pitch black
chapter 16
DUAL EXPRESSIONS
Macy´s mind raced incessantly. He hadn't seen anyone at all.
for the last twelve hours he'd spend searching for the present psycho
crew of this boat.
He knew Jack and Riddick were in their rooms, he didn't need to think to
know what they were doing.
The old man hiding somewhere in the more unfinished parts of the ship.
None of the above worried him. he couldn't find Skylar.
The system didn't detect her, yet it did detect five life forms.
*My dearest little hacker, she just had to cut me off*
he'd looked in all the places she would have hidden in, places he knew
she'd go after.
it gave him a scare to know that he didn't know her completely.
*Yet, its something new to discover, to keep things fresh*
He'd given up on looking for her via computer and three hours ago he'd
started to search the old fashion way.
Calling her name.
For those three hours he hadn't seen anything of her at all.
He'd give himself two more hours, then he'd call on some back up.
He had this gut feeling in his stomach.
*please baby, don't be working on the codes, please baby, tell me you didn't
copy them, please*
Macy continued his frantic search for his wife, following his instincts.
--------------------------------
Ten hours earlier.........
Damn her, that little selfish brat.
*I´ve done everything for her, I'm even giving her the time to learn how to
hate the mother fucker before we ghost him and THIS is what she does to me?
To me and macy, she stabs us in the back and goes along with the enemy*
Skylar´s steps random and heavy, the thoughts ripping all logic out of her
mind. The woman couldn't take this amount of mental pain.
Years of harshness had only left one soft spot, one spot to hurt her.
Family.
If only Jack had known how many times she'd tried to track her down, tried to
find her, wanted to apologize for the pain.
never she'd found the courage to say those words, cus she'd have to tell her
younger sister, who didn't remember much of anything, that their father had
abused them.
And in a fit of anger she'd spilled it all over her.
Now the girl remembered. Maybe she'd been starting to remember for the last
few days, but what Skylar had seen in her little sister eyes spoke of
pure terror of realization.
*I ruined you, didn't I Jack*
Skylar held the bottle tighter.
It wasn't alcohol.
Quite the opposite, the continent thick and dark.
Very very thick coffee.
*I´m gonna have to stay awake for a very long time girlie, since you won't do
it, I'm gonna do it...if I fucking can*
IN the other hand was a small data disk. Several pages of digits and other
odd things were on that piece of plastic and metal.
Skylar looked around, put the data disk into her pocket.
This place was the more unfinished part of the ship, the unstable part.
When she'd stolen the ship she'd had a good look around.
The place looked like a cargo bay, but what cargo bay would have that many
bloody coffins?
The facility stuffed with computer equipment.
-Jackass, open cryo sleep facility BETA-2
A small light beeped and the doors opened with a rusting sound.
*Maybe it´s falling apart?*
Without more thoughts she entered. Noone would be able to find her, she'd even
kept this place away from Macy.
*That´s gonna piss him off*
She'd also disconnected the location program.
The AI seemed to be like duck in that way. The first thing it heard was
mommy and little ducks only do like mommy says.
Her skinny ass sitting on the floor, electricity rocking and whipping at her
dull body.
The only thing interesting her was the lap top she had infront of her.
That and the data that drove by her eyes like a train.
Her black eyes reflected the screen.
A screen she stared at.
Stared.
Stared....
--------------------
Macy finally gave up on his one man search and knocked on Riddick´s
bed room doors. Silently they slid open.
A completely dark room until a deep voice decided other wise
-Light to dim
Jack lay in bed, sleeping, curled up into a small ball.
Riddick sat on the bed, only the sheets covered his nudity.
-I can't find Skylar.
Riddick smiled with his natural sarcasm.
-The ship ain´t that big.
Before Riddick could do a thing Macy had plunged himself down onto the mattress
beside his old pal.
-I think she's got the code, and she's trying to solve it.
Gently Macy´s eyes lay upon Jack. The girlie had the sheets wrapped around
herself. A hand reached out and touched her cheek.
Riddick didn't look like he approved of the gesture.
Now it was Macy´s turn to smile.
-No need to be scared Riddick, she's like my little sister.
Absently the brown eyes man added.
-I can't believe she's all grown up.
Riddick´s eyes followed his jail mates look silently.
