as a personal favor to me, Manny sent you here for a visit. Come along now. You’ll be fighting for your life again before you know it.” The lizard trudged forward and Carl followed.
After walking some time, they arrived at the shore of a large marsh. Vic walked up a short ramp and entered a modest thatched home overlooking the water. Carl followed him inside. The main room was quite large and included an open kitchen, a desk covered with papers, and a seating area. The only chairs with backs were at the desk and kitchen table. Vic motioned for Carl to sit at the kitchen table. “This is a nice house, Vic,” Carl said.
He bowed slightly. “You honor me with your presence, Hand of God.”
Carl scratched his head. “I’m not really comfortable with that name, Vic, especially after our last meeting. I’m just Carl.”
Vic put a pot of coffee and a large plate of cooked fish on the table. He turned his chair to have the back at the front and then sat. “Tails can be a nuisance at times, although they help in the water.” He poured coffee into Carl’s cup. “Please have some food and drink, Carl. Manny asked me to let you know that since you are on the bridge, nothing here can harm you.”
Carl took a sip of the coffee and chewed on a piece of fish. After he swallowed, he said, “Thanks. Everything is very good.”
“I’m glad you brought up our previous meeting. I do apologize and you must never feel guilty about what you did. I was wrong, and as you can see, once again, I am paying for my bravado.”
“What made you do it, Vic?”
“Well, Manny explained that we are all responsible for our bad choices.”
“Although they may not be informed choices,” Carl added.
Vic nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid I received bad counsel. I think you can guess from whom.”
Carl nodded. “Yeah, Gabriel and Constance.”
Vic nodded and took a long drink of coffee. “Who would have guessed such a thing? Gabe was one of his father’s favorites. For goodness sake, he had the horn of Armageddon! When Manny explained that to me, it lightened my load considerably.” He looked around the room. “Although, I must admit there is something quite wonderful about mortal existence. The choices, the freedom to succeed or fail. The knowledge that death is the only final outcome.” He nodded his head and wagged his tail. “I am happy with my life, Carl. I pray you can be happy with yours.”
“Thank you. I hope the same.”
Vic leaned forward. “Why exactly did you choose to take the Rope Bridge then? You know the rewards for success, yes?”
Carl ate another piece of fish while he pondered his response. “I did not take it for me, Vic. I had a thought that the bridge might help me break the bond between Barbie and the demon queen. Was I wrong?”
“You’re asking me?” Vic laughed. “Carl, I am a mortal lizard who assumed he could rule the universe, and failed monumentally. I am in no position to question an Invisible Hand. You may be correct, and I will pray to Him that you are. Manny asked me to tell you that you will encounter others on the journey who will help you. I wish I could do more, but what can a poor lizard do?”
“Carl, please wake up?” Barbie begged.
“Is he dead?” Sylvia asked.
“No, I’m not dead yet,” Carl replied. “How long was I out?”
“It seemed like an hour or more,” Barbie replied. “Are you hurt?”
Carl got up onto his knees. “No, I think I’m okay. Hold on.” He removed the straps and reattached them to the top ropes on the bridge. “Just in case my legs don’t want to work.” He used the ropes to pull him to his feet. “Wow!”
“That’s amazing.”
“Would you two stop? It’s just clear sky,” Sylvia whined.
The storms had blown away the fog, although a thick layer seemed about a mile below them. The bridge seemed to stretch to infinity in front and behind them. The endless brilliantly blue sky surrounded them, although there was no evidence of the sun. “Well, we might as well get started.” Carl moved forward again.
After another hour, Sylvia said, “You two are really putting me behind schedule. Carl, why don’t you just jump and get it over with? I’ve got stuff to do, like destroying the universe.”
Carl laughed. “First, you know better than me that this place is outside of time. Also remember what I said about becoming mortal again. Are you willing to risk that?”
“Just shut up and keep walking.”
Hours later, they noticed a small cloud had moved into the area and was now obscuring the bridge a mile or so ahead of them. On they went.
“Aren’t you hungry, Carl?” Barbie asked. “I’m starting to feel weak.”
“Duh,” Sylvia replied. “Carl doesn’t worry about human needs. He’s the Hand of God, okay.”
“Sylvia, if you hadn’t been trying to kill me, I probably would have thought of it.”
“So, now I’m to blame for everything, right?” Sylvia asked.
