We All Fall Down: Prologue
Here he was, back in Serenity Valley, mist gathering all around, only this time. . .this time it was his crew lying dead on the ground. He could deal with the old nightmares, but this. . .Wo de tien ah. He could still smell the acrid smoke, and dust from battle. The sky still lit up as the Alliance pounded his comrades to hell. He heard the screams, screams of his crew, calling for help. Calling for him. The sky was darkening, turning the color of blood, rain fell, and it fell red on his hands. He tried to get it off, but the stain only grew. He saw a figure walking towards him, hooded and cloaked, and the scent of death rolled off him in sickening waves. A whisper, You will fail them. . .you know what you have to do.
Then he heard singing, a slow melancholy tune, and he slowly made his way towards it. He came upon his little albatross, in some sort of chair, needles and all manner of horrible things sticking out of her skin. She had cuts all over, and blood ran freely. He ran to her, trying to release her from her bonds, but nothing worked. . . The melody again, but this time it was River singing, eyes staring into space. . . "Ring around a rosie, a pocket full of posies. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down." He tried, again and again, to free her from her bonds, but eventually he fell to the ground sobbing; apologizing for the pain he couldn't save her from. He felt a soft touch, looked up, and saw her standing; a knife in her hand. She kneeled, smoothing his hair back, whispering, "They'll come for me. You can't stop them. You know what you have to do. . ." He felt her place the knife in his hands. Then she slowly disappeared into the mists, singing that haunting tune.
"Ring around a rosie, a pocket full of posies. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down."