"It feels sort of weird…wearing proper clothes again." Kirby trailed off. She and Sidney were both sitting at the table and the silence was just a little too much for her at that point. Neither of them had slept well because of Kate's impending funeral; now it was only a few hours away and the sense of uneasiness lingered around the kitchen.
As if making her point, Kirby pulled and tugged slightly at the hem of the dress. The sweatpants and loose fitted shirts were shapeless but comfortable. Now, it felt like the scratchiness of the new material restricted her breathing and brushed the wrong way against her scar.
"You'll get used to it soon enough. You look much more like Kirby now," Sidney replied. Although she wouldn't admit it to anyone, she was grateful for the distraction of conversation.
The silence that took hold after the comment was only momentary because when Sidney glanced at the clock, she pushed her chair back and straightened up. "Come on. We should get going."
Kirby copied Sidney's actions, putting her phone on silent before picking up her bag. The two women left the house and got into the car. Sidney had made the decision to avoid a funeral car for family members. After all, there would only be her left. Besides, anything that alerted the press to the funeral that was taking place would be a bad idea- and Sidney knew that Kate wouldn't have wanted a big deal made of it. She'd expressed her distaste about that at her mom's funeral.
Sidney sat in between her Aunt Kate and father. There was a crumpled torn up tissue between her hands and she had been wringing it so much that it had dampened with the clamminess of her palms. The car had been stopped for five minutes, but they had not gotten out of the car. Even with the blacked-out windows, she could still see the flashes of cameras and various reporters shouting questions.
"Neil! Can we get a statement?"
"Kate, how are you coping?"
"Sidney…what was it like to walk in and find your mother murdered so brutally?!"
Sidney glared down at the crumpled up tissue, fidgeting with it all the more as the onslaught of questions continued to filter through the car.
"It's like a damned circus around here. Haven't they had enough pictures? Can they not let my sister have one day of peace? Where are the police?!" Kate demanded, anger, hurt and grief reflected in her eyes and tone.
"Once today is over with…it'll calm down." Neil replied, though even to a sixteen-year-old child, it didn't sound convincing at all.
"Is that all you've got to say, Neil? Jesus Christ. She was your wife! Have you shed a tear for her? Do you even care that these vultures are swarming on the day of-"
"Please…stop." The voice was quiet, subdued even. But it was Sidney's voice- and despite her being stuck between the two of them it was like they finally noticed her when she spoke.
Sidney had been squeezing the tissue so fiercely that her knuckles were white. Instinctively, Neil took one of her hands in his and Kate took the other.
"It'll be alright, Sid." Neil said quietly.
"We'll deal with this together as a family."
"Sid… the car's here…" Kirby said quietly. She had seen her so deep in thought that she hadn't wanted to disturb her, but as the undertakers were bringing the coffin out of the back, she didn't want to miss Kate's service.
There were a few other people there. Close friends of Kate who had been keen to know when the service was as they wished to attend. Sidney recognised Dewey and Gale but that was about it. It was clear that the rest of the crowd knew who she was though.
"It's like they think you have the plague or something." Kirby muttered as they walked towards the church- and it was true. When they stepped in near distance of the crowd, they parted at either side.
"My reputation of a pariah." Sidney muttered in return. She had assumed that she was the one protective of Kirby, but she was surprised to find that Kirby stuck to her like glue. Even when the rest of the mourners backed away as if her mere presence would insight death, Kirby remained fixed by her side.
Dewey and Gale both came over, offering a warm hug towards both of them before stepping back.
"You're both looking really well." Gale offered, absentmindedly tucking her hair behind her ear. "Given the circumstances."
"Thanks Gale," Sidney replied,
"We have police surrounding the area, Sid. You won't be disturbed today." Dewey reassured swiftly, a soft sigh leaving his lips as silence swept over the group when Kate's coffin emerged fully from the hearse. It entered the intimidating doors with Sidney following first behind.
It had been a beautiful service despite the heavy circumstances surrounding Kate's death and Sidney had been left to her own devices when the ceremony had ended.
Nobody had spoken of Jill even remotely- it was like she hadn't been there at all. Sidney didn't know if that would have only hurt Kate all the more though. A parent's love for their child was supposed to be unconditional and although estranged, even Sidney knew that Kate had dedicated her life to raising Jill, protecting her from the dark past that surrounded their family.
Although standing by Kate's headstone, Sidney couldn't help but allow her gaze to fall upon the headstone only a few feet away.
MAUREEN PRESCOTT
1950-1995
BELOVED WIFE, MOTHER AND SISTER. GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN.
Sidney stared at the engraving on the stone. Her mother would never be forgotten, she was part of the town's history now. Her murder had single-handedly changed Woodsboro forever. It had changed Sidney forever.
But had she really ever known her mother? It was like she'd been leading some secret double life. It seemed that whenever trouble started…she uncovered something completely new about the woman she should have known everything about.
"It seems like yesterday we were standing here for her." Dewey's voice interrupted her thoughts. Sidney sighed and rubbed her forehead; she had been to this cemetery one too many times.
