Chapter 2: It Begins

Micki enters the store. The familiar bell clings against the wood of the door, but rather loudly as she closes the door on Ryan's face. Jack happily greets her anxiously awaiting to hear how dinner went.

"Ah, Micki, it's so nice to have you and Ryan together, I've been meaning to tell you both that I'm happy for you, but it must have slipped my mind," Jack says smiling at her.

"I'm not talking to Ryan for the rest of the night Jack, keep him far away from me!" Micki yells in anger as she stomps up the stairs. Ryan then enters the shop. Jack turns around upon his entry and stares at him in shock.

"What have you done this time to upset her Ryan?"

"It's not like I try to upset her, it's not my goal in life to make her un-happy alright."

"She may not always be upset, but when she is, it normally involves you...what happened?"

"It's a long story."

Ryan sighs and walks past Jack, and leisurely walks up the stairs in silence. Later that night as Micki brushes her hair in front of her vanity, Ryan knocks on her bedroom door.

"Micki?" Ryan asks through the door. "Can I come in?"

Micki ignores him and continues to brush her hair.

"Micki?" Ryan's voice is heard again.

"I'm not talking to you." Micki scoffs.

Ryan smiles and leans on the door.

"Kinda are."

"Leave me alone!" Micki's voice echoes.

"Come on Mick."

"No!"

Ryan's smile disappears, and he looks down.

"Look I'm sorry for speaking out of turn... you're right, you're entitled to your own thoughts and feelings."

Micki slowly puts down the hairbrush and walks over to the door. Ryan's shadow can be seen through the lace of her curtains, that hang from the top of her door. She slowly touches the door handle.

"I didn't think it would make you that mad...I thought it was no big deal...and Jack understands...he understands...us."

Micki suddenly opens the door and runs into Ryan's chest. Ryan breathes heavily, and she stares into his eyes. Ryan stares into hers. Suddenly there is a lining of tears in Micki's eyes.

"That's just it..." Micki speaks out almost breathless. She then gulps. "Us..."

"What?" Ryan whispers softly and places his forehead on hers.

"I'm afraid of that word..." Micki breathes.

"What are you afraid of?" Ryan replies and places his hands on her face. "This?"

Ryan then leans in to kiss her and Micki closes her eyes and starts to kiss him. Suddenly the phone rings and Ryan and Micki's heads turn toward the sound.

"I've got it!" Jack yells.

Ryan looks back at Micki. Micki stares at him.

"It's not wrong unless you think it is..." Ryan tells her and uses one finger to wipe a tear from under her eye. "But is all this crying because it's wrong...or because you want to make it right?" Ryan whispers then leans on the doorway with one hand behind her head.

"I love you, Micki."

Micki breathes heavily.

"Goodnight Ryan." She says softly then enters her bedroom.

"Micki?!"

The door suddenly shuts, and Ryan groans and places his hands on the door. As Ryan leaves Micki to her thoughts, he joins Jack downstairs. Jack holds the phone to his ear and motions for Ryan to grab a pencil and paper. Ryan looks confused but fetches them for Jack.

"Yes...I told you I knew John, he was a friend of mine."

Ryan folds his arms as Jack continues to talk on the phone. Elsewhere a young man with long black hair and brown eyes, named Ben speaks to Jack from the inside of a lake house.

"Jack...listen...my father's been dead for years."

"Yes, I recall John's death...an accident I think it was." Jack's voice is heard through the phone.

"That's sort of why I'm calling, but that's not the entire reason, you dwell with the supernatural right?"

"Yes of course, to some extent Ben, are you in trouble?"

"I don't think I am, but I think Crystal Lake is..."

Jack looks at Ryan. Ryan stares at him.

"You'll have to be more specific Ben...if you'll give me an address, I can write it down and meet you...if there's-

A scream is heard on the other end.

"No! Go away!"

"Ben!" Jack shouts. Ryan unfolds his arms and looks concerned at Jack.

"Ryan?! Something's happened to Ben." Jack exclaims and hangs up.

"What was that about?!" Ryan asks demanding an explanation.

"His father was a fortune teller used to dabble in the psychic arts... he and I used to do a show together back in the day."

"What happened to him?"

"He died in a mysterious accident."

"What was the accident?"

"Drown."

"And it was mysterious how?"

"He was found in the lake... but John...couldn't swim... it's a mystery as to how he got there..."

Ryan folds his arms.

"And Ben?"

