Once again it was Friday night. For Courtney that meant she would finally get to spend more time with John. They met on Total Drama during the Shipwreck season, where John was introduced as a new contestant to boost ratings, but it certainly wasn't love at first sight, then again with girls like Courtney there was no such thing, especially when the boy in question was a teenage cancer survivor with an unusual outfit. While stranded on an island that was later revealed to exist only in virtual reality, Courtney would often complain about how bad and unfair her life had become, but John showed her that it could be a hell of a lot worse when he showed her his surgical scars.

The event left Courtney traumatized, and for a while she jumped whenever she saw John, but when the next season, Total Drama Halo, came along she realized that she had very few allies, and in order to avoid getting booted she choose to befriend John since he clearly had the most skill at Halo. She thought it was going to be hard, but much to her surprise John actually seemed to enjoy talking to her. Soon she was teaching him how to play a musical instrument and they were playing endless games of chess. Courtney's plan was working perfectly, but even though she wouldn't admit it, she was beginning to fall for her mark. Not that she had played John for a fool, he knew the kind of person she was, but he was patient and willing to see if she really would develop feelings for him.

When it came time for the finals of Total Drama Halo Courtney only came in second place. She was mortified that she had come so close to winning only to end up one star short of a galaxy. On the ride home John did his best to console her, and then Courtney couldn't deny that she was in love anymore. Since she came in second place she won an all-expenses paid two week vacation for two to anywhere in the world she wanted to go. She and John spent two weeks alone on an island in the Caribbean. It was an almost too incredible experience.

Now they had been dating for several months. For a while Courtney was worried that their relationship would end as badly as the one she had with Duncan, but it quickly came clear to her that John was no Duncan.

"Duncan never sang to me… and he actually listens when I talk."

With his strong spiritual convictions, John certainly wasn't the type of boy who would kiss another girl behind Courtney's back; nevertheless she had taken precautions to make sure it wouldn't happen. In an interview with Sierra before the start of Total Drama Halo John revealed that he liked women with longer hair, for this reason Courtney had grown her hair out over the past few months. And during their trip to the Caribbean she almost did something even more drastic.

"I still can't believe I almost did that… I don't know what came over me."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Tonight Courtney was supposed to have the whole house to herself, so it could only be him.

"I thought Halloween wasn't until tomorrow." she said when she opened the door.

"Very funny…" said John taking off his helmet.

"Did the border patrol give you any trouble?" asked Courtney giving him a hug.

"Not after I gave them some autographs. I swear to God I never thought I people would actually ask me for one."

"You are the winner of Total Drama Shipwreck, and one of the final four from TDH."

"I hope you don't mind, I had to bring Angela with me. Mom is working late again."

"Not at all, the more the merrier."

Angela was John's little sister. Before Courtney and John became a couple she had only seen her before the finale of Total Drama Shipwreck. Since John's mother often had to work late John had to babysit, but he never complained since Angela helped take care of him when he went through chemo. Angela actually seemed thrilled about her big brother having a girlfriend.

"Hello Angela, how is everything?"

"It's been a little boring, ever since last season ended there's been nothing on TV."

"Which is why they invented DVDs." said John pulling out his bag.

Courtney, John, and Angela made themselves comfortable in front of the TV.

"So what will be our entertainment for this evening?"

Suddenly the phone started to ring.

"I think we may have to hold that thought."

"I'll get it." said Courtney "I'll be right back."

Caller ID told Courtney that it was her mother, probably just checking up on her and John.

"Yes mom?"

But the voice that came out of the phone wasn't Courtney's mother, it sounded masculine, but distorted.

"You wish it was mom…"

"Who is this? What have you done with my mother?"

"You'll be pleased to hear that I've only cloned her phone."

"Duncan, if this is one of your sick jokes it's not funny!"

"I'm not Duncan… and does it sound like I'm laughing?"

"Well neither am I."

"Don't hang up on me…"

"Who was that?" asked John.

"Some freak trying to scare me."

"Probably just someone who's seen Scream too many times." said John "Tomorrow is Halloween. Besides, don't you have caller ID?

"Yes, but it said it was my mom, and he said he had cloned her phone."

"What?"

The phone rang again.

"Shit…"

This time John answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello Johnathan… You should really teach that girlfriend of yours some manners… I told her not to hang up on me."

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"I wanna play a game…"

"Oh yeah, real original."

"If you hang up on me I'll go Leatherface on all three of your asses!"

For a moment John was quiet.

"I assume I have your attention?"

John pulled out the twin katana that he always kept on his person and rushed to lock the doors.

"Nice steel Johnny boy… too bad it won't help you here."

"Johnny, what's going on?" asked Angela.

"Get away from the windows!"

John had seen enough horror movies to know that if you wanted to survive then you should never stand with your back to a door or window.

"Courtney, use my phone and call the cops."

Suddenly one of the windows shattered and Angela screamed.

"That was your one warning shot; the next one is going right up your ass!"

"John, by breaking that window he must've set off the alarm." whispered Courtney "The police will be here any minute, keep talking to him."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Just… keep him talking."

While Courtney tried to calm Angela, John returned to the phone.

"So… what kind of game did you have in mind?"

"Guess…"

"You ask a question, and if I get it right we all live?"

"You know your horror movies. For that I'll give you a warm up question. In which of Shakespeare's plays does the main character cry, A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!"

"What?" whispered Courtney.

"Why are you asking me questions about Shakespeare?"

"That's the original part… Do you know the answer or not?"

"Richard III."

"Yes! Very good, now for the real question… Think hard, your lives depend on it… Who's buried in Dracula's tomb? And no cheating!"

Courtney stopped reaching for her PDA. John thought he knew the answer, but he had seen the Scream movies enough times to know that this was probably a trick question.

"Are you talking about the fictional character from Bram Stoker's novel, or Vlad Tepes?"

"I'll ask the questions around here…"

"How can I give you an answer if you don't give me a clear question?"

"You'll give me an answer or I will hang all three of you by your own intestines!"

John wished the cops would hurry up.

"No one, and in the case of Vlad Tepes the alleged tombstone attributed to him in Snagov had nothing but animal bones in it."

"Excellent… you've given your girlfriend the chance to play an even better game."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Don't worry… you'll find out soon enough."

Suddenly another window shattered and room started to fill up with gas.

"Shit! Courtney… get… Angela… out…"

Before John could finish his sentence he fell to the ground unconscious. Angela would be awoken later by the police, but Courtney and her brother would be gone.

(To be continued)