The house is dark. Hanson's walking out of his bedroom trying to block out the whistling wind and the scraping of the tree branches on the window. He puts one tentative foot in front of the other feeling the ominous presence surrounding him. Fear rises up from the pit of his stomach and his heart beat increases with terror. A shadow looms across the hallway and Hanson shrinks back in fright. Dull footsteps echo across the landing as the figure approaches him. The same figure that has haunted his dreams since he was 16-years-old. The scene swims before his eyes and in a flash it's changed. The basement comes into focus and he can feel the familiar ache of copper wire cutting into his paper thin wrists. The figure of Jack is before him, hands on him, grabbing him, violating him, tainting him and hurting him. All the while Hanson can see his leering face, laughing at him, relishing in his agony and torment.

Doug was dozing on the sofa when he was abruptly woken by Hanson's ear piercing scream.

" T-Tommy?" he muttered disorientated. He looked over confused, the room was dark bar for the static emitting from the Tv, Hanson was not on the sofa where he had been sleeping several hours ago.

" Tom?" repeated Doug bewildered. He got up off the sofa and rubbed his eyes desperately trying to shake off the last remains of sleep. He heard a door slam somewhere in the apartment and rapidly followed the sound towards Hanson's bedroom.

" Tommy? Open the door Tommy!" cried Doug desperately trying the door handle. It wouldn't budge. He hammered on the door with his fist.

" Tom open the door or I break it down ok?!" yelled Doug when he received no reply. His concerns for Hanson's safety were rapidly increasing with each passing second. The door stayed firmly shut. Doug rattled the doorknob in frustration before flinging his shoulder against the door with all the might he could muster. The lock splintered and he burst into the room admist splintered wood and jagged pieces of metal.

The room was dark. In the dim light Doug could make out the shadow of a hunched figure in the far corner. Instinctively he flicked the light switch and flooded the room with light. Hanson's pale face looked up at him in fright.

" Tom, what is it? What's happened?" asked Doug panicked. Hanson sat with his arms wrapped around his knees tight, hunched up in the corner, by the side of his bed.

" Nightmare" choked Hanson his eyes wet with tears.

" A nightmare?" repeated Doug

" Nightmare" said Hanson again. He gazed into space, not looking at Doug but looking through him. Watching and waiting. Doug followed his gaze but saw nothing.

" Tommy, what are you looking at?" asked Doug nervously. Hanson broke his stare and looked up at Doug.

" I have to stay awake" whispered Hanson, " He's gonna get me"

" You should never have watched that movie" snapped Doug, " Tommy, Freddy Kreuger's not even real"

Hanson looked up confused. He tightened the grip on his knees.

" Not Kreuger. Not scared of Kreuger. What can he do? Even if he was real, he'd only kill you. That wouldn't hurt that long. No not Kreuger" murmured Hanson returning his attention to the doorway.

" Come on Tommy, Come on you were doing so well" muttered Doug under his breath. He took a slow step towards his friend, unsure of his reaction, would he flinch away? Lash out? Or would he just let Doug approach him?

Hanson just sat staring at the doorway a grim look of determination and expectation on his face. Doug slid down in the corner so that he was sat beside him. Hanson moved slightly so that their bodies didn't touch.

" Tell me what happened in the dream Tommy" whispered Doug

" No"

" well at least tell me why you weren't on the sofa anymore"

" We watched movies then halfway through I fell asleep"

" I remember" said Doug

" And then I woke up to go to the bathroom and decided I would go to bed. Didn't want to wake you up so left you, left TV, just went to bed. Went back to sleep, had nightmare and got scared." said Hanson not taking his eyes from the doorway, " Have to keep him out"

" Jack?" questioned Doug softly. Hanson stared at him, his eyes wide with terror.

" yes. Yes! We have to make sure he doesn't get in!" cried Hanson. He scrambled up off the floor and ran out into the hallway clicking lights off as he did so. Doug hurried after him.

" see, see!" cried Hanson frantically fiddling with the bolts and chains on his front door.

