Freddy Krueger dead? Hah! I think not. In honor of his continuance (and whether or not anybody can get into this)- may i present the first ever Freddy Krueger Game! I'll start with a beginning, and then the next person can say what happens next, and then someone else picks it up, ect. I understand why most people wont be into it but if WE dont do it who will?
One thing about the game- if you get writers block you can continue or start a sub-plot, and if you dont like where the story is going you can say the last things that happened were a nightmare and you can kill people or have something horrible happen hehhehheh. Oh and you can have it happen in any year at any time. The plot strings should tie together pretty easily. I want to learn to write and this sounds like a good exercise.

Sheesh i hope you people like to make up stories. Dont be scared, i never wrote a story either! Lets get crazy! /ubb/smilies/VIBRATOR.gif

Oh yeah! And you can edit your work if you dont like what you just made happen, so long as it doesnt contradict completely what the next writer made happen /ubb/smilies/smile.gif
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"It is the end of the beginning"- President R.R.
<IMG SRC="http://community.webtv.net/SMG777/banner/scrapbookFiles/importD29.gif" border=0> http://community.webtv.net/SMG777/SIT

[This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade (edited 09-15-2000).]

August 7th, 1986 --Springwood
3:47 pm

Erich VanDermark pulls up along the sidewalk, in front of his driveway. He is driving a slightly rundown VW van. It is white and splotched with an off-color shade where it has re-painted. It was raining a bit before then and the afternoon light is still grey from overcast. It is still drizzeling and the air smells fresh with wet foliage.

Turning off the van, which shutters and rattles for a moment, Erich pockets his keys and begins searching through the junk he has left on the passenger seat. He notices to his perplexity<IMG SRC="/ubb/smilies/Question.gif" border=0> that...



<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-21-2000 at 11:00 PM</font>

...there's a folded up letter. He unfolds it...it's blank. Suddenly, streaks of red etch across the paper spelling out, "Greetings Dipshit." Erich gives a confused glare and throws the paper back into his van. Suddenly the paper catches ablaze! The door slams shut as the fire rages inside. "Oh Shit!" screams Erich. He bolts down the street and looks back only to find he's not getting anywhere! Just as the van is about to explode, Erich wakes up next to his girlfriend in his van. She looks over and sleepily asks, "what's wrong with you?" Erich looks to her and...

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<FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT size="4">- Roemello</FONT s></FONT f>
<IMG SRC="http://spiffyentertainment.homestead.com/files/mybannernew.jpg" border=0>
http://spiffyentertainment.8m.com
http://roemello.80sxchange.com
"The only true knowledge exists in knowing, that you know nothing"

(Springwood, 1993- its Spring~)
asks her if she was smoking in the van again, her face is barely outlined by a weak orange glow, the two dark forms in front of them- the seats, help orient him, along with the splattered windshield.

"No, why?" with open but cloudy eyes she blinks to awaking. The sinister presence of the storm has added a strange air to the situation.
The sound of rain plays staccoto on the aluminum around them, the van sways on its suspension subtly from a gust of wind.

The inside of the van is dark except for the dim overhead light. He begins thinking about where they are as he turns his attention to the fuzzy AM station of the radio, barely perceptable from the door speakers.
"Oh- hey what time is it." He asks looking over her covered legs. A sudden thunderbolt behind him in the distance starts his heart thumping again. The dream was extremely disorientating and it feels like he has only been sleeping for a couple minutes. She pushes down the blanket next to her, exposing the yellow digital clock face '2:32 am'.
"Ooooh" he moans, laying back down on the slightly warm sleeping bag. He felt terrible and wondered for a moment if he were dreaming again, because he SEEMED awake in his dream.
Laying there he felt only a slight inclination for sleep. He was still too bothered by the image of fire and the strange smell of it.
Jennifer had settled back to rest with the pillow propped under her arm. She was still awake too.
Looking at eachother, Erich asks...


[This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade (edited 09-23-2000).]

