Chapter 13: The Boogeyman
Haddonfield IL
October 31st 1989
The Myers House
Jamie climbed out of the laundry shoot, her leg bleeding. She stumbled to the door and shook the handle. She limped out into the hallway and searched for a way out of the house. The place was locked down and the cops were gone thanks to Loomis, now Jamie was trapped alone in the house with her uncle. She looked at the attic stairs and saw light coming from above. Curiously, she began limping up the stairs. She felt the hot tears on her face as she reached the attic floor.
The massive attic reached up into an arc, candles were scattered around the room casting red shadows over the rotting wood. Jamie noticed a dirty bathtub sitting in the middle of the room, with a coffin set on top of it. She remembered what Loomis had told her about the coffin of a nine year old girl being stolen from the cemetery and it gave her a cold chill. She backed away from the tub and right into a body. She turned and screamed, "Max!" Her beloved dog was hanging by his leash. She turned to get away and bumped into the mutilated body of Tina's boyfriend. Jamie screamed and turned to run for the stairs when she saw the most horrific sight.
"RACHEL! NOO!" Jamie screamed in horror as she came face to face with her step sister. Rachel sat very dead in a chair, a deep stab wound in her chest. Blood had flown down over her white sweater. Jamie began to cry when she heard steps coming from the staircase. Jamie saw a shadow coming up the stairs and started to back up, "Rachel…help me…" She saw Michael coming up the stairs and started looking for somewhere to hide. She came to the inevitable, the coffin. Jamie climbed into the coffin and lay down just as Michael reached the top of the stairs.
Michael walked over to the coffin and looked down at his prey. Jamie looked up at him with fearful eyes. He raised his knife and prepared to finish off the last of his lineage when she spoke up. "Uncle? Boogeyman…let me see?" Something deep within Michael stopped him from slaughtering the little girl. It grew within him and made him reach up for his mask, and pull it off. Jamie looked into the dark face of her stalker and saw herself in those lonely eyes, "Your just like me." The last of Michael's ancient humanity slipped from his body in the form of a tear sliding down his face. Jamie realized her connection to him, she knew this was her last chance to reach the goodness within him, "Let me…" She reached her arm out past his bloodstained arms and tried to brush the tear away when the rage took him again. He lurched back and pulled the mask on, his shield from the world. Jamie knew she had failed and could only run for her life again. Michael was lost to the rage and there was no going back.
Haddonfield IL
October 31st 2004
The Doyle House
Michael stood in front of Diane and looked down at her breathing heavily. Diane had a stern look on her face but she was still afraid. Dan and Stephen had been pushed behind Diane and were in the living room. Diane backed up into the living room and began waving her right hand toward the front door. Dan saw what she was doing and yanked Stephen with him as they ran over to the front door. Michael tried to walk over to them but Diane got in the way, "Stay back!" He looked at Dan and Stephen. He stared at Stephen through the black eye holes carved into his white mask. Stephen stared back, losing himself in the Shape's gaze. Stephen looked into those deep black holes, voids of nothing. He felt himself drawn in once more, just like at the school.
Diane waved her arm again and shouted, "Get out!" Dan started to unlock the door and Michael plowed forward. He swung his left arm and knocked Diane off her feet. She flew over the coffee table and lost her breath. She looked up and saw Michael heading towards the kids. She had to stop him. She looked around for anything nearby that she could use as a weapon. She found the fire poker resting against the fire place next to the coffee table and grabbed it.
Dan screamed as Michael came towards them. Stephen did nothing but stand motionless, transfixed in the Shape's stare. Michael was nearly upon them when Diane came up behind him with the fire poker poised high in the air. She cracked the poker down on Michael's back. He arched his back and turned around. She whacked him again, this time on his shoulder. Michael fell to his knees and swung dizzily from side to side. Diane Screamed to the boys, "Go!" She swung the poker again and cracked the side of his head. Michael flew into the TV sending it and the entertainment center crashing to the ground fight in front of the boys. The entertainment center hit the front door causing it to jam shut. With the front exit blocked, their next bet was the stairs. Dan looked at Diane who was pointing the poker at Michael who was slowly getting up. She nodded and he took Stephen by the hand and shooed him up the first couple of steps. The little clown looked at Diane and then down to Michael who was shaking off his injuries. Dan whispered sharply, "Hurry up, go!"
