Pain and Possession

Johns sat in his armchair brooding over a shot of whisky. Things were not going well for him at all this week. First Richard .B. Riddick had escape what was supposed to be a maximum strength facility, then they’d found the body of the prison’s warden floating face down in a lake with John’s name carved into the flesh of his chest. It was surmised that the letter opener found stuck in the throat of the warden was the weapon used to write his name.

To make the situation even worse, the mercs who were with him the night he’d captured Riddick were in a full blown panic. Three of their numbers were already dead, killed by Riddick himself. It was obvious he was out for revenge and everyone was scared, even him. The newspapers were having a field day with the news and every paper he picked up had a picture of Riddick and himself on it. Sometimes she was added too.

It was one thing to chase Riddick from continent to continent but it was quite another to have him stalking you, never knowing when he was going to strike. He was more than terrified. Johns mind ran briefly on her and he wondered if she knew Riddick had escaped.

The last time he’d seen her was when she was in the hospital getting her bruised throat checked out by the doctor. She’d left without telling him the next day and he hadn’t seen or heard from her since, which was a shame cause he’d wanted to get to know her better. The fact that she had been Riddick’s made him want her even more than the fact that she was a beautiful woman.

He knew without a shadow of a doubt that as soon as all of his men were dead he would be next. Riddick would undoubtedly come for him because he was not the kind of man to let what had happened to him slide.


Two days later Johns was a nervous wreck. His hands trembled as he read about the discovery of Riddick’s latest victim, he was the last. Now it was his turn. Crumpling the newspaper in his hands he threw it into the fire that burned brightly in the fireplace. From theunt unt of time between the bodies discovered he figured he had at least a day and a half before Riddick came for him. That was more than enough time to disappear. He no longer thought about what his peers would think or say about him running. He’d rather be a live coward than a dead hero.

His decision made he made he turned away from the fireplace, intending to head upstairs and begin packing, already sorting out in his mind what he’d leave and what he’d keep. The sight of Riddick’s big body blocking his path made him freeze and Riddick's fist coming towards his face was the last thing he saw before darkness took over.

When he awakened he was on the floor. He only knew that was where he was because he had a perfect view of the ceiling. He could feel no part of his body and his heart raced as he began to panic. He tried to move his lips to shout for help but he couldn’t make his mouth move or his throat muscles work.

He tried moving his arms and legs but he couldn’t, his entire body was numb and he could feel nothing at all. He wondered what the hell Riddick had done to him and his imagination tortured him with images of things that Riddick might’ve done. Johns didn’t know how long he laid there before Riddick came back in but when he did he was both relieve and afraid.

“You’re awake” Riddick peered down at him, a cruel smile on his lips, “I was wondering how long you were going to be out”. Riddick crouched beside him, “I guess you’re wondering why in the hell you can’t feel a thing aren’t you…blink once for yes and twice for no”

Johns blinked once and Riddick smiled.

“Well I could tell you but showing you would be even better…” he stood abruptly and moved out of Johns' sight. Just as quickly as he left he came back. He brought the floor length mirror that usually occupied Johns' guest bedroom with him.

“Are you ready for this?” Riddick asked Johns with a sly smile. If he could’ve spoken Johns would’ve said no, something in Riddick’s voice made him even more afraid.

Lifting the mirror, Riddick held it horizontally over Johns' body giving him a perfect view of himself. What he saw would have made him scream if he could. His naked body was covered in what seemed to be hundreds of pins, sticking out of him obscenely. He was literally a human pincushion.

“The reason you can’t feel anything…” Riddick informed him cheerfully, “is because I placed each needle on a nerve point. I read about this once in a book while I was in slam and I wanted to try it out.” Riddick bent low and peered at John’s suspiciously, “Are you crying?”

Johns hated Riddick more than anything or person at that moment. The hatred in him was so intense that it filled his entire being with it and it was almost tangible. He was sure Riddick felt it but the son of the bitch showed no concern. In fact Riddick seemed to be enjoying himself.

Yeah he was crying and Riddick had noticed. He’d never been so scared in his life. The sight of the pins sticking out of him told him just how sick Riddick really was. It told him how determined Riddick was too, it must’ve taken him hours to place each pin in the correct position, Riddick was dedicated to his revenge.

“I don’t want you in any pain right now…” he continued conversatioy, “y, “It’ll distract you from what I’m saying” as he talked he stooped low and it was then Johns noticed the shiv in his hand. “I’m gonna remove the pins from your throat and your mouth. I want you to answer some questions for me…” he began pulling them out casually and Johns gasped as he felt his skin tingled with feeling once again.

“Where is she?” he said in a cold voice suddenly.

Johns blinked; he knew exactly who he was talking about, “I …I… d..don’t know”

“Let me warn you about the perils of lying to me?” Riddick said with a smile and then using his thumb he casually pushed on of the pins that rested on Johns’ cheek. The pin sank down deep into the skin through the nerve and penetrated the inside of his mouth. He could actually feel it scrap against his gum. Johns screamed as he felt the first bit of pain to come at Riddick’s hands.

“Where is she?”

“I swear to God I don’t know” Johns rasped, he prayed Riddick believed him, he never was one to deal with pain in large amounts although he had no problem in dishing it out. “She checked herself out of the hospital that night and I haven’t heard or seen from her since”

Riddick’s silvery gaze seemed to be staring right into his soul, sorting through his secrets and lies and Johns waited with baited breath for the verdict. Finally Riddick nodded, he believed him it seemed.