With A Regretful Look
As Told By Syd
It was the saddest and most tragic moment of the four of our lives. I have never seen with my own eyes such anguish. And it is only now, five years later, that I can even begin to talk about it.
We were having one of our normal everyday SPD days. Fighting this monster or that one, it was mostly all the same, until that fateful day. We were taking a pretty heavy beating. We thought we were in real trouble and braced ourselves for it. But then the monster dropped his stance and walked towards us as we were all down and demorphed. His focus was on Bridge.
"Bridge Carson, we finally meet again," said the monster.
With as much energy as Bridge had left he replied in a confused tone, "Do I know you?"
The monster eyed him with rage and said, "No, but I know you. You took my brother away from me. I've come to avenge him."
Bridge weakly laughed, "which brother would that be, because I'm sure a lot of the monsters I've brought in had brothers or sisters or maybe both, or more than that even...Before Bridge could finish, the monster began to retreat. Not without craning his head and angrily shouting, "Bridge Carson, your dead!"
He then disappeared into the tree line.
We all looked at each other and then we turned to Bridge, "What was that all about Bridge? Bridge? BRIDGE?!."
"Me? I don't know what he was talking about," said a confused Bridge.
Rather silently we all returned to Base and decided to try and locate this guy on our files. We finally identified him, his history, and discovered how dangerous this guy was. Reading further we found exactly what the monster had claimed. Bridge did bring in a criminal that just so happened to be his brother.
With a look of fear and concern, Sky looked at Bridge and said, "Oh shit Bridge, this is real."
"Oh come on Sky, it's just another criminal. We've come up against a lot worse things," said Bridge.
"But not ONE of them has referred to us personally. What if he's really gonna come after you Bridge?"
"Sky it's just another monster, Bridge replied with irritation in his voice.
"I don't like this one bit guys. I've got a bad feeling. Bridge you should just stay out of this one. Sit this one out," pleaded Sky.
"Oh please Sky, when have I ever SAT one out? Well, there was that one time when my toaster malfunctioned and gave me second degree burns, and that time when I got lost on the way to the fight, and that one time when...
"BRIDGE, I mean it," yelled Sky.
"Sorry Sky, no can do," Bridge said.
"Well I'm talking to Cruger about this.," said Sky.
"Go ahead," said Bridge.
We were all in the Common Room when Sky finally returned from his "talk" with Commander Cruger. He sullenly moped over to us and said, "OK Bridge, you win. Cruger said it's your choice and not anyone else's.
"Then it's settled," Bridge replied as if he had indeed won.
We all agreed with what Commander Cruger had decided. But Sky would not let go of it. He walked away from us with a look of defeat and sadness. There was something else going on with Sky that I couldn't quite place then. The desperate and pleading look he continually sent towards Bridge. Helpless stares that never faded.
The rest of us retreated to our rooms for the night. I don't know what, or if anything at all happened between Sky and Bridge that night. What was said, what wasn't said. I honestly don't think Sky would've given up that easily but I'll never know. What I do know, is that I was beginning to get a bad feeling about what this monster had in store for Bridge. Everyone, whether they said it or not, was worried for what might have been in store for their fellow ranger. Deep down in my heart, I knew that Bridge had a psychic sense of what was about to take place.
BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ...My sleep was interrupted early the next morning by the emergency alert. We all arrived about the same time and were briefed about the criminal causing chaos in Newtech City.
"All right cadets, get out there and take him down," yelled Cruger.
As we approached the location, our buzzers went off again. We were told that two of us would be needed to handle another situation that had arose in a different location. Jack and Z volunteered to go off to that one, while Sky, Bridge and I, continued on our way.
We arrived at the designated location. Right at that moment, my whole body started shaking, it's shaking even at this moment as the memories and visions vividly come back. There it was, the monster that had promised vengeance on Bridge. He must have sensed us when we arrived because he stopped still and looked right at Bridge. Once again he shouted out viciously "Bridge Carson, your dead!"
Pure fear and terror filled Sky's eyes. Bridge however, looked unphased and ready as ever to fight. Little did he know...
