Disclaimer: I own nothing.
(Dr. Alastor's office is once again darkened, but now looks better than before. The chains, rotting wood and mannequin are gone and new curtains have replaced the torn ones. The doctor stands at the window as usual facing away from the unknown patient.)
Alastor: (sarcastically) Well, that was exciting, wasn't it? Well done! Your game seems to be going very well.
(He opens a folder in his hands and reveals the picture of the farm house from the first therapy session.)
Alastor: (disappointed) Yes, all the good work we did exploring the source of your fear. And you've just gone and used it for ill. Your overwhelming fear of things that are dead. You have turned it against these people whom you so desperately want to torment. Has it been worth it?!
(He turns towards the patient while holding up the picture and looking at it. Then he lowers the picture and finds the face of the psycho right in front of him.)
Alastor: (shocked) What?!
Chapter 6: Vengeance
(Five hours until dawn.)
(The hoard of deer very slowly approach Spike and Diamond Tiara on the cliffside like zombies. Spike stands in front of his girlfriend holding up the axe in a defensive position.)
Diamond Tiara: (trembling) Spike... What are you gonna do...!?
Spike: (comfortingly) Stay calm... relax... they're just deer... they just want to check us out is all...
Diamond Tiara: No, no, no, Spike, they're gonna hurt us-
Spike: Shhh...
(The deer stop moving and stand still while making moaning sounds. The couple cautiously walk towards the herd. The deer slowly move aside allowing them to pass.)
Spike: Just walk slow. It's okay. Come on... it's okay.
(They almost reach the end when a big elk stands in their way.)
Diamond Tiara: Oh, my god, Spike, they're so close!
Spike: Don't worry.
(The elk becomes aggressive and looks like it's about to attack.)
Spike: (alarmed) Shit! Whoa there!
Diamond Tiara: Oh, my god!
(Spike panics and hits the elk in the neck with the axe.)
Spike: Damn it!
(The elk drops down dead. The herd then advance towards Spike.)
Spike: You! Get back!
(Diamond Tiara cowers on the ground next to them. Spike backs up towards the cliff until he slips on the ledge and tumbles over.)
Diamond Tiara: (scared) Spike!
(He quickly lets go of the axe and grabs the ledge. The deer move away from the ledge as Diamond Tiara gets up and runs over. Spike carefully climbs back up as she lowers her hand for him.)
Diamond Tiara: Grab my arm!
(He grabs it and she pulls him safely back up.)
Diamond Tiara: Got you!
Spike: (relieved) Oof... That was too close...
(They see that all the deer have all left just as sudden as they appeared.)
Diamond Tiara: (uneasy) No "thank you"?
Spike: Damn right, I'm gonna thank you, shit, I'm gonna thank you so hard-
Diamond Tiara: Alright, save it cowboy, we gotta get going before those mangy fuckers try to find us.
(They leave the cliff. Spike hops down from a rocky ledge and then helps her down. She heads down the path with her flashlight out. Spike follows her. They can see the fire tower in the distance in front of them.)
Diamond Tiara: If we do manage to get someone on the radio-
Spike: (confidently) We will.
Diamond Tiara: Then we tell them we need help. What do we do while we wait?
Spike: We go back to the lodge and get everyone else.
Diamond Tiara: (skeptical) Oh god, not the lodge. We should stay here. In case whoever it is needs to get back in touch with us?
Spike: Let's get that radio working first.
(They reach the base of the tower and a spotlight suddenly turns on.)
Diamond Tiara: (startled) Ahh! That's freakin' bright!
Spike: No kidding!
Diamond Tiara: I can't see. What is that?
Spike: It's just a security light. Motion sensor probably.
(After going up some stairs to get to the bottom of the tower, they start to climb up a series of ladders leading to the top. The cold wind blows around them.)
Diamond Tiara: (annoyed) Ugh, why is it so windy all of a sudden?
Spike: We're almost inside.
(They ascend the tower until they go through a hatch and enter the radio station at the top. Spike closes and locks the hatch door below them.)
Spike: You all right?
Diamond Tiara: Yeah...
(Diamond Tiara finds a radio communicator on a desk and tries to turn it on but it doesn't.)
Diamond Tiara: Ah, come ON! Great. No power. Gotta be a switch or something round here...
(She finds a locker near the desk and opens it. It's empty except for a missing poster about Amity.)
Diamond Tiara: (gloomily) Sorry Amity... you're still missing.
Spike: After tonight their disappearance is starting to make more sense.
(She then opens a door to the balcony and steps out. Spike joins her as she finds a flare gun in an emergency box.)
Diamond Tiara: Here we go.
(She takes it and hands it to Spike.)
Diamond Tiara: You take this. Might need it.
Spike: Aye-aye captain.
(He stores the gun in his pocket deciding to wait until help arrives to use it. Diamond Tiara then finds a fuse box and pulls the switch inside. The lights on the tower turn on and the radio inside comes to life.)
