His hands move over my back, in the shower, tracing over the scars. He hasn’t said a word since asking my age, discovering how long I was kept in the dark, about what was done to me. Hasn’t taken his hands off me since then, either. He had started washing my back. He hasn’t, but he did start to.
“Ever thought about having them taken out?”
His question is quiet, the cockiness, the arrogance, of his previous questions, gone. He’s not testing me, to see where I can be broken. No intimidation this time. His hand comes to rest, on my upper spine, just under the nape of my neck, where the strange scars begin.
“I think about that every day. Just waking up one day, and not hurting anymore. Yea, you could say I’ve thought about it. It would probably kill me to do it. Maybe it would be worth it.”
Her head rests on the cold tile of the shower stall, my hand resting on her spine. Would it really kill her?
“We could probably find someone that could do it, when we reach port.”
We’d be at the Midorian in under two days. There’s a pretty damned good chance I could find a doc that could pull those chips out. It’s not like the idea of a little extralegal surgery would upset any sensibilities there. She lets out a short laugh.
“Thought you were going to turn me over for a bounty, Riddick.”
There’s no cruelty in her voice when she says it. She doesn’t laugh at the things other people would find funny. I can’t take it personally, I don’t think she means it that way at all. I’m not turning her over to anyone, definitely not the fuckers that would do this to her. Reach over, kiss her neck. Seems as good an answer as any.
“It very well might kill me, though.”
“I could start searching for someone now, maybe get it done the minute we get there.”
She’s put her head down, resting it on the side of the shower, I move a little to let the water hit the back of her neck. A small whimper from her. Her hands coming up to rest under her forehead. The scar like a starburst. Go back to washing her back, try and avoid it.
“It’s a marker, Riddick.”
Her voice has dropped, almost so quiet I can’t hear it over the shower. Pain creeps back into her voice. I’ve forgotten about washing her back again. Touch her back, let her finish, when she’s ready.
“Anyone taking it out is going to know exactly what I …am. And who I …..belong….. to. They’ll turn me over, Riddick.”
Her voice is near breaking. Breaks, when she says ‘belong’. Catch her before her legs give out, she’s holding her head. Blood. Hits the floor of the shower, splattering and washing away in the water. Turn her to face me, hold her, pulling her hand away from her face. One eye, bloodshot, her nose gushing blood.
Shut the water off, carry her out of the shower. Hold a towel under her nose. Her bared teeth are resting on my wrist. The thought of her biting me doesn’t even enter into it anymore. Her eyes closed tightly, as the wave of pain washes over her. Hold her tight, as she pushes herself backwards, her fingers and toes spread wide, in more pain than I can possibly imagine.
A cough, as blood backs up, goes down her throat. Not much I can do about it, until it stops.
“Anise……”
Her hand moves slowly up to her bloodshot eye, pressing. Pull the towel away. The bleeding is slowing up, a trickle now. She pulls herself over to the edge of the shower, throwing up a glurt of blood, holding her head against the cold tile for a moment. Pull her back. I try to be gentle, I’m probably not. Hold her face up to me.
“No one’s turning you over anywhere. Do you understand me?”
“I won’t go back, Riddick. They’ll have to kill me. I won’t go…..back………..”
Catch her before she collapses. Dry her off, as much as I can. Carry her back to bed. I don’t want to leave her, in case what happened in the shower is just the start of something worse. Almost kicked the damned dog off the bed. He won’t go. Licks her arm, resting his head on it, looking up at me. I figure he better earn his damn keep.
“Watch her.”
Fuck. I’m talking to dogs now. Get onto the ships systems. Start looking for a surgeon on the Midorian. It should be pretty easy to sell this hulk, papers aren’t really an issue. You can get anything you want, if you don’t mind the fact that the money’s a little dirty. We’ll be there in a little over twenty seven hours. It took me about four hours of shouting at the screen, but she’ll be under a doc’s knife an hour after we land.
© 19 Jan 2006, 19:52