Chapter 23

"So then this guy, right, he says he can totally outrun me through the course, right," said Iawn, continuing a very exciting story about his time back in their colony, "And he wants to stake it on who gets to decide where we get our water from!"

"He could've totally taken him, too," chimed Leo, "If Iawn didn't cheat!"

"Cheat? I did no such thing," spat Iawn, right back.

"Why didn't you get the water from both areas again?" asked Pandora.

"Because it was out of a John, that's why," said Iawn, "Mine was at least out of a bloody fire hydrant!"

"Yours required breaking the hydrant, you nuttah," spat Leo, "At least his was closer AND could be reused. Anyway, we ended up having to flood an entire street because of this idiot."

"Idiot? It's because of me we got drinking water AND a pool all in the same day."

"You used it as a pool?" asked Kevin, "That's just… not right."

"Yeah, but we learned very fast not to pee in the pool," said Charles, "Poor William… he was banished after that."

"Urine is the least of your problems, in my opinion," said Nate, "When we found you, you three were dirtier then sewage rats."

"Still are…" said Fred, holding his gear closer now.

They had been traveling for several days, and Kate was quickly loosing her usefulness. They were close to something… close to a border. Signs were gone, war ravaged the land they walked. Everywhere, remnants of the war could be seen. From military bunkers, holding lines, bomb craters and mass graves to entire refugee camps, filled with graves and full hospitals… not a single living soul to be seen.

Shatner made a very smart call to avoid everything they could, both to avoid camps and the like and to avoid the younger members of the group from setting eyes on the horrific aftermath of the war. Fred had agreed, but no one else even acknowledged his statement, nobody wanting to talk about it very much.

They walked on, no maps, no road signs… no roads. The group keeping each other safe, watching each others back, laughing at each others jokes and retaliating at each others criticisms.

"It was a fair fight, I say," said Iawn, finally, pushing Leo aside, "And I says that I won! I'm the winner, and I said it was a FAIR race."

"And I watched it," said Leo, "And I say you're really full of-"

"Ship?" said Kevin, cutting Leo off.

"What?" asked Iawn and Leo together.

"A ship?" asked Kevin, pointing in the distance.

A ship's mass could be seen in the distance, a tattered sail flapping in the light wind. Kevin's eyes lit up, and he ran after it as fast as he could.

"It's a SHIP!" exclaimed Kevin, running after it, "A ship means water, water means the sea. We've MADE it!"

Leo, Iawn, and Charles were quick to run after him, making a race out of it, but Nate, Shatner, Kate, and the rest looked at each other in question.

"A boat?" asked Nate, "Out here?"

"We're no where near a coastline," said Kate, "What the hell…"

"Oh, NO!" yelled Kevin, reaching a point clearly out of the others view.

"Let's go see what's up," said Nate, running ahead.

They approached the scene, coming up and over, now seeing why they could not see the rest of the ship. Kevin knelt on the edge of some sort of a large crevice. A long crack in the earth spread from one horizon to the next, rocks, debris, and objects littering its inside. Nate and Shatner just stood in awe, looking it over. The "Ship" in question was an old sailboat, now stuck on the rocks, and heavily damaged from time and some bullet holes.

"It appears to be an old river," said Shatner, "Wow… look how deep it is."

"If it's a river, where's all the water?" asked Andy.

"You can't even see the bottom from here," said Pandora, kicking in a rock from the side.

"Whatever it is, we're going to need to cross it," said Nate, "Our heading is THAT way."

"So what do you suggest?" said Seth, snorting, "Unless anyone here knows how to fly."

"Hmm… Well, technically," started Nate.

"Technically nothing," said Shatner, "You're not flying anything anymore!"

"Hmph," said Nate, furrowing his brow, "No one died in MY crash…"

"Hey," said Fred, standing not far off from the group, "It's a river, guys."

"We already established that," said Nate.

"That means, there's a bridge," said Fred, smiling and pointing off in the distance, "And I've found one!"

