Two Souls Bound
TEN
It is Philip that saves Sally from losing an eye.
He reacts quickly, latching on to the girl's wrist and wrenching it to the side. The pocket knife flies from her grip and lands at Meg's feet. The girl shrieks in anger, bringing her knee to Philip's groin, but Philip is too agile to be caught. They scuffle for a minute, while Sally tries to calm them.
"Stop! STOP!" She shrieks, and both girl and killer still, turning to stare at the floating woman.
"This is a misunderstanding." Sally says slowly, raising her arms pleadingly. "We were just trying to help you- the trap was left out on accident." The girl watches her suspiciously, and Meg steps forward.
"They won't hurt you." Meg says, walking over. She nods at Philip, who cautiously lets the blonde girl go. "We have a truce with them. I'm Meg." She offers her hand to the girl, who glares at her with the same suspicious look she gave Philip and Sally.
"Laurie." Her voice is hoarse, likely from screaming so much. She does not offer her hand, but she hasn't attempted to slug any of them, either, so Meg will take what she can get.
"I know this is a lot to take in, but you're safe here." Meg says. "You've been taken by the Entity-just like all of us. He-"
"I know what the Entity is." Laurie snaps, crossing her arms. It doesn't escape anyone's notice when they all tense at her movement. "I already got a crash-course in hell, thanks."
"What do you mean?" Jake speaks up, frowning. "None of us have been called into a trial with you- trials are four survivors and one killer, not a one on one match." Laurie's eyes darken and she doesn't answer.
"You were put in a match with a new killer." Evan guesses, studying the blonde. She doesn't answer, but Meg notices her trembling slightly. She is overwhelmed, Meg realizes, and is lashing out.
"Was there another girl with you?" Sally asks hopefully, floating towards Laurie. Laurie takes a step back automatically, though Sally doesn't seem to notice. "With dark hair?"
"No." Laurie snaps, and Sally deflates visibly. Philip places a comforting hand on her shoulder. He looks upset with the blonde for attacking his soulmate both physically and verbally.
"Alright." Dwight says, stepping forward and taking everyone's eyes off of the new girl. "The killers should probably go back to their camp now, and find the new killer. We'll show Laurie around." No one questions the order, not even Meg herself. She gets the feeling that they won't get any more information from Laurie with the killers around. As the killers say quiet goodbyes and turn to leave, Meg grabs the knife from the ground.
"Here." She offers it to Laurie in a gesture of peace, aware of Jake glaring at her from the corner of her eye. Alright, so he's still mad about the dinner with the killers, and now even more mad that she's giving a crazy girl a knife. Fine. Laurie accepts it, closing it and tucking it into her pocket.
"Thanks." She says quietly. Meg nods.
"C'mon. We have a killer-free camp where you can catch your breath." She smiles at Laurie, who nods. The others follow as she leads the new girl back.
…
"Haddonfield, Illinois." Claudette muses. "I've heard of it."
"Have you?" Laurie asks, setting down a piece of rabbit (it was supposed to be for Nea, but the blonde was starving and has a knife, so they're trying to be hospitable). She is relaxed now that there are no killers in sight. "What for? It's a pretty normal town, all things considered. Nothing really noteworthy."
"They have an annual biologist convention there." Claudette gushes, eyes bright. "I've always wanted to go, but it's so far away…" She blushes when she realizes everyone is staring at her. "Sorry."
"I've never heard of it." Laurie says apologetically. "But biologists aside, Haddonfield is very boring. We had President Carter visit once, but except for that and…Halloween…" Laurie's face turns to stone, but Meg's mind pieces something together that turns her insides to ice.
"What did you say?" Laurie glares at her, face fierce once again.
"I don't want to talk about-"
"Not that." Meg interrupts. Obviously something terrible happened in Haddonfield on Halloween, but she's working through a different world-shaking event right now. "Did you say President Carter?" Laurie looks at her, confused.
"Yes? President Jimmy Carter, United States?" She looks around at the stunned gazes that stare at her. "What?" Meg looks again at the outfit she's wearing. Something from her mother's movies…
"What year is it, Laurie?" Jake finally asks, arms crossed. Laurie still looks confused, and slightly angry that she doesn't understand.
