Bridges

In the early nineties, my late uncle Frank Mahler began writing a book. He loved reading, (particularly suspense and horror novels) and I think he really wanted to become a writer himself. The book was called “Bridges”, and over a decade ago he printed out a rough draft of it for me to read and give my opinion on. I absolutely loved it. Frank has since passed away, but I still have that original rough draft of a really great story. I don’t think he’d want it to just gather dust in my closet, I think he’d want it to be shared. So I will publish it here, chapter by chapter. Obviously, the content of this page is ©The Mahler Family, and all rights are reserved.

“Bridges” by Frank Mahler

CHAPTER 1

Jack woke up and felt that something in his life had to change soon. He was stuck in a dead end job; he was depressed about what was happening in his life. Jack was good in whatever he set his mind to. However, lately it was less and less. Although Jack could hold his alcohol very well, he found that it no longer gave him the relief it once had.

He was starting to lose his hair, which really bothered him, he was pretty handsome but his hair loss made him feel uncomfortable. Jack wanted to write stories. His imagination was there, but to put it into words was difficult. He was a dreamer. Not just your average kind, but sometimes tried to live his real life through some kind of fantasy.

Jack was having very strange dreams. They seemed so real that sometimes he would remember something, and was not sure if it was a dream or something that really happened. Jack had a lot of skill with firearms, and wasn’t too bad with his hands and feet either. His training in the arts was at one time very intense. He made friends quite easily, however on those rare occasions when he made an enemy, it usually got violent. One time about two summers ago when he had taken a trip to Moab to get away…

“Hey Jack, what’s up? You look pretty uptight for being on your vacation.”

“Yeah, I know, but something feels wrong with this car. It’s not running on all its power.”

“Bullshit, Jack. You just had this thing romping at over a hundred miles an hour.”

“I know, by the engine just doesn’t sound right.”

“Yeah, you probably forgot to put oil in it back at the gas station.”

“Funny, I didn’t think you knew there was oil in a car.”

“Ha ha, Jack you’re real cute.”

“Thanks I know.”

Jack was thinking to himself: “I took you along because you had great boobs, don’t push your luck, there are lots of those.”

Jack grabbed a beer out of the cooler and asked Josy if she wanted one as well. She said, “Sure, what do you think?” Jack grabbed one for her as well and wondered to himself if he should shake it first and give her a surprise. Josy was starting to get on his nerves. She was very pretty, but your typical dumb blonde; except she was a brunette. When Jack had decided to take this trip he first thought he was going to go by himself and spend some time wondering what he should do with his life. But like most males he thought that if he brought Jose he would not get lonely in that one way. He was definitely right about the ‘one way’, Josy was great in bed. But when she wasn’t in bed she was pretty much useless.

Jack was not being inconsiderate; Josy hadn’t held a job for more than a month since he had met her. It wasn’t really her fault; she just wanted to play too much.

They continued down the highway putting away a lot of beers as they went. Jack was pretty buzzed, and Josy didn’t seem to be affected by the beer at all, which sort of pissed him off. Not only was she drinking him under the table, but also it would mean they would have to stop at some little store and get more, and Jack knew he would be spending his money for her buzz. Oh well, it was going to be a cold night. And if Josy was good for one thing it was keeping him warm.

When they finally reached a little town they decided they would stay at, Jack asked Josy if she would mind if they slept in the car. Josy looked at Jack like, “Are you kidding man? I want a bed!” and then gave him those dreamy eyes that said, “Don’t you?” He decided he did.

After Josy had made Jack finally fall asleep, she woke up from a deep sleep. There were no lights; it was very dark and all she could see was blackness. She almost felt something staring at her through the darkness.

She guessed it was only the beer she had drunk. Joy looked back at Jack who was sound asleep, and smiled. Joy was quite fond of Jack, and hoped that their relationship would get more serious. What Josy didn’t know was that she would never come home alive.

They woke about eight thirty in the morning, neither of them having a bad hangover due to their regular drinking habits. Josy was lying next to Jack wearing nothing but a pair of his undershorts. She looked stunning in her dark tan and her well-developed body. Jack remembered now why he took her along. He couldn’t say that he loved her, but looking at her this morning, who in their right mind wouldn’t at least care about her a lot?

She woke…

“Hi Jack, how are you feeling?”

“Okay I guess.”

“Sleep okay?”

“Yeah, how about you?”

“Not bad. You look sexy as hell in my boxer shorts.”

“Thanks.”

“How about a beer?”

“Don’t’ be sick Jack!”

“Sorry, just kidding.”

They made love on the floor that morning, and when the motel maid came in she got a real surprise.

“Excuse me!” she said, “Didn’t know you were still in here.”

“That’s ok,” said Jack, “you want to join us?”

This blurted out of his mouth because any other response seemed just as stupid. The maid said, “Not now” and closed the door. Jack and Josy took a long shower together and then took their belongings back to the car.

