ANSWERED PRAYERS

Malcolm Reynolds sat up on his bunk. He felt something sticky along the right side of his head. Putting his hand there he returned it to his vision and became aware that his hand was covered in red.

“Blood!!?”

“Hello Malcolm.”

Captain Reynolds looked over to see Shepherd Book sitting across from him, a slight smile upon his face.

“Book?’

The shepherd didn’t seem to be concerned in the least that he was there in the captains bunk, the captain was bleeding, or that Malcolm Reynolds had watched the life’s fire drain out of the preacher back at “Haven” a few short months ago. It came to the captain of Serenity in a flash that either, the Shepherd wasn’t really there or that he, himself was dea……..?

“Book?”

“ You’ve already said that Malcolm.” the Shepherd said peacefully.

“I’m I….?”

“ Dead? Lets just say that you’re here, for now.”

“ What happened to me?”

“ Well to explain it you were shot by somebody.”

“Shot?” Malcolm felt a little pain in his right temple but it wasn’t excruciating. He looked over at the preacher.

“Someone I know?”

“ I’m not at liberty to say.” The shepherd informed him.“ I will say that you didn’t see it coming. Perhaps that was a good thing.”

“ I believe I’m due some answers!”

“And they are forthcoming.” The preacher returned, “But not from me. Well not all of them. You’ll find some of what you’re looking for in the ships galley. I’ll be here when you get back.”

At that Malcolm arose, scampered up the ladder and headed toward the ships kitchen.

Approaching the galley entrance Malcolm Reynolds could hear noises. He stepped in and just inside the door he stopped. There were at least a dozen people in there maybe more. Some he recognized, some he didn’t. There was one thing he did realize, the ones he knew were dead, how did he know this, because he’d killed them himself. Crow was sitting at the table as was Jubal Early. They all paid him no heed. The smell was terrible and they all seemed to be in the process of eating something that would make a horsefly’s stomach turn.

“This is my ship! What the hell is going on here?”

With that the heads turned and the chatter stopped. Malcolm realized that maybe he’d made a mistake.

“Hi!” He raised his hand in a sad attempt at showing some kinda ease at viewing this nightmare.

He turned to make an exit but Tracy was at the door on the other side and slammed it before Malcolm could leave.

“Tracy!!?”

He had done it now! He was in a place of murderers and killers! He was dead and in the “Special Hell”! Damn his soul, or maybe it already had been.

They were all easing up from their chairs now. Their focus on him. Malcolm came to understand that some of these people were those he’d shot during the war. Faces he’d never seen but still dressed the way they’d died. There were soldiers and a couple of the thieves from the Triumph settlement and also some who’d been part of the attack on the whorehouse. There was a soldier walking past Crow, a bowl of gruel in his hands. Standing up Crow bumped him by accident and the bowl fell to the floor spilling everywhere. Severed fingers and ears went flying all over. The sight sickened Malcolm. The man pulled a knife and stabbed Crow in the shoulder. The group turned on him and tore him to pieces. They stuffed their cruel mouths with parts of the unlucky fellows flesh. Crow looked up at the captain of Serenity, blood running down his chin. It was horror and Malcolm closed his eyes.

When he opened them again he was back in his bunk with Shepherd Book.

“ Not a pretty sight aye captain?”

“ Book I would like to know the hell what’s going on!!”

“ It’s just this,” The preacher proceeded, “ You prayed in Serenity Valley. You prayed that the death and anguish would end. That you would get as many of your troops as possible outta that horrid valley. Well Malcolm, what you didn’t know was your prayers were answered. You got out as many of your soldiers as you could. You see, some of those soldiers were praying too. They prayed to escape that hell hole. To be taken to a better place. If leaving Serenity Valley meant going back to the torture chambers they call home, the labor fields and mining towns they just as soon remain there, in Serenity. So see they’re prayers may have been answered too. There are all kinds of ways to believe. If life were simple, without struggle, would there be passion or emotion at all? At Haven I told you just to believe, believe in hope. Hope that humankind isn’t some arbitrary mistake. Believe that we can see past our own nose and that there is something out there. What good is man if he can’t hope and believe in finding something better. Something that is good and some part of him. There are different paths that we take. Some will lead to where you found yourself earlier. Some will lead elsewhere. Choose wisely Malcolm, believe.”

Malcolm Reynolds eyes opened. He looked up to the ceiling of his bunk. He sat up and looked around. He was alone.

“Some damn strange dream. “ he whispered He stood feeling a little more at ease about the past years of his life than he had in a long time. He’d done what he could during the war. Time to maybe not let it haunt him so much. He walked over to the exit of his bunk. There was a small table near the ladder there. On it a little box. He opened it and inside found one single strawberry.

End