Diamond Tiara: (proudly) Fuck yeah! Here we go.
Spike: (smiles) Nice work.
Diamond Tiara: Okay. Score one for Spike and Diamond Tiara.
(They go back inside and see things working. Diamond Tiara sees a printer and pushes a button. Another poster prints out.)
Diamond Tiara: Oh! It's alive.
(She sees the poster is about Nikki.)
Diamond Tiara: (gloomily) Sorry, you're still missing too, Nikki.
(She then turns on the radio and tunes it. There's static at first then faint voices are heard. She speaks through the microphone connected to the radio.)
Diamond Tiara: (frantically) Hello? Anyone there? Hello! Please say something if you're out there, please we need help! Over!
(Then she hears a ranger's voice coming through.)
Ranger: ...Hello?
Diamond Tiara: (relieved) Oh, my god! Thank god! We need help, please!
Ranger: ...Hello is someone trying to contact us? This is the park ranger service for Blackwood County. I'm not getting your signal very well. Please speak slowly and clearly, over.
Diamond Tiara: (desperately) Please! Please please please help! Oh my god we're stuck on Blackwood Mountain and theres a maniac-
Ranger: If you can hear this, please repeat your message as I am unable to understand what you are saying, over.
Diamond Tiara: We need help, please!
Ranger: Hello? Can you please identify yourself? Over.
Diamond Tiara: (calmly) Oh, my god, okay, this is... My name is Diamond Tiara... Hello?
Ranger: You're not coming through clearly, please repeat, over.
Diamond Tiara: We're on... Blackwood Mountain... by the ski lodge... there's a killer and he's after us and he's already killed one of our friends. Oh god, please help, you've got to help us!
(Down below, something moves around the base of the tower and causes the spotlight to turn on. Spike looks out the window at the ground and sees nothing.)
Spike: Something tripped the motion sensor. Probably a fucking deer.
(The ranger's voice comes through again.)
Ranger: I read you, ma'am. Please do not leave your position. We will send out helicopters to get you as soon as the storm has subsided, over.
(The two breathe in relief knowing that help will come for them until they realize it won't come right away. Diamond Tiara speaks through again.)
Diamond Tiara: What? When? How long?
Ranger: Dawn, at the earliest. Not until dawn, over.
(At that moment, there's a loud banging on the hatch below them.)
Spike: (alarmed) Jesus!
Diamond Tiara: (frightened) Oh my god, he's here, he's coming for me!
(The banging then stops and they hear something moving fast down the ladders. It gets quiet for a moment. Then at the bottom of the tower, a figure cuts the supporting cords holding the tower in place. It starts to shake and tumble down.)
Diamond Tiara: (terrified) OH MY GOD, SPIKE, WHAT IS HAPPENING!
Spike: The tower!
Diamond Tiara: Oh, God!
Spike: Shit... Don't move... what the fuck?!
(The tower falls on its side. Spike hangs on to a support beam as Diamond Tiara screams and falls. She lands on the window and makes a crack in it.)
Diamond Tiara: No!
Spike: No! Diamond!
(She looks down through the window and sees a wide gap below the cliff that the tower was sitting on. The printer in the room falls towards her. She quickly rolls aside as it smashes through the window. She then falls through screaming and grabs the side bars on the tower's edge.)
Diamond Tiara: Fuck me. Jesus shit!
(The tower then shakes completely and slowly inches down into the gap. The two hang on for dear life.)
Diamond Tiara: Shit! Ahh! No, don't! No!
Spike: OH, SHIT!
(The tower comes loose and plunges down into the gap. Its bottom support beams get stuck in the gap and stop it from tumbling down. Spike and Diamond Tiara still hold on where they are.)
Spike: Oh, fuck! Dammit!
(Spike climbs out of the tower's side and stands on the bottom of the balcony since the tower's now upside down. It shakes a bit and he tries to keep his balance. He sees his girlfriend hanging still hanging on to the railing over the deep gorge. There's a ledge with a tunnel right next to them. Spike is able to jump to it, but Diamond Tiara can't.)
Diamond Tiara: (agitated) SPIIIKKKE! OH GOD, SPIKE HELP ME PLEAAAAASE!
Spike: I'm comin'! DT, this is pretty unsteady over here...
Diamond Tiara: Spike you've got to do something right NOW what are you WAITING FOR!?
Spike: I'm thinking! Let me think!
Diamond Tiara: Don't think, you idiot, just get me outta here!
Spike: (assuringly) Diamond Tiara... you're upset, you need to calm down, you're gonna be fine-
Diamond Tiara: Ugh, stop talking, I can't take it!
Spike: (irritated) Stop yelling at me and let me work this out, okay?
Diamond Tiara: No, you stop it! Why do you question every little thing I say? I'm goddamned sick of it!
Spike: What the fuck is your problem?!
