Nancy Thompson wondered if Neil Gordon found Freddy Krueger's remains. It wasn't exactly a heartwarming father-daughter reunion, back at the bar. But Neil assured Nancy that he would convince Nancy's father to do the right thing. She just had to have faith.
Nancy was lost in her thoughts, as her and the others continued their way in Freddy's dream world.
"Which way out of this damn place?" thought Kincaid aloud. He was supporting Joey with his right arm.
"It's like a maze in here," said Kristen. "I don't see anything but a bunch of pipes. Should we go this…"
"Did you hear that?" asked Nancy. Her ears were upturned like a cat's.
The others tensed immediately. Beneath the pounding sound of boilers was the unmistakable screeching of metal against metal.
"Oh my god, he's coming back for us," said Kristen.
"Kincaid, pass Joey to Kristen. You're strong enough to fight off Krueger if it comes to that. Kristen, be ready to pull everyone out. I know you've been weakened by the meds, but pool your strength. If you have to leave me behind, do it. "
Everybody looked apprehensively at Nancy.
"I couldn't leave you behind," said Kristen.
"You have to. That goes for you both too," said Nancy to Kincaid and Joey. "If you all survive, you can regroup and fight Freddy again. You'll still have Neil."
"We need to watch over you too, Nancy. You may be more powerful than all of us combined," said Kincaid.
"Whatever I've been doing…is completely unreliable," said Nancy, "Besides, my priority is keeping you all safe. One life for three."
"Too bad it wasn't one life for four."
Everyone turned in surprise at the source of the screeching.
"Thanks a lot for your bullshit about dream powers, Nancy," said Taryn. Her face was swelled to the size of a melon, and each vein on her temple popped out like vines. Taryn's arms were decorated with track marks that looked like rotted tomatoes.
Kincaid punched Taryn, and sent her flying against the metal pipes.
"Kincaid!" screamed Kristen.
"We can't take any chances, Kristen," said Kincaid.
"Oh my god," gasped Nancy.
"God? Right. Look at this hell!" yelled Taryn, "There's nothing but this shithole now!"
Taryn stood up, shaking off Kincaid's punch. Tears cascaded down her face.
Nancy held everybody at bay. They all were wondering the same thing: was it really Taryn?
"He got to me…and Will," said Taryn. "I guess we were easier pickings. Damn it, I can't believe I let my guard down."
Everybody looked at Taryn with pity.
"Freddy didn't count on one thing, though. I can get you all out of here. But it has to be fast," said Taryn. "There's a gateway to the waking world that he didn't protect. If you all make it there, you'll get out before it's too late."
"Why should we trust you?" asked Kincaid.
"Because, you may be the big, tough, fat ass in the real world—but here, you're jackshit compared to that maniac," said Taryn. "You can all follow me and live…or you can stay here forever like me. Your choice."
Before they could give her an answer, Taryn began walking down a set of pipes.
Kristen, Kincaid and Joey looked at Nancy.
"We'll keep our distance. In the meantime, keep trying to pull us out Kristen. Remember what I said," said Nancy. Kristen nodded her understanding. She started following Taryn. The others remained in synch.
As Nancy kept the lead, she hoped that her judgment was correct. She couldn't live with herself if she was leading the others into a trap. So far, Taryn seemed like Taryn.
"I thought we'd play a new game today, little Nancy," said an eerie voice.
Nancy Thompson braced herself. She turned towards the source of the voice, and found herself in a dark room. Everything looked much larger to her.
"I think Mrs. Frost is calling me," said Nancy Thompson in a small voice. "I should be getting back." Nancy looked down to see herself in a lace dress. She was in a little girl's body.
"Mrs. Frost would be very upset if we didn't finish our game." He turned around, and Nancy could see his red hair. He was human, but his eyes looked soulless.
Freddy, thought Nancy Thompson to herself, so that means…oh my god…I'm in the other Nancy's body. I must be…
"Look at my new toy." Freddy unveiled the finger knives. He whipped them in the air. Nancy could feel herself growing fearful like a child. He grabbed the back of her head.
"Lick them," he said, in a menacing voice. Freddy was motioning her head towards the knives.
