“This is Sally Pine reporting live for WAG News. I’m here with the driver of the car that’s been dangling over the edge of Wackmore Bridge for nearly six hours.”
Danny turned his head towards the driver’s side window so that his Omni-Cuff camera could record what he saw. The driver, a college-age male with a baseball cap and Van Dyke mustache, waved. Danny returned his view to Sally.
“Mr. Brinks,” said Sally.
“Call me ‘John.’ Mister is my father.”
“John, you’ve been hanging here for almost six hours…”
“Five hours, forty-nine minutes, and sixteen seconds, but who’s counting.”
“…what has been going through your mind?” Sally finished.
“Hmm…” John tapped his chin a couple times. “Not much. It’s kind of boring actually.”
Sally wanted to make sure she was hearing things correctly. “Boring?”
“Sure, the first hour or two, I was terrified, but after some time the adrenaline wears off. Afterwards, I read some books, watched a movie, and beat some Russian at Chess: Battle Royale.”
Danny switched the view back to Sally so she could ask her next question. “Any idea why it has taken rescue workers so long?
John yawned then shook his head like he was fighting off sleep. “Probably has something to do with the lava.”
The video zoomed in on Sally; she raised an eyebrow. “Lava?”
John pointed over the bridge–the best he could without causing the car to rock more. Sally and Danny peeked over the edge. Orange-red lava bubbled and popped below.
Danny kept his eyes on the lava so his camera could continue recording the street full of lava. “What do you know?” he said. “There is lava.”
“But why is there lava?” asked Sally.
John leaned back in his seat and turned his eyes to the sky. “The police said a semi carrying lava for Vulcan Labs overturned.”
“Why would someone be shipping lava?” asked Sally.
Danny didn’t break eye contact with the driver but did answer Sally. “I think Vulcan Labs is owned by Hephaestus.”
“Oh,” said Sally feeling foolish for not knowing. “Never mind then.”
Hephaestus, the Olympian smithing god, was used to working inside a volcano. Made sense he’d want some lava in order to feel at home.
Sally was about to ask another question, but the sounds of the crowd breaking into cheers interrupted her. Danny and Sally turned towards the sound. The Dogcar, a white and purple vehicle that looks like a dog in car form, rolled to a stop. The gull-wing doors opened; I stepped out. The crowd cheered with whoops and wows followed by chants of “Dogboy! Dogboy!”
I approached Sally and Danny. The claws on my feet, which stick out from my black boots, clicked on the bridge’s concreate.
“What kept you?” asked Sally.
“I had to stop Blackfeather from stealing mail,” I said.
“Why on Earth would he steal mail?” asked Sally.
“He didn’t want to pay for the Cheese of the Month Club.”
Danny chose a groan from his Omni-Cuff digital sound board.
I walked over to the car’s bumper.
“What’s up, dawg?” said the driver.
I knelt to pick up the car.
“Remember to lift with your legs,” said Danny.
I grabbed the bumper and let the telekinetic energy flow into the car. Golden lightning traveled down my arms and into the vehicle. The lightning was barely visible as it surrounded the car. I lifted the vehicle. It wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t light either. It was like lifting a bed mattress.
The phantasmic/psychic energy kept the car from falling apart under its own weight or from gravity.
I sat the car down. The cheering and applauding of the crowd drowned out the creaking and groaning of the car as the telekinetic energy faded from it and “normal” physics took hold.
“Thanks, Dogboy,” said the driver as medical workers assisted him.
“Yes, good job, Dogboy,” said Sally trying to stay professional but also wanting to cheer. “Now, what are you going to do about the lava?”
I glanced towards the edge of the bridge. “Does anyone have an ice pack?”
Copyright Joe Rover 2021. All rights reserved.
Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading!
Joe Rover 