HE 13TH
The beginning (before JASON was born)
New Jersey, 1943
13 year old Mildred Dawson was sobbing uncontrollably in the girl's toilet, she was no ordinary girl (only in looks) and she knew it: She had short curly blond hair, blue eyes and a chubby face that made her less than attractive, but on the outside she reflected an exquisite intelligence that put her at the top of her class. Her problem nevertheless was rather her inability to socialize with kids her own age (boys and girls) and her only friend so far was Miss Fletcher, her English teacher.
Abby Fletcher was a 26 year old brunette who had never married or had any boyfriends, and whom all considered to be a 'spinster, it wasn't that she wasn't attractive by all means, on the contrary she had sparkling green eyes and olive skin and her curly dark hair were always cascading in her shoulders. Unfortunately Miss Fletcher spent most of her time indoors preparing exams for her young students and lately she was rather focused on helping a particular one, she knew how much struggle Mildred had at school with all the girls and that she was being bullied from time to time, but what worried her most was how quiet and withdrawn her young friend was and she could hear alarm bells forming in her head: she had seen cases like this before where 'quiet' people took so much in that one day they'd eventually exploded and the consequences could turn devastated…. What if Mildred ended up hurting someone without realizing it? The brunette sights uneasily and decides to have a word with the chubby girl as soon as possible.
Meanwhile Mildred is walking along the corridors lost in thoughts and realizes too late that a circle of girls has formed and they are now approaching her with smiles on their faces:
"What do you want from me?" Asks the chubby girl with apprehension and starts to tremble hard. She looks around her to see if there is an escape door but suddenly one of the tallest girl, named Jessica, who is the leader of the gang and the prettiest one too, pushes her towards the girl's toiletshard with the rest of them following behind while giggling and snickering.
"Leave me alone!" screams a terrified Mildred but unfortunately Jessica has pushed the door closed with one hand while covering with the other the chubby girl's mouth.
"You scream and you die! Hey girls, why don't we start by undressing our 'little friend' here?" Jessica suggests in a dangerous voice.
"Let undress the fat pig and look at her ugly freckled face and horrible clothes!" All cry in unison while forcing Mildred to take her clothes off and no matter how hard she tries to kick and defend herself she eventually ends up almost naked in front of all those girls who are now laughing hard and continue with their bullying: "Mildred is a fat pig! Mildred is a monster and so is her family!"
That's all Mildred can take and she suddenly punches Jessica hard on the face who then falls down the floor hitting her back first: the commotion takes the rest of the girls by surprise and for a moment no one utters a word. Eventually they help their leader stand on her feet and glaring at the chubby face Jessica says in a hateful voice: "you will pay for what you did fat pig, so you better watch your back next time because we won't go that easy on you…." then facing her gang she continues: "let's go girls, it's getting late and we don't want to miss our next class."
A teary Mildred watches them leave and closes the door softly behind them while undressing hurriedly not before whispering in anger: "I will kill them one by one I swear….."Looking at her own reflection in the mirror she burst into tears and exclaims: "Why can't I be beautiful like my sisters? Maybe I could go on a diet and wear nice dresses?" She then opens the tap and rinses her red flushed face with cold water and thinks hard.
She was the youngest of four girls aged between 16 and 21, therefore the baby in the family, unfortunately she was also an abused child: her father was an alcoholic who had tried to force on her a few times, her older sisters battered every day for a reason or another, and her poor mother had an incurably disease named 'Osteoporosis' and too weak to come to her defence, not that Mildred had ever told her anything either, she knew that the sick woman was suffering enough and when the weather was bad the pain was almost unbearable for her. Oddly enough when their parents had married her mother had been a strong healthy woman but like the doctors had said many times the disease could just come out of the blues…
Mildred starts to shiver all over but feels grateful that at least she had school that was her sole escape, and the fact that all the teachers loved her and had assigned her with most subjects in which she excelled without any effort. She knew she was smarter than most kids which is why she had been the subject of 'bullying', therefore she consoled herself with the knowledge that she had an inner beauty rather than an outer one, and besides she had her beloved Miss Fletcher who believed in her and was always encouraging her to study hard so that one day she could be selected to go to the best university and become a literature teacher like her.
Mildred wipes the tears rolling down her face and with a new resolution decides it is time to change her life for the better. Opening the bathroom's door slowly she comes face to face with her older friend who tenses when she sees the chubby girl's swollen face:
"Mildred darling what happened to you? Have those nasty girls been bullying you again?"
In answer to Miss Fletcher's concern the chubby blond girl throws herself in her arms and starts to sob silently.
"Cry all you want baby but I promise you that I'll have a word with the headmaster as this cannot go on." The brunette replies holding Mildred tenderly and as soon as those words are said she feels the young girl tense under her embrace.
"Please don't do that Miss Fletcher: it'll only make things worse for everyone, besides I think I'll soon have a solution for all my misery."
The young teacher gasps when she sees the evil look on Mildred face but it only lasts a minute, and as if by magic her young friend smiles at her sweetly and the brunette wonders if it has been a fragment of her imagination, surely this little girl was harmless, wasn't she? She stares at her friend for the longest time before replying:
"If you say so honey, but I insist on taking matters in my hand if those girls bother you again alright?"
Still smiling Mildred takes the teacher's hand in her and while caressing it and answers with assurance: "don't you worry about me Miss Fletcher because I'm a big girl now and I will make sure that one day anyone who has been nasty to me pays for it, and you know what, god has his way in dealing with bad people…" And as soon as those words are said Mildred releases the teacher's hand abruptly and starts to walk fast back to the classroom leaving her stare after her while bells are starting to ring in the brunette's head: what was this young chubby girl up to now and why was she talking this way?
