Too Much TV is Bad For Your Soul

by Paige42

Kate and Ryan travel back to their hometown in search of a cursed TV.

Too Much Television Is Bad For Your Soul

This story takes place two weeks after 'Past and Future'
_______________________________________________________________________

Kate Brannigan sat cross-legged in front of the television. The one thing I like about October is that they put all the horror movies on TV! This is how a Friday night should be spent, she thought to herself. A big bowl of popcorn, no lights, and an old black-and-white movie. Even though she had seen "Psycho" about 15 or 16 times by now, it was still one of her favorites. Ryan was into horror movies too, but not the black-and-white ones. Aren't scary enough for me was what he had said once. Between the two of them, they had seen almost every horror movie ever made. The more she started to think about it, the more she wished either Ryan or Johnny were there. It was getting closer to the 'shower scene.' Kate's mouth became dry and the popcorn she was eating got caught in her throat. She could have swore that she heard a door open. The young woman in the movie got into the shower. Kate spun around. No one there. It's just my imagination. She laughed to herself and centered her thoughts back on the movie. A slight creak in the floor behind her sent a chill through her spine. Oh God! Norman's mother is standing behind me with a huge knife! Kate tried to wipe the thought from her mind, but it stubbornly hung on. She was afraid to turn around, afraid that she would come face-to-face with a very large knife. After a minute she finally forced herself to turn and look. Nothing! Just my over-active imagination playing tricks on me! I really gotta lay off these movies. She settled back to her movie, forgetting the sounds. Suddenly, the shower curtain was pulled back, the music started, and so did the screaming. Kate had forgotten what was going on around her and started screaming after the young women's own blood-curdling cries. Kate started to calm down when she felt an ice cold hand grip her shoulder. She screamed and jumped out of her seat, knocking the popcorn all over the floor. She stumbled to the counter, grabbed a candlestick, and faced her attacker.

"Yo, Kate! Calm down. It's just me." Ryan removed the scarf from around his face.

Kate sighed. "Ryan Patrick Dallion, you scared the hell outta me!" She slowly put the candlestick down. Ryan removed his heavy winter coat.

"Sorry. I thought you heard the back door open."

Kate bent down to the floor and began cleaning up the popcorn. "Why did you come in the back door?"

Ryan hung up his coat. "I gotta hold of that gargoyle statue. It's alot bigger than I thought. Johnny and I had to borrow the guys truck just to bring it here." Ryan bent down and helped with the popcorn. "Watching 'Psycho' again, huh?" Kate's next handful of popcorn was launched at him.

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem."

Ryan smiled evilly at her and started to take the popcorn bowl upstairs. "Oh no. No problem. I was just wondering if you still needed me to sit outside the bathroom door so no one wielding any sharp kitchen utensils comes in to get you."

Kate chased him half-way up the stairs, then came back to Jack's desk. "We're pretty lucky Mr. Byer's wasn't using that thing. I'm just glad Micki stumbled across it in the manifest."

Ryan put another bag of popcorn in the microwave. "Yeah. And it took forever for you to find out the curse behind that thing. You spent 4 days in the Library."

Kate opened the manifest and crossed out the entry for the gargoyle and then turned to the computer to enter it there. "But one thing I don't understand is why anyone would want that hideous monster in their house."

Ryan nodded, spilled the steaming popcorn into a bowl and headed down stairs. "Remind me again what it does?"

Kate closed down the computer and went back over to the couch. "You put a piece of someone's clothing into the hand of the gargoyle. Then the gargoyle comes to life, kills the person, and somehow you inherit all their money and affects. Why did Mr. Byer's get it in the first place?"

Ryan joined Kate on the couch. "He thought it looked good."

Kate gave him a sideways glance. "You gotta be kidding."

Ryan stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "Yup. He used it as a door stop for his barn."

Norman began screaming at his mother. The bells at the front door clanged fiercely, startling the TV watchers. "It's freezing out there!" Johnny Ventura began to remove the many layers of clothing he was wearing.

"What took you so long," Ryan asked through a mouth full of popcorn.

"Mr. Byer's wanted to sell us a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner."

Kate started to cough. "Not a live one, I hope!" Johnny just nodded. Kate pushed the popcorn bowl closer to Ryan. "Ew! I think I just lost my appetite." Johnny laughed as Ryan happily accepted the bowl.

"Anything happen while we were gone?"

Kate took a letter out of her pocket. "This is from Micki. She left it on the table before she left for New York. I was at the library when she left." Kate handed the letter to Johnny, went to Jack's desk and poured a cup of coffee. "Oh, and Jack called. He's having a great time with Rasheed and some other guy in Egypt." She handed the cup to Johnny.

"Oh Kate, you're an angel!"

Kate smiled, but Ryan turned around pouting.

"How come I didn't get one?"

She wrapped her arms around Ryan's neck. "That's what you get for scaring the crap out of me!" Johnny laughed. Kate went to Jack's desk and poured another cup. "What's the letter say?"


"Dear Johnny, Ryan and Kate,

I'm going to be in New York for about a week. Jack and I should be getting back at about the same time. The necklace I'm after is going to be auctioned of at an estate sale on Wednesday. I'm going to visit my family while I'm here.

Guys, I found out that there is a second TV listed in the manifest. I'm not exactly sure what it does. Kate, that's your job. Do not, I repeat, Do not got out after it yourself. Ryan and Johnny should be gone a while looking for that gargoyle. If at all possible, I don't want you to even go with them to pick it up."


Kate crossed her arms. "Why not? I'm just as good as Ryan is!"

Johnny shrugged and Ryan just kept drinking his coffee.


"Depending on how long it takes you to find out what it does, Jack and I may be back by then."


Kate groaned. "That's not fair. I woulda like to have seen her do all the research for it and have actually found it!" Kate started pacing. "What does she have against me all of a sudden!?"


"Right about now Kate should be saying some thing like 'What does she have against me.'"


Ryan laughed. Kate didn't share the same sentiment.


"The reason I don't want you going, Kate, is because it's in Philadelphia."


"I used to live in Philly!"

Ryan slammed his cup down. "Will you let him finish and maybe we'll find out!"

Kate sat down in Jack's chair. "Sorry." She poured her self a cup of coffee.


"The address of the people who bought it is 953 Coldro Ave."


Kate's cup came crashing to the floor. "What street?"

Ryan put down his coffee and went to Kate's side. "It doesn't matter. You're not going to get it." Kate pushed past Ryan and grabbed the letter from Johnny.

" Ryan, it's on Coldro!" Kate handed the letter back to Johnny and headed upstairs.

"Where are ya goin'?"

Kate stopped. "I need to get a towel to clean up that mess." She ran upstairs.

"Ryan, what's so important about the street name?"

Ryan flopped down on the couch. "How much do you know about Kate's background?" Johnny shifted in his chair, like he was getting ready for a school lecture.

"I know that she used to live in Philly with you. Her parents were killed by some weird Occultists after she came to live here."

Ryan remembered the awful time just after the first adventure with Johnny, Micki, and Jack in Germany. Kate got killed and was brought back to life by the Wolf pendant. After that, his nightmares got worse and then Kate started to have them. And then... He shook his head. The last thing you need now is to think of the past. It wasn't your fault.

Johnny continued. "She went to the same high school and college you did. That's about it. Why?"

Ryan sighed and started to tell his story. He hadn't seen it happen, but Kate did. She was traumatized for weeks. And no one could do anything about it.

"Kate's not an only child. She had a little brother named Jamie."

Johnny knew what was coming. "Had?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah. It happened when we were about 13 years old. Jamie was about 8. Kate and I were going trick-or-treating with him around our neighborhood. Lately there had been a bunch of child kidnapping and murders so there was a curfew put out. No one was allowed out after 10 o'clock. It was about quarter to ten and we were walking back to Kate's house. The only problem was, we were having a contest to see who could get more candy. I was winning, but..."

"Jamie wanted to beat you because, if he did, you were going to give ten dollars." Kate came down the stairs at a slow pace.

"Kate, it's getting pretty late. I think it's about time we all turned in. What do you think?"

Kate went past him and sat at Jack's desk. "Jamie asked if he could go to just a couple of more houses so he could beat Ryan. I said that we should really be getting home. Then a police car pulled up and the cop called us over. But Jamie went down the street to knock on some more doors." Kate's eyes filled with tears.

"Kate, you don't have to talk about it." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Why don't you go to bed?"

Kate kept talking. "The policemen said that he would drive next to us to make
sure we got home okay. But then he noticed that there was one of us missing. We walked down Coldro Avenue looking for him. Ryan was on one side of the street, I was on the other. The policemen was radioing for his partner, who was down the street to come and look. Then, next to this one house there was an alley. I thought I heard voices so I peeked around. And then I saw this man..." Kate choked on her tears.

"Kate, don't."

She exploded. "I saw that son of a bitch slit my little brothers throat! " Kate burst into tears and ran upstairs. Johnny started to get up and follow her, but Ryan grabbed his arm.

"No, Johnny. She needs to be alone."

Johnny slumped down. "What happened then?" Ryan ran his hand through his hair.

"I heard the cop come up behind me and ask me where Kate was. Then we heard this horrible scream. We followed it to this alleyway and the cop pulled his gun and winged this guy running down it. And as he ran to handcuff the guy, I saw Kate." Ryan stopped and swallowed the lump in his throat. "She was sitting in the middle of the alley with...Jamie's head in her lap. He'd been slit from ear to ear. There was blood all over him and her. When the cop came back and tried to see what the guy had done to Jamie, Kate screamed. It took three medics to hold her down while the coroner took away the body. For weeks, if any one came within five feet of her, she screamed. The only person she didn't was me. She was almost catatonic at the funeral. It's taken years of therapy to get her over it enough to just be able to not spend Halloween crying." Ryan sat and sighed.

Johnny sat back. "Whoa. I don't know if I could have lived through that. That's why her parents were so overprotective of her?" Ryan nodded.

"I think after that, Kate and I became closer friends. Both of our brothers were dead."

That statement caught Johnny's attention. "You remembered Jimmy?"

Ryan sighed. "Kind of. My mom had told me that he was in a car accident, but not the way it really happened. She wanted me to forget what had happened the first time. Jack and Micki had to remind me." Ryan started to yawn. "Well, I'm going to bed."

Johnny started up stairs. "Do you think it would be all right if I peeked in on Kate ?"

Ryan scratched his head. "If you hear any crying, don't. If you don't hear anything, knock first. She may not let you in."

Johnny nodded. "Goodnight, Ryan."

Ryan locked the door and started turning out the lights. "Night, Johnny."

When Johnny got to the door to Micki and Kate's room, he wasn't sure whether to knock or just go to sleep. She could probably use an ear. Johnny knocked lightly on the door.

"Who is it ?" Kate's voice sounded small and frail, nothing like her normal self. She was anything but frail.

"It's Johnny. Mind if I come in ?" Johnny was sure she'd say no.

"Come on in, Johnny." He opened the door slightly and stuck his head in. Kate was sitting on her bed with a teddy bear and a picture in her hands.

"Hi. I thought I should check on you before I went to sleep."

She smiled weakly and waved for him to come in and sit down. "He was always afraid of the dark. I bought him this bear for his 2nd birthday. He named it Mortimer." Kate tried to smile, but tears slowly started to form. "He was always jumping in front of a camera." She handed the picture to Johnny. It was burned around the edges. Must have been salvaged from the fire in her parents house. It was of Kate sitting on a porch with a little boy with black hair and green eyes sitting next to her. She was in a fancy dress and he was in a tuxedo. "That was on my parents 15th wedding anniversary. I was 10 and Jamie was 5. We were going out to some fancy restaurant. Jamie wanted to order a cheeseburger." Kate couldn't hold back her tears. "You couldn't take him out any where. Oh God, Johnny! I miss him so much!" She burst into tears. Johnny put his arm on Kate's shoulder. She fell against his body and cried.

Johnny wasn't sure what to do. He slowly wrapped his arms around her. This is strange, he thought. I've never actually held her before. I wonder why she trust me so much now. She seems so much smaller than she looks now that I'm holding her.

Kate pulled away suddenly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking all this out on you."

Johnny knew what he wanted to say, what he wanted to do, but he wasn't sure if this was right. "Kate, you have lived through a tragedy. You handled it better than anyone I know." He wiped away one of her tears with his thumb. "I would have just given up. You are a very strong girl and I'm sure Jamie's proud of you." Johnny brushed a lock of hair out of Kate's face. She smiled through her tear soaked eyes and went back into Johnny's arms.

"Thanks alot, Johnny. You're really great."

He expected her to pull away, but she just stayed in his arms. After a couple of seconds, he started to stroke her hair. They stayed like that for what seemed an eternity. Johnny was beginning to find himself completely comfortable with Kate in his arms. Then, Kate sat up.

"We really should get some sleep. It's been a long day." Kate pulled away and headed for the door.

"Yeah, sure. Um... Goodnight." Johnny opened the door.

"Oh, Johnny?" Johnny turned to Kate. She placed one hand on the side of his face and kissed his other cheek.

"Thanks again. It really meant alot to me."

Johnny couldn't believe it. "Anytime." Johnny went out the door with a smile on his face. Kate smiled as she closed the door.

Johnny jumped onto the cot. Then a thought hit him. My God, she's at least ten years younger than me! Then he smiled. Oh well! It's not like anything's going to happen between us. But as he started to drift to sleep, he began wondering, What if it did?


