Final Destination Meets The Lost Boys
Chapter One
Grandpa Horton's farm came into view. It was just outside the Santa Carla town area, but the drive out felt like an eternity. They had stopped in town for something to eat. Carter wasn't hungry for food. He was hungry for money. If he had to move somewhere completely different, he would much rather not live with his family. Maybe if he got a decent paying job, he could eventually move out. However, from asking around, the amount of jobs was sparse or as one local had told Carter: nothing was "legal".
Alex had been pandering around with their dogs, Nanook and Prince. Prince was Carter's Alsatian and Nanook was…hell, Carter didn't know what type of dog Alex's was. Carter managed to unload his motorcycle from the back of Lucy's pick up. He was not being in the same car as Alex if all he did was ramble on.
Stepping off the bike and switching the engine off, Carter looked at Grandpa's house. House? More like a fucking hut, he thought grimly. Alex stepped out the car, motioning for Nanook to follow him. Lucy noticed something on the front porch.
It was her father.
Alex's eyebrows raised… was he dead?
Lucy sighed and walked up the porch steps, kneeling down beside her father. "Dad? Dad?"
"Looks like his dead." Alex mused.
"Oh no," Lucy replied. "He's just a deep sleeper."
Alex looked to Carter. "Your grandpa sleeps on the front porch?"
"If he's dead can we go back to Phoenix?" Carter said, ignoring Alex's question.
Lucy gave her son a glare. From behind, Grandpa Horton lifted his head up.
"I'm playin' dead." He winked at his grandson.
Carter rolled his eyes while Alex let out a snigger.
"And from what I heard, doing a damn good job of it too."
"Oh dad!" Lucy declared and proceeded to hug her father, Carter exchanged a disgusted glance with Alex, who was still beaming like a cat.
Carter helped Alex carry their possessions into the house.
"Don't think that since we've moved to a new place, you and I can start all over again." Carter announced, making his way towards to kitchen. Alex followed, his arms full of objects, Nanook's water bowl strategically balanced on his head.
"I don't, so don't worry. This place looks kinda cool."
"Cool?" Carter deadpanned. "Yeah, for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
"Come on Carter, give Aunt Lucy a break." Alex reasoned, setting down several belongings on the kitchen table. He glanced around the kitchen, obviously looking for something.
"What are you looking for?"
"What's wrong with this picture?" Alex replied.
Carter surveyed his surroundings, then looked at Alex. "You're here."
"Funny."
"Wasn't meant to be."
"There's no TV." Alex revealed. "Have you seen a TV, Carter? I haven't seen a TV. Do you know what that means when there's no TV?"
"You don't shut up?" Carter asked, hopefully.
Alex shook his head and pursed his lips. "No MTV."
"Alex, Grandpa's flat broke."
Outside, Grandpa was helping Lucy unpack her belongings.
"Lucy, you are the only woman I've ever known, who didn't improved her situation by getting a divorce." He said, expressing his concerns.
"Well, a big legal war wasn't going to improve anybody's situation." Lucy replied. "We've all been through enough. Especially Carter and Alex. Anyway, I was raised better than that!" she said and deposited a kiss upon her father's head.
Grandpa Horton jumped back quickly, his hand going to the back of his head. "Ouch! My hair!"
Lucy gave him a playful grin and walked into the house, only to find Carter chasing Alex around the house like an old episode of Tom and Jerry.
"Aunt Lucy, you've gotta help me!"
"Guys, no running in the house!" Lucy scolded.
Nevertheless, Carter continued to chase Alex around the house. Alex accidentally ran into a room full of chemicals and apparatus. He stopped short in his tracks, eyes widening, noticing lots of stuffed animals.
Carter grinned. "Talk about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
"Rules!" exclaimed a voice, making both Alex and Carter jump. Carter tried to conceal his surprise but Grandpa's booming voice was less than subtle.
"We got rules around here."
Alex made his way into the kitchen, Carter following his cousin. Grandpa was giving the guided tour. Well, what there was to tour anyway. Grandpa knelt down slightly, opening the fridge door. One the second shelf, Carter noticed a cardboard flap that declared:
OLD FART'S
"Second shelf is mine. That's where I keep my root beers and my double thick Oreo Cookies. Nobody touches the second shelf but me." Alex nodded, listening while Carter's eyes almost threatened to shut over in boredom.
"There's another rule around here and I want you to pay close attention." Grandpa said, starting to make his way out the kitchen…
"…don't touch anything. Everything is exactly where I want it."
