Chapter two-Baby Girl

            "I dreamt about you last night," Hallie said softly.

            "Really? That woulda been a wet one if I dreamt about you…." Kai joked, but stopped when he saw a frightened look on his girlfriend's normally soft, warm face. She was a real pretty girl, at least in Kai and many other people's opinions, with wavy, light brown hair, much lighter than Kai's dark hue. She had sparkling blue eyes, as did Kai, and was quite short; at five foot, she stood over a foot shorter than Kai. But he loved her, and their love was one thing that made some of Kai's friends (and definitely his enemies) a tad or even more than a tad jealous. "What…what's wrong? What happened in your dream?" he asked, recalling a bit of his.

            She paused, "…nothing, forget it, Kai," Hallie replied sullenly.

            "No, Hallie, tell me about it. It was a bad one, wasn't it?" Kai asked, noticing more and more fright in Hallie's eyes.

            "Wha—what makes you say th-that, honey?" Hallie stuttered, now fighting anxious tears.

            "Look at you, sweets. You would have told me if it was a good one. And I know….because I had a bad dream, too," Kai put an arm around Hallie, holding her gently yet tightly. "You'll be alright, I promise. Just tell me what happened."

            Hallie gulped, clearing her throat and opening her mouth to speak, "There was this…this guy. He was, he was SO UGLY, he had burns and…"

            (Burns? Shit, no.)

            "…oh, he was AWFUL….are you listening to me?" Hallie stopped, looking at Kai in his eyes.

            "Yeah, babe. That's creepin' the bajeebers outta me…you know, the guy in my dream—"

            RING!!

            Kai was interrupted by an unexpected, shrill annoyance of the bell, making him and Hallie alike jump in surprise.

            "Come on, you two!" Michael, Kai's best friend, ran past, grabbing on to his arm in attempt to drag him toward class. It was of no use, as Kai and Hallie flowed anyway, needless of dragging. Kai and Hallie kissed each other goodbye for the while, and departed for their separate classes.

            Soon enough, the last class of the day was over. Well, actually, not soon enough; Kai had been bored of his wits for one half and scared of his wits for the other. Still tired from the night before, Kai struggled to stay awake and seemingly succeeded, at least for a while. But no, it had to have been trig—not only the hardest class but also the dullest. He didn't care, he wanted to be a writer, not a banker! How the hell was knowing the cubed root of the square of whatever going to help him, anyway? He sure as hell didn't know.

            As Mr. Clayton, the math teacher, droned about God knew what, Kai couldn't help but to doze off. He was sure plenty other people were, too. Zzzz…..

            As he struggled to stay awake, Kai noticed a girl he had never yet seen, so he assumed she was new. She was pretty, if just a bit…odd looking. She was dressed in all black, with chains and what seemed to be a black faux-hawk as a hairstyle. Not that her appearance would be that odd anymore, with the "punk rock look" the new fashion, but this girl…she looked different. She didn't appear that much a phony as did everyone else.

            "We have a new student, class. Please give a warm welcome to Taryn," Mr. Clayton introduced, only earning Taryn a few scattered hellos, but so be it. As Taryn continued in sharing about herself, Kai noticed Mr. Clayton—only it wasn't Mr. Clayton. It was the same man from the dream, with the same burns, same old sweater, same finger blades.

            "What's two plus two, Kai? I say we count on our….fingers," the man said cruelly. He quickly took out his hand, sending blades on Kai's way. Just as they nearly reached him, however, Taryn leaped in front, with switchblades of her own.

            "You leave him alone, Freddy. We've killed you once and they can kill you again. You're…done for," she said.

            "You're done for, nanana, teeheehee," the man—was it Freddy?—imitated Taryn in a shrill, high voice. "Remember, old pal, I have these," Freddy said, and much to Kai's horror, his knives turned to drug needles. "You…need me."

            Taryn gasped, shrinking back to the wall, "No, you leave me alone!"

            "Who the hell are you people?" Kai asked cautiously, a bit nervous, unsure of what could happen.

            "I am your best enemy. I am your worst nightmare. And guess what, Kai? I'm back," he said seriously, yet with a flair of snideness.

            "—Save yourself, stick with your friends, Kai—" Taryn yelled, but at the same time, Freddy lunged for her.

            "It's been so long, tough girl," Freddy taunted. "Too long."

            She fell to the ground.

            "Wake up, Mr. Roberts!" Mr. Clayton yelled at Kai, nudging him.

            "Ugh!" Kai yelled, pulling back.

            I'm okay…just a bad dream.

            Taryn was alright, too. She winked as she looked back at Kai from the back row. Finally, class ended and he was released from the hellhole.

            "Class was dull, eh?" Michael asked, slugging Kai on the shoulder a bit.