*****


Knife. Blood. "Want some candy?" Blood. "I'm coming, Kathleen! I got your brother. Now it's your turn. Want some candy?" Blood. Knife cutting my throat. Where's the cop? Where's anybody? Ryan? Johnny? I don't want to die! Johnny? Ryan! No! No! NONONONNO!


*****

"No! I don't want to die! NO!" Kate tossed violently in her bed.

Johnny came running. "Kate, what's wrong?"

Kate continued to toss until she nearly fell out of the bed. Johnny caught her just as she woke up. "Let go of me! I don't want to die!" Kate tried to swing at Johnny, but he grabbed her hand.

"Kate, it's me! It's Johnny!"

Kate slowly woke up and realized who was with her. "Oh God! He almost got me!" Kate threw her arms around Johnny. "Please don't let him get me, Johnny. I don't want to die!" Johnny took her in his arms and rocked her like a baby.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Kate. I promise. No one's going to get you." Slowly, Kate started to curl up, still in Johnny's arms. Johnny didn't want to let go. Kate had been through so much in the past couple months. First finding out her best friend had been possessed by the devil and turned into a kid. Then being killed and brought back to life by a cursed object. Then her parents are killed in a fire started by a cult trying to fulfill a set of prophecies. And finally, all these memories of her brother. Kate moved away.

"I'm sorry I woke you up."

Johnny smiled kindly. "It's all right. Do you want me to stay in here until you get back to sleep?"

Kate's eyes said yes, but... "No, you need sleep too."

Johnny got up off the bed and sat in a chair in the corner of the room. "Well, tough. I'm staying in here."

Kate shook her head. "No. You need to sleep. I'm just going to get a book and..."

Suddenly Ryan burst through the door. "What the hell's going on! I heard you screaming." Ryan had a baseball bat in his hands.

"It's nothing. I just had that dream again."

Ryan seemed to already know what it was about. Johnny suddenly felt uncomfortable. "I'm going to get some coffee. Anybody else want some?"

Ryan sat down on Kate's bed. "No thanks, Johnny. Do you want some, Kate?"

She had a kind of dazed look on her face. "No thanks. I'm just gonna get a book."

Ryan put down the baseball bat. "No, you're going back to sleep." Johnny half expected Kate to put up a fight, but she just laid down.

"OK. Goodnight. I'm sorry I woke you up Johnny."

Johnny nodded. "No problem. Ryan, can I talk to you?" Ryan smoothed out Kate's blanket as he went out.

"What the hell was all that about?" Johnny started to make the coffee. Ryan went to the cupboard and got out two mugs.

"After the funeral, Kate started to have these nightmare about the man who killed Jamie coming back for her. She was like that until..." Ryan took a deep breath. Johnny was waiting on edge for the other shoe to drop.

"Until what?"

"Until the trial."

Johnny started the coffee. He really didn't want any but it was a way to get Ryan talking.

Ryan sat down. "He was going to be charged with the murder of 12 children but
his lawyer got him of on an insanity plea. He's in an institution in Philly. He'll be locked up for the rest of his life but there was always something weird about the two of them. During the trial, Kate would always come in late and he would always know. He would turn around and stare at her. But the door would open at least 20 times a day. But he only turned around when she walked through. It was like... I don't know. Some kind of psychic thing. But the guy was obsessed with her. After he was sentenced, they both requested to see each other before he was locked up."

Johnny couldn't believe it. "He killed her little brother and she wanted to meet him?!"

"I know. Well, it didn't really go well. Kate walked in and sat right in front of him. They just sat there staring at each other. Somehow Kate had snuck a pencil into the room. After about ten minutes of just staring at each other, Kate smiled and the stabbed the guy in the hand with the pencil."

"What!?"

"Jamie was the only person she ever really cared about. He was the world to her. Her parents were a low priority."

Johnny got up and started to pour the coffee.

"She always knew they were weird. For awhile she was convinced that her parents were involved with Jamie's death."

"Did they ever find out why he did it? You know, those serial killers always have reasons why they do the things they do."

Ryan yawned. "Not for 11 of the kids. But he told everyone that he had killed Jamie because he was fulfilling his destiny. Something about a past life. And apparently Kate played a major part in that. " Ryan peeked into Kate's room to make sure she wasn't by the door. "Don't tell Kate this but... the guy swore that on day he would get out and fulfill his destiny. And he also said that if that cop hadn't come, Kate would have been child number 13.She actually used to visit him in the institution once a year. She never told me what the do. She acts kinda strange that day. Nothing like her normal self. She's very... quite, shy, and maybe it's just me but I can almost swear she picks up a hint of an Irish accent. But she hasn't gone in a while."

"How old was she when they finally carried out the sentence?"

Ryan hesitated. "Fourteen."

Johnny nodded, then his eyes widened. "Wait a minute. How old is she now?"

Ryan pushed his coffee away and walked to the door leading to Micki's room. "She's twenty-one. She'll be twenty-two in a couple of months."

"She had those nightmares for eight years!" Johnny ran his hand through his hair.

"She's just getting over them then. Look, I'm gonna go in there with her. You should get some sleep."

Johnny collected the coffee mugs and brought them to the sink. "Just one more question. What did that guy do after Kate stabbed him?"

Ryan stopped." He never moved a muscle. He just said 'Someday you'll be mine, Heather.' And then he pulled it out of his hand and smiled back at her."

"Wait a minute. Heather? Where did that come from?"

"I told you he believed they were linked in a past life. Maybe Heather is what he thinks her name was back then." Ryan noticed the worried look on Johnny's face. "I wouldn't put too much faith in that. I mean, he was crazy." Ryan re-opened the door and went in, leaving Johnny alone with his thoughts.


*****


Kate rolled over and smiled at Ryan as he came through the door. "What were you and Johnny talking about?"

"You." Ryan sat on the edge of the bed. "Listen, I want you to do me a favor. I'm gonna talk to a friend of mine. I want you to stay at her place for a couple of days."

Kate sat straight up and looked Ryan dead in the eye. "No."

Ryan reached out for her hand. "Just until this all blows over."

She snatched her hand away. "No. I've been living with this almost all my life and I've
never run away before. And I'm not about to start."

"I know but I was just trying to... to save you some grief."

Kate knew this wasn't easy on Ryan either. He was the only thing that had kept her mind from snapping like a tree branch under heavy snow. She depended on him very much during those first few years. She had known him for almost nine years. Their friendship had lasted through her brother's death, school, and his mother's death. She didn't think, at the time, that she would make it through his double memory when they had first gotten to the shop. She thought he was losing his mind. She could deal with that, she told herself. But she knew in her heart that what bothered her was that, unlike when their positions were reversed, she could do nothing to help him. She had never told Ryan the real reason she had been so touchy around him the first couple weeks they were at the shop. It was because she felt so helpless.

"Look," she said as she took his hand. "I know you worry about me. It's become part of your personality by now. But, I've been depending on people too much. I need to stand-up for myself. Tomorrow, I'm going to research that TV. Then I'm going with you to get it."

Ryan lowered his head and stared at their hands. He knew there was nothing he could do to change her mind. Except maybe to tie her to a chair and handcuff it to Jack's desk. Nope, he thought. Jack had taught her how to pick just about any lock you could find. And it turned out that she was better at it than any of them. "OK. If you think your up to it."

Kate smiled and hugged Ryan. "I'll be all right."

Ryan slowly wrapped his arms around her. He still wasn't convinced.


*****

Aurora Hamilton wiped her hands on her apron. She felt just like June Cleaver. She was wearing her favorite dress and her new pearls. Her house was spotless and a nice, hot dinner was in the oven. Any minute now her husband and two sons would sit down to their first good meal in a long time. And then they would spend a nice, quite night... watching TV. She smiled and walked into the living room. Their most prized possession stood in the middle of the room. She was tempted to peek in and see how the "program" was going. This one was strong. He had already lasted two days. The shortest a "program" ever lasted was about three hours. Just long enough for a nice meal. Aurora was so wrapped in her thoughts, she didn't feel the tug on the hem of her dress.

"Mommy. Mommy?"

Aurora snapped out of her trance and looked down. "What is it, Michael?" Her youngest son looked down at his shoes. He wanted something and she knew, by that mannerism, that she wasn't going to like it.

"Um, Mommy." He looked at the television. "Can't we let him out? Please?"

Aurora could barely control her rage. "Let him out?!" She lashed out and slapped Michael right across the face. "How dare you!"

"But Mommy, I don't like the TV!" His words were barely unintelligible through his sobs.

"That TV has given you everything you have! Clothes, food, heat. What more do you want, you greedy, rotten child!"

Michael wiped away his tears. "But it's not right to kill people!" Aurora raised her hand again to hit him but someone grabbed it.

" 'Rora, what's going on?" Her husband let go of her. She calmed down a little, her eyes still blazing at her son.

"You get in your room and you stay there!" Michael wiped his eyes and set off for his bedroom. "And there will be no supper for you tonight!" He sullenly nodded and slowly closed the door behind him. Greg, her other son, came running through the front door.

"Ma, what's wrong? I heard ya yellin' all the way outside!"

Aurora stormed into the kitchen. "Your brother has come up with the idea that the TV is evil. He wants to let the man out."

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No, Greg. Just go and get washed up. Supper's almost ready."

Aurora flopped down at the kitchen table. "Richard, how much longer do you think he'll last?" Richard stood behind his wife and began to massage her shoulders. "Long enough, sweetheart."

"It's never long enough! I don't want to go back. Don't you understand that?! I love living like this! I don't want to go back to the way we were!" She was on the brink of tears.

"Don't worry dear. When he goes, I'll just go out and find another bum. We'll be fine."

"But what about Michael?"

"He'll grow out of it."

Aurora turned to her husband . "And if he doesn't?"

He patted her shoulder. "A couple of nights without supper oughta knock it into him."
Aurora smiled weakly at him. "I'm sure he'll grow out of it, Richard. You're right." She stood up and kissed him quickly. "Go and get changed. Supper will be ready soon."


*****


Johnny barely slept at all during the night. He kept having dreams about people he couldn't see following him, trying to catch him. He could see shadows out of the corner of his eye, hear footsteps echoing off the walls around him. The crash of glass finally brought him back from the hellish dream world. His room was empty, but he could sense there was something out of place. He slowly looked at every corner of the room until he realized what was out of place. Kate's doors open. Johnny slowly slipped out of bed and tip toed over to the door. Being as silent as possible, he pushed the door open enough for him to stick his head through. Ryan was asleep on the chair directly across from Kate's bed. But the bed was empty.

"Ryan?" Johnny shook Ryan's shoulders to wake him. "Ryan? Where's Kate?"

Ryan groaned and pushed his hand away. "She's asleep. Why aren't you?" Johnny shook him harder.

"No she's not. She gone! Her bed's empty." That got Ryan's attention.

"She's not?" Then a smiled formed. "Did you check downstairs?"

Johnny slowly blushed and shook his head. "I didn't even think of that."

Ryan slowly turned over in the chair and closed his eyes. "Neither did I until I heard the music."

Johnny didn't even notice the low hum of music coming from the shop's lower floor. He quietly walked out and closed the door behind him. It didn't look like Ryan got much more sleep than he did. In fact, he looked a little worse.

After getting a quick shower, Johnny headed downstairs to see if he could offer some help. He heard the music more clearly now, although he could not name it. He knew it was from a movie he had seen once.

"Morning."
Johnny nearly jumped. He hadn't noticed Kate sitting at Jack's desk. "I heard a crash earlier." Kate put down the book she was reading. "Yeah. That was me. I dropped a glass. Just being my usual klutzy self. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"Yeah. But then again, so should you."

Kate smiled. "All right. Point taken." She picked up the book again and began to flip through the pages. He couldn't take it anymore.

"What is this called? I've heard it before and I can't remember where."

Kate's voice came from behind the book, "It's 'Also Sprach Zarathustra' by Strauss. It was in the movie '2001'."

"That's it! I knew I heard it before."

Kate nodded, not really paying attention.

"I didn't know you liked classical music."

Kate nodded again. Johnny decided to get her attention.

"And the store across the street is engulfed in slime."

Kate nodded again. "What did you say, Johnny?"

Johnny gloomily pulled over a chair. "Nothing. What are you looking at?"

Kate handed the book to him. "It's a book of newspaper clippings Lewis collected. Check out the one on page 27." Johnny flipped through and read it out loud.

" 'Strange death at Merco Asylum. Lillian Jameson, a 37 year-old patient was accidentally electrocuted yesterday. No details were given.' So?"

Kate turned on the computer. "Well, Merco Asylum was taken over by a big corporation and sold to a University just outside Philly a couple years ago. And..." Kate started typing quickly. "The University is hooked into the Internet and if this new program I bought works, I should be able to hack into their main frame." Kate's hands quickly moved across the keyboard. Johnny leaned on the back of Kate's chair, quietly watching.

"Do you think they kept the records?"

Kate kept typing. "Well, even though they got bought out they kept the patients and expanded the psychiatric ward. The records should still be there. Just give me one more minute." After about 5 minutes, Kate was flipping through the patient files. "Found it! Lillian Jameson. Admitted in 1964. Died in 1965." Johnny kneeled next to Kate so he could get a better look.

"She didn't last long. Why was she there in the first place?"

Kate rubbed her hands as she read from the screen. "Nervous break-down. Apparently in November '63 she was pulling out of her driveway on her way to the store when her daughter ran out behind it. Lillian didn't see her... and she backed over her. She died instantly. She was the only child. A couple months later her husband checked her into Merco and was never heard from again. According to the notes here, Lillian never spoke. They said she was never a problem. Model patient. All she ever did all day was sit and... watch TV. Then all of a sudden one day she... Oh man." Kate closed her eyes and shook her head.

