The Bridge

Hi all,

Am currently in the heated midst of NaNoWriMo so have not had time to write anything this week. Instead, here's a really short thing I wrote a little while ago, before all the crap this year really took off, but seems relevant. Interpret it as you like, unless you take it that I am a Trump supporter, a professional athlete or a tap dancer...I am none of these things.

The Bridge 

Image copyright to https://www.pexels.com/photo/grayscale-photo-of-bridge-24495/

Though very early it was bright and clear, and the Inspector sat in his booth, staring down the long stretch of bridge upon which might appear at any moment some soul wishing to pass onto government land. He, of course, would take a moment or two to question them, see what sort of a person they were and what business they might be about, and then press the button to make the barrier rise and allow them entrance to his country.
It was not long before the first figure of the day appeared, and an odd customer they were too. One moment the bridge seemed clear, the next a faint voice said,
"Please will you raise the barrier that I may pass."
The Inspector peered through the glass and couldn't see anything, but he knew when he'd heard a voice all right, and he clambered out of the hut and leaned over the barrier. It was a very small person before him, almost a child, with very delicate features and skin white as a sheet. There was something distinctly strange about the figure; indeed the Inspector found he had to keep blinking and refocusing his eyes in order to see them at all, and he didn't like it one bit.
"And what may you be about?"
"Please," The voice seemed no louder close by than it had in the booth, and the Inspector at once found the quiet, pleading tone to be highly grating. "Please allow me entrance to your land."
"That's no answer to my question. What business do you have here?"
"I have travelled far, fleeing from my brother. Please allow me sanctuary in your land!"
Oh ho, the Inspector thought, so they admit to being trouble before I've even had to ask their history.
"That's no business of mine. I can see quite clearly you've no business here. We've enough troubles of our own without you adding to them!"
He turned away, and the quavering voice, desperate now, cried,
"Do not turn me away! It will be the end of me if my brother finds me!"
That did it, the Inspector thought.
"There's plenty of places you can hide from your brother without coming into our country. Be off with you."
He didn't look back, and by the time he was back in the booth, the odd figure had gone.
Good, he thought, and settled himself in his chair for a little snooze, content in a good morning's work.

The sun blazed in the sky, and the Inspector sat, cramming a grated cheese sandwich into his mouth. He reached for another crisp, but before his sweaty hand reached the salty bag, a double bass of a voice thundered,
"HELLO IN THERE!"
Grunting, nearly choking, the Inspector hauled himself from his seat and made his way out to lean on the barrier, stopping for a couple more crisps; when he saw the figure before him, one of these fell to the ground from his open mouth.
The man must have been seven feet tall, and broad with it. Long chestnut hair and beard framed the fat face, which beamed down at the Inspector in a way that irritated him at once.
"And who may you be? And what's your business?"
"I SEEK ENTRANCE TO YOUR LAND, FRIEND."
The giant smiled his stupid smile at him as if that would make everything all right.
"And why should I let you in?"
The smile slipped slightly, and the huge brow crinkled in surprise.
"I THOUGHT MY BROTHER HAD ALREADY COME THIS WAY. HE IS MY ELDER BROTHER, AND WE FLEE FROM OUR YOUNGEST-"
Ah, the Inspector thought, this is all starting to make a bit more sense: bad enough one weirdo trying it on, a whole family of them can be damned!
"Your brother was here all right, and I told him what I'm telling you: you're not coming over here!"
"YOU TURNED HIM AWAY?" The Inspector smiled to himself to see that stupid smirk properly wiped off the big man's face.
"Exactly. We don't want any of your lot around here. Clear off."
The giant looked crestfallen and the Inspector turned and stalked away to finish his lunch. Behind him, the oaf started,
"BUT, OUR YOUNGER BROTHER-"
"Your little brother can shove off too, and I'll tell it to him as well if he comes!" The Inspector didn't bother looking back, and simply re-entered the booth. He took a glance out of the window and frowned: the big man must have moved quickly for all his bulk as the bridge was deserted.

It was night, and the Inspector, having exhausted the possibilities of the little television provided, pulled himself out of his chair, and out into the night sky for a breath of air. He leaned on the barrier, looking out at the stillness and sighed, congratulating himself on another day's good work. Then he stopped, and looked a bit closer.
There seemed to be something moving in the still night, a deeper darkness swaying and shifting. He squinted at it, then started in alarm: it was moving towards him, a velvety, flowing blackness coming quickly upon him.
"Hey, stay right there, don't try and come through!"
But it was no good, for the shadow passed through the barrier and over him and on, beyond the body that now lay on the bridge.