The group's heads turned to spot what Fred was pointing at, and Nate smiled, walking up to Fred and clapping his hand on his shoulder.

"Good work, dude," smiled Nate, "Very… insightful of you."

"Uh… thanks?" answered Fred, almost in a question.

They stood on one side of the bridge, looking it over with weary eyes. The bridge was of stone, but the supports underneath had long ago either burned off or rotted away. Moss and vines seemed to be the only thing holding the stones together as they hung over the dried out riverbed. Even from here, Nate could barely see the bottom, and he shook his head at the thought of crossing this.

"Nice pick, dude," said Nate, "A piece of paper over a fiery pit of doom, huh?"

"What? What paper? There's no fire," said Kate.

Nate gave her a sarcastic look, nodding once in response, "Yeah," he said, "I know."

"Well, it could be days off the trail if we go either way," said Nate, "And I don't want to waste anymore time… at all."

"I'm not crossing that," said Fred.

"Why not? It was your idea," said Pandora.

"I found it, doesn't mean I said 'Hey, let's cross it'," answered Fred.

"You kinda did," said Kevin, scratching his head, "I'm pretty sure-"

"We need a volunteer," said Seth.

"Why doesn't Nate Flint go," said Fred, "He wants to be our fearless leader, so why doesn't he lead us to the promise land?"

Nate scratched his chin, thinking it over.

"Ok, I think this whole 'leader' thing is getting old," said Shatner, "We're obviously all friends-"

"Friends? More like friends of necessity," said Fred, "Allies, I would say."

"I'll go," said Nate.

"No, no you won't," said Shatner, "Now, we obviously can't cross here so we will need to find another way."

"No, I'll do it," said Nate, already taking a step forward, "Seriously, if it crashes-"

"You die," said Shatner, "I will not allow it. Come on, now. We've got a long way to go."

"You will not allow it," said Nate, crossing his arms.

Shatner read Nate's body language, and his eyes rolled and he sighed, knowing what was coming.

"Come on," said Shatner, "Don't do this…"

"Do what?" said Nate, "What, eh Shatner? You my mother, now?"

"No, I'm not, but think clearly," said Shatner, "Obviously getting across a damn bridge is not worth your life."

"And who decides that?" said Nate.

"Come on," said Kate, sighing, "This isn't worth fighting about, he's right, Nate. We'll find another-"

"Oh, what, you taking his side now?" said Nate.

"No, there is no side!" said Kate.

"What… he your boyfriend now?" said Nate.

"What… what do you mean by that?" said Shatner, blushing.

"NO! I'm just saying-"

"What? Why don't you two go and invade Poland together, huh?" said Nate.

"Wow, was that a Nazi joke?" asked Kevin.

"Come on, that's ridiculous," said Kate, "You're really over reacting on-"

"You don't think I'll do it?" said Nate, walking out onto the bridge.

"Oh, come on," said Shatner, "This isn't funny."

"Am I laughing?" said Nate, walking further onto the bridge, "Oh, look at me, mommy, no hands!"

"Your name IS 'Comedianmasta'," said Andy, smiling at his joke.

"Let him kill himself," said Fred, "Serves him right."

"Shut your face, Abromcrombe," said Nate, "I don't see YOU out here."

"Come back here, this is ridiculous," said Kate, "Don't be such a child!"

Nate made it onto the center of the bridge, and he stood there, his hands outstretched to the side as if asking a question. He smiled, stomping on the bridge. Everyone made anxious noises or gasps as he did, and this fed his anger.

"See? Nothing, the faster we cross it the faster we can go," said Nate, "It's about… three yards long."

"Who taught you to measure," said Fred, "That's like six yards."

"We don't use metrics," said Leo, rolling his eyes.

"It's FINE," said Nate, beginning to jump, now, up and down, causing some people to lean forward, even saying "No" hidden by gasps.

"See?" said Nate, smiling, "Come on, let's stop wasting time."

"Alright, fine," said Kate, "You made your point."

"No matter how stupid it was," said Shatner.