Johnny lightly touched her arm. "What is it?"

She took a deep breath. "It wasn't an accident. It was suicide. She... she rammed her head through the TV screen. It was the only time she spoke. She screamed 'Why can't life be as good as television.' And then she..." Kate's voice trailed off. Johnny closed his eyes and slowly breathed out.

"You better wake up Ryan. I'll try and book tickets for the next available flight to Philadelphia." Kate slowly got out of her chair.

"Hey." Johnny laid his hand on Kate's shoulder. "You okay?"

Kate smiled weakly. "Yeah. I just got a weird feeling about this."

Johnny squeezed her shoulder. "It'll be all right."

Kate nodded and went upstairs to wake her friend. As Johnny sat down, he thought about what Kate had said. He also remembered fighting to the urge to agree with her. But he did.


*****


Kate tiptoed into the bedroom. She was sure Ryan had stayed up at least an hour after she had fallen asleep. She quietly kneeled next to Ryan's chair. She didn't want to wake him up. He looked awful. Kate decided to let him sleep. He deserved it after all the worrying he's done over the years. She slowly got up and pulled a suitcase from underneath her bed. Ryan let out a sigh and turned over in the chair. A smile crept onto Kate's face. She remembered all the times they had had over the years. From the practical jokes on their teachers to the crazy stunts they dared each other to do. And Ryan always treated her like one of the guys. But there were times when he depended on a female ear. Everyone in school always thought they were dating, but that had never even crossed their minds. Ryan had his share of girlfriends (which Kate always heard about) and Kate had a boyfriend or two. Nothing very serious. Kate and Ryan never thought of each other in any intimate way... except once.

It was harmless. And now, a few years later, Kate thought of it as really sweet. And still very funny. The night of their Senior Prom, Ryan's date called him half and hour before the limo got to his house and had to cancel. She had been in a car accident earlier that day. Kate's date, Justin, (whom Ryan thought was a complete and total scumbag) called and dumped her because he said he had found somebody more interesting. So they wound up going with each other. They had the best time. They had paid for the limo for 6 1/2 hours and they had plenty of time left over after the prom was over to go driving around. They decided just to go to a playground near their houses. They were like kids at Christmas. Kate closed her eyes and remembered.....


"Come on, Ryan. You can climb faster than that!" Kate was already at the top of the diamond-shaped monkey bars.

"Not in rented tux, I can't!" Ryan finally reached the top. "How do you climb sofast in that dress?"

Kate laughed. "Little tricks you pick up living with paranoid parents. You learn to run in heels and other types of dress clothes without getting a mark of evidence on you." Kate sighed and shivered.

"Cold?," Ryan asked.

"A little. You don't get alot of protection from the wind wearing a sleeve-less dress."

Ryan took off his tux coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Aren't you cold?" Ryan shook his head and brushed a lock of hair out of Kate's face. "Thanks." Kate smiled and wrapped her arms around Ryan. He returned the gesture. Kate rested her head on Ryan's chest. "It kinda figures."

Ryan closed his eyes and put his chin on the top of her head. "What figures?"
Kate smiled. "The two of us winding up together at the prom. By the time we graduate you'll be sick of looking at me."

Ryan absently started playing with her hair. "That'll never happen. Besides, who am I gonna convince to play practical jokes on those uptight college professors?"

Kate sighed. "It's just... oh nevermind."

"What?"

She wiggled closer. "Nothing. Nevermind."

Ryan pulled away. "What's wrong?"

Kate shook her head. "It's stupid."

Ryan picked up Kate's chin and made her look at him. "Tell me."

"My parents said that I should stop spending so much time with you."

Ryan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What?!? I thought your parents loved me!"

Kate sighed and turned away from him. "They do. But they said it would be good for us to... separate because when college comes around... they said we won't be seeing much of each other... because... " Kate turned back to Ryan, her eyes full of tears. "Because they said you're going to leave me." Ryan was about to say something, but Kate interrupted him. "I know I shouldn't listen to a word my parents say and I usually don't but... I'm just afraid... You're my best friend. And I don't want us reduced to writing letters to each other in between term papers and frat parties. You're the best thing that's happened to me. And I don't want to lose that."

Ryan smiled. "You're right."

"About what?"

"That was stupid."

Kate laughed and tried to wipe away her tears. "I told you it was. Just forget it."

"Hey, come here." Ryan pulled Kate closer to him and held both of her hands. "Listen to me. No matter what happens, I'm always going to be here for you. Besides, I need somebody to keep all those college girls from swarming me!? Kate slapped Ryan's arm.
"Seriously Kate. I don't think there's anything out there that could ever separate us. We'll always be together. Even when we're old, gray and toothless."

Kate laughed. "Thanks Ryan." Ryan looked down for a second and then kissed her. But he had moved to fast and suddenly, a second later, his backside was stuck between the gap in the monkeybars. Kate didn't weather to laugh at him or ask him if he was all right. She wound up laughing. So did he.

"Hey, come on. Help me outta here. I have to get you home..."


Kate closed her suitcase. Neither of them had ever mentioned it again. But Ryan had always joked that he was Kate's best date. And, so far, she agreed with him. Johnny knocked lightly on the door.

"I got us a 12:30 flight to Philadelphia International and I rented a car."

Kate pulled out a second suitcase. "I can drive from there. We'll stay at Ryan's house, but we'll need sleeping bags."

"What about Ryan?"

Kate carried both suitcases into Ryan's room. "I'll get his stuff together, but let him sleep for now. He needs it."

Johnny picked up Kate's bag. "What about you?"

Kate busied herself packing Ryan's bag. "I'll sleep on the plane."

"No. I meant are sure you want to do this."

Kate threw down the shirt that was in her hand. "Look, I appreciate that you both are so worried about my welfare, but I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself. I'm not a little lost sheep that needs constant guidance."

Johnny threw up his arms. "Hey, I'm sorry!"

Kate's face turned red. "I'm just tired of everybody treating me like a child. I don't need someone holding my hand. My parents do that...." Her voice trailed off. "My parents did that all the time." Kate flopped down on Ryan's bed, all the anger draining out of her.

Johnny headed downstairs. "I'll come back for Ryan's bag." Kate sighed and continued packing.


*****


Greg walked into his little brother's room. "You think it over yet?"

Michael threw down his car. "No! It's wrong to kill people! Father Callahan told me so!"

Greg quickly slammed the door behind him. "Mom told you to stop going to that church!"

"But they're my friends. They care about me!"

Greg grabbed him by the collar. "All the friends you need are right here at home. That stupid priest doesn't know what it's like to go without food for days on end. The church gives him everything he needs. He doesn't know what it's like to be homeless and flat broke! You just think about that." Greg dropped Michael on the floor and started towards the door. "If you keep thinking this way, you're going to starve."


*****


Ryan sat in the isle seat because he didn't feel well. He kept running to the bathroom every ten minutes. Kate felt like daydreaming so she got the window seat. She hadn't said a word to Johnny since they left the house. She felt like a horrible. She didn't know why she had yelled at him. He was only trying to help. She had been trying to apologize for the past 3 hours but everytime she opened her mouth, Ryan would say something.

"Stewardess?" Ryan called. "Do you have any Pepto Bismal?"

"I don't think so sir. But I'll take a look."

Ryan moaned and fell back in his seat. "I don't know what's wrong with me!"

Kate leaned forward. "Maybe it was the cold pizza and potato chips you had for breakfast."

"But I eat cold pizza all the time."

Johnny smiled. "Ryan, that pizza was two weeks old."

Ryan turned pale. "Oops." He got up from his seat and ran to the bathroom.

"Johnny, I want to apologize. I shouldn't have flipped out on you. You were only trying to help."

Johnny turned to look at her. "This is really bothering you, isn't it?"

Kate laughed nervously. "Me? No. Nothing bothers me. Nerves of steel."

"Kate, why won't you let anyone help you?"

Kate sat back. "Because all my life my parent's have been making me out to be some tragic storybook character. I was never allowed to go out by myself. We must have had 3 different security systems in the house. They would 'protect' me from anything that involved death. They wouldn't even watch the news if I was in the room! So I had to depend on Ryan to find out what was going on. Ryan's mom even made one of the guest rooms into a room for me whenever I slept over. I kept alot of newspapers and books that my parent's thought were 'inappropriate' there. They just never wanted me to grow up, I guess."

"And when you came to the shop, they thought they had lost their little girl?"

Kate laughed." No, it was like they couldn't keep an eye on me anymore. They actually used to tell me that I should marry Ryan. They always harbored this secret dream that the two of us would get together."

Johnny frowned. "Did you ever think of doing it?"

"God no! Yuck, it be like dating my cousin or something!"

Johnny smiled. "Good." He laid his hand on top of Kate's.

"What was that?" She took his hand.

"Nothing." He looked down. "I thought you said you didn't need anybody to hold your hand?"

Kate smiled. "I think I could make an exception."

Ryan came stumbling back to his seat. "Are we there yet?"

Kate laughed. "About another hour." Ryan closed his eyes. Kate and Johnny just sat still, holding each others hands. Kate stared out the window, waiting to fall asleep. For some reason, she felt safe. Like nothing would ever hurt her again.


*****


Aurora put the last dish away. "Greg, put the TV on."

He pulled the cover off and turned on the switch. An eerie green glow filled the room for a second. Then they saw him. The bum who had, rather foolishly, fallen asleep on their stairs. The screen was black-and-white and the bum was dressed in a tuxedo and tails. He was running through the woods. Behind him you could here the distant howling of a wolf.

"Do you think he'll make it, Dad?"

Richard nervously smiled. "Of course he will, son. Of course he will."

The bum ran faster. "Dear God, please help me!" He stopped by a tree to catch his breath. Suddenly, the werewolf jumped out of nowhere and attacked him. "No! Oh God! Stop!" The wolf tore into the bum, clothing and flesh being thrown into the air. His cries of mercy soon became burbled coughs. A red light shot from the television and hit the 3 watchers. Their good clothes disappeared and were replaced with dirty, worn rags.

"Mommy!" Michael ran from his room and jumped into his father's waiting arms.

The paint began to melt and peel from the walls. The ceiling tiles fell at their feet and a swirling wind picked up the remains. As sudden as it had come, the light disappeared back into the TV. The house was back to what it had been before, a condemned apartment. Holes in the wall had grown bigger and the rain started to come through the ceiling. The family sank to the floor, huddling together for warmth.

"Don't worry kids. We'll find someone else."

The TV sat in the middle of the room, hungry for it's next victim.


*****


Kate forced open another door. Ryan and Johnny were opening all the windows. This were her room. It was one of the few rooms the cult members hadn't destroyed. It was exactly the way she had left it. All the stuffed animals her mother had tried to throw out were salvaged from the trash and hidden here. The shelves were jam packed with books on Death, the Afterlife, Psychology, Parapsychology, Criminology, Egyptology, and a whole mess of Anne MacCaffery books!

A few discarded Art textbooks lay collecting dust on her desk. Her portfolio was still leaning next to her guitar. I should bring that back with me, she thought. Then another thought hit her. She still had clothes here! For the last month or so she had been wearing Micki's clothes. She threw open the closet door. There was more here than she even thought she had all together!

Ryan poked his head in. "Everything OK?"

Kate smiled. "Yeah. I'm gonna get changed and then I've got something to do."

Ryan gently picked up the guitar and started to pick the strings. "Like what?"

Kate picked out a pair of black pants, one of Ryan's dress shirts and a white tank top. "Well, I'm going to the store to pick up some stuff for dinner and then I'm gonna go... see someone."

Ryan continued to play the guitar. "Father Callahan?"

Kate took her clothes behind the Chinese screen and started to get changed. "I didn't say that I was going to see Philip."

"But?" Ryan prodded.

She peeked around the screen." But I am."

He smiled. "I figured you would. He gave a really nice... eulogy at your parents funeral." Ryan inwardly tensed waiting for her response.

Kate sighed. "Yeah. He's been a friend of the family's for a long time. He keeps going
from our parish to this place in San Francisco. I don't get to see him that much because he's really busy doing a bunch of research for a book he's writing. But I called Monsignor Shields from the airport and he said that he was going to be there all day." Kate walked out from behind the screen and modeled for Ryan. "This OK?"

Ryan clutched his heart, screamed and fell of the side of the bed.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dallion."

Ryan sat up laughing. "Seriously though, you look beautiful. I'm sure Father Callahan will be very impressed." He wiggled his eyebrows.

Kate kicked Ryan in the side as she left the room. "You're sick."

Johnny was putting a fresh coat of paint on the dining room walls. "Hey, where you off to?"

Kate put on her coat and searched through her pockets. "I'm going to get some food and see a friend. Where the hell are the..."

"Keys?" Johnny pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and shook them. "You gave them to me, remember?" Kate shook her head and went to retrieve them. "You want me to drive?"

Kate grabbed the keys. "Nope, I' be fine. See ya. Bye Ryan!"

Ryan came down the stairs dressed in overalls. "Be..." The door slammed shut. "Careful." Ryan laughed as he picked up a brush.

"Ryan, are you sure she'll be all right?"

"Johnny, will you stop worrying. She's been taking care of herself for a long time now."

Johnny threw down his brush. "Well, maybe that's the problem. She's been depending on herself so long, she's forgotten that other people care about her too!" Johnny sighed and picked up his brush.

Ryan was silent as he continued to paint the wall. "You like her, don't you?" Johnny stopped dead, but couldn't bring himself to look at his friend. Ryan's brush stroke didn't faulter. "I don't blame you. But if you hurt her, I'll kill you." They finished the room in silence.


