Disclaimer: I don' own Riddick, and I don' think Jack or Imam are goin' to be in this one.
Damn, Not Again!
Ch. 2
For a momen', nothin' happened. I stared a' him, my blood freezin' in their veins as blind fear gripped my already poundin' heart, and he stared righ' back a' me.
I didn' even notice tha' my hand had clenched on the handle of my knife until my fin'ers popped.
I think tha's wha' snapped me out of i', I'm not sure, but the next thin' I knew, I was runnin' recklessly down the hall towards my safe room. Once inside, I closed, bolted, and locked the door and then twisted the key inte the slot of my deadbol' lock. Tha' done, I pushed the chains ou' of the way and twisted the combination, openin' the safe. I grabbed for my bag and then climbed onte the safe, throwin' boxes ou' of the way in my frantic rush t'ge' ou'.
There was a loud, hard slam against the door and I jumped up, grabbin' the bar tha' was on the ceilin' for just this reason, and kickin' ou' the window tha' was barrin' my escape. I slipped through and glanced back.
Damn.
Rule number two: when runnin', never look back. I's bad luck.
Damn, damn, damn.
I dashed off like the rabbi' tha' I was, climbin' over obstacles until finally I reached my goal.
Ahead, a series of obstacles tha' only I really knew how t'naviga'e. Behind, goggle-man, who was probably goin' t'kill me for stealin' from him. I ran full til' towards the railin' of the fire escape, tigh'enin' the strap of my bag and then vaultin' over the side of the metal railin'.
Freedom.
Somethin' grabbed my hand before I had fully le' go of the railin' and I could hear, as well as feel vividly, bones slid together as I was yanked t' a stop and spun around from the odd angle of my hand.
I had time for one pained and surprised yelp before m'head collided with the fire escape and I wen' limp.
Damn.
My dreams were of course tortured ones, and I'm pre''y sure tha' I whimpered more than once ou' loud.
Damn.
I awoke with a start and jolted inte a si''in' up position. I wasn' in my room, and m'wrist hurt, so i' couldn've been a dream. I looked a' myself, saw tha' I was dressed, and tried t'ge' t'my feet.
Both of my legs below the knees were comple'ely numb. I fell back down in a heap with a cry of shock. I looked a' my legs and fel' a niggle of doubt. I pinched one and knew tha' I was in trouble.
He'd pumped my calves full of Novocain. And I knew this because I'd stolen some a couple days ago and my bag was gone. Doubtless he'd gone through i' and found somethin' wi'h which to subdue me.
Damn.
pullin' my legs and manually crossin' them, I reached behind me t'pull my hair over my shoulder. I like t'braid i' while I think. And then I froze.
Oh no...
On the back of my bare neck was a no'e, and I pulled i' off, unfoldin' i' and turnin' i' so tha' I could read i'.
Thief—
--Bastard, I thought automa'ic'lly, in retaliation.
--Consider this a minor punishment. You stole from me, and lived, which is unusual, and merits a light warning. You'll be able to walk by midday. If you steal from me again, the punishment will be fatal.
I' wasn' signed.
I brooded for a minute, upset with myself for gettin' caught. I rubbed a' my legs absent-mindedly, thinkin' about how stupid I was not t'remember the rules. True, Daddy had only died about three years ago, but three years of thief trainin' was...supposed t'make me be''er.
I sighed and looked around for an exi'. When none were obvious, I scooted over t'the wall and pushed myself up, makin' sure t'check tha' my fee' were okay. I gripped the walls, liftin' my fee' ridiculously in order t'not twist m'ankle. There was a sor' of ladder leadin' up, and after lookin' dubiously a' i' for a momen', I hurled myself a' i'. I' was a free swingin' rope, and the end of i' was higher than I was able t'reach on m'knees.
I missed.
Damn.
I fell t'my hands and knees and then rolled onte my back, untanglin' my legs and jus' stayin' there.
A' tha' momen', a wave of self pi'y swept over me and I slammed my fist on the floor.
Which was when I realized tha' he had lef' me my knife.
Damn.