Eyes In Darkness

Chapter 12

Why me?" Johns snapped suddenly, breaking the tense silence.

Everyone looked at him.

"This isn't about you, Johns," I said sharply. "Why are you acting like you're the one bleeding? I've got a cut down my side that won't stop bleeding, and I'm not whining about it."

He glared at me, jaw tightening, but before he could shoot back a retort, a creature swept low over us—its wings stirring the air into a chill rush.

We moved again, pressed close together, trying to keep the blue light between us and the dark. Johns and Riddick took the lead, walking a little farther ahead while Fry motioned for me and the others to hang back and give them space.

Something in my chest twisted—an instinct, a warning. I didn't know what was coming, but I knew it wasn't good. Still, I tried to steady myself with one thought: Riddick can take care of himself.

⸻

Riddick's POV

Johns gestured for me to follow, leading us a few paces ahead of the group. His movements were twitchy, too deliberate.

"If we only lose one person out here, it'll be a miracle," Johns muttered.

"Not if I'm the one," I said flatly.

He gave a crooked grin. "What if you're one of five?"

I kept walking, my voice even. "What've you got in mind?"

"We drag a body forty, fifty feet behind us—not to feed them, just to keep them off our scent," he said, like he'd already justified it to himself.

My jaw tightened. "Who'd you have in mind?"

"Don't look at them," he warned, voice low. "You kill the girl and Jade. I'll keep the others off your back."

For a second, I didn't move. The words burned through me. I wanted to tear his throat out right there. It took everything I had not to growl.

He smirked when I didn't answer right away. "What's wrong? This one not gonna kill you? Or are you going soft?"

I forced a calm I didn't feel. "No," I said slowly. "Just wondering if we need a bigger piece of bait."

Johns squinted. "What, like Imam?"

"Like you, Mr. Johns."

Before he could blink, I made a fake grab for his shotgun—knocking the flare from his hand. It hit the ground and sputtered out, plunging us into total darkness.

He cursed and fired blind into the dark.

I circled him silently, voice a low growl from the black. "There's only one rule, Johns... gotta stay in the light."

He spun in frantic circles, shotgun jerking up and down. The panic was thick enough to smell.

I waited until his back turned—then moved. Knocked the gun from his grip. He swung a shiv at me; I sidestepped, slashed him across the back. He stumbled, reaching for his weapon just as one of the creatures dove in from above.

He fired once—the gun jammed.

The creature hit him full force, claws piercing through his chest, jaws snapping. One moment he was there, the next he wasn't.

When the first shot rang out, I heard the group behind me start running. I caught fragments—panicked voices, someone shouting, and then Jade:
"What about Riddick?"

⸻

Jade's POV

We didn't get far before my vision swam. My head spun, and my knees gave out. I stumbled forward—straight into a solid chest and a pair of strong arms that caught me easily.

Riddick.

He looked down at me, his expression tight with concern. "You okay?"

"I'm dizzy," I managed.

Without hesitation, he scooped me up, holding me against his chest as if I weighed nothing.

Behind us, Fry was shouting, trying to herd everyone back toward the ship. "Where's Johns?" she demanded.

Riddick's voice was flat, almost bored. "Which half?"

No one asked again.

We started moving in the right direction. Riddick still had me in his arms, one hand gripping the light cord that trailed from his back as he pulled the batteries from dead lamps to feed the ones still glowing.

Imam walked beside us, guiding Jack—who carried little Ali in his arms, clutching him close.

We kept moving until the narrow passage widened into the edge of the canyon. The ground trembled with every distant screech echoing through the dark.

Riddick slowed, scanning the walls. "We move slow," he said. "Stay under the ledge and keep the lights up."

We started forward, slipping through the canyon's mouth, the air damp and thick. That's when it happened—something wet splattered against my arm. Then another drop.

I looked down, squinting in the faint glow, and saw it glisten across my sleeve. Sticky. Dark.

It wasn't water.

I tilted my head up, eyes widening as I realized what it was dripping from—