*****


Kate pulled up in front of Saint Anselm Church. There was a large group of people gathered outside on the steps. At first she thought there was something wrong. That's when she noticed the hearse...


Kate walked down the aisle, completely numb. She heard voices, but no words. She saw people, but didn't give a damn who they were. The only thing she felt was the grip Ryan had on her hand. He had sworn to her, earlier that day, that he would never let go until she wanted him to. Her mother and father walked stiffly in front of her, their faces showing no hint of emotion. As they stepped out of the church, a light rain started to fall. "Here Kate. Take my jacket." Ryan wrapped his overcoat around her shoulders, but she didn't even feel the cold. Mrs. Dallion whispered in Ryan's ear, gave him a quick kiss, and walked to her car. Kate heard bits and pieces of peoples conversations.

"...only a child! How horrible!"

"... hero. She's so brave..."

"...be traumatized for the rest..."

"... already went crazy. She'll be locked..."

Ryan's face turned red with anger. He got in the car first and Kate sat rigidly next to him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Don't listen to them, kiddo. You'll be fine. You're strong."

Kate smiled. "I'm crazy."

"You're not crazy! And I won't let you ever think you are. You're fine."

Kate stared out the window. I'm fine. I'm fine...


"I'm fine." Kate sighed.

"Are you really?" an Irish voice called from behind her. She spun around and collided with the voice. "Then why, may I ask, are you standing out in the rain talking to yourself?"

She hadn't noticed the small raindrops starting to fall from a suddenly darkening sky and the two priests walking up to her. The first priest, a noble-looking white-haired man, held out his hand. "Good afternoon, Ms. Brannigan. I see you found Father Callahan."

The Irish priest laughed. "Yes Monsignor. We ran into each other."

Kate blushed. "Thank you, Monsignor" The old man bowed politely and shuffled away. Kate took Father Callahan into a great hug. "Oh Philip! Boy am I glad to see you!"

Philip patted her back. "It's good to see you too, Kathleen. Now," he said pulling back, "what do you want to talk to me about?"

Kate laughed nervously, took Philip's arm and led him to the rectory. "We'd better go sit down. It's VERY complicated and long story . And I doubt you'll believe most of it."

Philip smirked. "Oh, you'd be surprised at what I believe in these days."

"And you have to swear not to tell a soul."

"On my word of honor."

"Okay. It all started about thirteen or fourteen years ago. Ryan's uncle, Lewis Vandradee..."


*****


Philip set a cup of tea in front of Kate. "So now you've decided to stay there and help Ryan and his friends collects these cursed antiques."

"Mm-hmm," Kate answered through her chocolate chip cookie.

"And Ryan is suffering no ill effects of his... um... possession?"

"No. He seems perfectly fine. Sleeping peacefully at night again. I wish I could day the same. I've been having those nightmares again."

Philip sat down. "About Matthew Garrison?"

Kate screwed her eyes shut at the mere mention of the name of her brother's killer.

"I'm sorry, darlin. I didn't mean to upset you."

Kate forced a smile. "It's okay." She glanced at her watch. "Well Philip, thanks for talking this out with me, but I gotta go."

Philip hurriedly rose to his feet. "Ah... Kate. I would like you to talk with a couple of friends of mine."

She slid on her jacket. "Another time, Philip. I have a responsibility right now."

He sullenly nodded. "Another time. But soon, all right?"

"Soon."

Philip hugged her tightly. "I'll pray to every saint I can think of for your safety."

"We could use it. Thanks." Kate pulled away and headed for the door. "Oops. Sorry about that."

The little boy she bumped into smiled. "That's okay. Is Father Callahan in?"

"Yeah." She peeked her head in the door. "He's on the phone right now. You can wait inside." Kate smiled and headed to her car.

"I'll be with you in a minute, Michael." Philip called. The phone picked up the other end. "Hello, Nick? It's Philip. Is Derek in? It's important."


*****


Aurora paced around the remains of her living room.

"Don't worry, Mom. Dad'll find someone." Greg smiled through a thin layer of grit.

"I know sweetheart. I know. Go check on your brother for me." Greg nodded and left the room. Richard Hamilton rushed through the front door and slammed it behind him. "Richard, what's wrong?" "We have to wait till tomorrow to get someone."

Aurora was furious. "Why?!"

"Honey, there are at least six cop cars circling the block. We don't wanna get caught. We can make it trough one night."

Aurora's anger melted away. She didn't want to get caught. What would happen to the children?

"Mom!" Greg screamed. "Michael's gone! He climbed out the window."

"Where would he have gone," Richard asked.

"Probably back to the church and that stupid Irish priest." Aurora clutched her fist. "Oh don't worry, Greg. He's going to be very sorry when he gets." One small drop of blood fell from her fist to the floor.


*****


Kate cleared away the rest of the dished. Ryan was in the living room making a fire. While Kate was away, Johnny and Ryan painted the dining room, cleaned the chimney in the living room and set up two sleeping bags and blankets in there. Kate was ordered to sleep upstairs in her room.

"I think I have a few more blankets in my closet," she said climbing the stairs. "I'll go check."

Johnny laughed. "Take your time! It's only seven o'clock."

She smiled and headed to her room. Well, she thought, I could pack some things to take back to the shop with me. A sudden dizziness overcame her. She grabbed the railing to steady herself. She closed her eyes and sat on the top step. It must have been something I ate, she thought. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. The dizziness was gone. As she got up, she heard a soft thud in the living room. "Ryan?" No answer. Another thud. "Johnny?" A groan, followed by a crash. "Come on you guys. Answer me! What's goin on?"

Kate carefully started down the steps. She peeked in the living room. Everything looked normal. When she stepped around the corner, something crunched under her foot. It was Ryan's coffee cup from dinner. She heard another thud. It sounded like it was coming from the basement. She started slowly down the wooden steps. The rec room was first. Nothing there. The television (she laughed to herself), the piano, the computer, and Ryan's extra guitars were all where they should be. The laundry room was next. There was a small wooden door separating a the two rooms. She pulled on the handle. It was stuck. She pulled again. Still nothing. Kate tried a third time, pulling as hard as she could. The door came off it's hinges with a loud crack. She fell backwards, the door landing on top of her. Funny, she thought, I don't remember this door being so heavy. As she tried to push the door off her, her hand slid away. "What the?" Her hand was covered in blood. She pushed again and rolled from underneath it. The door crashed to the floor with Ryan on top of it. "Ryan?" She nudged him gently. He rolled over. Dead, wide eyes stared out into space. His mouth opened in a silent scream. His throat was slashed from ear to ear, blood covering the front of his body. Kate doubled over. "God, no! Please, no! Ah!" Her leg hit something in the doorway. Johnny's body fell with a heavy thud. He looked like Ryan. She couldn't scream. No matter how hard she tried, nothing would come out. A rough, strong hand grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. "Pretty Kathleen." Kate knew that voice anywhere. She had heard it in her nightmares a hundred times over. "Garrison!" The maniac grabbed her by the throat and raised a straight razor high in the air. I have to get out of here! Kate kicked as hard as she could at Garrison's groin. He went down fast. She seized the opportunity and kneed him in the face. While he was lying on the floor, Kate ran upstairs and locked him in the basement. Phone. She had to find the phone. As she rounded the corner, she ran straight into the lunatic again. How the hell did he get up here?!? "Naughty Kathleen." Garrison grabbed her arm and swung her into the kitchen wall. Kate's head cracked against the doorjam and she fell...


...onto her bedroom floor. She staggered to her feet, her eyes checking every inch of the room. She was alone. She lifted her hand to her forehead. I came away sticky. I must have cut it on the nightstand next to my bed. But how in God's name did I get here? Then an image flashed in her mind. Ryan and Johnny with their throats slashed in the basement. Kate threw open the door and ran down the steps. "Guys!"

A second later, Johnny peeked out of the living room. "What's up?"

She sighed. "I saw... I mean... I thought that you... were... Oh I give up." She ran hand through her hair, wincing as her palm hit the fresh cut.

"Hey, let me look at that." Johnny led Kate into the kitchen. "How'd you get that?" He ran a rag under the faucet.

"First, maybe you can help me figure out how I got into my bed. The last thing I remember was feeling dizzy and then sat down for a minute."

Johnny smiled. "Well, I helped you into bed."

"I'm a very light sleeper. How did you 'help' me into bed?"

Johnny gently wiped the blood from Kate's cut. "Well, I carried you."

"My hero."

Johnny frowned. "Was that sarcasm?"

"No! If you hadn't found me I might have fallen down the steps. Especially with the nightmare I was having."

Johnny turned to fetch a Band-Aid. "What did you dream?"

"That the guy that murdered my little brother was free and killed you and Ryan." Kate looked out the window, wondering how long till dawn. "What time is it?"

Johnny carefully placed the Band-Aid over her cut. "1:30"

"I was asleep for 6 hours? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because you need a good night's sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Plus you didn't sleep well last night." He stopped himself before he started lecturing her on the necessity of having a good night's sleep in this line of work. He had gotten the lecture himself from Jack and Micki at least a thousand times. And he could remember how annoying it could be. "How's your head?"

Kate absently rubbed the Band-aid. "Still hurts a little."

Johnny leaned down and gently kissed the cut. "Feel better?"

She blushed. "Much better, You know, the world needs miracle doctors like you around."

"Very funny. Come on. I want you to go back to sleep." Johnny headed for the living room, but Kate lingered at the bottom of the stairs.

"I am not sleeping up there alone." She headed into the living room and grabbed a blanket. Johnny was sitting up against the wall with a book. "What do you think you're doing?"

Kate smiled and climbed into his lap. "Going to sleep."

He wrapped his arms around her. They didn't talk. Kate closed her eyes and listened to Johnny's heartbeat. She fell asleep in no time. Johnny wasn't tired. He watched the fire eat away at the logs in the fireplace. He listened to the sound of Kate's breathing. He felt a strange contentment he hadn't felt in a long time. He wanted to take her and just go somewhere safe, quite, secluded and as far away from death as possible. It still amazed him that he was falling for someone almost half his age. He started to twirl her hair through his fingers. And as he drifted to off to sleep, a dark thought crept into his mind. If two people from the shop dated, does that cancel out the 'Curious Goods Curse'?



*****


Michael carefully sat down on his bed. His mother had beaten him the second he had climbed through the window. Father Callahan tried to convince him to stay the night, but he knew his mother would be even angrier with him (if that were possible). His father had told him that tomorrow he was going to get someone else to put in the TV. He knew it was wrong to kill. He learned that in Sunday school. He heard Monsignor Shields and Father Callahan talk about it at their sermons. Michael's family used to go to church all the time. But that was before Daddy had lost his job and Mommy had had her accident. Daddy said that when Mommy fell down and hit her head, she became a different Mommy. She had MTP or something like that. But they had told him he couldn't come out of his room until he promised not to say anything bad about the TV. If that were the case, he wouldn't be leaving 'till he was a hundred and two.



*****


Kate woke slowly to the sound of Ryan cursing the inventor of the sleeping bag. He was already dressed and beginning to fold up the blankets he had used he noticed she was awake. "Morning. Sleep well?"

She nodded groggily and stood up. "What time is it?"

"About 8:30. What happened to your head?"

"Nightmare."

Johnny sighed and rolled over. Ryan stiffened. "So, what happened last night?"

Kate completely missed the demanding tone in his voice. "Well, I fell asleep on the stairs..." "Yeah I know that part. I meant why you... woke up in Johnny lap."

Kate smiled. "Why Mr. Dallion, are you jealous?"

"Oh please Kate!" He turned towards the window. "I'm just looking out for you."

"I know. You always have. And you probably always will." She put her chin on his shoulder. "At Jamie's funeral, you told me that you would hold my hand and that you wouldn't let go until I told you to." Ryan started to turn, but Kate rested her hands on his shoulders stoping him. "I'm not asking you to let go, Ryan. I never will. Just loosen the grip a little. Nothing happened."

Ryan turned to her. "Nothing?"

"Not a thing."

Ryan smiled. "Good. I'd have to punch his lights out if something did." Kate laughed. "Get yourself together, Kate. We'll leave in an hour."



*****


At 10:00 the shop crew left to find a television cursed by the devil to do God knows what. As they drove through their little section of Philadelphia, Kate matched every location with some childhood memory. The playground she and Ryan spent most of their summer, the grade school where they met, the mall where they both worked, and the cemetery where... Jamie, her parents, and Ryan's mom were buried. A few blocks later they stopped in front of the burnt out shell of Kate's home. A construction crew was beginning to tear it down.

Ryan hit the gas and sped off. "Sorry Kate. I didn't know they were going to be doing this today."

She wiped away the single tear from her cheek. "It's okay, Ryan. It had to happen."

Ryan pulled to a corner. "Here it is." Kate exited the car and took a deep breath.

Coldro Avenue had changed since that Halloween night. Back then, it was full of bright, beautiful homes. Now, it was falling to pieces. Trash was piled in every available space. Children in rags played with stray animals. It was as if the murder that had occurred here had sucked all the life out of the neighborhood. And one of these broken down houses contained the TV.

Ryan laid a hand on Kate's shoulder. "Are you sure you're all right with this?"

She shook him off and started walking down the street. "Let's get this over with."


*****


Michael peeked out his window. Three people in really good clothes were walking up his block. They didn't live around here. For some reason the girl in the middle looked familiar.

Greg walked up behind him. "Just our luck. Three suckers comin' straight for us. Dad!"