When Jack mumbled something out of her sleep that had his immediate attention.
-Riddick?
Her voice exhausted, sleepy.
-Go back to sleep.
The soft tone nearly knocked Macy out with laughter.
Jack rose up, pulling the sheets with her.
-Macy?
He shrugged carelessly.
-You remember where Skylar went? I can't find her and the computer won't work
A delicate hand rubbed her tear stained eyes. She'd cried so much in her
sleep that here big eyes were nothing but two red slits.
-Not a clue, I just stormed off. You think she's got the code.
With concern his braided hair fell down as he nodded to her in reply.
Her feet landed on the solid metal floor. bare back she reached out for one
of her drier piece of clothing.
Riddick´s hand reached out for the pale body.
-Don't worry ´bout it darlin´ I´ll go an look.
Tiredly Jack shook her head.
-No, I gotta find her.
End of discussion, bother of the two men knew how head strong the kid was.
There'd be no convincing her other wise than to go and look.
An amused voice spoke in the dimness.
-Oh, and Riddick...down boy...
Hadn't Macy escaped through the doors he would have earned himself a very
lethal glare from the mass murderer.
One more sentence echoed in the hall, just before the doors closed.
-Meet me in the cockpit!
***********************
*Just a little longer.
The screen's blue...wow....ouch. what bit me? Ouch ouch ouch...oh, it´s a
little demon...c´m here little little ugly mother fucker so I can
slice your neck. Hey, it´s got daddy's head...it´s daddy....n....o....
oops, help!? Or is it HeLP? I dunno.
I wanna...oh, yes, the numbers.
What numbers?
The numbers on the screen.
oops...oops...I smashed the computer...
is that why I'm bleeding?
Or is it because I cut myself.
Why did I cut myself?
Oh yeah, cuz I'm a bad bad girl*
Skylar rocked back and forth, her sliced hands leaving a pool of blood beneath
her limp existence.
Her eyes dull
her lips shaking.
Just rocking back and forth.
Back and forth,.
Rocking.
*************************
-Riddick, you look in the cooler area, Jack, you go and take the storage space,
Ill look in the back.
At that the group of three broke out.
The passing night lay oddly on Jack.
It'd been nice, yet she'd thrown up afterwards.
Felt disgusted by herself.
*I can't believe that I wouldn't have remembered all this shit*
Her dreams had revolved around the past, a lot of things were clearer to her
now. Specially the way Skylar was.
Her shoes clicking to the metal as she roamed over the storage space.
-Where in hell could she have gone?
For a moment she thought she smelled blood, but the smell faded away so
quickly that it must have been a mind trick.
*I can't believe that I welcomed him into my life again*
Traces of scattered anger drew together and formed a small growing unity.
*Riddick said he'd kill him...but..he´s still family*
-Family doesn't do that.
Her words directed to herself. What was she trying to convince herself off.
That she wanted to get rid of her old man
that she wanted him to pay,
*So that i´ll end up like Skylar, obsessed with revenge*
Her shoes kept on clicking to the floor as her eyes kept on searching.
******************
OOps, I'm bleeding too much...ouch...where did that knife come from?
Hmmm, oh, now I remember, I jabbed him into my stomach myself?
EXCUSE ME, isn't that Riddick´s job, to gut me alive?
He did it once.
Fucker fucker fucker fucker.
Oh, well, but my little sister likes him so I can't kill him.
Well, I never planned on killing him.
Just to kill the old man.
Sex sex sex sex
Me and macy, couple of asses bouncing in bed.
tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Oh, stupid Skylar, you did it again.
Ouch....
I missed the vain.
Damn.
****************
Her feet and instinct had taken her far away from the storage space.
Up the ladders, down the ladders, crawling through ACs.
The blood smell got stronger.
Her young heart paced quickly.
A light at the end of the tunnel.
Then a huge space with a ladder lying down.
The sight over the room terrible. Skylar sat in the middle, in between the
cryo chambers, surrounded by a pool of blood.
rocking back and forth.
IN the light Jack saw a knife shine, it lay in her sister's hands.
-Skylar!
No response.
-Jackass, contact Riddick and Macy.
As Jack climbed down she waited for the computer to signal her.
-Contact established.
Her breath a little short as she spoke.
