Okay, new part, new focus...

This part will be when Strider found Gina...when she was but a mere child. :o) Enjoy!

He noticed her by pure accident. The little snippet was sitting beside some garbage cans in the airport, obviously scared to death. He normally didn't care about children or their little problems, but this one was kind of fascinating. Her hair was a mess, and she had the sort of face that was ugly now, but when she grew up, would be very attractive. She sat there crying looking around for someone. He casually walked over.

"Hey kid. Is there a problem?" He eyed her curiously.

She looked up at him, her wide eyes full of tears. "Well, obviously there's a problem, moron. Or else I wouldn't be sitting here crying!"

He was taken aback. What an attitude for such a little girl!

"Well, what IS the problem?" He asked, half annoyed half intrigued.

"Well, seeing as I'm alone, and looking around for someone, wouldn't that suggest that I'm lost??" She looked at him like he was a complete moron.

He fought back the urge to slap her a good one and asked, "How old are you?"

She looked puzzled. "I'm 11. Yeah, I know, I look like I'm 8, but I'm just small for my age." She looked away.

"When was the last time you saw your parents, child?" Strider asked, amazed that she could actually be 11. She looked so small and innocent. Boy, looks were deceiving!

"Actually, to tell you truth, I saw them a few hours ago. It's like they disappeared or something." Tears started dripping down her face again.

"Well, come along with me. Maybe we can find them." Strider said, somewhat kindly. The girl looked up at him suspiciously. "Why do you want to help? Are you some kind of pervert or something?!" She asked loudly.

Strider looked around, embarrassed, hoping no one had heard. A few people were looking over, curiously.

"No I'm not a pervert. Can't a guy just help?!" Actually, he wasn't a pervert, he just thought this little girl could help him out a little. She'd be hot when she grew up, and he needed a little servant...All he'd have to do is play his cards right, get her alone, then take the necessary steps to bind her to him...then maybe the master would be pleased with him. There was always uses for girls...little girls, no less.

"Well, it's kind of odd that you want to help. But what other choice do I have?" She stood up stiffly, her clothes sagging on her shapeless body. They walked down the corridor and he showed her through a door.

"Where are we going?" She asked, not letting anything escape her attention.

"To talk to the airlines people, of course. Maybe they can tell us whether or not your parents boarded their plane."

The girl accepted this and went along. Little did she know that she was stepping into a portal...a portal that reached halfway to hell.

Ever since that day, the little girl, called Gina by Strider, was not the same. She was sweet, kind and loving. Except for a little gem of evil that grew deep within her. As the years passed, the evil started to overshadow her sweetness little by little. But she knew better then to let Strider see it. She wasn't a fool. But then again, neither was he.

The Master was pleased with Strider's choice of servants and told him so. He wanted this child to help him out on the mission. They needed the souls of young, fresh woman to fuel their needs. The passions of a young woman are very powerful. Gina only went along with the entire thing willingly because of the deep-seated evil within her soul. She was very good at luring women into their clutches, and she never thought twice about it. The master never told Strider, because he never would remember on his own, that he had found him very much like Strider had found Gina. Everyone needed a servant, didn't they?

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Back to the present day:

I stood there, my body shaking with fear as the man standing before me examined his claws. Gina stood back from the scene with that detachment that seemed to float around her. The man, called Strider, seemed to have a change of heart.

"I don't want to kill you, kid. But how are we gonna stop you from having those dreams?"

"I don't even understand my dreams! All I see are mutilated women and some girl that looks a lot like Gina! It's no big deal!" I gave him a big smile, hopefully telling him that I wouldn't tell a soul if he'd just let me go home.

Strider smiled and Gina walked forward, seemingly interested in our exchange of words. "Maybe he's telling the truth, Strider dear. Maybe we should leave him alone. I don't think he'll say a word." She looked at me, her dark eyes alight with some sort of sick pleasure.

"Yeah, but the master tipped us off about him. There must be something here we're not seeing, or else the master wouldn't have had us get involved." Strider looked puzzled.

"Maybe he's destined to help us?" Gina suggested, a smile playing on her curved mouth.

"Maybe. But, I doubt that. Meh, let's just kill him, I guess."

"Well, I don't agree, but if you want to..." Gina seemed unsure.

I watched with horror as Strider pulled a long pointed sword from his side, it's silver beauty shining in the light of the moon. I gulped loudly. Suddenly, I couldn't take anymore, I gave them one last look and ran away, crashing through the woods.

I could hear Strider laughing behind me. A wicked, evil tinged laugh. I ran and ran until I reached my house. I locked myself in my bedroom, nearly paralyzed with fear and exhaustion and fell asleep almost at once. I was plagued with no dreams that night.

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Written from Gina's perspective:

Well, that kid actually had some guts. She was starting to wonder. Looking over at Strider, Gina placed a hand on his arm. "Just leave him be. For now."

Strider growled slightly. "Yeah, I wasn't really in the mood for killing tonight, anyhow."

"We still haven't filled our quota, though. The master wanted us to suck the souls from a few more women before we retired for the night."

"You're right. Damn."

Gina just smiled. She could already imagine those woman, their blood dancing from open wounds, the look of horror evident on their faces. The only way to get to the soul was through the skin...so that's what they did.

"I almost forget why I do all this anyway." Strider said with an air of melancholy emotion. "I mean, why do we do it?"

"Because the master told us to. He needs the women's souls for...something. He never really specified why. I think it's just because he has had bad luck with woman. I think one really hurt him a long time ago. He has a Ted Bundy complex going on."

"No, I mean...WHY do we do it? When we could be leading somewhat normal lives."

Gina thought darkly to herself. "Normal lives? Ha! Not me...I was doomed to a weird life from the moment my parents left me. But they'll get what's coming to them...sooner or later."

TO BE CONTINUED

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