''Edward!'' I called.

No answer. Where was my brother? I gritted my teeth. Why, today of all days, did he have to wander off? It was supposed to rain tonight. Mom and Dad wouldn't be happy.

''Kymberly!'' my mom yelled from our trailer's porch.

''Yes?'' I yelled back.

''Where is your brother?''

''I don't know!'' I said slightly annoyed.

''Kymberly find him. Please.'' I could hear the slight bit of worry crawling into her voice. We live in a floodplain area. It rains. The creek can rush and roar and we could drown. Everyone says that doesn't happen anymore, but it could. If it flooded bad enough, who knows what damage it could cause. I nodded to my mom and went off towards the creek. Edward was probably just looking for crayfish or something. We could all get back home and be safe before the storm came. I picked my way through the brambly bushes and the thorny trees. I could take the path but that would take to long. I brushed my hair out of my eyes and looked at the creek bank. No sign of Edward. Where was he? I started to worry. He never went far...

I started to make my way down the edge of the stream. I walked and walked. It wasn't far, but it seemed to be miles and miles. I rounded a bend and saw... something amazing. A bridge, but not just any bridge. A bridge with fancy carved animals. Here it was. The animal bridge. I didn't know it was still there... it was supposedly broken and another bridge was built- sturdier, they said. I walked to the bridge. I don't know why I did. It was like I was being led to it. I put my foot on the bridge, ready to cross it. I had forgotten my brother by then, my only wish to cross the bridge. I felt a warning whisper in my brain. I moved forward, just more carefully. My foot went through the bridge. I yelped in shock. The bridge? I backed up. The rest of the bridge disappeared. ''What....?'' I gasped. A mystery... I loved mysteries. But how was I supposed to solve it? Why would a bridge seem to be...here. But then go away again? I admit my brain forgot everything but the matter of the bridge. That was a bad decision. Thunder rolled across the sky and I looked up. The storm, Was approaching. Edward! I knew I had to find him. The bridge would have to wait. Perhaps Edward had crossed the other bridge? I walked down the stream and looked. There was a metal bridge, rusty but sturdy-looking enough. I walked across it, ignoring the ominous creaking sound. I ran into the woods that were beckoning me. It started to drip. I ran faster. Another bad decision. I tripped. Surely Edward didn't come this far? I got up slowly. I felt sick. It was going to rain. I could get stuck here. The lands were lower here. No one lived this near the creek. Even though they called it a creek, it seemed that it needed a more ominous sounding name than just the ''creek.'' ''Edward!'' I called. No answer. I walked slowly into the forest, my ankle hurting slightly. I hoped Edward was just... joking. The rain picked up. I had to turn back. Mother would be worried. Hopefully Edward was home already. It seemed to take a lot longer to get to the bridge than it did the first time. Was I imagining it, or had the path changed? The rain poured down. The worst kind of weather to be out in...

I gasped. Last time it had rained this hard... the flood happened. The bridge broke... and someone died. A little girl named Kiley had been out here at the wrong time, and the bridge had collapsed with her on it. It was dreadful, according to the people who lived in the town then. I shook my head. Why was I worrying about that? The last flood happened 30 years ago! I reached the bridge and stepped onto it. The wind roared and I saw lightning. Oh no! I heard a voice scream, ''Kimmy!'' I looked around. Edward? ''EDWARD!'' I shouted. He was at the edge of the creek. My side. I reached out to him from the bridge, but then,

the lightning surprised me. I'd almost had his hand. The forest seemed to grin leering at me. It wasn't the nice kind of smile, it was the dangerous kind... it seemed like the forest had a surprise for me... and it did. Then I saw it- my brother's terror. There was a tidal wave coming from the creek. The creek was a monster... I tried again. My hand slipped. One last time... I yanked him onto the bridge. ''Edward! Run!'' I screamed. I slipped trying to follow him. I fell into the water. The wave crashed into the bridge, swallowing it. The bridge was underwater. Edward had barely made it to the end of the bridge when it collapsed. I tried to swim to him, but I wasn't a strong swimmer. Somehow though, I reached him and threw him onto the bank. The last thing I said to him was, ''Edward! Save yourself! Go get... help''

Then I slipped underwater. I must have been shoved down the river with the force of the water pushing itself down the narrow creek path. I dragged myself into the muddy sides of the creek,but I was too weak to drag myself over. I was at the animal bridge again and it was... whole? How was this happening? I thought I was delirious. I mean I was in a life or death situation. I blinked. I couldn't be dreaming could I? There was a girl on the bridge. It looked almost like the old pictures of Kiley... A ghost? I screamed. The girl smiled and shook her head. Something hit me. A piece of metal from the bridge. I sank underneath the water. It was too late, of course, for me. I died in that storm. Kiley and I are great friends now. A piece of that metal bridge remains, you know. We visit each others bridges sometimes. It is great fun. These town people built another bridge soon after the flood. It seems stronger than the ones before it. Time will tell... It has been 30 years since that day. A storm is coming. A little girl is off to find her dog. I wonder what will happen...