Chapter Thirteen

Irony At Its Worst

Once in the car Ava’s mom barely spoke. Clearly, the old man had shaken her.

About an hour into the ride, Ava broke her silence and asked, “Did you know him, Mommy? Or did he fib?”

Her mom shook her head no.

“But he said he knew you.”

“He is an old man in need of help. They have him in the right place. The hospital is a good start. He’ll get the treatment he deserves.”

“He could have been a real god. He could have had a ride on one of the falling stars last night. What if he really is God and people ignore him? Or don’t believe him? The pastor at church says God will come back some day. What if no one believes him and we miss our miracle?”

“Impossible, kiddo. You give hope too much of a wide berth.”

“You told me hope is the only thing we have left. Hope is fearless.”

“Little girl, you are fearless. When did you get so smart?”

Very matter-of-factly with a little bob of her head, Ava avowed, “Kindergarten was pretty tough.”

Her mother smiled into the rearview mirror, and then continued to drive, peculiarly quiet. Usually, her mom had heavy metal tunes blaring for the long ride and singing along with them. Ava thought right now she was driven more by fear. Her long slender fingers had a better grip on the steering wheel than daddy did his remote to the television. Maybe she didn’t have the music going because Ayden fell asleep.

“How much longer we got?”

“A few hours, baby. Close those giant emeralds and relax.”

With her pillow propped up against the window she looked outside and between the engine’s lull and the scenery as it wisped past, Ava’s nerves calmed. For the ride home her mom decided to take the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway route to break up the monotony. Hand’s down she loved this countryside. This area held one of her favorite spots, Bridal Veil Falls. On sunny days like this she could see mountain goats on rocky jut-outs of the side of the mountain defying the laws of gravity. In the summer rock climbers could be spotted all over the surface, but in the springtime with all the rain the falls looked like a wedding veil.

As they passed Belle Fourche, Ava’s mom whispered to her, “You are now in the center of the United States, Ava. You are halfway to wherever you want to go.”

“Home?” Ava perked up.

“Not quite,” Greer chuckled.

Her shoulders slouched, she cozied into her spot and snuggled the blankets around her and Ayden. Buffalo grazed the countryside in small herds. The bison stumped her. Ava couldn’t figure out why the humongous animals didn’t tip over, they were so top-heavy, a lot like her eyelids, but she fought sleep. Teepees along the rode let her know they were approaching a few casinos and tourist spots. As her mom had mentioned on other trips this area had horseback riding, chasing tumble weeds races, and some of the ‘mighty-finest cowboys’ to be seen. She also told her the night skyline of the Badlands could lead her to a path in other galaxies. She alleged, ‘It was the stairway to heaven.’ Maybe someday Ava would see it for herself.

A little further into the ride an occasional prairie dog popped their head out of a ground hole and then disappear and then another one would appear a foot or two over. Hawks and turkey vultures never seemed to be too far off.

With Ayden up against her, his head flopped on her shoulder out cold she went back and thought of the delusional old fart. Could the old man really be Zeus? The hospital had him locked in a cell. Her reasoning kicked in and she decided her mom was right. Zeus would have super-duper powers and would have escaped. There! Problem solved. He was a nutter. Solving all the world’s problems for the day her tired eyes finally closed…

Until the car’s forward momentum came to a screeching halt. Both Ayden and she were lifted from the seat, projected forward and then snapped back to their seats with the same tenacity a slingshot fired a rock into the atmosphere and then decided to snatch it back.

“The brakes on the vehicle aren’t working,” Greer yelled, as the car began a sideways spin. Ava grabbed Ayden and hugged him for all she was worth. Trying to regain control of the car, her mom’s hands were crisscrossing left, then right then left again on the steering wheel.

“What the heck is that lady doing in the middle of the bridge?” A mere second passed. “Why is she wearing a crown and wings? Hold on!” Greer screamed, “We’re going over.”

“Over what,” Ava yelled back and then she saw it. And wished she hadn’t.

The bridge crossing the Cheyenne River.

The entire driver’s side of the car careened into the water first. Ayden’s head slammed into hers then hers met the window with a nauseating force. Glass cracked and in an instant the outside pressure of the river shattered the window sending shards inward. Water flooded the car. Every time she went to yell water rushed into her mouth or up her nose or blindsided her. She saw stars and if anyone ever tried to tell her they weren’t real she had a bona fide bone to pick with them. “Mommy!” The name flowed from Ava’s little body better than water pouring into the car. She took in her brother’s petrified faced and she was certain hers didn’t look any better. Even the frigid temperature of the water couldn’t numb her. “Don’t cry, Ayden. I got you. It’ll be okay. Keep your head up so the water doesn’t get up your nose. Mommy! Get us out!” Ava fumbled, her fingers shaking so badly she didn’t think she’d ever get Ayden’s seatbelt undone, let alone hers.

“Aves,” Ayden screamed, “let go. I got this, Sissy,” as he got them out of their seats.

****

“What happened?” Christian pleaded, begged, demanded repeatedly to anyone, the police, the search and rescue divers, anyone with a pulse, people on the opposite shore watching in horror, but no one answered him while his frantic legs paced him up and down the long expanse of the bridge. Cars crawled by the accident at a snail’s pace.

