The Bridge

It was a beautiful warm summer day, blue skies and a soft breeze blowing. We were heading towards the old wooden bridge that led to the island. It was a small island with a perfect beach that went around the backside where it was private and clean. There was going to be a party on the island. As we came over the hill and looked down at the shoreline, we could see the bridge. There was something unusual going on. We could see people on the bridge. Lots of people. We continued down to the bridge to see what was going on.

When we got to the bridge there was road blocks across the road “road closed”. We stopped at the roadblock and walked up the road to where the crowd was gathered. Two of the local Deputies met us at the roadblock. We all knew each other since it was a small town and everyone knew each other. The first Deputy to reach us was Warren, a young, big, tough guy nobody liked except the Sheriff. Warren told us it was a special ceremony dedicating the bridge or island or something, I quit listening after the first thing he said was “You all gotta git outta here…. Now!”. He said the bridge was going to be closed all day so “y’all might as well turn around and git”. Of course, this didn't sit well with us since we had planned on spending the day at our favorite beach.

Back in our cars we drove down to the public parking lot that was at the beach. We couldn't have our party there since it was in plain view of the deputies and families on the beach. We just gathered around, bummed about not getting across the bridge.

Ricky was a real smooth talker with the ladies. He always got what he wanted and wasn't too proud to brag about it. Some thought it was cool and others hated the egotistical punk for it. While we were discussing what to do, Ricky was focused on the shoreline next to where we were parked.

I asked him “what are you looking at?”

He told me “Do you remember that girl that just moved here? Cute girl with red hair?”

“Yea what about her”

“There was a rumor going around that she moved here because she got kicked out of her last school. Someone thought she was some kind of witch and other students wouldn't have anything to do with her.”

“Yea I heard that too. Sounds suspicious to me like someone had a grudge or something but who knows”

“She is right there walking down the beach by herself”

“So what. What are you thinking?”

Ricky says, “Well if she is some kind of witch why don't we have her get everyone off that bridge for us so we can get across?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Well, if she is a witch or has some kind of powers, like the rumors say, then maybe she can help us.” He said with a grin.

“That's crazy talk man. There is no such thing as witches’ powers or any of that crazy shit. It's just rumors someone started because they don't know the truth, whatever that is.”

“Yea but you never know and what do we have to lose?”

“What do you mean what do we have to lose? Lose by doing what?”

“What if I can get her to cast a spell or do something to make them get off the bridge?”

“How are you going to do that?”

“She's right there man! I can go talk to her, turn on the Rickie charm and see what she says”

“So, you believe all the rumors and you think that if those rumors are true, you can get her to move those people off the bridge? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Sure, why not?” he said with a smile

“Man, your nuts but I can't stop you. You won't mind if we try to come up with another idea do you?”

“No man, carry on. I'll be right back.”

Ricky walked off towards the redhead on the shoreline and I went back to the others trying to decide where to go next on such a beautiful day.

Ricky was smart when it came to women so he approached the redhead from behind so she wouldn't see him coming.

“Beautiful day for a walk on the beach, isn't it?”

Startled, she spun around but didn't say anything.

“Hi. What’s your name?” Ricky said.

Stuttering from being startled she said, “Who…who are you?”

“Hi, my name is Ricky”

Still stuttering she said “Hhhhhi my name is Starla”

“Hi Starla. How are you doing?”

“I'm doing fine. How are you?”

Ricky said flashing a big smile “Well, I'm doing great but I'm wondering why a pretty girl like you is walking the beach alone?”

“I like walking the beach alone. It's peaceful and serene and I can think”

“Got a lot on your mind do you?”

“Sometimes”

“So, Starla, I like you and I think we could be friends, but I want to clear up a couple of things first. I know your new here and I've seen you around but I'm wondering where you came from?”

Now distant, Starla looks off. “I moved here from far away. It's not important”

“Wow. That's it?”

“Yea that's it... for now”

“Well Starla from far away I have a problem and I hope you can help me”

“What kind of problem?”

“The bridge that me and my friends want to get across, that bridge over there” pointing down the shore “is blocked off for the day and we want to get across it, but they won't open it for us. Now, if you can help me and my friends get across that bridge, I would like to invite you to join us, no join me, for what will be a wonderful party at our favorite beach on the island”

“Is it that important?”