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-21-2000 at 11:04 PM</font>

"Dont you think its odd that theres no kids in this town?"
"Maybe its like one of those..." she searched for the word, "like communities that dont invite families with kids?.." She didnt seem satisfied with her own guess and it was clear that she had noticed it too and had thought about it. But she seemed to dismiss it very quickly.
"What you mean like a retirement 'get away' for rich people?"
Jennifer couldnt think of anything either: <IMG SRC="/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" border=0>
Erich couldnt smile about it- he felt too weird. This was not the romantic get-away he had planned. Springwood was one of many Urban Legends hollywood had made movies out of. The fact that the town apparently had a policy against children was probably a great basis for such a sick legend as the publically recorded but little known killer Freddy Kruegger. He had seen his picture once in an 'Infamous Serial Killers of the United States' coffee table book- pointy looking dude with a smile that would have seemed normal enough if it werent in a mug shot. Springwood was a far ways from their hometown and the cross country drive was not what they had hoped for. Too much driving and the smells of traffic, hotels and roadkill restaurants.
It was a miracle they even found the place, because it wasnt even listed in the newest editions of roadmaps. They had almost called it off, and when they did find the exit for it (and he knew they must have passed right by it at least twice), the welcome they recieved by the few scattered residents made it clear they were not looking for touristists. All but the creepy corner grocery clerk in the town square had greeting them warmly. It was as if all the townpeoples' charm, if it could be called that, had been syphoned into him alone.
"Its all those weird old people we saw that has you bugged right?" she asked, slipping on a tank top from the small corner letter-bin behind her. It had turned from springtime warm to rain chilling cold while they were snoozing.
"I guess", a newly invigorated torrent of rain pelted the van as a close thunderbolt struck with a tinny echo <IMG SRC="/ubb/smilies/stareup.gif" border=0>
"Geezus Christ", he rose up out of the old raggy peagreen army sleeping bag and red and white checkered quilt to streched. There was no way he could get back to sleep until this storm had let up and he decided he didnt want to.
The girl started searching for her smokes as he strolled up to the front seats. He could not see past the windshield except when lightening flashes illuminated the hood and tree line in front of them. Leaning over in his long boxers he tried to listen to the what the annoucers were saying to eachother...:

[This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade (edited 09-23-2000).]

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-21-2000 at 11:09 PM</font>

"...well Jhon, i feel that during the course of say 17 years of police investigative work, we have seen similiar patterns among various killing sprees throughout the Mid-West region. Perpetration is rarely carried out by more then one person, there is an...involvement usually with any sort of sexual perversion. We are seeing a lot of this involving very young women and even children," said one of the men- he had a slightly garbled voice. Erich immediatly picture the man as being in his late 40s, bald like an eagle with a chubby neck, brown plastic rimmed glasses and a cheap tweed jacket countered with a 80 dollar tie.
The other man, apparrently the host of the show, in a slightly nasally voice started speaking when the guest, a psychologist it seemed, had finished answering, "Well lets go to our next caller," a small buzz, "...Kevin your on the air with Dr. Mathias."
Erich's hands were gripping the smooth polyester head rests and as he turned his head to look out the driver's side window, he heard the click of a lighter followed by a brief faint glow as Jenn light a cigarette and pucked it into service, "Hi John, long time listener, first time caller."
His girlfriend was adjusting the two big pillows as she pulled the quilt under her legs, "God, im getting chilly."
He turned sideways to look at what she was doing. The two rear door windows glowed blue through the closed partitions from a distant strike as she inhauled the Menthol.
His attention went back to the green radio L.E.D. The program was snowy and threatening to start breaking up from the storm.
"Hey turn that up," http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//E8.gif
He swung himself over the tranbox like a gymnast on a pommelhorse and sat down in the passenger seat, where he could rest his right arm on the dash.
"Okay, but the signal is bad". He turned the volume up and balanced the sound to the speakers in the rear so she could hear it.
"Anything is better then this rain."
Resting with his legs on the drivers seat he listened to the caller who's voice now sounded from four corners of the van, "...some blame the parents, or the schools, their friends- church,"
"Church?" interjected the host. The caller continued uninterrupted,
"and also society itself as the reasons behind these acts of vengence." Erich made a look of contempt from these words, and tried to share it with Jennifer through the space between the dark head rest and the window panel, but she was busy searching her hand along the metal floor.
"I blame all of them...what was it four factors? -not sure i have trouble counting on my fingers, damn children," the caller broke into a laugh confirming Erich's opinion of this nut "that could lead to the actions of these select few vigilantes."
Vigilantes? This time Erich laughed as well, what a freakin a-hole! <IMG SRC="http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies/ubb/smilies/PSYCHO.gif" border=0>
"Kev'," this time John 'Beyond' had a discourteous ring to his interruption, "i dont think i would call <u>psychotic</u>, mad slasher, axe weilding, child molesting..SCUMbags, vigilantes. You have been listening since the beginning of the show havent you?". Dr. Mathias made a grunting sound.
"Well John, you know if your going to blame society for its treatment of 'psychotics',"
"I'm not blaming anyone"
"then you have to consider these-" very short laughter again. This time Kevin's voice changed tone and he sounded like he was pretty mad "MANIACS, are just doing what the parents must want."
"Kev, please stop doing that with your voice, this is a serious discussion. Look...first of all, where are you calling us from?"
The caller's tone had deepened and its sinister air was still very present.
"Springwood,"
Thunder struck much too close to where they were parked!