Nancy closed her eyes, and found herself in a waiting room. The walls were covered with cartoon characters and children's posters. Nancy was still in a little girl's body. She jumped off the seat, and walked towards the closest open door.
"I don't give a damn if it's ethical or not. I want her to live a normal life," said an angry female voice.
"You know hypnosis is not that simple. If it's not done carefully, she could become even more traumatized."
"I know the risks, Phil. But this isn't some textbook case. This is my daughter. I can't live with myself if she goes through her life carrying what that pervert did to her."
I'm seeing her mother, thought Nancy Thompson. I recognize that look of desperation.
"Don't do this to me, Gwen. You know that I care about you and Nancy."
Gwen rests her hand on Phil's chest.
"She's a part of you," murmured Gwen. "Don't you want what's best for her?"
"Gwen, please," said Phil, "We already discussed this. My wife doesn't know about any of this."
"Look, it's too late for the both of us," said Gwen. "But we have to do what's right for Nancy."
There was silence between Phil and Gwen.
"Will you help me…please?" pleaded Gwen.
"All right," uttered Phil. "Let me get set up, and we'll bring Nancy in."
"Thank you," said Gwen, as she touched his face.
Nancy could hear Phil rummaging through a cabinet. Judging by Gwen's demeanor, he probably had his back to her. Nancy could see Gwen plant something near a picture frame, and a red light glowed briefly then disappeared.
What is going on? Nancy thought to herself. Where are the others?
Nancy Thompson ran down what was suddenly a field. She could see Gwen standing in front of a little boy.
"When I count to ten, you're going to wake up," said Gwen to the little boy. She was using hypnotism. She must've stolen the other doctor's technique, thought Nancy Thompson.
The little boy woke up to the last number.
"What happened, Ms. Holbrook?" asked the little boy.
"Oh nothing, Dean, we were talking and you fell asleep," said Gwen. She looked over to see Nancy.
"Nancy, where's Mrs. Adams? Did you run ahead of her again?" asked Gwen.
"I think so," said Nancy in the little voice again.
"Well, say goodbye to Dean," said Gwen.
"Goodbye," said Nancy.
"Goodbye," said Dean.
"Who's he?" asked Nancy.
"What do you mean, sweetie? You and Dean were…you and Dean have played together before," said Gwen.
"I don't remember ever playing with him, mommy," said Nancy.
"You must remember Dean, sweetie," said Gwen.
Nancy shook her head. Gwen looked confused until a wave of recognition spread over her face.
"They're forgetting…" said Gwen to herself.
"What mommy?" asked Nancy.
"Nothing, baby, let's go find Mrs. Adams," said Gwen.
Nancy Thompson was baffled at what she had witnessed. She felt the terror of being near Freddy Krueger. But then, after being in the office and seeing the little boy, it was almost like a calmness had overtaken her mind. She figured it had to do with the hypnotism that Nancy's mother Gwen had used. Could it be that the other Nancy and the other kids forgot about Freddy? If so, how did he come back?
Nancy Thompson shrieked at the cold hand on her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" asked Kincaid.
"Yes…I'm fine," said Nancy.
"You seemed like you were spaced for a minute there," said Kincaid.
"I just got a lot on my mind," said Nancy.
"We all do," said Kincaid. "Taryn is still walking."
Nancy looked ahead at her, and saw Taryn stumbling in the shadows.
"Do you think she'll really lead us out?" asked Kincaid.
"I hope so, Kincaid," said Nancy. Nancy Thompson turned her recent experience in her mind. If she could see the other Nancy's memories, what is the other Nancy witnessing?
Nancy Holbrook lost consciousness and was catapulted into darkness. Her body felt like paper as she floated into space. Nancy wondered when Freddy was going to come for her again.
"Ms. Thompson," said a stern male voice.
Nancy Holbrook opened her eyes. She found herself in a sterile, white room.
"I know you despise the restraints, but we had to take extreme measures," said the male voice again. Nancy looked at the man directly. He was a bespectacled, humorless man in his late thirties. His nametag read "DR. BURROUGHS" and underneath his name was Columbus Psychiatric Center.
"Where am I?" asked Nancy Holbrook.
"We cannot have you make those outbursts again, Ms. Thompson," said Dr. Burroughs. "Freddy Krueger doesn't exist, remember. Your mother died from a cigarette accident."
