The Thriller

Three Years In

For October in Haddonfield it was exceptionally cold, the usual warmth to the breeze wasn't lingering as it always had, well, or at least as it had the years that nothing happened, excluding 1963, 1978, 1988 and 1989. This year was cold, and though not all the Haddonfield residents noticed it had been this way when Michael struck, the ones more close to him in a sense, the ones whose lives he had destroyed knew.

Jennifer was one of these people. Though she'd only been around for two of the above dates, she had noticed, and frankly, it terrified her. This particular year she had the day off, no surprise really after last year, she had the feeling she would be getting the next two Halloween's off. It didn't bother her, she could take Jacob trick-or-treating this way, but still the cold brought a sense of anticipation. She wondered if she should take Jacob or stay home with Michael.

She sighed softly as she looked outside and watched as children came home from school, running inside to get ready. The phone rang and she moved to answer it to see it had stopped, she peaked into the kitchen to see Michael's back, he had the phone to his ear.

Curiously she went to the one in the living room and silently lifted it from it's cradle and covered the receiver so she couldn't be heard.

"Remember Michael, tonight is the night, you must kill Jennifer and the child. You must."

Her brow furrowed and the front door opened to reveal Wynn with Jacob's costume. She pressed a finger to her lips and motioned to the kitchen so he would go there. She hung up the phone, went upstairs, grabbed Jacob, and ran back down to hear Wynn talking to Michael.

"Michael just remember, it's dangerous to let them live. You know what you must do."

Terrified, she slowly slipped out the front door and nearly screamed to see the air had been let from her tires. She looked up the street, then upon seeing the wooden door open and a hand push at the screen door. She took off in a dead run, knowing it was Michael from the silence behind her. She cut across the playground where no car could go and then through the park, avoiding areas with streets. Michael most likely would take Wynn's car to find her.

Jacob was crying suddenly, his screeches caused her to look back to see Michael on her trail, the sun was setting and she was tired, losing speed. He was walking, and was equipped with one of the kitchen knives that had been in the knife block. She ran through the trees, one scratching her fairly badly across the cheek, and she found the familiar road. She sighed in relief, tears burning her eyes and she darted off again, just in time, for his knife began to swipe away the branches. She ran hard across the street to the parking lot of the hardware store, she cur around the store to find the car she had hidden here, just in case. She set Jacob in the car seat in the back and got into the drivers side, locking the door just in time, as her husband appeared in the window.

She was terrified, knew she couldn't do anything since all he had to do was bust down the window and kill them. But looking in the mirror, seeing his little face and remembering having seen it for the first time, she couldn't let it happen. As Michael raised his hand to smash the window, she turned the key in the ignition and hit the gas, hard.

She sighed in relief as Michael stood watching, looked at Jacob, then behind her again. Michael was gone.

Terrance Wynn sat up anxciously as the door opened and his heart fell to see Michael come in by himself. He shook his head. "They're goners. If only she hadn't overheard the phone and probably something I said made her think I was talking about her. You know the law Michael, if she isn't back before midnight we have to kill her. Go on, take my car, check the airport and bus stations and all abandoned barns, sheds and houses. I'll have a team out and after her. Kill who you have to, she'll understand."

Michael stood uncertainly for a moment. He looked at Wynn for an answer.

"Look Michael, I never said you couldn't have feelings for people, you're human. Wether you like it or not, you are. I know you care about her and that baby, and what kind of monster are you if you let them get killed by someone else from another tribe? I'll tell you something now, that's your family to protect. They die, you keep the curse, kill Laurie and John and Steven, and end the curse. Then what? You have no one to love, no one to hold, no little boy to watch grow up, if you ever make love you really wont get the benefit of being with your soul mate, and you'll probably end up using hookers to get laid. You'd be scum, not Michael Myers. Michael Myers is a ruthless killer who would do anything to achieve his goal. He never wears gloves and never gets caught, never has to run to catch his victim, and has such a sickening glory to him that most people can't deny but still fear. Your goal is five years happiness with her, then the curse ends, you move on with your life. Which sounds better? No curse and a family, no curse and scum?"

Michael didn't have to think for a moment to know what he wanted, he marched out the door before the last syllable uttered through the room.

Jennifer looked at the clock. 7:00. She sighed, she would be taking Jake trick-or-treating now, and just like last year she couldn't. She looked in the back, he was playing with a stuffed animal she had kept here for him, a small smile curved at her lips. She wouldn't be like Jamie, she would make it with him and raise him somewhere that cults couldn't ruin Halloween for him. She didn't know where, but she was sure she would find it.

But tonight was dark, and they were tired, the next barn they found would be where they slept, and it looked like the road was clear for a few miles. She opened the glove department and removed a water bottle and drank a bit, exhausted from having run as long as she had, close to an hour and a half. She shook her head. She'd been all wrong about Michael, he didn't care for her, he was going to kill her and the baby. Little Jake looked up from his elephant and out the window to see a car pull up beside them. He grinned like a cheshire cat. "Daddy!" He giggled and watched his mother shake her head.

"No Jake, daddy isn't..." She looked out her window at the Shape in the car next to hers and cried out, slamming the gas as hard as she could, taking off ahead of him. She was glad the car was in top shape or else they would be too slow to make it past. But he came up next to them again and with a deep breath she slammed into his car, which she didnt't recognize watching it roll into the ditch. Jake screamed, and she smiled to see a barn ahead. "It's ok Jakey, Mommy'll keep you safe."