Diamond Tiara: I- what?
Spike: Why are you being such a bitch to me?!
Diamond Tiara: (somberly) I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, really...
Spike: (sternly) From now on, you either treat me like a person or I'm out. Get it?
Diamond Tiara: Yeah!
Spike: Say it.
Diamond Tiara: What?
Spike: Say you'll treat me like a goddamned human being.
Diamond Tiara: I- I'll treat you like a person. Like a goddamned human being, okay? You're a person!
Spike: (calmly) Thank you.
Diamond Tiara: (desperately) Now will you please get me off this goddamned tower?! Please please please, Spike! Just do something!
Spike: I'm coming... I'm gonna try and get to you and pull you up.
(He leans down on the balcony and extends his hand to her.)
Spike: Here... ugh!
(She tries to climb up the railing and grab it, but the tower lurches again. She almost lets go and grabs hold again.)
Diamond Tiara: Oh, shit! Spike!
Spike: (cautiously) Woah woah... I don't wanna tip it!
(He carefully leans down again and holds out his hand. She extends her hand up to him.)
Spike: Oh... come on! Come on!
Diamond Tiara: Jesus!
(They both try to reach each other, but the tower shakes again and causes Diamond Tiara to let go for real and fall into the gorge screaming in terror. Spike sees her disappear into the darkness.)
Spike: (horrified) Diamond!
(The tower starts to come loose from being stuck in the gap.)
Spike: Oh, fuck!
(Spike immediately jumps to the ledge as the tower plunges into the gorge completely. He stumbles as he lands on the ledge and is knocked out. He soon wakes up and realizes what just happened.)
Spike: (dazed) Diamond-? Oh no... DT...
(He gets up and looks down in the gorge where Diamond Tiara fell along with the tower.)
Spike: (worried) Diamond! Diamond Tiara!
(He slowly walks away from the ledge and down the tunnel while trembling. He doesn't get very far when he hears movement behind him. He turns around and sees nothing. Then he's suddenly grabbed from behind by something and is dragged very quickly down the tunnel.)
Spike: (terrified) NO! GET OFF! GET OFF! ARGH! LET GO! LET GO!
(He's unable to free himself nor can he see what is dragging him. Then he remembers the flare gun he took from the tower. He pulls it out fast and points it behind him. Without looking, he fires it and whatever's dragging him shrieks in pain and releases him. Then it disappears down the tunnel. Spike gets up and sees nothing but the flare on the ground. He had fought off his attacker, but couldn't see what it was.)
Spike: (uneasy) Holy crap...
(After the incident in the shed and talking to Spike and Diamond Tiara, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne search the lodge for Luz. Lincoln goes down the stairs from the upper floor and rejoins Ronnie Anne in the main hall.)
Ronnie Anne: She wasn't up there?
Lincoln: I don't know... I didn't see her. She must have come down here.
Ronnie Anne: (worried) I haven't seen her either.
(The pass a table with a candle on it that suddenly lights.)
Ronnie Anne: (startled) Ahh! Did that just happen?
Lincoln: (uneasy) Dammit! What is going on around here?
(The pair head downstairs with flashlights and check the cinema room.)
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln...
Lincoln: What?
Ronnie Anne: (solemnly) Lincoln, I just want to say... what happened back there in the shed... I know how hard that was... Max was your friend...
Lincoln: Ronnie Anne, stop...
Ronnie Anne: No, I want to say... I mean thank you... for saving my life.
Lincoln: (somberly) Ronnie... what was I gonna do? I... I couldn't let anything happen to you... I couldn't...
(The two see the side door open and go through. Lincoln notices that Ronnie Anne looks like she's about to cry.)
Lincoln: Ronnie, you alright...?
Ronnie Anne: Yeah, I just... I know you and Max were close, Lincoln-
Lincoln: Let's just find Luz, okay? That's what we're doing now
(The door they just went through automatically slams behind them. Ronnie Anne yelps in surprise.)
Ronnie Anne: What the heck!
(She then opens an adjacent door in the hall and it shuts on its own too.)
Lincoln: (sighs) This is so eff-ed up!
(She tries to open it again and it's now locked.)
Ronnie Anne: That's really creepy.
(They walk towards the door at the end of the hallway and it opens by itself. Ronnie Anne yelps again. She slowly goes through and enters another hallway. There, she catches a glimpse of a pale white figure walking at the end and disappearing behind a corner. She gasps as Lincoln walks in behind her.)
Ronnie Anne: Wait a minute. Did you see that?
Lincoln: Uhh... Did I see what?
(She points to the hallway's end.)
Ronnie Anne: That, Lincoln. That.
Lincoln: What "that" was that?
Ronnie Anne: It was like... a see through shape. Like a ghost.
Lincoln: Oh, boy.
Ronnie Anne: (agitated) I'm serious. Why don't you believe me!? I said I saw it, doesn't that count for anything?
