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Authors: D. T. Peterson
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the opposite side of the gap with one hand and held onto Michael's shirt with the other. They hung there for a moment and Michael desperately reached for Gresson as he watched debris fall into the water far below his dangling feet.
The burnt airplane hull broke free and fell through the bridge's gap, now too wide to hold it. Ben fell with it, letting out a harrowing cry. Adam had managed to grab onto the automobile carcass behind him, ignoring the searing pain of the molten hot metal, but it too began to slide toward the wide gap where road had once been. Seeing the impending fall to the river far below, Adam jumped to the side, attempting to catch anything stable in his grip. His hands met a steel bar, jutting out from the side of the broken road. He could feel the skin on his burnt hands peel as his grip slid off the bar. To Adam, it seemed like slow motion as he watched the bridge rise away from him and felt the force of gravity take full control of his falling body.
Soon following him was Sean, who had raced to help him, only to lose control after the road buckled yet again. Sean tried to grab the road in vain as he rolled over it. He screamed in terror when he fell, along with chucks of asphalt, plane debris, and cars.
Marie and Alice had managed to run back far enough to escape a fall. The crumbling road and falling bridge wire had chased them back halfway to one of the bridge's towering supports. There were enough stable wires here to hold up the road. They looked back in horror at the gap in the bridge. While it had once been only a few feet, the gap now spanned several bus lengths.
Gresson managed to pull himself and Michael up onto the road. On this side of the gap, the bridge was still unstable, but enough wires were still intact to prevent it from dropping.
Michael struggled to catch his breath as he tried to call for his son. He looked over the edge at the water below. "Adam! Adam!" he managed to yell. After a few moments, he turned to Gresson and said, "You were right. We shouldn't have used a wedge. This is my fault..."
Gresson grabbed Michael and pulled him up. "Hindsight will not save your son. Action might. Come on!"
Chapter 10
Delaware Memorial Bridge - August 6, 2072
Gresson and Michael ran on the bridge, heading toward the Delaware shore. A small crowd had gathered in the distance, trying to find out what was happening on the bridge.
"So... * gasp *... what's the plan?" Michael asked breathlessly.
"Get a boat," Gresson said as he changed course, threw his coat to the ground, and ran to the edge.
"What the hell are you doing?" Michael yelled.
"There's less debris here," Gresson said, acting as if that answered the question. He swung himself over the bridge railing and took a deep breath. Without hesitation, he leapt forward and plummeted toward the river below.
Michael ran to the side and looked over the railing. Eyes wide and still panting, he watched as Gresson splashed down below. Michael could vaguely see him when he surfaced and began to swim.
What kind of person is this guy? Michael thought, but this was quickly overcome by the thought of his possibly drowning son. He began to run.
Alice and Marie, both in a state of shock, called out for the others. They had not seen Michael and Gresson's escape to the other side and assumed they too had fallen in. Marie sat down and quivered in a fetal position. Alice began to cry as she scanned the waters below for movement, but to no avail. She looked back at her daughter.
"Marie? We need to go back to shore and find something to get us down there. We'll find them, okay?" Alice said as she put her arms around Marie.
Marie shakily nodded. "O... Okay," she said softly. Alice helped her up and they began to head back toward the New Jersey shore.
Below them in the river, Gresson swam at a maddening pace. The water was frigid and he had to swim around floating debris. Nearby he could see the airplane hull still above water, but slowly
The burnt airplane hull broke free and fell through the bridge's gap, now too wide to hold it. Ben fell with it, letting out a harrowing cry. Adam had managed to grab onto the automobile carcass behind him, ignoring the searing pain of the molten hot metal, but it too began to slide toward the wide gap where road had once been. Seeing the impending fall to the river far below, Adam jumped to the side, attempting to catch anything stable in his grip. His hands met a steel bar, jutting out from the side of the broken road. He could feel the skin on his burnt hands peel as his grip slid off the bar. To Adam, it seemed like slow motion as he watched the bridge rise away from him and felt the force of gravity take full control of his falling body.
Soon following him was Sean, who had raced to help him, only to lose control after the road buckled yet again. Sean tried to grab the road in vain as he rolled over it. He screamed in terror when he fell, along with chucks of asphalt, plane debris, and cars.
Marie and Alice had managed to run back far enough to escape a fall. The crumbling road and falling bridge wire had chased them back halfway to one of the bridge's towering supports. There were enough stable wires here to hold up the road. They looked back in horror at the gap in the bridge. While it had once been only a few feet, the gap now spanned several bus lengths.
Gresson managed to pull himself and Michael up onto the road. On this side of the gap, the bridge was still unstable, but enough wires were still intact to prevent it from dropping.
Michael struggled to catch his breath as he tried to call for his son. He looked over the edge at the water below. "Adam! Adam!" he managed to yell. After a few moments, he turned to Gresson and said, "You were right. We shouldn't have used a wedge. This is my fault..."
Gresson grabbed Michael and pulled him up. "Hindsight will not save your son. Action might. Come on!"
Chapter 10
Delaware Memorial Bridge - August 6, 2072
Gresson and Michael ran on the bridge, heading toward the Delaware shore. A small crowd had gathered in the distance, trying to find out what was happening on the bridge.
"So... * gasp *... what's the plan?" Michael asked breathlessly.
"Get a boat," Gresson said as he changed course, threw his coat to the ground, and ran to the edge.
"What the hell are you doing?" Michael yelled.
"There's less debris here," Gresson said, acting as if that answered the question. He swung himself over the bridge railing and took a deep breath. Without hesitation, he leapt forward and plummeted toward the river below.
Michael ran to the side and looked over the railing. Eyes wide and still panting, he watched as Gresson splashed down below. Michael could vaguely see him when he surfaced and began to swim.
What kind of person is this guy? Michael thought, but this was quickly overcome by the thought of his possibly drowning son. He began to run.
Alice and Marie, both in a state of shock, called out for the others. They had not seen Michael and Gresson's escape to the other side and assumed they too had fallen in. Marie sat down and quivered in a fetal position. Alice began to cry as she scanned the waters below for movement, but to no avail. She looked back at her daughter.
"Marie? We need to go back to shore and find something to get us down there. We'll find them, okay?" Alice said as she put her arms around Marie.
Marie shakily nodded. "O... Okay," she said softly. Alice helped her up and they began to head back toward the New Jersey shore.
Below them in the river, Gresson swam at a maddening pace. The water was frigid and he had to swim around floating debris. Nearby he could see the airplane hull still above water, but slowly
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