Bridge 2

Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray,
damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined.

All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had
never experienced a day like this before.

But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew
exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway
leading to The Bridge to watch.

It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung
low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been
there for while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.

He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with
no sign of injury or illness.

Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal
had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again.
As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other
animals watching him.

He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross
over, the happier he would be.

But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barred by the
appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would
not be able to pass.
Only those animals who were with their people could pass over
Rainbow Bridge.

With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards
the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like
himself, also elderly and infirm.

They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green grass,
forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge.

And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and
waiting.

One of the newset arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he
had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for
a while to explain it to him.

"You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue
just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to,
he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."

The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked,
"So what will happen now?"
As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly
parted and the gloom lifted.

Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single person and among the
older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.

"Watch, and see.", said the second animal. A second group of
animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared.
At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a
scratch behind the ears.

The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards
The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.

"What happened?"
"That was a rescuer.
The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new
homes because of his work.
They will cross when their new families arrive.

Those you saw restored were those who never found homes.
When a rescuer arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act
of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they
couldn't place on earth, across
The Rainbow Bridge.