Pain and Possession

Riddick left at the first signs she showed of awakening. He’d stayed and watched her the entire night, watched them. He had made sure no harm came to his possessions. He walked out of the door intending to go find somewhere where he could sleep the day away in relative safety and prepare himself mentality for the night that was to come. He would torture Masters tonight and he wanted everything to be perfect.

He’d used his time watching over them to think of a plan to make Master’s suffer be fore he died. He wanted to kill his spirit before he killed him, to teach the mother fucker that nobody messed with Riddick. He wanted Riddick so badly he was gonna get him. Riddick smiled at the night ahead.

When Caron awoke the first thing she did was look and made sure her son was still with her and that last night wasn’t some awful dream. Assured with a glance that it wasn’t she then looked for Riddick. He of course was gone; his presence lingered in the room though like some kind of force that made Caron feel protected even though he wasn’t there.

Caron wondered briefly where he was as the day wore on but then she shook her head free from the thoughts, whatever it was he was doing she didn’t want to know. Some things were just better unknown.

Experimentally she thought of him, probed her mind and heart for their take on things and she was quieted by the return answer. Her mind with its simple logic told her with no uncertainty that he was what was best for her now. They needed him now. Her heart with its lack of any kind of logic told her with feeling that Richard was there somewhere. It could sense him underneath the pain and hate that seemed to possess his body.

He had told her he that he was what she had made him, she remembered and it hurt her to realize that what he had said was true. Caron had always wondered in the days following what would have been had she told John’s to go fuck himself. If she hadn’t been so naïve maybe she would have had her sweet Richard with her during the last three years.

Richard was there somewhere, she determined, all she had to do was find him. If she had made the monster he was now, she’ll destroy him too.

As the night came and there was still no sign of him Caron grew anxious and afraid. Masters was still out there she knew, what was to stop him from coming and taking Rick again if he wanted to. She locked all the doors and windows in her house, knowing as she did it that they wouldn’t stop a determined invader like Masters.

She was worrying for nothing.

Riddick watched with anticipation at the man who entered the quiet house, oblivious to his presence. He stood still in the shadows which felt like home to him and held his breath, waiting for the perfect moment to catch the other man unawares.

As Masters walked into the dark hallway of his house his hand scrabbled along the wall for the light switch he knew was there. That was when Riddick struck. Coming up behind him he wrapped a muscled forearm around Masters’ throat and cut off his air supply. Masters arm came up instinctively an beg began to claw at Riddick’s forearm with mute desperation.

The scent of fear seeped from his pores pungently and Riddick inhaled it savoring it acrid smell. It didnake ake long for the other man to lose consciousness and when he did, Riddick dropped him carelessly to the ground.

Not sparing Masters another glance, Riddick stepped casually over his body and began making preparations. Originally he’d planned on killing Masters but as he thought about the man’s audacity Riddick had come to the conclusion that he couldn’t just let him die, death would be too easy for him. He had decided to let Master’s live and suffer. As he gathered the various implements he would need from the house Riddick smiled to himself, he loved causing pain.

When Masters came to he didn’t open his eyes right away, he remembered everything that had happened before he lost consciousness and he needed some time to formulate a plan. The longer Riddick thought he was out the more time he would have to think of a way to get out of the mess he was in.

“I know you’re awake” Riddick’s voice held a tinge of amusement.

Master’s thought about playing possum for a bit longer but then gave up the idea, Riddick was onto him and there was no sense in it. Blinking rapidly he opened his eyes and stared into the face of the devil.

They were sitting in his darkened living room and he was tied to a chair, naked. Riddick was sitting opposite him lounging casually on a couch he’d repositd dod do that they faced each other.

“What do you want?” Masters asked even though he knew the answer. Riddick was there to kill him. It was a good thing he wasn’t afraid to die.

“I think you know what I want…” Riddick smiled pleasantly and it sent a chill down Masters back. The fact that Riddick was so pleasant made his situation a lot worse than a mean psychotic Riddick would have done. He would have expected a crazy Riddick, had his mind prepared to eventually have to deal with him, but this was another matter.

“But this isn’t about what I want…” Riddick continued, “This is about what you want. You wanted me…now you’ve got me.” Riddick grinned.

“Go fuck yourself” Masters told him with some bravado, he refused to let the son of a bitch scare him. He paid no attention to the trembling of his voice.

“Did you really think you could steal my son and get away with it?” Riddick looked to be in no particular hurry to do whatever it was he came to do and that in itself puzzled Masters. He pulled out a shiv from his waistband and absently n ton to clean his fingernails as he talked.

