SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

CarlySpencer: Thanks. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Wes Craven and New Line Cinema, as well as some lines from the actual movie and NOES 1. I only own the new direction the story goes in. Forgot to mention it, but Nancy and Neil have been reinstated at Westin Hills and this story will have some language. I know bathroom doors don't generally have mirrors, but I need one for this fic. Bathroom scene inspired by Krueger's attack on Kristen and the others watching Phillip's death in Dream Warriors. Window scene inspired by the scene in Dream Masters.

Joey, Kincaid, and Kristen all stared at each other.

"How did you know?" they all wondered together. Joey and Kincaid looked at each other, and then motioned for Kristen to go first.

"Apparently Alice had a nightmare. Freddy was in it," Kristen explained. "What about you guys?" she queried.

"I had a nightmare too. I was in his house--he, uh--he tried to get me to go down to the boiler room. He grabbed me and I called for Kincaid," Joey answered.

"Next thing I know, I'm in that freaky place again. Creep threw me against the wall," Kincaid continued.

"W--wait. H--how could Joey--" Kristen's voice trailed off.

"That's what I wanna know. That's your power, not mine," Joey stated.

"Oh, terrific," Kristen said dourly.

"Sorry, Little Sister. We shoulda listened to ya," Kincaid apologized.

"It's all right. I'm just glad you're okay," Kristen responded.

"Wait. I'm--I'm still confused as to what exactly's going on here," Alice stammered.

"We'll explain everything after school," Kristen promised. "But first, we have to see how far it's spread," she continued. With that, she hurried into the school, Kincaid and Joey flanked around her. Alice and Rick hurried after them. Meanwhile, Debbie Stevens, Sheila Kopecky, and Dan Jordan were talking in class. At least Debbie and Dan were talking. Sheila was just trying to stay awake. She yawned.

"Hey, you okay?" Debbie questioned.

"Oh, I am dead on my feet. I had the most horrible nightmare last night," Sheila answered.

"You had a nightmare?" Debbie queried. Sheila nodded. "So did I," the female athlete told her.

"What'd you dream about?" Dan wondered.

"There was this weird guy in a red-and-green sweater. He was really creepy. And the sound of his fingernails--" Debbie began to say.

"Fingernails?" Sheila interrupted. Debbie nodded.

"That reminds me of my dream. Did he scrape them along things?" Sheila asked.

"Yeah," Debbie nodded. Then, "Did your dream have those weird kids?"

"Yeah," Sheila answered. "And that rhyme," she said.

"That was the freakiest thing I've ever heard," Debbie confirmed with a shudder.

"Rhyme?" Dan echoed.

"One, two, Freddy's coming for you," Sheila began.

"Three, four, better lock your door," Debbie joined in.

"Five, six, grab your crucifix," they chorused together.

"Seven, eight, gonna stay up late," a new voice chimed in. The trio turned around.

"Nine, ten, never sleep again," Kristen, Joey and Kincaid finished.

"You know about the rhyme?" Debbie asked in disbelief. Dan looked at Joey and Kincaid in confusion. What would these guys know about Debbie and Sheila's strange dreams.

"Where'd he take you?" Joey questioned. Debbie and Sheila looked at each other.

"What do you mean?" Sheila asked.

"Were you in a house?" Kristen prodded.

"No. It was dark, there were metal pipes everywhere--" Sheila began to say.

"The boiler room," Joey confirmed. "He took you to the boiler room," he said. Dan stared at him as the group walked up to them.

"Look, she just had a bad dream. It's nothing to get upset about," he said.

"Shows what you know," Joey responded. "He's comin' back for us. We all better be careful," he continued.

"No Dan's right. It was just a normal nightmare," Sheila agreed.

"I don't think so, Sheila. I had a nightmare last night too," Alice stated. "Look what happened," she continued, pulling up her sleeve to show the wound. The whole group stared at the injury.

"Man, that's nasty," Joey breathed.

"Yeah, seriously. What kind of bastard does this?" Dan added.

"The sick kind," Kincaid answered. He blew out a breath.

"We can help you. We'll all go to Westin Hills after school," Kristen stated.

"The psych place? Why?" Dan questioned.

"Nancy will know what to do. She'll know how to stop him," Joey commented.

"Yeah," Kristen nodded. Then, before the others could ask any other questions, the teacher came in and started the class.

"We'll talk later," Joey stated. Then, they all took their seats. The man started his lecture and Joey put his chin in his hand. Presently, his eyes began to drop. His head began to droop and--something poked him in the hand.