As soon as Mildred enters into the classroom she can feel all the eyes on her. She is ten minutes late for her History class (a subject that has always fascinate her because you could be sure to go back in time and escape reality) and Mrs Brown is giving her a stern look:
"I will not tolerate lateness Miss Dawson, but as this is the first time it happens and since you are one of my best students I will forgive you, but just this once, understood?"
Mildred glares at all the nasty girls who have locked her in the toilet and grins at Jessica before answering with a sweet voice: "I promise you to be on my best behaviour from now on Mrs Brown." She then takes a seat in the first row as usual, she couldn't miss one bit from her favourite subject and she wouldn't let Jessica and her gang interfere with the class.
The rest of the day goes smoothly until Physical education (her least favourite subject of all) comes and Mildred starts to sweat in apprehension, she can feel in her very soul that something bad is about to happen and bracing herself for the worse she walks slowly into the 'girl's locker room' to get changed. Out of the corner of her eyes she observes Jessica getting undressed and is taken aback by the beauty of her body: a slim firm stomach, cascading dark hair and rosy cheeks that would probably drive boys crazy one day. More than ever Mildred wishes so much to be a beauty like the rest of the girls but looking at her fat belly and freckled face she sights unhappily. Her thoughts are shaken away by the noise of a bell ringing and she knows it is time to sweat for real!
After an hour of running and stretching Mildred is relieved to finally be able to hit the shower, let the cool water run into her body and feel clean again…..The hard impact makes her fall down the floor with her face heating first and Mildred is too astonished to react when she suddenly hears a vengeful voice utter:
"That ought to teach you not to mock us by being the teacher's pet and maybe next time you'll think twice before trying to outsmart us you bitch!"
Jessica's voice is full of hate, and all Mildred can do is wait slowly until the ordeal is over. Surely it'll all be over soon and then after the beatings were over she'll be able to get up….
Sure enough dozen of girls start to kick her mercifully under their leader's order, and after what seems like an eternity they finally stop, not before taking all her belongings away while Mildred is laying, face down the floor whimpering . Suddenly Jessica opens the water tap and the chubby blond girl she cries fervently:
"Not my books please, I'll do anything you want but you know how important they are to me!"
Laughing mercifully the leader hands her command to the crew: "let her books go to hell!" and all the chubby blond girl can do is see all her belongings get ruined without being able to do anything about it. Finally after what seems an eternity Jessica, feeling bored suddenly exclaims:
"Let's go now girls, enough punishment for today but we'll continue soon….."
Mildred is too shattered to move, but as soon as she hear the bathroom door close behind her, she recovers and slowly raises and what she sees leaves her in shocking belief: all her books are ruined and the water still running. Feeling her tears starting to form in her eyes she slowly rises, turns the shower tap off and dresses hurriedly. She then opens the door and notices the empty hall: everyone is gone she realizes, and she decides it is for the best , she was in no mood to give any explanation about her appearance to anyone, and shivering from her wet clothes she takes a deep breath and with great effort drags her feet up to the entrance door.
As soon as she steps outside, the heavy rain surprises her and walking as fast as she can, she starts to shiver all along and it takes her forever to finally reach home but by the time she makes it, she is too weak and starts to tremble from the cold. She hears a thunderstorm and just when she is about to open her front door her father appears and she faints right into his arms.
After what seems an eternity Mildred finally opens her eyes and the first thing she sees is her family stare at her: her 4 sisters, her frail mother and her vicious father are standing by her bed. She is still feeling too weak to stand but smiles at them gratefully, they were here for her for good and worse and she ought to be grateful. Maybe things would change and she would finally be happy and have the 'nice normal family' she'd often dreamed she would: her father would stop with his heavy drink, the doctors would find a cure for her mother's disease and that would make her parents fall in love again and finally her older sisters would accept her as one of them, start to treat her with love and respect and if life was perfect she would turn from an 'ugly duckling' to an 'beautiful swan'….
Her thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the bell ringing and she immediately tenses. Who could it be and why?
"I'll get the door." She hears her father say.
"There's no need to worry, darling." Her mother says taking Mildred hand in hers and looking closely the chubby blond girl notices how much the older woman has aged lately, probably due to the disease but in part because having an alcoholic husband and daughters who only of themselves gave her no much pleasure in life. She remembers not so long ago when her mother was still a healthy young woman, she a little girl of 5 or 6 playing with her sisters when they were all in an innocent age that was long before reaching their teens, and her father a handsome happy man in love with his wife and throwing parties from time to time or going to picnics with all of them and wonders why did it have to change. Now looking up at her sisters so engrossed in themselves, going to dances and with steady boyfriends she realizes that very soon they'll be gone forever, each marrying a good match and they would probably live in luxury and forget that once upon a time they had parents and a little sister.
"Honey what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Mildred can feel the tears rolling down her face again and wiping them she squeezes her mother's hand and forcing a smile replies:
"Mother I want you to know that no matter what happens in the future I love you and always will…."
"Mildred, stop talking as if you were dying, you only caught a little fever because you got wet from the rain but it's nothing serious."
The chubby girl breaths in relief on hearing her mother's words: She doesn't know what really happened back at school with those nasty girls and thank god for that. Let her believe what she wants because the last thing she needs is more of a burden in her life.
"I wonder what's taking your father so long and who is at the door?