Nancy Holbrook was confused.
"Your best friend was murdered by her jealous boyfriend. He then hung himself in prison out of guilt. Your boyfriend died from a television device that pierced his neck artery."
"You're right, Dr. Burroughs, I'm so sorry for behaving like that." The words automatically came from Nancy Holbrook's mouth. Why would they? She had no idea what that asshole doctor was talking about.
The restraints came undone. Nancy looked down at her wrists, and saw that she was wearing regular clothes. She stood up from the chair and the doctor was nowhere in sight. Nancy Holbrook pushed through the door.
She found herself in an auditorium filled with over a hundred students.
"Freud, Jung, and other famous figures have offered their theories about dreams. But it was Frederik van Eeden that developed the theory of lucid dreaming…"
Nancy Holbrook sat at a corner seat. She placed her folder on the desk. It read "Ohio State University." Nancy Holbrook searched through the contents. She saw a handwritten note: "Meet Cybil after class." Each paper inside contained the following name in neatly typed letters: NANCY THOMPSON.
"When treating those that suffer from nightmares, it is important for them to regain their control. For clinicians, that is the ultimate goal of treatment."
Nancy Holbrook studied the contents of Nancy Thompson's folder. She found excerpts from medical journals, all dealing with dreaming.
"According to myth, there is an ancient Asian culture that believed in dream guardians, or warriors so to speak. They were a group of monks that would meditate until they reached REM state. These monks claimed to protect the village from demons that invade dreams."
Nancy Holbrook felt her body lean forward to listen better.
"The same culture believed in a master that will guard the gate of good dreams. You might almost classify him as like a dream catcher…or more accurately, dream master."
Nancy Holbrook felt her hand moving to take notes. She scribbled Dream Master and Dream Warriors onto the yellow notepad. Although Nancy Holbrook was spooked by the entire situation, she felt it was better than dealing with Freddy.
"I'm really not feeling the stuff about warriors…" echoed a familiar voice.
Nancy Holbrook looked around. The auditorium full of students kept scribbling their notes. The professor's voice was muted, though he continued talking.
"Oh, I like what he said about master. Tell me, has the boy mastered your secret spot?"
Nancy turned towards the auditorium entrance. Freddy had his finger knives raised to his face. His tongue darted back and forth in between two of the blades. Nancy felt her stomach turn.
"Never, you pervert bastard!" yelled Nancy Holbrook. She jumped to the floor, and began crawling underneath everyone's feet. She could hear Freddy using his knives like scissors.
Nancy Holbrook kept crawling until her the ground became dirt. She could feel the cold chill of nighttime. Jumping to her feet, Nancy looked around to see the auditorium was gone, and was replaced by a junkyard. She could see two men in the distance.
As she ran passed the demolished cars, the lights flashed and the horns exploded into cacophony. Nancy jumped over a car, and barely escaped a totaled automobile that almost fell on her.
The man in the leather jacket yelled to the other man: "…thing!"
"Help!" screamed Nancy Holbrook. She ran towards a man dressed in a leather jacket. "He's going to hurt me again." Nancy went right through him, and fell to the ground by the sheer force.
Nancy looked up and barely missed a skeleton swiping at her. She screamed, but neither of the two men noticed her. She then realized that the skeleton was after the other man.
Suddenly, Freddy sprang upon Nancy Holbrook. She yelled in agony as he slashed her back twice.
"You little bitch. You think you can get away from me…after what you did?" growled Freddy Krueger. "You're mine, forever!"
Nancy Holbrook looked up and saw the man in the leather jacked get impaled on a car's fin.
Freddy turned Nancy Holbrook on her back. She struggled against him as his bladed hand grabbed her hair. As she thrashed away from him, her hair was sheared against his blades.
She could see the other man being attacked by a shovel. Nancy Holbrook reached her hand out in desperation. Krueger impaled her hand against the dirt, sending Nancy bellowing in excruciating pain.
"Um, dirt. You like it dirty, don't you little Nancy. Shall we play the game you proposed to me?"
Nancy bit his chin, and head-butted him.
Taryn pointed Nancy Thompson, Kincaid, Joey, and Kristen towards a light.
"There," said Taryn. A shockwave reverberated throughout the pipes. "Move your asses, now!"