Seeing that Grandpa was out the room, Carter nudged Alex and glanced out the window. Alex saw several garden weeds growing in several pots. Carter grinned and pantomimed a druggie getting high on weed. Carter raised his eyebrows, looking to get a humoured reaction from Alex. And that he did. Alex's high pitched laughed echoed in Carter's ears.
"Don't do that," Carter said, smile dropping. "You giggle like a banshee."
Alex frowned at Carter and began to make his way into the living room. Grandpa was still rattling on, obviously unaware that neither of the boys were listening.
"Grandpa, is it true that Santa Carla is the murder capital of the world?" Carter asked.
"Well, there are some bad elements around here."
"Wait a second," Alex declared. "Lemme get this straight: we move to the murder
capital of the world? Are you serious?"
"Well Alex, let me put it this way," Grandpa continued, "If all the corpses buried around here were to stand up all at once: we'd have one hell of a population problem."
Alex's eyes widened in horror as his Aunt Lucy came in the front door behind her father. Alex threw a nervous glance at Carter, who just rolled his eyes, shaking his head.
"Great dad," said Lucy.
"Now on Wednesdays," Grandpa said, walking towards his little office. Carter and Alex followed. "When the mailman brings the TV Guide, sometimes the address label is curled up a little. You'll be tempted to tear it off. Don't. You'll only wind up ripping the cover and I don't like that."
He turned into the office and began to close the doors over. "And stay outta here!"
Alex put his hand on the doors, stopping the old man from sliding them shut.
"Wait, you have a TV?"
"No." he replied flatly. "I just like to read the TV Guide."
He paused for a second, looking at Alex's expression slip into one of despair.
"Read the TV Guide, you don't need a TV."
---
"I don't see why you insist on dragging me down here," Carter shouted at Alex, his voice raising as he tried to communicate with his cousin over the music being played by the live band.
"I didn't drag you here, "Alex shouted back, trying to get his point across. "Your mom did."
Carter and Alex were surrounded by hundreds of teenagers, enjoying the music and the general atmosphere of the Boardwalk. Carter stood firm, folding his arms, trying his best to look jaded. From the corner of his eye, he saw Alex bobbing his head to the music. He suppressed the laughter that he knew threatened to emerge.
No Carter, don't laugh, he mused. Look bored and uninterested, surely Alex will wanna…
Right there and then, Carter's eyes widened in complete shock. There right in front of him, a gorgeous blonde girl, danced her way through the crowd. Carter was absolutely speechless, which, granted was a first. His expression had turned from trademark scowl, to open mouth amazement. Her curled hair made her face seem all the more perfect: gorgeous, sparkling green eyes, luscious lips, perfect breasts…his perfect woman. He just had to know her name.
However, she was not alone.
He could see another blonde, straight haired girl, dancing her way through in the same manner. She, was not quite so striking. Looks like someone Alex would date…
Carter noticed that 'his' girl was holding someone's hand. Carter breathed a sigh of relief; realising the hand did not belong to her boyfriend. Not unless, a 12 year old brat was her boyfriend. Could be her little brother? They walked right by Carter, and his head turned in her direction as if on its own accord. He was simply mesmerised by her beauty.
Maybe moving here was not such a bad idea after all.
They stood on an upright stage, watching the band playing. They girls continued to dance to the music. Carter watched her graceful moves. He straightened his head in the direction of the band, trying to make it look less obvious that he was staring at her. From the corner of his eye, he watched her as she whispered something in her friend's ear. Then she looked directly at him.
Carter swallowed hard, looking away completely, feeling embarrassed. For the
first time in his life, Carter Horton was in love. The girl watched Carter, as
he tried to conceal his interest. Slowly, Carter turned his eyes to the girl
again. This time, their gazes locked upon each other. The girl smiled at him,
but Carter's muscles did not react. He couldn't even smile for such a beauty.
Alex noticed that Carter's attention was not focused on the band. He looked at Carter then straight ahead and noticed the two girls. He rolled his eyes. Obviously something had interested him, now. Alex focused his attention back on the band.
Carter watched as the two girls whispered something to each other again. The object of his affections pulled her friend with her, the little boy following immediately, as they exited up the stairs. Carter's heart raced…he had to follow her! Grabbing Alex by the arm, the tougher boy roughly pulled the blond with him…
---
Lucy was walking the Boardwalk alone, breathing in the ocean air. Her dream as a little girl to live by the sea had come true. Albeit, 30 years too late. She always knew, that one day, she would live with her father again out by the beach. Wrapping her arms around herself, Lucy snuggled into her own embrace, trying to shut out the cold wind that swirled around.
