Three

At the Northern entrance that led into the pathless forests, just a few miles from Forest Green, sat an army of roadblocks. Two police officers who had just set them up waited in their squadron car sniffing the warm scent rising from their coffee mugs.

"You think anyone will come this way?" The first officer asked, adjusting the heat inside the car. The second officer, his commanding officer, replied, "Not at this hour Pearson. Forest Green is one of the few places here that rarely gets visitors during the winter. In the summer it's a tycoon of idiotic tourists."

"Tourists?" The younger Pearson asked. His boss nodded, "Sure are. This place has history son. People from all over hear about our little community psychopath and think that he's just a legend."

"Oh, you mean that Voorhees character." Pearson stated, drinking the coffee against his thin lips. Officer Bernard Raymond begrudgingly nodded, scratching his dark black beard while staring at the lifeless scene of Forest Green's outskirts. Retirement would arrive with little reward he realized years ago. Having lived in the next county over, Raymond had heard the horror stories and been part of the ongoing onslaught of this so called 'Voorhees Character'. He had never seen the killer in person, but he had seen many good men, young and vital men, lose their lives and sanities once involved with Voorhees' attacks.

Today didn't start out like he wanted. Waking up to a phone call informing him of a group of missing teenagers, Bernard had found himself here blocking the entrances to Forest Green wilderness. It wouldn't be until this afternoon that the deputy would arrive to begin the search. The caller had been one of the teenager's parents, claiming that they never received any contact from their child after leaving for a weekend of leisure and fun. They had been told to wait. But as precautions, Bernard and Kenny Pearson here had been assigned to take notice of the town. The town that sat too close to this notoriously dangerous area had few inhabitants this time of year. They would interview some of the townies when the Deputy arrived.

Right now the winter's melancholy silence seemed innocent enough. There was no sign of a van that the parent had described over the phone in this area, but even so the storm last night had been so harsh that tire tracks would be impossible to find now. He sat there wondering curiously about the killer that haunted this seemingly harmless town.

"Bernard?" Officer Pearson asked, echoing loudly in the silent car. Staring at him with aging old eyes, he nodded, "Think it's time we head on out Kenny."

"I was about to say."

Bernard began to start the car, pressing his foot on the gas as he ignited the engine. "We can catch a bite to eat at Susanna's diner. Nice place, good eats."

"Sounds promising."

The black officer nodded, "It's a shame that such a nice town like this one has a reputation."

"Well isn't it just a legend?" Pearson asked in naivety. Bernard caught him a dull look before shifting into Drive. Sighing, Officer Raymond said, "I'd like to believe that Kenny. I hope that's all it is this time."

"This time?"

Bernard didn't answer, he just continued to drive back down the windy road they had come.


Alison Cherwell had promised her team breakfast, so they found their way into a cozy diner near their motel. Sitting at the counter along with Vick they casually discussed their interest in the project. Alison had known Vick from college, they worked well together under documenting circumstances. Alan and Joey were apart of Lou McAlister's team. Waiting for Louis and the others to join them, Vick and Alison watched the windows carefully. The snow had settled upon every surface outside. Most of it was unharmed and still, with the roads being the exception.

"Beautiful place," Alison commented, "It's a shame we have to exploit it."

Vick had a piece of bacon in hand, "Now what I don't understand is what the town has to do with the guy. Don't he live up in the forest area?"

"Well yes but these are his stomping grounds. There are homes and stores all over that had been attacked by him. Haven't you done any research on this Vick?" Alison asked while downing some warm tea. She had loosened her scarf and fixed her hair to settle on her shoulders in dark curls. Vick shook his head, smirking, "Ali, my job is to hold a damn camera. The facts and information is all Lou's prerogative."

"Bit of a character isn't he?" Alison said coldly. Vick had only met Louis three days before their excavation into these isolated mountains. Laughing harshly he said, "I've met a few assholes in my day, he certainly takes the cake though."

"Journalism is his life though. Hell even his nephew is into the business. And that little bastard is even worse than Louis is." Alison scoffed at the memories of all her years of work with this guy. He was a filmmaker, a director, a journalist, and a royal dick all rolled into one package.

"Well I think you two make quite the pair honestly." Vick admitted, taking a bite into his scrambled eggs. Alison stared angrily at him, "What do you mean by that?"

"Ali, don't get me wrong, but I don't understand why you work with him. He's a shit and you know it, yet all these years I've heard you talking about how he was going places and what not."

"Look, he's good at what he does. And this here," She pressed her finger against the counter, "This is going to take my production into new dimensions. Once we get the evidence, this hick town will not know what hit them."

A portly woman approached them with a pot of coffee in her hand. With a tired voice she asked, "Can I get you anything else?"

Alison pulled out a twenty and slid it towards her, "No thank you. Just the receipt."