"1978." She frowns stubbornly. "What does that have to do with-"
"What year is it?" Jake cuts her off, turning to look at Meg, Claudette, and Dwight. The three speak in unison.
"2012." Laurie stares at them all, stunned.
"That's…"
"34 years." Dwight says. They all take a moment to digest this information.
"How is that possible?" Laurie looks at each of their faces, as if trying to detect a joke. When she sees they clearly aren't joking, she starts to panic. "34 years…"
"The Entity must be pulling people from different points in time." Meg says, frowning. Now that she thinks about it, of course they're all from different points in time. With what the killers wear, how could they not be? She would have to ask Evan and the others what year it was…
"Is that even possible?" Dwight asks, looking as stunned as she feels. It's understandable- if Laurie has been missing from her home for 34 years, how long have they been gone for?
"Well, technically, science has contemplated the theory of time travel…" Claudette begins, but Jake cuts her off.
"He dragged us all into a literal hell and gave us regenerative abilities." Jake snaps. "Of course it's possible! He probably gave the killers their endurance, as well. There's no way Sally floats naturally."
"He took us out of time." Meg says, running a hand through her tangled hair. "I knew we were in a different place, but…" To think the Entity could hold them forever was devastating. What year was it, in the real world? How long has it been? Have all of her friends aged? Was Meg's mother already dead?
"We're frozen." Claudette guesses. "In this realm, until we get out of here." She left the question of if escape was even possible unasked. The group sits together in shock throughout the night, until their eyes grow heavy.
"It's time for a trial." Jake sighs, looking frustrated. Laurie looks up, startled.
"So soon? But…" Claudette reaches out, patting her on the shoulder with a comforting smile.
"Don't worry. You probably won't get pulled in. We have enough survivors it rotates whose chosen." Laurie gives her a dubious look, but nods anyways.
They all lie down and close their eyes, waiting for hell to come to them.
…
Meg opens her eyes to find herself in what obviously must be a new arena. She's never seen grass hedges this tall before.
It's a street- lined with houses that all have two stories and picture-perfect design. There are cop cars with lights flashing at the other end of the street, and the hooks have become grotesque streetlamps. There is even a park in the middle. Meg is amazed by the amount of detail and care put into this place- this is nothing like the bland farms or the decaying asylum in the other arenas.
"Haddonfield." Laurie says bitterly. Meg jumps. She hadn't noticed Laurie creeping up beside her. The blonde surveys the landscape with a scathing look, and Meg sees her clutching her pocketknife in her hand. "This is where I met him."
Well, him is obviously the new killer, although Meg hasn't seen him yet. She blinks at a red house on her right, digesting this information. The Entity obviously cares enough to put a huge amount of detail into this place, way more than the other arenas. And Laurie, she realizes, is armed with a knife. As far as Meg knows, the Entity has never given survivors a chance to fight back before.
Just who exactly are these people?
"Come on." Laurie sighs, walking to the left towards a house with flickering lights- a generator must be inside. "The sooner we get out of here, the better." Meg follows her, mind racing.
"Laurie," She asks slowly as the blonde kneels at the generator. She gives Meg an impatient look. "What exactly happened on Halloween?" Laurie blanches, her face screwing up into a pained look.
"Nothing good." Laurie gives a humorless laugh. "Help me with this generator- I'll tell you while we work."
…
"And we blew the place up." Laurie finishes. The story was an insane one, and had taken her three generators to tell, but Meg simply stares at her.
"That's it? He just…burned to death?" She asks. Laurie nods, face grim.
"But he's still around." Meg frowns as the generator whirs at them. "How is that possible?"
"How is any of this possible?" Laurie laughs bitterly. "All I know is that Michael Myers is evil, and he's after me."
"Why you, though? What did you do?" Meg asks. Laurie goes pale, and Meg notices her glance at her wrist. Meg sees what looks like a scab there, and reaches out and grabs her, ignoring Laurie's yelp.
"Is that…" Her voice trails off, as she stares at the black scab. Laurie yanks her hand away as if Meg burned her. Meg looks up, expecting an angry face or a knife threatening her, but instead Laurie's face is sheet white as she stares at something over Meg's shoulder. Meg moves to turn around, but Laurie grips her arm.