*****


"949, 951...953. This is the place. Yikes." The house Johnny had led them to was a poor excuse for a place to live. The porch had long since lost its support beams. The roof had collapsed in on a room in the front of the house. The stairs were crooked and broken.

"Nobody could live in a place like this." Ryan kicked away a trashbag.

"Believe it or not, Ryan, there used to be worse looking places than this. They cleaned up alot before you and your mom got here." Kate carefully climbed the stairs, Ryan directly behind her. The railing crumbled beneath her hand. Ryan caught her before she fell. "Thanks. Let's just get in and get out of here as fast as possible." She carefully slid back a few planks from the fallen porch awning and stepped through the front door. It creaked wearily beneath her hand. "Hello?" She stepped in gingerly. "Anybody home?"

Ryan stuck his head through the gap. "See anything?"

She pulled a small flashlight out of her pocket. "Nope. Watch out. There are a few holes in the floor." Kate sidestepped a few boards that looked a little loose. The flashlight danced across the walls. A once pure white paint had turned grey and brown. Wallpaper hung off the walls. Carpeting had been ripped up and used to cover gaping holes in the walls The whole place smelled of mold and rank water.

Ryan and Johnny had made it safely into the living. A door at the far end stood ajar. "Guys, I'm gonna check that room. See if you can find anything down that way." Kate snuck towards the door and gently pushed it open. A soft whimpering was coming from beneath the blanket. "Hello?" She pulled the blanket back. a little boy sat shivering underneath. "Are you okay?" The boy nodded. Somehow he looked familiar. "Aren't you the little boy I ran into in the rectory?"

He smiled as he, too, recognized her. "You're a friend of Father Philip's too?"

Kate smiled as she sat down next to him. The boy was dressed in rags and covered head to toe in dirt and cuts. "What's your name?" she asked.

"Michael. What's yours?"

"Kate. Are you alone here?"

"Nope. My Mommy and Daddy are here too." The door behind her slammed.

"And so am I." Greg Hamilton barred the doorway with his body. "What the hell are you doing in my house!"

Kate slowly got to her feet. "Listen, I'm really sorry. My name is Kate Brannigan. I'm looking for a television set." Greg locked the door, slipped the key into his pocket and started moving towards Kate.

"Greg, please don't."

"I've always liked blondes."

Kate backed away. "Whoa! Hold on there, shotgun!" Greg lept at her. She sidestepped him with ease as he crashed into the wall. "Ryan!" Kate pulled on the door as hard as she could. She removed her Swiss army knife from her pocket and tried her hand at the lock.

"You've got alot of spirit." Greg grabbed Kate and threw her headlong into a wall. Kate slid down the wall slowly turning to see what Greg was up to. He smiled.

She rolled her eyes. Brandishing the knife, she rose shakily to her feet. "Back off freakshow. I'm no after school special!" Kate charged him. Greg feinted left, catching hold of her. Expecting it, Kate pushed her left hand into his stomach. Greg laughed, then sputtered letting go. She turned to face him. Blood glinted off her blade. Greg looked at the bloodstain forming on his shirt. Kate took that moment to clock him with a chair. She quickly pulled the key from Greg's pocket. She grabbed the kid's hand and threw open the door. Glancing down at the body, Kate smiled. "Don't worry. He's gonna be okay." Kate's smile slowly faded from her lips.

Ryan's unconscious body was sprawled out in front of the TV. There was a small glob of blood above his eye. An eerie red glow filled the room.

"The TV," Kate whispered. It was huge! Big enough to fit... a body through. A woman was pushing something through the screen. "Johnny!" Kate rushed the woman, but it was too late. He was gone. "No!" A black hand came from the screen and wrapped itself around Kate's ankle. "Ahh!" The hand yanked and the next thing Kate felt was her head hitting the floor. She felt herself starting to lose consciousness, but she fought against it. "Ryan!" Ryan groaned and tried to get up. "Help me!" Ryan spotted Kate and grabbed her wrist. The hands around her ankles tightened and pulled again. Kate felt an eerie clod drifting up her legs. She looked down. She was halfway through the TV. "Ryan, pull!" With one last tug, Kate and Ryan went sprawling into the screen. Aurora sat up. The TV was back to its natural size. A cyclone started to whirl though the room. The walls went back to their sparkling white. The carpet re-sewd itself. A new set of clothes appeared in each person. Greg' minor knife wound healed itself. As the wind died down, the TV screen began to glow.

Another program was about to start.


*****


Johnny crashed to the ground. The air was damp and cold. Two more bodies crashed into him. "Ow!" Ryan rolled off Kate and shakily got to his feet. "What the hell happened?"

Kate stood up and look around. "We're in some old black and white horror movie."

Johnny got up. "What makes you say that?"

Kate pointed behind him. A dark looming castle stood against a darkening blue-black sky. A thunderstorm in the distance.

"Oh. That's how."

Kate nodded. "Look at your clothes." Kate was dressed in a dark color dress with a cape and hat. Ryan and Johnny were both dressed in tuxedos with tails, top hats and canes.

Ryan looked around. "I wonder what kind of movie this is?"

Kate hiked up her skirts. "Well, let's go find out." Ryan shrugged and followed. They stopped in front of a large iron door with a huge doorknocker in the shape of a 'D'.

Johnny sighed. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Ryan knocked. The door slowly creaked open, but no one was behind it.

"Hello?" Kate stepped in. The room was covered in dust cobwebs. "Yuck." Kate brushed some web off her shoulder.

"Welcome to my home," a Romanian voice called. A clocked figure slowly started down the stairs.

Ryan moved closer to Kate. "My God, that looks like..."

"Bela Legosi." Kate had finished his thought. "I know. I'd recognize that face anywhere. Especially after that 14 hour marathon last year."

"I am Count Dracula. Please follow me." Dracula led them up a dark staircase to a small room filled with food. "Sit and enjoy. Forgive me for not joining you, but I already dined."

Ryan pulled out a chair for Kate and whispered in her ear, "And I'll bet he doesn't drink wine either." And she had seen enough Dracula movies to know that was the next line. She smiled.

"Now, if you will excuse, I must finish preparing you rooms." He bowed slightly and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Kate popped a grape in her mouth. "Pretty nice guy for a blood-sucking ghoul."

Johnny ripped off his cape. "You're taking this pretty lightly." He grabbed the goblet near to him and drank down the dark, red liquid in one gulp.

"I think the only way we're going to get out of here is to play this thing out."

Ryan sat down. "You mean finish out the movie. What happens then?"

Kate sighed. "I don't know. Let's worry about one thing at a time, okay?" They sat in silence for about 20 minutes, not really doing anything. The there was a small tap on the door. Dracula slowly stepped in.

"Your rooms are prepare, my friends. Please follow me." With candelabra in hand, he lead them down a dark hallway. He stopped in front of a large wooden door. "This is your room, Madame." Kate bowed her head. "Thanks you, Count.," She scratched her cheek one and went to her room. Ryan smiled.

"Follow me gentlemen."

Johnny leaned over. "What was that?"

"That was a signal Kate and I had when we were growing up. It means 'Meet me in so many minutes at my place.' One scratch is 10 minutes, two is 20. You get the picture."

Dracula stopped at second door at the opposite end of the hall. "And you shall stay in the room." The door created open. "Good night gentlemen." Ryan and Johnny carefully stepped into the room. The door closed slowly behind them.

"Johnny, check the window. See if there's anything in the way of us getting the hell outta here."

Johnny forced open the window and stuck his head out. "Ryan, you gotta see this." Ryan joined him. A pack of wolves was stalking the front door. And they looked as though the hadn't eaten in weeks. "Id' say that's a pretty big anything." They closed the window.

"I'm gonna go down to Kate's room. See if you can find another way out."

Johnny nodded. Is it hot in here?"

Ryan opened the door. "Johnny, you feeling all right?"

"Yeah. Sure," he lied.

Ryan gave a thumbs up and closed the door. Sweat dripped from Johnny's face. A fire started in his stomach and shot to every nerve in his body. What the hell was wrong with him? He sank to his knees, forcing his brain to think through the pain. "Okay, this is a Dracula movie. I haven't been bitten by a vampire, so I can't be..." Pain and realization hit his brain at the same time. 'Oh God' was the last thing his brain processed before an evil presence swept away his common sense.


*****


Kate paced the room. There was a small tap on the door. Kate leaned on it and whispered, "Picasso." A strong male voice called back, "Sucks." It was Ryan. She couldn't help but smile. Yet another secret signal from their childhood. Ryan and Kate had been the only people in their Art History classes that had hated Picasso... in all his different phases. Kate cracked open the door and Ryan slipped through.

"What next, mighty horror movie guru?"

Kate closed the door. "Well, we get Johnny, find a wooden stake, kill Dracula and, hopefully, get out of here."

Ryan nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me, I think something's wrong with Johnny though. He's really pale."

"I wouldn't worry. It's probably everything getting to him. Look," she opened the door, "you go see if you can find a cross and a wooden stake. I'll get Johnny. And be... No, wait. I won't say it. I don't want to jinx us." They both slipped out the door.

Kate tapped on Johnny's door. "Johnny?" She opened it. "Johnny?" The room was empty. "Where the hell could he have gone?" She turned to leave and collided into him. "Ahh! Jesus, you scared the hell outta me! Where were you?" Johnny advanced, pushing Kate towards the wall. "Johnny, what are you doing?" Kate looked over his shoulder. There was a mirror behind him with only one reflection. Hers. "Oh God." Johnny grabbed her by the throat and fell back instantly, screaming in pain. Kate looked down. A small, silver cross hung from her neck. Johnny was getting back to his feet. His eyes glowed red-gold. Two long fangs protruded from his gums. Kate backed into a bureau. She grabbed the large, brass water basin behind. Johnny charged her. "Sorry about this, Johnny!" Kate cracked Johnny in the head with the basin. He sank to the ground.

Ryan rushed into the room. "What the hell..."

Kate grabbed one of his arms. "Help me with him."

Ryan grabbed the other arm. "What happened?' They carried him out the door. "I don't think that was completly wine he drank. I think there was some of Dracula's blood in it. The idea was that the three of us were supposed to drink the wine, become vampires and live out the rest of our lives in this movie."

Ryan held out a bag. "That wouldn't have been very long. Look what I found." Inside the bag was a pile of stakes, a few bottles of Holy water and two crosses.

"That's a little too convenient. What's it say on the name tag?"

"Abraham Von Helsing. I found it in one of the rooms." They headed down the stairs to where they had first entered. "Where to?"

Kate looked around. There was only one more door on that floor. "Let's try over there." They walked slowly up a set of dank, wet stairs. There were rats and spiders everywhere. "This places looks worse than your locker."

"Funny girl."

At the top of the stairs was a large, open room. One lone coffin sat between two large candelabras. "Okay, lay Johnny down." Kate took the bag from Ryan's shoulder and sifted through.

"What are gonna do Kate?"

She pulled the cork out of the holy water bottle and poured a circle around Johnny. "This will keep him in one spot and away from our necks until we kill Dracula. Then he should turn back to normal." She grabbed the bag. "Let's go." Kate handed Ryan a cross. Kate pulled pout a stake. "Okay. Do it."

Ryan lifted the coffin lid and Kate raised the stake. The coffin was empty. "Where the hell is he?"

"Are you looking for me my friends?" A shadow detached itself from the wall. Before you could blink, Dracula had Ryan by the throat in mid air. "Arrogant mortal!"

Kate stuck her hand in the bag. "Hey!" When Dracula turned around, Kate threw a vile of holy water at him. He began to scream and smoke.

Ryan fell to the ground. "Grab the stake!"

Dracula advanced on Kate. "You're a very wise person, Madame."

Kate smiled and whipped out a cross. "Actually I attribute it to one too many episodes of 'Dracula: The Series'. Ryan..... Ryan?" He was gone. Kate heard a strangled cry behind her. Kate looked past Dracula. Johnny had Ryan on a choke hold.

"I thought you said he couldn't get out," he sputtered.

"I must have left a gap in the circle!" Dracula grabbed Kate's hand and twisted it behind her back. The cross clattered to the ground.

"Kate!"

She felt his cold, dead fingers stroking her throat. "Now I shall have a bride."

"No!" Ryan grabbed the cross around his neck and shoved into Johnny's hand. Johnny screamed and released him. Ryan grabbed the nearest stake and plunged it through Dracula's back. He gasped and dropped Kate. Suddenly he began screaming and clawing at his back, trying to remove the stake. Kate staggered to her feet and grabbed a rope for balance. The rope gave way and opened a large veil of curtains. Sunlight poured in and hit Dracula full force. Ryan stared, then frowned. "Hey wait! you know, not that I'm complaining or anything but this isn't right."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, it was night not half an hour ago."

"Ryan, you're thinking in real time, not TV time."

"Oh."

Dracula continued to scream and began to fizzle. Then he exploded into a could of dust. The stake clattered to the ground and echoed of the dank walls. Ryan helped Kate to her feet. "Nice one." Ryan smiled.

"Oh my head!" Johnny groaned and tired to stand. Kate ran to him.

"Touch this," she said.

Johnny smiled. "That's the most interesting offer I've had all day." She frowned and pulled out a cross. "Oh." Johnny wrapped his hand around it. Nothing happened.

"He's okay." Kate helped him to his feet.

"I can't believe I did that." Johnny pulled away from her.

"It's okay. It's not your fault. Let's see if we can get out of here." They went down the stairs to the main entrance.

