Chapter 24: From Memory to Reality

Jack heard what was going on as he drew closer to the action, staying concealed in the shadows. He didn't like the sounds of it, and listening to it sent him into shivers at the thought of Sam being exposed to that sort of danger and death.

He crept closer. When he heard movement behind him, he turned quickly, but quietly and sighed in relief as he saw Jonas stumbling towards him, almost as quiet as he was being.

Jack held up his hand to halt the approaching man and walked back to him. As he drew closer, he could hear Jonas gasping for breath. Jack grabbed the young man's shoulder to avoid him what could've been a nasty fall and a dead give away of their position and helped him to lower to the ground and sit.

"Easy Jonas." Jack whispered, keeping a hand on his shoulder and his attention on both Sam and Jonas at the same time.

"Colonel, they're going to execute the Major." Jonas replied.

"Not if I can help it." Jack replied.

Jack got up, being sure Jonas was all right, and moved closer to the soon-to-be execution of his second in command.

OOO

Sam still felt the presence of someone nearby, and she continued to look when she caught glimpse of the glint of a set of tags, Colonel O'Neill! She breathed deeply, forced herself to tear her attention away from the glint, and back to her tormentor.

"I never mentioned this tiny bit, during the fall, you're hit with stones, and if your path wavers, you hit the cliff wall. That's what I did." Coris's form grew even more tattered as gashes appeared on her cheeks and arms as well as her forehead, and Sam had to turn away.

She was praying for the Colonel to hurry when she heard a strangled cry echoing from close by.

OOO

Jonas felt himself slipping again, and was thrown into another memory, only the person being executed this time was Sam, not Coris and he had to watch it.

He watched as Sam was pushed over, he heard her scream as she fell, and then he felt someone grab him and he was shoved to the cliff edge and forced to look down at the receding form of Major Carter.

"Would you like to join her?" He heard Coris ask from next to him. The tiny child had reached up and taken hold of his hand. Her hand was ice cold.

Jonas couldn't find the words to say, as he watched. He felt himself growing weak and he hit his knees, still looking over the edge.

"You can you know, I have no more need for you. You did your job." Coris replied, kneeling next to him.

A distant splash echoed and Jonas closed his eyes tight. He was living a nightmare, and he wasn't going to wake up from it.

He felt tiny hands give a forceful shove and he was terrified. His last footholds were torn from him and he hovered before plunging, his path weaving. He hit the wall countless times and one hit he felt the ligaments in his shoulder tear, and he yelled out as pain shot through him.

Still he fell, hitting the wall and being pelted with rocks all the way. The wind gashed at him, tearing into his clothes. Then he hit the water, and he hit hard, his injured shoulder was the first to hit, the surface impact jolting it and sending it into flaming pain and then he was pulled under.

The water bit into him and sent ice through his entire body. Realizing he had no rock tied to him he swam with all his might to get to the surface, not wanting to look down, afraid of what he'd see. He had only one good arm, making the venture to the top excruciating. Finally, he burst through the dark surface.

As soon as he reached the top, he felt a pair of hands grab him and pull him back under. He looked down, eyes wide and terrorized. Looking up at him through hollow, lifeless blue eyes, was Major Carter. Her face was mutilated with cuts and bruises and her blonde hair clung to her.

Her complexion was pale and grayed and she held tight to his ankle, dragging him down with her.

He squirmed wildly to no avail and looked back down. Sam's eyes were pleading and lifeless.

"Jonas, help me!" She wailed, her voice sent chills through him. It sounded like haunting bells tolling the time. His time. His time was up, this was it, he'd be no more, and that's what scared him the most...

He yelled out in pain and fright as he felt himself being thrown back into the present and he couldn't hold back the strangled cry that escaped his lips.

He found himself in the same place Jack had set him before going after Carter and he'd just given their cover away.
Red hot pain shot through his right arm, beginning at his shoulder and going from there, he looked down and touched it gingerly with his other hand and choked back a yelp at the pain he felt.

The ligaments torn in his memory had passed over into the real time and rendered his right arm useless. He sighed heavily, and leaned against the stump behind him.

OOO

Jack cursed aloud at the sound of the strangled cry and leapt behind the closest thing he could find. A tree. Not much help but, it provided some protection.

He looked back from where the yell had come from and saw Jonas leaning against the stump, his right arm limp. His left hand was massaging his forehead, but that's all Jack could make out.

OOO

Coris swivelled her head in the direction the yell had come from and her hollow eyes blazed with anger. She stormed off toward the direction and came across Jonas, leaning helplessly against a stump. She dropped to her knees next to him, mutilation gone and replaced with the clear complexion of a child that looked concerned.

"What's wrong Jonas?" Coris asked gently.

Jonas looked at the child and fear overtook his gaze.

"Jonas, come with me, I won't hurt you." Coris replied.

Reluctantly Jonas gave in and nodded. Coris hauled him to his feet by his bad arm and Jonas yelled out into the darkness.

"Sorry." Coris stated and moved to the other side.

She led him to the cliff edge and he looked down. The drop had decreased and now seemed only about a total of fifteen feet into water.

Coris looked at him and smiled, he didn't return the grin, instead, he looked pleadingly over at Sam who was only about two feet away.

"Major, I'm sorry." He whispered out through gritted teeth.

"For what?" Sam asked gently.

"For leading everyone into this, it's my fault."
"No, Jonas it would've been the same for any of us." Sam stated.

"Don't listen to her Jonas, it was all your fault and now you have to pay for it, I don't need you any longer." Coris snarled.

Jonas felt a sharp shove at his back and before he knew it, the wind was whipping at him. His path wavered and he hit the cliff wall with his right shoulder, causing him to shout out in pain.

After what felt like an eternity of falling, he hit the water with a shout which was cut off almost instantly...

"Jonas!" Sam yelled after him, her words being carried on the howling wind.