They drove a while in silence, and then Jack started pointing out obvious scenery like, “Wow, did you see that lizard?” Josy responded with “Yeah, so?” They got to Moab and decided to eat at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant. They were known for their Chili.

“Hm, not bad!” Josy said with the sweat rolling off her forehead. Jack looked at her a little amused.

“A little hot for you dear?”

“No, not at all. It’s just a little hot in here.”

“Yeah right, what ever you say.”

“I want to get right over to our campsite soon, Jack, it’s been years since I’ve slept outside.”

“We have the next two weeks to enjoy all this outside peacefulness”

“I know, but I want to start right away.”

They headed out of town right away. Jack drove over the Colorado River, and Josy looked down into it. The water appeared to be very deep and cold and a chill ran up her spine. She thought, “I hope this bridge doesn’t break, that would be a shitty way to go.” The bridge didn’t break, and when they were on the other side of it she felt a little weight lift from her stomach.

Jack pointed to the right and showed Josy the entrance to the Arches National Park.

“Have you ever been there?”

Josy said, “Once, when I was little. I think my parents took me there, but I can’t remember it well.”

“We’ll go there tomorrow if you want.”

“Sure, that would be nice.”

They continued driving towards their campsite. It was going to be light for another two hours or so. The red sandstone all around them took on a crimson color that looked beautiful, but a little spooky all the same.

Suddenly Jack slowed the car like something was wrong with it.

“What’s up?” Josy said.

“Nothing, really, but I think I just remembered something my Dad showed me a long time ago. There used to be a hanging bridge around here somewhere, but I can’t remember where it was exactly.”

“A hanging bridge?”

“Yeah, like the ones you see in the King Kong and Tarzan movies.”

“Sure, Jack. Are you sure you didn’t dream it?”

“Well, I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure my Dad took me there once.”

“Okay, then show me.”

“What, are you from Missouri or something?”

“What, Jack?”

“Never mind. I know there is a little road that leads there and it’s got to be around here somewhere.”

They drove a little farther.

“There it is!”

“What?”

“The road, right there to the left!”

“Lets go!”

“I am, I am.”

He felt like a little kid that had seen something out of a movie, and couldn’t believe it was true. They headed down this little dirt road that had shade trees on both sides. The narrow road had lots of curves and the going was pretty rough. But the jeep they were in was as good a vehicle as any in this type of terrain.

Jack slammed on the breaks and Josy whacked her head on the windshield. She gave Jack a look that said, “Thanks asshole for the warning.” Jack just grinned at her with his little Cheshire cat smile. “Oops, sorry.”

When she looked out the window again, she could see why Jack had slammed on the breaks. The road had been washed out, and a ten-foot deep gorge had been carved in the road.

“Good thing you saw that, Jack, but my head still hurts.”

They climbed out to get a look at the gorge. It must have been one hell of a rain storm to do this much damage. Jack picked up a rock and tossed it into the gorge. Josy thought, “He was picturing his beloved Jeep slamming into the rocks below.”

“Well, I guess we walk from here.”

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?”

“There’s one way to find out. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 2

Jack reached under his front seat and pulled out his gun, a 45 auto glock, which he didn’t feel safe without, even when he went into a grocery store. It was his little security blanket. He locked the Jeep even though nobody had probably been down this road in months. They eased their way down the embankment of the washed out road, and climbed up the other side.

Looking back at his Jeep, Jack said, “See? That wasn’t so bad.”

Josy said, “So, where is your bridge?”

“It’s close. I’m sure of it.”

They continued up a small path that had lots of jagged rocks sticking out of it. Even the Jeep would have a touch time going up this road. A small hill crested the top of the path. Once on top of the path Jack stopped and turned to smile at Josy.

“There it is! I told you I didn’t dream it!”

“Lets see! Holy shit, it is a hanging bridge! I didn’t think those things really existed anymore.”

The bridge was about four feet wide. It was supported by large ropes, and the wooden boards that you walk across were worn, but still looked in good enough shape to cross. They both stood there looking at the bridge like it was the eighth wonder of the world.

Jack said, “Lets cross, okay?”

“Are you sure this thing isn’t going to crumble into the river below?”

“No. That’s what makes it exciting, don’t you think?”

“I guess, but you go first.”

“No problemo.”

Jack took a closer look at the bridge, and even though bridges don’t collect a lot of dust, he felt that the bridge hadn’t been crossed in a long time. And Jack was right. The bridge hadn’t been crossed in a longer time than Jack would want to know.

He stepped onto the bridge and heard it creak under his feet. He grabbed with both hands the heavy ropes on both sides of the bridge, and looked back at Josy. She was giving him a look that said, “Go for it buddy. I’m not.” Jack took a couple more steps and then began to relax a little.