Lincoln: (assuringly) We've been through Hell tonight. Okay? Your mind is fried. My mind is fried. I don't even trust what I've been seeing.
Ronnie Anne: I don't know. I just... I saw something... Lincoln.
Lincoln: Ronnie, it's okay. You're just... we're both... kind of out of our heads right now. I mean we just... we gotta pull it together, okay? You with me?
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln...
Lincoln: Let's just... let's just keep our heads.
Ronnie Anne: Are we going crazy down here?
Lincoln: It's the only place left Luz could be, Ronnie Anne.
Ronnie Anne: What if she's not here? I wish we could just go find everybody else, and-
Lincoln: What if Luz needs us? What if she's in trouble?
Ronnie Anne: Oh, God...
(A nearby door to the basement opens.)
Lincoln: Let's go.
(He heads down and Ronnie Anne follows close behind. They enter a wide room where a cabinet bursts open and something flies out really fast and disappears. They start hyperventilating.)
Lincoln: WHOAWHOAWHOAWHOA, YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!
Ronnie Anne: What the HELL is going ON!
(They turn around and sees a rocking horse in corner right in front of them slightly moving by itself.)
Lincoln: Whoa!
Ronnie Anne: Oh my god, that scared me!
Lincoln: You knocked into it right? You knocked into it?
Ronnie Anne: I don't- I don't think so... I mean, I don't know! How did everything get so freaky around here? Doors slamming and candles lighting up out of nowhere and that specter or whatever it was-
Lincoln: Ronnie Anne, I think you're kind of ignoring what's really happening here-
Ronnie Anne: Don't tell me you didn't see that translucent white figure just passing right by us?
Lincoln: We... We could be seeing things-
Ronnie Anne: (firmly) I'm not imagining things!
Lincoln: (serious) Yeah, well I saw things too! I saw what happened to Max in the shed! You know? And that's what I'm worried about!
Ronnie Anne: Oh... Lincoln... I know... I know...
Lincoln: You know what I'm really worried about? Okay? I'm worried about Luz! What's happened to her? If there's some maniac out here then she could be dead too!
Ronnie Anne: Don't say that! Please, Lincoln.
(She then sees a dollhouse on a table and sees something inside.)
Ronnie Anne: Look, Lincoln! You can see in the windows.
Lincoln: See what? Tiny furniture?
Ronnie Anne: No it's a whole scene, with dolls and everything!
Lincoln: Yeah...?
(She moves a window at the top and reveals a key hole.)
Lincoln: Huh. I guess you need a key if you want to play around in there.
(Ronnie Anne then spots the figure she saw before move between corners down the next hallway.)
Ronnie Anne: (frantically) Wait! Linc-Linc-Linc-Linc-Linc! The ghost!
(Lincoln spins around just as the figure vanishes from sight.)
Lincoln: What?!
Ronnie Anne: Didn't you see it?
Lincoln: No...
(She sees his phone in his hand.)
Ronnie Anne: (irritated) You were looking at your phone, you dip! What are you tweeting?! Hashtag there's a freaking ghost after us?!
Lincoln: Ronnie, calm down, okay. There is no ghost here. Ghost of what? You're freaked out because of what happened with Max-
Ronnie Anne: You're not paying attention. I saw it. I saw a ghost and it looked like Amity!
Lincoln: (bewildered) Wait wait wait WHAT?
Ronnie Anne: Or-or maybe Nikki.
Lincoln: Jesus, Ronnie... What do you think they followed us up here from the seance?
Ronnie Anne: I don't know, maybe!
Lincoln: They didn't! Because ghosts don't exist, okay? I may be into ghost hunting back home, but I know it's not for real!
Ronnie Anne: Okay, who was talking to us at the seance, Lincoln?!
Lincoln: I don't know.
(Down the hall, a scream is heard and a picture falls from the wall. Ronnie Anne screams a little herself.)
Ronnie Anne: What did that?
Lincoln: How does a picture just jump off the wall like that?
(They go over to where it fell and Ronnie Anne finds a small key where the picture was hanging.)
Ronnie Anne: Huh. Here you go.
(She looks down the hall where they were before and sees the figure again standing still.)
Ronnie Anne: (gasps) Oh, my GOD! There! Look there!
(Lincoln turns and sees the figure as it walks off from view.)
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln, you can't tell me you didn't see that!
Lincoln: (stunned) Wow, that's...
Ronnie Anne: See?! You do see it.
Lincoln: That's... I dunno... I-I just... This is fucking crazy...
(He sprints over to where it was. Ronnie Anne follows him.)
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln, it's showing us the way!
(They go back to the dollhouse. The figure is gone, but Ronnie Anne puts the key in the keyhole.)
Ronnie Anne: This is unbelievable. I feel like the ghost wanted me to see this.
Lincoln: Why? What!?
