Hey! Sorry it has been so long. Once again I had writers block... well I actually didn't I just didn't know exactly how to put down some things in this chapter in order for other chapters to work...if that makes any sense. ONce again please forgive me for my spelling and punctuation. I have no spellcheck or anything and there's no way I'm going to pick up a dictionary and check everything. shudders ONce again thank you for the reviews. They make me happy! I hope you enjoy!

beautifulenvy1: I am very glad you can find no fault. I hope it stays that way. You're hooked? Yea! Perhaps I should use bigger bait for more reviews. :)

Lurker: Yea!

Bima: I give you...more!

Chapter 4: An Unlikely Friend

Over two weeks, Taren grew accustomed to the life of an inmate and in another few weeks she would fall apart. She felt as if she had ceased to exist. While down there, what life you had no longer matters. It all dissapears and what was once the norm is now foreign. You start to morph into something new to survive. There's no sun, heat, no fresh air, no love, nothing. Just darkness, fear, cold, sweat, screams...hell. The people no longer acted human. They reminded Taren of animals. Predators hunting prey, searching for the weak. Although, as much as that scared her she knew she was relatively safer than she had been two weeks ago. For the largest and meanest predator of them all had in fact protected her. Therefore, you messed with Taren you messed with the demon.

The maximum security prison was full of gangs. If you didn't belong to a gang you were in deep shit. If you showed any kind of weakness, you were an easy target. Without a gang backing you up for protection, you were dead. That is except if you were Richard B.Riddick. She had found out he had been in there since he was eighteen. She felt a little bit sad for him. He had just barely been legally an adult and he had already been sent to the slam. What had his life been like to have become hunted at such a young age? Though as sad as she was for him she couldn't help but be afraid as well. What could he have done to earn him a life long sentence here? How could someone at such an age become so hateful and empty inside to commit such an evil crime? She was sure he had committed murder. For she had already heard through the grapevine that he had killed four of the Mercs hunting him. Although she was only barely nineteen herself, she still couldn't understand committing a heinous crime. Sure, she had been sent to a slam but that didn't mean she was guilty for a crime. Everyone had their secrets.

Riddick stumbled into his cell when the guard shoved him in. He hadn't been able to move while in the Hole. He felt as if his body had forgotten how to move properly. He ached so. The guard walked away not shutting the door. Riddick figured it was lunch time. Although the hunger pains he had were knawing holes the size of planets in his stomach, he stayed in his cell. Besides he didn't think he could make it down the stairs if he wanted.

He felt like carving the smile off of the retreating guards face because he knew he was too exhausted to leave his cell. He would just have to make do fantasizing about it in his head. He took a quick step towards the guard, scaring the smirk off his face. Although he was satisfied, the quick movement hurt like hell. The ass wipes had chained his wrists and ankles together making it impossible for him to walk around to stretch his legs. On top of that, he had had about a maximum of about three courses of food during his three week stay in the Hole. Damn his enduring hide.

He knew he had an excellent strength when it came to being put through the worst of conditions. Most would kill to have such a "super human" ability, he cursed it. No matter what they did to him, no matter what pain he was put through, he always survived. And each time his soul got darker and darker. When he was sent to Hell's Gate, his fury was like a seed inside him. Through the years of trials, fights, pain in the ass guards and inmates, and darkness, it had transformed into vines of hate swirling and climbing throughout his body.

The hate had taken over. He knew of nothing else. Survival instincts were key. Biding his time was all that mattered. One day he would get out and all that hate that he was sick of could be unleashed. He would kill all the fuckers down there who had tortured him, made him become what he was. He had never been like this before believe it or not. There had been a human somewhere inside of him once. But trying to survive down there had scared off what kid had been in him. The kid Riddick died the moment he had a shine job to his eyes not even one year into his stay in the slam. Now he was the demon of Hell's Gate.

The demon who could break a man in two, see in the dark, was quiet as a ghost, and stole your soul. Although he had never tried stealing someone's soul (how the fuck anyone did that was beyond him), he welcomed and even encouraged some of the most absurd rumours. What could he say? He was an arrogant son of a bitch. But at that moment he didn't feel so cocky.

He groaned as he walked around in his cell trying to bring life back into his aching muscles. He cursed himself when he started breathing deeply trying to get more air. His body was exhausted with the lack of nutrition and rest (it was impossible to sleep with guards boots clunking repeatedly over your head as they passed over the Hole). The electricity was out again and he was greatful for the one blessed haven. Nobody could see him drop to his bed with exhaustion. He did so with a thump and was put in a coughing fit as dust flew up and around him in a great cloud. "Oh my god."

"You can call me Taren."

Riddick started suddenly as he turned and saw Taren standing next to him with a tray. He hadn't heard her come and silently berated himself for being caught off guard. He tried to get up but she pushed him back down. "No need to get up on my account. Here, I brought you some food. Thought you might be hungry."

"Well you were wrong."

She placed the tray next to him on a wooden stool (nailed to the ground). "Uh huh, I believe you all right."