The monster ran straight for Bridge and without hesitation, blasted him. Bridge instantly went down and demorphed.
Sky and I ran to defend our friend in trouble. We got a couple moves in. But we too were eventually knocked to the ground and demorphed.
The alien monster took off in haste towards Bridge, who was just now starting to get up. Bridge never even had a chance...without even having a second of time to gather himself, he was picked up and slammed down to the ground. The alien was screaming with such rage and anger it was incoherent. Bridge started to get up, he looked up at the alien, and than shot Sky a sad, regretful look, as if to say "I'm sorry." It was then that the alien let out a scream and blasted Bridge with his weapon. Bridge was sent flying back, smashing to the cement beneath him.
The monster walked up to where Bridge lay. Bridge let out several deathly, raspy coughs, and then he was still. The monster then simply nodded towards Bridge walked away. Sky ran and slid down to his knees next to Bridge. The blood curdling cry that Sky let out that moment will forever ring out in my head.
"NO NO NOOOOOOOOAHHHHH!" Sky screamed as he lifted Bridge to his chest.
He just sat there and cradled Bridge, sobbing uncontrollably for what seemed like forever.
I stood there crying, frozen in time, watching in disbelief at what was happening that moment. I couldn't believe he was gone...Jack and Z were sobbing somewhere behind me...They too were in complete paralyzing denial. They never even had a chance to help their beloved younger ranger.
Sky then lifted Bridges head towards his own. He helplessly stared at Bridge. After several moments Sky's sobs turned to quite cries.
He cupped Bridges face in his hands and whispered, "I loved you Bridge," Sky leaned down and put his head to Bridges forehead...he stayed that way for awhile and then placed a long soft kiss on Bridges still lips. He whispered one last time, "I loved you Bridge."
Sky never spoke Bridges name after that, not that we knew of. In fact he never spoke another word. He killed himself three days later...
Syd Always Wondered What Happened in Sky and Bridges Room the Night Before That Day of Heartbreak andTragedy...
As Bridge and Sky entered their room. Sky sat down on his bed with a feeling of helplessness and defeat. How could he get Bridge to listen to him. Sky looked over to where Bridge was standing, taking his jacket off.
"Bridge, please," Sky began but was quickly interrupted.
"Sky don't, this is ridiculous. I'm not even going to listen to you. I'm gonna go to bed now so please, stop worrying," Bridge replied with frustration.
Sky lay down, throwing his arms over his head he yelled, "You're so stubborn Bridge. You won't even listen, argh...what's the point..."
"Exactly" Bridge calmly and quietly said into Sky's ear.
Sky startled and looked up. Bridge was suddenly standing right over him. A look of peace and calm and assuredness twinkled in Bridges eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes...With that, Sky started to tremble and his own blue eye's teared up. Bridge gave his friend a sympathetic and confused gaze. He then sat down on the bed next to where Sky lay.
"Sky everything's going to be ok. Trust me." He put his hand on Sky's arm, and then his hand patted Sky's chest. "Nothing's gonna happen to me," he soothingly assured Sky.
Sky felt the warmth and tenderness of Bridges hand on his chest. He put his hand over Bridges and looked up at him. All he wanted to do was tell Bridge how he truly felt. How much he loved Bridge and how much he wanted to just kiss those beautiful lips. How Bridge was everything to him. It was too late now, however, because Bridge had already gotten up from his bed and was getting ready to get into his own bed.
What Sky never new though, is that Bridge, at that moment, was trying to figure out why he was having strange thoughts and feelings for Sky.
That night Sky watched Bridge sleep. He watched the beautifully peaceful look on the sleeping green ranger's face. At one point Sky got up and walked over to Bridges bed. He quietly lowered his hand to Bridges chest and softly rest it there, feeling the rise and fall of Bridges breath. He stood like that for a long time, until Bridge stirred and turned away. Sky slowly walked back to his bed silently crying himself to sleep. He awoke to the sound of the SPD alarm. He and Bridge left their room and raced to the command center together for the last time.