(She unlocks the house and opens it. They see two dolls lying around in one room and several more dolls in a bedroom.)
Lincoln: Whoa, whoa, whoa, what is going on here?
Ronnie Anne: (disturbed) Oh, God! It's like-
Lincoln: It's not "like" anything. That's us. Hiding there, waiting for Amity. Last year.
Ronnie Anne: But...It's so accurate, I mean that's exactly where I was sitting...and that's where Spike was...
Lincoln: This was setup by someone. Who was there.
Ronnie Anne: Or someone, or somthing that was watching us...
Lincoln: Maybe it's a warning. I think someone...I think someone put this here to mess with us.
Ronnie Anne: No, it has to be the ghost, it's trying to tell us the maniac killed Hannah and Nikki!
Lincoln: I think it's this bastard, and he's..he's just trying to fuck with our heads.
Ronnie Anne: Why would he set this all up, Lincoln?
Lincoln: He's trying to tell us he's going to come after us all too.
(The doll representing Amity turns its head to the side and opens its eyes. They jump back in surprise.)
Lincoln: Yikes!
(The top of the house opens and reveals a secret compartment. Ronnie Anne takes a book from it.)
Ronnie Anne: It's...It's Amity's diary.
(She opens to a page and reads from it.)
Ronnie Anne: (reading) "I really think... Max is doing better now that he's out of the hospital..." (to Lincoln) This was... a couple months before we all came up... (reading) "I saw him today and he seemed... better... he's pretty upbeat, but... he talked like he's been doing therapy... for such a long time... guess I didn't know, Mom and Dad never let on... Funny how you can not even know your own brother. I kinda need a good cry... thinking about how lonely he must feel..."
(She turns to one of the last pages written.)
Ronnie Anne: (reading) "Everyone being together here...on the mountain...is gonna be so awesome... cozy fires and hot tubs... and OMG Dipper... I am so psyched to spend some time with him..." (upset) I can't read this! It's so sad, Lincoln...
(She puts the diary back in the house. Down the hall, a door creaks open.)
Ronnie Anne: (whispers) What was that?
Lincoln: It came from down there.
(They go back down the hall and find the door open a crack. Ronnie Anne pushes it open and a white translucent figure with a demon face suddenly appears in front of them and screeches. Then it vanishes as sudden as it appeared. Lincoln runs through the door to catch it and the door slams shut, separating them.)
Lincoln: (alarmed) Goddammit!
Ronnie Anne: (panicking) Oh! Lincoln!
(She bangs on the door until Lincoln opens it again.)
Lincoln: (perplexed) Nothing...
Ronnie Anne: But you did see it, Lincoln. For real.
Lincoln: I saw... something. But where'd it go?
(They've entered a storage area. Ronnie finds a lightbulb catalogue on a desk.)
Ronnie Anne: (curious) Hey, look at this. Doesn't seem as old as some of the stuff down here.
Lincoln: A catalogue...for industrial lightbulbs...?
Ronnie Anne: That is so random.
(She flips a page and sees a picture of a high-powered bulb with a red marker drawn around it.)
Ronnie Anne: One of the bulbs is circled.
Lincoln: That's a powerful bulb.
(She puts the catalogue down and finds a pair of scissors that were under it. She decides to save them for an emergency and slips them in her pocket. She then moves some boxes on a shelf and reveals a hidden video camera facing them.)
Ronnie Anne: (nervous) Uh... Lincoln? You think it's the guy?
Lincoln: Well, that makes sense.
Ronnie Anne: I don't like being watched.
(Lincoln turns the camera so it's not facing them.)
Lincoln: Better?
(Ronnie Anne picks up the camera and glares right into it.)
Ronnie Anne: (aggressively) Go suck an egg!
(She puts it back facing away.)
Ronnie Anne: (calmly) Now it's better.
(They head down the hallway some more and Ronnie Anne finds a severed doll's head with eye holes on another shelf.)
Ronnie Anne: Just when you think it can't get any creepier...
(Several cockroaches crawl out of the holes and she drops the head.)
Ronnie Anne: (disgusted) Jeez!
Lincoln: Ugh. Nightmare fuel.
(They walk some more and hear a rumbling sound from above. Some dust falls from the ceiling.)
Ronnie Anne: Uhhh...? What was that?
(They reach the end of the hall and into a storage room. The find a doorway in the wall with the door broken down. Lincoln looks in.)
Lincoln: (stunned) Wait, there's a whole 'nother room through here. It's mammoth.
Ronnie Anne: (uneasy) Lincoln, I don't know if I want to keep going.
(They go through the doorway and walk down an old hallway that's really falling apart.)
Ronnie Anne: Where in the world are we now?
Lincoln: Are you kidding me?
Ronnie Anne: Did you know this was here?
Lincoln: This? This is like a whole 'nother hotel. I had no idea this was here.
(Ronnie Anne walks past an elevator shaft and finds a bracelet on the floor.)