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-21-2000 at 10:06 PM</font>

Click!

Jenn was there, reaching up from the back to turn off the radio. "Changed my mind... Rain's not so bad." Erich nodded mutely.

His eyes followed Jennifer as she settled herself back into a huddled mass of hair, fabric, and attitude. Her beauty was clouded by a mixture of coolness, unkempt, and cigarette smoke. He remembered when he'd met her, how stubborn and unattainable he'd found her. He hadn't even been trying to get into her pants, much less fall in love with her. But after a few weeks of late night coffee house conversations, shared disdain, and unspoiled summer days, he'd found that her poison was spent mostly on others, and he'd somehow eased through her shell. Once past the initial surprise of that sudden comfort, fresh eyes found her beauty, personality, and spirit unresistable. They'd spent the night in jail together after a well-intentioned protest went too far, talking all night and holding hands through the bars. They'd been inseperable ever since.

She looked at him and somehow found a smile. It was suddenly replaced by widened eyes and a small scream as she looked past him. Startled, Erich turned to look out the passenger window. Inches away was a little girl, her eyes staring blankly into his. Her straight blond hair framed a pale- no, albino- face. He couldn't tell what color her eyes were. She was wearing a white dress and stood absolutely still next to an ancient looking tricycle. She looked dry.

"What the hell?" He didn't know why, but Erich was scared. He tried to settle himself. "See, Jenn, there's kids here after all." He rolled down the window.

"Hey little girl, isn't it a bad night for you to be out?"

Her fathomless eyes looked at him then at Jenn.

Stepping away from the van, possibly in apprehension, though by looking at her you couldnt tell. The girl was silent as she stood several feet from them. Erich risked getting wet by pooking his head out. He look to the right, the deluge streaming down the white and grey metal sides, the trees behind them completely dark besides moonlight reflecting through the udulating sheets of rain; his hair was already plastered to his forehead. He cupped his left hand to his mouth as he shouted for her parents. Bitterly cold water flecked in his eyes as he twisted his head to the left. http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//Question.gif Nothing else that he could see.
"Hey are your par...", Thunder exploded, he and Jenn both gasped, a piercing shriek of electricity- he could see the little girl's mouth open as he jerked back and didnt know if she was screaming or if it was the lightening or both. "Oh my god," said Jenn stepping into drivers side. The wind flared up and darkness swallowed the view outside, "You alright!?", as Erich looked out again, the wind mostly drowned his words as he swung the door open with his left leg, planting his right foot on the metal step, right arm braced against the door jam as he prepared to push himself out, Jenn's hand rested on his shoulder as she leaned over. She thought about stepping out as well but considered a drenching...
Without warning a violent bellow of whirling wind slammed the door back into him before it was more then half way open.
His left knee slammed into the knocked open glove compartment from the force, with the sound of a small twig snapping underwater. The front ariel of the van was spinning like someone had left it in a blender. He was barely able to scoot his right foot and hand back in time to save them from ruin as the door slammed shut, causing his girlfriend to shout in suprise. http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//eek2.gif
"Aaaaghhh!", he cried, almost grabbing the sides of his damaged knee with two claw-shaped hands. "Jesus, oh ******* God, help..."
Eyes wide, her hands beginning to tremble, Jennifer had the left one covering her mouth to supress another cry, the other hovered near his side. The storm had led the ground work towards fear, the suprising appearence of the little girl and violent accident had allowed it to reach the surface. http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//eek3.gif

