Rating: PG
Disclaimer: The characters and situations referred to here are not mine. They are Joss's. No infringement is intended and I'm not making any money from this story.
Summary: Very short. River, after Serenity, the movie.
Author's note: Straying from the usual path again... This is very much an experiment, in more ways than one, and thanks goes to
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.2){kind=small}
geekmama and jenthegypsy for reading it through for me. On the Wing
by Hereswith
by Hereswith
She thinks that, maybe, this is how her life will begin. She will unfold and open, but the black won’t swallow her, there will be pinpoints of light and Serenity’s pulse will be as her own; it will beat beneath her skin and anchor her when she is lost.
It will be different, this time, not like that other beginning; the one that never was hers, except in burned out, washed out dreams. She presses her cheek against the cool metal of the ship, in the lull of clamouring voices, and she remembers. She had wanted to go, she had wanted to learn, and she had soared, her feet barely touching the ground as she walked through the doors and heard them close shut, behind her. But they had brought her down, those hollow-faced men; they took her apart, with needles, with scalpels, they picked and poked at her brain and then reassembled her wrong.
On some nights she curls up tight and tries not to move. She breathes, that is all, and it betrays her. She can’t be a stone. On some nights she doesn’t wish that she was, and that is when she almost believes. With her hands on the controls, and the whole of the ‘verse before her, she can be something else, someone else, not the gorram crazy girl, the stitched-up girl, the girl with blood on her dress. She holds together, spare parts and borrowed wings, and she is flying, becoming what he has named her. Little albatross.
December 6 2005, 17:00:26 UTC 6 years ago
except in burned out, washed out dreams
But they had brought her down, those hollow-faced men; they took her apart, with needles, with scalpels, they picked and poked at her brain and then reassembled her wrong.
not the gorram crazy girl, the stitched-up girl, the girl with blood on her dress.
Excellent entry into a new realm, my friend. Dare I hope for more?
*no Firefly icons - this one will have to do! ;-)*
December 8 2005, 16:02:19 UTC 6 years ago
*hugs*
December 9 2005, 17:53:36 UTC 6 years ago
December 11 2005, 09:53:18 UTC 6 years ago
December 9 2005, 18:15:04 UTC 6 years ago
This is very impressive. I love your style. Such economy, and every word that much more important for it. Very good read. I look forward to reading more from you.
December 11 2005, 11:16:32 UTC 6 years ago
December 10 2005, 18:14:00 UTC 6 years ago
"they picked and poked at her brain and then reassembled her wrong."
It's almost tuneful, it hits exactly the right beats.
And the "borrowed wings" is a beauty as well :)
December 11 2005, 12:06:29 UTC 6 years ago
December 10 2005, 19:11:26 UTC 6 years ago
I hope we see more from you in this fandom!
December 11 2005, 11:36:50 UTC 6 years ago
December 15 2005, 15:51:52 UTC 6 years ago
December 16 2005, 03:14:37 UTC 6 years ago
December 16 2005, 09:19:34 UTC 6 years ago
6 years ago
January 5 2006, 03:14:44 UTC 6 years ago
January 5 2006, 04:43:44 UTC 6 years ago
February 8 2006, 21:05:52 UTC 6 years ago
The doors closing shut behind her is such a powerful image, and it can mean so many things --> I like. Plus, as a crazy rabid River/Mal shipper (who also, I promise, is trying not to scare you!) the idea that Mal's words anchor her is <3. We already know that Mal's ship does; there's no denyin'. ;)
Anyway. Brilliant look into River - I love her all the more. Thanks. I really could have used some quality writing tonight, and I got it.
February 9 2006, 08:08:58 UTC 6 years ago
Thank you so much! I'm delighted you enjoyed this one as well and I'm not scared, yet ;-)
February 8 2006, 22:39:43 UTC 6 years ago
Makes sense that Mal should love her.
February 9 2006, 06:39:25 UTC 6 years ago
November 29 2006, 02:15:50 UTC 5 years ago
You should have seen my face. It was all "On the Wing? I don't remember reading this..." and then happy happy squeals. I think I even danced a little jig.
Beautiful. Even though this was your first foray into this universe, your River voice is perfect. And, after re-watching the series and the movie just recently, I've realized just how hard that is to achieve - River doesn't say much at all, and when she does, much of it is disjointed, so it can be difficult to ascern the *tone* of her thoughts.
But you have it exactly as I imagine it would be.
November 30 2006, 21:36:50 UTC 5 years ago
You perusing my Memories reminded me that I haven't updated them in ages, which was good, because it prompted me to get it done. There's another River one-shot that wasn't listed when you checked, I don't know if you've read it. Point of Breaking.
November 5 2007, 02:01:41 UTC 4 years ago
November 6 2007, 18:17:18 UTC 4 years ago
August 10 2011, 07:31:12 UTC 9 months ago
The connection with Serenity is perfect, and very much how I see River as well, hanging on to the ship as stability and ideal when everything else fails her.
August 12 2011, 21:17:46 UTC 9 months ago