They all heeded Taryn's advice, but it was too late. The light of escape turned into a room filled with mirrors. The door slammed shut behind them.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," uttered Freddy Krueger. He was before them in a standing mirror. "Perhaps if there was more of me to spread around."
All the other mirrors showed Freddy's horrible visage. It was dizzying to say the least for everybody.
Nancy pondered how they were going to get out alive. If they stayed away from the mirrors…
Nancy was grabbed behind from Freddy. She held onto the edges.
Freddy whispered behind her. "Your daddy is falling asleep. Maybe he can get here before I split you in two." He tongued Nancy's ear. She struggled in frustration.
Kristen struggled against Freddy. She wondered if she would ever see Rick and Alice again.
Kincaid tried to fight his mirror image of Freddy, but it was too strong. He thought about Taryn. Maybe if he just let go, he can be with her.
They were all pulled into their respective mirrors. Nobody could save them. The Dream Warriors were no more.
Nancy Holbrook's body singed with pain. She didn't know if she could fight anymore. As she crawled away in desperation, she happened upon a mirror shard. Nancy Holbrook looked through the image, and saw the other Nancy get pulled in. She could see the other Nancy struggling for survival, and they made eye contact.
"No!" yelled a male voice. Nancy Holbrook could feel herself being dragged into the mirror shard, just before Freddy had a chance to stab her again.
Nancy Holbrook felt herself being catapulted through a mirror. She landed hard on the ground. Although her hair covered her face, she could see traces of other bodies. Nancy Holbrook was with the others.
"Wow, did I say that?" asked a timid Joey.
"You found your dream power, man," said Kincaid. They embraced.
Nancy Thompson turned her attention towards an injured Nancy Holbrook.
"We found you again," said Nancy Thompson to Nancy Holbrook. "What did he do to you?"
"He tried…to force me," said Nancy Holbrook, through tears.
The others looked at Nancy Holbrook with sympathy. They were disgusted that Freddy Krueger would try such a thing.
"Nancy," called a male voice. Both women looked in the direction of the voice.
"Daddy?" said Nancy Thompson. Donald Thompson descended from the roof in a bright light. Thank God he fell asleep after we got attacked, thought Nancy.
"Daddy, you need to wake up, and go to Westin Hills. You have to wake us up," said Nancy Thompson. She rushed toward her father. She could smell the Chaps cologne that he always wore.
Donald Thompson stood with his arms outstretched. "I crossed over."
"Thanks, daddy, but you need to cross back," said Nancy Thompson.
"Wait," said Nancy Holbrook. She recognized the leather jacket. "Get away from him. It's a trap." Nancy Holbrook got in between Nancy Thompson and Donald Thompson.
Nancy Holbrook looked down to see four blades in her abdomen.
"Get the fuck out of my way, cunt," said Freddy, as he pushed Nancy Holbrook away. Freddy backhanded Nancy Thompson to the face.
"This is the bitch I want," said Freddy, as he stood above Nancy Thompson.
Kincaid tackled Freddy Krueger, while Kristen and Joey attended to Nancy Holbrook.
Nancy Thompson looked around for something to attack Freddy with.
"I can't stop the bleeding," said a panicked Kristen.
"Here, use my shirt," said Joey. Blood exploded from Joey's chest onto Kristen's and Nancy Holbrook's faces.
Freddy raised a limp Joey, and hurled him against the wall.
"Who did this?" growled Freddy Krueger. Kristen backed away from him in fear. "I'm asking you a question, sweet tits."
Nancy Thompson grabbed a nearby vase, and broke it on Freddy Krueger's head.
"Leave me!" yelled Nancy. "Take Kincaid with you!"
"I can't!" yelled back Kristen, in tears.
"Do it now!" yelled Nancy.
Kristen closed her eyes. The other Freddy managed to get the upper hand on Kincaid. Kristen concentrated, and she and Kincaid were whisked away.
"You want to know who stabbed her?" asked Nancy, "It was him."
Freddy squinted his reptilian eyes to look at the other Freddy Krueger.
"What the fuck?" said the taller Freddy Krueger.
"Meet the new you," said Nancy Thompson. "Why don't you bastards pick a fight on another man for a change."