She pulled up to it and ran in, closing and locking the door. It was abandoned, a hay shredder in one corner, several pitchforks in another and hay barrels all around. She shifted Jake's weight in her arms and sighed, setting him against a barrel facing the wall and surrounding it with other barrels. "Don't make a sound." She said softly, not wanting him to see anything that happened. There was a slam on the door, then it shot open, and she was relieved that Jake was silent.

The Shape watched her from the doorway, tilted his head and then stepped in, closing the door. He advanced and she stayed still, trying to control her shaking. He set his knife on a barrel and threw her against one wall, pressed himself to her. Something wasn't right, something wasn't like him. He ran his hands over her and when she struggled punched her in the ribs. She screamed, and still Jake kept silent.

Michael glared as he drove, something was horribly wrong. They'd found her, he knew it. He sighed angrily as he drove and something caught his eye. A car was in a ditch at the side of the road, and not far ahead at all hers was parked at a barn, his eyes narrowed as he realized this was the same barn he's killed her sister in four years ago. He pulled up to it in time to hear a blood curdling scream, and then the loud wail of his son, then the sound of the hay shredder.

He quickly got out of the car, her screams short and shrill, continuos as Jamie's had been. He slammed through the doors and the other Shape turned to him, about to plunge the shredder through her flesh. She calmed slightly, knowing he was here.

The Shape quickly began to lower her to it again, and full of rage Michael picked up the other mans knife and slammed it viciously into his back. The Shape screamed in agony and dropped Jennifer, who used her body weight to make sure she didn't fall onto the propelling blade. She heaved for breath and crawled to the still screaming Jake, whom she lifted into her arms and held close. Her eyes rose to Michael, who was repeatedly stabbing the other man, whose mask was covered in his own blood.

After turning him into a bloody pulp Michael heaved him onto the shredder and Jennifer screamed and looked away as blood and tissue began to fly onto her. Shortly after Michael turned it off and moved to her. She looked at him fearfully as he reached for Jake and begged. "Oh please don't hurt him Michael, please just leave him alone. Don't hurt us."

To her immense surprise he lifted Jake, knelt next to her and held them to him, silently savoring the feel. Her heart beat wildly, wondering wether this was a goodbye or just an embrace. He moved away and picked something from her hair, her eyes red and full of amazement. God how he wanted to talk to her, tell her it was ok, but not yet, he couldn't. Instead he pressed his masked lips to hers, savoring the warmth that burned through the latex.

"Six residents were slaughtered last night, three men, two women and a teenager. Police say they are on the hunt for Myers."

Jennifer shook her head and switched the station on the radio as she worked on sweeping glass and wrappers from the sidewalk. She listened to this station. "Many residents want the old Myers house checked, but according to police, it has been vacant by a family for close to three years now."

Angered she turned the radio off and continued her job, startled when someone tapped her. She turned and smiled at the woman older than her obviously but not by more than ten years. "Can I help you?"

"Hi, my name is Lindsey Johnson, I live about three houses down. I remember when you moved in but you seem so quiet, and stay in a lot. I never got a chance to welcome you to the neighborhood."

She smiled softly. "Yeah, I'm sorry. My husband well, he really can't come out..."

"Oh I understand. But I have seen you with your little boy, oh and he is adorable! How old?"

"Oh, Jake turned three the 19th."

"Jake, how cute. Now, Jennifer is it?"

She froze and looked at the woman. "How did you know my name?"

"I'm friends with Tommy Doyle! Oh I must be a total moron, my married name is Johnson, my maiden name is Wallace."

Jennifer caught on. "I see, then you know about Michael..."

"You're secret is mine, I know he did it for you last night. But I want to be sure, how can I keep from anything happening to me or my children in such a case?"

She sighed and set her broom down. "Don't take anything that's his, don't be near what's his at the wrong time, don't try and stop him, don't say anything stupid or do anything stupid. Otherwise I really cant help."

Lindsey smiled. "You're still pretty shook up, huh?"

"How do you know what happened?"

"Tommy followed you, he always does but to keep safe he didn't help, he would have if Michael hadn't showed, though."

Jennifer sighed. "It's funny, I told Tommy to take what he knew to the grave."

"Oh Kara doesn't know, he won't bring her around here for that reason. He's always trusted me. It's ok."

She smiled softly, then swore. "I forgot to call my mother yesterday."

Lindsey laughed. "I'm sure you can do it today."

"No, no. I can only call her once on Halloween. Dammit."

Lindsey sighed. "It's only a year away. I'd better go, I'll see you around." She began to walk off when something dawned on Jennifer.

"Lindsey!" She called.

"Yes?" The dark haired woman still smiled.

"I'm sorry if I've been cross, and I know I don't deserve this but We're going to Warren county this afternoon, do you think you could keep an eye on the house? Make sure no kids try and go in or anything?"

Lindsey shrugged. "Sure, it's no problem. See you later."

"Bye."

Woah, Lindsey seems really OOC, sorry about that. Maybe I'll find time to fix it up later.

For now just let me know what you think in general.

SA