But Milda had an idea. Without a word she ran for the tent. As she ran Payne smiled confidently to himself. “Who’s next?” he laughed out loud. “Who’s gonna run away and hide like poor old Milda? Maybe you, old man?” he snickered at Manny.
Manny’s answer was calm and assured. “From the likes of you, I will never run away. A small-hearted person like you can never win because you have already lost. You are a sad little man who dreams of great things and riches, but lacks the courage and discipline to work for them.”
Payne was furious and angrily swung his saw toward Manny, making him fall backwards to the ground to avoid the blade. Manny stared up at the furious saw-wielding Payne. There was no fear in his eyes. Only pity. Payne was angered by Manny’s lack of fear. He moved in.
Mr. Morgan tried to intercept but again the blade came whirling around and blocked his path. “Don’t do this,” cried Mr. Morgan. “Don’t you see what you’re becoming? A heartless animal like the Wolf.” But truly, Payne did not realize what he was becoming, or even doing. All he knew was that he was determined to, felt compelled to, destroy the Bridge.
Suddenly, WHACK, a broom came down hard on Payne’s head. It was Milda. WHACK, WHACK, WHACK. Three more rapid fire blows. Payne was stunned. The saw fell from his hands and furiously lurched about on the rocky ground like a wounded animal. Finally, a stone jammed the works and it came to a resounding metallic shrieking halt.
“W-where am I?” burbled Payne, as he tried to stand. He never made it. WHACK came the handle end of the broom upon his head. He was down. He was out. Payne was feeling no pain.
Milda and Mr. Morgan helped a shaken Manny to his feet. He was OK. And so far, so good, they all thought. Horris and Payne were out of commission. Two down. Three to go.
But the situation was about to take a turn for the worse. The slow-moving wolf army had finally arrived. The good guys were now very much outnumbered.
“Quick,” shouted Manny, as everyone stared at this new threat. “We need to get the fireworks.” The three of them ran to the tent. Maggie and Tim soon joined them.
Meanwhile, the battle raging between the Wolf and the Bear had moved closer to the Bridge, close to where the mover was located. And the Snake and Vulture had joined in to help the Wolf in her battle with the Bear, who was now on his own. For the Deer lay motionless, taking quick and shallow raspy breaths.
Harrumph, Molly appeared. Right in the path of the Vulture, who flew full throttle right into her. This did not do either of them any good. Molly was knocked off her feet and onto her back. The Vulture fell to the ground in a crumbled heap. Molly was stunned. The Vulture was out cold.
As she regained her senses, Molly realized she was in a bad place. Looking skyward, she saw dancing before her two dark, beady eyes, and gaping jaws flaunting two very large fangs. She raised her arm to shield herself, just as the Snake struck. She screamed.
Then she saw Tim and Maggie. The look of horror on their faces was clear, even through unfocused eyes. They were screaming, but she heard no sound. Then darkness spread its wings and flew her to a peaceful place.
Mr. Morgan, Tim, and Maggie came running. Each with the same burning thought: Rattlesnake venom can kill.
Now, Mr. Morgan was a big man. A powerful man. But he was also an unusually fast man. In a flash, he seized the Snake by its tail, and twirled it over his head. Around and around. Until it was a blur. Then he flung it far into the woods, where it landed high in a tree. It lay there limp, like an old dish rag.
The wolves attacked! They ran in from all sides. Terror filled every human heart. Then Manny and company let loose the bottle rockets and roman candles. “Just fire them into the air,” he warned. “That should be enough to scare them away.” Pyrotechnics filled the skies.
No one expected what happened next. A few of the wolves were frightened away by the bright lights and noisy explosions. But most were not, and they kept on coming. Kept coming closer and closer… and then… they ran past everyone! They ran for the Bridge and immediately began biting and tearing away at the sad, rotted, weakened structure. Like bad dogs gnawing the legs of a dining room chair, the wolves were trying to whittle the Bridge down.
