SCREAM 5

Prologue

"Signing Off"

Gale Weathers-Riley sat at her computer looking at the screen. Almost one thousand words written and still more to go. Ever since the last murders she had been on fire creatively and the romance had been rekindled in her marriage. A lot of critics had said that she's only good when people around her are dying. She scoffed at the idea that her talent as a reporter or writer were contingent on death. She thought it was more reflective of the type of society we live in. Death sells. Sure people might read about puppies and rainbows but some people can't help but be intrigued by death and serial killers. Imagine how much more people might be interested in the "Wizard of Oz" if there was a serial killer involved. Somewhere over the rainbow...people die. She chuckled to herself at that thought and took her glasses off. She was on the verge of pulling another all nighter. Gale rubbed at her eyes and got up out of her chair. She began to walk over to the bathroom but stopped to look out the window. Nothing to see except the darkness. She walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Gale turned the faucet and put both hands under the water before bringing them up to her face. She grabbed the towel and dried her face before heading over to the bed. Dewey would be working late again. She lifted the covers and was about to get in bed when her phone rang. Gale walked over to her desk and answered the phone.

"Gale Weathers."

"Hello Gale..."

"Who is this? Where'd you get my number?"

"It Thomas from Mr. Rydell's office. We were calling to confirm your meeting tomorrow to anchor our news program."

"Oh. Yeah I'll be there but call me this late again and I'll intoduce your ass to my high heels..The pointy end."

"Uh yeah sure. Sorry for calling so late. Just been a hectic day at the office. Won't happen again. Good night."

Gale smiled and pressed end. Was nice to know after so many years she hadn't lost her edge. She was about to head back over to the bed when the phone rang once again.

"Was I not clear the first time Thomas?"

"This isn't Thomas."

Gale recognized the voice. The voice she had heard so many times. The voice that usually accompanied murder and mayhem.

"So your eager to continue Jill's work? You want to be famous too?"

"Oh I'm not in it for fame Gale."

"So just a sadistic pleasure then."

"Lets just say I've watched one too many horror movies. Bet you'll never guess my favorite."

Gale walked over to her desk and picked up her keys before heading out of the bedroom.

"Oh I don't know. You sound like a Stab kind of guy to me."

"Haha. You could say that."

"If that's so then you know how they all end and if the movies aren't an indication maybe my books on the real fucking events will enlighten you."

"Oh such a dirty mouth."

"You don't know the half of it."

She looked around the hallway and prepared to head towards Dewey's office. He should have a gun locked in the closet. Gale entered the office and headed over to the closet. She was about to reach for the doorknob when it swung open and knocked her to the ground. The costume was the same. Typical Ghost Face mask and cloak complete with hunting knife in one hand. The figure moved forward a few steps before coming down on her hard. She managed to roll out of the way towards the door and got up. She ran down the hallway towards the stairs when a hand grabbed her by the hair. Ghost Face pulled her back and then threw her over the railing. She hit the round table in the foyer with a loud thud and made a pained noise.

"Son of a bitch!"

She rolled off the table and fell to her knees. Gale grabbed the edge of the china cabinet and used it to help herself up. She began to head for the front door when Ghost Face appeared in front of her. She turned around but was once again grabbed by the killer. She looked around for some kind of weapon and grabbed the vase on the side table. She smashed it against the killers head and ran for the back door. Gale unlocked the door and ran out. She didn't bother to look back. If the killer recovered and was chasing her the last thing she wanted to do was give him the chance to catch up. She ran for the locked gate and used the key on her keychain to unlock it. Gale swung it open and started running for her car. She unlocked the door and got in before putting the key in the ignition. She turned it, put the car in drive and put her foot on the gas. She drove away from her house for a few blocks before pulling over to the side of the road.

"Damn fuckers never learn."

"Oh you'll find we do."

The voice came from behind her and before she could respond the killer stabbed her in the back through the seat. Once wasn't enough. Gale felt the blade enter her back a few more times before she passed out from the pain. The killer got out of the back seat while wiping the blade.

Dewey arrived home shortly after four in the morning and couldn't wait to get in bed beside his wife. He opened the front door and his eyes immediately went to the floor. He noticed the broken vase and called out.

"Gale!"

He ran up the stairs and began to search every room. Nothing was missing and her keys were gone. Maybe she had made it. Dwight ran down the stairs and into the living room and thats when he saw it. He fell to his knees and began to cry uncontrollably. The screen of the tv had been destroyed and in its place was his wifes head. Above the tv painted in blood on the wall was a simple message.

This is Gale Weathers signing off...

SCREAM 5

Author's Note – First I just want to say that of all the characters in the Scream Franchise Gale is my favorite. Her bluntness and realness are great character traits. When thinking about writing a SCREAM fanfic I quickly came to realize that I didn't want to write a story where once again Gale, Dewey and Sidney all survive. I wanted to start with a death that would hit people hard. Especially the people who love the character of Gale as much as I do. I wanted to show her humorous side and the side of her thats a fighter. Also wanted to give a false sense of security that maybe she would survive. I also wanted something that would hit Dewey hard and nothing would hit him harder then in that final moment of this chapter when he sees his wifes head in the broken tv. At first I was just going to have her be stabbed in the car and the Dewey come home to her in the bed already dead but wanted an image that would stay with him even more so. So with that my opening kill is Gale and this I just the beginning.