“Come on Josy, it’s safe! See?”

“No way, bucko. I’m not getting on that thing.”

“Well, okay. Have it your way.”

Jack proceeded to keep on going. He looked down and could see the fast river running a few hundred feet below him. The view was breathtaking, and Jack almost lost his, as a board cracked beneath his feet. He grabbed the ropes tight, and moved across the bridge a little faster. Josy watched Jack get to the other side, and started to think that the bridge wasn’t too bad after all. Josy held onto the ropes to get a feel of the bridge, but didn’t actually take a step onto the thing. It still gave her the creeps.

Jack was on the opposite side of the bridge looking around like the other side was another land entirely. He felt as if he were being watched. Not just that feeling of being watched, but as if someone were directly behind him. He turned and saw Josy standing at the mouth of the bridge. He motioned her to come, since yelling wouldn’t do much good from this distance. At first he thought she was just going to stand there staring at him, but then she slowly started to cross. Jack smiled and thought, “finally,” but all of a sudden he felt that he should yell at her to stay off the bridge. Then that feeling faded as fast as it had entered his mind.

Josy started to cross the bridge. She looked down at the river like Jack had, and noticed how beautiful the view was from up here. A hand reached around her; a very large hand that cupped itself over her mouth. She tried to scream but could not. She looked at Jack who still had that same grin on his face. She thought horribly, “Oh my God, he can’t see it.”

The hand squeezed her face so hard she thought her skull would crack. Jack yelled, “Hey, come on! It’s going to get dark soon. Are you okay?” She thought to herself, “No I’m not okay stupid. There’s this hand crushing my face off. What is wrong with you?”

Then Jack looked on in horror as Josy’s body was lifted off the bridge and hung dangling in mid-air. Jack thought he could see a large figure beneath her, something that reminded him of that movie Predator. The thing that had a hold of her let go of her mouth, and Josy let out a terrifying scream. Jack pulled out his gun and fired several shots into whatever was holding her up, but they seemed to have no effect, and later, if Jack thought about it, he thought he heard the thing laugh.

Josy’s screams were cut off by the partially invisible being that held her life in its hands, or claws in this case. Jack did notice that the bullets didn’t hit on the other side of the bridge, this he knew for sure, so the bullets were hitting it, but with no apparent effect. Josy stayed suspended in the air for what seemed like forever, but it was probably only a few seconds altogether.

The creature held up Josy’s body as if in triumph, then threw it over the bridge. Jack watched with disgust and fascination as her body twisted to the ground below. For that short time, Jack only watched her body drop and then hit the edge of the river and appear to bounce off the rocks below, before he realized that the creature could now be in his face to give him the same fate. He pointed his gun and got in his shooting stance, but didn’t see or feel anything around him. Before he knew he was doing it, he started to cross back over the bridge.

He froze about half way over, and prayed to God the creature was gone. It seemed that it was, but why would it kill Josy and not him? Who knew? Jack ran the rest of the way across the bridge, not worrying about the shabby boards. He stopped on the other side of the bridge and looked down. He could see Jody’s body along the shoreline of the river below, and noticed a trail to the left of him. Although he felt just like running back to his Jeep, he knew he couldn’t just leave Josy laying down there. He had to check, she might be alive. Although he knew that was impossible, he had to check anyway.

He descended the trail quickly, slipping and sliding all the way down, almost slamming his head against a rock that he felt would have knocked him unconscious if not killed him. He reached the bottom and could see Josy’s body twisted among the rocks. He approached her, not really wanting to see what he imagined he would see, but didn’t delay. There was blood everywhere. Too much, he thought. He stood over Josy and nearly jumped out of his socks when she said, “It’s ‘bout time you got here, I was getting cold laying here in all my blood.” Then she began to laugh hysterically. “Look Jack, I’m dead! Pretty weird, huh? Look on that rock over there; it’s part of my lip. Want a kiss big fellow?”

Jack screamed and stepped back, tripping over a branch and falling on his ass. “Stop it!” he shouted. He looked at her body again, and noticed she was just a mangled bunch of bones and flesh. No way she could have talked. Jack thought he was going crazy.

The next few hours were very foggy for Jack. He remembered running back to his Jeep, and going back into town to get help. He knew the authorities would not buy his story about some invisible monster throwing his girlfriend off a bridge. He told them she slipped and fell, probably because she had drunk too much that evening. They bought that story, but that did not ease Jack’s mind. In fact, he thought they bought it a little too easily.

CHAPTER 3

The next two years went by like some sort of dream. Jack got over the loss of Josy, but the guilt did not go away. Jack had shied away from dating, and he spent a lot of time on his own, working out, fishing, that sort of thing. Jack thought about going back to the bridge to see if that thing would show itself, but he had to admit to himself that he was too damn scared to go back. He also thought maybe he could take somebody with him, but he didn’t know anyone he could trust, and more than that, he thought people would think he was crazy.