“Yea, it's important to us”

“What do you want me to do, or better yet, what is it that you think I can do?”

“Well Starla from far away, I have heard that you have some great powers, or at least some talent that may help influence our favorite Deputies on the bridge to let us through”

Looking away again she said “I don't know what you heard but it's not true”

Moving closer to Starla's face and almost whispering “I personally think you are special and that you CAN help us”

Starla looked away and paused “Let’s say I can help you and your friends, why should I?”

“Well Starla you would be the most popular new girl ever and you would have made a new best friend, me”.

Ricky hit a nerve with Starla and didn't know it. She was starving for attention for one thing and she also had very low self-esteem. He practically promised her the world and didn't know it.

“Ricky I might be able to help you, but you can't tell anyone that it was me, do you understand?”

“Of course. It will be our secret Starla.” And he flashed his perfect smile to seal the deal and she smiled back.

Ricky looked up at where the cars were parked and when I looked back, he gave me a thumbs up sign. I wondered, what the hell does that mean? Thumbs up for what? I watched him and the new girl walk up the beach then they stopped. She faced the bridge and lowered her head. Ricky stood next to Starla as she quietly hummed. She put her fingers to her forehead and slowly looked up at the bridge. She made a noise like Ricky had never heard before, like an echo from far away. Starla pointed at the bridge off in the distance. Nothing happened for a moment then a buzzing sound from all around started getting louder and louder. Bee's, wasp's, hornet's and all kinds of flying insects started buzzing towards the bridge. Then, in the distance we could see the air getting thicker with flying insect in every direction. The crowd on the bridge never saw it coming. It started with just a few at first then more until the crowd was completely swarmed. Thousands, maybe millions of insects covered the crowd. The Deputies tried to calm everyone but panic prevailed. There was nowhere for the crowd to hide. Most of them dropped to the ground and covered their heads. Some jumped off the bridge. Starla just stared while Ricky was smiling because now, he thought his problem was solved and we were all going to the island but that wasn't the case.

As we all stood and watched, we couldn't believe what we were seeing and hearing, it was loud. But then, we heard off in the distance howling, wolves or coyotes. Then we saw something moving on the hillside above the bridge. Like dark spots moving through the trees. Just a couple at first then more. It was animals coming out of the woods like they had been summoned to the bridge.

Ricky and Starla stood on the beach watching. Ricky's smile was gone and Starla had a look of panic on her face. More animals were heading to the bridge. Everyone could see the small animals and larger ones too like bears. There were bears! Starla started shaking her head and saying over and over, quietly, then louder… NO, NO, NO.

Ricky looked at her and said “What the hell have you done? What is happening?”

Starla continued to stare at the bridge as the animals were now running towards the crowd. “Call of the wild” she said softly.

“Call of the wild?” Ricky asked. “What the hell is that?”

“I didn't know this would happen.” Starla explained.

“What are YOU going to do? You started this, you have to stop it” Ricky insisted.

“I, I don't know how. I, I'm not sure what to do” Starla was stuttering again now confused and scared.

Ricky shook her and yelled at her “You have to stop this”

Some of the bigger faster animals were close to the crowd now. People could see them coming. Women screamed. Some jumped off the bridge into the relatively calm water.

Deputy Warren and another Deputy saw the animals coming and pulled their service weapons. We could hear the shots going off in the distance. There was no way the Deputies were going to hold them all off, there were to many coming down the hillside.

One of the women who jumped off the bridge was screaming and thrashing in the water. We thought that maybe she couldn't swim but then the water around her started churning and we could tell the splashing was not from her, but fish around her. The others in the water looked like they were put into a blender and were getting whipped around. There was something in the water attacking them. They tried to swim to the shore with the water churning around them like it was boiling. One woman came crawling out of the water on all fours. Her black wet hair covered her face. She was screaming. Her feet were missing and blood was pouring from the stubs where her feet had once been attached. We stared as the daytime nightmare unfolded before our eyes.

Ricky continued to shake Starla. She started crying holding her hands up to her ears trying to block out the sound of the gunshots while repeating “I don't know what to do” over and over.

In the parking lot, the group of us stood watching the horrifying scene on the bridge and in the water. We didn't know what was happening or what to do. All of a sudden, a car came racing through the parking lot. The car skidded to a stop near the beach. A dark-haired middle-aged man jumped out of the car and took off running towards Ricky and Starla.