“You’re going to live to regret that…” he promised Masters even as he appeared to be taking his own sweet time doing what he had promised. Then suddenly Riddick stood and looked at his watched, “It’s almost eight o’clock” he observed.

It was then Masters realized what Riddick was waiting on. His heart froze with real fear and any plans he had for bearing it all with gritteeth eth faded under the onslaught of pure terror.

“Junior should be coming home any second now…” Riddick strolled over to the window and looked out from the curtains, “Yup…any second now…” he sent a sly smile at Masters.

“Look” Masters began in a hoarse voice, “My son has nothing to do with this…”

“Neither did mine” Riddick told him in a cold voice.

“Please…” he begged without shame. He was no longer a law enforcement officer determined to go out witho whi whimper, he was a father begging for his son’s life. Riddick simply smiled at him, not at all moved by his pleas.

The beast was enjoying Masters distress too much to put him out of it. He’d remember all too well the misery Caron had gone through when Masters had taken Rick; it was only fair to visit the same on the man.

The sound of footsteps coming up the steps of the house signaled the arrival of Master’s son and Riddick clamped his hand over Masters' mouth and they both waited in silence for the hapless young man to enter the building.

Masters listened in horror as his sound closed and locked the front door behind him and dropped his keys on the side table. His footsteps were loud in the unnaturally silent room and he walked with the bliss of ignorance into the dark room, calling out to his father whom he thought would have been home.

He never saw Riddick until he was upon him and it was too late to anything but cry out at the huge shadowy figure whose fist was fast approaching his face. Riddick caught the young man before he hit the ground and then dragged over to another chair he had set up for him especially.

Through it all Masters watched in shock and horror, knowing that the outcome would now be ineble.ble. The monster that was Riddick wasn’t satisfied with one death, he would take two lives in revenge. Masters didn’t care about his life that much, he was forty four and had lived a meaningful life but his son was only twenty four and had yet to do much of anything.

As he watched Riddick tie his son securely to the chair that would be his prison he tried once more to reason with him.

“For god sakes…he’s just a boy, onl only twenty four” he croaked. He was all Masters had since his wife had died and left them a few years ago.

Riddick gave him a long measured look and then spoke; “My son is two…” was all he said.

“I wasn’t going to hurt the kid...I swear to God. I didn’t hurt the kid…I was going to return him in a few days!”

Riddick shrugged, “It doesn’t matter. You took him. You’re still going to suffer.” He turned away from Masters and gave his attention to the boy. Riddick slapped him hard with the flat of his hand twice to bring him to.

“Dad!” was the first thing the frightened young man cried out when he regained consciousness.

“Its okay Daniel” Masters tried to reassure his son.

“No it’s not” Riddick contradicted good-naturedly, “It’s not ok and it will never be ok. Let me give you the run down junior” he said squatting down to eye level with the boy. “Your father picked the wrong man to fuck with and now you’re gonna die for his mistakes… I think that covers just about everything” hrnedrned to Masters, “Did I leave anything out?”

“For God sakes Riddick….you’re a father yourself. Don’t do this” Master was weeping now, he knew that his words would have no effect whatsoever on Riddick. It was stone cold fact that his son would die. The only person he’d ever known Riddick to spare was the mother of his son, and even she hadn’t walked away without a scratch.

Riddick smiled a chillingly cold smile, “You didn’t give a fuck when you took my son away from his mother...and now you get to watch as I take yours away. Say your goodbyes now.”

“Dad!” The young man cried in panic as he realized that he was about to die, “Don’t let him do this…please dad! Do something!” he was screaming in fear.

Masters wept and strained at his bounds, as he heard the naked plea in his son’s voice. They each knew that there was nothing they could do but it didn’t stop them from trying. Riddick stood silently and watched for a few minutes with enjoyment. Richard was ready to end it but the beast was enjoying playing with his prey before finally killing him.

“Lucky for you Junior…” he said after he grew tired of watching them both cry and struggle, it was a game that got boring after awhile since only death and pain held the beast’s attention and Richard wanted to go to Caron and his son. That was the difference between Richard and Riddick. Riddick killed for pure pleasure while Richard did it out of necessity.


“Lucky for you I don’t plan on making you suffer…that’s just for your old man.” He took his shiv off the table where it rested, “Any last request …”

“I don’t want to die…please don’t kill me…I don’t want to die” The young man cried, his face was wet with sweat and tears.