What do we do now?" A pair of black hands shot up from the floor and grabbed Ryan's ankles. "Ryan!" Kate and Johnny grabbed and pulled. "Hold on!" Ryan groaned and with one more pull, he was gone. Kate go ton her hands and knees trying to find the opening. The hands appeared again and grabbed Kate's arms. "Johnny!" Johnny grabbed her shoulders trying desperately to hold on to her. They both fell through a dark hole into the unknown.


*****


Aurora sat back her husband's arms. "they're good."

Greg smiled. "And that girl's cute." Michael sat quietly.

"What do you think Michael?" His mother gave him an intense glare.

"They're very strong. Will they last long Mommy?"

His mother smiled. "I believe they will dear. I'm going to check on lunch."

Greg got up. "I'll help." They started to walk to the kitchen.

"I think Michael is starting to come around."

Greg frowned. "I'm not so sure."

Michael sighed. He didn't like lying. But he didn't want mom to yell at him. He felt sorry for the three people in the TV. he hope they would be okay.


*****


Ryan crashed onto a sand dune. He quickly rolled out of the way. Kate and Johnny fell in a tangle of arms and legs. "This is getting annoying."

"Can you say 'Sliders' episode?"

Johnny helped Kate up. "So, where are we now?" Kate and Ryan looked around.

"I have no idea. Doesn't look like any movie I know. Kate?"

Kate spun around in a circle trying to take everything in at once. "Well, we're in color. That's a comfort. We're on a beach. and there's a fair ground behind us on that cliff... Probably just some campy 70s movie. Let's go." Ryan was off in flash running down the beach. Kate straggeld behind with Johnny. "You're quite."

Johnny picked up a rock and threw it towards the sea. 'I'm just so mad at myself. I can't believe I was that stupid."

Kate smiled. "You mean drinking the wine? It was an honest mistake."

"That almost got you killed! Besides, I've seen 'Lost Boys' over a hundred times."

Kate laughed. "Believe me, Ryan and I have seen enough horror movies to know how to take care of some vampires."

Johnny spun around to face her. "That's not the point! I just... nevermind." They walked in silence.

"hey guys! You have to see this," Ryan called to them from high above. Kate and Johnny scrambled up the rock face. As Kate reached the top, she froze. The light from the carnival had let them get a better look at each. Ryan had on a dress shirt, tie, trousers, pocket protector and coke bottle glasses complete with band aid on the bridge. She began to laugh. "What? What's so funny?"

"Your... You're blonde."

"Yeah well, guess what. You're a brunet."

Kate reached up. Her hair hung in one large braid down her back all the way to her waist. She was dressed in a large gypsy skirt and peasant blouse. "Oh this has got to go." She tore through the braid and let her hair hang free over her shoulders. "Much better. Um, Ryan? I mean this in the dearest way possible... But you look like such a dork!" She laughed till her sides hurt. "Johnny, have you seen..." She trailed off as she got a good look at what Johnny was wearing. He was covered head to toe on leather; leather jacket, wife-beater, leather pants, and boots. "Oh my" was all Kate managed to get out.

Ryan smirked. "hey Kate, you're drooling."

She hit him. "Shut up!"

Johnny grabbed her hand. "Come one. Let's go see what going on around here." They ran to the first booth.

"Dancing girls. Hey, this looks good." Ryan was staring at the posters in front of the small theater.

"Ha ha. I'm not going in there." She looked next door, "I'll be at the fortune tellers place." Johnny laughed. "I can just see your future now: Hello young lady. You're about to be eaten by a large, ugly monster. That'll be five dollars please."

Ryan grabbed Johnny's arm. "Come on. The show's starting. If you need anything, Kate, just scream." They both disappeared behind the curtain.

"This movie is beginning to look familiar. I wonder where I saw it..." Kate shrugged and went to get her future told.


*****


The bells of Curious Goods jangled as Micki Foster fell through the door. "Jack! Hurry up. it's freezing out there." Jack Marshack followed behind her fumbling with he luggage. "We're home!" Micki ripped off her coat. "Kate?" Micki sat down at Jack's desk.

"Maybe she's at the library, Micki. There's probably a note around here somewhere." She looked around the desk a minute.

"Here it is." She pulled a small envelope off the computer screen. She opened it.


'Dear Micki and Jack,

Ryan and Johnny got the gargoyle. it's in the vault. The three of us went to get the TV. Don't worry. We'll be fine. We left Tuesday morning. If we're not back by Friday, call Father Philip Callahan. His number is at the bottom of this note. I left all the information I found out about the TV in the computer.

It'll be all right.

Kate'


Micki lowered the note.

"Well, they've only been gone one day, Micki. We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

Micki quickly turned on the computer and pulled up the file. "Oh no? Look at this." He leaned over her shoulders and read the newspaper clips.

Jack frowned. "Call Father Callahan."


*****


"Hello?" Kate stuck her head in the tent. She could hear a faint whispering in the back room.

"get those things in the cellar, Ortega. WE have a visitor." There was a groan, some shuffled footsteps and then a crash. Kate carefully pulled back the velvet curtain. A little man was struggling with another person. A woman was screaming. The man that was being held turned to Kate. His face was burned and hanging off his skull. And he was missing one eye. Kate fell back and choked a scream. "Ortega, lock that thing up. I'll take care of our guest." Kate ran into the other room and tried to act normal. The woman came out of the back room looking flustered. "Hello miss."

Kate faked a smile. "Hi. I'm sorry. I thought you were still open. I can come back another time."

The woman smiled. "No, we're still opened." Her voice was touched with a Spanish accent. "Come. I suppose you want your fortune told." Kate followed her to the back room she had seen the creature in. "Sit please while I get my cards.: Kate nodded. She left through the curtains.

Kate sat for a few minutes with Johnny's words ringing in her ears. A sharp pounding broke her out of her daze. There was no door n the room, there was only another curtain. But all it did was cover part of the back wall. Kate looked over her shoulder and ran to the curtain. the pounding was coming from behind it. Kate slid her hand underneath the curtain and found a door handle. The door popped open. Another door lay behind it. It was a system of iron bars. Suddenly there was a hand gripping Kate's arm and pulling her down. The face she had seen earlier peered out from behind the bars.

"Please help us. Please."

Kate pulled back. "What do you want me to do?" There was a high pitched scream behind her. Before Kate could turn around, the woman cracked her in the head with a crystal ball. Kate sank to the floor.

The henchman smiled. "What shall I do with her, Madame?"

The woman smiled. "Toss her down with the others."


*****


Ryan an Johnny walked out of the showgirls tent. "Wow. That red head was unbelievable," Ryan said. "How could she possibly bend like that?"

Johnny smiled. "I liked the girl with the rainbow hair. I mean, soda bottles? Amazing. I would never have even though of it." Johnny looked around the grounds. "I don't see Kate anywhere."

Ryan started leading Johnny towards the fortune tellers tent. "She's probably still in there."


*****


Ortega dropped Kate's body into the corner of the cellar. "Try not to scream too much or they may realize your alive." a cracked groan was Kate's only response. "You wouldn't want them to know. They might try to take a chunk out of you." He dropped a dollop of cigar ash on her back and cackled horribly up the staircase.

Kate forced her eyes open and begged her head to stop throbbing long enough to get a handle on her surroundings. It's dark was all her mind came up with before falling unconscious.


*****


Ryan pulled back the velvet curtain. "Hello? Anybody here?"

"Welcome gentlemen," called a soft Spanish voice. "Come and let me enrich your lives with knowledge of your future."

Johnny sighed. "At this point I'm not sure if I want to know."

They sat down at a small round table with the typical crystal ball in the center. Neither of them noticed the slight crack in the side. "Good evening. I am the Madame. You are fortunate. I have not had a visitor all evening. "

Ryan stopped smiling. "Really?"

"Yes. Business has been very slow today." Ryan and Johnny exchanged worried glances. The Madame smiled. "let me fetch my cards." She turned to a set of drawers.

Ryan quickly turned to Johnny and mouthed "I've got an idea." As the Madame turned back, Ryan stood. "You know what, I don't think I want to know my future. thanks anyway. I'll find you later Johnny." Ryan ducked out of the small room and quickly headed towards his right. Another curtain stood blowing in the wind. "What the hell?" He slowly pulled it back to reveal a kind of small living room. He was about to leave when he heard a soft thumping on the far wall. "Kate?" Ryan couldn't see any door but there was a small curtain. As he reached for it, a hand gripped his shoulder.

"What do you think your doing?"

Ryan turned. "Um... I'm looking for the men's room?" Ortega lunged. Ryan fell left and Ortega hit the curtain. His head clanged against the hidden door and the curtain fell around him. More pounding and low screams came from behind the door. "Kate!" Ryan pulled the door open. Disfigured faces waited for him there. Hands reached for him.

"The key! Give us the key!"

Ryan stood there, speechless. The faces topped.

One of them grinned, horribly. "There is a woman here. Very pretty."

"Kate?" Ryan croaked.

The thing nodded. "We could change that. Make her look like us."

"No!" he tore through Ortega's pockets, pulled out a set of keys and rushed to the bars. "Have you hurt her?"

The smiling one shook his head. "No. We have not. We want to hurt only those who did this to us."

Ryan sighed. he had to trust and believe them. What else could he do? The lock clicked open. Ugly disfigured bodies tumbled from the doorway. the line seemed to go on forever. Finally, only the smiling one remained. Ryan could see now that he was missing an arm and that he really hadn't been smiling all this time. His face was brunt. His lips were gone and his cheeks were burnt out. He shuffled forward.

"Your pretty friend is in the corner. A bump on the head. Otherwise not hurt. get her out of here."

Ryan went to thank the creature, but he started to shuffle into the other room. Ryan ran down the dungeon steps. Just like Smiley had said, Kate was slumped in the corner. He shook her. "Kate! Wake up!"

Kate's eyes rolled open. "I don't have school today ma. It's Saturday." her eyes fluttered and decided to stay shut.

"Come one Kate!" he pulled her to her feet.

"okay Ryan. But this time I'll be Robinson Coruso." With one final giggle, Kate started to fall backwards.

Ryan caught her and picked her up. "This is getting ridiculous." Muffled screams and a series of crashes told Ryan that the creatures were getting there revenge. Then suddenly it hit him. He knew which movie they were in and, more importantly, how to get out.

Johnny suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. "Ryan! All hell's broken loose up here. What happened to her?"

Ryan pushed past him and headed for the exit. "if it's what movie I think it is, we should be getting out of here soon. But we have to get to the beach. Hurry!" People ran everywhere. Zombies and half melted men shuffled and ran after them.

"Ryan, where the hell are we?" They dodged falling bodies and rampaging zombies.

"it was this really bad movie Kate and I saw on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. it was something like 'The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies'."

Johnny laughed as they reached the clifft they had first landed on. "That's a pretty vague description for the movie, Ryan.

" No, that was the title."

"Oh."

"Um, Ryan? Could you put me down please?" Kate had come around while they had been running.

"hey. I always knew that thick skull of yours would come in handy someday."

Kate smiled half-heartedly. "Cute. Very cute."

"You all right?' Johnny caressed her cheek.

"Yeah.A re the zombies revolting?"

"In more ways than one." A figure in the distance ran to a cliff of rocks.

"And I think that's our que to go." A mob of screaming people approached the figure. it lept off into the sea.

"You know, I've seen that MSTie episode 3 times and I still don't get it." A low rumbling interrupted Ryan's answer. Three sets of cold black hands erupted from beneath them.

"Not again!" Johnny cried.


*****


Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. "yes, thank you Father. We'll see you soon. Goodbye." He placed the phone back on it's cradle with a sigh. "Father Callahan talked to Kate on Tuesday night after they arrived. She told him almost everything. Now before you say anything, Micki, let me explain something. I know that we keep what we do here a secret, but Father Callahan is the only person Kate can confide in. He has known the family since before she was even born. He and the people he works for have been keeping an eye on the Brannigan family... Since the Middle Ages."

Micki's mouth dropped. "What?"

Jack pulled a key out of his pocket and started to unlock his private drawer. "Before we go to Philadelphia, Micki there's something I want you to see." Jack placed before her a leather-bound book with a large 'L' with a sword through the middle emblazoned on the cover .


*****


"Are you sure, Philip?" Derek Rayne paced in front of the vidlink.

"I'm positive Derek, it's soon."

Nick Boyle shook his head. "great. Looks like we get to baby sit."

"She's not that young, Nick. She may surprise you."

Derek broke in before they got into an argument. "Okay. Did you give Mr. Marshack my instructions?"

Philip nodded. "As soon as she gets back from Philadelphia, he's going to begin teaching her elementary magic. Hopefully it's not too late. But it may take awhile, Derek."

"Let's hope not. She only has three weeks. I pray she's up to it."

"Me too." The transmission ended in static, then flashed to a black screen with a large red 'L' spinning in the center.

"I'll get a room ready and tell Alex and Rachel."

Derek didn't hear him. And image flashed in his mind...


A young girl with blonde hair; an Irish peasant (they look the same?);

a large man hitting her (them);

(she fell over a balcony) she falls down a flight of stairs;

(a fire) a light;

(a pendant) the same pendant...


"Hey. Earth to Derek. You okay?"

"I'm fine, Nick." Nick nodded and walked though the hologram. Derek watched him exit. "I pray she's up to it."


*****


Ryan and Johnny fell to the ground. "Oh great. Now where are we?" Johnny groaned.

Ryan slowly got to his feet. "What the hell..." The lower part of his shirt and jeans were covered in blood.

Johnny looked around. "Where's Kate?'


*****


Kate turned down another hallway. "Hello?" At the next turn, she was in a police squad room.

"Jessica?" A man tapped Kate on the shoulder. "Hey, Jessica. You okay?"