The panic on the bridge continued. One man fell; a wolf jumped on his back and bit the back of his neck hard. He screamed while a raccoon bit his leg and held on tight. Another wolf jumped on the man’s back. He was helplessly ravaged. A woman had a possum on her ankle. She shook hard to get it off but a coyote bit her arm and held on as she screamed and fell. A bear lunged on one of the Deputies while he was reloading. The bear bit his face as he went down on his back. The bear started shaking him by the head violently. He was helpless to the bear's attack. The bear cracked the bones in his face easily. The Deputy would not survive as the bear tore him apart. A small animal tried to jump on the same Deputy. The bear quickly bit him and killed it with one bite like he was catching a fish in a stream.

Another one of the women in the water reached the shore and laid at the water’s edge on her back, her arms and legs covered in blood from fish bites. A large turtle hanging off her foot latched on tight. She was too weak to fight the turtle and laid there helplessly as it chewed on her foot. Another woman in the water had disappeared under the water where the water was churning.

The man running down the beach reached Ricky and Starla and quickly stepped between them.

“Starla what have you done?!” He screamed at her.

“Dad?! I don't know what to do. Call of the wild. Call of the wild.”

“Oh, Starla why?” he asked with his back to Ricky ignoring him.

“Dad I can explain but not now, you have to help!”

“Call of the wild Starla?”

“Yes Dad”

He turned to face the bridge and told Starla to close her eyes, drop her head and reverse the chant. She was sobbing but did as he asked. Ricky stood by saying nothing, shaking and terrified.

The two Deputies left standing were running out of ammunition. The animals they shot scattered all around them. Most of the people had run to the other end of the bridge. It didn't matter to the animals or flying insects. They continued to pursue them for no apparent reason except to kill or harm them as much as possible.

We considered going to the bridge to try and help but a new threat was coming, by air. Birds, large and small had descended on the bridge and were pecking away at any person they could. The people that were down were getting the worst of it. Birds big and small were pecking away at all parts of their bodies. Some of the bodies were not moving and were getting torn apart by animals and birds alike. There were people still running but there was no place to hide. The Deputies were crouched down, firing their last rounds. They had no defense against the birds and were getting attacked relentlessly from above.

Starla and her father continued chanting, Ricky watching in disbelief. Their heads were bowed down; their eyes were closed. Starla stopped sobbing and was chanting in unison with her father. Slowly the sound of the flying insects started to quiet down. Some of the animals had stopped chasing people. The water began to calm down to its usual smooth calm condition. The birds stopped coming to the bridge and started to fly away. Only screams were coming from the bridge now.

The Deputies ran out of ammunition and were cowering, covered in bites and wounds. They, and the others that were still alive, could not understand what had happened to cause nature to turn on them like it did.

Starla and her father raised their heads. They had stopped humming. Ricky was still next to them, on his knees. Starla's Father turned to her, put two fingers under her chin and raised her face up to look at his.

“Do you understand what you have done here today?”

“I know what happened but that's not what I wanted. I'm so sorry Dad.” And she broke down crying.

Her Father turned to Ricky, stared at him hard without blinking with great anger in his eyes and said “I don't know what you asked her to do but you have no idea what is going on here with her or with me but you have caused great damage today.”

Ricky was stammering “I…I…I don't know what happened. All I did was ask her to help me. It's not my fault.” he almost screamed. “She did it!”

“We came here for a new start” her father explained “now it is all ruined and we will have to leave.”

Starla and her father turned to leave, his arm around Starla's shoulder. She was sobbing quietly. Suddenly he turned around right in Ricky's face and told him forcefully “She did nothing here today! Nobody will believe you. As far as anyone knows it was just a freak of nature incident. I know people will ask but you can't prove anything. We will deny anything you say so think about what you will tell everyone you were doing here today and you better make it good or” he put his mouth close to Ricky's ear and spoke softly “there will be consequences for you AND your family.” he said with emphasis. “You have seen our power and I know where you live.”

Ricky was frozen. He didn't know what to say or do. He just watched them walk away. They walked quickly to his car and left even quicker.

Ricky sat down in the sand and stared at the bridge watching as ambulances and police cars were rolling up to the bridge. He tried to remember how this beautiful day started with such great intentions.