"Owwww," he said. Then, looking at Kincaid, "Thanks, man."

"Yeah, no problem," his friend answered. Joey focused on the teacher. His head once again drooped. When his eyes opened again, everyone else was gone.

"Guys?" he asked. "Hey, where are you?" he wondered. There was no answer. "Guys?" he asked again, opening the door.

"Joey! Joey, help!" he heard Kristen call.

"Kristen?" he questioned. There was a scream. "KRIS!" he shouted, running down the halls. There was another scream. Joey quickened his pace, and within moments, was running down the stairs. Without warning, the stairs melded together and Joey found himself falling to the floor in a heap. He groaned and struggled to stand. SCREE! He gasped. The sound came again and Joey whirled around.

"What the hell?" he wondered. There was a tsking sound.

"Such language," a low voice mocked. Joey's face paled.

"Krueger," he whispered. He tried to stand, but his left leg buckled and he went down with a cry. Before he could move again, he was pinned to the railing, eagle-style.

"Oh, man. Not again," he groaned. Krueger chuckled as he appeared at the end of the hall.

"Kristen," Joey said. Maybe I can pull her in like I did Kincaid, he thought to himself. Inhumanly fast, Krueger arrived halfway to his destination. "Kristen!" he shouted desperately. Please, Kris. Come in! he thought. Then, Krueger was right in front of him! The man reared back his glove and then struck.

"KRIS--TEN!" Joey shouted, his voice breaking into an agonized sob as Krueger feverishly carved something into his chest. With a gasp, Joey jerked awake.

"Joey, are you okay?" Kristen questioned. Joey quickly looked down. To his surprised relief, his shirt was still intact. He lifted it up just to be sure. He felt his shoulders sag as he let out a breath that he hadn't known he was holding. There were no new marks, only the old scars from the previous message, which had been removed by surgery.

"Oh, thank God," he sighed.

"Joey, what is it?" Alice asked in concern.

"I had the freakiest dream. Thought I was a goner," Joey answered.

"Come on, man. I gotta make a pit stop before our next class," Kincaid said.

"Dude, when are you gonna learn to go before you leave home?" Joey questioned.

"Screw you," Kincaid answered.

"Sorry, you're not my type, Kincaid," Joey told him, as they exited the classroom. The boys headed for the bathroom.

"I'll just be a minute, man," Kincaid said, opening the door.

"I'll wait," Joey commented. Kincaid went into a stall and Joey tapped his foot. A minute later, Kincaid came out and walked up to the sink. The faucet handles loomed out and grabbed Kincaid's wrists.

"What the hell?" the boy asked struggling to free himself. Joey started to come in. Without warning, the door slammed shut!

"What the hell!?" Joey asked. He grabbed the doorknob and rattled it, but the door wouldn't budge. "Kincaid! Kincaid!" he cried. Through the door's mirror, he saw the bathroom mirror mist up. Then, Krueger's form materialized in the mirror.

"NO! KINCAID!" Joey shouted, pulling on the knob harder. Kincaid tried to get away, but to no avail. Joey gave up on the knob and began pounding on the door. "KINCAID! KINCAID!" he continued to cry. Kincaid gave a strained grunt as he strained against the faucets. Krueger saw what he was doing and made his hand into a fist, effectively tightening the faucets grip. Joey once again grabbed the knob.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!" he chanted. Kincaid continued his attempt to free himself. Krueger turned his wrist. Almost immediately, Kincaid's wrist began turning the wrong. Both boys felt their eyes widen at the sight.

"OH, DAMN! KINCAID!" Joey shouted. There was a resounding crack and Kincaid whimpered in pain. Krueger chuckled. Then, he leaned out of the mirror and pulled Kincaid into the air.

"KINCAID! KICAID!" Joey shouted over his friend's screams. Krueger violently jerked Kincaid forward.

"KIN--CAA--A--A--A--AID!" Joey screamed. The next thing Joey knew his classmates were screaming as the windows shattered.

"Joey?" Kristen asked in concern.

"Kincaid!" Joey exclaimed, turning to his friend.

"Bastard broke my wrist!" Kincaid complained, holding his right wrist. Then, "Dude, your chest!" With a noise of confusion, Joey looked down and his face paled.

"Aw, man, not again," he groaned. There, etched in his chest, were the words: GUESS WHO'S BACK, BITCH!