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-21-2000 at 11:22 PM</font>

The wind did not subside after the tremendous gust. The van was basically levitating off it's suspensions, pitching the van slightly forward and to the left.
"Oh crap." With shuddering breath, Erich carefully grabbed the sides of his knee and moved his legs parallel with the van's substantial legroom.
It was ticklish with sharp spreading pain. He could feel something floating around inside his knee cavity.
Jenn became lightly pressing his arm with her finger tips, "How bad is it?"
"Im not sure- AGH, i dont think i can...", another shudder "walk or anything.", a frustrated gasp "I dont think i can even move out of this damn seat. Im going to need to get to a doctor."
Jenn shook her head in disbelief and looked out the driver window.
"I wanna go see if that kid's alright, dont you think i should check?" http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//frown.gif
"You better be _______ careful, damn. This wind is no joke, go out and come back with the girl."
"Okay"
He could really feel something was messed up, every slight involuntary twitching of his leg made him aware of it. Throbbing started next to his kneecap and blood began to swell up.
"Phew. Could be a goddamn tornado out there," and he laughed with little mirth.

The wind wasnt as bad on her side but the door was difficult to push open and created a loud vaccum that sent in sharp whips of rain and freezing cold. Even Erich felt it.
Hesitantly she prepared to step out with a pained expression, gritting her teeth like Erich was now doing, but lept to the ground like the devil was after her.

Trying to sheild her eyes, she ran against the wind around the front of the van. Her boyfriend could barely make her out and certainly couldnt hear her over the storm's grumbling thunder and howling force. Living five years as a toddler in uptown Naw'lins he was used to fierce storms, but this was not the sort of weather region ... he felt a cramp beginning to build in the sole of that same leg's foot. "Oh man."
He didnt notice that the rocking of the van was subsiding.

The ground was rough, leaves and pointed grass knitted with sticks, wet and slippery on her bare feet as she fought to maintain her balance. Being a regular hiker, she had feet just as rough.
"Hey! Little girl!?", She tried to yell harder "where are you? You have to get inside!"
Chill rain itched her scalp and froze her bare calves, back and shoulders, her sweater plastered. However, the storm seemed to ease up unexpectedly.
She could see little to nothing past twelve feet ahead of her vision, yellow darkness shrouded everything past that. She kept shouting.
Yellow? Looking up she noticed the sky seeming to twist. It was the clouds- they were lined with a ghastly shade of it, dark specks floated not a hundred feet up, drifting. The ground seemed to be lit from a dim street lamp.
It suddenly dawned on her what was happening. http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//redface.gifhuh:
Slack jawed, stomach drawing up to her chest, she, taking one last look around and not seeing the kid, ran back around the van, heart thumping.

He was relieved to see her opening the door, the noise outside was replaced by a low, rising tone. The threat of cramping up was making him mad but then he noticed his girlfriend's expression.
"Damn it", slamming the door behind her, gripping the wheel with her left, Jennifer tried for the ignition and not finding it began to frantically scramble shaking hands for the keys.
"What hap-"
"Erich we have to get out of area!! Where are the damn keys!", she tried the drink holders under the radio, the coin holder,
"W-", he got the keys off of the dashboard, "whats wrong? Did the kid run away?", the keys were snapped from his grasp, "Calm down!"
"I cant- theres going to be a &%!@#$% tornado", jamming the keys into the ignition she simultaneously twisted the key forward. The hum of the storm was not drummed out by the start of the large engine and the headlights opened up on highbeam, diffused from the odd dusty yellow air.
"WHAT?" http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//00what.gif
She stepped down the peddle. Erich put his hand on the dash, the other bracing his knee, but the sudden lurch of him back and the vehicle forward shot a spreading branch of pain up his thigh bone. His mate showed no signs of noticing.
"Tornado!? What about the kid?" The thick wheels sent wet foliage whizzing out behind it.
"I dont know-I dont know-I dont know", she was obviously scared bad. He was overwhelmed and sighed with exhaustion. The engine throttled up but they could feel it more then hear as the tone of the forming tornado vibrated through the aluminum body, muffling scattered strikes of lightening.
"Jenn we're going the wrong way, this is taking us into the woods."
She couldnt hear him. The ground became less level as they headed down a deeper camping trail. They had parked pretty far into "Powachaukee Park" already, they didnt want any of the town yokels wandering through and this spot seemed pretty hidden in a town that was in the middle of nowhere. But this was the last real camping spot- the road they were on now seemed too overgrown and pot-holed to be worth chancing in the daytime. And now it was night.