“I’m not the one that really killing you. Sure I’m holding the weapon but your father…” Riddick pointed at Masters, “Your father is the one who signed your death warrant.”

“He’s just a kid for Christ sakes…kill me if you want me, but leave my son out of this.”

“You know it’s funny to hear you beg like this for your kid’s life when you didn’t give a fuck about my kid. Do you honestly think I’m gonna give a fuck about yours?”

“I didn’t hurt the kid…you got him back!”

Riddick shook his head, “No, no, no…you’re missing the point. You took something that belonged to me and told me to come and get it back. I did. Now I’m taking something that belongs to you…but you ain’t getting him back.”

“Please…I didn’t do anything! This isn’t fair…” Daniel pleaded.

Riddick laughed a deep booming laugh of genuine amusement, “Kid had you live long enough you would have known nothing in this fucked up life is fair…especially if you’re playing with me. I don’t play fair, I thought you all knew that” He shook his head still smiling at the kids statement, truly amused.

Richard was getting restless, he wanted to do the job and go home…to Caron and Rick. The beast sighed, Richard never wanted to linger and have fun.

“Ok enough of this shit…” he stood behind Daniel and grabbed a fistful of the kid’s hair and forced his head back, exposing his neck. Resting the shiv on the smooth hairless plane he said in a friendly voice, “Daniel this life sucks anyway…trust me you won’t me missing anything” with a quick movement of his wrist and a choked sound of pain from the unfortunate boy, the deed was done.

Riddick aimed for the jugular so that death would be quick, he didn’t want the boy to suffer, only his father.

“OH JESUS!!!” Masters screamed in horror when Riddick’s shiv sliced effortlessly through the throat of his only child like it was soft butter. It bit so deep he almost decapitated the boy.

Daniel’s eyes widened in pain and horror and he choked on his own blood as it bubbled up like a well spring. He tried to scream and call out but the only sound that arose from his gaping throat was a death gurgle which sounded disgustingly wet.

“Oh my God…you fucking animal…you fucking animal!!!” Masters screamed at Riddick, unable to take his eyes of the sight of his child as he died. A pain so deep grew in his chest and he felt his heart spasm. For a moment he thought that maybe he would have a heart attack and deprive Riddick from making him suffer but it was not to be, after a moment his heart resumed it pace.

Riddick stood back from the dying kid and watched Masters’ face avidly, drinking in his pain and suffering. That was only the beginning. He felt a tinge of regret over the boy’s death but it didn’t hamper him from doing what he had to do. Masters brought this all on himself. He had involved Riddick’s son, so Riddick had involved his son.

It was over quickly, the boy died without a whimper and soon the only sound that was heard in the room was Masters harsh sobbing. His grief seemed to choking him with its intensity.

“My son…Daniel…Daniel…” he wept over and over again. Riddick ignored him; it was time to move on to the next stage.

Moving over to the fire place he took out a knife he’d place there earlier. It was almost as long as his forearm and was wickedly sharp. The blade was dull red from the heat and Riddick couldn’t help but give a satisfied grunt.

Masters stopped weeping long enough to look at the glowing knife in apprehension, he had no idea what was next.

Pulling another chair up Riddick sat in front of him and said in a conversational tone, “Now you’re gonna learn not to take what doesn’t belong to you” He glanced down at Masters hands which were tied along the arm rest of the chair he was in. His fists were balled tightly with fright.

Holding his knife in one hand, he forced opened the man Right hand. When his palm was flat on the arm rest Riddick moved suddenly and brought the red hot knife down on his fingers, taking off three in one swoop.

The shriek of pain that Masters emitted was enough to wake the dead. Riddick gave a brief smile and then took off the thumb and then the last finger. He did it all so quickly that Masters hadn’t even time to fully register the amputation of first three fingers before he had to contend with the pain from the other two which had been left.

“Don’t worry” Riddick assured Masters, “You won’t bleed to death. The heat will cauterize the wound. Next hand…” he moved to Masters right hand and repeated the same procedure.

‘The way I see it I’m doing you a big favor. I’m letting you live but you undoubtedly will attempt to steal something else that doesn’t belong to you… The favor I’m doing you is taking away your fingers so that you won’t be tempted to take what’s not yours. Consider it a lesson in morality” Riddick laughed as he said the last piece, morality was the last thing he was qualified to teach.

“Please…” Masters whimpered, his eyes were squinted shut from pain and his breathing was wild and erratic in his chest.

“You don’t have to beg me” Riddick told him, “There’s plenty more of where that came from…”