Your Protector

Chapter 9

We walked into the main building that held the planets and apparently their bedrooms as well. Imam was pouring water into many different cups. I walked over and helped him as I heard Paris mumble " oh look it's the winner of the lookalike context", grabbing four cups and walked over to the corner where Ali and Jack where, Riddick a step away leaning against the door frame. I gave a cup to both Ali and Jack who graciously took them.

Turning to Riddick I handed him a glass of water. I didn't say anything because everyone was in the room and I knew already that they were thinking disapproving stuff behind my back. The kids had finished theirs so I gave them mine after having a small mouthful. 'kids first' I thought before turning and listening to what the adults have to say.

Paris was the first to speak up as he looked around the room "Perhaps we should toast our hosts. Who were these people, anyway? Miners?" Paris questioned as Shazza spoke up "Looks like geologists. Advance team, moves around from rock to rock". I frowned as Jack placed in his own question " but why leave the ship?". Agreeing which Jack I also put out my own question " And why did they leave all of their stuff.

Silence went throughout the room for a moment as our thoughts went to the answer, Johns was the first to speak trying to be a know-it-all, "wells it's a skill, more like an emergency life-raft" I noticed this helped some of the members and they tried to agree with his answer.

Riddick choose to speak up for the first time properly in two hours, brining every ones emotions down and their attention up " Didn't leave, whatever killed Zeke got them too. What, you don't really think they left with their clothes on the lines? Photos on the walls?". " Maybe they had weight limits, you don't know" Shazza sassed back obviously still not happy with having Riddick loose.

The man's jaw clenched, not liking the idea of being fought against " I know you don't prep your emergency ship unless there's a fucking emergency" he said turning to Johns and Fry especially as Jack spoke up "he's fucking right" he said as I had to force myself from laughing as I turned and shushed him.

Before anyone could say anything there was a small noise outside, Imam looked around the room and realised that only one of his sons were in the room, " Has anyone seen my other son?" he asked as I and everyone else looked around the room trying to find him or think about when they last saw him. I turned to Jack and whispered to him " was he with you?" I questioned as he looked at me with wide eyes confirming my thought.

" Has anyone checked the corning room?" Riddick questioned as we all moved out the room, the same gut feeling in my stomach that I felt going into the whole.

~*~*~*~

Johns pulled out his gun as we neared the room, Imam tried to open the door where the screams had been coming from only to find it chained on the inside much like how it was when Riddick tried, it raised the question on how the boy got in there in the first place. Opening up the door just enough, Shazza grabbed an abandoned chain cutter and cut the chain as we threw the doors open only for them to suddenly close them as a black cloud of wings flew around the room.

As all noise inside stopped we opened the door only to find the room empty of life, Imam began to call for him son before we walked towards the only other room in the building. Opening up the doors we found another empty room but this one was much darker and had a large hole in the ground. Johns pulled out a glow stick and cracked it sending it down the hole.

Everyone peered around wondering if the child was still alive but as soon as the glowing stick hit the ground we gasped in shock. Bones of different sizes littered the floor including a fresher pile that unfortunately still had flesh on the bone. I turned to Imam just to see him about pass out from the shock and the pain.

"Well that explains where the settlers went" I said as the others nodded their head in a silent agreement.