Prologue
The rain crashed on the roof. Such a small place, such a fucked up place. Filled with out doped... No one who made more sense beyond a two words sentence. But that was about it, the only two people she could honestly hold a freaggin conversation with were Imam and Riddick. … When the two of them felt like responding to her adolescent voice. For how long had they been there? A week? The only measurement of time were Imam's prayers, and didn't he pray at least four times a day. Still staying in the fucking skiff... no freaggin room. No fucking air.
They'd been half way to New Mecca when the skiff decided to transfer from
a saviour to a bitch. Jack's mind wondered, she really didn't want to go
to sleep, it was either that or go out into the
damn rain to fix this so very shrinking bitch. This did give her time though,
to get to know Riddick. Maybe she could tell him.....Nah, odds were that
he would just give her a funny look and ignore her after that.
Unwillingly she dazed off into the wretched being of sleep. Memories repeating themselves within her.
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-"No. You. Don't. Fucking. Touch. Her."
A voice so familiar, filled with wrath. A hand flying in the air, to slap her saviour, her idol, her family. Macy defending his dearest friend. Only to receive a heavy punch from the middle aged man
-"OUT OF MY WAY PUNK!"
-"Don't call him a punk you fucker!"
Skylar's voice roaring in the dead still air
-"Shut up! I am your father, you obey me!"
She remembered the hatred in her eyes, a reflection of what she herself later would keep deep in her heart for other people. Macy's furious face rising from the floor. Grabbing the man from behind, holding him back.
A shiv raised in the air. Every thing slowed down, a small taste of horror echoed in Jack's scream. Their father looked at them, his white t-shirt stained with his own living, flowing blood. A vertical cut on his skin, burning into her eyes, so did the vicious look on her idol's face.
Hands grabbing her arms, shaking her.
-"Wake up Jack!"
Fear kept her frozen, the fear of her sister's blood sprayed face. Siren's screaming...how she hated that sound. Skylar looked at the doors Macy's voice clashed with the siren sounds.
-"Damn bastards."
In that he referred to the neighbours, who finally had called the police. Jack's eyes were caught by her sister's infinite black ones.
-"Listen Jack, I'll find you, just... manage until then.... And promise to remember me, and what I've taught you. … OK?"
Numbly the nine ten-year-old Jack nodded her head. The vision of her sister faded into the night, through the window along with Macy. Stained by red.
Foster homes, not knowing why Skylar had gone mad and killed their father. Computer's....her only key to Skylar. Words, stories, laughter. Richard B. Riddick and the Slam. And... That planet. That hell.... Skylar's black eyes drinking up the light of the three suns. A bloodied shiv in her hand, an ocean of blood. Riddick... Riddick's face...
"The most dangerous psycho in the Slam, and we just happen to be friends"
The contact broke.
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Jack woke up screaming. Riddick's silvery eyes was all she saw in the dark, his eyes saw more.
-"Why the fuck are you screaming kid?"
His voice husky from being newly awoken. Jack still shaking from Skylar's memory... it had been so long.
-"Just d..dreams."
There was some sort of silence, not uncomfortable. As if Riddick were looking at her, studying her frighten figure.
-"Are you going back to sleep?"
She hung her head low, there was no way she would be able to sleep now.... Skylar
-"No fucking way."
Riddick, now sitting up on the cold iron seemed to be fully awake.
-"Then help me to fix this piece of shit."
Jack, now fully awake, the dream fading away. Fresh.
-"How long until we can get the fuck out of here?"
Busy eyes, looking for the tool kit, in the dark.
-"Couple of days, we just need to fix the fuses and we should be off."
-"Can't wait to get away from this fucking planet."
Ask him? How about not so directly? Maybe? She took a deep breath as they went outside, raining, of course. Riddick's frame in front of her, though she couldn't see much, she managed to follow him.....she'd ask him.
-"Riddick...did you meet anyone in the slam?"
Her voice shaking from the rain and fear, all she had to do was to hand him the tools and ask questions. She just had know.
-"The usual scumbags."
-"Did you make any friends?"
Her body stiff, hoping for an answer, THE answer.
-"A few."
He looked up at her, despite the dark, she could see the suspicious look his face held.
-"You're too curious for your own damn good kid."
Absently she handed Riddick the tools he asked for, and stayed quiet. Why wouldn't he just tell her...
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Riddick had been right. Three days ago they'd gotten into space, after doing some doubtful business, buying some doubtful things. The only things Jack wanted was music....Skylar's favourite music and of course...headphones, just so Riddick wouldn't slice her throat and the peaceful Imam turn into a vicious lunatic.
Skylar, why in fuck did she still hurt when ever she thought about that girl?
Music could have some strange effects. Like Skylar...when she danced...when she and Macy had danced..... she'd only been five, she still remembered the fresh memory. While mom was still alive.
Space surrounding them...Riddick piloting, Imam silently praying and she, just listening to her music. Wonderful....the memory.
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A five year old Jack, sitting and clapping her head, raised on 20th century rock. Her eleven year old sister dancing with her best friend, Macy. Skunk something. How wonderful, the power in the air. Mom screaming at them to turn it down. Jumping, bouncing and singing along. Skylar grabbing her, holding her and making her jump along. Laughter mixing in. Macy smiling, all of them smiling.
Until dad came home. The house turned quiet, mom grew pale and Skylar hateful. Macy crawled out the window with regret. Fun time over.
Quiet.
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-"What are you thinking about, child?"
Imam's very gentle voice shattered her thought process before it had been carried off to the bad times.
-"Nothin' really, just the past."
Jack dazed right off, back to sleep, hearing Riddick and Imam discuss her future.
-"We cannot leave this child to the orphanage Mr Riddick, she'll fade and die."
-"We agree on that much."
Riddick's voice not too gentle.
-"But she's not going with me old man."
Jack's voice cried within her.
-"She will not be happy with me, I am a man of religion and little travel, she is a wanderer in her nature, so much like yourself."
-"Well, my life ain't a life she wants, she might think so, but the kid forgets who I am... A murderer."
Imam's heavy sigh, close to surrender, cut into Jack.
-"You are more of a human than many people I've met Mr. Riddick, she needs you."
-"Maybe she does, but I sure as fuck don't need some kid in my way."
The cry within Jack transformed into a tear.