Sure enough they hear the man in question yell at somebody:
"I will not tolerate your presence and it is none of your business to check on my daughter Miss. She has her family for that and teachers are only here to give and correct homework….."
"Abby is my name but feel free to call me Miss Fletcher, and please Mr Dawson, try to understand that Mildred is also my responsibility and I believe she has been bullied at school for a very long time now, and as a teacher I feel the need to protect her. She is a very bright young girl, the smartest in her class and she has excellent grades you know?"
"I am fully aware that my daughter is a good student but I don't believe a word you said about her being bullied, at 13 years of age surely she knows how to defend herself and I have not seeing any proof of her being injured or hit by anyone. She is a strong and healthy girl so goodbye!"
"We are not finished yet Mr Dawson! Mildred didn't come to school today and when I last saw her yesterday she was being a targeted by some of the girls, but when I questioned her she let me to believe that everything was alright but it isn't, and this is why I want to talk to her and let her know that I am on her side and….."
"Thank you for your kind words but we don't need a Mother Teresa to save our daughter to some little fights she may have had with girls. Like I said she is big enough to stand up for herself, she needs to toughen up a little and this is the perfect time for it, goodbye!"
With those last words they hear the front door bang hard and heavy steps walk back into the room.
Mildred heart starts to beat fast when she sees her father glare at her with disapproval. She thought that maybe with her being sick things would change for the better but now she realizes how wrong she had been all along: he smiles at her with lust and she knows with a certainty that tonight when they would all be asleep he would surely force himself on her and make her his, like he had so many times before. She tries to close her eyes but hears her father's venomous voice:
"What business did that teacher of yours had to do here? Have you been telling her lies about your family again, and what is this all about girls attacking you? You should start been interested in boys by now anyway, like the rest of your sisters and stop behaving like a little girl, do you hear me?"
"Yes father."
She then hears her mother's voice: "Dear please, let our daughter sleep for now, she has to recover so she can go back to school soon, right honey?" She says kissing Mildred in her forehead. Finally they all leave Mildred alone with her thoughts and when they're gone she breathes in relief: maybe her father would forget about her, just for tonight and then maybe she would be able to fall into a deep sleep…
Meanwhile Abby Fletcher is on her way home and raging all over: how dare this man treat her like she was some sort of intruder when all she wanted was to be a confidante to the young girl. Mildred needed very badly guidance, and she had a feeling that if she didn't interfere with her life on time the chubby blond girl might turned into something dark in later years to come. She knew from her own experience that if you didn't get the necessary help in younger years you could become a convict, like with her own older brother:
Robert Fletcher had always been the 'black sheep' in the family and the least favourite of all the children; Probably due to the fact that he was a dreamer while the rest of the kids where down to earth people, a fact that drove their father crazy and more than once he had been the 'easy target', the one that Mr Fletcher always picked up on, which of course drove him wild and sent him running away from home, therefore the pre teenage boy started to hung out with the 'wrong gang', got often into fights for one reason or the other, and finally got sent to prison for vandalism at the tender age of 16. Even after all those years Abby had still a pang in her heart when she thought about how young she had been back then, to be able to help, barely 12, and although she had insist on parents for help and take her brother out of the prison they ignored her and said stuff like: "It's his own making and he shouldn't have robbed a bank in the first place etc….."
After a while she had stopped moaning, until one day she decided to visit him in prison, maybe she'd be able to do something for her older brother? Nevertheless as soon as she entered the prison and saw him she felt a pang in her heart: in only a year Robert looked ill and had a yellowish skin, he looked like a drunken junkie and from what she'd heard he had gotten into a lot of fights.
She was waiting at the visitor's room at the time and one look at his little sister the young man in question burst into tears: "Abby baby, please leave me here and never come back….. Look at me, I have become a bad person and I don't think I'll go out soon…. You don't know what it's like to live in this hell and please believe me when I say to you that I have tried to redeem myself but I just can't…"
As soon as those words were said Abby run right into her older brother's arms and sobbed hard. Why was god so mean to let something this bad happen to her favourite brother and why wasn't justice made? What about the rest of the boys from the gang, and didn't they deserve to be punished to? Bracing herself the 13 year old girl detangles herself from Robert's arms and declares firm: "I swear to you that one day I will get you out of the prison no matter what and that you and I will live happily ever and ever…"
Unfortunately this day was never to come because a week later the police came at the Fletcher's door to tell them that their son Robert had hung himself in prison, and after that Abby's world had started to succumb: from then on she spent her days indoors studying hard to become something wordy, so that when the time came she'd be ready to leave and start a new life on her own.
13 years later Abby was still feeling the pain on losing someone close to her, she had accomplished a lot in her young years: after graduating at the top of her class she went to the university of literature to become an 'teacher in English and Arts', applied for the 'School of girls' where Mildred was and the rest was history; She had never married though she thought with regret, and it wasn't that there wasn't any man in town but rather that she'd spent her free time helping young children grow, kids in need like Mildred and she wanted so badly to at least be able to make a good life for the girl in question, maybe because the chubby blond girl was a lot like Robert in a way: a dreamer, different from the rest of the kids or maybe because she had developed a 'soft spot' for her. Whatever the reason she felt in her very soul that if she didn't do something for Mildred soon troubles where ahead of them…..
That same night Mildred is finally falling asleep when she suddenly sees her bedroom door open slowly and her father enter: Jack Dawson was still a handsome man in his late forties, and he had a way of smiling that made all the woman fall down his knees, but right now a terrified little girl was looking at him in repulsion.
"Father, why are you here, and what do you want from me?"
