Katie's Hellion

Rhyn smashed his cell hard enough for the walls to shudder.

Her luck grew worse. She heard the hisses that preceded the robed man's approach. She tensed and waited, willing him to continue. When he stopped at her cell, she sighed.

"Come with me."

The inmates began cheering. She hesitated, reviewing what the inmates had told her about grabbing the robed man's necklace. As she emerged, both of them jumped back as Rhyn smashed into his cell.

"Less pain," Jared reminded her as she passed.

"A million dollars."

"No pain but some fucking."

"I'll just eat you."

One by one the inmates made their offers as she passed. The robed man was small. Surely she could punch him hard enough to knock him out. She balled up a fist and looked at it, wondering how to hit him.

She wasn't going back to Sasha. Ever.

Hands darted from the cells to swipe at them, and she saw why the robed man kept to the center of the corridor. He reached the end, and she readied her fist. Once she had the amulet, she could bargain harder with the inmates.

Punch him, grab the amulet, bargain for her freedom. The plan was quick and easy.

The robed man opened the door for her as he had before. She waited for him to face her then punched him as hard as she could in the nose. It hurt! She shook her hand out.

The inmates erupted into cheers. The robed man didn't fall to her feet unconsciously as she planned but stared at her in surprise. She saw lightning forming in his hand.

"Hit him again!" Jared yelled.

"In the neck," another seconded.

She raised her fist to lay a right hook to his throat, beginning to panic when the lightning arced between his hands. He raised a hand to block, but she kicked him in the groin, and then in the neck. He bent over, coughing. She jerked the amulet off his neck, and the lighting flickered. The robed man stretched for her. She danced away from him, then away from a hand that brushed her calf.

She raised the amulet to stare at it, the cacophony around her rising as the excited inmates glimpsed their freedom. They began beating against their cell walls, and the lights flickered again.

The robed man was coming for her.

"Make me an offer!" she shouted, backing away.

"No pain!" four voices chimed at once.

"No pain and escape to your world!"

"A million dollars."