Jack had nightmares, lots of them. In fact, he thought the creature, who never did come after him as he first had feared, was trying to slowly take his mind from him through dreams. Jack Tatum (Date ‘em all Tatum, as his friends used to call him) began to sleep less and less. Although his physical activities had increased, he felt more tired than ever before in his life.

•••

Beverly sat up in her bed at a little past three in the morning. She was awakened by a nightmare. As her naked sweat drenched body sat upright in her warm, cozy, satin-blanketed bed, the nightmare disappeared from her memory. Good thing, she thought to herself. Beverly was not scared easily, and if a dream would wake her up from a dead sleep, she was glad she couldn’t remember the stupid thing.

She yawned, stretched, and thought she remembered something about a bridge. “That’s dumb,” she said to herself out loud, “how could a bridge scare the shit out of me so bad? Oh well.”

Beverly climbed out of bed to get a drink. As she opened the bedroom door, a creature ran past in the hall. Beverly screamed, and then cussed at herself for being so foolish. It happened to be her pet Iguana, who normally stayed in her TV room and had decided to take on an adventure of its own.

“Tabitha? What the hall are you doing up here? You little shit, you scared me to death!” Tabitha looked up at Beverly like most animals probably do with that look on their face that says, “First of all, I can’t talk. And if I could, I’d tell you that you just scared the shit out of me yourself, stupid. What are you doing up at three in the morning anyway?”

Beverly bent down to pet her little friend. “It’s okay. What are you doing up here baby? Poor little thing. Are ya hungry? Okay, lets get you some lettuce.”

Tabitha was given to Beverly as a joke four years ago as a birthday gift. However, the joke was on the gift givers. Beverly fell immediately in love with the little Iguana. Her friends had borrowed it from another friend to give it to her as a gag. Now that she loved it, the joke was on her friends. From the look on Beverly’s face there was no way she was going to give it back, so her friends had to convince the owner of the Iguana to let them keep her, which turned out to cost them a little more than they had expected to spend.

Tabitha and Beverly became instant companions, and Beverly didn’t have the heart to put her in an aquarium, so she let her roam around the house. She had a heat lamp set up for her and Tabitha seemed quite happy not being locked up. Tabitha grew fast, and became Beverly’s favorite pet she had ever had. At three and a half feet long, Tabitha was quite the conversation piece.

Beverly had a lot of friends. She was not the ‘lets go to a bar’ type of person, but she did like to have company over, usually on the weekends. She lived in a medium sized house that her parents had left her when they died several years ago.

Beverly worked for a brokerage firm. She was a secretary / receptionist, who pretty much kept the place running smoothly. She got used to all the wealthy brokers and clients trying to pick her up, and when they found out she was not some pretty bimbo, they started to respect her for her work. She didn’t have an impressive college education, but was obviously smarter and craftier than most who did.

Like most people, Beverly got bored too easily and felt she could learn ‘on the job’ better than learning ‘before the job’. She got lucky and landed her job with a very prestigious brokerage firm, at first obviously because of her stunning looks, but after because she was damn good at what she did.

Bev got Tabitha cradled in her arms, and journeyed to the kitchen where she got her some lettuce, and herself a Michelob beer to help her sleep.

Later that night, Bev woke bolt upright in her sleep. She remembered what she was dreaming, but couldn’t remember what scared her about the dream. In the dream she was with what appeared to be one of those safari groups that you see in those old Tarzan movies. They were traveling through some thick part of the jungle. Bev was dressed in some khaki colored shorts and the same colored top. She had on a big ten gallon cowboy hat, which in the dream seemed very normal.

She continued through the jungle with her band of safari renegades. They came into a clearing where thick trees took up most of the lush environment, which also seemed normal. (Thick trees in a clearing.) The trees seemed transparent, and through this, Bev could see a large hanging bridge that appeared to have someone floating above it; a woman maybe. She looked to be in pain, but Bev could hear no sound coming from her.

Then, just before she woke, she saw the creature turn and look at her. It’s face, turned up in a snarl, seemed to be laughing at her, saying, “Watch this! It could be you, bitch.” The creature tossed the body over the bridge, and then seemed to become part of the bridge.

Bev got out of bed and looked at the clock. It was 5:45 in the morning. The empty Micholob bottle sitting on the night stand reminded her that she had a dinner engagement with a blind date that her good friend Sally had lined her up with. The guy was supposed to be pretty nice.

Bev didn’t usually go out with blind dates, but she trusted her friend quite well. This guy, Jack, was from Utah, and had lost a friend. Not really a girlfriend, but close enough. She apparently had a tragic accident; fell from some place and died while they were on vacation. He had not dated much ever since. Sally told her it had happened about two years ago. Either he had really liked her, or somehow he must have felt responsible for her death. This thought made Bev feel a little uncomfortable.

