Tia chimed in, her tone sharp and insistent. "Yeah Zach. If that guy's throwing silver coins around like spare change, imagine what he's got stashed at home. We could find his house, raid it, and be done with it!"
Her eyes gleamed with the thrill of the idea.
Zach shook his head firmly, his voice low but resolute. "No. We're not crossing the bridge. We don't step into Valthar."
Tia scoffed, a mocking edge creeping into her voice.
"What's the matter, Zach? Afraid of the Sentinels like everyone else? Afraid to even try crossing?" Her words carried a challenge, daring him to react.
Zach turned to her, his gaze hard as steel, anger flashing in his eyes.
Danny clenched his fists, the mention of Sentinels stirring painful memories of his mother.
For a moment, silence fell over the group, broken only by the distant rustling of the forest.
Zach's sharp eyes lingered on his younger brother for a moment before he exhaled a slow, steadying breath.
Without another word, he turned toward the bridge and gestured at Tia and Matilda. "You two. Get over there."
Tia's eyes lit up with determination, and Matilda followed without hesitation.
They slid down to the underside of the bridge, gripping the cold steel beams with practiced ease.
Hanging by their arms, they began inching forward, their movements calculated and steady despite the river's roar below.
They paused only to glance back at Zach, waiting for his signal.
Zach gave a firm nod in response.
Without hesitation, the two girls continued.
Danny, still rooted in place, watched with wide eyes, his breath catching in his throat.
His body trembled as if his very soul resisted the idea of stepping closer to the ominous bridge.
Zach turned back to him, his expression softening as he crouched to meet his brother's gaze.
"Danny," he said, his voice quieter now but no less firm, "why aren't you moving?"
Danny looked up, his eyes glossy with a mix of fear and shame.
His limbs felt like lead as he forced himself forward, each step heavier than the last.
Zach's features softened for a brief moment.
When Danny reached the edge of the bridge, his legs buckled slightly, but Zach was there in an instant.
With steady hands, he grabbed Danny by the arms and helped him up, his grip firm but reassuring. "You've got this," Zach said, his voice full of gentleness.
The wind howled around them, the river's roar echoing beneath, but Zach's steady presence was like a lifeline to Danny.
Danny glanced down at the raging Hudson River beneath the bridge, its surface shimmering with an eerie glow that spoke of its radioactive, deadly nature. His breath hitched, fear clawing at his chest as his grip tightened on the cold metal beams.
Zach, climbing just behind him, caught sight of his brother's trembling figure.
"Danny," Zach called out, his voice steady despite the growing urgency. "I'm here. As long as I'm with you, nothing will happen. Trust me!"
Danny looked back at him, the reassurance bringing a flicker of a smile to his face.
Zach nodded, his own expression calm yet firm, and motioned for Danny to keep moving forward.
Taking a deep breath, Danny pressed onward, humming a soft tune to distract himself from the overwhelming fear.
Zach, climbing just behind him, joined in the melody, their shared song weaving a fragile thread of comfort in the chaos of their precarious climb.
Encouraged by the sound, Danny glanced back at Zach, who gave him a confident nod and motioned for him to keep moving.
Danny nodded and turned forward again—but his gaze inadvertently dropped toward the river.
The sight of the toxic waters churning below sent a jolt of terror through him. His hands began to sweat, his grip faltering as the fear gripped him tightly.
The Hudson River was no ordinary stream; it was a death stream, teeming with mutated creatures that thrived on its radiation.
No human could survive its touch, let alone its depths.
The knowledge only magnified Danny's dread.
Panic seized Danny. His hands, slick with sweat, trembled uncontrollably.
"Oh, no," Zach muttered under his breath, sensing the change in his brother's frozen posture.
Without hesitation, Zach surged forward, closing the gap with swift, practiced movements.
"Danny!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the wind, but Danny seemed deaf to his call, overwhelmed by his fear.
"Help me!" Danny's voice cracked as his grip faltered. Time seemed to slow as his fingers slipped, and he began to fall.