"In some ways it does. In some ways I feel it's been longer than fourteen years." She eventually replied. Squatting down, she brushed some of the overgrown ivy and dust that had collected away. "You know, Dewey…in the first year of her death I used to come here every week with a new bunch of flowers. Sometimes I'd come more than once, just to talk to her."
Dewey said nothing for the moment. He recognised that she didn't need him to respond right now. She just needed to vent.
"I felt like I was talking to my mom at that point. But I was just talking to a complete stranger."
"Sid… you might not have known her past, but you knew her as your mom. You knew her in the sixteen years you had with her."
"Did I? Did I really know who she was? I mean she was having an affair with my boyfriend's dad for Christ sakes. Sleeping with Cotton Weary too. I didn't know my mom at all." Sidney replied bitterly.
"Your mom had a tough life, Sid."
"And me and my dad have too. You make the choice…you make the choice to…"
"Be murdered?"
Sidney threw him a glance and sighed, taking it as an insight to cool off.
"Of course not. I just… I wish she were here. I have so many unanswered questions and so much has happened and-" She had to pause, her voice was thick with emotion and tears and she blinked quickly, rapidly wiping her eyes.
"I know."
Once Sidney had gotten herself in check, she stood back up and stepped back.
"It must be difficult for you too. With Tatum here and your mom." Sidney expressed, turning her head to gage Dewey's reaction. He had never really spoken about Tatum's death- but it had really hit him hard. Enough to pull him out of the police force for a good few years.
"We all have our ghosts Sid. We all have the what ifs. It doesn't do good to dwell on them." He rubbed his moustache and sighed himself. "If I'd never driven you both to that party then Tatum would still be here. Maybe Mom would be too."
"Ah, because Tatum had the utmost respect for your authority."
That made a small smile break out from Dewey's sombre expression.
"If you hadn't driven us then Tatum would have found someone to pick us up. We were supposed to be at that house that night. It's what they'd planned."
"I know. But sometimes it's easier blaming the living than blaming the dead."
"And it's easier saying what if…and if only." Sidney finished.
A lack of sleep over the past few nights accompanied by the emotional exhaustion of the day meant that Sidney was completely wiped out. It was like she hadn't realised how drained she was until she had nothing left whatsoever.
"Do you want some food?" Kirby asked. After shedding the dress and hitting the shower, she felt a lot more comfortable in her lumber shirt and flannel shorts. It was good to just try and wash the day away.
"Sure." Sidney said softly, watching as Kirby stood up and opened the cupboards one by one, searching for some sort of inspiration. But all that was in was dried pasta, some cheese, bread and a pint of milk.
"Uh…I could run to the store?" Kirby offered helpfully, glancing at the bare ingredients.
"That empty huh?" Sidney asked, standing up and opening the left drawer where her dad used to keep the takeaway menus and pointless letters. He never threw anything away.
"How does Chinese food sound?"
"Like a great shout." Kirby answered, relieved because the thought of cooking something was too draining for her to even consider.
"Great." She tossed a menu to Kirby. "I'll have a chicken chow mein, get whatever you want. It's on me." Running a hand through her hair, she stretched and yawned. "I'm just going to head for a shower. If it comes before I'm out my purse is in my bag."
"Okay, sure. Thanks." Kirby called, picking up the menu and searching through as Sidney headed upstairs.
After selecting what she wanted and placing her order, Kirby grabbed a glass of water and headed over to the couch in the living room. Picking up the remote control on her way she went to flop down, hissing in pain as a sharpness protruded through the sole of her left foot.
"Fuck!" She cursed and lifted it instinctively, perching on the couch to inspect the damage. Upon looking, she saw a small shard of glass sticking out from her skin. Sidney had told her what had happened with the picture and she assumed it had just been a remnant from what had managed to escape from the wrath of the vacuum cleaner.
Her mobile rang from the kitchen and she groaned inwardly, half-hopping and half-shuffling towards the sound whilst trying not to bleed all over the place. She noticed the phone ID read UNKNOWN CALLER but assumed it was the takeout she had placed an order for.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Kirby."
From the very first syllable, it was like Kirby's blood had turned to ice. That oh-so familiar voice saying her name made her want to throw up.
"Who is this?"
"Would you believe it if I said someone from the grave?" The voice was cold, mocking even.
"Bullshit."
The gravelly voice chuckled menacingly. "There's that fighting spirit. It looks like you turned out to be final girl material. Maybe you'll even outlast the original one."
"Stop hiding behind a voice you fucking coward."
Sidney had just showered and changed when she heard Kirby talking downstairs. She presumed she was ordering until she paid attention and listened to the hostel tone that was being taken.
Rushing downstairs, Sidney was alarmed when she saw red on the floor, small blotches that were smudged against the wooden flooring. Following them into the kitchen with haste, Sidney's relief to see Kirby standing there was replaced with fear as she saw Kirby's expression.
"Don't worry, Kirby. This is not the end by a long stretch. You'll find out who I am. Soon enough."
The call ended a moment later, and Sidney watched Kirby slowly shift the phone from her ear downwards, dropping it on the table and recoiling as if it were poisonous.
"It was him. That voice." Kirby's voice cracked, showing pure unbridled fear for the first time in a long time. "I would know it anywhere. This isn't over."