-I found her, north west west in some sort of a cryo facility.
She jumped down to the floor, couldn't be bothered to take the last
few steps.
She didn't listen for replies, all she cared about in the moment was Skylar.
Her big sister didn't reply when Jack threw her arms around her.
It was as if they were both ghosts living in separate times.
Skylar rocked back and forth, not matter how tightly Jack would hold
her sister, the wouldn't stop.
The pain of seeing Skylar act like this, just like her mother had.
Her mother had called them demons.
Monsters.
-Skylar, listen to me!
A harsh look carried from the fractured creature. A formidable word
spoken from the pale lips.
-Demon.
Jack's lips begun to shake as she tried to repeat the word she'd just heard.
Too much....
-This isn't you.
-Get away from me, DEMON!
The older woman snarled at the creature she believed to be a demon.
Jack was too upset to hear the distant footsteps approaching her.
Two huge shades towered over the youngest family member of the Menski
family.
The first eyes she looked for were Riddicks.
-She doesn't know me.
For some reason Riddick´s cold expression didn't change the least, though
he did put his arms around the girl, even if he did comfort her.
He just wouldn't fake it.
Sure, she might be the kid's sister, but the woman still would be better
of dead.
As soon as Skylar´s eyes meet Macy´s she put her arms out like a little baby,
asking for affection, asking to be held.
-I can't do it.
As Macy´s arms wrapped around the bleeding human being words were spoken
from the delirious woman.
-The demon's won't leave me alone, it don't matter if I'm awake or not,
they won't leave me alone. He won't leave me alone...I'm afraid that
he might hurt Jackleen, he's hurt her once, he can't hurt her again...
he can't can't can't can't...demon's all demons.
I couldn't protect her, I'm sorry, sorry sorry sorry sorry
The sight before Riddick´s eyes was the oddest. The fully grown Skylar
cradled into Macy´s arms, weeping like a baby.
-We're gonna need a fuck load of bandages
*****************************
The unconscious Skylar lay on her bed, her hands bandaged from her palms to
her elbows.
Once in a while her tired eyes fluttered as she struggled to wake up.
She was too drugged up from sedatives to really wake up.
Then again, this was Skylar Menski, not some average person.
Slowly her glued together eyes opened, her dry lips parted.
her mind raced over the last hours, she could barely remember them.
*What the fuck have I done now*
Weak arms lift her up into sitting position, ignoring the pain it caused in
her entire body.
Macy slept beside her, she knew he was only half asleep, would probably
open his eyes within the next ten seconds.
Her dark eyes scanned the room, it was mildly above dim.
No one hiding in the dark
*Just the monsters*
-Did I screw myself over while I was playing psycho?
The familiar voice made her heart so much easier.
-You spoke of Jackleen, Jack thinks you were referring to her, so does
Riddick. We're still on the safe side of the game.
Skylar smiled one of those sarcastic smiles, one in the more saner
part of herself.
-The Johns are up to date?
Arms pulled her slightly closer.
-They're on our tail, within safe distance.
With some slight pain Skylar turned around to face her husband, she'd expected
that glow of hatred to be in his eyes, and she loved that glow.
It was one of those things that bound them together for the rest of
eternity.
-He's gonna break real soon, he's gonna go and do something and then...
wamm.
He laughed.
-I don't know if there's going to be an actual WHAM, but it´s going to
be very close. Perhaps more like a BOOM.
Her head nuzzled to his chest as she relished the thought of
bitter revenge.
Just a few more days.
*****************
Her figure lay curled up in that recently discovered ball of hers.
It had taken him hours to get her too rest, he'd given up on trying to
get her too sleep.
She'd just wake up all over from those nightmares, and it'd be something
far worse than monsters and T2.
Her own father.
He'd never had parents but this much he did know: no parent should hurt their
children like that.
His hand stroke away couple of sweaty strands of hair away from her face.
-I can still ghost the mother fucker for you.
Her shoulders dug a little closer to him.
-I've told you Riddick, he's family, he's still my father, I don't want him
dead.
The girlie pulled the sheets closer, trying to cover her psychological
vulnerability.
He'd still do it. He knew that, when he'd catch the fucker alone he'd do it.
No going back, no stopping him.