<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-24-2000 at 03:58 AM</font>

Low hanging branches skipped and scratched off the roof as they sailed over the rock strewn dirt road, squeezed between the trucks of dark crowded oaks. The "road" part was purely an honorary title, and the dirt was little competition for the layers of decaying leaves, twigs and spindly yet rather large branches that criss-crossed the old path. He held his leg off the seat, which kept his foot off the floor, preventing uncessary suffering.
"Are you sure its behind us Jennifer?" She scrambled with one hand to get her seatbelt on without taking her eyes off the path, and he concluded it was wise to do the same.
THHUUUMMMUMMMUMMMUMMMM
The tornado was starting to gain substance.
"I dont know- its...over us!"
His eyes widened at this. He tried to see it reflected off the door mirror, but all he saw was the trailing ends of leafy branches they swept past. The rear-view was no help because of all the bouncing.
The vehicle rocked up and down rapidly over the mounds of dead foliage, the headlights flicking on and off the hard oaks demarcating the slight bends and turns ahead. Larger chucks of wood pelted the outside of the thin metal floor as the hard tires spun through sliding debris. The thrum of the tornado filled their bodies as they cursed.

Continous lightening belted off above them like gunshots. Erich felt death creeping.
A cry of despair became to sound from the woman. He couldnt do anything to protect her.
They continued to rocket forward even though the vegatation became denser with low, fairytale-like "black forest" branches snapping away as they roared through- debris whipping violently about them in a blinding murk, the vehicle seemed to be pressed down and pulled from behind by a huge unseen hand, their ears popped. The already stressed ariel snapped off, flying at the windshield and leaving a hairline fracture in the glass before spinning away like a helicopter blade faster then the blink of an eye. Jenn squealed.

She saw the decrepid cabin before it was too late, slamming on breaks they hit it with a hollow bang. The windshield turned into a sheet of pale church-glass, the hood tenting up like a tin hat in the same split second.
The van doors in the back were wrenched open by a furious god and the looming monster sucked the breath from their lungs. They were out cold.

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-24-2000 at 04:52 AM</font>

[faint children's voices]
"1..2 Freddy's coming for you"
Erich couldnt breath.
"3..4 better lock your door"
He struggled for air.
"5..6 grab a crucifix"
The air came soundly in a rush.
"7..8 gonna stay up late"
He gasped, eyes refusing to open, head pounding. The scream of a woman caused his breath to hasten, he forced himself to awakefullness.
The dream-like children's song reminded him of the little girl but quickly fled his mind.
His swollen knee the size of a grapefruit, surging with pain in time to his quickening heart. He smelled gasoline and heard what sounded like a tumbling wood pile in front of them. The radio was buzzing loudly with static.
He sight of the windshield spread madly with hundreds of cracks confused him, the hood crunched up above eye level. Beginning to regain his bearings he noticed the wailing of an angry woman from somewhere. The weather had changed dramatically, the air was warm and sunlight was out in force, sweeping in from the rear of the openhinged van. Had they been knocked out all night?
Strange red, green and yellow chips speckled the glass and a sudden thump on the roof startled him into action. He looked over at Jenn, warm sunlight streaming through the shattered driver's side window and placed his hands on her chest and shoulder.
"Jenn are you hurt!?", his voice was horse and still short of breath.
Her head was tipped forward, arms slack, lap was covered with glass, her face scratched.
He was relieved somewhat when she took a shaky gasp, finally tilting her head up a bit, and struggling to open her eyes.
"Honey?"
"Oh...oh my god!"
"Jenn i think someone's hurt", he said releasing his belt. He carefully removed some of larger pieces of glass off of her thighs. The smell of gasoline made his heart race faster.
He looked through his nearly shattered passenger window and saw that they had hit what he now thought was a house- but it looked strange, brightly painted from what he could make out.
She tried to look through the windshield, vainly trying to see who or what was damaged before having to see it up close.
As Jenn undid her belt, Erich with a hard tug and push tried to get his door open, but it only gave a couple inches, the ground was bright green with dry grass.
Looking at her one last time he carefully climbed over the transbox, and tried to make use of his left leg despite the injury.

