AN: Short chapter, I know. The next one will be better. I promise.
Jack held her left arm close to herself as she placed her right palm on the scanner. This time the door popped right open, and she was admitted access to Riddick's house.
Her hand slipped on the knob when she tried to close the door behind her, blood had dripped down her arm from cuts and abrasions. She left red outlines on everything she touched. She considered cleaning it up, but considering Shella was such a neat freak, in the end Jack decided against it.
Never miss an opportunity to piss the old bitch off, do ya, Jack?
Once she figured out how reengage the lock, having to turn her head at a bit of an angle so she could see it with her good eye, Jack turned to go up to the bathroom, limping slowly towards the stairs. It was time for a long, hot shower. Then she could try to figure out what she was going to tell Riddick about what had happened to her. No doubt he'd ask questions. She'd been supposed to meet him at his office, right?
Pfft, so much for that plan.
She'd dragged her carcass to the nearest bus stop and had been grateful to have gotten that far. She'd gone around the loop twice, because she'd been too out of it to get off at her stop the first time.
In all the universe's history of bad first days, Jack was pretty sure she was experiencing one of the worst ever. Top ten at least.
Make that top five, cause obviously it wasn't over yet, and the hits were just gonna keep on comin'. Jack stopped dead, forcing her eyes to come off the carpet as she looked up at the growling menace on the third step from the bottom, tilting her head to look at the fluffy chew toy.
Pooky.
Oh shit.
Not now.
Jack growled a little herself. "Listen up, bitch. I've had a really, incredibly, impossibly, horrible day. You and I, we're going to tangle sometime, it's inevitable. But not today. You bite me today, I'll fucking bite you back. And that's a promise," she ground out through clenched teeth.
Pooky just kept growling at her, then started barking. A high pitched, incredibly annoying bark that made Jack's pounding headache turn into a sensation similar to a sledgehammer smashing her skull to bits. She charged forward at the dog, and it in turn flew at her face, trying to sink its teeth into anything it could get a hold of.
Jack smacked the furry, miniature she-devil aside, flying up the stairs as fast as she could with her injuries. She wasn't quick enough. Pooky sank her pointy, needle-like teeth into Jack's Achilles Tendon through her sock, latching on like a furry leech.
The scream that exploded from deep within her chest couldn't have been suppressed by any amount of self control. It turned into something akin to a battle cry as Jack kicked at the dog with her other foot, hoping she would kill it with the solid kick she landed right on its face. She managed to get Pooky off long enough to scramble up a few more stairs on her hands and knees before the dog caught the leg of her jeans, again tripping her and nearly causing her to slide all the way down the stairs to the bottom.
"I'll kill you! I swear to God I'll kill you! Just wait until I get my shiv, I'm gonna ghost you motherfucker! And trust me, not all dogs go to heaven!" Jack screamed almost hysterically.
With another brutal kick she managed to free herself, then sprinted the rest of the way up the stairs and barricaded herself in her room, locking the door behind her to keep out the little barking mongrel scratching on the other side. As well as anyone else who might try get in that night.
The tears came instantly, and with surprising force as she sank down with her back against her own door, wrapping her arms around her knees. The sobs wracked her tired and bruised body, adding further hurt to injury. Even an hour later, she was barely able to pick herself up off the floor so she could collapse, still bloody and dirty, on her bed. She could barely move, too lost in the swamping of emotions, in the feeling that she was surrounded entirely by enemies. People who wanted to hurt her.
Call Imam in the morning. There's nothing for you here, Jack.
She didn't even try to argue with herself, just attempted to suppress an oncoming sob.
Jack B. Badd Sat On A Wall...
Jack B. Badd Had A Great Fall...
