Forgotten Innocence

A Nightmare on Elm Street

"Welcome to Dream Land"

Annabel Richards had no idea how she got where she was. Her body shook with fear and cold. She was clothed in her white nightgown that fell to her knees and her feet were bare. Her soft brown hair fell across her shoulders and her green eyes were wide with wonder and terror. She gripped ehr stuffed lion plush close to her chest. The small six-year-old did not like this place.

This place happened to be a dark boiler room. For days she had seen the boiler room., but it was usually filled with children in clean, white Sunday clothes. They would play and laugh, but it still scared her. Now, as she walked quietly through the deserted area, Annabel found herself singing the rhyme that had, until now, escaped her thoughts.

"One, two - Freddy's comming for you,"

Shadows seemed to grow longer, "Three, four - Better lock your door," Was she just imagining things, or did the room get darker?

"Five, six - Grab your crucifix," the hair on the back of her neck stood up and a chill ran down Annabel's spine, "Seven, eight - Better stay up late," She bagan to wonder how, exactly, she came here. She didn't recal walking in ...

"Nine, ten - Never sleep again."

The sound of metal scraping against metal made Annabel jump. She spun around and saw nothing. She clutched her lion closer to her chest, fear filling her body. Something moving around made her breath catch in her throat. Rusted chains moved from an unseen force. Her body shook violently as she slowly backed away. She wanted out of here.

As she continued to back away, her back collided with something hard. Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned around. In front of her was a pair of dirty work jeans, the knees were worn and almost non-exsistant. Looking down, she saw muddy black boots. Annabel raised her eyes. A dark red and green sweater that might have been a Christmas gift once. His right hand was hidden behind the sweater, while his left hand lay by his side. She noticed the skin didn't look quite right. It was scabbed and scarred.

On up, came the head of the man. Scarred, burned and what little skin was left stretched over his features. A brown fedora hat tattered with age and wear perched atop his head. His brown eyes twinkled manevalently as a smile played across his lips, revealing rotted teeth.

"Hello, little girl." he said in a harsh, yet gentle voice. Annabel's warnings of "Don't talk to strangers" left as she gave a small smile, "Hi, mister. What's your name?" she asked, quietly. "Fredrick Krueger, but you can call me Freddy." he said, taking off his hat and bending down to her level. All of his hair had left him, leaving his scalp in the same condition as his face. Annabel picked up a corner of her nightgown and performed a small curtsy. "My name is Annabel Richards. Nice to meet you, Freddy." Fred smiled. "The pleasure is all mine."

"Do you live here?" she questioned.

"I guess you could say that, yeah." the small girl giggled.

"Tell me, Annabel, do you like games?"

"Uh-huh." Annabel nodded, smiling. Fred's smile turned into a grin. "Well, have I got a game for you. Do you want to play?"

"Yes!" Annabel jumped up and down, excitedly, making Freddy laugh. "My game is like ... Hide-and-Seek and Cat-and-Mouse." Annabel tilted her head to a side. "What's Cat-and-Mouse?" the man laughed. "You run and I chase you."

"Oh. That sounds fun!" she squealed, making Fred laugh more. "Oh, it is. And if I catch you ... " Annabel leaned closer as Fred pretended to ponder. "I'll eat you!" His right hand flashed into view. A brown glove with four 10-inch razors adorning his fingers colided with the stuffed lion knocking it from Annabel's arms. The little girl shrieked and took off running.

Fred cackled, shoved his hat back on his head and ran after her. This would almost be too easy.

Annabel ducked under pipes and raced around objects. Her blood pumped through her legs and her heart pounded in her chest. More than once, she heard the sound of Freddy right behind her, and more than once, her body wanted to quit. Annabel forced herself to keep going.

She soon found herself in a small clearing. Around her was a maze of pipes and chains. One large furnace lay to her left. "Here, little mousey." Freddy's cackle sounded all around her. Annabel was terrified. Looking around, she crawled under the furnace, and hugged her legs.