Ronnie Anne: (worried) Oh no...
Lincoln: What is it?
Ronnie Anne: Luz's bracelet. And she NEVER takes this thing off.
Lincoln: (determined) We gotta find her.
Ronnie Anne: Fast.
(They head down the hallway some more until Ronnie Anne stops.)
Ronnie Anne: I don't think I can take any more of this.
Lincoln: Yeah, I'm about at my limit here too.
Ronnie Anne: (sincerely) All I wanted to do was forget last year ever happened...
Lincoln: To be honest, I'm not sure what Amity thought she was doing.
Ronnie Anne: Yeah... well... you know how it is when you're crushing pretty hard on somebody...
Lincoln: (exasperated) Great, so you're basically saying that we put a vulnerable friend in a terrible situation and essentially caused her to run away and never be heard of again?
Ronnie Anne: If it was you, don't you think you would have run away? I mean who likes being made fun of?
Lincoln: People don't make fun of me.
Ronnie Anne: To your face.
Lincoln: What?
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln, we made her look so stupid, in front of all of her friends and the guy she liked. I can't imagine doing anything worse to somebody.
(They reach the end of the hall where there's a room with the wall broken down. Ronnie Anne finds a package on the floor in the room torn open. A pile of newspapers is in the package. The papers talk about an escaped convict on the mountain like the article Lincoln found when they first arrived at the lodge. She sees the postage label on the package has a very recent date like the papers were printed only recently. She shows it to Lincoln.)
Ronnie Anne: (curious) Hey. These...are these fake? Why would anyone make fake newspapers?
Lincoln: That's...a really good question.
(They then find a staircase at the end of the hallway leading down to an unknown area. Ronnie Anne stops in her tracks.)
Ronnie Anne: (skeptical) You know what? No.
Lincoln: Ronnie-
Ronnie Anne: No! I've had enough! I'm not going down any further into this nightmare, Lincoln!
Lincoln: (firmly) Ronnie Anne... I understand, okay? I'm really freaked out too. But if Luz's down there all alone with a maniac... and we leave? We're basically killing her ourselves.
Ronnie Anne: (sighs) Goddamnit. Why are you always right?
Lincoln: I'm not always right.
Ronnie Anne: Well, when you're right... you're right.
Lincoln: I don't want to be, I want to leave.
Ronnie Anne: No. We gotta find Luz. I just... I don't think I can do it!
Lincoln: Yeah, it's not looking good, huh?
Ronnie Anne: I'm really scared, Lincoln...
(He puts his arm around her and looks her in the eye.)
Lincoln: (comfortingly) I'm scared too. But I got your back, okay? As long as you got mine?
(Ronnie Anne takes a moment to relax.)
Ronnie Anne: I do.
(The two realize how close they are to each other. They both blush as Lincoln lets go of her.)
Lincoln: Um... yeah. So, let's get this over with, I guess.
Ronnie Anne: Okay.
(The duo go down the stairs and enter another ruined hallway. Ronnie Anne thinks about something.)
Ronnie Anne: (disturbed) Lincoln... I'm gettin' a really weird feeling from all this...
Lincoln: What do you mean?
Ronnie Anne: So we're saying that the same guy who killed Max also made the fake newspapers and set up the camera, right?
Lincoln: Yeah... I think so...
Ronnie Anne: It's just... it feels like he's constructing the whole story for us... then watching us run around, freaking out, seeing what we do, like it's... some sort of fucking experiment!
Lincoln: (uneasy) Yikes, that... that's kinda... That actually makes a weird sort of sense...
Ronnie Anne: Right?!
(They walk some more and reach a big room that looks like some kind of abandoned basement laboratory. The door slams shut behind them. They are startled by it but not completely surprised. They shine their lights on the wall and see big metal hooks and chains hanging with blood stains on them.)
Lincoln: Oh, geez. This is so enticing.
Ronnie Anne: Oh, boy. You think all this stuff is... his?
Lincoln: Unless the Blights were into some freaky shit in their spare time, then yeah...probably.
(Then they spot a dead pig being hung by a hook in the back of the room. It's covered in blood and has flies around it.)
Ronnie Anne: (disgusted) Oh no, you've got to be kidding me. Repulsive!
Lincoln: This can't be for eating.
Ronnie Anne: Why the hell is it here?
Lincoln: It's like a goddamn grindhouse movie in here.
(They then find photos of themselves and all their friends on another wall across the room.)
Ronnie Anne: That's us.
Lincoln: What is this, like a fucking hit list? Christ.
(They find a small side room with a movie projector in it. Ronnie Anne turns it on and it starts playing a video clip on the wall.)
Lincoln: Hello?
(The projection shows their friends setting the prank on Amity.)
Ronnie Anne: Oh god... Lincoln, it's from last year... the stupid prank...
Lincoln: Uh... This is a little... This is a little uncomfortable, huh?
