The office may have been the only part separated from that bridge for me. Nothing reminded me of anything; no memories would spread from their corners to infest the rest of me. Sarah seemed especially calmed in her own cubical not far from mine. I logged into the computer, mindlessly waiting for the system to boot up.
Traveler Todd, welcome back.
I shook my head and read the green text on the screen. I hadn't seen that title for a while, why would it come up here?
We need you back at the Gallow Way.
I rolled back a little and stood up to check if Sarah was getting anything. She was smiling happily, not paying attention to anything but the work and files handed to her. I sat back down to an extended message on my screen.
Soul-less Sarah will not be pulled into this, we promise. There is a matter at hand that you must attend to. Your work and sacrifice is being undone. They have not returned, we assure you. Someone else is destroying us now.
I sat back and glared at the screen. How did the people from the other side get access here? I tapped the screen and nearly let out a noise from my hand almost sliding in.
That is ill advised Traveler Todd. You will fall in without being prepared. We must not have a repeat of the first time. Your old bag and team will suffice.
I shot up angrily and snarled out as I turned the computer off and stormed to Sarah. She looked up at me and cocked her head to the side. Her screen was trying to get her attention but she was ignoring it. I gave her a warm smile and patted her head, "Work hard, I'll don't feel good so I'll be going home."
She nodded and hugged me.
I got inside the large white house that served as a home. The minute I got inside I was bombarded by an upset Riley who was crying and punching out. I grabbed her hands and stared at her. Sleep walking- she couldn't be doing that already! I picked her little frame up and carried her up the stairs to my room. The minute I placed her down she cried out. I gave a smile and shook her. "Riley, time to wake up," I said quietly. There came no response so I let her be. Forcing myself, I got onto my stomach and reached under my bed, grabbing the mostly empty journal and its full counterpart.
I stared at the set and gave a small smile. If it was one thing I missed about the other side, it was the vast amount of knowledge I could gather, the different places with the different scenery.
"The bridges are breaking," the book yelled out. I jumped and it landed on its spine, getting a loud complaint in accompaniment. I covered the mouth on the spine of the book and glared daggers into its cover.
"Vinci, shut up, we aren't back there," I muttered through my teeth. The mouth moved against my hand and I released it.
"Shut up you redheaded bastard! Hurry, they're breaking down," it cried.
"You're going to wake Riley," I warned, "How am I going to explain a talking book here, Vinci?"
"I don't know! How should I? You need to hurry," it ordered. I sighed and stood with the books, walking to my closet for the old looking supplies I had come back with. Just the books reminded me of where I had gone, but the baggage, the baggage made me remember what I had done. The excitement of climbing mountains, of exploring caves, of fighting off hordes of sprites and fencing with the king of the pixies; all of it made me want to go back many times and discover new places. Sarah couldn't go back though; neither could Riley or her parents. Gabriel, he could but he had become a king, who in turn left his people for the slow life of a normal person.
I hit my head on an overhanging box and stared at it as it fell. I reached out on instinct, cushioning the boxes fall with my arms. I sighed as all the other stuff fell out and stared at Riley as she turned in her sleep. I sat on my knees and stared at all of my belongings as I opened the box. I smiled sadly at the things in the box, staring at Riley's little scarf, Sarah's stone, and Gabriel's claw.
"Ah, what was it again? 'My scarf so things don't feel so heavy', 'My stone so you have your rock', and 'My claw so you can attack with purpose'," I smiled. I put them in the little pocket of my bag and smiled sadly. "Sorry guys, I can't take you all with me this time."
"You shouldn't have taken them with you last time," Vinci grunted.
"Don't make me want to burn you," I sighed. "I need to find new people; do you want to help me?"
"Who are you talking to," I turned to Riley and paled as she stared hard at my stuff all over the floor. "Where are you going Todd?"
"I'm not going anywhere yet Riley," I smiled and got up. I left Vinci on the floor and purposely kicked him in warning. "What were you dreaming about this time?"
"It wasn't the same," she shook her head.
"What do you mean," I asked and sat next to her. She stared with sharp black eyes and then at my things.
"You died, Todd. You died, carrying all of that, shooting people down with light from your hands. You were yelling about something," she looked close to tears so I covered her mouth.
"Does it look like I'm dead," I asked, "Or shooting lights from my hands?"
"Well, n-no," she shook her head and moved my hand, "But this wasn't here. This was far away, really far away." The front door was heard slamming open and heavy footsteps were heard running up the stairs.
"Who's the idiot distorting time," an unfamiliar voice boomed. I looked to Vinci and covered Riley's eyes as I summoned him to my hand. The door to the room flung open and a man stood there, anger swelling in his chest. His eyes swirled with a golden glow and I instantly held my hands up.
"I have not touched anything like that," I hurried over to the man, outsizing him in all ways possible but emotion. I pushed him out the door and smiled at a confused Riley before shutting my door. "Now, before you continue with your, tirade, she doesn't exist past those bridges anymore. So, anything you decide to yell out will have to be silenced immediately."
"So you are this, Traveler Todd, person that keeps coming to my phone," he held up a Samsung and I stared at the golden lettering scrawled on his screen.
"How about we discuss this over dinner, yes? I'm sure there is plenty I can tell you about," I smiled. He gave me a terrified look and then nodded. I opened the door and looked in at Riley, "Riley, please go make this young man something to snack on, and tell Sarah I went out when she gets home."
"Todd," she said and stood up, "I don't like the look in your eyes."
"Always deadly when you're honest; I'm sorry," I smiled and waved her to me, "Please, forget about it? You'll hurt yourself if you try to think about it too hard."
"So, explain to me, Traveler Todd, the writing on my screen," I smiled at the man and held my hand across the table, willing myself not to throw the plate of Pakistani cuisine at him.
"First off, it is very rude, in many places, not to introduce your person before questioning. Secondly, my name is just Todd to you, is that understood," I said. He awkwardly took my hand and shook it firmly, showing his want for dominance.
"My name is Maurice," he nodded, "Now tell me what the text is about."
"It's from across the Bridges. They are simply calling out to you to follow me beyond your minds ability," I replied.
"And what is beyond my 'minds ability'," he sneered.
"The vast land of the Ethereal," I replied. "That's what the providences over beyond the Bridges call it but I simply call it the Other Side."
"What's at this Other Side," Maurice quizzed.
"So many places that I can't explain without my good friend Vinci here," I pulled out Vinci from my bag and smiled. "You can speak but if you start getting loud I won't think twice about burning you."
"You can be a real bastard sometimes Todd," the book snapped. Maurice jumped back a bit, not something I didn't expect but something I never saw coming.
"Open to the Province Capital," I ordered. He flipped through himself and opened to my hand drawn visual of the Capital. I smiled wider and held my hand over the page. "Now, Mr. Maurice, there is no reason to worry about this, you should get used to this before we venture farther because believe me, there are a lot stranger."
"And a lot more dangerous," Vinci sniffed. "Hey, Time Lord, sit your scrawny ass back down."
"Vinci, that's rude," I growled. Maurice sat back down and I projected a map of the Capital. "Maurice, this is where we will be given our work."
"What makes you so sure I'll be going," Maurice stuttered. I stared at the small man with the sandy hair and studious features sternly, making him visually shake.
"Whether you or I like it or not, we will be dragged across the Bridges," I stated. "They will not stand for any complaints."