            "I guess so…what about that new girl, Taryn something or other?"

            "Are you mental? There was no new girl!" Michael argued. "Whatchoo smokin'?" he teased.

            "What?!" Kai said, a bit shocked. "What the— "

            "Nope, no Taryn," Michael replied. "Just my baby girl, Tara," he continued, giving his girlfriend, Tara, right next to him walking, a light kiss. "Listen, it's been great, but I've got hockey. Later," with that, Michael ran off, Tara following closely behind.

            Tara and Michael were great, well, at least, Michael was. Kai didn't necessarily care for Tara much, he always found her to be really fake, but oh well. She was not only Michael's girl but also Hallie's best friend, so Kai had to live with her. She was real light, blonde haired with small green eyes and soft featured, and willing to do anything for a shot at popularity. Not that she needed to, most boys would kill for a shot with her. But Kai definitely disliked her constant "taste changes" every time the style switched. Michael, on the other hand, was large and muscular and athletic lived for one thing, basically hockey. He was tall and dark with black hair, brown eyes, and tan skin, after all, he was Hispanic. He was a great guy, just so long as you didn't insult someone he loved near him. Because he could kick anyone's ass—in a minute. Tara, his girlfriend, was the main person he'd defend, but it was amazing to Kai how little they had in common. Mike lived and breathed hockey, family, and friends. All Tara breathed was friggen shopping.

            Kai continued through the halls, ready to leave school as the day was ending. Before exiting through the wide, red, double doors, he ran into Taryn once more. "Dude, who are you? And how do you know about this Freddy guy?"

            Taryn rolled her eyes, "I was expecting you'd say that. Look, I'll tell you what we know. Just…don't ask me why I know," she said. Finally, she explained all of Freddy's past, from the past, from Nancy, to Kristen, to Alice, and so forth.

            "So why the hell is he after me now? And you? This was years ago…" Kai muttered in disbelief.

            "Check your family slate, Kai. It ain't that totally clean."

            "How do you know all this, dammit?" Kai asked, now a bit frustrated. "Do you dream about him, too?"

            Taryn paused, "Well, not exactly. But you could say that."

            At that moment, Hallie passed by to give Kai a playful kiss on the cheek, "Who you talking to, honey?"

            "Oh, just…" Kai turned back toward Taryn, but she was nowhere to be found. She had vanished.

            "…no one," he led Hallie out of the school, linking his arm to hers. "Come on, babe, let's go."

            That night was great, well, for a while. Kai got to stay at Hallie's until her parents returned, which wasn't until around one in the morning (lucky Kai!). It was good to be on the same street, after all. So all Kai did was watched her fall asleep and snuck out the window when he heard her parents returning. She'll be alright, he thought, walking carefully out the window, dropping from the roof and returning to his house. He was tired, but well, here's to another night without sleep.           

            Hallie got out of her bed, restless and still not prepared for sleep.

            Damn… she thought. Kai's gone…she was a little sad, a little lonely. She was fine, though.

            Looking in the mirror, Hallie sighed. Her eyes were droopy of sleepiness, making her look much older and as if she had not slept in at least twenty years. She crept along the halls, silently as possible, afraid her parents were still awake. But something…something just didn't feel right. It was as if someone was watching her, or following her. She was even becoming a little frightened.

            She continued traversing the halls, now moving at a much quicker pace. Eventually, she began to move from a tiptoe, to a march, and soon enough a fully fledged run. The short hall in her house now stretched for miles, and miles after that.

            No…this isn't right! The bathroom should be to my left, I would have reached my brother's room by now…

            "Guess again, sugar!" It was him, she knew it. It was the same man from her dream just the night before, the same horrible voice. Before she knew it, a scream escaped her, a scream in horror, in complete fear.

            "Aw, honey, no need to be afraid…I feel like necking!" The man put his disgusting lips to Hallie's neck, creating a gash, dripping blood.

            "Get your filthy mouth off me, you freak!" Hallie yelled, tugging. But the more she pulled, the more he kissed her, the wider the gash in her neck became, the worse it felt. It was only too painful now that she could feel his teeth against her skin, crooked and misshaped as they were.

            "Oh, but don't you want to, sweets? Kai does!" the man, eyes gleaming, smiled a terrible, cruel smile, mouth full with Hallie's blood. "Yeah, I know, seems a little Dracula-like, doesn't it? I met him a few weeks ago, what a loser. Almost as worthless as that…that…" he laughed hysterically, "That JASON! But I know, I can't use all of his material…so I can just do this, simple as that," the man lifted his hand, armed with razor sharp knives…and struck.

            "Kai—" Hallie's eyes went wide, she was numbed with cold. As she struggled for her last breaths, her eyes went glossy blank—and she fell.

            The last thing she ever heard was the cold laughter…and the screeching.