"Ahh... sure." She hesitated.

"Come on, you better go see Ed."


*****


"Kate!" Ryan shouted.

"She's not here. I don't think there's anyone here for miles." The only thing they were able to figure out so far was that the were on a dirt road, it was late at night and, according to the letterman jacket Ryan was wearing, his name was Stephen. A police car slowly made it's way down the road. "Ryan, ask the cop to pull over a minute. Maybe he's seen her." But the car was already slowing down. A young man hopped out and went straight for Ryan.

"Hey mister. I was wondering..." The cop punched Ryan in the face.

"Hey!" Johnny rushed him and flipped him over the front of the car.

Ryan peered over the cop's shoulder. "Hey, you okay?" The cop pulled Ryan to the ground and they started taking shots at each other. Ryan grabbed the cops shoulders. The cop head butted him. "Ow! Damn!" Ryan leaned back on the car.

"Get in the car, Stephen."

"You get in the car." Ryan rubbed at the lump growing on his head.

"You want me to cuff ya?"

"What makes you think you can?"

The cop reached to his holster. "I've got a gun."

Ryan sighed. "Screw that." He pulled a gun from the waist of his jeans. "I've got a gun." The cop and Ryan pointed the guns at each others heads.

"Whoa! Hold it!" Johnny screamed.

"You totally wrecked Jessica."

Ryan frowned. "Jessica? Who's Jessica?"

"Jessica. You know, your' ex-girlfriend, the blonde, the one with the big..."

"That could be Kate." Johnny cut him off.

"Where is she?"

The cop sighed. "At the station."

Ryan lowered his gun. "Cuff us."

"What?!" the cop and Johnny cried.

"Cuff us. The both of us."


*****


The police chief's phone came slamming down. "Randy just picked Stephen and some other guy up. He's bringing them in. Jessie, follow Officer Ryan. She'll get you some clothes."

The young officer next to Kate squeezed her shoulder. "All we have are cop uniforms."

Kate laughed. "Anything's better than just this nightshirt."


A disfigured man known as Robert Campbell (who is possessed by the spirit of the killer Jason Voorhees) threw open the doors of the police station. His body was covered in the blood and a set of tire tracks ran across his shirt.

A young trainee ran to his aid. "Hey, you all right mister?" Robert/Jason picked him up and threw him over a counter.

Find Jessica.


Officer Ryan opened the locker. "There. That fits you fine." Suddenly someone grabbed the back of Kate's head. "Hey! Let her go!" Robert/Jason grabbed Officer Ryan's face and smashed her head into the locker. the trail of blood left on it told Kate she was dead. Robert/Jason pushed Kate into the wall. Some kind of black liquid started to ooze out of his mouth/ He pushed Kate's head back and tried to force open her mouth.

Ed came running out of his office. "Stop! Stop right there!"

Robert/Jason pulled his arm back and hit him in the face. Kate heard the crack that sent bones splintering into Ed's brain.

"No!" Kate hit him in the chest with all the strength she had. it was just enough to phase him into letting go for a second. She ran out the door. My God! How many hallways are there in this place!? She turned another corner.


*****


"Well, this was a great idea, Ryan." Johnny, Ryan, Randy made their way to the squad room. There was a scream from around the corner.

A blonde girl in a police uniform running around it. "Ryan! Help me! Ahh!" Robert/Jason grabbed Kate by the hair.

"Kate!" Ryan lowered his hands and, in a flash, he jumped and his hands were in front of him. Johnny did the same and ran down the hallway towards Kate. Ryan grabbed Randy's gun and elbowed him in the face. Kate punched Robert/Jason in the face three or four times then pushed past him. "Move her!" Johnny grabbed Kate, threw her to the nearest wall and covered her with his body. Ryan began firing. Kate's father had taught them both how to use a gun when they used to go up their house in the mountains. They were both pretty good shots. Ryan's mom had been furious when she found out. But Ryan thought it had been cool. he tried to remember what Mr. Brannigan taught him. But when he saw that things attack Kate, all rational thought left him and all he felt was rage. He quickly squeezed of eight random shots. The creature flailed backwards as each shot hit him. Ryan paused. Please God. He pulled the trigger again. The bullet hit right between the ex-reporters eyes. His head fell back and his body fell limp against the wall.

Johnny pulled back. "You okay?"

Ryan put out his hand. "Come on." Kate took it and they ran down the halls and made their way out the door.

"Do either one of you know where the hell we are?"

Kate pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and started to pick the handcuffs. "I think it's the last Friday the 13th movie. Ryan and I saw it when it first came out. We try not to watch it too much though." "Why's that?"

"Well, for one thing it was really bad. But beside that, Ryan gets wigged out because the guy who played Stephen Freeman looked like him." Ryan's handcuffs popped off. she started on Johnny's.

"So what's the plan?"

Ryan checked ht gun. he couldn't find the end of the clip. it was like he had an endless supply of bullets. "Well, if I remember correctly, Kate's goes in this diner to get her baby, goes to the Voorhees house, kills the monster and we get outta here." Johnny's handcuffs came crashing to the ground.

"Why do I have to kill the monster?"

"Cause you're the heroine. we men are simply your traveling companions."

Kate groaned. "I knew there was a reason I hated this movie." Johnny threw open the door to the diner. A young waitress with red hair greeted them. Luckily for Kate, she still remembered some of the characters names. "Vic, where's the baby?"

Vic smiled. "Oh, she's fine."

"Where's the baby?"

Ryan pushed past her. "She's in the back."

A large woman wearing way too much make-up slammed down the open counter door and held out a gun. "Whoa! Hold it right there. Don't move a muscle. Any of ya."

Kate sighed. "Joey, I just want..."

"Shut up! You're with him. Nobody's gonna touch that fucking grain of sunshine. Pookey," she threw the phone at the little man standing next to her, "Call the station."

"I'm doin baby. I'm doin it." He started to dial, then clicked the receiver. "Holy shit. Line's dead."

"Son a bitch. Ward, go see what the hell's going on at the station." A large cook wandered out of the kitchen.

Ryan stepped forward. "Don't let him go over there. He's gonna get killed."

"Shut up! Go on."

"Ma, he just..."

"Ward!"

"Little mister," the short man called. he tossed Ward a gun. "Just in case."

"Cool!" He slipped it into his pants.

"Honey. Watch the willie."

"Ma!" Ward pulled the gun out.

"Ward, don't please."

Joey pointed the gun at Ryan. "Shut up. Keep your hands up. High." Ward walked outside. Kate slid next to Ryan. "Say goodbye to Ward."

"What?" "Joey screamed.

"Joey, please. Just let me get the baby and we'll go."

"Shut the fuck up. You're with a fucking felon."

The little man elbowed Joey. "Oh hey now baby, watch the language."

"Fuck you!"

Kate seized the opportunity to make a grab for the gun. Ryan grabbed Kate's hand and pointed it towards the store room. Joey's finger hit the trigger. The bullet hit the fuse box and exploded. the dim emergency lights clicked on.

Joey spun around. "Now look whatcha fucking done!"

Kate slammed her fist on the counter. "Gimme the baby, Joey!"

Joey got right in her face. "Fuck you!"

Kate pulled back and punched her in the face. Joey fell to the ground, unconscious. "Ow!" Kate shook her hand.

Johnny peered over the counter. "Hey, nice right hook ya got there!" Kate frowned and continued to suck on her knuckles.

Ryan walked up to her. "Nice shot. So, what's next?" There was a scream from outside, then Ward's body crashed into the doors.

Kate turned to him. "You just had to ask, didn't you?"

Robert/Jason burst through the door. Ryan jumped over the counter followed closely by Kate. Johnny rolled under the counter door. Ryan spun around quickly and pulled off three more shots. Vic pulled out a shotgun from under the counter and began to fire haphazardly. "Go!" Ryan screamed and started pushing Kate towards the back room.

"Grab the baby and let's get the hell outta here." Johnny screamed. Kate ran to the back to the box she remembered from the movie, but it was empty. "Come on, Kate!"

"She's gone!" There was a small note lying under the blanket.

Johnny ran into the room. "Where is she?"

"Vic must have moved her." They ran into the next room.

"She's gotta be in here," Ryan said. He and Johnny started looking through some boxes. Kate glanced quickly at the note I her hand. Now she remembered. A barrage of gunshots and screams sounded from the other room. Kate leaned back on the window and tried to remember what Jessica did next. A pair of arms came crashing through the glass and grabbed her. She screamed as Robert/Jason tried to pull her through the broken glass. Johnny grabbed her and tried to pull her free. Robert/Jason pulled harder. Kate screamed as the glass cut into her back. "Let go!" she cried to Johnny. A gunshot blast sounded from behind her. Robert/Jason let go. Ryan ran to the door to cover them. Kate fell to the ground clawing at her back.

Johnny tried to calm her down. "There's a piece in your back. Hold still." She bit her lip and waited for the pain. Johnny made sure he had a good grip on it and pulled. Kate moaned and tears fell down her cheeks. "it's not that bad."

Outside Vic screamed as Robert/Jason plunged a metal poll through her stomach. "Go to hell," she whispered then fell to the ground. Johnny helped Kate to her feet and they joined Ryan at the door. Robert/Jason stood silently, staring at them. Then he collapsed in a bloody heap on the floor. Kate kneeled down next to Vic and pulled here eyes closed.

"I'm gonna try and get some help." Ryan called. Kate stood up, tore a piece of her shirt off and tied her hair back in a pony tail. She turned to leave the room.

Johnny grabbed her arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

She smiled. "To be a hero." In the blink of an eye, she kissed him. And, just as quickly, she was gone.

Ryan's head appeared at the door. "Where's Kate?" Johnny's arm felt like a lead weight as he pointed to the door she had just ran out of. "Damn!" Ryan ran out the door just in time to see Kate sped off in a pick up truck. "Kate! Kate, wait! Damn it!" Ryan ran his hands through his hair and went inside. "What happened?" he asked Johnny.

He smiled. "She's slick."

Ryan threw him a questioning glance. "Huh?" Johnny held up his hand. Kate had slipped him the note she found. "What's it say?"


'I have your baby. Come to the Voorhees house. Alone.

Duke'


"We have to get there." Johnny headed towards the door.

"Wait a minute. I have to get something." Ryan smiled as he pulled the machete off the wall.


*****


Micki closed the book slowly. "talk about black sheep in the family."

Jack nodded and turned off the car. "Father Callahan said he would meet us outside the church after he said the morning mass. Still jet-lagged?" They had left Chicago barely a half hour after their conversation with Philip. Micki still hadn't adjusted from her New York flight yet. She yawned. "Father Callahan said we can rest in the rectory before going on to the house. AH, there he is now."

A tall man walked up to the them. His dark hair was beginning to gray at the temples. He had the face of a young man, but his eyes betrayed is true age and the horrors they had witnessed. "Good morning Mr. Marshack. I hope you had a pleasant flight."

Jack shook Philip's hand. "Yes, thank you. This is Micki Foster, Ryan's cousin. She works at the shop with me." Philip smiled warmly.

"Nice to meet you, Father."

"A pleasure. Now, if you'll follow me, we have much to discuss."


*****


Michael wiped his forehead. This was rough work. he had found tools in his dad's room. Maybe, he thought, just maybe he could pull enough stuff out of the TV, he could get to the people inside. Mommy and Daddy were gone. he could run away then. As he slid the screwdriver into the backboard, a hand gripped his shoulder.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I... I'm just... trying to help the TV out." Michael stammered. Greg hauled him up by his shirt.

"You may fool Mom with that act but you can't fool me." Greg dragged him to the hall closet. "Greg, no! What are you doing?" "Helping your judgment along." Greg threw him in and quickly locked the door. "You'll stay in there till Mom and Dad get home." Michael muddled cries didn't phase him at all. He settled down in front of the TV. The blonde was pulling p in front of a dilapidated house. She had kissed that one dork awhile ago. Maybe he could convince his mom to somehow get her out. Then he could have her all to himself. "Oh Christ" came the voice from the TV (almost as if she had heard him.) The blonde burst through the front door.


*****


Kate burst through front door. A tall black man in a cowboy hat sat perched on the table in the middle of the room. he held a small baby girl in his arms.

"You're alone. Good girl. Jason could have jumped into anyone by now but you. We haven't been formally introduced. My name is Creighton Duke."

Kate slowly moved forward. "What the hell do you think your doing? Grabbing that baby and bringing her here!"

Duke held up a knife. "Hold it."

Kate sighed. "Duke, that reporter, Robert, is dead. I know you were supposed to get some kind of bounty, but you're never gonna see that money now. It's over. Just give me the baby so I can get the hell outta here."
He twirled the knife around. "Just give me two minutes." He reluctantly nodded and stepped back. Duke smiled and slammed the knife into the table. He got up slowly and handed Kate the baby. "It's not about the money anymore."

Kate turned to leave, but Duke blocked here way. "What do you want now?"

"Tonight we can get that bastard. Tonight we can send Jason Voorhees straight to hell for all time."

"You don't need me for that."

"Yes, I do." Duke pulled ht knife out of the table and tossed it to Kate. As she caught the hilt, the whole knife transformed. The end was encrusted with bones and spikes and the blade grew longer. "Only through a Voorhees can he be re-born. And only a Voorhees can kill him. With that."

"No. I'm not putting my friends or this baby in anymore danger."

"You will always be in danger until Jason is dead. He won't stop coming after you until he gets you, until he's re-born. Then he will kill you. And your baby. If you want this to be over, if you wan your baby out of danger, then you will end it now before more people have to die like your friends, like your mother. Because until you kill him... it will never be over."