The rear doors were intacted, the locks wrenched. He heard his girlfriend kick open the driver door.
He prepared to exit with fear gripping his heart- he almost didnt want to leave the van because of what he might find.
The van was lifted in front by the impact so it was only half a foot down to the ground- still it was painful when he landed.
"ARRRRRRGGGHHH!" His heart almost stopped when he saw the woman.
"Look what you've done to my HOUSE!" He thought he was looking at a witch.
Clad in ragged black like one, with frighteningly spindly legs and arms. The cuffs of the raven dress extended past her gnarled knuckles, fingers ending in pointed nails, one hand in a claw pointing accusingly at him. Her face scared him even more because it was so difficult to see it, though he could tell it was screwed up in a grimace.
A short pinnacled black hat held wide, black pigtails covering the sides of her face and forhead- dark eyes that looked as lifeless as stones. Hunched over, no taller then his chest, she exuded hate.
Erich was almost too stunned to talk as he heard Jenn approach him, she stopped short at the sight of the growling creature.
"We didnt mean to..." he started, turning his head towards the cabin.
He and Jennifer's eyes widened. It was like a life sized candy house- brightly colored candy, or painted like candy planks and boards shaped as red and white striped candy cakes, chocolate colored 4x4s, white sugar eaves, blue and green glass windows- now shattered, the walls crumpled. Smoked drifted from a clear red chimney.
He looked and saw that the large thump on the roof of vehicle was a head-sized chunk of hard candy.
"What the hell?"
The frightening woman hissed as Jenn approached her boyfriend, snapping his head back to the evil form.
"YOU! You little skag, YOU were the one who destroyed my house!"
Jenn drew back slightly, stammering,
"I-I-I didnt...i tried not to hit it. I didnt hurt anybody did i?"
Just then the the shapes of children appeared running from the other side of the house.
They could see they were no older then 10.
"NOOOOOO! Look what you've done! Their running away!" The witch turned shreiking, shaking her knobby fists in the air as the children took flight into the woods screaming in terror.
Erich was very scared. He knew exactly what this was but it didnt make any sense, was he dreaming?
Jenn was thinking the same thing, she tugged at his shirt sleave as the woman turned back to the couple.
Erich didnt like this expression any better. The witch creature seemed composed almost instantly, smiling with rotten, pointy yellow teeth.
"Erich!", Jenn whispered panically, pulling on him.
Erich kept his eyes on the witch, who started cackling.
"Well. I suppose these things happen."
Jenn spoke up again,
"Listen we are REALLY sorry that we destroyed your house",
the witch gestured with indifference
"but see...it-it was raining, there was a storm. A tornado! It was right on top of us."
The witch nodded.
"We have them all the time."
Erich wanted to wake up.
"Okay, well, no one got hurt right? My dad has money, i know he can pay to have your...", Jenn gestured at the bizaare structure "your house fixed up and everything. Do you have a phone?"
Erich spoke up. "No, i dont think thats a good idea, we dont want to intrude or anything...I got a cellular in the glove compartment." He knew the phone was out of charge. Dream or not he was not going into that $#@!%$# witch's house for anything.
The witch grinned as if Erich was being shy.
"Dont be shy dear, i have a phone. And of course yours doesnt work."
@#!$
"I have pie," the witch offered in her oddly sensuous voice.
Jenn turned the young man toward her.
"Lets just use the phone- i dont think the house is going to cave in or anything"
"Ow!" With a cry Erich found the witch had a rough grasp on his left forearm and was brandishing a rusting 8 inch butcher knife in the other.
"I said we'll have some PIE!"
Jenn screamed as Erich jerked out of the creature's tight grip, leaving scratches.
He pushed Jenn away, both of them took off as the creature cackled and then roared with anger, charging after them.
Erich felt shafts of dull pain slamming his knee as he tried to keep up speed with Jenn, who didnt want to leave his side.
They approached the treeline, witch after them. With his injuries she was just about as fast despite her faltering crooked jog. She swung her knife in artfull zig-zags, the steel whistlingly thickly and loudly.