"His son...he may also be facing the same fate his father did...perhaps that person is still out there."

"Think this person has a cursed object?"

"It would seem that way wouldn't it...if you and Micki could go and investigate it, that would help all of us."

Jack walks over to a bookshelf.

"And what are you going to do?"

"I need to find out about this name Ben gave me."

"What name?"

"Jason," Jack says sternly before turning back toward the bookshelf. Ryan looks around confused. The next morning Ryan loads a couple of bags into the Mercedes. Micki walks out of the shop folding her arms. Ryan looks up at her.

"Ready to go?"

Micki only nods. Jack follows Micki out.

"Be careful you two."

"Always Jack," Micki replies to him, then kisses his cheek and gets in the car. Ryan nods at Jack and gets in the driver's side of the car.

"Good Luck." Jack breathes under his breath.

As Ryan drives, Micki takes out a map. Ryan then puts on a pair of sunglasses and smiles at her. Micki looks away.

"So...we should be there in about 4...5 hours..." Ryan says softly. Micki only nods. Still not talking to me, huh?"

Micki looks at Ryan and taps her nose.

"Cute." Ryan says with a smirk.

"It's gonna be a long...quiet 5 hours." Ryan sighs. "I thought we made up last night?"

Micki sighs and looks out the window. Suddenly loud rock music is heard. Ryan taps the steering wheel and starts to bob his head and sing-along to the music. Micki glares at him and turns it off.

"Okay?!" Ryan looks from her to the road. "What is your problem?!"

Micki sighs and turns away. The car abruptly stops and Micki jolts forward and looks at Ryan. Ryan breathes heavily.

"Micki... I can't go on if you're gonna be like this..."

Micki looks down.

"And if you really think that being with me is so bad, then we just won't be together, okay?"

Micki looks up at him and stares.

"Okay?" Ryan asks again.

"Ryan...I...that's not what I want."

Ryan turns toward her and takes off his sunglasses.

"Then what is it you do want, Micki, huh?"

Micki tears up.

"I...I want to tell you..."

"Yeah?"

Micki touches Ryan's face.

"I want to tell you, how much you mean to me..." Micki lets out a shaky breath and a tear leaves her right eye.

"I want to tell you I love you..."

Ryan stares into her eyes.

"But I can't..." Mick breathes. "I'm sorry..."

Ryan licks his lips and nods and turns from her. She tears up, and Ryan puts his sunglasses back on.

"Ryan...we're- "

"Cousins...yeah I know." Ryan interrupts. "But only by marriage... look your real mom...I don't even know her. You married into my family...and that doesn't even matter to me Micki...I'm crazy about you."

"Ryan..."

Ryan looks at her.

"We make a living on crazy..."

Micki touches his hand. Ryan looks at their hands then into Micki's eyes.

"If...it doesn't matter to you, then it shouldn't matter to me... and I do love you."

Micki leans toward him and pecks his lips. Ryan then kisses her back. Micki smiles into the kiss, then slowly backs away, holding on to the kiss, and holding her breath with her eyes shut. Ryan smiles and starts the car.

"Oh...I've waited all night to do that," Micki exclaims breathlessly as she adjusts her seatbelt.

"Why didn't you do it last night?"

Micki gently hits his shoulder as he drives.

"Because I was mad, at you."

Ryan smiles and pats her hand, and steers one-handed.

"Alright, Alright...while we're being all mushy here, there's a guy out there that really needs our help."

"What did Jack say the object was?"

"He didn't...he only gave me a name."

"Which was?"

Ryan looks from her to the road, back to the road.

"Jason."

Micki looks confused.

"Jason?"

"You know there was a story about some guy... I used to read in the Chicago Inquirer. Some hoax about this guy that drown, and supposedly sought out revenge for his life being stolen by killing innocent people. Said he appears every now and again, and no matter how many times you kill him, he always comes back."

"What was his name?"

"You know I can't remember."

"Well... Ryan that's a story."

"Yeah, but how many stories do you know that involve curses are actually true? Who knows maybe this Jason's guy is for real, otherwise why would Jack look him up?"

"I don't know."

Micki looks down and looks at the map. "Ryan, did you ever notice all of these churches around Crystal Lake?"

"No...never even been to Crystal Lake."

"Neither have I."

"Maybe there's a reason."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Micki replies.

"Well...if this Jason guy is for real...people don't live in Crystal Lake... they survive."

Micki stares terrified at Ryan. Ryan squeezes her hand, as he continues to drive onward.