Fred's black books walked towards the furnace and stopped. "Annabel? Oh, Annabel! Where are you?" he called out in an almost playful tone. Annabel clappe a hand over her mouth, to keep anything from getting out. Fred walked around the clearing. "I'm gonna find you, little girl. And when I do," Freddy licked his lips, dropped to his knees and reached his gloved hand under the furnace.

Annabel cried out in pain as two of his razors cut into her arm. "Come here, you little - " Annabel crawled further from Fred, as his arms thrashed about, trying to reach her. Her back hit a wall. Dead end.

She gulped and felt behind her for a while. Fred's arm seemed to be growing longer, the more he reached for the little girl.

The six-year-old pinched he eyes shut, knowing her would catch her. Her fingers brushed against cold metal. A door? Annabel's eyes opened. She continued to feel around, found nothing and began to panic. "Come to Freddy."

Annabel pounded on the metal door behind her, making Fred laugh. His claws intertwined with her hair, and she shrieked.

One more hit against the door, and it fell across her body. She scrambled towards the small opening and crawled inside.

Freddy retracted his arm and stood straight. "Where'd she go?" he asked himself. Looking at his glove, he saw a few strands of her brown hair. Something was strange about this girl. What, he didn't know. "I'll get her."

A wicked grin spread across his face.

Annabel crawled through the air vent. Her body ached from running and her hair and gown stuck to her skin with sweat. "I wanna go home," she choked out, tears forming in her eyes. "I wanna g-go ho - " the vent dropped from under her. Her stomach dissapeared as she screamed and thrashed around, trying to stop herself, in fear of what was waiting for her at the end.

The bed bounced as Annabel sat up. She looked around quickly and sighed. Her room was dark. She laid back down and closed her eyes. Just a dream ...

The door to her room opened slowly. "Mommy? Daddy?" The door opened all the way.

"Freddy's home." the dream demon stood in the door frame, smiling. Annabel screamed as Freddy launched himself onto the bed. She scrambled off the bed and hit the ground hard. Freddy found himself tangled within the sheets. The six-year-old took off out the door. "Come back here!" Fred cried, ripping through the sheets.

This was not Annabel's home. This place was old and decayed. Cobwebs hung everywhere and dust covered everything. her feet oounded against the hard wood floor. Her breath came up short. "Annabel!" she looked behind her and saw Freddy close behind. She forced herself to keep going. The hallway seemed endless, gaining more length with every step. This was unreal. This couldn't happen except in a cartoon! Or a dream ...

It hit her. This was a dream! Annabel was asleep and all this was a dream. "Wake up!" she told herself. "Wake up! Please, wake up!"

Fred heared her, and frowned. How could she figure out this was a dream? She was a little girl! He growled and ran faster. "Come here, little girl!"

Annabel shrieked and finally managed to turn a corner. A star banister, but no stairs. Panic gripped her and she fell to her knees. "No! Let me out!" she beat against the bars. Fred's cackle came from behind her. Annabel spun around, her eyes wide with terror. "No where to go." he said, his claws flexed at his side. Annabel shivered and pinched her eyes shut. "Here, little mousy."

One thought raced into her mind. No way it would work, but it was all she could think of.

"Please, don't hurt me. I-I won't tell!"

Fred's claws twitched. "What did you say?"

"I won't tell anyone. I'll do anything. Please, don't hurt me, Freddy." Fred frowned. "I've heard that before." he scoffed. Annabel sniffed, forcing tears back. "Please, Mr. Krueger ... "

"Shut up!" Fred lurched towards her. Annabel screamed as she was forced back through the banister and fell ...

The little girl woke with a start. She was drenched in sweat and felt sick. She threw her covers off and got out of bed. She slowly walked towards her door, and quietly opened it. She was in her house.

Annabel sighed. "It was a dream!" she whispered. "Koka! I had the worst dream!" she turned to talk to her lion plush. "Koka?" Jumping on the bed, Annabel move through her sheets. "Koka!" she looked under her bed. her lion was gone.

Sitting up, Annabel felt a sharp pain in her arm. She winced and looked down. Across her left arm were two bleeding wounds. Like someone with two sharp nails scratched her.

"Mommy!!"