Date sent:        Sat, 12 Jul 1997 17:23:06 -0500 (CDT)
From:             shnook@ix.netcom.com (Jennifer Anne Berry)
Subject:          Into the Forest

Category VA
Rating: PG

Disclaimer:  I don't own any characters, and I'm not making any money.


Dana wait   you have to hold my hand
why I don't want to
Mom...

she is  what?how old...maybe four and her sister is big and bossy

Dana you have to hold Missy's hand...I don't want you to run off
why
you might get lost in the forest    no you can't hold Daddy's hand 
they're full  you can hold mine
you can hold mine and mom's Dana!  we'll swing you
And they take her hands and she is swinging, feet off the ground, 
smelling the wet earth and seeing daffodils under the trees, swinging 
and laughing, but then her mother's hand holds tighter and her sister's 
fingers loosen and the leaves fade to pale and then to white.

"Dana?"
Everything is white now and with the white comes the pain.
She still feels her mother's hand but not Melissa's. 
She feels tears on her face and doesn't know if they are from the pain 
or because her sister is gone.
"Isn't time for her to have some more morphine now?  Please..."
The burning in her arm and then the leaves come back.  

They are thick and green; it is summer.  She is bigger now and proud.
come on Starbuck   get some cans   I'll teach you to shoot your new gun
that's good  good shot
remember only shoot the cans   never shoot a living thing

The leaves are falling; they are red and gold.
we're going to the forest to shoot you want to come
I can beat you  no you can't 
what's that it's a snake I bet I can hit it I bet you can't
Daddy said only cans...
sissy!
I'm not I'm not
Hey you got it  what's the matter?  crybaby
Mom....

She's crying again; she can't rememember why.  The pain is bad, so bad 
she can't think.
"Dana, it's me, it's Bill...can you hear me?"
Never shoot a living thing.  I've shot living things.  I shot ones that 
deserve it but I shot my own partner too.  Once to save his life but 
now I've shot him and he is dead...his finger on the trigger but the 
blood is on my hands.
I've taken something that wasn't mine to take
I don't want to stay here.

This forest is different; there's a lake, it's all familiar.
come on Scully it'll be a nice trip to the forest
oh no I've heard that before
no really this time I checked it out first
yeah I know you bastard   how could you   you were the one who brought 
me back from here once before how could you come back
I'm sorry Scully   I couldn't stay   but I couldn't leave you 
either...I waited for you 
come on Scully it'll be a nice trip to the forest

The white and the pain come back, but only for a moment.  Her mother's 
hand holds hers.

hold my hand Dana  don't let go  you might get lost
I'm sorry Mom
The leaves are bright and green; it is spring.  The lake is just ahead, 
she can see it through the trees.
I know where I'm going  I won't get lost
She lets go of her mother's hand and runs into the forest.