Note from Sullen Gurl:
Not For Me (Part 1)
Jack hid behind Imam and clutched at his arm as they heard the boulder being moved.
This is it, she thought, we are SO dead. .
Imam, expecting the worst, prayed to God that they die a quick and relatively painless death. The boulder was now halfway pushed aside. As they held their breath, Fry's smiling face appeared at the opening. Fry was drenched and out of breath, but man, was she glad to see them. Jack and Imam's sighs of relief were quickly replaced with a look of surprise when Fry moved aside and Riddick's likewise pleased face appeared.
"Never had a doubt," Jack said proudly, despite the fact that she had been sorely disappointed only minutes ago when they all realized that Riddick had left them.
"Anyone not ready for this?" Riddick asked, suddenly serious.
Fry helped Jack and Imam out of the cave while Riddick stood guard, on the lookout for any of the creatures that could be nearby. He led them to a corner a few feet away from a spot where what seemed like a hundred aliens were. He squatted down and signaled for the others to do so. Riddick decided that the only option they had if they wanted to make it was to wait for an opening, then run through, up the muddy slope, then down towards the settlement.
Not much of a tactic, Riddick thought, but it's all we've got.
Riddick twisted around and saw that Jack, Imam, and Fry were all watching him with expectant and hopeful looks on their faces. They were waiting for any instructions he had for them. He turned his head to look directly into Fry's eyes. He wasn't kidding earlier when he said he admired her for her strong survival instincts. Even all throughout the day, he was impressed by how Carolyn was so demanding and determined to get everyone off the planet. And Mr. Richard B. Riddick was NOT an easy man to impress. Right now, looking into her eyes, he would've given anything to know what Carolyn thought of him. Fry steadily held his gaze and despite the downpour and all the fucking noise the aliens were making, he could tell she trusted him. Trusted him with their lives. He remembered her words well.
"Come on, Riddick. There must be some part of you that wants to rejoin the human race." "Truthfully, I wouldn't know how,"
But Carolyn had shown him how. Without breaking eye contact, they both found each other's hands and intertwined their fingers. Fry held out her hand to Jack and the girl grasped it with all her might. Imam held on to Jack as well with his left had while he held up the 'lit' bottle with his other hand.
Riddick turned his attention back to the aliens just beyond the boulder. After a few seconds, he saw an opening between two aliens nearest them large enough for all of them to get through if they did it quickly enough. He squeezed Fry's hand, letting her know that they were to make their move any second.
This is it, Riddick thought, it's now or never.
At Riddick's "Now!", all four hand in hand darted towards the sparring aliens. The creatures, momentarily surprised by the sudden movement and the oncoming light, stepped back far enough for Jack, Imam, Fry and Riddick to get through. The four headed for the foot of the slope like crazy. Their hands gripping the other's tightly, lest they get separated. Each trying his damnedest to stay on his feet and not slip on the mud.
This is suicide! Jack's mind screamed.
Riddick's jaw clenched in concentration. Almost there. Almost there, his mind chanted.
Finally, they had reached the foot of the slope. Riddick stopped to help Jack, Imam and Fry clamber up the slippery hill ahead of him, in case any of the aliens were sneaking up behind them. Just as the three were over the slope and he was about to go over it himself, Riddick sensed an alien land right behind him.
Damn. Riddick slowly turned around and found himself face to face with the monster.
…………………………….
On the other side of the slope Fry, Jack and Imam half slid/half rolled down. Once they were at the foot and just a few feet away from the settlement, Fry realized that Riddick had been left behind on the other side. She saw that Jack and Imam were already on their feet, each of them holding their bottles up like they were torches. Fry kept close to them and called out into the rain, "Riddick !!". What they heard was what sounded like a struggle from the other side of the hill. But no answer from Riddick. Fry tried again. "Dammit, Riddick !!", she yelled as loud as she could. Then came the sound of ripping flesh and spilling guts.
Like thunder, Riddick's low voice boomed, "Go! Just go!"
Fry hesitated. He sounded distant and seemed like he was in much pain.
As if sensing her reluctance, Riddick yelled again from the other side, "Just go! You know the way!"
Fry grabbed Jack and Imam and all three headed for the settlement, towards the skiff's glowing lights somewhere.
"Skiff city.", Jack whispered to herself.
……………..
From the other side of the slope, Riddick had heard them run towards the settlement until he couldn't hear their footsteps anymore. He was looming over a fallen alien, slashed in different places, its guts being washed away by the hard rain.
"Fucker," he spat out at the carcass, as he gingerly examined the scratches the beast had given him during their 'little scuffle'.
'Least I ain't seriously bleeding, he consoled himself.
The surrounding aliens, having witnessed the demise of one of their own at the hands of what they would normally consider to be lunch, eyed Riddick warily. They were still closing in on him, but they were sizing him up first, now knowing that he was a formidable opponent.
Riddick took that opportunity to scramble up the slope, which proved to be no easy feat, given the mud and the rain. Plus, he had to constantly keep an eye on the aliens, in case they attacked.
………………….
Fry, Jack and Imam were now only meters away from the settlement. All they had to do was make their way towards the skiff. The whole time, Fry kept looking back over her shoulder to see if Riddick had caught up, or even safely made his way past the slope.
Shit, she cursed. No sign of Riddick anywhere. Right now she had to concentrate on getting Jack and Imam safely to the skiff.
As they were making their way through the settlement, they heard what sounded like a million high-pitched screeches coming from the sky. They looked up to see a 'flock' of those bat-like creatures from the left side dive-bombing their way. Jack screamed. All three ducked. But not fast enough.
The winged aliens moved as one entity and rammed into them. Fry was knocked off her feet. She landed on her back, but had the good sense to roll over and put her arms over head. She felt the aliens whistle by, inches above her body.
The 'bats' swirled around Imam and Jack's heads, much like they had to Ali's back in the coring room, and pulled them this way and that.
Jack screamed and batted at them, dropping the bottle she was holding. She felt the damn things biting and clawing at her arms, her face and her neck. It felt like hundreds of needles pricking her skin. She couldn't see. Couldn't hear anything but the loud flapping all around her head.
Imam, too, was under assault. He whirled around and around furiously, batting at the critters, a firm hold on the bottle. He was not aware that all his turning and whirling had led him a good distance away from where Fry was.
……………………….
Jack fell to the ground and covered her head as best as she could. After a few agonizing seconds, she felt the clawing and biting ease up a bit. A few more moments later, they stopped completely, and felt the critters whiz by above her. Head still down, she waited and listened for anything besides the pounding rain.. She raised her head slowly and looked around.
There was absolutely no sign of Imam nor Fry.
She was all alone.
And she had no light.
To Be Continued…