Beverly did like to be a little adventurous, and how bad could some guy from Utah be anyway? They were to meet in a little café outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jack was visiting his friend Stephen in Vegas. Stephen was a successful young stockbroker who Jack had done some work for. They became friends, and when Stephen left Utah for Las Vegas, they kept in touch. Jack was due for another vacation, and he thought Vegas was just the place. So he called Stephen and asked if he could spend a few nights with him.

Stephen was delighted, and told Jack, “Hey buddy, now that you’re coming down here finally, I can introduce you to this real babe. Her name is Beverly. She’s our receptionist and she won’t go out with anybody in the office, you know? Work vs. pleasure. Anyway, I think I can set you two up.”

Jack said, “No thanks. The last thing I need is another bimbo.”

“Jack, you’re not listening to me. I said she wouldn’t date anybody from the firm. If she was a bimbo she would.”

“Okay, just one night.”

“After you meet her you’ll wish you hadn’t said that.”

“Sure, we’ll see.”

Stephen talked his co-worker Sally into talking Bev into going out with Jack.

Sally said, “Steve, you know Bev hates blind dates.”

“I know, but I owe this guy. He’s really nice. I think they’ll like each other!”

“Okay, but just this once.”

“Thanks Sal, I owe you one.”

CHAPTER 4

Jack arrived a little earlier than Bev. He sat at a booth that was facing the entrance door. He figured if some ugly thing walked in and looked as though she were looking for someone, he could get out of there quick, and be slapping the shit out of his good buddy Stephen, before the pig could order her six hamburgers and spit parts of onions into his face.

He ordered a cup of coffee, sat back, and waited. A few couples came in, but no single women. Then just before Jack was about to give up, a tall beautiful woman with light brown hair walked in. She looked around, and when her eyes met Jacks, Jack had never in his life wished for anything more. “Please let this be her,” he thought. Beverly smiled at Jack. She walked over to where he was sitting.

“Are you Jack?” Bev asked. “Yes I am,” he said. This came out like he was going through puberty. Jack felt embarrassed, but the little giggle that Beverly let out made Jack think it was kind of cute. Jack cleared his voice, and though he was not usually at a loss for words, he felt anything he was going to say would sound stupid. Beverly saved him though.

“So, Jack. You look surprised. Were you expecting someone different?” Beverly didn’t really think she was beautiful or anything, but the look on Jacks face was a definitely of surprise.

“Well, kind of, to be honest. I was expecting a kind of friendly pig.”

Beverly laughed, a little too loud, and now it was her turn to be embarrassed. Jack said, “Have a seat!” Now they both felt a little more comfortable.

They chit chatted away about this and that for a while. The more they talked, the more comfortable they became with each other. Jack appeared to be a very open and honest guy. And Bev had not known too many. She had to admit to herself that she had expected a Disco-y looking dude with gold chains hanging from his neck, with an open shirt down to his navel. She was relieved to see he was just a normal looking guy. Normal wasn’t the right word. He had a face that was very handsome, but not that ‘pretty boy’ look some girls go for.

Jack said, “How about we go to the nearest walk-in and stumble-out.”

“What?” said Bev?

“You know, a little club or something.”

“Oh! Okay, but I’m not sure I want to stumble out,” said Bev.

Jack said, “It’s just something my friends & I used to call bars. I’m not trying to get you drunk or anything.”

“I’m not that simple.”

“I believe you Beverly.”

“You can call me Bev if you want.”

“Okay. That’s easier after a couple of beers anyway. I didn’t want to be calling you ‘Butterfly’ for a while.”

They laughed, and then asked the waitress for their bill.

Bev and Jack decided to walk to the nearest club. The night was cool, but refreshing. They walked down the strip, and talked about all the lights in the city, and decided whoever was selling light bulbs here was making a fortune.

Beverly reached over and grabbed Jacks hand. Jacks body quivered like he was in high school again. Jack couldn’t remember a time where holding hands with someone felt so exhilarating. To Jack, it felt better than sex. And if holding her hand felt this good, he couldn’t even imagine what sex would be like with Bev.

He tried to put this thought out of his head. It was giving him a woody, and he would be way more than just embarrassed if she noticed. While Jack concentrated on how many bricks were in each wall they passed, Beverly felt as giggly as Jack. She had never before just reached out and grabbed someone’s hand. It had just felt right.

While Jack and Beverly were enjoying themselves in each other’s company, a creature soundlessly hovered above them, watching every move they made. The creature was happy they were together. It would make them weak. They would be too busy caring about each other, and would not be able to put together the things that could destroy it. The creature watched as they strolled down the strip hand in hand like school children. What the creature had feared about Jack, now made the creature laugh thinking, “How could I ever have feared this simple human?”

