The Bridge

Two silhouttes stood by the side of river, watching the current churn over the rocks that jetted out everywhere.  The overpass above them hummed with activity as emergency personnel rushed by. The shouts of a dozen people could be heard from where they stood, a few pointed, a few sobbed.  In the middle of it all was four wheels, barely noticable above the water surface.

One pulled a cigarette from his pocket and offered it to the other, who looked at it learily, and then refused.  The first shrugged, lit it and drew in heavily, and then released it slowly, deliberately.

“Saren, I can’t blame you. These things will kill you,” he said dryly, allowing the last bit of smoke to escape in the form of  a pathethic whisp. Even as he spoke the once lonely bank was filling with reporters, firefighters, and police officers.

“Roygin, He’s dead, isn’t he?”

“Not yet he’s not,” was the smoke filled response that followed, “but soon my young apprentice, very soon,” he paused to flick the butt away, “What do we got on this one?”

As soon as it was asked a file appeared, and Saren began to read, “Michael O’Connor…52 years old..a doctor…hmmm….Quite the humanitarian, says here that during the summer he goes to Africa to help the AIDS infected…Let’s see…hmmm, donates loads to charity annually…He was a generally good person from what I’m reading,” there was a long pause.

“Don’t tell me we’re here for nothing then.”

“Nope,” he said smiling, “says nothing about belonging to Him, apparently he believes that being a good person was enough to go to heaven .”

“Beautiful, the master will be pleased.” There was silent contentment as Roygin lit a second cigarette. They watched the emergency team work feverishly as a heliocopter now circled overhead.

“Think he’s suffering right now?”

“Horribly, but nothing like he will be,” Roygin said smirking. They both looked at eachother for a second and began to laugh, and yet it was cut short but a blindly white light. “NO! DAMN IT! HE’S OURS!” Roygin shouted, “YOU CANN”T HAVE HIM!”

From the light two angels appeared, “Roygin, Saren, its been a while, hasn’t it Thomas?” one of the two said in a voice of feigned surprise and pleasure.

“Too damn soon for my tastes, Samuel.” Roygin hissed tossing the last of his cigarette at Samuel’s feet.

“Well, you know why we’re here. Its time for you to leave,” he said as he nonchalantly crushed the cigarette. He then looked at Thomas who turned and began walking along the water’s surface out to the sunked car.

“But it’s not fair!” Sareen whined, “We’ve been waiting!”

Samuel just smiled, “But He’s been waiting longer,” as he spoke he pointed upwards.

Roygin snarled, “You can’t have ‘em its too late.”

His gaze met Roygin’s, “You know it’s never too late. Now get out of here, the both of you.”

The two slumped away as if they were beaten animals, cussing at spitting as they disappeared into the abyss that formed before them. Samuel turned and smiled as he saw Thomas gently leading Michael back.

“Hello, I’m Samuel and if your ready, theres a lot of friends and family waiting to see you,” as he spoke he gently took Michael’s hand, and a bright light surrounded them.

“Is this gonna hurt,” Michael asked.

“No, my friend, where your going you’ll never experience pain again.”

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