The witched brushed by a strange man, not even taking notice of him where he stood.
The man was covered in shadows. Desintigrating fedora, dim green and red sweater, stained work pants. Welted burned flesh. He did not bother turning to see where they went. Instead he strolled forward with cockness towards the home, approaching a wooden lawn ornament. It was about 3 feet tall, painted with candy colors. The figure of a child.
The figure, despite having no moving mouth, faintly spoke the words "Read me a bedtime story."
The man took his gloved hand, sown with razors, and placed it on top of the tallow wooden head. The figure wailed as he raked downward, chipping away candy yellow flecks and leaving sugerwhite grooves. He stopped, gripped the cheekbone with his thumb and pressed down- the hollow candy head caved in. The wailing stopped and the man smiled with warped charred lips.

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-25-2000 at 01:50 AM</font>

[waking world, forest, 1:53 am]

The van was crushed against the old storage cabin. Dark, molden planks
were scattered in splinters to fifty feet around. It had been unused for some time, no light had shed from its darker then night unpaned window. A three hundred yard wide swath of uprooted foliage and stripped trees started a mile back at the old camp site and ended not six hundred feet from the vehicle, whose rear brake lights provided the only other source of illumination besides weak moonlight which waxed and waned from dissipated rain clouds.

The sound of a large revving engine invaded the night, and a pair of stark white beams hit the wreck from behind as a first year model rough terrain SUV appeared from the path.
Yellow and white emergency lights suddenly played merry-go-round with the trees.

Larry Sheuermann was pumping with adrenilin as the crash scene came into view. He was tempted to activate the siren but decided against it in case the boyfriend was involved, then he might get scared off.
Breath heavy he squeezed the breaks and fought the stick shift into park twelve feet from the wreck. He opened the thick door, stopping, then grabbing the CB off the hook he depressed the button and spoke hastily,
"Headquarters, this is Shoe! I investigated the tornado, there is a crash past campsite 14 at the toolshed, we will need ambulances and cars, im going to take a look now, over!"
Only static. The CB did not respond. The aging officer did not seem to notice as he jumped to the ground, rushing to the van.
He could hear children singing from the speakers of the open reardoors as he stopped for a second to glance at the van floor. He thought he smelled gasoline pooling near the trunk when he got around to the driver's side...his eyes widened at the girl.
Dark brown hair, slender, late teens. "Nancy!"
The sound of giggling children issued faintly from the front speakers, the children accompanied by a deep masculine laugh before being drowned out with electronic snow.
He grabbed the handle and pulled- he had to tug hard twice before it would yeild with a squeal. Her face was scratched and drops of blood dripped from her chin and forehead as he worked to unlatch her belt. Thats when he saw the young man.
The lawman stopped, a hard look on his face, he reached for his .38, belted at his left hip before realizing the boy was very dead. Three stiff shared of the windshield, shoot with crimson, pinned his chest twice and neck once below the adams apple. His legs were pinned and mangled from the imploded right front wheel well where the van had unsuccesfully plowed over one of the park's electrical battery drums, which had been sheltered by the shed.
"Got what you deserved you damn bastard" the lawman growled, reaching over to pull Jennifer's legs towards him, before lifting her over his shoulder. She started gasping and moaning, trying to open her blood caked eyes.
"Its okay, its okay" he said to her puffily, carrying her as quickly as he could back to the rumbling police truck.

She started to cry and moan "No, no," as he opened the passenger side, gently strapping her in across the waist and chest. Slamming the door, which cause Erich's former lover to awake screaming, the lawman hopped into the drivers side.
He was in his early fifties, short croped and thick grey-black hair though balding on top. Rough, stumbly face, wide but strange grey eyes, his grey police uniform with dulled gold shield and missing buttons, worn and stained with dirt and oil.
"Its okay, your alright now!", he said grabbing for the CB again.
Still weeping and crying "no", she struggled with her sore arms, her face hot and burning where the cuts had begun to coagulate, tried to wipe the tickling and powdery dark substance from her tearing eyes.
The CB went on with static as he whipped the powerful vehicle into reverse in a circle directed back towards the path,
"This is Shoe, tell John im coming back," he stepped on the accellerator, "I have his daughter...and the boy... well you can call the Gazette, the lady killer has found his match." He took his thumb off the transmitter, clumsily dropping it back onto the hook.
"That was a smart move, risky but you had to do it. Your father would be proud."
Jennifer couldnt understand what was happening. As the SUV shot forward to the path he turned to her, placing a large warm hand on her shoulder.
"Its okay, he's dead."
"Noooooooo!" She screamed sobbing, bracing her legs, pushing against his arm, trying in vain to grab the wheel to stop the truck.
"Nancy, stop it!"
But he was much stronger and prevented her totally exhausted arms from even undoing her seat belt.
The sirens were flicked on, the wail joining hers.