She turned back to scold Vick some more, when a police car pulled up within the window's view. Reading the license plate, Alison took a initiative to see who was behind the wheel. There were several officers working for Forest Green who had refused to discuss the Voorhees' murders, she began to wonder if these two were the same. The older man, buff in the chest and tall in height slammed the door while his partner rounded the hood heading towards the glass doors. Alison nudged Vick, rolling her eyes in the police officers' direction.

"They're not going to be interested." Vick whispered.

"Wait and see..."

The pair greeted the waitress, Susanna, and settled into a booth. The pudgy woman wiped her hands onto her apron and grabbed the pot of coffee, heading toward their table. As she approached, the two happily gave their good mornings to her.

"I hear you two are sent on a little road work." She conversed as she poured freshly brewed coffee into two white mugs. Pearson looked uneasy whereas Bernard answered in a gruff voice, "Afraid so Suse. Deputy's office called in this morning about some kids getting lost up in those woods."

Alison sat in a stealth position, holding her breath, taking in every word they said.

"I know those kids. My daughter Lorraine had a whole conversation with them when they stopped in last night for some dinner. They couldn't have been any older than she was." Susanna sighed, straightening her stiff back. Bernard gazed up wearily, "Is Lorraine around today Susanna?"

She seemed to be anticipating the question, "Oh well surely you don't think something happened to them do you?"

"I'd like to think they just got lost in the woods but chances are...well, you know what goes on around here." Officer Raymond coldly replied. Pearson caught the tension and repeated the question, "If it isn't a trouble Mrs. Moore, maybe we could have a talk with your daughter."

Nodding her head, Susanna Moore closed her tired eyes and told them, "Lorraine is over at her the Blakley house this morning, she'll be back here later this afternoon."

"Would you please call when she arrives?" Pearson quietly asked.

Susanna nodded, "Of course."

Alison's eyes lit up, she smiled curtly at Vic.

"I think we have our first interview." She whispered happily.


Lorraine Moore twirled the spoon in her bowl of cheerios in boredom while sitting in the breakfast nook of the Blakley home. Sitting across from her was Cody Blakley, the nine year-old brother of Lorraine's friend Amy. With his head forced down, he was silently reading a comic book with a depiction of a bloodsucking vampire on the cover. Amy was preparing bacon and eggs over on the stove, the scent tantalized in Lorraine's nose.

"So anyway, now that Dad's out of the house for the next two weeks, I have to run the diner with Mom every night. Even after we go back to school." Lorraine spoke in a tired voice. She loosened the collar of the sweatshirt she had on and proceeded to finish her cereal.

"That sucks Lor. I only work there part time and it's a pain in the ass." Amy asked, rolling her pretty blue eyes as she chewed on a piece of fresh bacon. Turning the stove off and dumping the food onto a platter, she joined her friend and brother at the table. Snatching the comic from Cody's hand Amy said, "Ok dweeb, you know you're not supposed to read at the table."

Cody stuck out his tongue at her, "Shut up Amy. You're not the boss of me."

"I am when Mom and Dad are at work." Amy stuck her tongue out at him. Lorraine took a piece of bacon from the plate and began to nibble on it. Sighing she said, "At least the first few weeks of school won't be hard. And besides, it'll give me a chance to patch things up with Lisa."

Amy scoffed at her, "I can't believe that after all the things that harlot did to you, you still want to make nice with her."

Lorraine frowned, "I know but...we're still friends. I mean we've all known each other since we were kids."

"Amy what's a harlot?" Cody curiously asked his sister. Amy rolled her eyes, "It's the same thing as a slut, tramp, whore, bitch, and cuntface."

Cody nodded bashfully, he looked up at Lorraine with innocent eyes, "Mom doesn't let me hear those kind of words. But Amy always tells me."

"That's because Amy is a little bit twisted up here." Lorraine winked. Slapping her arm, Amy giggled, "Shut up. I was his age when I found out about all those words. And he knows that if he repeats any of them than I'll pound him into next week."

"How subtle." Lorraine smirked.

The comic that Cody had been reading sat under Amy's arm, he stared longingly at it. Lorraine looked at the cover and then back at the little boy, "What're you reading now Cody?"

"It's about vampires and the army of the undead." Cody smiled, "It's really awesome."

Amy lifted her arm and scanned over the comic, "It looks like junk to me."

"Well you're a girl! Girls don't like bloody action." Cody justified himself. Lorraine nodded, "It's true, Amy is certainly the squeamish type."

"Oh who cares," Amy said, "Vampires and crazy shit like that doesn't even happen. You are so gullible Cody."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Lorraine settled herself within the nook and watched amusingly at the sibling rivalry. She had known these two to be the arguing type, and she had come to accept it as a humorous thing. Lorraine was the youngest in her family, with two older brothers and one half-sister who was twice her age. Her brothers were out of the house and in college, leaving her alone with their parents for some time now. Lorraine had lived in Forest Green since she was 6 years old, and almost turning 17, she had found it to be a remedial and boring town.

The town was spread out, neighborhoods were few and far apart, mostly consisting of private ranches where city slickers would come and visit in the summer or fall. But it was the beginning of January here, no one would even be remotely interested in visiting this hick town.