"You know very well what I want little one: you of course and you'll be mine." The older man says to hear smiling devilish at her.
"But you are my father!" Mildred finally screams at him and starts to tremble all over.
"Not really. I know I am not supposed to tell you this but you are not mine: before you were even born your mother was still pretty and healthy and had all the men she wanted at her feet, one day she had a one night stand with one of my colleagues, a big man who used to work for me and was always after my Sonia even though she was married to me and therefore a Dawson , butlet me tell you that your mother was a 'trash' and a 'slut' who slept around! So you understand now why is that you don't have any resemblance to your sisters and me, right?" He finishes bursting into hysterical laughs.
"You are lying!" screams Mildred at the top of her lungs. She cannot believe what she just heard and will not accept it, and just when her father is about to jump into her bed they hear the bedroom door open and her mother enters:
"What on earth is going on Jack and why are you in our daughter's bed?"
"Mildred is only your daughter Sonia and not mine so stop the pretending: you know very well that she was conceived by one of my 'workers' and that only because I loved you at the time and to save my name I decided to accept her as my own blood and flesh but she isn't….."
"Shut up Jack or you'll ruin everything!" Sonia screams in fury and both of them are so engrossed in their own conversation and are taken aback when they suddenly hear their youngest daughter yell at the top of her lung and freeze:
"Get out of my room now both of you or I'll kill myself!"
"Mildred darling, please….."
"Mother I want you to leave me alone and if what you said is true take your husband away from me too, will you?"
"Alright darling, we'll talk about it tomorrow but don't you worry about it baby because once I've explain to you everything you'll understand. Goodnight sweetheart." Sonia kisses her daughter on the cheek and leaves the room followed by Jack.
As soon as the coast is clear Mildred gets up quickly from her bed and starts packing a small suitcase: she would go to Miss Fletcher's house that very night and hope that her only friend would understand her and welcome her in her home. With great difficulty and still weak from the cold she slowly get all her important belongings together, and after making sure that everyone in the house is asleep she walks up to the front door and braces herself for the cold night.
Abby is waken by the insistent sound a bell ringing, and checking her alarm clock she reads 2 pm. Who on earth could be there at this time of the night? Without hesitation she gets up her bed and walks slowly towards the front door, opens it and comes face to face with Mildred!
"Mildred what on earth is going on and god you are shivering and should be in bed!" With those words the older woman takes the young girl inside her house, closes the door quickly taking a good look at her: she is wearing her pyjamas, her hair is dishevelled and her face still red from the cold and without wasting another minute Abby pushes her into her room and tugs her in her own bed, and after making sure the girl is comfortable she questions her.
"Honey, will you tell me what happened now and why did you come to me? Is it your father: did he hurt you?"
"He is not my father!" Mildred screams in fury. And if my mother hadn't walked in he'd abuse me again….."
Taken aback by the reaction of her young friend Abby is too shocked for words: "What are you taking about and are you saying that your father forced on you?"
Mildred burst into tears before continuing, "just tonight I have found out that my mother had an affair with one of the workers and that my so called father only stayed with her to keep his name clean, can you imagine how do I feel now?"
For a moment Abby is too lost for words and remains silent, slowly digesting the news. This little girl had no father and was the product of a 'one night stand' and suddenly everything made sense: the abuse she had to endure at her home, the bullying at school and her lack of security explained a lot and why she had nothing in common with her family. In her eyes Mildred possessed an extraordinary intelligence that only few people were blessed to have, and the brunette was going to make sure that it stayed that way. From now on she would supervise her growth, and taken a mental note she decides to speak to the headmaster to see if her young charge could spend summer vacation at this new place people were often talking about called 'camp crystal lake' where they had the biggest lake in town and where kids had their time of their life…. Yes, that ought to take all the misery away from Mildred and with that new determination in mind Abby smiles with anticipation, she knew with a certainty that her life was going to take a turn for the better, and with a new charge in it, and for a moment she forgets that the chubby blond girl is here with her:
"Miss Fletcher, are you even listening to what I just said to you?"
Taking her younger friend's hands in her Abby says happily: "Mildred darling don't you worry a thing about anything because I just have the solution for you, from now on I will take care of you and when the summer comes i will send you to the nicest summer camp there is."
"But my family will never agree, Miss Fletcher…."
"I will talk to the headmaster and the authorities if I have to, and I am sure they'll hear me when I tell them that your 'father' tried to have a sexual relationship with a minor and they'll have to understand that it is in your own interest that you are to be sent away for a while for distraction, and with summer just a few weeks away this is a good opportunity, so will you trust me my friend when I say I want to help you?"
Taking her teacher's hand in hers Mildred smiles at her gratefully: "You are my very best and only friend indeed and I will always love you…. I just hope that everything you said is going to happen because I am aching to be happy at last, I really am….."
"You will darling, have faith in yourself and you'll see how in the end everything will turn just fine." With that Abby wishes her young friend a good night and heads to the living room after tuning the lights off and closing the bedroom door.
Mildred cannot remember the last time she had such a peaceful night and she falls asleep with a smile on her face thanking god for sending her a 'guardian angel' like Abby to save her from going downhill…
The next day Abby takes Mildred right to the headmaster to explain her situation and they both decide it is best to send the young girl next week to 'camp crystal lake', and after hearing the shocking story about the abuse this young girl had to endure at home he agrees that it is for the best, and takes a mental note to go to the authorities soon.
"I know it is only spring now but some of the girl's parents are sending their kids to an early one and so now they'll be one in May and the next one in August."
