Forgotten Innocence

A Nightmare on Elm Street

"From Bad to Worse"

"But, Freddy did it! Honest!" Annabel was in a losing battle. However, the little girl didn't want to be in trouble for something she didn't do. Her cuts were under a bandage and hidden by a long-sleeved pink sweater. She had a white skirt that fell down to her knees, and simple white tennies. She rolled a bright red ball around on the floor, as the psychiatrist sat at her desk. The whole room was filled with all kinds of toys, from dolls to a small tricycle. The psychiatrist was a young woman with light blonde hair that was pulled back in a bun, while a few strands hung around her face. She wore a clean white blouse and a black silk skirt. On her desk, scattered around, were papers, a mug of pens, a jar of candy and a nametag reading "Emily Salvador" with butterfly and flower stickers decorating it.

"Who's Freddy?" Emily asked quietly, writing something on a pad. Annabel sighed and rubbed her arm. "I don't know, but he has really long nails on his," she hesitated for a moment,"right hand."

"Are you sure?" the young girl nodded. Another quick note.

"Annabel, what does Freddy look like?" Emily asked, after the room grew quiet.

"He's tall, he's bald and his skin's weird."

"What do you mean?" Emily looked at the girl, curiously.

"I don't know, but it looked different from regular skin. Like," the small child thought for a moment, "Like a marshmallow that got dropped in a fire."

"Black?"

"No! Not black! Like ... peeling or something." Emily wrote on her paper.

"Annabel, tell me what happened. One more time."

The little girl sighed, picked up the ball she had earlier and examined it with great interest it seemed. "I was walking around someplace."

"Where?"

"I don't know, but there were chains and stuff. I was walking around, and Freddy showed up and asked if I liked to play games."

"Do you?"

"Yes." Another note, "Then he started to chase me. He said he was gonna eat me. Then I fell over some stair rails and woke up."

"I see. When did," Emily hesitated, "Freddy .. cut you?"

"When I was hiding." Annabel said, matter-of-factly.

"Where were you hiding?"

"Under a big thing. It was round, red, and had a little door on it." Emily nodded and looked at the clock. "Well, Annabel, we're done for today. Could you tell your mother I'd like to speak with her?"

"A game?" Maria Richards sat down in a small chair. Emily nodded. "Annabel claims she was cut in a dream, but she also told me you don't play with her a lot." Maria sighed, "I'm usually too tired from work."

"And her father?" Maria tensed slightly, "He's not around much." Emily frowned. "Well, perhaps if you played with her more often, this won't happen again. Because it seems to me like a cry for attention rather than anything serious." Maria nodded and stood. "Don't treat her differently, but make sure she understands that this type of behavior is unexceptable."

"Annabel?" the young girl tore her eyes from the television, currently showing a child's show, "Yes, mommy?"

"Where's Koka?"

"I lost him." Annabel look down. "When?"

"When Freddy tried to get me."

"Annabel." Maria said, sternly.

"What?" the girl asked innocently.

"I'm not playing games with you. Where is your lion?"

"Freddy knocked him out of my hand!"

Annabel looked at her mother, as Maria threw down the book she had been reading. "Annabel! Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not lying!" Annabel said frowning, "Freddy made me drop him!"

A dull smack echoed through the house, eerily accompanied by the cheerful tune of "One, two, buckle my shoe "

Annabel held her backside, as her mother stood over her, hand raised. "Annabel, go to your room, now!" Maria snapped. "You are not allowed to leave, except for school, until you tell me the truth!" Annabel stood, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yes Mommy ... "

"And, until you tell me the truth, you will go to bed when I say so." Annabel looked over at her mother from her bedroom door, "And you're going to bed, now."

Annabel's mind raced. I can't go to sleep! Freddy'll get me! She came to one conclusion.

"I don't wanna."

"What did you say to me?" Maria looked at her daughter.

"I don't wanna! I don't wanna go to sleep!" Annabel stomped her foot. Maria stood once again. "I didn't ask you if you wanted to or not. Now go to bed!"

"NO!"

Never, ever, had Annabel said "no" to her mother, except when she was asked if she wanted something. And Annabel never, ever raised her voice to her mother, unless something was wrong. Raising her voice in defiance to her mother now, resulted in disaster.

Annabel's vision blurred with tears as her center of focus turned from her mother to the wall. Ten smacks, and Annabel was shoved into her room and the door closed. Her rear end was sore as she walked to her bed and laid down. She would not fall asleep. She'd wait for her dad to get home.

As she laid there, listening to the cars drive by, it occurred to her that she had never seen her father, or had and forgot what he looked like. According to her mother, Annabel's father worked from early in the morning, to late in the evening.

When asked what he did, her mother stated, "Don't worry about it." Some nights, Annabel was allowed to stay up and wait for her father, but always fell asleep. When she awoke in her bed the next day, Maria told her that her father had come home and tucked her into bed.

"I'm not gonna go to sleep," she muttered. "I'm not. I'm not." Annabel yawned, rubbing her eyes. "One, two, Freddy's coming for you ... " Annabel closed her eyes, for just a moment.

A door slammed in the drive. Annabel opened her eyes and sat up. "Daddy?" The front door opened, closed, and footsteps walked around the house. Annabel shoved the covers from herself and stood. Quietly, she walked over to her door and eased it open.

Somebody was sitting in the large recliner, under a floor lamp. Annabel couldn't see from the waist up, but what she could see was a pair of dirty work jeans and black boots. Whoever it was, their back was turned to her. Annabel slowly walked out of her room and quietly made her way towards the man.

Her white socks helped keep the sound of her approach inaudible. When she made it to the recliner, she spoke.

"D-daddy?" His leg twitched, slightly. "Daddy? Is that you?" Annabel stepped closer. "Daddy?"

"Daddy's not here, Annabel." She froze. The man in the chair stood and turned towards the little girl. His body posture was relaxed, his right hand flexing his sharp metalic claws. His fedora hat perched arrogantly on his head.

Freddy smiled, "Now, what were you saying yesterday? Something about doing anything for me?" he asked softly, his rotted teeth bared in his grin.