57

“Uh, yeah, she's right, let's get hello outta here” ,said Kent. Cobb looked at the two of them, and ignored me. “How long does it take to do psychometry on an object? And does it being where the incident occurred help with the casting?” he asked in a eager voice. Kent and Kevin started to get up and check their packs and the items they got from Cobb. “Takes about an hour regardless,” said Kevin. “All the site does for the caster is how far back you can read, detail and intensity of the information.” “Can we try it here?” said Cobb very intensely. “I have something that I need to know now that we're here, and this would be a start if we could read what happened here.”
I can tell you what happened you idiot. A dragon happened. Most of the stuff around here you'd find would be pieces of cars and trucks. Dragons breathe fire Cobb, or did you forget that. They tend to like things extra-crispy, and I have no intention of sticking around to see how well-done my tan could get when he finds us.” I said angrily. “I am leaving now, and I'll walk the bridge alone if I have to . This place is creeping me out. Why aren't you guys feeling it any.....Cobb!” I turned on him, angry. “Take the glamour off them now! You're endangering all of us with these stupid stunts!”
Cobb looked at me angrily. “I need to find out what is here!” he said. “No, you don't. WE need to get back across the bridge, now. It's going to be dark soon. I do NOT want to be over here when it gets dark.” I said, glaring back at him. “We are leaving now, and if you want to come back tomorrow, go right ahead.” I didn't wait but turned and headed for the bridge and the way back to home. I'd had enough of mysterious manipulations, damn services that screwed up lives, and mind-altering glamours. It was time to go home and call the service done.
Kent and Kevin caught me at the base of the bridge. “Nice catch on that glamour” said Kevin. “It was simple, you two had been feeling the bad vibes right up until he'd pulled the piece of glass out of the ground and you two looked at it.” I told him. After that you were acting like you wanted to stay. That made it easy to spot.” I took a breath and started up the ramp to the bridge. “What about Cobb?” asked Kent. “The guy's been an asshole, but do we really want to leave him alone there?” “At this point I don't care, he's crewed with this service one too many times and I am sick of it. I am crossing, and I' leaving his dagger there, and I am going home and taking a hot bath, drinking cocoa, and sleeping for two days.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kent replied. “I could look forward to a few days off after this little action. This has been one heck of a lot more strenuous than the police work has been.” “I think my girlfriend would like to see more of me for about a week,” Kevin laughed. “I've got some vacation built up, this seems like a good time to take it.” “Less talk, more walk,” said Kent and he started up the ramp. “Don't you mean wok, Nix?” Kevin quipped. “When you going to do that stir-fry salmon again?” Kevin adjusted his fedora to help shad his eyes as we got up on top and started across the bridge.
As we stepped out onto the bridge, we all heard pounding feet rapidly approach from behind us. We turned together and saw Cobb running hard up the ramp and waving his sword and shield. We waited to hear what he wanted but he continued to run at us and make a motion to have us come back down the ramp to him. “What do you think he wants?” Kent said to Kevin and I. “I think he wants us to go back down. Fat chance of that, eh?” Kevin said. “Yeah, but let's wait to see what he's got to say.” I said, suddenly uneasy for no reason that I could figure.
We waited and Cobb came pounding up to us. “Please, you have to come back down and look at what I've found. I think it's very important you see it” he said between gasping for air. He was looking back down the ramp towards the brittle meadow we had explored a short while ago. Either he was a tremendous actor or something he had found shook him very badly. Either way, I felt very uneasy about going back sown there.
“I think we should come back tomorrow if it's that important. Staying would have us out on that bridge after dark, and I don't want to be on it when I can't see in front of me” I said, and I think my own unease was echoed in Kent and Kevin, as Kevin had turned and was looking out over the strait back towards home. This place clearly had affected all of us in one way or another, and now Cobb was trying to get us to go back, and look at something for what reason?