Deia didn't stretch when she woke up, she didn't groan. She simply opened her eyes. There was no pain now and that scared her. Oh, God, she thought. Her face crumpled and she fought off tears. Panic seared her brain. Deia sat up in bed only to fall back again.
Finally, blessed pain. It calmed her down a little. She studied her surroundings. It looked like she was in a slummy hospital. Good, they didn't ask questions in slums. Everything was a dirty white color and looked sterile. It was bright and all the white hurt her sensitive eyes. Suddenly, Deia longed for some color. The moments before she had blacked out danced before her eyes. Riddick must have saved her. Where was he? Did he leave her?
A doctor walked into her room. "Ah, Ms. Jane Doe has finally awoken. So, how are we feeling today?"
She hated it when people asked how 'we' were feeling. "I got shot and damn near died, how would you be feeling? How did I get here?"
Dr. Owens (at least that's what his nametag said) looking over her quickly and choosing to ignore her first comment, said: "We found you just outside the doors of our main entrance." Deia kept her eyes lowered, hoping he wouldn't see the shine on them.
He had abandoned her. Tears began to leak from her eyes.
"What's wrong, miss? Are you in pain?" Dr. Owens looked down at her with concern etched on his face.
"Yes," Deia whispered.
He pulled a hypodermic needle from his pocket and filled it with something. "This is a mild sedative and painkiller. It will help you sleep."
The doctor studied Deia's blank face as he injected the drug. She looked familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Maybe he would ask around.
Deia was aware that the doctor was studying her. He might even recognize her but she didn't care anymore. She just wanted to sleep. She watched as he walked briskly out of her room, and her gaze fell on a picture of a bird that hung crookedly on the wall. It was just taking flight and looked filled with hope.
In her dream she saw the bird. It was blue, bright blue, and so beautiful. Suddenly, it began to fall. She ran towards it, but slowly...oh, so slowly. She didn't see it hit because of the tall grass of the meadow she was in. When she finally got there, the bird was cradled in Riddick's hands. He had a grin on his face that was more of a snarl. It was alive! She knelt down and looked into Riddick's eyes. Adoringly, he said: "Would you die for this bird?" Before Deia could answer, he crushed it in his hands.
Deia awoke, tears staining her face. "I've never even seen a meadow," she whispered bitterly. It was night now, and she could see perfectly. I have to pee something fierce, she thought. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. The pain killer must still be working, all she felt was an occasional twinge.
After she used the bathroom Deia carefully lifted the bandage that covered most of her stomach. Then she groaned. It was a stitched mess.
She quickly searched her room for her clothing. It was all there, even her tank top, though it was stiff with dried blood. Checking her pockets, she found all of her money was still there, though if she wasn't on Earth it wouldn't do her any good. Damn planet wouldn't even adopt the Universal Currency. She put all of the clothes on, longing for the sunglasses that Riddick had broken. Opening the door to her room, she glanced out into the hallway. The nurses station was right by the exit. Damn. She wasn't exactly inconspicuous, wearing dirty, bloody clothing. And one of the nurses was watching her room. Waiting until the nurse averted her gaze, she darted the opposite way.
It was a maze of doors. She could borrow a doctor's coat and walk right out, like she saw in so many movies. As she neared the end of the hallway she heard voices. She ducked into a room and when she turned around she almost laughed. Dr. Owens was attending another patient. "Doctor, what a pleasant surprise." She met his gaze full on, knowing her eyes would shine in the light. "I need to borrow your coat." With that, she lashed out with her fist and as he fell, unconscious, she caught him.
Looking at the patient in the room she put her fingers to her lips, slid on the coat and quickly made her exit.
As Deia stepped out of the hospital, she didn't know whether to to be relieved or panicked. She was still on Earth but now the mercs knew she was here. Deia checked into a nearby hotel and asked when the next ship was leaving. This dump didn't get visited often, it could be weeks.
"You're in luck," the elderly woman behind the counter said. "There's one coming tonight and leaving tomorrow." It didn't really matter where she went. She was alone.
