three-elysian fields-choices

“If she don’t stop that gorram screamin, I’m going to give her something to scream about.” “Go to your bunk, Jayne.” Mal stood outside River’s room, not wanting to go in. Whenever River paused for breath, Mal could hear Simon talking in his calmest doctor voice, but there was strain underneath. Mal waited until the next pause and pounded on the door. Simon, slid the door open, ready to blast whoever it was. Instead Mal grabbed him by the arm and hauled him out. “You need to give her somethin to stop that.” Simon pulled his arm free. “I’ve given her what I can, if I give her any more it could kill her.” “Not workin?” “No.” Mal stepped into River’s room and shut the door. He held it shut with one hand while holding his walkie-talkie in the other. “Zoe, please take the Doc and lock him in the Infirmary.” “Yes sir.” As soon as Zoe came and took Simon away, Mal let go of the door. He went and sat down opposite of River. She was sitting up, curled into a tight ball in the middle of the bed. She had her head down, so that all Mal could see was a mass of brown hair. The next time she paused he firmly took a hold of her chin and brought her eyes to his. “Whatever you’re lookin at, I want you to quit it.” River started to shake and tears began running down her face. “He didn’t do what he did so that you’d suffer too.” Mal came and sat next to her on the bed. As Mal gathered a blanket around her she settled into his shoulder. “Kaylee’s right, you are nice.” “Umph.” “And grumpy.” “Go to sleep.” “Can I have” “Go to sleep.”

All over Serenity the crew’s heads turned toward the noise, or rather the fact that there was no noise. Wash looked at Zoe, “You don’t think he,?” Zoe gave him a look that made Wash decide to concentrate on his navigation. Simon stopped pacing and dropped down exhausted down into a chair. Jayne stopped polishing Vera. Inara and Book each thanked the gods they had been praying to. Kaylee turned down her recording of the waltz from the dance on Persephone. After a few minutes she turned it back up again. She liked the silence even less than the screaming. If it was quiet she would start thinking about Camden and what the captain did, or didn’t do. The whole thing just made her want to cry and her eyes were already sore from it. So, she wasn’t going to think about anything except what it felt like to wear that dress and pretend that Simon had danced with her the way that Mal had danced with Inara.

“Welcome back, Camden.” “Didn’t go no place.” “I think you went, but now you’re back.” “Did I miss much?” “No, but the submersion tank was beginning to bore Farkess, so I thought of something different.” “Variety’s important.” “I wonder if your brother’s as witty.” “Mal’s dead.” “That’s right, no heroic rescue missions for you.” “Just little ole me.” “You haven’t asked why you’re strapped down to this metal table.” “Nope.” “Well, since cold didn’t seem to make you cooperate, I thought we might apply some heat. Farkess is holding a needle in his hand. If you do not answer the questions I ask, then Farkess will inject you. You will slowly begin to believe that your entire body is on fire. From what I understand, it’s quite painful and long lasting. The choice is yours.” “No.” “You see Farkess, he is a bright boy.” “Don’t have a choice.” “Then I suppose, neither do I. Farkess, I have a dinner party, join me when you’ve finished.”

“I need to talk to Mal.” “I’ll tell the Captain, but he’s busy right now so it might be a while.” “I can’t stay here.” “No one’s forced to stay Inara.” “Tell me it makes sense to you Zoe. All the things he’s done for us and he leaves his brother for those faeo. “ “Captain’s doing what he thinks is best for all of us.” “Camden is a part of us, a part of him.” “Captain said that Camden made a choice, Captain understands that, even if we can’t.” “Understands what?” “I don’t know how it is with Companions, but in the war Mal had to make decisions to make sure as many as could made it through. Seems to me that Camden made that sort of decision.” “For who?” Book walked up behind them. “It’s not that difficult. Ask yourself this. Why did Camden leave the ship? He had to know there was a good possibility that he’d be recognized, so why?” “River.” “River .She means something to him. Don’t quite have that part figured yet. I think that Mal’s trying to make sure that nothing happens to her. Otherwise what Camden did would be pretty foolish don’t you think?” “I’ll let you know when the Captain’s free.” A few moments later Zoe and Wash were once again alone on the bridge. “So you have any idea what Mal’s up to?” “Not a clue.” “That’s not comforting, this is the part where you say something wise and comforting.” “Like what?” “ I don’t know, like Mal knows what he’s doing. Or you know the Captain’s plans always work out.” “You’re talking about Mal.” “Dammit Zoe, I don’t need truth, I need you to lie to me.” “I’m sure the Captain knows what he’s doing and everything will work out.” “Thank you.”

