Chapter 6: Another Factor
Sam felt the breath on her neck and turned around in terror to face the person screaming. She stared for a few seconds, eyes wide, before scurrying back away from the sight that met her eyes.
It was a man, probably about Jonas's age, if not younger and he was illuminated by a pale green light that lit up the darkness. He had coal black hair that was chopped close to his head and his eyes, although blank and lifeless were the color of aqua blue that off-set his entire face. He was screaming in what Sam drew to be panic and fright and it sent chills creeping up her spine.
Major Carter stayed where she was on the ice, paralyzed in fright and watched the man in front of her. She didn't know what to do, nothing seemed to be wrong with him, at least nothing that would call for this much of a reaction. Alright, so the guy looked like death warmed over, no questions about it, but still.
Sam scolded herself for thinking about anything pertaining to death in her current predicament and kept her blue eyes on the yelling man. Realizing she couldn't just stand by and do nothing she decided to speak, or try to. Her throat felt constricted and parched and she knew that when she spoke, it would come out as little more than a silent whisper.
"What's wrong?" She croaked. Sure enough, her words were nothing but a whisper.
"Somebody, help me!" He yelled.
"I'm right here! What can I do?"
"Help me!"
"I can't do that if I don't know what's wrong!" Sam yelled above the man's shouts. Her voice was almost back to normal and she was thankful for that.
"Get me out of here!"
"Get you out of where?"
"It's cold, so cold!"
Sam was confused. Of course it was cold, the wind was blowing with the force of a hurricane. It was bound to be cold. However, she felt as though there was a deeper meaning to the man's desperate pleas, she just couldn't put her finger on it.
She heard a cracking sound and realized that it was the ice giving way, if she didn't get off of it, she'd fall through, and this man would be coming with her, she had to get them out of there.
"C'mon, we've got to get off the ice, it's breaking!" She exclaimed and the man looked at her blankly, silencing his screaming.
She reached for the petrified man and grabbed for his arm, only to find that he was ice cold, and she could only keep contact for a few short seconds before her hand passed through his arm and she pitched forward onto the ice. She hit the surface softly, but heard the ice crack again. Without thinking, she turned and ran, leaving the helpless man behind.
When she turned back he was yelling again and she stood, watching in horror as the ice finally broke and the man fell through without making a splash. She remained on the bank of the water for a few more agonizing minutes as she looked out onto the broken ice where she had been only seconds before.
A hand setting on her shoulder startled her and she spun around, full flared terror boiling from her throat with a yelp. When she settled, she remained still and found herself looking into a very familiar face.
"Jonas?" She asked.
Jonas nodded silently and peered out to where Sam's gaze had been stuck to as he came up behind her.
"What're you doing here?" Carter questioned curiously.
"I heard you scream, I thought you might be in trouble, but I can see that's clearly not he case." Jonas whispered to her.
She regarded him suspiciously. 'Why would he be whispering? Oh and by the way, I didn't scream. Why does he claim to have heard me?' Sam wondered to herself
"I didn't scream Jonas." Sam stated.
"I'm sure I heard you, Major." Jonas replied, his voice raising ever so slightly.
Major Carter looked at him in puzzlement. He was still nearly whispering, while she was talking at a normal level.
"Jonas, why are you whispering?"
"We can't risk Jack and Teal'c finding us, can we?" Jonas snarled quietly. Sam backed up, suddenly frightened of the seemingly innocent man, and kept a close eye on him. He never addressed any of them on a first name basis, not until now. He'd just referred to Colonel O'Neill as Jack.
"Jonas, what are you doing?" Sam asked, watching Jonas reach into his pocket for something. He brought out a tiny silver blade that glinted in a pale green light coming from somewhere. Sam's senses rocketed, and she jumped back from Jonas in surprise.
"Like I said, we can't risk anyone finding us. If you didn't scream before, you will soon. That, I promise." Jonas growled lowly, he brought the blade up and his entire apparel changed right before her eyes. It was no longer Jonas standing in front of her, it was the same man she had tried to get off of the ice, and he had a menacing, shadowed look on his face as he held the weapon.
Sam let out a frightened yell, to draw her friends and continued to step back. He forced her to turn towards the frozen water and continued his pursuit. She felt the drop off behind her, and the wind picked up. Sam teetered on the edge of the bank unsteadily and let out another shout.
The black-haired man launched toward her, the silver blade glistering in the light.
"Now, you will pay for our pains!" He yelled, making the descent of his weapon toward her. She cringed against what was to come.