"I am delighted to hear that and I know Mildred will be too!" A very happy Abby exclaims.
As the days goes by, Mildred finds herself more at ease in her new home, she starts to slowly forget about her family and the horrible things that happened in the past, and is sitting in the garden reading a book and enjoying the gentle spring breeze when she hears the voice she has come to loathe more and more in the last couple of years, and so she is in total shock when out of the blues she comes face to face with Jack Dawson…..
"What's my little princess doing all alone?"
"Father why are you here? Shouldn't you being taken away by the authorities for abusing me?" The chubby blond girl starts to tremble in fear and wishes Abby to return soon from her groceries shopping, it wasn't far away so what was taken her so long?
"Not enough evidence, and isn't it funny how you insist in calling me father even though I told that we are not related." And looking in the direction of the house he continues in a lazy voice: "Where is your little friend by the way, shouldn't she be babysitting you or something?" Feeling more and more uneasy Mildred replies:
"She went to the supermarket but she will be back very soon, as a matter of fact any minute."
"So she left you all alone, what a pity but it is better so because you and I have some unfinished business princess…."
"Stop calling me like that!" Mildred screams at the top of her lungs and regrets it immediately when she sees the fury in Jack's eyes.
"You will be mine whether you like it or not be assured, darling…." The older man answers covering her mouth and dragging her into the house.
Once inside Jack looks out for the nearest bed and carries the terrified young girl in it, declaring in a dangerous voice: "I will teach you not to make fun of me, and maybe next time you'll think twice before running into your 'beloved teacher'. Try to relax and enjoy all the experience an older man like me can give you so that when you make love to young men you are prepared, you might even thank me for it in later years princess….."
Mildred closes her eyes in defeat trying to forget that her father is about to rape her once again, all the while cursing Miss Fletcher for not being there on time to save her from this evil man.
Jack rips her clothes off, takes his pants off and forces himself on her while muttering a soft song and starts to chant: "Twinkle, twinkle Little star How I wonder what you are…..": a children song he used to sing to her when she was a little girl and before he started to have this problem with alcohol, when he was still the father she believed him to be…. Finally it is all over and when she feels Jack get up the bed Mildred opens her eyes slowly, turns away from this terrible man and starts to sob silently. Putting his pants back on Jack says to her in a cold voice:
"I will go now and if I find out that you have told anyone anything, you know what will happen to you next time princess, bye for now…."
After she hears him leave Mildred is too shattered to rise from the bed, she falls into a deep sleep and starts to dream:
It is 1935 and 5 year old Mildred is sitting in her father's lap enjoying a Sunday picnic with her family, her sisters are jumping up and down laughing hard and her mother has a dreamy look on her face all the while looking in every direction as if waiting for someone: She is a very pretty dark haired woman, in fact all of them are 'brunettes' except for Mildred who is a natural blonde and blue eyed girl and in her 'daddy's eyes' a little princess.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star how I wonder what you are….." Jack starts to sing to Mildred looking at her with adoring eyes. Suddenly out of the corner of her eyes the blond little girl sees her mother walking away from them and breaks free from her father.
"Where is my princess going now?" Jack asks tenderly.
"I am going for a walk." Mildred replies smiling back at him.
"Ok, but don't too far or the 'bogey man' will get you!"
"I won't, I promise." With that the blond little girl wanders off to see what her mother is up to. After about 5 minute walk she spots her talking to a very tall and broad shoulder blond man and she hears they yell at one another:
"How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from my family Paul? I am a married woman with children and whatever happened with us was a long time ago…."
"You know very well that she is my damned kid too Sonia and I can see the resemblance she has with me every day!" The man's voice is gruff and his face is very red. Mildred is feeling very scared of this aggressive man and fears that he might attack her 'mommy'.
"Sonia I swear to you that you will regret it!" The aggressive big man yells taking the pretty woman by the elbow.
"Leave my mommy alone or I'll tell daddy!" The blond little girl says coming out for the rescue, and for a moment the man and the woman are too surprised to utter a word. Suddenly the big blond man walks towards Mildred slowly and taking her hands in his he says in an unusual soft voice:
"You are a little angel indeed and how I wish you were my…."
"Stay away from her Paul!" Sonia screams taking her little girl into her arms while walking away hurriedly.
"Who was that nasty big man mummy?"
"No one honey, and promise me not to say a word to your father, alright?"
Looking at her mother with curiosity Mildred replies in a serious voice: "You mean like a secret between you and me?"
"Yes, a secret that's it!"
On their way back to the picnic mother and daughter forget they even had that conversation and after that everything goes back to normal, until a couple of years later when Sonia suddenly starts to develop difficulties with her posture and the doctors discover a horrible disease called 'Osteoporosis'. From then on the family starts to slowly fall apart: Sonia can only walk with a cane now, Jack can only find comfort in alcohol, their older girls, too ashamed about their parents start to spend more time outdoors and less indoors, and as for Mildred, she goes from an outspoken pretty girl to a shy overweigh one, she finds comfort in her studies and after hard work she finds out one day how she is at the top of her class! Unfortunately all the children hate her now and her 'former friends', too ashamed about her family problems are drifting away from the now chubby blond girl slowly until only a shadow of her lovely past remains…
Mildred is awaken by someone pushing her hard and opens her eyes to see Abby looking at her in concern and throwing herself in her teacher's arms she exclaims: "Oh Miss Fletcher thank god you came back!"
"But what happened to you and why is your face all red?" Suddenly Abby is gripped by an apprehension. She gets up from the bed and continues in fury: "Your father was here, wasn't he? And he raped you!"