"Run." She whispers. Laurie stares at her. "What?"
"Run!" Laurie shrieks, yanking her forward. Meg gives a startled cry as she hears a swish behind her. She turns to see a tall man in a white mask standing over her, holding a knife that had narrowly missed her.
Michael Myers.
Meg doesn't hesitate this time, jumping up and racing away from the killer, dragging Laurie with her. They race past a row of houses, lungs burning. Meg can see Dwight look up from a generator in the park, but his startled face becomes a blur as they run.
"Meg!" Laurie yanks her arm out of Meg's grasp, gasping for breath. Meg turns to stare at her, eyes wide. "You need to go."
"Of course I do, we all do!" Meg says impatiently. "He's clearly not sane- at all."
"No." Laurie shakes her head, and Meg feels a chill run down her spine at the determined look in those blue eyes. "You need to go. Grab your friends, finish the generator, and get out of here. I'll deal with Michael."
"We won't leave you alone!" Meg protests, though she isn't eager to stay. She hears panting behind her, and sees Jake race up to them. Laurie shakes her head.
"He won't chase after you, any of you." Laurie says, fists clenched. "He wants me. I can keep him distracted for a while, and give you a chance- but you have to leave."
"No way!" Meg protests. "We won't leave you! We have to work together. We-" Meg makes an indignant noise as Jake covers her mouth with a hand, his other arm circled around her waist to restrain her. Meg stops struggling when she hears footsteps, and feels the cold dread of a killer nearby.
"Go." Jake whispers. Laurie nods, steeling herself before darting out of hiding and down the road. Instantly, Meg sees a tall shadow start after her, the outline of a knife visible. Jake removes his hands, and Meg whirls around, furious.
"We can't just leave her!" She hisses at him. She hears the last generator roar to life from the park, and knows Dwight will make his way toward them soon. "How can you be so selfish? She needs our help!"
"Meg, she's right." Jake says seriously. "He saw us- Dwight and me, working on a generator. He completely ignored us. He only wants her. We need to get out, now. Hopefully Laurie can make her way to an open door on her own." Dwight runs up, panting slightly, and pointing behind him.
"I found the door, we need to-where's Laurie?" He asks, frowning. Meg scowls, shouldering her way past him to run to the door.
"Apparently we're abandoning her." Meg says. She knows Jake is right, that this is their best option, but it leaves a sickening feeling in her gut. She hates the thought of leaving Laurie alone with a demon who has haunted her enough already. She hears Jake give a frustrated sigh, but both he and Dwight follow behind her as she tugs the exit handle down, probably harder than necessary. They do not see Michael Myers or Laurie Strode again.
After Jake and Dwight leave to return to the forest, Meg glances back to Haddonfield, hesitating. She doesn't want to leave Laurie, but Meg knows she isn't a match for Michael Myers. She doubts anyone is.
Cursing herself for being a coward, she follows Dwight and Jake.
…
Meg forces herself to calm down as she walks into the clearing. What's done is done, and she resolves to never leave anyone behind again, if she can help it. Now she has to wait at camp and pray Laurie makes it back without being sacrificed. She isn't expecting a meeting, but that is evidently what is going on- all of the killers are here, even Nea. Everyone is grim faced, and everyone is here except Michael and Laurie. Evan stands up, turning to face her.
"We have a problem." He says. Meg looks at all of them, at their serious faces and clenched fists and the fresh knife wound on Max's arm.
"Yeah," Meg takes a deep breath, thinking of Michael's knife and Laurie's face and the destroyed soulmark on the blonde's wrist. "I know."
TBC
A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews- they really encourage me to keep going!
Raze Olympus: and I never thought I would be writing this type of fic. The idea just wouldn't leave me alone. I'm glad you like it so far!
ScorpioVenom: Anna and David are actually the last characters that will be introduced into this story, but they are definitely some of my favorites! They were introduced into Dead By Daylight right as I was coming up with the idea for this story, and I decided to include them. Leatherface, Freddy, Quintin, and any other future DLCs will not be appearing in this story- but if I end up writing a sequel, they might appear there.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter- if you have time and want to, feel free to write a review! I'm interested to see everyone's reactions to this new twist, as well on my take on Michael and Laurie. Until next time!
~EndWillows