The trick was trying to get Jack to accept it.
chapter 16
DUAL EXPRESSIONS
Macy´s mind raced incessantly. He hadn't seen anyone at all.
for the last twelve hours he'd spend searching for the present psycho
crew of this boat.
He knew Jack and Riddick were in their rooms, he didn't need to think to
know what they were doing.
The old man hiding somewhere in the more unfinished parts of the ship.
None of the above worried him. he couldn't find Skylar.
The system didn't detect her, yet it did detect five life forms.
*My dearest little hacker, she just had to cut me off*
he'd looked in all the places she would have hidden in, places he knew
she'd go after.
it gave him a scare to know that he didn't know her completely.
*Yet, its something new to discover, to keep things fresh*
He'd given up on looking for her via computer and three hours ago he'd
started to search the old fashion way.
Calling her name.
For those three hours he hadn't seen anything of her at all.
He'd give himself two more hours, then he'd call on some back up.
He had this gut feeling in his stomach.
*please baby, don't be working on the codes, please baby, tell me you didn't
copy them, please*
Macy continued his frantic search for his wife, following his instincts.
--------------------------------
Ten hours earlier.........
Damn her, that little selfish brat.
*I´ve done everything for her, I'm even giving her the time to learn how to
hate the mother fucker before we ghost him and THIS is what she does to me?
To me and macy, she stabs us in the back and goes along with the enemy*
Skylar´s steps random and heavy, the thoughts ripping all logic out of her
mind. The woman couldn't take this amount of mental pain.
Years of harshness had only left one soft spot, one spot to hurt her.
Family.
If only Jack had known how many times she'd tried to track her down, tried to
find her, wanted to apologize for the pain.
never she'd found the courage to say those words, cus she'd have to tell her
younger sister, who didn't remember much of anything, that their father had
abused them.
And in a fit of anger she'd spilled it all over her.
Now the girl remembered. Maybe she'd been starting to remember for the last
few days, but what Skylar had seen in her little sister eyes spoke of
pure terror of realization.
*I ruined you, didn't I Jack*
Skylar held the bottle tighter.
It wasn't alcohol.
Quite the opposite, the continent thick and dark.
Very very thick coffee.
*I´m gonna have to stay awake for a very long time girlie, since you won't do
it, I'm gonna do it...if I fucking can*
IN the other hand was a small data disk. Several pages of digits and other
odd things were on that piece of plastic and metal.
Skylar looked around, put the data disk into her pocket.
This place was the more unfinished part of the ship, the unstable part.
When she'd stolen the ship she'd had a good look around.
The place looked like a cargo bay, but what cargo bay would have that many
bloody coffins?
The facility stuffed with computer equipment.
-Jackass, open cryo sleep facility BETA-2
A small light beeped and the doors opened with a rusting sound.
*Maybe it´s falling apart?*
Without more thoughts she entered. Noone would be able to find her, she'd even
kept this place away from Macy.
*That´s gonna piss him off*
She'd also disconnected the location program.
The AI seemed to be like duck in that way. The first thing it heard was
mommy and little ducks only do like mommy says.
Her skinny ass sitting on the floor, electricity rocking and whipping at her
dull body.
The only thing interesting her was the lap top she had infront of her.
That and the data that drove by her eyes like a train.
Her black eyes reflected the screen.
A screen she stared at.
Stared.
Stared....
--------------------
Macy finally gave up on his one man search and knocked on Riddick´s
bed room doors. Silently they slid open.
A completely dark room until a deep voice decided other wise
-Light to dim
Jack lay in bed, sleeping, curled up into a small ball.
Riddick sat on the bed, only the sheets covered his nudity.
-I can't find Skylar.
Riddick smiled with his natural sarcasm.
-The ship ain´t that big.
Before Riddick could do a thing Macy had plunged himself down onto the mattress
beside his old pal.
-I think she's got the code, and she's trying to solve it.
Gently Macy´s eyes lay upon Jack. The girlie had the sheets wrapped around
herself. A hand reached out and touched her cheek.
Riddick didn't look like he approved of the gesture.
Now it was Macy´s turn to smile.
-No need to be scared Riddick, she's like my little sister.
Absently the brown eyes man added.
-I can't believe she's all grown up.
Riddick´s eyes followed his jail mates look silently.
