Their eyes were screwed tight shut and beads of sweat popped from their
foreheads. Their arms were shaking, but neither of the girls would let go.
"Say uncle, lil' genius!" Kaylee wheezed.
"Won't!" snapped River.
The two girls were hanging from the catwalk in another of their competitions.
"You know I'm stronger'n you, and I won't drop first." Kaylee snarled thought clenched teeth.
"Beat you at jacks." River's usually pale face was bright red.
"That's kids play . . . this is strength."
"You think I can only win at children's games. There are many different kinds of games."
"Well, I'm gonna win this one." Kaylee grunted and kicked as her hands started to slip.
"Everyone plays games on Serenity." River knotted her eyebrows and clenched her jaw. "They pretend they don't feel what they do, and play pretend that others don't know."
"You implying somethin'?"
"You don't play games . . . everyone always knows what you're thinking."
"Wish I knew what everyone else was thinkin'."
"No you don't" River tightened her arm muscles and held her breath.
"You two get down from there right now!!!!" Mal stormed onto the catwalk and yelled down at the struggling girls.
The sudden outburst started Kaylee and River. With a yelp from River and a screech from Kaylee they slipped to the floor bellow in a pile of limbs.
Mal leaned over the rail and hollered down at them, "You two need to quit this competin', dong ma? You're libel to get one of you killed. If I catch you hanging from there again, I'll . . . ." He struggled for an appropriate threat then threw his hands in the air. "Just stay down!" Mal stormed off mumbling something about girls and broken necks.
Kaylee dissolved into giggles, "Yes sir, Captain Tightpants!" she yelled after him.
"That was a game too." said River matter-of-factly. "He won't do anything to us. . . I'll win tomorrow."
"Say uncle, lil' genius!" Kaylee wheezed.
"Won't!" snapped River.
The two girls were hanging from the catwalk in another of their competitions.
"You know I'm stronger'n you, and I won't drop first." Kaylee snarled thought clenched teeth.
"Beat you at jacks." River's usually pale face was bright red.
"That's kids play . . . this is strength."
"You think I can only win at children's games. There are many different kinds of games."
"Well, I'm gonna win this one." Kaylee grunted and kicked as her hands started to slip.
"Everyone plays games on Serenity." River knotted her eyebrows and clenched her jaw. "They pretend they don't feel what they do, and play pretend that others don't know."
"You implying somethin'?"
"You don't play games . . . everyone always knows what you're thinking."
"Wish I knew what everyone else was thinkin'."
"No you don't" River tightened her arm muscles and held her breath.
"You two get down from there right now!!!!" Mal stormed onto the catwalk and yelled down at the struggling girls.
The sudden outburst started Kaylee and River. With a yelp from River and a screech from Kaylee they slipped to the floor bellow in a pile of limbs.
Mal leaned over the rail and hollered down at them, "You two need to quit this competin', dong ma? You're libel to get one of you killed. If I catch you hanging from there again, I'll . . . ." He struggled for an appropriate threat then threw his hands in the air. "Just stay down!" Mal stormed off mumbling something about girls and broken necks.
Kaylee dissolved into giggles, "Yes sir, Captain Tightpants!" she yelled after him.
"That was a game too." said River matter-of-factly. "He won't do anything to us. . . I'll win tomorrow."