Nate nodded, ceasing his jumping. Kate was first on the bridge, awkwardly walking forward. Nate wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead, smiling at what he had done. He waved in a "follow me" fashion and turned to walk the rest of the way over the bridge.

Nate's foot came down, and sank into the bridge. His whole leg followed, and he fell forward, into the hole. He let out a yelp of surprise, causing everyone to freeze in their place, watching carefully. Nate's hand went up.

"I'm ok," he said, beginning to get up, "Just popped through a little hole here and-"

Crush! His other leg went through as well when he put weight on it, and Nate cringed, now his entire weight resting on his crotch. Kate ran forward to help, and Nate could feel the bridge moving underneath him.

"Oh… NO!" he yelled out, throwing his hands out to stop her, but he was too late.

Their combined weight made the bridge began to shake, and pieces of it began to shed off. She fell through, too in seconds, and she struggle to get back up to the bridge. Nate fell completely through, and he reached out and held onto something. Like a melting snow, the bridge began to collapse, showing the old metal supports and beams originally made to support the stone and mortor. The crumbling stopped roughly a quarter way of the bridge on either side, leaving Kate and Nate dangling from the metal supports.

Shatner rushed forward, leaning on the edge of the bridge, but it took Seth and Kevin all they could to hold the others back, so they wouldn't rush forward too. Shatner held out his hand, wanting to help Kate back onto the bridge. Kate swung her legs, holding onto the metal outline like a pro. She look at Nate, and held out her hand as if to offer him support.

The metal support in which Nate grabbed was too thin for his weight, and it snapped, beginning to bend a little farther down from where he was. Nate looked back, a little bit of fear in his eyes.

"Oh God," said Nate, "I know I deserve it, but why now? Why? Wait… why not now? That sounds like a good idea."

"Come on, reach out and grab my hand," yelled Kate, reaching out her hand.

"Don't bother with him, Kate," yelled Fred from the 'shore', "This is what he deserves for playing around like that."

"The dick's right," said Nate, looking at the bar as it slowly bent, the bending part turning white under the strain of Nate's weight, "Oh…. No!"

"Come on!" yelled Shatner, "Come back here, then we'll help Nate. Hold on, Flint!"

"Come on," said Kate, "This doesn't have to be the end!"

"Oh… but it is," said Nate, the bar now beginning to creek under his weight, "Look… since I'm about to die anyway… I could use a distraction right now?"

"What sort of distraction?" asked Kate.

"Quick, before it breaks," said Nate, "Show me your boobs!"

"What?" said Kate, before she snorted, "You pig! Why didn't I know."

"Come on, I'm about to die anyway," said Nate, "I don't really want to die a virgin, but I lost there."

"Do it yelled," Kevin, "Please."

"He is dying, after all," said Iawn, "You wouldn't want to send him off disappointed."

"You are all… such… MEN," yelled Kate from her perch, "I am NOT doing such a thing!"

"Come on, you practically did it a couple nights ago anyway," said Nate.

"I was DRUNK," said Kate, "but not drunk enough."

"Note to self…" said Seth, not really under his breath.

"I can't believe how selfish you're being," said Nate, "I mean, after all we've done for you, taking you on and all, technically, you know, you owe-"

A harsh SNAP filled the air and Nathan dropped like a stone. Kate and Shatner both yelled, and everyone else was speechless as they ran to the edge, watching his figure disappear into the ravine. All that was left was his hat, hanging on one of the old rusty metal parts sticking out of the old bridge. Everyone went silent, and not a sound, even of Nate hitting the ground, could be heard.

"Flint," yelled Shatner, breaking the silence, "FLINT! Are you there? Flint!"

Only silence came from the darkness, and awe filled the air.

"Comedian?" asked Kate, from her spot hanging over the abyss.

"Do you see him?" asked Pandora.

Kate looked into the ravine. She couldn't really see the bottom, especially in the dark shadows of the morning sun. Just the rocks and the debris could be seen. She closed her eyes, almost at the same time as Charles letting out a small sniff as a tear began to fall down his cheek.

