Finally, one of their best hunters went and sat at the water’s edge for three days and nights to commune with the spirits. Towards the end of the third night, the strange lights appeared again. The hunter stood up, waded into the stream and vanished.
For one week nothing happened. Then a child, who had been fishing with a spear, heard a disturbance in the water nearby. As he watched in terror, a man’s head surfaced and approached him. The child recognized the missing hunter and called out to the tribe who quickly gathered to see what was happening.
Upon seeing their lost friend, many rushed into the water’s edge to greet him. But then they realized he was pulling on a long rope and trying to drag something heavy out of the water. Immediately, they rushed into the stream to help. Soon a massive stone emerged from the stream. Its color and texture were unlike anything they had never been seen before.
That night under the hunter’s guidance, a ritual was performed which forced the strange being into the stone and imprisoned it within. After that, the stone was carved into an oblong slab and marked with a warning that only the people could understand. Then, it was lowered into the waters which would help preserve the stone for all time.
Their efforts to imprison the creature had succeeded, but soon they learned that the stone was not enough to keep the thing from reaching into their dreams. More than once, a squaw, heavy with child, was found wandering along the banks of the stream or even entering its waters.
So the people packed up and moved away. Occasionally, they returned just to make sure that no one had tampered with the great stone. They also wanted to make sure that the waters of the stream still flowed over it. For they knew if the stone was taken out of the water, it would eventually weaken and finally crack, releasing the creature into the world once more.
Eventually, between their visits, the white men arrived and built nearby…
“Then you screamed and the white wolf took off,” Julie finished. “There was more to the story now, I’m sure of it.”
“I believe you’re right,” said Cassandra pointing to the baby in Veronica’s arms, “Look.”
The living black coils seemed to be pulling away from the child’s head, leaving behind only the remnants of what had been her own hair.
Julie stared in wonder and horror. “What the…?”
“I told you,” Cassandra smiled, “she was being controlled. But Alex and Ronnie have freed her and...” The sound of sound of stone moving against stone suddenly cut her off.
Looking around Julie muttered, “I think we all need to get the hell off this bridge.”
Back on the psychic plane, Veronica was fixing her daughter’s hair. Her not-so-little girl was going to her first school dance and was very excited. She and Alex had taught her Ballroom and now the girl was very eager to show her friends.
Cassie shook her head, “Not yet. We can’t risk breaking the link Alex has between the three of them.”
Julie was becoming frustrated. Part of it was because she was angry with herself for being frightened. But, the fact that there seemed to be nothing she could do was bothering her even more.
The sound of stones grinding came again, only louder. “Hurry Alex,” she murmured, not realizing her muscles were tensing for battle.
She had graduated medical school and had gotten engaged to a doctor she’d met in her last year there.
Her parents were so proud of her and she loved them. Oh, there had been difficult times: teenage heartache, rebellion, misunderstandings… but there had always been love. Now, she was a beautiful bride. Her Dad was giving her away, while Mummy sat nearby. They wouldn’t be around as much, but she was okay with it. They were always going to be there for her. She knew it. She was never going to be alone and….
IT WAS COMING!
She turned and stared at her parents. They were in danger. IT was furious for what they had done.
She left the altar and raced towards her parents. She WANTED to protect them…
SHE LOVED THEM!
“MOMMY… DADDY…. IT’S COMING!!!”
The infant in Veronica’s arms cried out loud, breaking the spell. Alex could sense the baby’s terror and the reason behind it.
Cassie must’ve sensed it too, because she suddenly cried, “Alex I think it’s coming.”
“No,” he corrected, “It’s already here. It’s always been here.”
At that moment the stones beneath their feet slowly move up and down. The bridge seemed to be breathing.
Julie knelt down by Alex and began assessing his condition. They needed to get out of there, but she didn’t want to risk causing him further injury in the process.
“You all right?” he asked her quietly.
“I’m pissed if you must know,” she replied bitterly. “You and Cassandra have abilities I understand, but don’t have. Veronica’s keeping the baby safe. And me, I’ve been pretty much useless until now.”
“You’ve done more than you realize,” Alex countered, “I heard everything you told Cassandra, especially the bit about the stone in the water.”
“Is that significant?”
“The stone you saw in the vision was built into this bridge.”
A startled look crossed Julie’s face. “The Shaman said it had to stay in the water, otherwise that thing would eventually break out.”
“It broke out years ago, it just couldn’t leave. It needs another to merge with in order to survive outside the stone,” Alex told her and glanced over at his lady who was calming the baby in her arms.
Julie followed his gaze, and straightened her broad shoulders. “Well, IT is going to have to learn to live with disappointment.”
Alex gave her a weak smile and then winced while clutching his leg.
‘That’s not good,’ Julie thought and reached into her bag where she always kept an ace bandage and other emergency medical items. “Cassie, I need that flashlight over here,” she called and waited. There was no response. Looking up she spotted the heiress slowly moving towards the end of the bridge leading to Jason’s old cottage. “Cassandra!” she yelled.
