Chapter 4: His Memory

Why?

That was the question that was continually spiralling around her mind. Why? Why was she doing this? What was the reasoning behind this and what the fuck was it going to accomplish?

Maggie had these questions floating around her mind for the last thirty minutes, but alas no answers. The only thing she knew was that she was going back there.

Back to Springwood.

Perhaps it was a stupid idea. She gave a small bitter laugh as she turned her mother's car off the small highway into a small narrow road just on the south side of Central City.

It wasn't a stupid.

It was a fucking crazy idea!

But she needed to do something. That dream last night had certainly freaked her out. Just how the fuck could that happen? There were four small scratches on her kitchen table. Was he really alive? She had heard his voice, she felt his presence in the dream. It had to be him. But why wasn't he showing himself to her in full?

Even this very moment she could clearly hear his gritty, mocking voice hissing the nickname he had for her.

Princess.

She shook her head and gripped the steering wheel more firmly and glanced at the car clock. The time reading just after 9.30am. She frowned and shook her head. He wasn't alive, he couldn't be. Those things, those fucking demons had flown from his body after she blew him up with that pipe-bomb. She had seen it with her own eyes.

The only rational explanation to her dream was that she was remembering him too much, that all these memories of him that she had been experiencing over the last week or two was playing on her mind too much. That it somehow manifested his presence in her dream. It wasn't really him. Just a memory.

She nodded silently to herself, forcing herself to believe this.

Her weary eyes looked up as the she neared the boundary of the town. Slowly, she eased her foot of the gas and her mother's dark navy 1997 Chrysler Cirrus slowed to a stop about five feet away from the boundary.

The town's sign loomed above the car to the right.

Welcome to Springwood.

A Nice Place to Live.

She frowned then let out an involuntary shiver as her eyes fell upon the very spot where the John Doe had died in his arms. The image of his body forming into that silver mist flashed before her eyes. She never really knew who he was, what his real name was. It was sad how his parents probably didn't even know their son was dead, murdered.

Maggie sighed and put the car in drive, pushing onwards across the boundary into the Springwood. Her eyes glanced wearily to her let, eying her black back pack that held her father's glove and hat. She felt a compulsion to bring them back to Springwood. After her nightmare she had thought long and hard about what to do. There was no way she could tell Doc about her dream. God only knew how he would react. It was just before 6am this morning that she had reached a decision and that was to bring them back to her old home at 1428 Elm Street. It had been abandoned for decades. No one in their right mind would buy it.

She had pleaded with her mother to allow her to borrow her car for a few hours, saying she needed to do an important message. Her mother was persistent that she would accompany her, but Maggie had somehow persuaded her to stay at home. That she would treat her to a nice meal later on evening to say thanks.

However, now she had this gut wrenching feeling that she didn't know if she would be coming home at all. Maggie fiercely shook her head. "Stop thinking like that! You'll only be here for a few hours. Just a few hours"

Her grip on the steering wheel went taut as she drove past the area where the Town Fair was. It was now gone, in it's place were several removal vans. Workmen meandered about the area conversing with each other. She glimpsed briefly about the area, noticing a few of the houses nearby were being worked on. What the hell was happening? She turned the car right and drove along the Town Hall and slowed the car down as it passed the large black statue of a boy, with the words carved on a small plaque at the bottom.

The Children Shall Endure.

She scoffed in disbelief and then drove onwards, knowing exactly where she was she was heading to. As if she knew these streets like the back of her hand. It seemed that the houses along the streets were being revamped, again she seen various removal vans and some families starting to move into the houses. Was this town finally freed form the mass psychosis that gripped it just a few weeks before?

The car turned into Sycamore Drive, just one block over from her home on Elm street. Again the street was busy with activity. Maybe there was no need to be here, she should just turn the car around and go back to Central City. She could destroy her father's belongings there…

A small hiss came from Maggie as she felt the beginnings of a strong headache. She groaned and quickly stopped the car, parking at the sidewalk. Gingerly she reached up to rub the side of her temples and leaned her head back, allowing her eyes to flutter shut and began to take slow deep breaths. After a minute she eased her hands down to her side and let out a long deep breath as her headache began to ease off.

Her body slowly became tense as she felt a presence from her right and she jerked her head towards the driver's seat and her eyes snapped open. Beside her was herself. Herself as a five year old girl.

Little Katherine.

Her attire was the exact same as her own. Dark jeans, white trainers, grey hoodie. But her hair was tied back in none other than two red ribbons. On her lap was Maggie's back pack, the zip of the bag was pulled opened.

Maggie gulped as her younger self turned to face her, her big brown eyes locking with hers. Holding her in a trance as she chirped, "Hi!"

