• The Bridge •

Suddenly a rattlesnake appeared, crawling rapidly across the road. The horses reacted to the snake: by whinnying and jumping about. Then the snake was gone. It took a few moments to calm the horses down.

After the horses had been returned to “normal” Greer said, “That was a big God-damn rattler. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one that big before. You ever see a rattler that big before, Cameron?”

“Not any bigger,” Cameron said.

“That’s what I thought,” Greer said.

Magic Child was directing her attention to something else.

“What is it, Magic Child?” Greer said.

“We’re almost home,” she said, now breaking out into a big smile.