The Bridge

Natalia woke up hearing running water coming from the bathroom. She looked around to find a clock to see that its 6 in the morning. She gets up to stretch and started to clean up the blankets and pillows from the night. As she folded the last blanket and put it on the pile on the sofa, she heard Matt come out of the bathroom.

“Morning, there’s some food on the counter” He says when he walks around the corner.

“How long have you been up?” She asks walking into the kitchen. She grabs a plate and filled it up.

“Not long, just an hour.” He says as he sat down with her at the table. Natalia sat down and started eating. Matt sighed and looked at her. “I know you have a million questions but I need you to bear with me and not ask them until I’m done.” He said, she nodded and kept eating paying close attention to what he’s about to say.

“You remember those stories my grandfather used to tell us?” Natalia nodded eagerly. “Well they’re true and right before my grandfather died 5 years ago he gave me this book. It wasn’t just any book; its filled with his memories, the stories he told us, and things we could never imagine. He left a letter inside of it to me saying ‘This book contains the stories and everything you will need, take it with you and use it. Read them and remember. You and Natalia have to finish this or the war will leak into this world. She is your key.’ I didn’t understand until I started to read it. There weren’t just memories in there but instructions, directions, and so much more. He had started writing it when he knew something was wrong. There are all types of letters to me throughout the book. There was even a letter explaining why it had to be me and not my brothers or parents. They all know about this book, my dad especially but none of us knew more than what he had told us. At least not until this. It has to be me because I carry the gene. It skipped my dad and brothers but it didn’t skip me. I have something in me that will let me into the other world. When my grandfather found out that I had it, that’s when he started to teach me and you. Neither one of us knew that he was teaching us but he was. So, after I finished reading the book the first time, I started to do some research. I met with some people who called my grandfather crazy and dismissed everything he taught us, I tried to not give up hope the past 5 years but it was getting harder and harder. Then last year, this woman found me and asked me about my grandfather, about where he had been. At first I was cautious but when I asked her name, her name is Lucinda. Do you remember my grandfather mentioning her?” Natalia who had finished her breakfast and was cleaning up nodded.

“That was your grandfathers best friend, right?” He smiled and nodded.

“Yes she was, she was also the love of his life until he came here. At least that was what he wrote in the book. He said that she is the only other person from the other world that we can fully trust. Anyway, I let Lucinda talk and prove to me who she was. After that, she told me even more secrets and gave me another letter from my grandfather. I found out that he’s not dead, he’s just not in this world. He was kidnapped and is a prisoner on the other side.” Matt paused and waited for Natalia’s reaction. Natalia had rejoined him at the table and sat there stunned by what he had just said.

“Wait…. He’s alive?” She said stunned “But how? I thought he had a heart attack?”

“He didn’t have a heart attack. They just replaced him here with someone who was under a spell to look like him. The man had died in the other world and the people that kidnapped my grandfather brought him over and put a spell over him to make him look like my grandfather. That’s why none of us knew he was gone. I’m sure he fought the people who kidnapped him, you know how he is, they must have done something. But what I still don’t understand is why he was kidnapped in the first place. What he could’ve done…” Matt trailed off.

“They? Under a spell? What are you talking about?” Natalia asked more confused.

“They as in the people that kidnapped him. And yes, a spell. The other world is…magical along with very different. There are things in this world and the other world that no humans have seen that has lived to tell about it or come back here to this world. They are either killed or kept as a servant or prisoner.” Matt pauses letting it all sink in for Natalia. “But we should start heading to the bridge if we want to make it before it gets dark.” Matt stood up and started gathering their backpacks. Natalia followed him and turned off the lights. She put on her shoes and laced them up then threw on her jacket. He handed her a backpack and she slipped it on as he slipped his backpack on. He walked towards the front door and stopped and looked at Natalia.

“After we step out of this door, you can’t back out. This is going to change how you see everything; the world, my family, and even…me.” Matt says with a sad look in his eyes. Natalia looks at him for a moment and took a deep breath.

“I’m ready to do this. I am the key remember, can’t exactly go against what your grandfather said now can we?” She smirked as she said the last part and reached for the door handle. Matt smiled back at her.

“Well I guess not.” Matt and Natalia walked out of the door without looking back.