Ava saw everyone. There wasn’t a face she couldn’t recall that ogled, stared, pointed, or turned away refusing to meet her destitute eyes. Sat on the edge of the ambulance’s bumper with a blanket wrapped around her soaked body, she shook, completely numb. Not because she was cold but because she couldn’t grasp the events that led to this.

“Mommy said a lady landed in the road. Said she swooped down with giant black wings wearing a gold crown. Mommy swerved to miss her and then yelled the brakes didn’t work.”

Without ever taking his eyes off the river, Christian answered, “Your mother’s traumatized.”

Ava tapped her father’s arm. “Daddy, where’s Ayden? Before you and the police got here, Mommy said the lady hissed at her and stole him.”

Arms locked tight across his chest, Christian snapped his attention to Ava. “Did you see a woman? A woman with black wings wearing a freaking crown fly off with Ayden?”

“No. I was trying to get Mommy out of the car. Where’s Ayden?” Ava raised her voice this time while tears welled in her eyes.

Her father sat down on the edge of the bumper beside her and threw his arm around her shoulder and hugged her to him.

Ava wiggled free of her father’s embrace. Louder she asked, “Daddy, where’s Ayden?”

He bent over, brought his hands up and raked his fingers through his hair. “The police, divers, and water patrol, they’re all searching for him. They think he was swept away with the current.”

Ava slid off the back of the ambulance and ditched the blanket. She raced to the embankment, her eyes weary from both crying and the strain to find her brother in the dark murky water. She turned her head back to her father, her soaked strawberry blonde locks whipping in the wind coming up from the river. “Daddy, I had him in my arms. And then he hollered, ‘Let go.’ But I didn’t. I swear I didn’t.” With an impatient hand she swiped her hair behind her ear only to have it escape a second later.

“I believe you, Aves.” Christian looked at the mangled mess of a car being secured to the tow truck. “It is a miracle you lived.” Water drained out of every possible inch of the wreckage. “How did you get out, Ava?”

Ava shook her head. “I don’t know.”

“Ayden didn’t just vanish in thin air, Aves. It’s impossible. Maybe someone took him from the road. A lady with a funny hat and a black cloak that looked like wings? A car? Someone’s got my son.” Christian grabbed one of the cops headed his way by the man’s jacket lapels. With pure desperation and fear conveyed in his voice he begged, “Please, he’s not in the water. Maybe someone brought him to the hospital? Did anyone check?”

“He hasn’t been admitted. We’ve checked,” the cop answered.

Christian shouted, “Then he’s been abducted. Look for cameras, footage.” His hand shot out and he pointed under the bridge. Two cameras were visible along the main cables of the bridge’s structure. Then he shot his finger up to the center tower that also held a camera and spotlight. From where he stood now, two more cameras were visible on the deck of the bridge, both aimed towards the water to monitor boats. “The bridge has to have this now after 9-11, doesn’t it?”

The officer gently placed his hands on top of Christian’s and pried them from him. “We pulled the footage off the cameras, Mr. Gabriel. Blank! Like it had been erased. Not even the car going over is on it. The guard rails are severed in half, the car is demolished and it’s a miracle you have your wife and daughter and I swear to you Mr. Gabriel, we will find your boy. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I’ll find your son.”

“What about the other missing boys from our hometown? Jimmy Fields and Brady Wells? They’ve been missing a year now with no trace. You gonna promise to find them too? Their dads are waiting too. Useless words.” Christian turned away from Ava and the officer. Heavy sobs cut through the chatter of radios, the loud voices of the divers, and the blare of the horns as cars continued past. The cop put his arm around Christian’s shoulder and suggested, “Go be with your wife at the hospital. She needs you.” Christian gave a solemn nod, but stood there shivering, staring into a void.

Tears cascaded down Ava’s cheeks. “Daddy, I want Ayden back. He’s gotta be so scared.” With his arm stretched out Christian wiggled his fingers to Ava. She came running and grabbed his hand. Once in his grip he wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her. With a gentle tug he swung her into his arms and onto his hip then made his way back to one of the police cruisers.

“Have you heard word on my wife? How is she?” Christian asked the officer, his tone a bit softer.

The officer answered, “The ambulance shipped her to the same hospital you all spent the morning at.”

Irony at its worst her father had proclaimed. Ava agreed to look up the word irony when she got home.

Her first day being six, Ava decided getting older had no redeeming qualities.

One cop told them, “We’ll resume the search in the morning. There’s nothing you can do here. Mrs. Gabriel will need you both.”

“My son needs me. I’m not leaving. Can one of you take my daughter to the hospital to be with my wife?”

Ava grabbed her father’s face and yelled, “No, Daddy, don’t leave me.”

Christian set Ava down and knelt to her height. “Ava, you’re my big girl. You’ll be fine. I need you to take care of Mommy for us. Can you do that until I find Ayden? Please?” Christian crushed Ava to him. With a gentle kiss on her cheek, he released her and began to walk away. “I love you, baby. Forever.”

“I got her,” The officer who earlier had told Christian he’d find Ayden offered. “I’ll make certain she’s safe.”

Both hands on the backseat window Ava pressed her face hard against the glass, watching petrified as her world unraveled. With each passing second her father got smaller and smaller until she no longer saw him.