(Amity appears in the video.)
Ronnie Anne: I've never seen this video... She's just so...
Lincoln: So... what?
Ronnie Anne: She's so excited... and alive.
Lincoln: She has no idea.
(It shows the prank taking effect and everyone involved, including Ronnie Anne, seems to be enjoying it.)
Ronnie Anne: (shamefully) Oh, jeez.
Lincoln: Whoa. I forgot you were such a willful participant.
Ronnie Anne: This is horrible. I couldn't feel worse.
Lincoln: You look like you were enjoying yourself.
Ronnie Anne: That's the worse part, isn't it? We were just playing a joke. It was supposed to be funny.
Lincoln: (understanding) Yeah.
Ronnie Anne: I never want to see this video ever again.
(The video then shows a close up on Amity's face that suddenly turns into a demon-like face. The video stops after that.)
Ronnie Anne: (panicking) Ahh! Oh, Linc-Linc-Linc-Linc! What is going ON?!
Lincoln: (assuringly) Ronnie, slow down, okay?
Ronnie Anne: I can't handle this. Ghosts, and these videos, and everything just flying around-
Lincoln: Calm down, listen to me for a second-
Ronnie Anne: What? Calm down? Why should I calm down, Lincoln? I am freaking out right now!
Lincoln: This has got to be someone messing with us.
Ronnie Anne: What?
Lincoln: Think about it. Ghosts don't hook up video cameras. They don't play games.
Ronnie Anne: Then who would set this all up? Seriously. I'm asking.
Lincoln: I don't know. Maybe the same person who tied you up and killed Max.
(Ronnie Anne relaxes a bit.)
Ronnie Anne: Oh... Right.
Lincoln: The same person who might have Luz, right now.
Ronnie Anne: Maybe you're right.
Lincoln: I wish I wasn't.
(They leave the room and head down another hallway. They get to a big metal door smeared with blood.)
Lincoln: Oh crap. Look at that.
Ronnie Anne: Blood?!
Lincoln: Might be Luz's. Let me see if I can get this...
(Lincoln slowly opens the door and struggles to hold it open.)
Lincoln: Ungh...Got it...but...damn this thing is heavy-
Ronnie Anne: Be careful!
Lincoln: You gotta come through... Ronnie... I can't hold it... Ungh... Come on...
(Ronnie Anne notices a figure through a window off to the side.)
Ronnie Anne: (relieved) Oh! Lincoln!
Lincoln: What!?
Ronnie Anne: I think I just saw Luz over there!
Lincoln: Ronnie... Are you SURE?
Ronnie Anne: I don't know, but come on. I think we should check it out.
Lincoln: Well, I'm pretty sure whoever's bleeding came through here, okay? So we really got to get moving like now!
(Ronnie Anne decides not to separate from him.)
Ronnie Anne: Okay, yeah, you're right. I'm coming.
(She goes through the door and Lincoln closes it.)
Lincoln: (relieved) Oh, thank god...I thought this thing was gonna crush me...come on.
(They see they're in another wrecked storage room. Ronnie Anne finds a control box that controls the temperature in the basement.)
Ronnie Anne: (puzzled) I don't get it. Why would anyone want to make this place colder, it's freezing!
Lincoln: Who knows what goes on inside this guy's head, Ronnie.
(They turn a corner in the room and jump back when they see figure in a scary clown mask hanging from the ceiling. Then they realize it's just a dummy and it has familiar clothes on it.)
Ronnie Anne: Wait, those are Luz's...
Lincoln: Yeah...that's...those are Luz's clothes. That's just...
Ronnie Anne: Sick. I'd say that's just sick.
Lincoln: So the Psycho has been down here. For sure.
Ronnie Anne: (whispers) Do you think he's still down here?
Lincoln: I hope not.
Ronnie Anne: Why...is this thing even here?
Lincoln: Million dollar question. Not a good sign.
Ronnie Anne: For Luz?
Lincoln: For any of us. But yeah, mostly for Luz.
(They find the door leading out. As they open it, they hear Luz's voice cry in distress nearby.)
Luz: Please no!
Ronnie Anne: Luz?
(They go down another hallway and approach a pair of doors. They open them and see a figure sitting in a chair in the shadows.)
Ronnie Anne: (gloomily) Oh, Lincoln. Oh no.
Lincoln: Hello?
Ronnie Anne: Luz?
(The figure doesn't move. Ronnie Anne hands her flashlight to Lincoln and turns the chair around. It reveals to be Luz in her bath towel unconscious.)
Ronnie Anne: (shocked) Luz!
Lincoln: Shit.
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln, is she dead? Holy shit, holy shit-
Lincoln: She's not... she's not dead.
Ronnie Anne: How do you know?
Lincoln: She's still breathing.
Ronnie Anne: What the hell is wrong?
Lincoln: I think she's been knocked out.