Cassie blinked and shook her head, as if coming out of a dream.
“I need you over here. Bring the flashlight and that walking stick you took out of the limo,” Julie instructed.
Cassie looked around bewildered for a moment.
Shaking her head Julie shouted, “You dropped them at the foot of the bridge when we saw Ronnie trying to pull this idiot,” she gestured at Alex, “back onto the bridge.”
With a nod, Cassandra raced back to where she’d left the items and came back with them.
“Shine the light down here so I can see what I’m doing,” Julie instructed. “Good. Now as soon as I have him bandaged up we get out of here. It feels like we’re being watched.”
“More like sized up,” replied the heiress.
“You feel it too?” asked Ronnie joining them, “Why doesn’t it attack already?”
As if in response, the bridge shifted slightly beneath them.
“Veronica, as a friend, I love you dearly. But if you give IT any more ideas I’m going to hit you,” Julie muttered without looking up. She was completely focused on her friend’s wound. He had lost a fair amount of blood and…
The bridge suddenly gave a violent heave.
Instinctively, Julie quickly splayed her body across Alex to keep him from being jostled, until the stones settled back down. “Is everyone all right?” she shouted.
Clinging to the railing with one hand and hanging onto Veronica and the baby with the other, Cassie replied. “We’re okay, how’s Alex?”
“Doing jolly well down here,” came a muffled reply, from beneath Julie’s chest.
Rolling her eyes, the big brunette sat up and told him, “Congratulations you’ve been where no man has gone before.” Then she turned to Veronica, “Are we getting any back-up? Or are we on our own?”
“Roy’s supposed to be on his way,” Ronnie replied, repositioning the infa
nt in order to reach her shoulder radio.
The bridge gave another shudder.
Cassandra immediately grabbed the walking stick, “Do you want him to use this or lean on us?”
“Neither,” replied Julie reaching down and lifting Alex in her powerful arms. “This’ll be quicker.”
Staring at her in amazement he commented, “You never struck me as the kind of girl who goes around picking up blokes.”
“Only if they didn’t get out of my way,” she smiled, adjusting him carefully in her arms. “Back in school I used to stuff them inside the nearest locker.”
“I thought I recognized you from somewhere in my embarrassing past,” he replied.
Julie laughed, if Alex could joke, he was hanging in there.
The four of them turned to head back to where the cars were parked and stopped. There was a figure standing at the end of the bridge blocking their path. A flash of lightning gleamed off his long white hair.
“Ronnie?” murmured Julie.
“Other way, we’ll try and get to the mansion,” her friend instructed, pulling out her service revolver.
They were just about to turn and flee when they heard the cracking of stone behind them.
Cassie swung the beam of the flashlight at the source of the sound.
The ornate slab in the center of the bridge had cracked and black tendrils were emerging.
Veronica felt the baby tighten its hold on her. “That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what was using my baby?” she snarled.
“Don’t let it touch you,” Alex shouted.
“Should we try going over the side and take our chances in the water?” cried Julie.
“No, it’s running too fast,” replied Cassandra, fiddling with the walking stick in her hands.
Then, out of the darkness came the sound of sirens.
“The Cavalry’s coming!” cried Julie.
“They still have to find us,” her patient muttered. “Better put me down and grab some railing.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly the stonework began shift and bulge as a huge ripple-like wave was coming their way.
“NO!” bellowed Cassandra, as she twisted the handle of the walking stick and pulled out a wicked-looking three foot blade. Leaping forward she plunged the weapon into the stonework just as the wave reached them. The ripple suddenly split in two, sparing them from its effects.
Julie, along with Ronnie and Alex, stared in amazement. Not only had Cassandra saved them but now they seemed to have a weapon to fight with. The black appendages coming out of the bridge seemed to recoil from the heiress, who was now taking a defensive position between them and her friends.
‘Oh, I’m really starting to like her,’ Julie thought to herself and turned to Ronnie to see what they should do next.
Cassandra was breathing heavily, but felt full of confidence. She hadn’t known about the blade inside the walking stick. But a familiar presence had compelled her to twist and pull on the handle. And now they had a weapon and one of their enemies was pulling back. Should she press her advantage?
But then a chilling voice from behind her said, “No child.”
Slowly, she turned and stared at the figure at the end of the bridge. The white-haired man smiled and stretched out a hand to her.
Meanwhile, Veronica was saying to Julie, “We need to hold out till Roy finds us. Better put Alex down like he said. He’s probably getting a bit heavy for you.”
“Give me the little one,” Alex instructed as he was set down. He could sense a change in the infant. With the snake-like tentacles no longer attached to her, the child was growing weaker. He realized now that link between her and creature had been more than a psychic one. It had been symbiotic. The creature had been not only feeding off her but keeping her alive as well. But, now that link was broken.
He could tell she wouldn’t last much longer, but he also knew her time hadn’t come, at least not yet. “Draw from me little one,” he told her mentally and opened himself more fully than he’d ever done before. A moment later he felt her spirit bond with his, soon their hearts began to beat as one.