When Jack mumbled something out of her sleep that had his immediate attention.
-Riddick?
Her voice exhausted, sleepy.
-Go back to sleep.
The soft tone nearly knocked Macy out with laughter.
Jack rose up, pulling the sheets with her.
-Macy?
He shrugged carelessly.
-You remember where Skylar went? I can't find her and the computer won't work
A delicate hand rubbed her tear stained eyes. She'd cried so much in her
sleep that here big eyes were nothing but two red slits.
-Not a clue, I just stormed off. You think she's got the code.
With concern his braided hair fell down as he nodded to her in reply.
Her feet landed on the solid metal floor. bare back she reached out for one
of her drier piece of clothing.
Riddick´s hand reached out for the pale body.
-Don't worry ´bout it darlin´ I´ll go an look.
Tiredly Jack shook her head.
-No, I gotta find her.
End of discussion, bother of the two men knew how head strong the kid was.
There'd be no convincing her other wise than to go and look.
An amused voice spoke in the dimness.
-Oh, and Riddick...down boy...
Hadn't Macy escaped through the doors he would have earned himself a very
lethal glare from the mass murderer.
One more sentence echoed in the hall, just before the doors closed.
-Meet me in the cockpit!
***********************
*Just a little longer.
The screen's blue...wow....ouch. what bit me? Ouch ouch ouch...oh, it´s a
little demon...c´m here little little ugly mother fucker so I can
slice your neck. Hey, it´s got daddy's head...it´s daddy....n....o....
oops, help!? Or is it HeLP? I dunno.
I wanna...oh, yes, the numbers.
What numbers?
The numbers on the screen.
oops...oops...I smashed the computer...
is that why I'm bleeding?
Or is it because I cut myself.
Why did I cut myself?
Oh yeah, cuz I'm a bad bad girl*
Skylar rocked back and forth, her sliced hands leaving a pool of blood beneath
her limp existence.
Her eyes dull
her lips shaking.
Just rocking back and forth.
Back and forth,.
Rocking.
*************************
-Riddick, you look in the cooler area, Jack, you go and take the storage space,
Ill look in the back.
At that the group of three broke out.
The passing night lay oddly on Jack.
It'd been nice, yet she'd thrown up afterwards.
Felt disgusted by herself.
*I can't believe that I wouldn't have remembered all this shit*
Her dreams had revolved around the past, a lot of things were clearer to her
now. Specially the way Skylar was.
Her shoes clicking to the metal as she roamed over the storage space.
-Where in hell could she have gone?
For a moment she thought she smelled blood, but the smell faded away so
quickly that it must have been a mind trick.
*I can't believe that I welcomed him into my life again*
Traces of scattered anger drew together and formed a small growing unity.
*Riddick said he'd kill him...but..he´s still family*
-Family doesn't do that.
Her words directed to herself. What was she trying to convince herself off.
That she wanted to get rid of her old man
that she wanted him to pay,
*So that i´ll end up like Skylar, obsessed with revenge*
Her shoes kept on clicking to the floor as her eyes kept on searching.
******************
OOps, I'm bleeding too much...ouch...where did that knife come from?
Hmmm, oh, now I remember, I jabbed him into my stomach myself?
EXCUSE ME, isn't that Riddick´s job, to gut me alive?
He did it once.
Fucker fucker fucker fucker.
Oh, well, but my little sister likes him so I can't kill him.
Well, I never planned on killing him.
Just to kill the old man.
Sex sex sex sex
Me and macy, couple of asses bouncing in bed.
tsk tsk tsk tsk.
Oh, stupid Skylar, you did it again.
Ouch....
I missed the vain.
Damn.
****************
Her feet and instinct had taken her far away from the storage space.
Up the ladders, down the ladders, crawling through ACs.
The blood smell got stronger.
Her young heart paced quickly.
A light at the end of the tunnel.
Then a huge space with a ladder lying down.
The sight over the room terrible. Skylar sat in the middle, in between the
cryo chambers, surrounded by a pool of blood.
rocking back and forth.
IN the light Jack saw a knife shine, it lay in her sister's hands.
-Skylar!
No response.
-Jackass, contact Riddick and Macy.
As Jack climbed down she waited for the computer to signal her.
-Contact established.
Her breath a little short as she spoke.