Everyone knew the power of the If Bridge was needed to save Molly. Mr. Morgan, followed by Tim and Maggie, carried Molly to the Bridge. But the wolves prevented them from getting close. But did it matter? Only a guardian could summon the Mistress. And as Mr. Morgan, Maggie, and Tim looked around, their hopes began to fade. The Deer lay unconscious. And the Bear, who seemed to be Molly’s only hope, was losing his battle with the Wolf. Something had to be done. But what?
“We have to help her!” cried Mr. Morgan frantically. Molly’s arms and face felt very cold. Deathly cold.
“What was the chant to summon the Mistress?” demanded Manny. “We can all try it. We have nothing to lose!”
Maggie, always well organized, had written down the words. It was in her belt pack. “This is it,” she said, as she handed the paper to him. All read aloud:
“We call upon you
Mistress of the ages
to change what was
turn back the pages.”
Everyone waited, but nothing happened. Then Maggie remembered. “We need gold,” she cried. “It won’t work without gold!”
Everyone looked around. Gold? Gold? We’re stuck out here in the woods fighting wolves and dodging chainsaws. Why would we have gold?
Mr. Morgan’s eyes flashed in a moment of hope. But it was a fleeting moment. He looked at his wedding ring. Platinum, not gold.
Tim piped up. “I-I-I-I-I.” But he couldn’t get past the first word. He pulled out his wallet and there it was… GOLD. It was Molly’s earring that he had saved. He handed it to Manny, who tossed it into the waters.
Again, all read aloud, and this time the circle of light appeared. It was small and faded. It still crackled and sputtered. It was still obviously damaged. But the Mistress once again appeared, if only as a soft shape-shifting ghost.
“Help us please!” cried Maggie and Tim as they stood desperate and horrified at Mr. Morgan’s side. He held his daughter in his arms and stared expectantly at the ball of light. “Save my little girl,” he croaked.
The Mistress looked out at the battle that was raging. Smelled the gunpowder still lingering in the air. Saw the Deer, Payne, and the Vulture lying motionless. Saw the bruises and blood on Maggie and Tim. Saw the Bear locked in combat with the Wolf. Saw the wolves savaging the Bridge. And she saw too much. It was all too much. Her great If Bridge, created to ease suffering, was now causing great suffering. This must end, she thought.
Her eyes fell upon Manny. She paused for a moment, then pointed a plain-looking rod at him. A bolt of light flashed from the object and encircled him. And he began to melt. No, not melt… to transform. His body was transforming into something very large and no longer human. And once done, there stood a new Manny, in the shape of a lion.
“What happened to me?” roared Manny. Everyone stared, stunned and confused, and the fighting paused. All eyes were on the Lion.
Then the Mistress spoke. “You, Manny, were the seventh guardian. The lost one. The one who had mysteriously disappeared. You were my truest and most faithful friend, the one person I trusted most. And I sent you here with no memory of who you actually were. That is until such a time as you were needed. That time has come. And you are now greatly needed! Do you remember?”
It was as if a veil had been lifted from before his eyes. “Y-yes, I do,” Manny said. “It was all part of your plan. No… our plan. I can remember everything clearly. And it was only because I am a guardian that we were able to summon you.”
“Yes. But go now. Win this battle. Save the Bridge so I can save the child.” And with that, the Lion Manny leaped up and smacked the Wolf in the head with one very large paw. That was it. No contest. Fight over. The Wolf was floored.
Then Manny rushed to the Bridge. It was now listing dangerously to one side. There wasn’t
much time left until it collapsed. So grasping each wolf with his powerful jaws, he began flinging them aside. Most ran, never looking back, but a few stood their ground and attacked as one. Manny was knocked to the ground, overwhelmed by the swarm of snarling predators. But then, he slowly struggled back to his feet and with one mighty shake, he cast them off like water from a wet dog’s back. And they ran, the fight literally having been flung out of them.
Mr. Morgan carried Molly onto the Bridge. It shifted noisily under their weight. Maggie and Tim stopped and stood by the bank.
“And now, it is my turn,” said the Mistress. “I will link all the If Bridges in the world together. It is the only way to generate enough energy to undo all the damage done here today. But first, I must transport my guardians home, as it is doubtful I will ever be able to return again. Manny, do you wish to come home, or do you wish to remain here? It is your right to decide.”