Carl laughed. “Of course, you are! You’re the one try
ing to destroy the universe.”
“Carl, something feels strange on your back,” Barbie noted.
He reached behind him and felt a sack tied to his belt. He removed it and looked inside. It contained several pieces of fried fish from Vic’s table. “Now, that is odd.” He tied himself to the bridge and sat. He pulled a piece out and ate it. “Damn, that’s good.”
Now Barbie and Sylvia sat on either side of him. Each took pieces of fish and began to eat.
Carl turned to the demon queen. “Sylvia, you’re the immortal. How come you two are here now, but most of the time, you’re just in my head?”
She turned to him. “It’s like you said, Carl. This place is outside of time and reality. We are the form that is most conducive to our needs. All three were hungry and now are eating. Simple enough?” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “That really was a heck of a kiss back there. I really thought you loved me for a moment.”
“I suppose in a way I do,” he replied. “Notwithstanding the ‘destroy the universe’ thing, that is.” He looked into the bag. “Fish is gone. Did you both have enough?” He noticed they were no longer sitting next to him. “I guess the break is over.” He repositioned his straps and headed toward the cloud obscuring the rope, now about half a mile away.
Carl reached the cloud and stepped back into the interminable fog. A light drizzle began to fall, which made the Rope Bridge slippery. He slipped along and held the side ropes for dear life. His feet slipped out from under him, he landed on his back and began to slide forward.
After twenty feet, the Rope Bridge angled downward, and he accelerated wildly. All three were screaming as he rushed ahead at breakneck speed. In the dense fog, he could only see a few feet in front of him. The bridge leveled out and began to rise. Carl breathed a sigh of relief. Just when all seemed well, the bridge ended abruptly, and they flew into the air. Carl was tumbling through the air, grasping for anything to stop his fall. The fog suddenly cleared. He could see the broken end of the Rope Bridge, with a grassy lawn just beyond it. He slammed face-first into the field of grass near the end of the bridge and passed out.
Carl did not know how long he had been unconscious. He sat on the grass and looked around. The end of the bridge was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a nearby dirt road was crowded with people. They appeared to be waiting in line. He stood up and discovered that Barbie and Sylvia standing next to him. All wore long tunics and simple sandals. The girls’ tunics were brightly colored, and they wore intricate and fragile jewelry. Carl had a beard. All their skin tones matched the dark brown of those waiting in line. Carl led the girls over to the end of the line and leaned forward to the man in front of him. “Friend, what’s going on?”
The man put his hands together with his fingers up and bowed slightly. “Why are you here then, friend? Everyone here knows why we are in this queue.”
Carl emulated the man’s gesture and bowed more deeply. “We are new in this area and are hoping to learn.”
The line moved forward several feet. “Friend, have you not heard about the royal who has forsaken his birthright to learn the ultimate truth?”
Something about his trip to the Rope Bridge Society rang a bell. “How long has the Great One been meditating, Friend?” Carl asked.
The stranger smiled. “It is said that he has not eaten, spoken, or slept for more than six weeks. How is that possible?”
Carl bowed again. “It seems impossible, Brother. Let us pay witness to the miracle ourselves.”
Sylvia pulled on Carl’s arm. “What is all of this nonsense?”
Carl leaned into the two women. “I think I met him at the Rope Bridge Society. Just be quiet for now. We’re here to learn something.”
Sylvia rolled her eyes but decided to back off.
More than an hour later, they arrived near the large tree. Siddhartha Gautama sat beneath it. His eyes were closed, and he sat in the Lotus position. A group of worshippers stood and moved away. Carl, Barbie, and Sylvia were part of the next group, so they sat across from Siddhartha Gautama and mimicked his position.
The sounds of buzzing insects and the breeze rustling through the leaves of the tree stopped. A familiar voice said, “Carl, come with me.”
Carl opened his eyes to see Sid standing in front of him. Barbie and Sylvia remained with their eyes closed. He extended his hands and Sid pulled him to his feet. “So, this is how it all happened?”
Sid put his arm around Carl’s shoulders. “Yes, in a way. I honestly wish I could explain it all to you, Carl. However, this is a journey each must take alone. Do you understand why they look alike yet?”
Carl smiled. “I assume you’re not talking about Sylvia and Barbie.”
Sid chuckled. “Not specifically, but I suppose the same logic applies. What do you think?”
