Five Seconds

People Are Crazy

Andy

The world was blanketed by an eery blanket of smoke. The silence was deafening. My truck took us towards the Port Mann. We crawled forward at a heavy pace, sometimes driving on the wrong side to surpass potholes and ridges. I kept my eyes on those two towers, willing there to be a bridge. We climbed onto the entrance that remained intact.

Parker and I held our breath.

I dared not drive fast, for I was scared that the displacement of any molecule, no matter how tiny, would send us to the frigid depths below.

And then a van appeared out of the smog, and I slammed the breaks to keep from crashing. It was a roadblock. A man stood with his arms crossed, a threatening expression held his face tight.

"What is he doing?" I asked Parker, annoyance on my tongue.

I turned the truck off and climbed out. Parker did the same.

"What gives?" I yelled.

"Can't cross," the man replied. "Not safe."

"Look, I know it's not safe, but I have to cross."

"Nope. The rules are in place." His voice was gruff. "Holes my lady. Holes that'll swallow your old truck up like a mint."

"Well, I'll avoid them. I'm not stupid."

"I'm sorry, I haven't gotten it through your stupid uneducated brain yet. I can't let you cross."

"You can't make me do anything." Anger raced through my veins. "Get out of the way." I stormed up to him.

"I can't. You getting on that bridge creates danger for many people. You fall in the river, then someone has to go and get you. That's another life at risk. Someone has to make sure that guy doesn't drown finding you. Another life at risk. I'm not letting you cross."

"Then how am I supposed to get to where I'm going. You can't herd us all here like pigs."

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Try another bridge. Perhaps, wherever you're trying to go is not a very good idea."

"Better than being stuck at a bridge away from my family day and night," I spat, forcing every ounce of venom into those words.

His eyes grew, and a vein bulged on his forehead. He lunged to attack me, but Parker got in the way, yanking me back before the man could get a grubby finger on me.

"This is not the time to be doing this!" Parker yelled. "There are worse things going on right now than a stupid bridge. Andy, stop being an idiot. We'll find some place else to cross. Maybe we can go cross country. I don't know. And you," he pointed at the man, "try a sign, and help the people who really matter to you."

"Oh, I've helped the people who matter to me." A slimy smile grew on his face. "I got them on the first flight out of here."

"You mean YVR didn't drown in the tsunami?" I asked, my breath catching in my throat.

"No, it did. The runway's a marsh. It'll still be hours before they can clear the runway of all that junk and get a plane out of here. Water planes must be making the big bucks."

"You got your family on a water plane?"

"I know a guy."

"This damn world is all about knowing a guy," I muttered. "Do you know the conditions of any other airports?"

"There are other airports in BC?"

"You swine," I growled.

His eyes gazed at my truck. An eyebrow raised. "Perhaps you give me all of your food. If you want to cross, I know a guy. With a boat."