-I found her, north west west in some sort of a cryo facility.
She jumped down to the floor, couldn't be bothered to take the last
few steps.
She didn't listen for replies, all she cared about in the moment was Skylar.
Her big sister didn't reply when Jack threw her arms around her.
It was as if they were both ghosts living in separate times.
Skylar rocked back and forth, not matter how tightly Jack would hold
her sister, the wouldn't stop.
The pain of seeing Skylar act like this, just like her mother had.
Her mother had called them demons.
Monsters.
-Skylar, listen to me!
A harsh look carried from the fractured creature. A formidable word
spoken from the pale lips.
-Demon.
Jack's lips begun to shake as she tried to repeat the word she'd just heard.
Too much....
-This isn't you.
-Get away from me, DEMON!
The older woman snarled at the creature she believed to be a demon.
Jack was too upset to hear the distant footsteps approaching her.
Two huge shades towered over the youngest family member of the Menski
family.
The first eyes she looked for were Riddicks.
-She doesn't know me.
For some reason Riddick´s cold expression didn't change the least, though
he did put his arms around the girl, even if he did comfort her.
He just wouldn't fake it.
Sure, she might be the kid's sister, but the woman still would be better
of dead.
As soon as Skylar´s eyes meet Macy´s she put her arms out like a little baby,
asking for affection, asking to be held.
-I can't do it.
As Macy´s arms wrapped around the bleeding human being words were spoken
from the delirious woman.
-The demon's won't leave me alone, it don't matter if I'm awake or not,
they won't leave me alone. He won't leave me alone...I'm afraid that
he might hurt Jackleen, he's hurt her once, he can't hurt her again...
he can't can't can't can't...demon's all demons.
I couldn't protect her, I'm sorry, sorry sorry sorry sorry
The sight before Riddick´s eyes was the oddest. The fully grown Skylar
cradled into Macy´s arms, weeping like a baby.
-We're gonna need a fuck load of bandages
*****************************
The unconscious Skylar lay on her bed, her hands bandaged from her palms to
her elbows.
Once in a while her tired eyes fluttered as she struggled to wake up.
She was too drugged up from sedatives to really wake up.
Then again, this was Skylar Menski, not some average person.
Slowly her glued together eyes opened, her dry lips parted.
her mind raced over the last hours, she could barely remember them.
*What the fuck have I done now*
Weak arms lift her up into sitting position, ignoring the pain it caused in
her entire body.
Macy slept beside her, she knew he was only half asleep, would probably
open his eyes within the next ten seconds.
Her dark eyes scanned the room, it was mildly above dim.
No one hiding in the dark
*Just the monsters*
-Did I screw myself over while I was playing psycho?
The familiar voice made her heart so much easier.
-You spoke of Jackleen, Jack thinks you were referring to her, so does
Riddick. We're still on the safe side of the game.
Skylar smiled one of those sarcastic smiles, one in the more saner
part of herself.
-The Johns are up to date?
Arms pulled her slightly closer.
-They're on our tail, within safe distance.
With some slight pain Skylar turned around to face her husband, she'd expected
that glow of hatred to be in his eyes, and she loved that glow.
It was one of those things that bound them together for the rest of
eternity.
-He's gonna break real soon, he's gonna go and do something and then...
wamm.
He laughed.
-I don't know if there's going to be an actual WHAM, but it´s going to
be very close. Perhaps more like a BOOM.
Her head nuzzled to his chest as she relished the thought of
bitter revenge.
Just a few more days.
*****************
Her figure lay curled up in that recently discovered ball of hers.
It had taken him hours to get her too rest, he'd given up on trying to
get her too sleep.
She'd just wake up all over from those nightmares, and it'd be something
far worse than monsters and T2.
Her own father.
He'd never had parents but this much he did know: no parent should hurt their
children like that.
His hand stroke away couple of sweaty strands of hair away from her face.
-I can still ghost the mother fucker for you.
Her shoulders dug a little closer to him.
-I've told you Riddick, he's family, he's still my father, I don't want him
dead.
The girlie pulled the sheets closer, trying to cover her psychological
vulnerability.
He'd still do it. He knew that, when he'd catch the fucker alone he'd do it.
No going back, no stopping him.
The trick was trying to get Jack to accept it.