stargateficrec | Machinery of Night by Lilac

Show: SGA
Rec Category: Horror
Characters: John, Rodney, Ronon
Pairing: John/Rodney
Het/Slash/Gen: Slash
Warning: canon character death
Author on LJ: not anymore
Author's Website: WraithBait
Link: Machinery of Night

Why this must be read:

A very spine-chilling look at John Sheppard and the guilt he bears from the Pegasus Galaxy. Lilac_way just has a special talent for spinning together disturbingly dark nightmare images and the brightly lit images of everyday life on Atlantis. John starts having nightmares about a shadowy figure in his room who he fights night after night. The nightmares escalate to him hurting his friends and loved ones. Then he learns that not everything is as it seems... Through wonderful use of shadow and light, Lilac drives us to a dynamic conclusion fueled by John's guilt and the comfort that he finds in Rodney. You'll love every second of this gem!

Story Summary: "Get a grip, John. It was just a nightmare."

The night wrapped itself around John, woolly-hot air stifling him. He pushed, struggled, and fought his way free, alert, eyes searching the darkness. The room felt off. His breath echoed harshly, the sound clamoring at him from all sides. He listened: was the room round?

Something flickered in his peripheral vision; John silently pulled his sidearm. Someone was approaching from the other side of the room. Malevolence radiated from the dimly-lit figure. Familiarity buzzed at the back of his mind like mosquitoes on a screen, but recognition was just beyond reach.

Another glint, on the other side of the room. The skin on the back of his neck shivered and crawled and he spun to meet the attacker behind him. Another flare at three o'clock. His breath rattled. The pulse of his blood pounded like a drum, like it would beat out of his head.

Closer, closer...

A series of blows made him lose his balance. Someone grabbed him, trying to pull him down. If he toppled he wouldn't get up. He escaped the grappling arms.

He fired into the darkness. The vindictive flashes of light coalesced and rushed toward him.

John fired again. And again.