With weapon in hand, Veronica took a kneeling position and tried to take aim at whatever was coming out of the bridge. But with the darkness and the rain, she couldn’t get a good look at her target. “Cassie, I need that light over here,” she called and waited.
There was no response.
“Cassie?” she began when another stroke of lightning illuminated the scene. What she saw in those brief seconds was emblazoned in her brain forever. The thing defied description. It was as if a column of black ropes had risen up from the broken slab. Many strands were moving and waving about like tentacles, while others were working their way between the stones of the bridge itself. As she stared at the main body, a shape like a human face bulged out for a moment then melted back into it.
Veronica tightened the grip on her weapon. “Cassie, where are you? I need that light now!”
Hearing Ronnie’s command, Julie looked up and saw the heiress slowly walking towards the silver-haired man standing at the end of the bridge. Instinctively, she sprang up and grabbed the girl in a protective embrace, “Hey, you’re supposed to be dating girls, not him.”
The words and the physical contact seemed to break the spell. The smaller woman shook her head and looked up. “Thank you” she breathed and planted a kiss on her rescuer.
It was simple kiss but it sent a thrill though Julie she hadn’t known in a long time. But it was a brief moment of pleasure. The sound of approaching footsteps made them both look up.
The stranger was coming towards them, menace and evil radiating from every inch of his body.
“Where’s the sword?” she asked Cassie.
“I put it down when he started controlling me,” the girl answered, panic rising in her voice.
Suddenly, Veronica appeared beside them, firing her weapon. Three shots found their mark as the figure staggered back with each impact. The last one struck him in the face, tearing the flesh away from his cheek and shattering the bone beneath.
For a moment he stood there, bent backwards, as if ready to drop. Then he righted himself, like some sinister marionette who’d had its strings pulled, and started coming towards them again. His broken jaw, still hanging by one joint, seemed to be twisted in a horrific grin of impending triumph.
Then without warning he stopped, his eyes wide. “YOU!” he hissed.
A young man in Regency clothing was slowly walking past the three women. In one hand he carried the sword.
“BRANDON!” cried the heiress excitedly.
Julie started at the sight of the young man, not so much from his attire but because in spite of the driving rain he remained completely dry. After getting over the initial surprise and shock of his arrival she asked, “Great timing, but who the hell is he?”
“He’s an Elliott,” replied Cassandra proudly, “And we watch over our own. Now, everyone be ready to run when Brandon gives the signal.”
Without hesitating, Julie went back and grabbed up Alex and the baby, while Veronica reloaded her weapon in case it was needed.
At the end of the bridge the white-haired man had already started backing up. As he did so, Brandon raised his blade with the grace of a duelist and closed the gap between them. When they were mere feet from one another, the young man lunged at his opponent, just as a particularly bright flash of lightning blinded all who were watching.
A moment later, the blade clattered noisily on the stonework. The two men were gone.
“THERE’S OUR EXIT, GO!” shouted Cassie, bending down to retrieve the wooden part of the walking stick, which doubled as the sword’s scabbard. But as she did so, a black tentacle shot up from between the stones. Before she could scream, her hands were bound and she found herself pulled down and pinned to the stonework.
“CASSANDRA!” Veronica cried looking back. She and the others had almost reached the end of the bridge, when they saw what was happening
. Quickly, she emptied the rest of her magazine at main body of creature, which was still emerging from the center of the bridge. But the bullets were having no effect. And now more of the black appendages had appeared from between the stones and were heading toward the helpless girl.
Julie put Alex and the baby down and grabbed the discarded sword. Turning to face the threat she ran forward screaming, “BACK OFF, SHE’S MINE!”
The appendages seemed to sense her coming and tried to retreat, but not fast enough. With one stroke of the blade, she sliced through them and kept swinging until she reached the trapped girl. Then, with one more well aimed slash, she cut through the both black appendages and the stones freeing the girl.
Immediately, Cassandra scrambled to her feet and clung to her. Together they slowly began backing up, while keeping their eyes fixed on the mass of black ropes coming out of the center of the bridge. This unfortunately left the two of them wide open for a new attack from the side.
As if in retaliation for the assault, the bridge’s railing came to life and swung at them. The two women ducked just in time and continued to retreat. But then the other railing struck.
Once more they barely ducked in time, but the stony appendage immediately reversed course and swung back towards them.
Julie tried blocking it with the blade which cut through the rock and severed the mass of tentacles controlling it. This caused the railing to break apart into its individual stone blocks which continued to fly at them like over-sized shrapnel.
Veronica watched in growing horror as both Julie and Cassandra were struck by the debris and knocked off their feet. The two of them came to rest at the foot of the bridge. Neither of them stirred.
Staring at her fallen comrades, Veronica realized that she was now the only one left who could fight, and her weapon was useless. As she stood there staring at their enemy, a large shadow loomed up from behind the creature. It took her a moment to figure out it was the other end of the bridge.
The Bridge (Para-Earth Series) Page 29