Jack and Beverly entered a little club called Spin ‘em and Win ‘em. Jack wondered if that meant, “Get ‘em pie-eyed and they’re yours!” The place was very smoky and loud. It had a wooden floor, which made it even louder. They found a table in a remote part of the bar, which was fine for them. They ordered a couple of beers, and waited for the waitress to bring them.

While Jack and Beverly were sucking down brewskies, the creature decided it was time to get Jacks attention. Stephen was Jack’s good buddy; it was time to piss Jack off.

Jack and Bev and finished off quite a few beers, and they both were feeling pretty silly. They were telling each other the stupidest jokes they could remember, and having a pretty funny time of it, when Jack looked up and saw his friend Stephen.

“Stephen, what the hell are ya doing here, buddy? “

Stephen didn’t respond.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“Yeah, Jack, I’m fine. See, there’s this big smelly thing inside me and it hurts really bad.”

“What are you talking about, Steve? Are you okay? It sounds like you’ve had more to drink than Bev and myself. By the way, thanks for lining us up. She’s a doll.”

Beverly was looking very uncomfortable. Something was wrong.

“Steve, are you sure you’re okay? You seem kind of, well, distant,” said Bev.

“Hey, I’m fucking great. Watch this.”

Bev and Jack looked on in horror, as Steve’s eyes started to bulge. Steve let out a hideous scream that made most of the people in the club look in his direction. A large hand; maybe the size of an Ape’s; ripped through poor old Stephens head, exploding it like a melon.

Jack and Beverly screamed as they watched what appeared to be a large creature breaking out of Stephen’s small human body. They both thought they could hear something inside of Stephen gargling and laughing at the same time, while slowing tearing apart Steve’s body.

The creature would appear, then disappear, like climbing through a wall in a different dimension, the hole in the wall being Stephen. Both Jack and Bev were too shocked to move. What was left of Stephen’s body collapsed to the floor.

Above them a large figure hovered. It was hard to make out. Just when you thought you could see it, it would become transparent. Neither Jack nor Bev could focus on It long enough to be able to describe it’s terrible presence.

The creature spoke to Jack. Even though he could not see it, he could smell it’s foul breath. The creature spoke in a voice that was impossible to describe in human terms.

“Jack, my name is Nebular. All I want from you is to promise me you will stay away from the bridges that cross our two worlds’ dimensions. This includes repairing any damage to the bridges. Do you understand? If you fail to do this, what was done tonight, and what was done to your little girlfriend will seem like child’s play.”

At that moment everything became so silent, the world appeared to be trapped in a soundproof glass room. Before that thought was even finished in Jack’s mind, the windows in the bar imploded, sending glass and wood shredding through the club.

Jack and Bev dived for cover under the table. Bev was hit by a shard of glass in her upper right shoulder. The pain almost made her pass out.

Between the beer and this damn thing from the twilight zone, Bev didn’t feel so well. Screaming, Bev said, “What the hell is going on Jack? Do you know that thing?”

Jack said, “Kind of, I think. But I don’t know what the hell it’s talking about.”

The club was silent except for the shuffling of broken glass from the patrons wandering around, wondering what had just happened.

“Jack! I want some answers and I want them now.”

Jack looked at Beverly from underneath the table and said, “Are you crazy? First of all, I want to get out of here. Then I want to take a long shower. If you think I’m going to explain this shit to you from underneath a table, looking at olds globs of juicy-fruit, you’re way off track.”

“Okay Jack, lets see if we can get out of here, and get back to my place before Rod Serling starts saying ‘Picture if you will, two adults hunched under a dirty table, counting gum globs…’ Do you think that thing, whatever it is, is waiting for us to climb out from under this table?”

“No, I don’t. If it wanted to kill us I think a little wooden table wouldn’t stop it. You saw what it did to Stephen’s body. I think it’s taunting me.”

“Why you?”

“How the hell do I know? Maybe I was a priest in another life, and I exorcised it into the tidy-bowl-man.”

“Well, maybe, smart-ass. But it’s definitely pissed off.”

Jack said, “How do we know it was really Stephen that the thing crawled through? Maybe it can materialize into anything it wants, maybe.”

Jack and Beverly left the club before the police arrived. Jack was right; the creature didn’t try to stop them from leaving. On the way back to her home, Jack kept having flashbacks that were so quick he could barely recognize them. He felt he had talked with the creature before. Only it wasn’t a creature, it was a man just like Jack, and something had made it change. Not enough information was there to help him remember, just enough to confuse him more.

Jack paid the taxi driver, and started up the walkway. This time it was Jack who grabbed Bev’s hand. She looked up at Jack and grinned a little. Neither of them spoke as they walked up Beverly’s driveway.

Jack looked at her two-story home. It was very nice, but modest. Something your parents would live in. Somehow he couldn’t picture Bev living there. But it didn’t matter. Right now all Jack wanted to do was sleep. Jack didn’t know if Bev would let him stay over. He didn’t have anything nasty in mind, he just wanted to sleep. The lawn would be fine, if she would let him sleep there.

