We All Fall Down

Chapter 3

Mal smiled as he felt the wieght of the gun in his hand. He was sitting in the cargo bay on one of the boxes, waiting for the others. He was sure that Zoe had found Jayne knocked out on the deck outside the infirmary. It would only be a few minutes now. . .

Zoe had checked the rest of the ship with Wash and Simon, when they decided on the cargo bay being thier next stop. They were catiously walking towards the entrance when a strange noise came to her ears. . . Spin. Click. Spin. Click. Spin. Click. Wash looked towards Zoe, and asked, "What in the world is that?" She shook her head, "I don't know." Problem was, she really thought she did. . . Spin. Click. Spin. Click. Spin. Click. Zoe stopped as she heard Mal give that creepy giggle again. She was going to try to go in another way, but she stopped when the captain said, "I know you're there, Zoe." Spin. Click. Spin. Click. Spin. Click. "Why dont' you come in and play?" He laughed tossing the gun up and down in his hands. "Come on and play. The ol' Russian Roullete!" He yelled spinning the gun's chamber, putting it to his temple then. . .Click. Mal laughed, One day it will land on a bullet, and that's the one for me. . ." He giggled and spinned again, "Zoe, sit play. .." Implored Mal. "An easy way to make it go away. You know I have to go away. . ." Zoe stepped closer to Mal, but didn't change her stance. "Sir, you're sick." started Zoe, stepping closer. "We only want to help you." Mal laughed, "That's funny, cause I'm tryin to help you all." Spin. Zoe asked, "How exactly are you trying to help us? By killing yourself?" He morosely, spun the chamber, "That's the plan. . ."

Zoe was floored. He really did mean to end it, but why? None of this was making sense. She needed to find a way to get through to him, and fast. She tried to motion for Simon to sneak around, but Mal pointed the gun in his direction; firing a round two inches from his head. "You don't want to do that, Simon." Everyone froze. Mal lowered the gun away from Simon, frowning, "That was my bullet." He said, but I've got plenty others I can play. . ." Suddenly, he felt a prick in his neck, and dropped to his knees. "Sorry, captain. Not today." Was the last thing he heard before the darkness took him.

Later

The crew was sitting quietly outside the infirmary, awaiting the doctor's prognosis. After awhile Simon came out, shaking his head. Inara was the first to speak, "Is he allright?" She questioned Simon. He shrugged, " I honestly don't know. . ." Simon rubbed his forehead. "I thought he was fine before." Jayne, who had since recovered from being knocked out, snorted, "Yeah, he's just our normal, everyday, raving lunatic of a captain!" They all glared, and he snapped his mouth shut. "What in the hell happened back there?" snapped Zoe. Simon sighed, "I told you, I don't. . ." "That's not good enough!" He stepped back, "I can run a few more tests." Zoe gave him a hard look, saying, " You do that, doctor." He walked back into the infirmary, leaving the others to discuss the situation.

Ring around a rosie, a pocket full of posies. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down.

"Nooo!" screamed Mal, as he fell back into the nightmare. "Not again, I can't. . . please stop!" He stumbled through the ever worsening quagmire, that continually haunted him. His crew was still there with him, but this time they were dying right where he could see, clawing at his clothes, and begging for his help. Every time one of them touched him, their hands left bloody trails. Theirs screams grew louder and louder, till he thought he would go mad from the sheer volume of it, and then. . .quiet. Mal looked round and everyone was gone, leaving no signs of what had tortured him only moments earlier. He heard a whisper, faint and indiscernable. He looked again, but nothing. What? he wondered to himself. "Can't find the reasons. . .can't fight the darkness. It's coming for us all, can't you hear the whispers? Can't you feel our pain?" Help us why won't you help us? How can you just leave us here to die, Mal?" He spun again, and upon finding nothing he ran, ran from everything and nothing. He fell, but he still crawled as well as he could. Suddenly, a hand reached out to him, while he still lay on the ground. "Need a hand, sir?" He saw Zoe's arm reach down towards him. "Zoe? That you?" A mirthless chuckle, "Who else would it be?" Mal laughed, "You've got no idea? And you've been hangin round my horrible nightmares . . ." He grabbed her hand, and she hauled him to his feet. He steadied himself on her shoulder, leaning over to look in her face. "Aaaahhhh! My gosh what the hell happened to your face?" Mal fell back, trying to pull away from her grip. "Oh, you mean this?" She asked, showing her full face, revealing all manner of monstrous cuts and lacerations. He tried to turn away, but her hand caught his face, and held it in a vice. "What's wrong, sir. Did I mess up my make-up?" Mal forced himself out of her grip, and flung hisself to the ground, crawling away still. "Oooh, gosh, oh gosh." he mumbled, trying to escape this grotesque scene. "Sir? Where ya going off to?" She gave a crazed laugh. "Can't run forever, sir. It always catches up in the end."