To her left, she caught a sad sight. A dark haired woman was placing a missing persons flyer on the pinboard. From where she walked, she could see the picture was of a security guard, most likely the woman's husband. The woman felt someone watching her and she turned around. Lucy saw her dejected, tear stained face eyeing her. She looked away and continued walking. In front of her was a little boy, crying for his mother.
"Hey," Lucy said warmly, kneeling down to the little boy. "What's your name?"
"Danny."
"Well, are you lost, Danny?"
Sniffing, the lad nodded.
"Let's ask in here," Lucy said, holding out her hand and cocking her head in the direction of a video store. Danny took her hand and she led him into the video shop. Behind the counter, Lucy noticed a man with floppy brown hair and spectacles.
"Excuse me, I was wondering if you could help us. This little boy is lost and we're wondering if his mother might be in here."
"I don't really know," the manager told her.
"Oh there you are!" Cried a voice from behind. Lucy looked over her shoulder to see a woman rushing into the video store. Danny let go of Lucy's secure hand and walked to his mother.
"I was so worried, don't run off like that!"
The spectacled man, leaned over the counter and handed Danny a lollipop.
"There you are."
"Thank you."
"Bye-bye," Lucy waved to the little boy as his mother gave her a smile of thanks. Just as she walked out, in slipped David and his punk friends. The owner's smile dropped immediately as he set eyes upon David. Marko made his way to a female employee. He grinned at the brunette with frizzy hair.
"We only come here to watch one thing," Marko drawled, as Paul and Dwayne came over and started chatting to the assistant.
Back at the counter, the owner handed Lucy a lollipop too. "You did good."
"No thanks," Lucy smiled wearily, and then her expression changed. "Well, on second thought…"
"I told you not to come in here anymore," the owner challenged David. David didn't say anything, just smirked. The boys left peacefully, heading out to their motorcycles.
"Wild kids." Remarked the owner.
"Oh they're just young," Lucy replied, suddenly feeling young herself. "We were that age too, once. Only they dress better. Bye-bye."
"You have a generous nature," the owner said proudly. "I like that in a person."
He thrust out his hand. "I'm Max."
"I'm Lucy, hello." She shook his hand then dropped her gaze to a beautiful white dog by Max's side.
"That's my dog; Thorn."
"Hi, Thorn."
"Say 'hello', Thorn." He turned his attention back to Lucy, obviously interested in her. He clapped his hands together. "So how may I help you this evening? We have it all. The best selection of video tapes in Santa Carla."
"Oh, I'm not looking for a tape," Lucy said, scrunching her nose up a little. "What I need is, um…"
"…a job?" Max filled in, filled with hope. Finally, he could take down his advert looking for a part time sales assistant. And plus, Lucy was absolutely perfect.
"A job." Lucy nods. "Yes. I look that needy, huh?"
---
"Where are we going?" Alex asked Carter, as they pushed and squeezed their way through the busy boardwalk crowd. Alex was unhappy he was missing the concert. Carter is never happy unless he gets his way, Alex thought angrily.
"Nowhere." Carter replied, frustrated.
"So what's the rush?"
Suddenly, Alex remembered the two blonde females. He laughed under his breath.
"You're chasing one of those girls aren't ya?" Alex inquired, suddenly finding some amusement out of having Carter's tight hand dragging him up and down the Boardwalk. Plus, he remembered the girl with the straighter blonde hair. He hoped it wasn't her that Carter was intoxicated with.
"Come on, come on! Admit it, you're chasing one of them! Which one?"
"What makes you think you'd get either?" Carter replied, even though he would never touch the other girl with a bargepole.
"Who said I was chasing them. You're the one pulling me."
"Oh don't be a fuckin' smart-ass."
"I'm at the mercy of your sex glands bud."
Right, that's it!
Carter stopped dragging Alex with him. He had lost his cool, it wouldn't only be moments before he snapped completely.
"Piss off, Browning! Don't you have anything else to do but follow me around all night?"
"Don't you fucking try to ditch me, Carter or…"
Alex stopped short, glancing upwards and seeing he was standing right outside a huge comic book store. Oh, how he LOVED comics!
"Or what, Browning? You'll tell mommy?"
Alex ignored him and grinned. "Something better to do? Just found it, pal."