"Riddick," she whispered.
Finally, blessed pain. It calmed her down a little. She studied her surroundings. It looked like she was in a slummy hospital. Good, they didn't ask questions in slums. Everything was a dirty white color and looked sterile. It was bright and all the white hurt her sensitive eyes. Suddenly, Deia longed for some color. The moments before she had blacked out danced before her eyes. Riddick must have saved her. Where was he? Did he leave her?
A doctor walked into her room. "Ah, Ms. Jane Doe has finally awoken. So, how are we feeling today?"
She hated it when people asked how 'we' were feeling. "I got shot and damn near died, how would you be feeling? How did I get here?"
Dr. Owens (at least that's what his nametag said) looking over her quickly and choosing to ignore her first comment, said: "We found you just outside the doors of our main entrance." Deia kept her eyes lowered, hoping he wouldn't see the shine on them.
He had abandoned her. Tears began to leak from her eyes.
"What's wrong, miss? Are you in pain?" Dr. Owens looked down at her with concern etched on his face.
"Yes," Deia whispered.
He pulled a hypodermic needle from his pocket and filled it with something. "This is a mild sedative and painkiller. It will help you sleep."
The doctor studied Deia's blank face as he injected the drug. She looked familiar but he couldn't quite place it. Maybe he would ask around.
Deia was aware that the doctor was studying her. He might even recognize her but she didn't care anymore. She just wanted to sleep. She watched as he walked briskly out of her room, and her gaze fell on a picture of a bird that hung crookedly on the wall. It was just taking flight and looked filled with hope.
In her dream she saw the bird. It was blue, bright blue, and so beautiful. Suddenly, it began to fall. She ran towards it, but slowly...oh, so slowly. She didn't see it hit because of the tall grass of the meadow she was in. When she finally got there, the bird was cradled in Riddick's hands. He had a grin on his face that was more of a snarl. It was alive! She knelt down and looked into Riddick's eyes. Adoringly, he said: "Would you die for this bird?" Before Deia could answer, he crushed it in his hands.
Deia awoke, tears staining her face. "I've never even seen a meadow," she whispered bitterly. It was night now, and she could see perfectly. I have to pee something fierce, she thought. She slowly got out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. The pain killer must still be working, all she felt was an occasional twinge.
After she used the bathroom Deia carefully lifted the bandage that covered most of her stomach. Then she groaned. It was a stitched mess.
She quickly searched her room for her clothing. It was all there, even her tank top, though it was stiff with dried blood. Checking her pockets, she found all of her money was still there, though if she wasn't on Earth it wouldn't do her any good. Damn planet wouldn't even adopt the Universal Currency. She put all of the clothes on, longing for the sunglasses that Riddick had broken. Opening the door to her room, she glanced out into the hallway. The nurses station was right by the exit. Damn. She wasn't exactly inconspicuous, wearing dirty, bloody clothing. And one of the nurses was watching her room. Waiting until the nurse averted her gaze, she darted the opposite way.
It was a maze of doors. She could borrow a doctor's coat and walk right out, like she saw in so many movies. As she neared the end of the hallway she heard voices. She ducked into a room and when she turned around she almost laughed. Dr. Owens was attending another patient. "Doctor, what a pleasant surprise." She met his gaze full on, knowing her eyes would shine in the light. "I need to borrow your coat." With that, she lashed out with her fist and as he fell, unconscious, she caught him.
Looking at the patient in the room she put her fingers to her lips, slid on the coat and quickly made her exit.
As Deia stepped out of the hospital, she didn't know whether to to be relieved or panicked. She was still on Earth but now the mercs knew she was here. Deia checked into a nearby hotel and asked when the next ship was leaving. This dump didn't get visited often, it could be weeks.
"You're in luck," the elderly woman behind the counter said. "There's one coming tonight and leaving tomorrow." It didn't really matter where she went. She was alone.
"Riddick," she whispered.