Mal forced himself to crawl to his feet and run. He ran, ran, and ran; till nothing human or otherwise could get to him. He ran till. . ."Gotta go. . .gotta keep go. . ." Mal collasped in the dirt, sobbing and gasping for breath. Trying to rid his mind of the horrible monsters that were punishing him for things that they could only see. He was lying on his back, scrambling to piece together the fragments of his mind, when an arm shot up through the earth and held him fast. Mal struggled, but more were rising. He wants to leave us, he wants to go. Wants to be free. He can't ever be free. He belongs to us now. you are nothing anymore! "NO!" He screamed, trying to fight them off, as they pulled him deeper into the dirt. "No! Somebody!" he cried, hoping someone would hear. A light laugh, and the wisp of rotted perfume, "Shhhh, Malcolm." he heard a voice say right beside him. He looked over, and there was Inara. Or it woulda been Inara if it wasn't all gross and corspsified! Mal screamed bloody murder, as he tried to pull away from her touch. "What's wrong, Mal?" He still struggled, even though he'd been pulled about half way under. "You've always wanted me. Now you can have me forever. . ." She smiled, as the dirt started to tumble over Mal's head, and he tried not to swallow it. She smoothed his hair back, cleaning the dirt off his face, saying, "One last kiss for the road." She kissed him, then shoved him down into the earth screaming. . .

"NOOOOO!"

Mal opened his eyes, "Where is she? Oh, gosh. Where did she go?" Simon and Zoe rushed to his side at an instant, "Captain. Nothing's wrong." started Zoe, grabbing his hand, and squeezing it for support. Simon grabbed a sedative, fed it through to the iv, and stepped back. "It should only take a few moments." he said to Zoe, indicating it was done. "She's Here!" screamed Mal, fighting wildly at the restraints. "Oh, gosh. Zoe, please make her go away! Make her stop. . ." He broke down into a whimper, as the meds kicked in. "Zoe. . ." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Right here, sir."

And everything faded to black. "Wu de ma." said Zoe, stepping back. "It's getting worse." River who had sat quietly throughout the whole discussion, said, "He can't save us all. He can't fight all the enemies. He's all alone in the dark, won't let anyone in. . ." "What do you mean, sweetie?" asked Inara and Kaylee. "None of you can help him, he doesn't know that he's lost."

Upon hearing what River had said, Zoe walked over to her,and asked, "What did you just say?" She looked up, "None of you can help him, he doesn't know that he's lost." Zoe sat down beside her, and then asked her gently. "What do you know about this?" River scooted away, not wanting to awnswer the question. "No, no, not getting better, . . . I don't know how. Don't know how to help him. He doesn't want to be helped. " Zoe had to find a way to get through to her, "Mal might die. Do you understand that?" River nodded, "She understands." Then she giggled, "No one see the darkness, the wars that lie within. The terrible truths that are right in front of your eyes!" She screamed at them, running towards the infirmary, and Malcolm. Zoe raced after her, but was too late. River had shoved Simon out of the room, and secured the infirmary's doors. Leaving the crew to only watch, and hope that nothing horrible happens.

Simon was banging on the doors, trying to force them open. "Won't work." River stated. "You're not invited, you can't come in." "River, open the doors!" yelled Simon, banging the doors, once more. "Not invited, can't come to our party. No teatime for you." Mal opened his eyes, "What's going on?" River ran to his side, "Shhh." she cooed, smoothing back his hair. "You're fine. You're with me." Mal smiled, "You're okay." She smiled, and nodded. "I can help you, but you have to trust me. Trust me with your life." "Of course, little albatross." She smiled, "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere. " Mal smiled too, "I won't move a bit." River was now searching through all the medical supplies, throwing the useless ones to the floor.

"What are you doing now?" cried Kaylee, as River trashed the infirmary. "Getting medicine, something to make us feel better." said River, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Oh gosh, mei mei. Don't touch any of those!" cried Simon over a com. He and Zoe were still trying to find a way in. River didn't listen, and instead went over to Malcolm and undid the straps. He got up and started to help her with the meds. "You know how to give shots?" asked Mal. River giggled, "It's easy enough, but we still have the pills. We'll get there, I promise." She smiled, carressing Mal's cheek. "We'll fix you. . .everything will be better when we're through. " At that she gave Mal a needle, and took one for herself. "Oh my gosh." gasped Kaylee. "Zoe, Simon you gotta hurry. Somethin bad's gonna happen." Mal went first, gave himself the shot, and dropped the needle; convulsing. River followed suit, and lay still next to Mal. "No!" screamed Kayleee, running over to the windows, pounding on them, hoping for a response, but nothing came. Zoe and Simon ran to the infirmary, and dropped to the floor next to Kaylee. Zoe looked at her, "Report?" Kaylee had tears streaming down her face, "They're not movin." Simon sat, "No, no. Mei mei, please no." He broke down, "She can't be. . ." Mal's back arched, and he screamed, flailing about wildly. River did as well, and cried out, "You have to fight them! Mal, fight them!" Then they both lie there motionless. Leaving the others shocked and wondering what would happen next.