Oscar closed the door after the last of the guests. He turned to see a relieved look on the Doctor’s face. “I thought they would never leave.” “They did seem to be putting down roots. Is there anything else I can do for you mam?” “No, just don’t wake me in the morning. I’ll ring when I’m ready for breakfast.” “Very good. Goodnight mam.” “Excellent as usual Oscar. You never disappoint.” Oscar bowed low from the waist and waited until the Doctor was going up the stairs. He straightened up gingerly, wincing at the stiffness in his back. He was getting to old to be putting on airs. He started collecting the china that was scattered throughout the downstairs of the house. He remembered the first time he had done this as a little boy. His mama had sent him out of the kitchen to get the dishes. He was afraid to touch it. He brought each thing back one at a time, stepping softly because he was terrified that one might shatter. That was in the good times. When the Doctor’s grandfather had run this place. That great, good man had let mama name this place. She’d always said that this was where someone would want to go when they died, it was such a perfect place. The man had laughed and mama smacked him with a towel. “Elysian Fields it is then.” That’s what he said and so it was. At least it used to be. Then the Doctor went to the Core worlds for an education. When she came back all they did was fight. The War hadn’t helped. The man was an Independent right down to the tips of his shoes, the Doctor could only see the shininess of the Alliance. He died the night of the Battle of Serenity Valley. It had simply broken his heart. Everything changed after that. On the surface it all seemed the same, but soon after they had buried him under the Oak the screaming began.

They all learned to ignore it. If you didn’t, you disappeared. The oldest servants were given pensions. Mama lived quite comfortably now in a little place down the road. Oscar saw her every time he had a day off. There hadn’t been any screams coming from the barn for some time now. Then yesterday Oscar had seen that boy laying rocks. The boy was real careful not to look anyone in the eye, but Oscar knew he had been here before. Oscar knew too, that soon the screaming was going to start again.

All you could see out the kitchen window was blackness by the time he had everything in the kitchen squared away. He decided that he should check and make sure everything was locked up before he went to bed. Sure enough, the front gate was standing wide open and that useless lump Farkess was dead drunk on the porch. Oscar decided he should check the barn as well. Everything was quiet. Oscar noticed that the trap door was open and he climbed down the ladder. It was a dirt tunnel for a few feet and then it was gleaming white. He imagined that it looked just like the core. It was cold and he shivered. He was about to go back to the house when he saw him. The young man was strapped to a metal table. He looked like he was sleeping. Oscar touched him and he flinched. Oscar put a hand on his forehead. “It’s alright boy, you remember me?” The boy opened his eyes and looked at Oscar. Oscar almost looked away. Those eyes were going to haunt him. Blue as the summer sky, but filled with pain and misery. No one his age should look like that. “Biscuits.” “That’s right. I taught you how to make biscuits. Now I sent you on the Path once, this is the last time, you understand me?” The boy nodded as Oscar undid the straps that were holding him to the table. The boy tried to sit up, but Oscar again laid his hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have time for heroic foolishness. You just let me get you where you need to be.” Oscar picked Camden up and started walking down the tunnel into the dark. The tunnel got darker and narrower. It turned to dirt again. This was the part that Oscar always hated. The smell of decaying flesh flooded his mouth, his lungs, he’d throw these clothes away because the smell would never quite leave them. When the tunnel got too narrow, he dragged the boy behind him. Gradually the tunnel began sloping upward. Oscar saw the opening at last. He pulled himself up into a freshly dug grave. He then reached down and pulled the boy up after him. They sat there for a moment while Oscar caught his breath. He was getting too old for this. He approached the church with Camden slung over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry, his back protesting all the way. He kicked at the kitchen door with his boot, knocking some of the dirt off. The sky was starting to turn grey. He was going to have to hurry. Finally the Shepard came to the door. Without a word he led Oscar into the storage room. They placed Camden in a wooden crate filled with straw. “I think you should ask the Sheriff to mail a package for you.” “He usually comes for tea on Thursdays.” “Don’t wait until Thursday.” “I’d like to clean him up, give him a hot meal.” “Not this time Shepard, we need to get this boy outta here.” “What’s wrong?” “This is a repeat customer.” “Where do we ship him?” “Don’t rightly know.” The Shepard disappeared for a few moments and then returned with a cup filled with a greenish liquid. He poured some into Camden’s mouth and waited. Camden began to choke and barely opened his eyes. “Where do you want to go son?” “Persephone.” “Who’s going to pick you up?” “Reynolds, Mal. Malcolm.” The Shepard said a short prayer over him and then wrapped a blanket around him. Together Oscar and the Shepard covered him with some more straw and secured the lid. “Won’t be seeing me in church on Sunday. Think it’s about time for a visit to my kin.” Shepard nodded and walked Oscar to the back door.

Badger was enjoying his afternoon cup of “special” tea when Toadie came slinking in. “Boss, I been keepin a eye on the post office like you wanted.” “This best be interestin.” “Malcolm Reynolds got a package.” “You don’t say.” “Pretty big one too.” “Well, seems you boys might have to make a little trip to collect some mail this evenin.”