Apparently, Beverly had the same idea. She told him, “I’m crashing, buddy. If you want to sleep here, fine. If you feel like I do, I’m not worried about you trying anything. If you want to sleep in my bed, that’s just fine. Just keep your shorts on.”

“That’s fine, babe. I don’t have the strength to pull them off.”

“Good.”

“Goodnight. Maybe we can make sense of this in the morning.”

CHAPTER 5

Morning came, but the sense of the events the previous night didn’t come with it. Jack and Beverly woke at the same time, both of them a little embarrassed. They both realized now that they were waking up together for the first time, and hadn’t even shared a kiss.

Jack was sure his breath smelled like yak crap, and he didn’t want to speak. He felt by Beverly’s reaction, she felt the same way. Only he doubted that Beverly ever though of yak crap.

Bev and Jack did a good imitation of the ‘Close Up’ commercial. Bev got to the bathroom first. She brushed her teeth, and then looked in the mirror. “Man, I look like yak shit,” she thought to herself. Jack would have gotten a kick out of that, had he ever known what she had just thought.

Bev left the bathroom, and returned to the bedroom. Jack was lying on the bed with the covers up to his nose. She thought he looked kind of cute. Jack felt stupid.

“Can I use your bathroom?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Thanks.”

As Jack was venturing to the bathroom, he remembered he hadn’t brought any of that morning stuff. You know, toothbrush, soap, and shampoo; not even a razor. Jack brushed his teeth with his fingers, wetted down his hair, told himself he looked sexy in that ‘two day Don Johnson’ look, and decided he better just go pee and restrain himself from that normal morning duty. He felt stupid enough.

Beverly made some coffee and toast. It’s kind of hard to screw those up, she thought. Jack hated coffee, but drank it anyway.

They sat across from each other, for a while not saying a word.

“Don’t like coffee, do you.”

“Huh? Oh. Not really. But as coffee goes, this isn’t too bad.”

“Thanks, I think.”

Jack said, “Have you ever been to Moab?”

“Where?”

“Moab, Utah.”

“Never heard of it. What’s there?”

“Not much, really. It’s a pretty quiet little town. People mostly go there to four-wheel drive and go hiking. It’s really beautiful if you like the desert. The place relaxes me. Well, it used to anyway. Bev, do you believe in a different dimension?”

“Well, Jack, I’ve never much thought about it.”

Jack said, “I think it’s time you do. The thing you saw last night comes from one. At least, I think so…”

Suddenly Jack was having a daydream. Or more like a day nightmare. He saw hundreds of bodies hung over a bridge. He couldn’t see any wires or ropes suspending the people, but he could hear them screaming. All at once he saw a figure rushing toward him. The figure was familiar, but he couldn’t place it. The figure was large. Very large. It ran towards him tearing apart bodies as it ran. It had a scowl on its face. Not smiling, but not frowning either.

It stopped about five feet in front of Jack, grinning like it had just gotten away with a serious crime. The creature held up its right hand. In it’s large palm was carved a five-pointed star. Jack could feel heat radiating from the scar. “What do you want?” asked Jack.

“What I want, you spineless little creep, is for you to give me back the key. The key that controls each dimension in time.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Sleep, young Jack. It will come to you in a dream.”

“I’ve had enough bad dreams lately! Like right now! Who are you?”

“Jack, Jack. I am someone you created long ago. You have a very powerful mind. I felt it was time to have you remember, at least in part, what made me. Just call me your evil twin.”

Jack woke, sweating all over. “Evil twin? I don’t even have a brother,” he said. Beverly shook Jack.

“Jack! Are you okay? One minute you’re drinking my coffee, the next minute you’re passed out, mubling something about a fast bridge monster!”

“Bev,” asked Jack, “no offence, but do you do drugs?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Well, Bev, the dream was real. This creature communicates through dreams. I feel like the creature is becoming stronger, and I can’t let it!”

•••

Nebular decided to take a leave of absence. He felt that he had the man and the girl scared and confused enough to go play. Nebular was between bridges, and at this time nobody was even aware that Nebular had tried to cross into what Rod Serling would call ‘the twilight zone’.

Nebular traveled to a place where lots of families gathered. Parks, campgrounds, amusement parks… He couldn’t understand how simple things like rides could make people happy. He was feeling a little weak He failed to kill some easy prey, and he needed to kill. Like a vampire, causing the death of innocent souls made him stronger.

Nebular needed to kill. He needed to kill right now. He closed his eyes and concentrated on where good folks were enjoying each other’s company. Disneyland, of course! Every family has fun there. Nebular had a surprise for the next trip into the haunted house! This time it was going to be haunted for real.