Manny looked at Milda. Decide? There was no decision to be made. It was just what needed to be. He loved her. “I will remain here,” he said. “For I am already home.”
Milda could not understand his words, but somehow she understood and smiled.
“I understand. Your life is here now.” Then turning to face everyone, she said, “Please know, the enemies will be banished for their crimes. They will no longer be allowed to live in the company of civilized people. Thank you, all of you, for everything you’ve done. Farewell.”
She raised her rod again, this time pointing it in turn at the Bear, Deer, Wolf, Vulture, and the Snake. They disappeared in a flash only to reappear beside her. No longer in the guise of animals, but once again as humans. It was a bit unsettling to see them this way, but satisfying to view them as they truly were.
The globe grew to a monstrous size. It hid the far-off mountains from view. It pulsed and flickered and hummed like a high intensity bulb ready to explode. All within the globe could be seen clearly now. The two who had been the Bear and Deer now standing together and holding hands, waved their goodbyes. The three disgraced guardians who had been the Wolf, the Vulture, and the Snake looked to the ground, ashamed of their actions and anxiously contemplating their fates. Then the guardians left... and only the Mistress remained.
Her face changed as it had before. Old to young to infant. Old, young, infant. Old, young, infant. Faster and faster. Brighter and brighter. Until all the faces melded into one strangely haunting image. An overlay of age and youth.
The electrical energy being generated by the linked bridges made the hairs on everyone’s arms and necks stand on end. The noise was so overwhelming that all were forced to cover their ears. The lights were so dazzling that it blotted out the moon. At the height of this frenzy, dozens and dozens of scenes played out before them. Ghostly images of people, places, and objects swirled around them as if caught by a windless tornado. They watched in awe from the eye of this strange storm as events unfolded and refolded themselves, as new and old realities were torn apart and rewoven. As the machine of time itself came to a grinding halt and reluctantly reversed itself.
And finally it happened. It had to happen. There was simply too much power being expended. The globe exploded. It burst into pieces, in a flash of light and a shower of sparks, and dying embers rained down upon them. And that explosion was the last straw for the Bridge. One side of it collapsed into the water, flinging Mr. Morgan aside and off the Bridge. Molly fell to the ground and slid slowly into the golden water. Tim and Maggie jumped in after their friend. Everyone was shielding their eyes.
One more heartstopping boom, and something, some… thing… fell to the ground.
Then an ashen silence.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
The silt under the Bridge had been disturbed, and that brought a layer of gold dust to the water’s surface. A golden Tim and Maggie rose from the stream holding Molly by her arms. The three shimmered in the moonlight. Molly was coughing and sputtering. But she was alive. The If Bridge’s last gasp had brought Molly back from the brink.
Tim and Maggie exchanged a nod that was nearly spiritual. Almost a prayer. An acknowledgement of their devotion to each other. To the three of them. Their friend was alive. They were OK. And for now, that was all that mattered.
Resting on the ground, the kids looked around. Everyone was walking about aimlessly and wearing expressions of utter confusion, because no one knew why they were out in the middle of the forest, or even how they had gotten there. But no one said a word as they silently searched the faces of their companions. Each pondering the possibility that perhaps they were alone in their bewilderment, and afraid their questions would have them appear at best a fool, or worse, plain mad.
And in that silence they were drawn to the ruin that had once been the Bridge. As they heard it creak and watched it sink slowly into the water, it was obvious that the destruction had just occurred. So why did they not recall what had happened here?
Maggie, Molly, and Tim, however, did remember. They whispered that fact to each other, and concluded that somehow having been submerged in the water had spared their memories. They said nothing to the others and feigned confusion as well.
And, of course, as a guardian, Manny, now back to human form, also remembered. He knew he had to take charge and get everyone safely home. “Listen to me,” he said. “It is late and we need to make our way back to the farm. We can puzzle what happened to us when we’re home. Agreed?”
Everyone agreed, and with Manny in the lead, began their journey home. Milda opened her mouth, as if to speak, but then merely dropped her head and followed behind the others.