He glared at her with his gleaming eyes but after realizing she wasn't going to back down, began devouring the food like a starved beast. Of course she reminded herself that was exactly what he was. He had dark circles under his eyes and even looked as if he had lost some weight. In about the span of a minute, he seemed to have inhaled all the food and lick the tray clean. She passed him a styrofoam cup which he drained in a second. He layed back down on the bed and sighed. "Thanks."

"Thank you."

He opened one of his closed eyes. "For what?"

"Saving my life." The lights flickered back on and she seemed to have a halo of light around her small form.

"Did I? Well, I didn't do it intentionally you know."

She cocked an eye brow. "Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

She sighed in defeat. She didn't want to get in an argument. She felt she had accomplished quite a feat being near him when he was showing such weakness as it was. She didn't want to lose what ground she had gained. She let her gaze wander down his large form. So much power. "How old are you?"

She jumped slightly when his voice rumbled through the air. She brushed her hand through her long black hair hoping he would believe she hadn't been startled. "Nineteen."

"Nineteen eh?"

She sat down on the stool knowing she was in his good grace so would be allowed to stay. "Yes nineteen."

"Who did you kill to get in here?"

"Nobody."

"Nobody?"

"Yes, nobody. Is there an echo in here or something?"

He shifted to get in a more comfortable position. "You can only get in here for murder. I'm not stupid sugar."

"Well, sorry to pop your smart bubble, but I didn't."

He laughed at her. She was a spitfire all right. She glared at him and spun around, ready to stomp back into her own cell. He caught her arm before she took one step. "I'm sorry."

She turned around slowly and saw the grim expression on his face. "Was it that hard for you to say that?"

He growled low in his throat but she ignored it. He let go of her arm and sighed when she still waited for an answer. " I've enver said it before."

She rose an eyebrow in disbelief thinking he was yanking her chain. But something in the silver eyes made her believe him. "Well, I appreciate you saying it to me." She didn't know what else to say and feeling awkward began to leave.

"It's nice talking to someone who isn't trying to kill me." His attempt at breaking the ice brought a smile to her face. She recognized his plee for her to stay and knew his pride was at stake. She too appreciated talking to someone and felt like she might have found a friend in Riddick.

"I guess I can bring you dinner tonight and we can talk some more. That is if you don't mind talking to a girl." She place her hand on her hip as she waited for his answer.

He frowned a bit as he pretended to contemplate it seriously. "I guess it's ok."

She rolled her eyes and couldn't contain her grin as she went back to her own cell. Before she even reached it, she heard Riddick's deep breathing. He had already fallen asleep. Not long after, the guards came through and locked the cell doors.

Taren turned around when she heard footsteps approaching. Two guards came to her door and unlocked it. One pulled out some cuffs and approached her slowly. She figured he was afraid she might do something to him. If that was the case, he didn't have to worry. She walked up to him and stuck her wrists out. He waited a beat and then snapped them on. The two then flanked her on each side and escorted her down the dark corridor. She saw the silver orbs flash at her through the shadows and she somehow felt comforted by it. Who knew she would befriend a killer?

The farther down they got down the corrider the more nervous she got. The three came up to a staircase and proceeded to ascend up the steps. Her heart beat quickened and she felt a twinge of fear. Where were they taking her? After climbing four stories, the guard to her left kicked open a door and she was pulled through. They were in another corridor, only this one was a little brighter. The walls were a dark gray color and their steps echoed down the hall.

After a few minutes, they stopped at another door. Once again the guard opened it but it wasn't to another hall. It was a bare room but for a chain hanging from a stake on the opposite wall. The room was engulfed in darkness except for what light was spilled onto the stake from the open door. One guard held the door open while the other one took her to the chain and hooked her own cuffs to it. He tugged roughly making sure it was locked and then left with the other guard, the door slamming behind them, and left her in the darkness.

Taren didn't move. She started trembling and cocked her head ever slighty to the left but didn't hear anything. No matter, a chill crept up her spine and seemed to freeze her neck in place. She wasn't the only one in the room. Her eyes darted back and forth trying to find whoever it was but feared who she would see. Slowly her eyes began to adjust to the darkness and she saw a big form standing to her left. She held her breath waiting for something to happen. Something was screaming at her to move but she didn't. Fear gripped her and like anyone who is scared, they feel like if they don't move or make a sound they'll be OK. Taren did this but only because there was nothing else to do. She was chained to a wall. What could she do? She took a deep breath and gathered her wits.

Suddenly a bright light turned on, illuminating the room. It stung her eyes and she cried out. The pounding of her heart that had seemed like a timer exploded. Time was up. She opened her eyes a crack trying to get her surroundings and come up with a plan.

There was someone standing in front of her.

"Miss me?"

Before she could cry out she was thrown across the room. Her body force jerked against the chain as it ran short and two cracks ripped through the air as her shoulders were dislocated. She screamed as the pain devoured her upper body and she crashed to the cold cement floor. She bit her lip as she heard the click of boots step next to her. The man chuckled. "No?"

Then he was right next to her on the ground, and she was drowning in the sound of his raspy voice as it floated around her. " I missed you."

I hope you enjoyed! Be kind and review whether is be praise or constructive critisicm. (spelling?) I welcome both with open arms.

Crinkle