As the SUV disappeared from the sight, then sound, a bird swept onto the slanted roof of the ruin, with its white, gasoline-leaking occupant.
It twisted its dark head, listening to the a human voice issuing from below, "9..10...nev-er sleep a-gain"

The bird flitted off into darkness.




<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-26-2000 at 07:05 AM</font>

Jennifer, numb, eventually gave up trying to talk to the cop. There was something wrong with him. There was something wrong with her now, and would be for a long time.
The image of the butcher knife, jabbing into Erich was still with her, consumed all thoughts. Everything else was clouded in a white mist.
The trees and sun, spinning as her ankle gave way and she feel.
Her scream snagged in her throat, the laughing witch, black tassels dangling as she shot her twisted arm towards her boyfriend, who turned to shield her. http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//PSYCHO.gif The witch had finished with him, and turned sneering as Jenn ran, disappearing from the scene suddenly, into a shimmering blue silhouette as she woke up.

They passed the park's unmanned gate house, metal sides which reminded her of Erich's VW, white rusting paint; papers taped to the guard window that were, like her, drained of color and cohesion. They had read one before they had entered the park. It was a police order disallowing anyone from entering the park until further notice, dated April 1987.

They turned onto the main road leading back to town, bright lights shining on no other vehicles.

The town was dark. They motored through various streets. So many homes were vacant. The ones that seemed to be habitated were for the most part unkempt. Pain peeled, grass grew with impudence, no newer model cars to be found anywhere, and they were few. Some parked on the sidewalk, some looked as if they hadnt been driven in years. The streets needed a couple good coats of asphalt.
Nothing the couple hadnt noticed when they entered.
It was a dying town, abandoned, only the downtown section had had any real activity, and they had only see it during the day. A few neighbors were standing at their doors or sitting on their porch in lawn chairs, watching the couple as they headed for Powachaukee, watching them pass. One expressionless, one smiling. A dog, mangy and wild, had barked at them from the a safe distance when they honked for him to get out of the street.

A sense of indecipherable loss hung over everything.

There http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//Exclamation.gif The teens had seen a car rammed into the side of one home they passed on their way to the forest. The blue chevy had demolished a dry bird bath, broken off a huge chunk of concrete foundation, and popped out a lot of the beige house siding.
Nothing had changed since the last time they saw it, twelve hours hence. No one had towed the car away, no one had cordoned anything off with police tape. It was just left there. They had never seen any neighbors milling around, nor driver or the owners.
Yes, Erich's observation was right. The crash really had happened a long time ago. No one seemed to care. The cop didnt even turn his head as they halted along it at the stop sign, which she noticed looked bright and recently painted.
Officer Sheuermann didnt turn his head when they stopped at the signs. Only halted and hit the gas again.
She gagged from a cold spasm in her guts. She was shivering and sweating. http://www.80sxchange.com/ubb/smilies//00sick.gif
"I-I-I-I need to call my father."
Larry seemed like he was about to say something, but only made a stuttering sound. For a second she thought he was mockering her.
But he honestly didnt seem to know how to answer her. He looked lost in his own mind.
Where were they going.
Jenn started crying again, grabbing the material of her shirt around her upperarms, shuddering.
She heard the click of the CB.
"Headquarters this is Larry,"
Jennifer was almost suprised to hear a reply, but she was becoming increasingly light-headed.
"Larry? Do you have a girl with you?"
Her vision started to dim, shrouded with darkness.
"Yes Director."
"We have Medical waiting."
"Copy that."
Her breath was weak and ineffective, body unable to hold her up.
She was unconcious as the police truck, now the focus of a highpowered spotlight, stopped before the electrified chainlink fence of Springwood High School.

<FONT COLOR="#ffffff" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by ReagansRenegade on 10-30-2000 at 01:19 PM</font>