Dastardly Bastard(31)

BRIDGING THE GAP





24


MARSHA HAD BEEN WALKING FOR fifteen minutes by her best estimate. The pathway kept cutting in on itself in zigzag patterns. The deeper they went, the heavier she felt. Her mind was beginning to come back, and was less frazzled upon its return.

She glanced at her son as they eased down the rocky slope. She tried to smile when he looked at her.

“You okay?” Lyle asked.

“You know, you look just like your father.”

“Thanks.” Lyle smiled back at her. She could tell he was proud of that little fact.

“You know…” Marsha swallowed a lump in her throat before continuing, “I didn’t mean those things I said. Back there. Back—”

“I know you didn’t. Well… now I do. Dad told me it wasn’t you.”

Marsha wondered at what point he had grown into the man she saw before her. “You really think it was him, huh?”

“I don’t think. I know.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. He’s like our guardian angel. He won’t let anything happen to us. Don’t worry.”

“Come here, butthead.” Marsha pulled him in for a side-by-side hug as they continued along the trail. She kissed the top of his head, noticing happily that he didn’t pull away in embarrassment.

“I love you, Mom.”

“Love you more,” she said into his hair, lingering there for a moment, taking in the scent of his shampoo. “You’ve been using your dad’s stuff again in the shower; haven’t you?”

“Do you mind?”

“Are you kidding? Of course not.”

The slope leveled off, and Jaleel led them around a soft bend to the right, before coming to a sliding halt.

“What the hell is that?” Jaleel yelled.

Marsha saw the slope spread out, widening to four times the width of the previous trail. The guard wire stopped just ahead, then started again ten feet further down, where the path narrowed again. Stretched across the chasm, swaying lazily in an unfelt wind, was a rickety-looking bridge.

Jaleel was pointing at the trestles, confusion flooding his face.

“It’s a bridge,” Marsha said. “I thought you said you’ve been down here before.”

“I have.” Jaleel shook his head. “I’ve been up and down this section of trail hundreds of times over the course of the past four years. But that—” He jabbed a finger at the bridge. “—is new.”

Trevor laughed. “Doesn’t look new to me.”

“That’s where we need to look.” Jaleel suddenly sounded very sure of himself, but Marsha just thought he was crazy. There was no way she was crossing that thing. Uh uh, no way.

“You just got through saying you’ve never seen it before, and you want to risk crossing it?” she asked.

“That doesn’t look safe.” Trevor shook his head. “I’m not getting on that, bro. Sorry.”

“It’s just this thing messing with you, Jaleel,” Justine reassured him. “You’ll probably step right through it if you try and cross.”

“Like a hologram, or something?” Lyle asked.

“Yeah, like that.” Justine responded.

“Fine.” Jaleel shrugged. “Stay here, then. Or go back and try your luck with the warp zone. I don’t care. Donald was my responsibility. I’m not going to let anything bad happen to him.”

“You don’t even know if he’s still alive,” Trevor returned.

“Damn that,” Jaleel fumed. Marsha saw the guy’s hands draw up into fists. “I have to try!”

Lyle stepped forward. “When my dad called, he said I needed to find the cameraman. He told me he’s still alive.”

Trevor shook his head. “Sorry, little guy, but that man’s dead. Gone. There’s no reaching him.”

“I don’t even know what we’re arguing about,” Marsha said. “No one is crossing that thing. Are you crazy? Listen to yourself, Jaleel.”

“I’m not suggesting we all go, Marsha.” Jaleel told her. “I’m going to go over there and check it out. That’s all. If it even starts to swing too much, I’ll come back.” Jaleel stepped to the edge of the chasm and peered down. “Doesn’t look too bad.”

Marsha couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Jaleel was the only one who knew his way around the chasm, and he wanted to leave them alone? For what? To play search and rescue across some rickety old bridge?

Marsha exploded in rage. “You know what? Fuck you! You’re going to stay with us and find a way out of this mess. You understand me?”

“Scared the boogeyman might climb up your ass while I’m gone?” Jaleel asked. Something in his eyes had changed. She shivered.

“Asshole,” Trevor growled.

“Enough!” Justine yelled. “I’m tired of all this crap. Stop fighting. We don’t have anyone else but each other here!”

Jaleel laughed. “You guys can come over once I see that it’s safe. Easy enough, right?”

“You’re nuts. No way we’re going over there. Just drop it,” Marsha said. “You’re not leaving us. Why risk your ass when you don’t even know what you’re walking into? Bad enough we’re already running around in circles!”