"Please don't tell anyone Miss Fletcher or he'll kill me! He says so before he left and even if the police arrest him he'll find a way to escape and come after me and I am scared!"
Abby takes the trembling girl into her arms and says in a soothing voice:
"I won't let anything bad happen to you, sweetheart I promise…."
"But you weren't there when I needed you." Mildred murmurs to her in reproach.
"I know darling and you cannot imagine how sorry I am, but I swear to you that this man will pay for what he did to you, I can assure you that."
"I know he will… Justice will see to that." Mildred says in a low voice all the while looking at the teacher with an evil smile on her face.
Abby gasps when she notices the expression on the young girl's face: a look she cannot describe and the bells start to ring in her head again and she is seized by an indescribable fear….
Camp Crystal Lake, Friday the 13th
The sun is shining on this lovely spring day and June is only a couple of weeks away. Mildred is feeling very excited because finally today is her first day at the camp and she was looking forwards to have a swim at the lake later on. Right now though she is walking with Miss Fletcher in the forest and the brunette is telling her all about the birds and the flowers:
"You know Mildred nature is very complex and when I was a little girl I used to dream of being able to go to a summer camp like you and swim, nevertheless my family was rather poor and they didn't offer the facilities at my school, but you my darling are a very lucky girl!"
Taking the teacher's hand in her Mildred replies smiling: "I know I am Miss Fletcher and it is only you I have to thank for it, you convinced the headmaster and saved me from my so called father's grasp and so because of you I am here and a very happy girl today, thank you again." With that she plants a kiss on her older friend's cheek and they continue their walk.
Mildred hears a noise behind her but when she turns around there is nothing: How weird, I am positive I heard something though…..
Seeing her young friend stop Abby says: "What's wrong?"
"Nothing but I could have swear I heard something, didn't you?"
Shaken her head the teacher's only reply is: "Probably some bird or maybe a cat…."
After lunches are over Mildred decides it is time now for a swim on her own, most people are either asleep or resting, and so she wanders alone in the forest until she finally arrives at the lake: the water is shining and looks inviting and the chubby blond girl starts to undress revealing a long dark bathing suit. She is ready for a dip when she suddenly hears giggling and a nasty voice that freezes her! Turning around she sees Jessica and her gang standing in a circle and ready to attack her.
"What do you want from me? Leave me alone or I'll scream!" Mildred says in a terrified voice all the while looking around for a way to escape.
"Hey girls, I think our little friend here wants to go for a swim, so how about we teach her how?" Jessica answers in a mocking voice.
Seeing all the girls walking her way the chubby blond girl starts to tremble and says in an audible voice: "Please, leave me alone…. I promise I'll do anything you want but please don't hurt me…."
"Please, don't hurt me…." Jessica mimics her and burst into hysterical laughs.
One of the girls sneers: "Hey Jess, maybe we should push her into the lake what do you reckon?"
"It is a fabulous idea Marta!" Jessica exclaims and suddenly the rest of them chant:
"Let's throw the pig into the water!"
Mildred tries to walk away but she has no chance to fight back with so many of them, and soon enough she is pushed into the water but when she intends to resurface strong hands are holding her head down, she starts to gag and soon everything turns black….
When she opens her eyes Mildred comes face to face with a familiar face: Abby is looking at her dishevelled hair and clothes, and starts to cry.
"Why is that you always come late, Miss Fletcher? Those girls tried to drown me and you weren't there….."
"Honey, I am so sorry but I will speak to the headmaster to have those girls expelled, I will…"
"Forget about it Miss Fletcher, tonight is the big dance and I don't want them to cancel it so let's pretend it never happened, please?"
Seeing the wistful look on her young friend's face Abby relented: "Alright but only for tonight, tomorrow I'll go to the headmaster and I am keeping an eye on you from now on…."
Smiling sweetly the chubby blond girl hugs her teacher tenderly and they both get up to get ready for the ball.
At 8 o'clock sharp, the ballroom is full of people dancing and the band they hired is playing songs from the 'Roaring forties' such as Glen Miller, Bing Crosby, The Mills brothers, Benny Goodman and this young handsome man Mildred could only dreamed about: Frank Sinatra, a very talented man from Italian background who had the strongest voice she'd ever heard and whom she wished she would one day meet…..
The next tune played by the band was a classic: 'Moonlighting serenade' by Glen Miller and now all the pairs were dancing tight to the romantic song.
"Why aren't you dancing darling?"
Mildred looks up to see Abby standing in front of her looking at her in concern.
"Why do you think? I haven't got a partner, and what about you Miss Fletcher?"
Mildred noticed the brunette blush a little before she answers: "I've just met a handsome young man an hour ago and he asked me out but I wanted to make sure you're ok."
"I am alright, thank you and maybe you should go back to your Beau…" Just when she is about to answer they hear a nasty voice behind them exclaim:
"Well if it isn't the girlfriends!" Jessica sneers at them while eyeing them enviously.
Abby immediately stands in front of her young charge before she proceeds: "Leave Mildred alone Jessica or I will take you right now to the headmaster, and I know what you and your gang did to her today and you should feel ashamed!"
"Whatever you are talking about Miss Fletcher?" Jessica feigns innocence.
"Don't push it honey or you'll regret it!"
The voice of tone of Abby let Jessica realize this woman means business, and shrugging it off she replies followed by her gang: "Let's hit the dance floor girls and forget about those bunch of losers…."