" See what Tom?" asked Doug bewildered

" These wont keep him out. They're too flimsy. I need new locks. Come on we gotta go get some!" panicked Hanson

" Tom it's 3am! There's no stores open at this time of the morning" Doug tried to explain to his friend.

" No no he waits until it's late because then, then she's asleep"

" What?"

" It's always dark. Always. Has to be. don't wanna see it. Hide. Gotta hide under the covers." whispered Hanson, " Then I can hear him. On the stairs. Loose floorboards. They creak, always did, dad he was gonna fix em only he never got round to it and I didn't know how. But he's on the stairs. Comes into my room"

" I gotta keep him out!" continued Hanson forcefully.

" Ok Tommy, ok I understand." said Doug gently, " Come on you go lie down on the sofa and I'll fix this ok? I'll make sure no one can get in"

" no one ok? Don't let no one in!" cried Hanson panicked.

" I wont Tommy I swear. Just me and you ok?"

" yeah. Yeah me and you" repeated Hanson. It struck Doug how childlike Hanson had become.

" Ok Tommy, you go lie down on the sofa ok? Go back to sleep and I'll make sure you're alright" said Doug soothingly.

" No! No I have to stay awake!" cried Hanson hysterically, " I have to be awake! I have to he's gonna get me Doug, He's gonna get me!"

" shhhh calm down, calm down" hushed Doug, " It's ok, you don't have to go to sleep ok? Not if you don't want to. Will you go lie down though? Just lie down on the sofa for a few minutes and watch a movie whilst I sort this out?"

" will you be here?" asked Hanson his voice shaking

" Right here" confirmed Doug

" promise?"

" Tommy I swear I'm gonna be right here" assured Doug, " Now please will you go lie down?"

Hanson nodded slowly before going over to the couch and lying down hunched up on his side in the foetal position, feet drawn up to his chest and watched the static emitting from the TV. Doug knew better than to question him, it would only upset him further. Hanson's state of mind was extremely fragile at the moment and he had no intentions of causing him anymore torment. He'd been through enough already.

" Doug?" called Hanson. Doug made a big pretence of tightening the locks. There was no need for Hanson to be so scared of an intruder, he had his apartment rigged out like fort knox already what with the bolts, chains, deadbolts and yale locks. No one was gonna get through all that in a hurry.

" Yeah?" asked Doug turning round. Hanson was still lying in the same position staring at the static. There was a long pause.

" If I died would you miss me?"

" What the hell kinda question is that Tom?!" cried Doug alarmed.

" would you?" repeated Hanson

Doug came over to the sofa where he lay and sat beside him.

" Tommy you're my best friend of course I'd miss you" he said softly

Hanson gave him a disbelieving stare.

" Tommy I would!" stressed Doug.

" why?"

" what do you mean why?!"

" Why would anyone miss me? I just cause trouble wherever I go. Nobody loves me or cares about me. I don't deserve any of that" said Hanson his voice low. Doug had a funny feeling his friend was parroting this from somewhere. Probably his sadistic mother.

" Who told you that, your mother?" spat Doug.

" uh huh" choked Hanson, " It's true though isn't it?"
" No Tom, no it's not!" sighed Doug.

" If I just left tomorrow nobody would even notice. I could just get up and leave. Sneak out before anyone got up and run" whispered Hanson. Doug stared confused. It was hard to keep up with Hanson when he was jumping so quickly from the past to the present.

" What time do the stores open?" asked Hanson

" Bout 7ish"

" We're getting locks then ok?" said Hanson

" Ok Tom if that's what you want" agreed Doug.

" I have to keep him out" insisted Hanson

" Yes I know" said Doug a touch of exasperation in his tone. Hanson visibly shrank back

" sorry" he muttered, " sorry I'm annoying I know I am, I didn't mean it"

" Ok ok Tom I'm not gonna do anything to you!" snapped Doug. He realised he didn't sound very convincing when Hanson gazed at him terror struck.