The Bridge

It was a stormy night and Natalia was curled up in her fathers overstuffed chair in the family room staring out the window. She was thinking about everything that had happened to her throughout her life that had led her to this current day, and her current predicament.

A few months ago, Natalia had been confronted by someone who was once her best friend. He had pulled her into an alley on a night just like this one. He had he pinned against the brick wall to keep her from fighting him. When she realized who her captor was, she instantly froze and stared at him. She hadn’t seen him in years and he looked so handsome, tall, and less like the boy she had grown up with. His hair was wet and plastered to his forehead from the storm that was happening around them. Even in the small alley they were still getting soaked from the rain. He couldn’t tell her what he had been doing for the past 5 years but he asked her one question, he would give her 6 months to think about the question then come to her at midnight to see what she had decided. He left as quickly as he had appeared. She was in shock, she stood there not knowing what to think or do for a long time. When she finally realized her clothes were soaked and she was shivering from the rain, she quickly ran to her car and drove home. After she had gotten home, she changed and laid in bed, thinking of what happened. In the end sleep overcame her as she was still thinking of what he had asked from her.

She didn’t know what had happened to her best friend, but something changed him 5 years ago. She wanted answers, bad. She had questions for him and hated him for never answering her whenever she would try to talk to him. She would go to his house and wait for him when he had ignored he the first few month, but he would never show. Ever since his grandfather died, he had pushed her out of his life and now he was back. She didn’t know what had happened to change him but she knew she would find out soon if she answered his question the way she knew he hoped for. He would have to answer every question she had for him. She was so consumed in thinking of every possible scenario.

As she kept thinking and looking out the window a sudden clap of thunder shook her house and the power went out. Natalia looked around the room suddenly feeling that someone was watching her. As she scanned the room she saw a shadowed figure in the corner across from the chair she was curled up in.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asked finding courage somewhere in her.

“Awhile” the figure answered. She instantly recognized the voice.

“Matt…” she said “Times not up”

“Yes, it is Natalia” he said as he slowly walked over to her. “It’s midnight”

“That’s not possible, I haven’t been sitting here that long” she said as she looked over at the clock on the mantle. It was in fact midnight; she had been sitting there for 4 hours thinking over everything, making sure she was making the right choice. Matt knelt down in front of the chair she was in.

“It’s time” he said and stared into her eyes. She stared back mesmerized by him.

“I need answers first” she whispered, he sighed and looked down at their hands.

“I can only give you so many” he said after a minute.

“What happened 5 years ago?” she asked

“I learned that there was more to the world than what you can see, or at least what they want you to see. Ever since my grandfather passed, I’ve been able to see what he had been talking about for all of these years.” He said. She started to worry that he had gone insane.

“They?” She asked, confusion written all over her face.

“People that I’m only just beginning to learn about after 5 long years. They don’t want you to see the other world. They don’t like humans.” He said

“What other world’? What do you mean ‘they don’t like humans’? Are they aliens?” she said more interested in the conversation. Her mind was running wild, was he crazy? Where would he get these types of thoughts? Her thoughts were interrupted by him.

“If you agree to my question, I can show you the other world. I can’t explain it to you, it’s too hard to explain. There’s so much I don’t even know yet.” He said squeezing her hands trying to encourage her to agree to his question.

“Why did you leave me on that street 5 years ago in the middle of the night all alone miles away from home; I was lost without you there to help me home like you used to do. I was scared and I felt like you didn’t care about me. You had been so distant and then you did that.” she said looking down at their hands, gripping his hands tighter in hers, he squeezed back.

“I’m sorry I had to, I regret it every day and night. I lost the most important person to me just to start something that was started generations ago in my family. I had to go, there was nothing I could do about it. If the Prince had seen you, that would’ve been it. You would either be dead or a slave to…him. They may not like humans, but they use them as servants in the other world. They think humans are stupid, they treat them like trash. Well some of them do, only a few are nice or have them as friends.” He sighed and looked down. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them again looking up at her.

“Remember those stories my Grandfather used to tell us before we went to bed when we were little?” Natalia nodded “Well they are true and I want your help to finally finish this century’s long story.” Natalia took a deep breath, trying to take everything he is saying in. She slowly pulled her hands away from his and looked down. He took her face in his hands and made her look in his eyes. He pulled her forehead towards his and rested her forehead on his. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“It would be the biggest honor of mine if you would come on this journey with me and help me finish what my family started. I need your help Nat, please come on this journey with me. You used to love those stories and I took them for granted, you remember them so much better than I do. We can finish this together, I know we can.” He said he pulled his face away and stared into her eyes. Natalia finally made her decision.

“But what about the Prince, would I still become a servant?” Natalia was getting worried.

“Yes he would turn you into a servant, if he found you. But I have someone on the other side willing to help hide us and put a charm over you. No one will ever know.” He said with bright eyes.

“Okay” Natalia said slowly. “I’ll go with you, under one condition.” She said.

“What is it? I’ll do anything?” Matt begged.

“Don’t ever leave me alone again, not on a street or anywhere especially in this other world place you’re talking about.” She said

Matt started smiling he stood up and pulled her up into a hug. “I promise to never leave you again, no matter what anyone tells me or what I think is safe. I will never leave your side until you tell me to.” he whispered the last part in her ear. He let go of her and she started to walk up the stairs to her room but he stopped her.

“What? Am I not taking anything?” She asked confused.

“No, I have everything ready for the two of us. Everything’s in my car.” He said

“You knew I would agree to come?” she asked startled, he smiled.

“I really hoped you would come with me.” He said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the kitchen.

“Write a note for your parents so they think you left for work or something. We can’t have them file a missing person’s report, especially not so soon after we leave.” he said. Natalia grabbed a piece of paper and pen and started to write. She stopped and looked at the paper.

“They would never believe it if I wrote a note to tell them I’m leaving. I think we should just go, either way they are going to file a missing person report once they realize I’m not coming home. They may be away on a trip but it would come to them sooner or later.” Matt looked sadly into her eyes. They both knew her parents would file a missing person report the day after they would get back from their trip. She took her phone out of her pocket and turned it off. She set it on the counter and turned to Matt with tears in her eyes.

“How long will we be gone for?” She asked wishing she had told her parents how much they meant to her before they left.

“I wish I knew, time runs differently in the other world.” He said. She nodded her head and let a tear fall. He reached towards her and wiped it away for her then pulled her into a hug. She pulled away after a minute then looked up at him. Matt grabbed her hand and they left through the front door, locking the house up before they left. The rain had calmed down and was drizzling now. They walked over to Matt’s car, he opened the passenger door for her and she slipped into the seat. Natalia looked back and saw backpacks next to a change of clothing with boots in the back seat. When he got in she turned and looked at him confused.

“Is that going to be enough?” She asked extremely confused. Matt smiled like he knew something that she didn’t.

“Trust me, we’ll be fine” he said and backed out of her driveway. Natalia stared out the window at her house until she couldn’t see it anymore.