After they leave Abby let a breath out of relief and turns to look at her young friend waiting to see fear in her face, but finds her smiling instead.
"Why are you looking at me with that weird smile in your face, Mildred?"
"It's nothing Miss Fletcher, just that I have a feeling I am going to have the time of my life tonight, that's all!"
Abby glares at the young girl with a puzzled expression but before she can reply, she feels a gentle tap on her shoulder and turns around to find her partner. Smiling at Mildred she says to her before leaving: "We'll talk about it later…."
"Whatever you say, Miss Fletcher….."
Camp Crystal Lake, around midnight
Jessica is exhausted after dancing all night long with her Beau of the ball and decides to take a hot shower before going to bed. She is in the dormitory she shares with some of her closest friends and sights wishing that the bathroom facilities weren't that far: now she'd have to put a rob on and walk alone in the dark night before she could reach the cabin where the showers were, and it wasn't that she was afraid of the woods but everyone was asleep now and she'd felt safe if she could have someone to walk with her…. Taking a deep breath the pretty girl finally decides to be brave, and after opening the door slowly walks out in the woods.
It is a hot humid night and the moon is shining. Jessica looks around to see if there is an intruder but everything is quiet, nevertheless she quicken her steps until she finally reaches the cabin were the bathrooms are, and as soon as she enters she takes her rob off, starts to undress until she is completely naked, she opens the shower taps and is just about to wash herself when she sees a shadow. Turning the tap off the pretty girl exclaims alarmed:
"Who is this?"
Jessica starts to shiver from the cold and the fear but when she sees the person in question she breathes with relief: "Oh it's you thank god! You gave me such a fright and by the way, I am glad to see you! I thought you were an intruder and…." Suddenly her eyes widen and she wants to scream but a plastic bag prevents her from doing so, and everything turns black…
Not too far away from the scene two of Jessica's friends are having a 'late night swim' at the lake and giggling happily: "tonight was so romantic! Tony asked me out and I think we are going to start going steady, of course my parents cannot find out, after all we are only 13 years old but I feel he is the one Marta swear!"
Her pretty blond friend sights dreamily and replies: "I know because I have just experienced the same as you Roberta, I wish we were a little older so we could elope….." Suddenly they hear a noise coming from the distance and tense.
"Did you hear that Miriam?"
"It's probably just an animal, after all we are in a forest so don't worry about it."
As soon as those words are said Marta finds herself pushed under the water by strong hands and tries hard to come back to the surface without any luck. Kicking hard she tries to resurface with no luck: this person is stronger than her, and after a few more minutes she gives in and everything turns black.
Meanwhile Miriam, aware that her friend went down is terrified and thinking she was attacked by some sort of fish she starts to swim as fast as she can. Unfortunately for her she is pushed down the water by strong hands and before she has a chance to resurface she is kicked hard and loses conscience immediately…..
Mildred is swimming fast now after taking care of the business, and just when she is about to get out of the water she sees Abby walking in her direction, she is surprised to see her friend taking a walk at this hour of the night, but waving at her she slowly walks towards her, and is about to greet her when she notices the frozen expression on the teacher's face.
"What's wrong Miss Fletcher and why are you looking at me like that?"
Abby is too astonished to utter a syllable and is staring at an object floating in the water. Following her gaze Mildred realizes the teacher has discovered the 'bodies' and turns to face her with a devilish smile:
"So you know the truth now, don't you? I am sorry about that because I will have to kill you too, and believe me how it pains me, after all you are the only person who has been kind to me all this time, but I can't let anyone find out and lock me in, you'll understand what I'm talking about, but don't worry because your dead is going to be painless, I'll make sure of that…"
"Oh Mildred why, if only you had let me help you none of this would have happened, after all I am your only friend here, am I not?"
"I don't have any friends…. And besides, you were never there for me: you let my father raped me and those nasty girls almost kill me so you deserve to die!"
Abby shudders on hearing the cold tone of voice of the chubby blond girl but tries one more time: "Mildred, darling please listen to me when I tell you that I love and want to help you… You don't really want to kill me, do you?"
It takes one look at Mildred's evil expression and all hope is gone from the teacher…..
Looking for a way to escape Abby walks backward, unfortunate for her the young girl reaches for her neck first and begins to strangle her pressing hard. She sees the eyes pop out of the head first and then the teacher's face turn purple, and feeling all the anger take over her Mildred keeps pressing harder and harder until the fury is all gone, and she finally relents. Taking her hands away from the older woman's neck she looks around making sure no one is around before walking back into the house.
Mildred finally finds the kerosene she was looking for and fetching matches she returns to the scene of murder to finish taking care of the business. She walks towards the dead body of her teaching and shaking her head she sights: "You know, I really like you Miss Fletcher but you had no business looking for trouble and now you are dead…."
Lighting up the matches Mildred carries Abby's body, throws her down the lake and after a minute she watches everything goes on fire…..
The troubled young girl is still standing down the lake watching everything goes on flame that she doesn't hear the sirens or the police when they come to find her, and only when they handcuff her does she burst into tears: "They made me do it! The nasty voices in my head said I had to take revenge…"
New Jersey mental hospital
The sheriff is talking to some police officers at the 'mental hospital' where a very disturbed Mildred is being taking cared of:
"Imaginable to say that a 13 year old could do such a killing, and now we'll have to close 'Camp Crystal Lake' for good or get a bad reputation…."
"More like 'Blood Camp' if you don't mind me saying so sheriff."
The sheriff nods at the young officer who made the comment and heads for the reception.
"Excuse me Miss, but where would I find a young patient named Mildred Dawson?"