Suddenly Manny paused, cocked his head, and said, “Listen. Quiet. I hear something. Crying. Look. Look there!”
It was a baby. A baby girl. Lying on the ground in clothes much too large for an infant. Adult clothes. She looked up at them with big beautiful eyes. Eyes with a depth as vast as the universe. Her small face framed by a shock of fire-red hair. They took her with them. (Well, what would you do?) Silently they walked, slowly working their way home, each lost in their puzzlement.
The three kids gave one last glance back to the Bridge, then quickly joined the others, walking arm-in-arm. No confusion in their eyes.
*****
“Where were all of you,” sobbed a panicked but now obviously relieved Mrs. Morgan. “We had no idea where any of you had gone, and... and... Matilda and I do not remember anything that has happened in the past few weeks.”
“It’s the same with us honey,” said Mr. Morgan, hugging his wife. “And we were, believe it or not, deep in the forest, and we have no clue why. We did, however, find a baby.” Then he explained what he knew, which wasn’t much.
“I’ll, I’ll make some tea,” said a shocked Matilda.
“And I’ll help,” said a puzzled Mrs. Morgan.
“And I’ll put this little one down for a nap,” said a beaming Milda.
Manny pulled Payne aside. “Listen,” he said. “I want you and Horris to leave here now.” Which was fine with Payne. He was ready and anxious to leave. He had no clue why he was even there or what had happened; but he had this nagging little feeling that whatever had happened wasn’t good.
Molly led them upstairs where they found Horris lying in Bernie’s crate (back to normal size and dozing. Thank goodness it was an extra large crate). No one could explain why or how he had gotten there. They opened the door and woke him. Dazed and confused and a little stiff, he left with Payne. And as the two drove off into the night, Maggie thought she saw Payne’s shadowy hand smack Horris in the back of the head. What losers, she thought.
*****
“Maybe we should call a doctor or the police,” suggested Mrs. Morgan.
“Yes, and tell them what?” asked Manny.
Mr. Morgan jumped in. “Well, we can tell them that… that… OK, I have no idea what we can tell them.”
Milda suddenly jumped to her feet. “Look there,” she said. “On the carpet. What is that?”
“Looks sort
of like deer prints,” said Matilda squinting at some hoof shaped marks on the rug. “But that can’t be.”
“No, of course that can’t be,” interrupted Manny. “Probably just some dirt Bernie dragged in.”
“Well, I suppose so,” mused Milda. “But darn it, it sure looks like hooves.”
“I agree. Those marks look strange to me too. They’re peculiar at any rate,” said Mr. Morgan. “Maybe we should all have a look around. Maybe something here will jog our memories.”
Everyone agreed, so they carefully checked the house, room by room. Maggie, Molly, and Tim followed along quietly.
But except for the odd deer-like marks on the carpet, and finding Horris in the dog crate, the house offered up no other clues and looked otherwise undisturbed. So they went outside.
“Looks like something went after the chickens,” said Milda.
“Oh, dear,” said Matilda, as she ran into the coop. “I must check to make sure they’re all okay.”
Mrs. Morgan bent down and picked something up. It was a hammer. A very tiny hammer. “What do you use this for?” she asked Manny.
“Uh, to work on, uh, small jobs,” he hesitantly offered.
“Oh, small jobs you say,” was all Mrs. Morgan could think to answer. She wasn’t terribly convinced, as she twirled it between her fingers, but shrugged and let the thought go.
In the barn they found bales of hay tossed carelessly about. Unusual, but not unheard of. Manny breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the matter-mover had also vanished. And that was it, they could find nothing wrong or out of place. Their detective work had not been very satisfying.
They went back into the house, and after rehashing yet again, over a cup of tea, what had happened, decided to get some sleep and continue their discussion in the morning. Perhaps sleep was the tonic they needed to give them an answer.
*****
The dawn came much too quickly. Most stubbornly refused to accept its arrival and remained sleeping.
Maggie, however, could not sleep. She rose from bed, careful not to wake Molly, hushed a whining Bernie, and made her way downstairs into the living room. Then she picked up a phone and called home. It was 7 am. She knew her Mom would be up.