Author: Rawles {rawles [dot]marie [at]gmail [dot]com}

Type: Gen

Genre: Drama

Characters: River. Mal.

Author’s Notes: There's an entire DVD commentary version of this one to be found here: http://www.livejournal.com/users/rawles/37678.html.

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The wind whisked past River’s ears, carrying voices from afar. She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue to taste the air. It was fairly clear today, like water. There was a slight coppery tang. That was always there. She sat down and closed her mouth. She wasn’t thirsty just yet. Long green grass sprouted up around her in an ever-expanding circle. A single red leaf was in her hand and River busied herself following the path of its veins. As she did so the lines of her palm changed to match. Soft pale flesh was just beginning to take on crimson hues when the wind changed.

It swirled around her making a brown cyclone of her hair, buffeting her bare skin. It forced itself into her ears. The voices were deafening now. They tore through her. After a moment she realized that they no longer needed the wind to carry them, they were everywhere, desperate and throaty. A moist, withering heat set in and her leaf wilted. She stood and sweat beaded on her body, tickling her maddeningly as it trailed across her skin. She attempted to wipe her face and her arms with her hands but flesh to flesh contact sent shockwaves of emotion through her that she could not stand. So she was left to endure the salty sheen that blanketed her. Her eyes burned and her ears were beginning to hurt. Through the corners of her tear-blurred vision River could see embers. The green grass began to blacken and crumble as the fire rose. She would not get to be a tree today. River forced herself to wakefulness.

She opened her eyes and the last murmurs of the dream-voices died away. She was trying hard to get better. She’d promised. Her conscious mind worked with her medications to block the worst of the waking-voices out most times. But when she slept she was