Carl scratched his head. “Well, I’m not absolutely certain, but I think Manny, Luce, and Mort look alike because they are the same person.”
“I suppose you don’t mean the same human being.”
“Yeah, they’re not really people like me, but you know what I meant.”
“I understand, Carl. Each of us carries prejudices about which creatures are sentient, immortal, good, evil, or whatever. On our planet, we all think of humanity as the only sentient species, but you and I already know better, don’t we?”
Carl nodded. “Yes, I’ve had interesting conversations with owls, deer, and even a sparrow named Denise. Can I ask you a question?”
“Not about ultimate reality, I trust.”
“No, definitely not that.”
“Good, because I won’t discover that for two more days. What’s your question?”
Carl stopped and lowered his head. He took a deep breath and looked up. “Why did you bring me here?”
Sid put his hands on Carl’s shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “Why did you wish me to?’
“Did I?”
Sid shrugged his shoulders.
Carl pressed his hands against his temples as he tried to understand what was happening. After a moment, his hands dropped to his sides. “Sid, can I separate Sylvia and Barbie’s souls without killing one or both?”
Sid grabbed Carl’s shoulders and shook him. “Is the physical universe real or just a vehicle provided by God to help us learn what is truly real and valuable? Are angels and demons real, or are they the expressions of our own strengths and weaknesses? And finally, are life and death real, or simply guideposts to separate our failures from our successes? Answer those questions and you will truly understand.”
Carl’s eyes rolled up into his head, and he fell to the ground.
In another reality, Carl slammed back onto the Rope Bridge and slowed to a stop. Just before he passed out, he felt both Barbie and Sylvia’s lips on his and the heat of their bodies pressed to him.
When he woke, everything around the Rope Bridge was darkness, although the bridge itself was brilliantly lit as though the sun was shining. “That’s odd.”
“Not so loud,” Sylvia complained. “I still need more sleep.”
“How about you, Barbie?”
“Geez, Carl, what did I just say? Besides, can’t you hear her snoring?”
Carl listened intently and heard both breathing deeply. He smiled to himself and continued walking. He walked for some time until something exceptionally odd occurred. There was a restaurant up ahead. The Rope Bridge seemed to go into the building. He stopped and shook his head, hoping the apparition would disappear. It did not. With no other options, he kept walking. As he approached the door, it opened, and he walked inside. The maître ‘D stood behind a podium and three couples were sitting while awaiting their tables. A young man stood in the center of the room. The Rope Bridge passed just in front of him. The man’s phone rang, and he pressed it to his ear. “Frank Prescott.” Carl walked forward slowly, stopped in front of the man, and stared.
“Dad?” Carl asked.
The man did not acknowledge him and turned the other way. “Yes
, sir, I understand. Fraternization is discouraged. Sir, this is just a first date. . . Yes, I understand that if we have a relationship that we cannot be in the same service, and our career options may be limited. Yes, sir.” He pushed the phone into his pocket. “Jerk.”
The man appeared to be in his mid-twenties, but the face was clearly that of his father. “Dad, can you hear me?”
Frank turned to face him, and a large smile lit up his face. Carl opened his arms to receive his father’s embrace. Virginia Cassidy seemed to walk through her son and shook Frank’s hand. “I’m sorry for being late.” She rolled her eyes. “I had a call from Section Chief Winston. You can imagine how that went.”
Frank nodded. “He just called me too. Forget about him.”
“Monsieur Prescott,” the maître ‘D said, “Your table is ready.” Carl’s parents were led to a corner table.
“That’s very sweet, but we have places to be,” Sylvia said. “Let’s get moving.”
“Your mom is real pretty.”
“Thanks, Barbie.” Carl followed the Rope Bridge through the dining room, kitchen, and out the backdoor. Instead of an alley, the same absolute darkness surrounded them again.
After another couple of hours, they were back in the fog. As they progressed, the sky lightened, and a new day in this false reality dawned. Sometime later, the fog dissipated enough for Carl to see another rope bridge intersecting theirs in the distance. Carl stopped and rubbed his eyes. For some reason, it appeared that Manny, Luce, and Mort were standing near the intersection. Manny was on the branch that turned left, Luce on the right, and Mort directly in front of them. “Do you girls see that?”
“We must be in for another lecture about how bad I am,” Sylvia replied.
“Maybe they want to help you, Carl. They seem to like you.”