Repressed memories

1976

Crystal Lake, Northeastern U.S.A.

9:34 pm

The night air was filled with the numerous sounds of a warm summer night. The stars were bright, the season of summer was in full swing, and the creatures of the night were rich. Deep in the forest of Crystal Lake there was a small, delightful cabin to a family of three.

Laura Welter was the thirteen year old daughter in this house, belonging to Sindel and John Welter. It was late, too late for Laura to be just coming home anyway, and her father had been drinking, again. Her parents were already arguing, something about Laura infact, when she walked in.

"Laura baby, where have you been?" Her mother tried to move in quickly, her shaky voice as calm as possible. She had also been drinking from the smell of strong liquor on her breath.

"Is that her?!" John barked, pushing pass his wife with anger.

"I told you nine 'o clock sharp and you're over a half hour late! Who do you think you are huh, running around at night? You thinkin' those olda guys are going to be looking at you all funny and shit?!"

Of course, this wasn't her real father. Her real father had drowned in Crystal Lake when she was only a kid, somehow getting tied up in a rope on his fishing boat. They had found him the next day, both Laura and her mother. Even though she couldn't remember well Laura could tell it still haunted Sindel.

"No dad, I tried calling to tell you Stevie's parents were having trouble with the car-"

"That's no excuse! You should have walked home!"

Sindel turned to John, slightly aghast.

She said in a shrill voice "That's almost fifteen miles!"

Laura saw him start to turn red. He hated when her mother turned against him and was on Laura's side. For anything when he was drinking especially.

"I don't care!" He screamed. He threw the back of his hand out, connecting Laura's cheek with a loud snap!

There was an awkward moment of silence, Sindel staring at John, John staring at Laura, and Laura staring at her father with a tiny hand gently touching the now red area on her face.

"John…I don't want you drinking anymore…" Sindel whispered.

Instead of remorse, he turned in anger still and yelled "Don't tell me what to do!"

This was the final straw, and Laura raced out of the house and into the woods, not stopping even after her mother screamed for her to do so. She tripped on some roots, and heard thunder in the distance.

"I don't care… I'll just stay right here tonight, in the rain, and make him sorry he ever hit me. I'll even make him sorry he drinks!"

Laura scooted up next to the big tree and crossed her arms, looking out into the wilderness. How far had she run? The house was nowhere in sight, and the chirps and crickets were loud as ever.

She was personally a little bit scared of the dark, but her rebellion and frustration looked right passed that, and she even started to doze off after a little while despite the occasional thunder. After a while the snap of a twig braking startled her, and she was instantly at attention.

"It's probably John looking for me…Better keep quiet…"

She leaned forward, looking back down the dark path she had came from-

-when large hands suddenly gripped the shoulders of her sweater, and pulled her back down. She cried out, looking up into the attackers face. She screamed this time, pure terror flooding her body as he smiled with his disfigured expression.

It looked like a birth defect, but it had scarred him almost past human recognition. His build was incredibly strong, and his tattered shirt and jeans were covered in filth. He chuckled, something grotesque sounding and she started to scurry away, trying to get back up on her feet and run away but he grabbed her ankles.

He pulled her back to the ground. She screamed again, now kicking and writhing about as he clawed his way up her body. So many thoughts flashed through her mind as his strong hands groped everywhere they could, and she kicked again, this time catching his forehead.

The glint of a sharp knife caught her eye and a new feeling of terror filled her body as she realized he planned to spill blood. She jumped up and started running, slipping on the damp leaves, and she was suddenly careening downward, her head hitting a rock obscured from sight.

She felt instant pain, followed by her vision becoming darkened.

She tried to scream and get up, but she couldn't, only feebly move and squirm about.

"This is it…"

That was the last thing she thought before losing consciousness.