the land beneath it."
"So what?"
"If that happens it'll block the channel."
I was furious. "Then we'll figure something else out. Don't you dare take us under that fucking bridge, Billy."
"We'll make it."
Becken Bridge loomed ahead as the roar of another jet came from above. I braced for an explosion, but the plane passed without incident. I pulled at Billy's arm to make him face me, but he stayed rigid, determined to move ahead.
"You're risking our lives." I started to look for something to hit him with.
"I'm trying to save us," said Billy. He flailed his right arm back at me without looking. "What do you think is going to happen if we stay out here? How long do you think it'll take for those cops to come looking for us again? We're sitting ducks out here, Laura. Now get the fuck off me and settle down."
We were almost to the bridge now, and turning around would've taken just as long as simply passing under. As much as I hated the plan, there was no going back.
That's when I saw things falling from the bridge.
"What is that?" I asked.
"What?"
I pointed at the dark forms that fell into the water from the side of the 150-foot bridge. Billy used a handle on the roof to aim the spotlight to see what had fallen.
"Are those people?" he asked.
They were, hundreds of them.
"Oh my God." I froze as we watched the horrific scene unfold. "Kim, don't look." She stood up to see what was happening despite me. "I said don't look. Go over there and lay down. Look at the floor. Now, honey."
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Nevermind. We're just going under a bridge. Now lay down."
A tremor ran through me and my stomach tightened as the horror of what we saw took hold. It was impossible to tell what happened on the bridge, but people, hundreds of them, decided jumping into the water was the best option. Some fell alone, and others held hands as they went. Their coats flapped over their heads as the wind ripped their shoes off. The Casper's rumbling motor spared us the sound of their bodies hitting the water, but it couldn't drown out their screams as they plummeted.
The cacophony of terrified people grew louder as we approached. My hands gripped Billy's arm as if our fight had been frozen in time, but the sight ahead made me loosen my hold. I slid my hand down as we watched the poor souls above fall to their death.
"Get down," said Billy.
"Why?"
"We're going under. One of them might land on us. Get down and cover the girls."
He was right and my heart jumped into my throat at the thought of my babies being crushed by a suicidal jumper. I spread myself over them and they reached out to hug me. We were deathly silent as we waited for the sound of something crushing us.
The splashing thuds grew loud enough to hear over the boat's engine. One after another, in sporadic bursts of horrifying impact, the bodies collided with the water ahead. Kim's grip on my side tightened each time another body hit.
Annie didn't understand why I was on top of her and she started to squirm to get away. "No, no," I said. "Stay there, Annie. How about we sing a song. Okay? Let's sing Itsy Bitsy Spider."
"Okay," said Annie as she quit struggling and nestled back in beneath me.
I sang and Annie merrily joined in.
"The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout."
Another body hit the water near us. It was hard to tell where the sound came from, but I glanced up and saw that we were about to pass under the closest side of the bridge.
"Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and…"
Another pound thundered beside us. Billy ducked down and put his arm over his head as The Casper passed under the bridge and came upon the other side.
"…dried up all the rain."
A series of thuds exploded beside us and we all screamed out in terror, except for Annie, who continued to sing alone.
"And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again."
The sounds of screaming death began to fade and Billy stood up to steer the boat. We'd made
"So what?"
"If that happens it'll block the channel."
I was furious. "Then we'll figure something else out. Don't you dare take us under that fucking bridge, Billy."
"We'll make it."
Becken Bridge loomed ahead as the roar of another jet came from above. I braced for an explosion, but the plane passed without incident. I pulled at Billy's arm to make him face me, but he stayed rigid, determined to move ahead.
"You're risking our lives." I started to look for something to hit him with.
"I'm trying to save us," said Billy. He flailed his right arm back at me without looking. "What do you think is going to happen if we stay out here? How long do you think it'll take for those cops to come looking for us again? We're sitting ducks out here, Laura. Now get the fuck off me and settle down."
We were almost to the bridge now, and turning around would've taken just as long as simply passing under. As much as I hated the plan, there was no going back.
That's when I saw things falling from the bridge.
"What is that?" I asked.
"What?"
I pointed at the dark forms that fell into the water from the side of the 150-foot bridge. Billy used a handle on the roof to aim the spotlight to see what had fallen.
"Are those people?" he asked.
They were, hundreds of them.
"Oh my God." I froze as we watched the horrific scene unfold. "Kim, don't look." She stood up to see what was happening despite me. "I said don't look. Go over there and lay down. Look at the floor. Now, honey."
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Nevermind. We're just going under a bridge. Now lay down."
A tremor ran through me and my stomach tightened as the horror of what we saw took hold. It was impossible to tell what happened on the bridge, but people, hundreds of them, decided jumping into the water was the best option. Some fell alone, and others held hands as they went. Their coats flapped over their heads as the wind ripped their shoes off. The Casper's rumbling motor spared us the sound of their bodies hitting the water, but it couldn't drown out their screams as they plummeted.
The cacophony of terrified people grew louder as we approached. My hands gripped Billy's arm as if our fight had been frozen in time, but the sight ahead made me loosen my hold. I slid my hand down as we watched the poor souls above fall to their death.
"Get down," said Billy.
"Why?"
"We're going under. One of them might land on us. Get down and cover the girls."
He was right and my heart jumped into my throat at the thought of my babies being crushed by a suicidal jumper. I spread myself over them and they reached out to hug me. We were deathly silent as we waited for the sound of something crushing us.
The splashing thuds grew loud enough to hear over the boat's engine. One after another, in sporadic bursts of horrifying impact, the bodies collided with the water ahead. Kim's grip on my side tightened each time another body hit.
Annie didn't understand why I was on top of her and she started to squirm to get away. "No, no," I said. "Stay there, Annie. How about we sing a song. Okay? Let's sing Itsy Bitsy Spider."
"Okay," said Annie as she quit struggling and nestled back in beneath me.
I sang and Annie merrily joined in.
"The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout."
Another body hit the water near us. It was hard to tell where the sound came from, but I glanced up and saw that we were about to pass under the closest side of the bridge.
"Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and…"
Another pound thundered beside us. Billy ducked down and put his arm over his head as The Casper passed under the bridge and came upon the other side.
"…dried up all the rain."
A series of thuds exploded beside us and we all screamed out in terror, except for Annie, who continued to sing alone.
"And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again."
The sounds of screaming death began to fade and Billy stood up to steer the boat. We'd made
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