Clearing her throat, Maggie replied slowly, "Um, hi"

Leaning forward the young girl whispered quietly, "You've brought him home"

Her breath caught in her throat, before she finally managed to croak out, "W-what?"

Little Katherine stared pensively at her and then leisurely turned her face to the left, staring with a big grin into the back of the car, "Hi, daddy!"

Trembling Maggie lifted her petrified gaze to the rear-view mirror, her eyes going wide in terror at the pair of cold blue eyes glaring back at her. There was a cruel snicker that was followed by a vicious growl, "Hello, princess!"

In a flash his clawed glove clamped down on her right shoulder and squeezed hard, making her scream as she jumped forward. Her eyes snapped opened as she woke from her slumber and she wildly swung around in her seat. Expecting to see him in the back seat.

But she was alone.

Alone and terrified.

Her breath came out in short sharp bursts as she began to suffer a panic attack. Cringing she leaned forward and placed the top of her head on the edge of the steering wheel, trying to focus on her breathing. Nice and short breaths. Nice and easy.

She whimpered and twisted around towards the back pack, her lips quivering as she saw the zip was pulled across half way. Moving forward slightly she glanced into the bag and saw that his belongings were still there, untouched.

Little Katherine's words whispered in her mind. Did she really bring him back? But he was dead. Fucking dead! The dream demons no longer possessed his body. Running her shaky hands through her hair she then realised it was all her fault. She was remembering him, the few memories she had of him when she was a little girl. Remembering that memory in the back garden over and over, keeping that glove and his hat.

She was keeping his memory, his spirit alive in her mind, in her dreams. She should have known it was his fucking voice speaking to her the other week in the shelter when she was down in the basement and even last night in her apartment. He was using her to get home, to get back to Springwood.

'Thank you for bringing me home sweetheart. Daddy really appreciates it!'

Maggie flinched as she heard his maniacal laughter echoing in her ears. She snarled silently and rebuked, "They won't remember you. The new kids won't know anything about you…!"

'It doesn't matter. Some little fuck will find out about me and the then the nightmares will start again. I always get to my children. I got to you after all these years, didn't I Katherine?'

Maggie narrowed her eyes and scowled with anger. He was planning on destroying this town again. She knew it. But if no one knew about him, then the town would be safe.

She quickly sped off down the street, a thought crossing her mind as she turned into Elm Street. Her eyes darted to the left and right, yet again there were more removal vans parked outside the houses. As her old home came into view, Maggie's mouth went agape in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. She had to be imagining things.

Her old home at 1428 Elm Street was starting to be renovated too. There was scaffolding along the front of the house and down both sides of the building. So much for her idea of burning the house to the ground. It was a spur of the moment plan, that maybe if she destroyed her old home then maybe it could help stop him from getting to the children again. But now that idea was in ruins.

Just who in their right fucking mind would want to buy her old home?

She parked across from the house and peered at the buidling, seeing that the red door was starting to be painted a burnt yellow colour. The green tiles were being replaced and repainted. There was a lawn-mower parked on the weedy lawn, ready to be used. The front door was opened while she could see work men wandering inside.

Maggie quickly climbed out of the car and crossed the street towards the house, pondering on what to do. Should she warn whoever it was that had bought this house? Then again she should probably keep her mouth shut. If no-one knew about him the better. Then he wouldn't have enough strength or power to get into people's dreams.

"May I help you?"

Maggie jumped and spun around to the to the owner of the voice. Her eyes fell upon a tall dark haired man, perhaps in his early forties. He was dressed in a dark navy suit, with white shirt and navy striped tie. He stared sternly at her, waiting for her reply.

She broke out into an apolgetic smile, "Hello. Sorry for trespassing on your property. I didn't realise that someone had actually bought this house"

"Yes. I just completed the paper work last week. I know it's nothing much to look at, but the price is very reasonable" the man replied, "Don't tell me you're interested in it too?"

"Oh, no" Maggie replied curtly, "It's just strange how someone would want to buy it. Seeing the state it's in"

"Well, as I said. The price was very good" he held out his hand, "I'm Thomas Campbell. Are you new here to Springwood too?"

Maggie shook his hand firmly, "Maggie Burroughs. No, I'm just visiting"

"Family?"

Maggie gave a wry smile, "Something like that. I see that there are quite a few families moving here. Is the town going through a revamp?"

He nodded, "Yeah. The mayor has decided the town needs a new lease of life!"

Maggie nodded, sensing that this man wasn't tell her something. Maybe she was just being paranoid. He couldn't know anything about this town. She glanced at the house again, "So, do you have any idea why this house in such a bad state?"

