~~~
Pray for Silence
~~~
"Wait for me. Don't move. Don't talk. Don't even breathe anymore than you have to."
He waits for me to answer. I nod. 'Like I'm going to go anywhere, Daniel.' At least, not by myself. With a quick pat to my thigh, he slips off into the underbrush barely making a sound. I couldn't be more proud. One geeky archaeologist transformed into soldier within seconds. He likes to surprise me like that. And he does.
Wait. For. Me. I sigh. I could write each of those words on a card and tell him a thousand different meanings for them. Why? Because I have nothing better to do than lie here and repeat them over and over again in my head. Helps to have something else to concentrate on than the pain; the pain in my head, my arm, my leg, my chest.. geez, where don't I hurt?
It all comes down to those three words, 'wait for *me*'. What did it mean? What did he mean? What do I want them to mean? Is it like 'I love you' or 'I miss you', or 'I'll be back'. Does that count? 'I'll' sounds like one word. Yeah, it counts.
Damn it hurts to breathe. What if I just moved a little? Bad idea, bad idea, very bad idea. Just gonna stay right here. Not move. Right. Wait for Daniel.
Chaos. Noise. Screaming. More firing. Someone crashes through the brush near my hiding spot. Shit! They're going to lead the Goa'uld right to me. And I can't do anything. All I can do is lie here and listen. Be as quiet as I can or I'm dead. And hope that Daniel comes back soon.
More screaming, cursing. Oh God. Please don't let it be Daniel. Please, please, please don't be Daniel.
Silence.
Jesus Christ, whoever it was, I hope they're dead. Damn Snake Heads! They were just kids!
I haven't prayed in years, but I'm praying now. Praying harder than I've ever prayed in my life. The quiet is even more deadly than the noise. Barely a bird chirps or animal moves. It's as if everyone is waiting. Like me.
'Wait for me.' Daniel's words come back to me again. It's the only hope I have to hold on to. I think I've waited a lifetime for it sometimes. Like right now. I have to lay low. Not move. Barely breathe as the Jaffa move around; their metallic uniforms clanging, clinking as they search.
Wait for Daniel.
Wait for…the end.
Pray for silence.
~The End~