At the Rainbow Bridge

The sounds of laughter, barks, and meows carried across butterfly-filled breezes. The air always smelled sweet here – no litterbox, or wet dog smells, though there was certainly a pervasive high-end kibble aroma.

Here, at the Rainbow Bridge, pets came to wait on floating islands, linked by wide rainbow arcs in the heavens, until the day came when their humans would come to collect them or remain here. Each island brimmed with happy anticipation or joyous reunions, all save for one, which had been nicknamed the Isle of Crystal Tears by Jennifer Rehgio.

Jennifer Rehgio, an animal shelter volunteer in life, now took it upon herself to console the animals whose humans passed away, yet somehow hadn’t arrived at the Bridge. Her ethereal self traipsed in diaphanous gowns about the wild-flower strewn fields that had no ticks or other pests. Her arms were always busy throwing balls or cuddling the bereft pets. But today, she knelt near a soaring blue fall, animals gathered around her.

Trinket, the dog of her brother’s best friend, Don Anders, occupied the coveted spot upon her lap. She stroked him behind the ears as his bright eyes peered up at her. His little angel wings were folded neatly against his tawny back.

All of pets, who waited eagerly for their humans, watched her, and all of them had one thing in common; their humans had lived in Northeastern County, Pennsylvania, as had Jennifer. The place had always seemed odd, tucked in the mountains, the sky usually heavy with rain. Yet, the storm clouds only released a disappointing smattering of drizzle or glared ominously at the unfortunate citizens below. It had a history of sadness and grief; it was Coal Country, after all. The descendants of exploited coalminers still called the area home, living above those dark veins and shafts connecting them all.

There was something evil and awful in Northeastern Pennsylvania, something that prevented souls from crossing over. And Jennifer’s beloved brother and difficult father still remained in that kingdom of gloom.

The pets looked on with large eyes, awaiting a solution to the problem of their missing humans. As Jennifer had cared for so many of them in life, she continued on in death.

Instead of relaxing after a tumultuous life, Jennifer had done what she could from the Beyond, researching the Rainbow Bridge and its inhabitants. Though she could no longer interact with the realm of mortals, the afterlife was rich in magic, magic that could serve her brother well, and with luck before his hope was extinguished and he ended up right where their father, Tony Rehgio was in life – complacent and drowning his evenings in flavorless macro brews.

“I have an answer. Whatever is trapping the souls has to be supernatural. Corrupt politicians and a poor local economy don’t steal souls in the literal sense,” Jennifer said slowly. “It will take time, but it is the best chance we have. The Rainbow Bridge has tremendous power, and all of you have a little of it, too. If we harness it, we can give that power to someone who can do something.”

“Can you explain better?” Trinket asked; he’d long since declared himself the spokespup for the group. “I just want to see Don, but I don’t mind waiting a little longer if I have to.”

“Oh, you’re going to do more than wait. Now, listen close, all of you!” She giggled, waves of pink and orange hair dancing around her shoulders. There was only one solution to nameless, insidious evil that could trap souls.