He shook his head. However, he did know why it was in that state. He knew the history of the house. But didn't want to tell this woman about it. He had been given strict instructions from the Sheriff months before coming here about what had happened in Springwood over the course of the last twenty odd years.

The Sheriff and Mayor had been in contact with him four months ago, persuading him to try and help them rebuild the town. They knew that he was one of the main manufacturers of the drug Hypnocil and promised him their full support and any financial help in producing the product/ If he helped set up a new Sleep Disorder Research Facility up at Westin Hills. And so he agreed. He hadn't realised though severity of the crisis that had gripped this town. There were new families moving into the town, the school was starting to be renovated.

The town had a long way to go before it was back to its old self.

He had remembered the Mayor saying that the remaining adult population was in a state of mass psychosis in the last year or so. But now it seemed that the nightmare was over. Whoever defeated him, well the owed them their gratitude. Thomas Campbell slowly broke out of his thoughts and smiled at the woman in front of him, "We are hoping to move into the house next month"

"We?"

"My wife and daughter" he smiled.

Maggie swallowed thickly, "How old is your daughter?"

"Lori will be fourteen next month"

Maggie forced a smile, "I'll let you go. Good luck with your new home"

He nodded, "Thanks. Safe journey"

She quickly scurried back to the car, a feeling of dread starting to knot in the pits of her stomach. Hopefully, that man and his family never finds out what had happened to this town, who her father really was and the history behind that house. As long as long as no one remembered him then the town would be safe. Her eyes gleamed in realisation and she swiftly drove down the street, knowing where to go next.

x x x

Maggie strode down the barren corridor of Springwood High School. Her black pack back was hooked around her shoulders. She had looked into each empty classroom as she went. She wasn't entirely sure what classrom that old scrapbook was, but she was determined to find it and remove it from the school. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she peered into the last room, seeing the scrapbook on the desk in the middle of the room.

Stepping into the room she had expected to find that delusional teacher from the last time, but the room was empty. The white board was pulled down, the words 'Five, Six. Grab your crucifix' scrawled in red ink was still visible. That would be the first thing that had to be destroyed. She marched over and ripped it down from its hinges and torn it into two, well as best as she could.

Her gaze fell towards the scrapbook and she went towards it, lifting it into her arms. If no one knew about him when he was alive or dead, then he wouldn't get into their dreams. So, taking this away from Springwood was the only way to stop him.

A chill went up her spine as she saw the numerous pages of her father's victims over the last ten years. There had to be hundreds. No, there were at least a few thousand of the dead children and teenagers.

Maggie shivered and unhooked her bag, unzipping the front compartment and then began to pull each page off of the wall until there was none left. She folded them neatly and placed them into the front compartment and then zipped it, throwing a strap of the bag over her shoulder. There was just one last place to go to and then that was her.

The front door of the Springwood Orphanage crept open as Maggie slowly entered. She peered down the small hallway towards the lounge area, expecting to see someone about. But it was eerily calm. The floorboards creaked under her feet as she entered the room, her gaze scouring the long coffee table in front of her. There were various children's paintings and drawings, but not the one she was looking for. Her gaze quickly turned towards a small cabinet in the corner of the room and she rushed towards it, seeing a drawing sticking from underneath it. She stooped to pick it up and smiled at her old drawing, then folded it into her back pack.

Maggie glanced around the room slowly, pondering if there was any files about her adoption about. If so, then they too needed to be taken away from Springwood. She didn't want anyone knowing about her true identity, it would stir up her father's memory too. Anything that was connected to her father had to be removed or destroyed.

It was near fifteen minutes later when she finally found some concrete information about her adotpion. The small office was trashed, every cabinet, ever drawer pulled opened and rummaged through. But now she found it, her adoption file. The front of the brown file was faded, but she could faintly see the name ' '. Her date of birth and the date of her adoption were faded out. She flicked through the file slowly, scowling in dismay. The pages were all blanked out. It seemed as though the town didn't want ANYONE to know about her real identity. She snapped it shut and left the Orphanage. It was time to get the hell out of this town.

Rubbings her eyes Maggie felt a sense of relief, feeing somewhat accomplished. Despite bringing his spirit back she knew that as long as no one discovered who he was, then the town would be safe. There would be no more nightmares.

Springwood could finally move on and she would too.

As Maggie's car approached the boundary of Springwood, she suddenly tensed as the hoarse voice of her father leered in her head.

'You'll be back one day, princess. And daddy will be waiting for you…'

x x x

Author's Note: Mmm, I'm wasn't too happy with this chapter. I found it hard to write! lol Well, anyway, please review!