New chapter people so I really hope you review. Its a bit of a cliffhanger...ok several cliffhangers so you'll all be cursing me in chinese by the end.
Thank you for the reviews anyway!
Comp still up for grabs!
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Chapter 5: Pray
Mal pushes the pistol into Simon's hands, as he is about to drop down the ladder. Below him River is screaming for Jayne to come down into the shelter.
Simon checks the gun's magazine quickly and reloads it.
"You know what they have to do if they come for you," Mal says firmly.
Simon nods, "Be careful Captain," and drops down into the hole, pulling the hatch closed above him. He shoots the two heavy bolts shut.
Simon drops into the gloomy pit dug in the floor of the barn for just such emergencies. Ellen has told them that there are many more all over the town. The room is small despite the size of the barn and with seven people down here it is verging on crowded. The only light comes from the cracks in the boards of the floor above. If Simon stretches upwards he could probably touch those boards with his hands. The floor is packed-down earth and the walls whitewashed stone of some kind. In the dead centre of the room a wooden support beam rises vertically from the floor. Lisa and Ellen are pulling the ladder away from the hatch and laying it against one wall. Other than that the room is empty.
Wash is holding River who is fighting to get back to the hatchway. She is a writhing ball of hair and flailing limbs. Wash struggles to hold onto her, he doesn't want to hurt her or the baby. Part of him wants to be doing exactly the same thing.
"Jayne's got to come down!" She shrieks loudly, causing the others to wince. "He can't leave me!"
Wash struggles to hold onto her. Simon takes two long strides and helps him wrestle the fighting woman. They end up forcing her back against one wall and pinning her there.
Simon grabs hold of her shoulders. "He's coming back. He is. But right now you have to be quiet River. We all have to be quiet!" he looks round at the group of people he is suddenly the accidental leader of. A group all milling around talking to each other. "Sit down and shut up!"
River stares at him wide eyed for a minute then sits delicately on the floor.
Wash lets got of her arm and moves to the middle of the room. He sinks to the ground and tries to bring his breathing under control.
Inara reaches out an arm and gives Simon's shoulder a quick squeeze, as he breathes out a long shuddery breath. She steps away and goes to comfort Lisa who sits with quiet tears running down her face.
"She'll be alright Mrs Cobb," Inara says softly.
"I know," Jayne's mother looks up determination blazing in her eyes. "My boys will find my little girl. And your crew mates."
Ellen nods. "They will be fine."
Kaylee sits against one wall sniffling inaudibly, and hugs her knees to her chest. Mal is out there. Where the Reavers are. The same reavers that nearly killed Mal before and now he is going hunting for them? Kaylee doesn't want to think about what might happen. She looks over at Wash; a broken man sat silently, against the beam and feels her heart break for him. Zoë and little Mal are out there somewhere. So is Jayne's sister Madeline. Kaylee digs her fingernails into her palms and prays very hard to a god she isn't sure exists.
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Townsfolk are busily dousing the giant bonfire in an effort to avoid detection by the Reavers. Jayne knows that they are already coming and know exactly where to strike. He strides forwards, Vera held ready in his hands, flanked by Jacob, Benjamin and Daniel. All four of them are armed to the teeth.
Jayne looks round at his brothers and they give him grim smiles. Jayne refuses to let his mind wander back to River. He has a job to do. River is safe so he can shut his mind on her.
The Cobb boys hunt better in a pack and tonight the Reavers aren't going to know what has hit them.
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Wash stares down at the fresh grave at his feet. He balls his hands into fists. Everyone else has left the graveside long ago but Wash can't make his feet move.
"I'm sorry Fox." He doesn't recognise his own voice. It comes out contorted. "Shoulda been me. It was my turn." He blinks hard. "You should never have switched with me. Routine accident they're calling it. I'm gonna leave Fox. See the stars like we always said we would."
Wash takes a step back and turns to walk away. "You deserved better than this. I swear that when I die it's going to be better than this. I'm going to matter. We swore on adventure and daring, and I'm going to find them." Wash rips the pilot's pips from the shoulder of his jumpsuit tearing tiny holes in the khaki material. "I'm gonna leave," he repeats quieter this time. He swipes angrily at his eyes and sets off down the hill. He has to leave. When he dies it is going to be worthwhile. It is going to matter.
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Mal presses his back against the wall just inside the broken doorway. The door has already been kicked from its hinges and lays a few feet away smashed into pieces. The room smells sour, like raw meat gone bad, and the lingering after smell of sex. Mal knows what that means. That is why this house is empty, like the four he has already searched for Zoë and little Mal. He cradles the rifle against his chest and strokes the barrel with his fingers.
Outside there is the screaming battle cry of Reavers. Mal flinches and flits his eyes sideways to the empty doorway. "No mercy," he whispers under his breath.
Zoë's face swims before his eyes and he thinks back to the last few words he told her. He said he loved her. Mal feels suddenly sick.
More screaming, closer now. A woman's voice crying out in pain. Not Zoë but Mal flinches again but knows he can do nothing more for her. A shadow plays across the doorway. Mal freezes. The shadow falls across the floor and stops. He can hear the sound of heavy breathing. Mal's stomach flip-flops and he hardly dares to breathe. He tightens his grip on the rifle and his finger twitches on the trigger. His chest starts to burn from a lack of oxygen and still the shadow lingers, sniffing the air like an animal. The fetid smell of Reaver pervades his nostrils and makes him want to gag. He keeps his mouth clamped firmly shut so as not to make a sound. The shadow moves further into the room and Mal can feel his legs shaking as the Reaver advances. Fate is the soldier's goddess and Mal knows that she isn't smiling on him.