Families giggled and laughed as they squashed into the elevator, up and into the haunted house. The projected images scared the young, and made the older wonder. A family of four was the next to get on the small track. Nebular decided this was the time to make his point. Time to get Jacks attention for real. Nebular didn’t think he could be lucky enough to make a scene at Disneyland and make Jack see it; he wanted to make national headlines. And oh how he did.

At approximately 5:45 p.m. the California news station reported:

“Four people; two adults and two children; had been killed on a ride at Disneyland. The ride was not that of a high speed; in fact it was a simple slow adventure ride, where nobody even falling out of the car could get more than a bad scratch, even at top speed. However, the bodies were found mutilated. What looked to be a amateurs drawing of some sort of bridge was cut into the chest of the victims, and the killer had carved a smile into the victims faces. No leads at this time.”

Nebular spent the last few remaining dark hours after the killings in Disneyland relaxing in the closest thing he could call “home”. But his home is what normal human beings would call Hell. However, if Nebular had a home, this would be it.

Somewhere deep in the earth is a place where demons call home. The stench of death is everywhere. A stench so foul no person could stand it, and where darkness and light have no scheduled time. Like a bat, Nebular needed no light to move through the depths of this horrid place. And when the fires from this hell would burn hot, it was almost as bright and hot as the sun.

But good ol’ Nebular needed no ‘Raybans’. All he needed was to kill.

Even though Nebular was the most wicked, and most powerful beast anyone had ever come across, he was close to human in form. He stood about nine and a half feet tall. His reddish skinned, half scaled body was bound with incredible flexible muscle. His back was mostly scale, like that of a crocodile. He had two arms and two legs like a human, but their size made Arnold Schwarzenegger look like Pee Wee Herman.

His bottom jaw almost reached his chest. It was filled with shark-like teeth that gleamed in the light. His upper jaw stuck out like a wolf. When he closed his mouth his lower jaw would stick out about four inches past his upper jaw. He had only two teeth in his upper jaw, and they were fangs about ten inches long. They could tear apart anything with not much energy at all, but he liked to use his strong hands and sharp claws to do most of the damage.

Nebular’s feet were as close to human as anything, although you would never be able to fit his feet into your standard size Nike’s. He was definitely one of Satan’s beasts, but Satan didn’t create this one. Jack did.

•••

Jack and Beverly woke at the same time. They startled each other.

“Jack? What’s wrong?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing.”

“Just a bad dream.”

“Bad dream? You’re sweating all over!”

“Wow, you’re right, Jack.”

“Do you remember anything you were dreaming?”

“I did at first,” Bev said, “but it’s already beginning to blur. What time is it?”

“Um, seven thirty. Do you want to go back to sleep?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Okay, I’ll make some breakfast,” Jack said, and then stumbled into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and found two eggs, and a little bit of orange juice.

Jack called, “Hey Bev? Have you been to the store lately?”

“No, why?”

“Because you’re either on some sort of weird diet or your fridge has been robbed.”

Bev felt a little embarrassed. She now remembered that she’d not been to the grocery store in a long time. She mostly ate out.

“Sorry, Jack. Is there enough for both of us?”

“Yeah, if we were tiny birds.”

Bev giggled. She had really become fond of Jack. She felt so comfortable with him.

“Okay Bev, you get the eggs and what I think is orange juice. I’ll have this stuff wrapped in tin foil that looks like, well, meat-cake maybe.”

“Meat cake?”

Bev came into the kitchen from the bedroom bringing her pillow with her, and saw Jack hunkered down in front of the fridge studying it’s contents. She threw the pillow at him.

“Hey, what was that for?”

“That’s for being so damn cute.”

“Thanks. I’m glad I’m not charming. I don’t think I could stand the punishment.”

She kneeled down beside him and kissed him on the cheek. Both Jack and Beverly were silently wishing this moment would last forever. But they both knew this was the calm before the storm.

Beverly and Jack shared their breakfast: two eggs that Jack decided to scramble, and some funky tasting orange juice. Neither of them dared to experiment with the meat-cake. After they were mildly satisfied with breakfast, they decided to curl up on the couch with a blanket.

Jack switched on the TV and they listened to Good Morning America. Bev started to doze off on Jack’s shoulder, while Bryant Gumbel chattered away about the next up-coming presidential election.

Jack started dozing off too, when Mr. Gumbel said, “Still no leads on the murders at Disneyland. Police are baffled as to what killed these four people. No names are being released at this time, but authorities are saying the family was middle class, with no ties to any illegal wrongdoings. Friends of the family say they were very well liked, and were shocked to hear of their tragic deaths. It seems to police that the murdered family was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and what killed them would have killed anyone that was there at that moment. Newsmen said the haunted house ride would be closed for quite some time.”

The story had waken both Jack & Bev with a bolt. They exchanged a quick uneasy glance at each other, but said nothing.