"Gladly," said the shorter Freddy Krueger. "I had plans for my little Nancy."
"Like what?" asked the taller Freddy Krueger. "To grab things from the high shelf." He laughed as he stepped toward the other Freddy.
The shorter Freddy whisked past Nancy Thompson, and was behind the taller Freddy. He began stabbing the taller Freddy in the back with his blades.
The taller Freddy put his left hand against the shorter Freddy's head and held him at bay.
"I got a few tricks too, little man." He elongated his finger knives, and began slicing the shorter Freddy piece by piece.
Nancy Thompson ran to Nancy Holbrook's side. "Quentin," choked Nancy Holbrook, as the blood blocked her airway.
"I'm so sorry I couldn't help you," said Nancy Thompson, as she clutched the other Nancy's hand.
The taller Freddy exploded into lights. He screamed in agony, as the shorter Freddy twitched on the ground.
This is my chance, thought Nancy Thompson, to make things right. She concentrated on the lights giving Freddy the pain. The room shifted and turned vertically. Nancy Thompson grabbed a hold of Nancy Holbrook, who still struggled to stay alive. Freddy was tumbling down the floor—now a wall—holes of light shooting from his body. The other Freddy struggled to reassemble himself, while cascading vertically.
Nancy Holbrook gasped in pain, and Nancy Thompson could feel herself being pulled away. She caught the last glimmer of Freddy Krueger fading into nothingness.
"Nancy," cried Quentin, "I'm so glad that you're okay!"
Quentin embraced Nancy tightly. "Where is he?"
"Gone," said Nancy, dazed.
Neil still couldn't get over the shock. He heard from Max that Kincaid and Kristen were found in the quiet room, sobbing in each other's arms. Joey was found gutted in his bed. Nancy, Taryn, and Will were found dead in the therapy room.
Neil could never forgive himself for the pain that Nancy endured. She was found with slash marks on her back, and knife wounds on her hand. The cause of death was four stab wounds to her abdomen.
How was he going to explain what happened to Simms? How could he possibly save Kristen and Kincaid if Freddy came back again?
"I'm sorry, Quentin, but Nancy is busy right now," said Gwen Holbrook. "Okay, honestly, I want you to stay away from her. Why do I sound angry? You kidnapped her from the hospital, and took her to that abandoned preschool. You're lucky that I haven't pressed charges against you. Yeah, well I'm doing it out of respect for your father. Listen, to me, young man, leave my daughter alone."
Nancy sat motionless in the kitchen.
"Honey, I'm sorry you had to hear that," said Gwen. "It's just that…well, I'm really worried about you. You haven't been the same since he took you to that place. Did he do something to you? You know you can tell me."
Nancy looked at Gwen. "I don't know what happened."
"I know it's hard for you, but you know you can tell me anything."
"Why am I here?" asked Nancy.
"Nancy, you're just traumatized. It's natural to be a little shaken up when something bad happens. Let me warm up some milk for us, and we can just spend a little time together."
"I'm lactose intolerant," said Nancy.
Gwen looked at her daughter inquisitively. "Baby, you've never been lactose intolerant. I'll make us some apple cider instead, then."
Nancy looked out the window. Her eyelids felt heavy.
"I knew you'd come back to me, little Nancy," said Freddy Krueger. "All that other stuff didn't matter because you belong to me. I brought you back."
Nancy looked Freddy Krueger directly in the eye.
"You listen to me, you chicken shit pedophile," said Nancy firmly. "I need to get back to my own world. Tell me how to do that."
"What?" asked Freddy.
Nancy jumped up from the table, and pinned Freddy against the wall. "I'm not fucking around. Tell me how to get back!"
Nancy Holbrook's face dissolved into the features of Nancy Thompson.
"You're not her," said Freddy.
"You've got that right, motherfucker. Start talking," said Nancy Thompson.
When the other Freddy proved useless with answers, Nancy Thompson wandered around in the dreamscape—searching for home.
She needed to send a signal to Neil…to let him know somehow that she was all right. To keep him strong to protect Kristen and Kincaid. Little did Nancy know that Neil was fast asleep on the other side. Her thought flickered into a beautiful white light that shone from the 1428 Elm Street model onto the Malaysian dream doll.
But Neil didn't get her signal.