Kate knew that Duke was talking about Jason. But, for some reason, her mind replaced it with 'Garrison'.


*****


Suddenly the scene switched to the inside of the diner. pair of legs in police boots walking over the dead bodies. As he turned to check a closet, Robert/Jason jumped out of the shadows. Looks like it was time to switch bodies.


*****


Kate lowered the baby into a small cradle in the corner of the room. She smiled. "How convenient, " she whispered. A car rumbled up the driveway. "That could be Ryan or Johnny," she said picking up the knife.

"Jason will have jumped into a new body by now. You can't trust anyone."

"But it could be them."

"Anyone! Do you understand? Ahh!" the floor beneath Duke gave way under his weight. It was a trap door.

"Duke!" Kate dropped the knife and tried to help him up.

"Jessica?" a voice called from the door.

"Ed?"

Duke fell to the floor. He screamed as a rusted piece of pipe pierced through his calf. "Kill him!"

Kate staggered to her feet, brandishing the knife before her. "Ed, is that really you?"

"Of course."

"Stay there."

"Give me the knife."

"I thought you were dead."

"You were wrong."

Kate raised the knife. "Don't come any closer."

"Kill him!" Duke screamed.

"I can't!"

Ed rushed forward and grabbed Kate's arm.

"Freeze!" another voice called. it was Randy, the cop that had picked up Ryan and Johnny. "Get the hell away from her, Ed." Ed backed away.

"Duke, what should I do?"

Duke ripped the pipe from his leg. "Kill the both of them!"

"No!"

"Do it or die!"

"Jessica, give me the knife."

"Back off!"

"Jessica?" Randy called.

Ed rushed forward again. Kate turned, startled. The knife sunk deep into his stomach. The weight of his body knocked Kate off balance and they fell. he pulled the knife out but the impact of hitting the floor knocked it from her grasp. it skidded across the floor and stopped under a dresser on the opposite wall.

"Damn!"

Randy quickly picked up the baby and smiled. A layer of black ooze started to work it's way out of his mouth. Him! Jason was in him! Kate pushed with all her might to get Ed's body off her.

"Get away from her!" She heard footsteps running towards the room. "Ryan!" Ryan yelled and swung the machete. it sliced Randy's neck almost completely in half. His body flopped to the ground. Johnny pulled Ed's body of Kate. She got to her feet quickly and ran for the baby. She smiled at Ryan. "My heroes." Screaming started to echo off the walls. a pink and black blob was crawling out of Randy's neck and shot across the floor. "Where is it?" Kate screamed.

"I don't know"

The creature peeked around the dresser and lunged at Ryan. He caught it in midair and threw it across the room. The creature bounced off of a table and fell through a hole in the floor to the basement. the dead body of Jessica's mother lay a few inches away. the creature ran to it, squealing.

"Duke!"

Ryan and Johnny crouched down and lifted the dark man up. "Where's the dagger?" he yelled. " It's under the dresser."

"Get it!"

Kate turned. A bloody skeleton lay in front of it. She laughed nervously. "I don't think so." A growl erupted from the trap door.

"What's it doing?" Johnny asked as they backed away.

"I don't know."

A flash of realization crossed Ryan's face. "Duke, that whole part about being re-born through a Voorhees woman, does it have to be a living woman?"

"No..."

"Guys, I just remembered. That thing is in the basement with Jessica's mother."

Kate groaned. "Oh we are so screwed." Suddenly the floor exploded and Jason, hockey mask and all, stood before them.


*****


"953 Coldro, Jack. this is the place. Ew..." Micki kicked on old milk carton out of the way. "How can anyone live like this?"

"Needs must as the Devil drives, Micki. Come on. Let's get in there."


*****


Greg practically hopped up and down in his seat when Jason had popped out of the floor.

"Be careful, Micki. This step is broken," a voice caller from outside.

Greg cursed under his breath. More damn people trying to take our TV away. He smiled as he crept in the kitchen doorway. He'd show them.


"Jack, there's something wrong here."

"Yes. Outside it looks like a condemned house, but inside it's perfect. Not a thing wrong with the roof or walls. even down to the nic naks on shelves."

"Do you think that this could be the reward from the TV?"

"I think so, Micki. I only hope we're not too late."

Micki kneeled in front of the TV. "I think we are, Jack. Look."

There was a dark man leaning on an old wooden table screaming. "Get the dagger!" Suddenly the image shifted. A girl was trying to crawl under a dresser. "Lift it up!" she cried.

"Oh God, that's Kate!" Micki screamed. Two more people showed up, each taking a corner of the dresser and lifting. "There's Ryan and Johnny. AT least they're alive."

"I can't reach it!" Kate tried to squeeze under father.

Suddenly a boy jumped out from behind a kitchen door and landed on Micki's back. She expertly flipped him over her shoulder. Greg's head connected with the edge of the TV. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that." As Greg started to come forward, the TV screen started to glow red and grow bigger. Two black hands shot from the screen and grabbed Greg's waist. "No! No, not me! You're mine. You belong to me! No" He quickly disappeared in tot the screen. The room started to glow in and eerie blue. "What's happening, Jack?"

He sat down on the floor. "['m not sure, Micki. All we can do is wait."


*****


Jason had Duke around the waist and was squeezing with all his might. "tonight my friend you will die!" Jason pulled one last time. Duke's back snapped. A trickle of blood slowly ran down his chin.

"Duke!" Ryan screamed.

Greg slowly started through the door. "My God! I'm in the movie."

"What the hell is he doing here?" Johnny called.

Kate's fingers brushed the dagger but it quickly slipped through a crack in the floor and landed in the basement. "Damn it!" Kate rolled out form under the dresser and laid the baby back in the cradle. Jason quickly advanced on her.

Ryan charged. "Get away from her you son of a..." They both crashed through the window at the end of the room. Kate jumped through the trap door.

"No, you don't!" Greg jumped down after her. He grabbed her, spun her around and punched her in the face.


*****


Aurora and Richard Hamilton came running through the front door. "What the hell are you doing here? Who are you?"

Jack stood up straight. "We've come to take the TV back. Enough people have lost their lives to it."

Aurora laughed. "It doesn't affect my family."

"Oh really?" Micki pointed to the screen. Greg was hitting Kate repeatedly.

"Greg!"


*****


Greg's fist connected to Kate's back. She fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Let's see if you can take me, you bastard!" Johnny was hanging from the trap door. he swung hard and kicked Greg in the chest. Greg stumbled back and fell. His body connected with the rusted pipes sticking out of the floor. The largest pipe was sticking out of the center of his chest. A gurgle erupted from his throat, followed by a flow of blood.


*****


"No!" Aurora cried.


*****


Johnny jumped down. "Kate, you okay?"

"Where were you five minutes ago?" A white glow filled the corner of the room. There were two people standing within it. "Jack! Micki!" White hands shot out from the center of the glow, wrapped around Johnny and started to pull him. "Johnny, no!" Kate grabbed his hands and pulled.

"Kate, this is different. I think I'm getting out." He gently kissed the back of her hand. "I'll be fine." Reluctantly, she let go. As Johnny disappeared through the glow, it slowly started to dissolve. The room was plunged into darkness. Suddenly, from outside there was metallic crash and a scream.

"Ryan!" Kate crawled along the dirt floor. Her hands brushed against the blade. "Finally."


*****


Johnny came crashing from the TV screen. "Johnny!" Micki helped him to his feet. "Look out!" Richard lunged at him. "You murdered my son!"

Aurora picked up a vase and smashed it over her hand. She smeared it all over the screen. "I'll get that little bitch!" the black hands grabbed her shoulder and sucked her in.

"Aurora!" Richard grabbed her feet and was sucked in too.


*****


Jason pulled a rather bloody and beaten Ryan from the overturned jungle gym. He picked him up by he shoulders and threw him against a boulder. Kate came running and launched herself at the monster She landed on his back. With her last once of strength, she plunged the dagger trough his heart. Jason pulled back and tossed Kate through the air. She landed at Aurora's feet. Kate looked up. "Oh give me a break..." Aurora picked her up and swung at her. Kate feinted right and punched back. Ryan was taking the opportunity to take out his frustrations on the weakening Jason. Kate kept punching. She couldn't stop. She remembered everything that had happened in the last few days and it juts angered her more. Her fist began to bleed. Aurora fell back. Kate grabbed her arm and looked into her eyes.

"I'll kill you," Aurora mumbled.

"Go to hell." She swung Aurora by the arm backwards into Jason. there was a crunch and a snapping sound. Aurora looked down. The hilt of the dagger had punched through her chest. She coughed. Blood flowed from her mouth. She let out one last scream, then her head flopped forward. The blade had plunged deeper into Jason's heart. A blue light appeared from the sky and a red glow erupted violently from Jason's chest. The jolt knocked Aurora from the hilt. the same white glow from the basement appeared next to a tree. "Ryan, hurry!" Kate and Ryan started running towards the light. The dirt covered hands from hell that Kate remembered from the movie came from the earth and started to pull Jason down.

"Come back here!" Richard threw Ryan to the ground. A dirt hand wrapped itself around Richard's waist and started to pull him down.

"Ryan!" Kate grabbed his arms.

"Pull Kate!"

Jason jumped out of the pit and grabbed Richard's shoulders. Kate gave one final yank. She and Ryan went flying backwards through the glow.

"No!" Richard screamed, clawing at the dirt trying to get away.


*****


Kate and Ryan came flying through the screen in a tangle. The TV started to shrink down to it's normal size. A red light shot from the screen, hitting the walls. The wall paper peeled from the walls, carpet ripped itself off the floor, the ceiling started to cave in, boards started falling off the walls. "Let's get out of here!" Johnny cried. Micki and jack picked up the TV and headed out the door, Johnny in tow. Ryan helped Kate to her feet. "Come on!"

"Wait! Where's Michael?" A beam crashed at Kate's feet.

"Kate!" Michael called and starting pounding on the closet door. Kate found it.

"Michael?" She began to pull on the door. The roof collapsed in Greg's bedroom. "Ryan, help me!" Ryan grabbed the door handle. "Pull!" the door came snapping off it's hinges. Kate picked Michael up. "Let's go, kiddo." Ryan guided Kate quickly through the debris.

"Where are they?" Johnny wondered. Ryan and Kate burst through the door. She was holding a little boy. As they reached the sidewalk, the whole house collapsed in on itself.

Ryan smiled. "can we go home now?"

Kate laughed half heartedly. "Here, here."


*****


The police and fire engines showed up a half hour later. Father Callahan had arrived to take Michael to the rectory. He said he would find a nice family for to live with. Jack and Micki were doing the usual "Oh officer we were just driving by..." speech. Ryan was guarding the car so they wouldn't find the TV.

"Hey, where's Kate?" Johnny asked. Ryan pointed down the street. Kate was standing alone at the mouth of an alley. "Is that..."

Ryan nodded before Johnny finished the sentence. "Leave her be." Kate stood for a few minutes, then slowly walked back to the car. She was smiling. "you okay? Ryan wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah. You know, I actually feel a little bit better."

Micki joined them. "Ryan, the cops need to ask you some questions." Kate pulled away.

"So," Johnny said as Ryan walked away, " how does it feel to be a hero?"

Kate smiled. "Different."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I testified at Garrison's trial, the newspapers called me a hero. I had caught the killer in the act and was helping the make the world a safer place. But I was miserable. He got what he deserved, but that didn't bring Jamie back. But this time it was different. WE saved the world from a demonic TV, as strange as that may sounds. The villains got what they deserved but I got to save a life. And I feel... happy."

"What were you doing at the alleyway?"

"making my peace. Saying goodbye to some old ghosts and regrets."

"Any other regrets."

She wrapped her arms around Johnny's neck. "Well, the hero usually get a reward at the end of the horror movie."

Johnny traced his hands along her cheek. He bent down and brushed his lips along hers. "Like this", he whispered and brought his mouth fully to hers. For a minute, the world stopped around them. Jack walked up and cleared his throat. "Come on, you two. Let's go home."

Kate pulled back slowly. "Something like that," she said. They walked arm in arm back to the car.



_____


Epilogue

_____



Kate sighed as she closed the computer down. It had been two days since they returned from Philadelphia. Micki and Ryan were out shopping and Johnny was upstairs sleeping. She looked closely at the book jack had given her. " 'Zolan's Occult Practices and Theories'. Great." Jack had instructed her to read everything and then he would start showing her how do to some rudimentary magic spells.

"Don't ask for explanations. I can't give them to you right now."

Good old Jack. Being mysterious as usual. But it didn't bother her. Everything was okay. Wasn't it? He just saw something ion her that he thought could be useful to them. He was a magician. Maybe he saw something the same in her. Didn't he? A chill worked it's way up her spine. Something's wrong. "Jack?"


*****


Somewhere outside of Philadelphia, the Brown Asylum stood silently against the storm. Water dripped in a continuos rhythm through the cracked window. the smell of old books and mildew permeated the room. The prisoner sat, head bowed, in the center of the room. Quickly, his head snapped up. Contact. he had found her. Like a snake, his arm slithered along the desk and wrapped itself around the picture. He smiled at it and traced his finger along the blonde girls face. "Ah Kathleen." He stood up and lifted his arms to heaven. "It is time!" The thunderstorm sounded loudly in the distance. Lightning struck a nearby tree. Matthew Garrison smiled.

It was time...........



**********


To be concluded in the Friday the 13th:The Series/Poltergeist: The Legacy crossover-


'Of Witches and Warlocks'


**********