Ronnie Anne: Ohh. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. This is bad, this is bad! We've got to get her out of here!
(Suddenly, the psycho comes out of the darkness behind them and grabs Lincoln. He immediately puts the gas mask on him before he can react and knocks him out.)
Ronnie Anne: (terrified) LINCOLN! OH, SHIT!
(She picks up the flashlight Lincoln dropped and sees the psycho right in front of her. He tries to reach for her.)
Ronnie Anne: AHHH! NO! GET BACK! Stay the hell away from me!
(She quickly pulls out the scissors she found earlier and stabs him in his shoulder. He stumbles and yells in pain as he pulls them out.)
Psycho: (angry) Oh, no, no, no, live and learn!
Ronnie Anne: What?
(He punches her hard in the face and knocks her down before she can get away.)
Psycho: Live and learn.
(He then uses the gas on her and makes her unconscious. Soon, Lincoln wakes up.)
Lincoln: (dazed) Ugh... My fucking head...
(As he regains his senses, he finds himself tied to a chair at a table. Ronnie Anne is tied to a chair across from him. They're under a single light, there's a gun on the table right in front of him, and a camera is a few feet away pointed at them.)
Lincoln: (alarmed) Oh, shit... oh crap... Ronnie? RONNIE!
(Ronnie Anne wakes up and groans. He sees a black eye on her face.)
Lincoln: Aw, Jesus, Ronnie, what did he do to you?
Ronnie Anne: (trembling) I think... he hit me...
Lincoln: (infuriated) Shit. I'm gonna murder his fucking face off.
Ronnie Anne: What is this?
Lincoln: This is him. This is the guy who killed Max.
Ronnie Anne: (terrified) No, Lincoln... Oh, my god, no! Oh, god... Lincoln!
Lincoln: You murdering piece of shit! You MONSTER!
Ronnie Anne: Look around! We're gonna die, Lincoln! I don't think I'm ready to die...
Lincoln: No one is going to die.
Ronnie Anne: I wish I could tell you... it's just not fair!
Lincoln: What? Tell me what?
Ronnie Anne: (upset) It's too late! Lincoln, what's the point?!
Lincoln: (calmly) Stop it, just say...
Ronnie Anne: We're always talking around it, and now, I mean, we've wasted everything!
Lincoln: Ronnie Anne... none of it was wasted.
Ronnie Anne: What do you mean?
Lincoln: (meaningfully) Every second that I spent with you was the only thing I ever wanted to do with my time.
Ronnie Anne: What are you saying, Lincoln?
Lincoln: I'm sorry... I should have told you how I felt.
Ronnie Anne: Lincoln...!
Lincoln: Ronnie Anne, I swear, when we get out of this-
(They're interrupted by something above them turning on. The look up and see a bid saw blade spinning and slowly moving down on them.)
Lincoln: (horrified) Oh, god!
Ronnie Anne: AHH! No! Help, Lincoln!
Lincoln: Ronnie Anne, I'll get you out of this! I won't let you die!
(As Ronnie Anne screams and sobs, the psycho's muffled voice echoes throughout the room.)
Psycho: (creepily) Hello, there my special little subjects.
Ronnie Anne: I'm so scared, Lincoln-
Lincoln: Aw, shit. Don't be scared-
Psycho: Oh, you should be, Ronalda, because here's the twist: Lincoln has made one fatal choice already today...
Ronnie Anne: Oh, no... no...
Psycho: ...And now he must make another. Lincoln... you can take that gun in front of you and shoot Ronalda, or you can shoot yourself. Whoever is left, can live! The choice is yours.
(Lincoln takes the gun and tries to shoot the saw. It does nothing and the saw keeps inching down towards them.)
Psycho: (chuckles) Don't be so silly, Lincoln.
(As Ronnie Anne panics, Lincoln takes a deep breath and makes a choice. He intentionally aims the gun at himself.)
Ronnie Anne: (insistently) Wait, stop, you can't do it, Lincoln, it should be me. You chose to save me before, let me choose this time... Let me choose to save you.
Lincoln: Oh, fuck!
Ronnie Anne: If I do one last thing in my life let me do this! Lincoln, please. Oh, god...
(Lincoln looks at her with sorrow, then closes his eyes and pulls the trigger. A gunshot echoes throughout the room followed by Ronnie Anne's scream.)
Ronnie Anne: (horrified) No!
And cliffhanger! I mean all the chapters are kind of end on cliffhangers, but this is the biggest so far.
Don't know about you, but I think Lincoln and Ronnie Anne fit Chris and Ashley nicely. Both duos have that adorable deep connection. I also have to admit that the pairing of Spike and Diamond Tiara has been growing on me since I've been writing them in this. It may not seem to be working in this recast, especially considering that DT is similar to how she used to be, but I think a relationship between them would work out after she became a much nicer character.
Now that the story is in its second half, there will be answers to all the mystery and suspense starting in the next chapter.