Kalena was walking to her car from the grocery store. She had never been so terrified in her life. Is that him? Is that? Is he going to come for me today? She couldn't stop thinking that he was coming for her. That today would be her last day. She quickly loaded her groceries into the car and didn't feel safe until she was locked into it. Kalena rested her head against the steering wheel and tried to fight off tears. He's not going to get out…he's not…
She awoke from the nightmare drenched in a cold sweat and shaking with fear. He had almost killed her that time. She wearily yawned and cursed him. Kalena froze when she heard a noise from downstairs. Leaning over the edge of the bed, she took out the gun she kept underneath the mattress.
Walking slowly down the stairs, she felt sweat trickle between her shoulder blades. Riddick…Riddick. His name whirled about her brain. He had finally come to kill her. She entered the kitchen and, trembling, fumbled for the light switch. No one was there. No one was ever there.
It had been six months since she put Riddick back in Slam. She put her back to the wall and slowly slid down it, until her knees were at her chest and she was sitting down. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of the hand holding the gun. Then Kalena broke down. She began to sob. Six months of nightmares and paranoia. Her captain asked if she wanted to be relocated…but that would never work. Even if she left, he would find her, and she didn't want to give Riddick the satisfaction.
It had been hard for Kalena ever since she put Riddick away. She had never been so terrified of him, now that he was locked safely away. She believed that she was slowly going crazy. Dreaming of him every night, of him killing her. No one deserved to live like this.
Kalena sat with her back to the kitchen wall until the first rays of sunlight shone through her kitchen window. Then she slowly, stiffly got to her feet. Today was going to be a new day for her. She headed back up to the bathroom that was joined to her room. After a quick shower, she got into her car and drove to work. "You're late, Johns."
"It's nice to see you too, Captain." She didn't even stop for the reprimand, but walked quickly to her office where she buried herself in the days work and tried to forget all that had happened.
Chewing on the pinkie fingernail of her right hand was a habit Kalena had tried to break for years. But lately the poor thing didn't stand a chance. She took the shiv out of her desk and turned it over in her hands. Maybe she would take it home. I should have just killed him when I had the chance. As she was leaving work that day, Captain Russel tried to stop her once more. Kalena would have none of it until he spoke.
"He got out," he watched her closely, judging her reaction. "You can stay here. You'll be safe."
Kalena wanted to fall to the floor and cry. "Not too long ago Riddick killed half of our force and you think I'll be safe here? I won't be safe anywhere if he decides to come for me." She wanted to lock herself into a small room and never come out, but that wasn't any way to live either. She would face him, even if it meant her death.
She drove aimlessly for an hour before finally deciding to go home.