Scream-The Alternate Version

Chapter Ten: Neil Prescott's Our Man

Dewey's patrol jeep makes it's way down mainstreet. It's almost dark. The street is close to deserted. Dewey's behind the wheel having a heated conversation with Tatum while Sid stares out the window.

"A party? Mom's gonna kill you. Then me." Dewey said to his kid sister.

"Don't be so self-righteous. It's a little blow out –we'll be perfectly safe." Tatum said to him.

Sid stares out the window. CLOSED SIGNS fill the storefronts, a few people rush to their car, in a hurry to beat curfew.

"God, look at this place, it's THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN." Sidney said responding to the quietness of the town.

"Hey, I saw that movie. It's about a killer in Texas." Dewey said to her.

"Hey Sid, just think, if they make a movie about you. Who's gonna play you?" Tatum asks.

"I shudder to think." Sidney said.

"I see you as a young Meg Ryan myself." Dewey said to her.

"Thanks, Dewey. But with my luck they'll cast Tori Spelling." Sidney said to them.

"I'll be a few minutes. You girls don't go too far." Dewey said to them. The girls made their way into the local supermarket that sits across the street from the police station.

"Is Billy gonna be there tonight?" Sidney asks.

"He better not be. I told Stu to keep his mouth shut. I think we do without the endorphin rush for one night." Tatum said to her.

They approach the grocery store. Small and simple. Sid and Tatum grab a shopping cart from the bin and enter the store, pushing the cart through two sliding glass doors.

A lone checkout lady behind the counter, big and frumpy, looks up from counting money.

"You girls gonna have to hurry it up. We're under curfew. I'm closing In a half hour." The check out lady said to her.

"Two minutes tops." Tatum responded. They make a bee-line for the junk food section just as the automated doors slide shut behind them and a...

They bump into a figure holding a shopping cart. It's Mr. Loomis. Billy's father.

"Mr. Loomis." Tatum said. Sidney tensed up.

"Hey girls." Mr. Loomis said. "Uh, Sid, mind if we talk for a second?" Mr. Loomis asked her.

"Sure." Sidney said. Tatum took this as her cue to leave heading into the opposite aisle.

Sidney stood there nervously. She liked Hank. He was a hard working man, much like her father. He smiled at her. She smiles back at him. "Mr. Loomis, I want to apologize for Billy being arrested."

"Sidney, you don't have to apologize to me. I understand. You were attacked and you thought my son did it. We now know that he's innocent." Mr. Loomis said smiling sincerely. He knew Sidney was a good girl and didn't mean for Billy to be arrested but couldn't help but put suspicion on him however long that was. Sidney nodded. "He loves you, you know that right?"

"Yes. He tells me all the time." Sidney said.

"How do you feel about him?" Mr. Loomis asked.

"I love him to. I just wish that I wasn't so afraid to trust people right now." Sidney said.

"It's understandable, considering what has happened." Mr. Loomis said to her. "Can I let you in on a secret Billy told me?"

"Sure." Sidney said curious to her this secret.

"Billy told me that he has had dreams of the two of you being married with children." Mr. Loomis said. Sidney was taken back by the revelation. She had no idea Billy loved her this much. Even Tatum who was listening was shocked.

"Really?" Sidney asked.

"Yep. He'd ignore me for weeks cause I told you this." He said as Sidney smiled but was shocked. "It shocked the hell out me. But when I see him with you, I can't help but think that maybe just maybe his dreams will come true. You two are so cute together and I can't imagine seeing anyone else with him but you. Sidney, there is no other girl for Billy. You are it for him. Think about that." Mr. Loomis said to her. Sidney thought about his words. "You have a good evening." Mr. Loomis said to her.

"You to." Sidney said thinking about what Mr. Loomis had revealed to her. Was Billy the right guy for her? Mr. Loomis walked off. Tatum walked up behind her.

"You ok?" Tatum asked her.

"Yeah." Sidney said nodding.

GHOST MASKED FIGURE appears, out of nowhere, standing just outside, watching, quietly through the glass store windows.

Sheriff Burke's face heats up as Deputy Riley marches in, hurriedly.

"Dewey! Where the hell you been, boy?" Sheriff Burke asked him.

"Keeping my eye on Sidney." Dewey said to his boss.

"Listen up, Dewey, because it's bad. Real bad. Fone-comp just faxed us. The calls were listed to Neil Prescott-Sidney's father. He made the calls with his cellular phone. It's confirmed." Sheriff Burke said to him.

