Burst Through That Door
There were always the shadows. They moved across the room by the light of the flickering torch. Then there were the shadows that remained before him.
They had finally come for him.
But despite those shadows, his eyes never moved from the large wooden door on the other side of the room.
Any minute now, Jack will burst through that door, gun at the ready. Then Sam, with eyes full of concern, will lean down and tend to my injuries. Teal’c will break these manacles shackled to the wall above me. This wall will witness Tealc’s anger first hand. Jack will take these bastards out if they so much as flinch.
They just haven’t found me yet. But any minute now, Jack will burst through that door.
One of the shadows came closer, hovering over him. A glint of sharp metal. He barely moved as the blade cut deep into his wrist down to his elbow and then moved to the other arm.
Any minute now Jack will burst through that door and everything will be fine again.
Blood ran thickly down both arms, quickly saturating the tattered tunic he was made to wear.
His sight grew hazy as the body weakened. Blood pooled on the floor on both sides of him, but he didn’t look. He didn’t dare look away from the door.
The shadows stood back and watched.
Any minute now that door will burst open and Jack will kill them and rescue me.
Blackness began descending, but… what was that?
The door flew open and Jack ran in, gun in hand. He saw the shadows and quickly dealt with them. Teal’c aimed and fired above his head as the chains came loose around his arms. Sam was there, wrapping his arms tightly. He felt better already. Jack knelt by his side. “We’re here. You’re safe now and we’re taking you home, Daniel.”
“I knew you’d come, Jack. Knew you would bust down that door just like you always do in the nick of time and we all go home. Home. Can we go now?”
Jack smiled at him. “Sure thing. Need some help getting up?”
They were careful helping him stand because of his arm injuries and because he was a bit wobbly when he stood up, but soon they were crossing the room and passing through that door.
“…any minute now…”
“What does IT say?” said one Prosperitor to the other as they both peered down at the Unclean.
“Do not listen. It speaks an unknown language. It can only be the evil within trying to get out.”
One Prosperitor nodded to the other as the head of the Unclean below them dropped to its chest and the breaths ceased.
It had been necessary to contain IT from the people. IT was evil and spoke only evil. The evil was within and needed to be purged. The blood carried the evil out of the body, but the evil was too massive this time. The body could not be saved. The evil would die with the body. It had been necessary.
It was the sworn duty of a Prosperitor to fight evil among their people.
The evil had not won this time.
The End