"Whoa," was all Seth said, as they stood there and looked over an empty crevasse.

Pandora bent over, plucky the hat from its spot on the bridge, and held it, looking past it into the depths. He said nothing as the last, a very scared Fred was helped across the bridge by Kate and Shatner, and the group now rested safely on the other side.

Fred leapt from the spot on the wires onto the hard bridge, and fast crawled his way to dirt, yelling in triumph. Shatner and Kate looked at each other, before looking back down to the deapths below.

"He's gone," said Pandora, softly, "I can't believe he's really gone."

"I know," said Shatner, almost to no one in particular, "I never thought, out of all the things we'd been through, that THIS would be how he died."

Iawn sniffed again, trying to hold back his tears from another attack, but he was unable to hold them back as both Leo and Charles group hugged him again and began to sob.

Seth snorted, plucking an almost dead flower from the ground and walking towards the edge.

"This is what happens when you play around with destiny," said Seth, "This kind of thing happens every day. We just need to… move on in our own ways."

Seth threw the dying flower down into the chasm, watching it as it disappears below.

"So… how are we going to get down there?" asked Pandora.

"What do you mean? Get down there?" asked Fred, "We're not going down there!"

"The whole reason we risked this crossing was to save time," said Seth, "And time has already been ticking as we stood around moping. If we take time to retrieve his body, it would only be a harder burden on us as well as wasting all the time we just saved, as well as putting the rest of us in danger."

"Unfortunately he is right," said Kevin, "Even though it's wrong."

"It's wrong, but it's necessary," said Seth, "It's what happens out here, in the land of waste. We didn't cry or mope when our friends were killed in that plane crash. It happens."

"He has a point," said Fred, "We can all mourn the ones we've lost another day, but now we must continue onward!"

"We must move on," said Shatner, in a much more demanding way then he had before.

Shatner turned, walking off the small bit of bridge and walking past the group of people, "He would've wanted us to. Go onward, find the base, save the world. It was his style."

"We're just going to leave him?" asked Pandora, tears filling his eyes.

"He saved my life!" said Iawn, "How can we leave him?"

"We're not LEAVING him," said Shatner, almost seeming to get angry, his outburst making the others jump, "He will always be with us. But he has died for NOTHING if we stop now. He died for nothing if someone else dies trying to retrieve his body. He would have died for nothing if we waste even a single SECOND of time that we could be using to walk. Is this not true?"

No one spoke up, no one refuted him. He was right…

"Now come on," said Shatner, "We'll all… move on together."

The group began to move, or at least stand up from where they had been.

"Good bye, ol' chap," said Leo.

"I r-r-r-refuse," said Iawn, as he fell into more spouts of sobbing.

Charles said nothing through his tears, and together all three of them helped each other move on. Kevin approached the side of the chasm, and he poured the rest of the contents from a newly opened bottle down into the chasm.

Seth took out something from the bottom of his bag, an old hand grenade. He smiled, before tossing it down into the chasm as well.

"Nate would've found a better use for it anyway," said Seth, "He always did like a big bang."

As they began to leave, Kate sniffed back her own tear, and wrapped her arms around the shoulders of Andy, and turned him away, following the moving group. Fred turned as well, but not before giving his own final good-bye.

Then stood Shatner and Pandora, overlooking the side of the place.

"I can't believe we can't even see him," said Pandora.

"It's probably better," said Shatner.

"We started this together," said Pandora, "It just… doesn't feel right, you know?"

"We're ending it together," said Shatner, "I promise you that. For now, we need to leave him… but we'll be back."

It was another few moments, but Shatner spun Pandora around, and began to walk after the rest of the slowly moving group. Pandora flipped Nate's Fedora in his hands, before placing it firmly on the top of his head, tipping the brim down to partially cover his tear-ridden eyes.

They continued to walk, into the horizon. The mood somber, the noise-level silent, no jokes told or no music sung. For the first time in a while, it was silent, and there wasn't a single person who wanted to break that mood.