"Couldn't his cellular number have been cloned?" Dewey said.

"There's more. Guess what tomorrow is? The anniversary of his wife's death. It all

fits. He's our man." Sheriff Burke asks Dewey. "We'll keep roadblocks and curfew in

effect through the night. If he's not picked up by morning-we'll do a house to house."

"You think he could still be in town?" Dewey asked.

"He'd have to be crazy. Where's Sidney?" Sheriff Burke said.

"She's with my sister. Should I bring her in?" Dewey asked him.

"Hold off for now. Just stay close to her." Sheriff Burke said to him.

"She'll be with her friends over at Stu Macher's tonight." Dewey said to Sheriff.

"Watch her. Don't let on-just keep your eyes out." Sheriff Burke said.

"Yes, sir." Dewey said.

Sidney and Tatum push a basket through the junk food section. The store is completely empty. The girls gab freely.

"So Billy has dreams about you and him being married huh?" Tatum asked teasingly.

"Yeah, who knew?" Sidney asked.

"How does this make you feel?" Tatum asked her.

"I don't know. I think I'm too young to think about marriage or even kids but it's a nice thought.

"I can totally see you and Billy making babies." Tatum said joking.

"Billy's right about one thing. Whenever he touches me, I just can't relax." Sidney said. "I mean we certainly can't have kids if he can't get near me."

"So you have a few intimacy issues as a result of your mother's untimely death. It's no big deal. You'll thaw out." Tatum said.

"But he's been so patient with me, Tatum. You know, with all the sex stuff. How

many guys would put up with a girlfriend who's sexually anorexic?" Sidney said pushing the shopping cart.

"Billy and his penis don't deserve you." Tatum said. Sidney grabs some chips and salsa from the shelf. Down the aisle, through the storefront window the GHOST MASKED FIGURE still stands watching their every move.

Sid pushes the cart out of the glass door with Tatum riding it. The GHOST MASKED FIGURE is nowhere to be found.

"What do you think about when you're having sex?" Sidney asked.

"With Stu, there's little time to stop and reflect. But sometimes before, to relax and get in the mood, I think about Grant Goodeve." Tatum said to her.

Sid pushes the cart and Tatum across the street.

"Who?" Sidney asks.

"Grant Goodeve-the oldest brother on EIGHT IS ENOUGH. Remember that show? He

was the one who lived off alone. He would come around every now and then with his guitar and sing "Eight is enough to fill our lives with love..." Tatum said to her. He had all these brain dead sisters and that idiot brother from CHARLES IN CHARGE. God, I

was in love with Grant, he was so hot. The show came on every day after school right during my puberty years. Grant Goodeve was very instrumental in my maturing as a woman." Tatum said to her.

"How does that get you in the mood with Stu?" Sidney asked confused.

"During foreplay, I sing the theme song to myself. "Eight is enough to fill our lives

with love..." It's a real turn on." Tatum said to her.

"No way." Sidney said to her.

"Grant wrote the song himself. I'm convinced the lyrics had a secret meaning, "Eight is enough..." Tatum said.

Sid pushes the cart up to Dewey's jeep. Tatum hops off.

"What secret meaning? Like a Satanical thing?" Sidney asked.

"Watch the show, Sid. His basket is bigger than the one you're pushing." Tatum said.

"TATUM!" Sidney said to her.

"Oh, Sidney. WHAT? A guy can talk tits til he's dead but the minute you mention

an eight inch weenie. Watch out." Tatum said sarcastically.

Sidney stops just short of a laugh. Tatum pulls the back jeep door, loading the groceries in. Behind her, the GHOST MASKED FIGURE appears, just out of their sight, behind the jeep's open back door.

"There's that sense of humor. I knew it still existed. Ohh, Sid, let's have some fun tonight." Tatum said to her.

"Oh alright." Sidney said teasingly. Tatum hugged her.

Sidney moves to the back door and closes it shut, when from behind…. DEWEY stands. Sid jumps, startled.

"You girls ready?" Dewey asked.

"Yeah." Sidney said.

"Let's go already." Tatum complained.

"Looks like I'm your personal bodyguard tonight, Sid." Dewey said.

"No, Dewey. You'll ruin the whole night." Tatum complained.

"Sorry, police orders. I'll stay out of the way, I promise." Dewey said.

"Shit." Tatum cursed.

Tatum kicks the shopping cart out of the way, blindly. It rolls down the road by itself, gaining speed on a decline running smack into the GHOST MASKED FIGURE who stops the cart cold with one hand.

To Be Continued!