Amy and Cody's fighting was interrupted by the telephone ringing. Startling all three of them, Cody jumped up at the chance and said, "If that's Mom I'm so telling on you!"

He ran towards the refrigerator where the phone sat beside it and picked it up. Amy and Lorraine waited quietly until Cody turned around and held the phone out, "It's your mom Lorraine."

Standing from the table, she sighed, "Probably wants me to come in early to clean out the grease traps. Yuck."

Amy laughed as her friend crossed the linoleum floor and took the phone from Cody, "Hello?"

Cody and Amy attentively watched her talk. After a few minutes of Lorraine nodding and playing with her light brown hair through her fingers, she hung up and stared curiously back at them.

"What was it?" Amy asked.

"You remember those kids who came into the restaurant last night? Apparently they disappeared or something. The police are looking for them." Lorraine grew silent, trying to remember their faces specifically.

"Oh yeah," Amy reminisced, "Those kids from Dessler High. The tall one gave me his phone number. He was kind of hot."

"Ewww!" Cody shook his head. Amy ignored him, "Why were the police looking for them?"

"Mom said that they went missing. I guess they got lost trying to get out of here." Lorraine shrugged. Amy's lips curled into a dark smile, "Maybe they were caught by Jason Voorhees."

Cody's face turned slightly white, but he shouted, "Amy! You're not suppose to talk about him!"

Lorraine sympathetically replied, "Jason Voorhees isn't real Cody. Amy's just making a joke."

But Cody shook his head, swinging blonde hair back and forth, "Nuh-uh, that's not what Mike Taylor told me. He said Jason was real and he lived in the woods. He said that he was unstoppable!"

Lorraine could see that Cody was visibly upset now, Amy handled the situation differently, "See, this is just what I'm talking about. Mike Taylor is a big fat liar. But you'll believe anything he says Cody."

"Why don't you shut the hell up!" Cody snapped, glaring at her and scrunching up his freckled face. Lorraine began to say something but the little boy turned away from her and ran out of the kitchen, thumping through the halls until a door slammed in the distance.

Amy shrugged, "He'll be fine in a little bit."

"You're not very concerned." Lorraine observed, but Amy seemed relentless, "He's nine Lorraine. He still thinks that Santa Clause is real and that cars can transform into robots. Don't worry about it."

Lorraine sighed, "Well I think when I go back to the diner later, you should come with me. You were there last night, you can tell the police about those kids."

"What's there to tell? They probably got drunk and stoned and forgot to call their parents is all."

Shaking her head, Lorraine said, "You act like nothing bad has ever happened here Amy."

Amy stared at her friend for a moment and said, "Hey, I know that all sorts of crazy shit happened here. But seriously, there's a very likely chance that the police are just dramatizing something that isn't even that big of a deal. You're going to get all worked up over some kids you don't even know?"

"I guess not." Lorraine sighed. Returning to her seat at the nook, Lorraine turned and opened the blinds on the three-paned window. The view showed the Blakley's backyard where lumps of snow lay untouched and still. The grey morning slowly turned into a blue sky, but the mood was still cold. Staring back at Amy, she said, "We should make a snowman."

"Yeah right. Then what, you want to have hot chocolate and make gingerbread cookies?"

Lorraine smiled, "Actually I'd love that."

Amy let out a laugh, "You need to get laid Lorraine."

"Amy!"
"You do. I mean now that Lisa is going out with your ex, you need to find someone else. Someone who will do what Kevin never had the balls to do." Amy drank some of her orange juice and smiled calmly. Blushing, Lorraine shook her head, "Ok can we please not talk about my sex life-"

"-Or lack of one." Amy corrected.

From outside of the kitchen, a small voice gasped, "Ewww! You guys are talking about sex?"

Amy shouted, "Stop listening you dork!" And Lorraine let out a heart-felt laugh.

"Seriously Lorraine, you need to get some action though." Amy leaned over the table and said in a quieter voice, "Look, I heard from a reliable source that a bunch of the Juniors and Seniors are having a get together at some place called Higgins Haven. You and I should get all dressed up and go over there. It'll be fun."

"But I have to work tonight."

"Oh come on! Look you close the diner at 7:30ish, come over here and will go straight to the party. It'll be fun, you will not regret it." Amy encouraged her friend.

Lorraine ran her hand through her soft brown hair, "I suppose...you make a compelling argument."

"I know right?"

"Then I should probably head down to the diner sooner than later."

Amy nodded, "Do whatever you need to do, but tonight, I promise you and I are going to have an excellent time."

Lorraine raised an eyebrow at her, rolling her eyes, "If you say so. But you better promise me not to get drunk as hell and ditch me."

Amy held up a slender pinky, "On my grave Lorraine. As your best friend, I will not ditch you tonight."

Lorraine smiled and gripped pinkies with Amy. However a stirring sensation in her stomach made her feel that tonight would end in a different manner than they would hope.

It was a terrible feeling to have.