Lowering her voice the receptionist replies: "The troubled young girl who did all those killing, right?"
"Yes, what room number is she at?" The sheriff demands in an impatient voice: he hated gossips of any sort and this receptionist had no business making such a comment, after all he was sure the girl was just a victim, nothing else.
"Room 22 on the third floor, elevator is at the right."
"Thank you."
As soon as the sheriff enters the room he is in shock:
Mildred is rocking on a chair singing an old children's song: "Twinkle, twinkle little star how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high like a diamond in the sky, twinkle twinkle….." Suddenly the young girl stops her singing and directs a sweet smile towards the man standing:
"Sheriff, thank you so much for coming to my rescue! I am innocent you know that, don't you?"
"Oh Mildred, how I wished you were but it isn't your fault: your father abused you and I know what those girls did you at school… I know you had a hard life and this is why we are all going to make sure to get you the best doctors here to help you recover soon, so that one day you are able to get out and live a healthy, normal life. I will see to that." As soon as those words are said the sheriff leaves the building, not without hearing the same tune all over and over:
"Twinkle, twinkle little star….."
New Jersey, 3 years later
Jack Dawson is rocking on his favourite chair and drinking slowly 'Bourbon'. Today he is sober and while his wife is resting inside he finds himself reminiscing the past: there was a time when he had a healthy beautiful wife, 5 wonderful children and a steady job, long before his drinking got him in trouble, but now he was only a shatter of himself, he had put on weight, his face was all wrinkled and his hair had gone completely white. Sighing hard he takes another sip of Bourbon when suddenly out of the corner of his eyes he sees a beautiful apparition coming out of the distance: a ravishing blond young woman is waving at him and walking in his direction.
Standing up from his rocking chair Jack straightens himself and waits patiently for this young beauty whoever she is, and after what seems like an eternity the beautiful blond woman is standing only inches away from him and says slowly extending her hands:
"It's been a long time Jack…."
Gapping at her the older man replies babbling: "Do we know each other, Miss?"
"Of course we do! Don't you remember me, father?"
Apprehension starts to form in his stomach before Jack exclaims: "Mildred….."
"The one and only dear daddy, and I am glad to hear you say my name, at last we are meeting after such a long time…"
Still gulping Jack continues: "I thought they put you in a 'nut house' after all the murders so why are you here and what happened to you? You look so different now?"
"Different? You mean because I'm not that fat girl I was once? I lost some weight in that 'nut house' you call Jack, and when they finally let me out once I was cured, and went to the nearest hairdresser I could find to have my hair done, don't you like it and aren't you happy to have me back? Now we'll all going to be a happy family again! Where's mother?"
Without waiting for his answer Mildred runs inside the house looking around until she finds Sonia lying in bed: she is shadow of the beautiful woman she was once but recognizes her daughter immediately, and smiling at her tenderly she murmurs in a low voice, "You came back Mildred dear at last….."
"I am back for good mother and I promise you that from now on I will take good care of you. They locked me for 3 years in a mental institution mum but I was smarter than them because now I am out! I showed them mommy, I really did…." Feeling like a little girl again Mildred runs into her mother's arm putting her head in her chest and starts to sob silently.
"I am so glad to have you back sweetheart, and now that you are here maybe you can meet this handsome young neighbour who moved next door just last week, he is slightly older than you but very hard working and I'm sure he'll help find a job and get back to your feet." Sonia says caressing her daughter's hair.
"Whatever you say mommy but you are what matters most to me and I will make you proud of me, I promise. Where are my sisters by the way?"
"They left shortly after you were admitted to that 'mental institution' to get married and some of them have got children, the others are pregnant and your father and I were left alone in the house and everything is pretty much the same: Jack spends his days drinking and me trying to stand this disease that's killing me slowly every day, but enough about unpleasantness. Tell me more about you honey, you have grown into a beautiful young lady and i am so proud of your progress! I only hope you can find the happiness you deserve with a handsome young man so that at least I can die in peace…."
"Mother, please don't speak that way, I am here now so everything will turn out just fine….." Mildred kisses her mother on the forehead and leaves the room.
Jack Dawson is standing outside looking out at the sunset and Mildred slowly approaches him. She puts her hands on his shoulders and slowly massages him: "Everything will be alright Jack, trust me…."
The next morning Mildred rises early. She is very excited to be home again and decides to go for a walk to inspect the neighbourhood: The sun is shining and although it is the end of the winter March is turning out to be a warm month, soon it would be her birthday and in April she would turn 17, a good age when you were almost a woman but not quite yet. She is so lost in her thoughts and not aware at the young man standing close to her, so it takes her by surprise to hear him say:
"What is a ravishing young lady doing out there alone and without a chaperone in those early hours of the morning and what is your name?"
Looking up at the most handsome young man she has ever seen, the young blond woman replies in a sultry voice: "My name is Mildred, nice to meet you and who are you?"
"My name is Logan Voorhees and I live next door."
"Voorhees…. What a strong name." She says smiling at him seductively. The brown haired young man takes her hand in his and Mildred finds herself dreaming of a happy married life with this handsome dark haired man and lots of children jumping up and down on Sunday picnics. She looks into his brown mesmerizing brown eyes and they starts to walk hand in hand.
I guess everyone knows by now that MILDRED is in reality JASON's mother: the reason I decided to write about her was to explain how it all started, but this is not the end, yet. I am working on my next chapter and I hope you're all enjoying it so far. Be careful when you're out there and never go to 'Camp Crystal Lake, alone…..