Chapter Fifteen: Ending in a Crash
Soundtrack suggestions: "Milkshake" – Kelis, "Upside Down" – Barenaked Ladies
River grabbed Jimmy by the back of his suit coat and threw him bodily into a large silver machine that was in the corner. It had a long spike-like implement on the end of it, and Jimmy's head managed to whack into that. A door on the side of the machine swung open, and a white plastic bucket tilted forward, dropping an incredible amount of ice cream and milkshake mix onto Jimmy's head, leaving the poor boy gasping. Those near him heard him say, "Milkshakes are confusing…" before he aspirated chocolate milk and fell unconscious to the floor.
But River wasn't done yet. And, apparently, neither was Charlotte. As all of the ball-goers watched River throw Jimmy headfirst into a milkshake machine, Charlotte reached for another weapon and pointed it at Mal. But Mal wasn't her concern, as River swept his feet out from under him, his head cracking almost sickeningly against the icy floor, and turned on the rest of them.
"Do somethin', Simon!" Kaylee whispered.
"What do you want me to do?" Simon demanded.
"Put her t' sleep?"
"If we let her continue, she might take out Charlotte."
Kaylee obviously hadn't thought of that. But then she said, "Ain't Charlotte the one in River's head?"
Simon hadn't thought of that. "Oh. Yeah."
"Hello, pretty," Charlotte said as River approached her. River tilted her head and looked at Charlotte.
"Do something!" Clarissa said to Bert.
"What do you want me to do?" Bert asked.
"Gah! You're both inept!" Jimena yelled.
"I'm not!" Jayne remarked, and fired.
Unfortunately for him, Charlotte fired at the same time.
Unfortunately for Charlotte, someone else fired, too.