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Jayne cracks the Reaver over the head with Vera when it gets too close for him to shoot. The Reaver falls back, blood pouring from its face. Jayne brings up a heavy boot and kicks it away. His brother Jacob fires a clean shot through the Reaver's head as he falls.
Jayne nods to him and walks to the woman they had been attacking, while his brothers check the Reavers are really dead. He doesn't look at her face, one quick glance only so he knows where to aim. The blood in the sand around his feet is enough to tell him that they can't help. He fires just once, then carries on walking.
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The room under the barn has grown stiflingly hot with the heat of the bodies down there, and smells of sweat and fear. Inara can feel her hair sticking to her forehead. There are sweat patches on Kaylee's pink gingham dress. Ellen is fanning herself with her hand and keeps looking upwards. No one had thought to grab any water. Only River sits serenely, her arms wrapped around the swell of her belly. The heat in the shelter is oppressive and rising, as is the testosterone level in the two men. They are stood toe to toe in the middle of the room glaring at each other and having a heated argument in low tones.
"I don't seem to see gambling helping us much here!" Wash snorts, his Hawaiian shirt stuck to his back.
"Well it was the only way you could save us!" Simon retorts. His hair is awry with sweat, and he has undone the collar of his white shirt and rolled his sleeves up.
"Least I have a woman who loves me!"
Simon stares at him open mouthed, and the look on Wash's face suggests that he knows the comment has gone way below the belt.
Inara stands up and hisses at them angrily. "Shut up! This is no time to be bickering!"
The growl from above them silences them all. A shadow moves across the cracks in the boards.
Kaylee starts to cry silently.
Simon sits down firmly on the floor, his eyes fixed on the shape moving above them. He reaches out a hand and finds Kaylee's. The gun is clenched in his other fist.
Wash sits down too, eyes also gazing fearfully upwards.
They all find themselves huddling together in the centre of the room, keeping low as if it will keep them safe. Simon and Wash find themselves sat back to back, an unspoken apology flowing between them. Kaylee huddles herself against Simon's left-hand side, pressing her body close to him and clasping his hand tightly. She keeps her eyes fixed firmly on the floor. River sits in front of Simon, legs crossed mouthing to herself silent prayers for her husband. Like her brother's face is the talisman that will bring him home safe and well. Ellen takes Wash's hand in sympathy and holds it tightly. Lisa sits and twists her hands in her apron and worries for her children. Inara bites her lip and lets one hand stray round Simon's arm; the other finds Wash's hand. She squeezes it gently and receives a squeeze back.
Then the sound of more footsteps, and something being dragged. Someone screaming. Crying out "Help me," over and over. The hairs on the back of their necks stand up.
"Cover your ears," Simon commands.
River does what he says immediately. Kaylee just whimpers. Simon untangles his arm from Inara's grip, lays down the gun and puts his hands over Kaylee's ears.
Wash doesn't cover his ears. He's already worked out that the voice isn't Zoë. But she is someone's girlfriend, wife, child. He winces and stares at the floor, as the noise gets louder.
Inara covers her ears but somehow it doesn't seem to help. She looks round at all of them. Mostly they have their heads down, trying to pretend that they are anywhere but here. Kaylee's eyes are screwed shut but tears course down her cheeks. Simon doesn't look scared; he's looking between Kaylee and River as though he doesn't know what to do.
River wonders why they're all sat so close together in this stifling heat. Its because they are all terrified and touch seems to soothe them. But there is a Jayne sized hole next to her and that makes her far more afraid than the Reavers do.
Simon is acutely aware of the pistol laying in his lap. And the fact that at least two of the people down here think he will use it to defend them. He stares at Kaylee's beautiful face and hates himself in that moment. She thinks he can save them all with that small pistol. That the doctor will be their saviour. When he knows he may have to kill them all.
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Zoë shoves her son into the girl's arms. He squeals and kicks and Maddie has a job to hold on to him.
"Mama," he cries pitifully.
Zoë gives Maddie a firm push towards the tiny tool shed. "Get in. Don't make a sound."
She hefts the pickaxe she has already appropriated from said shed and turns away. No words of good luck or goodbye, just a cool look of quiet determination. Maddie knows she has killed before.
Maddie scrambles into the tiny gloomy space and pulls the door shut behind her. It smells of cobwebs and old mud. The toddler starts to cry. Maddie clamps a hand over his mouth and jams the door shut with the handle of a spade with the other. She doesn't want to think about what will happen to his mother. Zoë's footsteps gather speed as she moves away. Then the ear-piecing scream of a Reaver echoes around the shed. Baby Mal screams silently against her hand.
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"Lord watch over us and protect us from all evil," Luke Cobb leads the congregation in the prayer inside the stone walls of the church, the most solid building in the town. The shutters have been locked shut over the glass windows. Outside comes the bark of gunfire and the whoop of men and the screams of devils.
Luke's voice falters over the words of the familiar prayer.
"Jesus watch over our sisters and our brothers, our mothers and fathers. Keep them safe from the monsters of your universe."
He knows only a few men who would be stupid enough to be outside during a Reaver raid, and he is related to most of them.
"Amen."