They ran up the stairs just as Michael stood up. He looked down at Diane once more and she started backing up, aiming the sharp end of the poker inches away from Michael's chest. Diane glared at the Shape and spoke, "I'm not going to let you kill them. He started walking towards her and lifted his knife. She quickly whacked his hand and the knife flew out of his grasp and landed on the floor next to the shattered television. Diane and Michael walked in a slow circle until it was her who was in front of the stairwell. She backed up slowly over the TV and entertainment center pieces. She slowly climbed the stairs while Michael advanced. Michael reached his arm out again to grab her and she whacked it away leaving a bloody cut on his hand.
She reached the top of the stairs and looked down the hallway where she saw Dan and Stephen standing. She signaled above them and they looked up, the attic. Dan jumped and reached the handle hanging above. The ceiling door fell to the ground with the wooden ladder close behind. Dan helped Stephen up the ladder and then climbed up himself. He left the door open as they climbed into the attic. Diane slowly backed up towards the attic door with Michael picking up pace. He reached for her again and she swung the poker at him but this time he didn't get hit. He swiftly maneuvered and got out of the way.
She swung again but missed and knocked the cordless phone off the wall. She swung again, trying desperately to knock Michael out but instead he grabbed the poker with his bleeding hand. He yanked out of her hands and flipped it over. Michael moved towards her now with the fire poker aimed at her. Diane's expression changed to that of inevitable terror as she saw him pull his arms back. He lunged forward and jammed the poker into her stomach. Diane screamed and grabbed the poker with her hands. She pooled all her strength into pulling it out but Michael pushed it in further. Diane felt her mouth fill with blood and looked up at Michael with a combination of fear and anger. She spat the blood in his face and it smeared over his mask. Michael lifted the poker handle and Diane was yanked off her feet. She yelped in pain and continued to grasp at the poker buried deep within her. Michael looked up at the open ceiling and then thrust the poker into the corner of the wall. Diane was pushed upwards where she hit the ceiling and felt the poker continue on through her. Her eyes bulged and her arms fell to her sides as the poker rammed through her.
Dan and Stephen had reached the attic and were searching for a window when Dan remembered Diane was still downstairs. "We have to go back for her!" He tied to run over to the door on the ground but Stephen was pulling him back, "No!" Dan pulled hard and freed himself from his little brother. He was running forward and was practically at the door when a sharp object crashed through the floor and sliced his foot open. Dan jumped back and grabbed his foot. He hopped around for a moment before falling onto his butt. He clutched his wound and looked at the floor. The fire poker head was sticking out of the ground red with blood.
Dan crawled forward and saw Michael at the bottom of the ladder looking up. Dan started pulling up on the ladder to get it to close but Michael's hand shot out and he started to pull it back open. Dan struggled and shouted for Stephen, "Stephen, he's too strong! I need help!" Stephen ran over and helped Dan. Together they continue to pull upwards and the door started to give. Michael reached out and grabbed the second ladder step and it broke under his strength. The first one similarly broke and the ladder slipped Michael's grip. The boys fell back at the sudden release and the door slammed upwards.
Dan stood up but quickly fell over. He grabbed his right foot and pulled his shoe off. His sock was stained red and he pulled it off to examine his cut. It was long but not too deep. The poker had only slice the side of his foot. Stephen looked at his brother's cut, "Does it hurt?" Dan put pressure on the wound, "Kinda. We need to get outta here." Dan slid over to a stack of boxes and started pushing them over to the door, "Gimme a hand." Stephen went over to the boxes and together they blocked of their only safe exit, not that it was very safe anymore.
Stephen looked at the poker tip sticking out of the ground next to them, "Diane?" Dan looked Stephen in the eyes, "She's not coming. Don't think about it, just help me pry that window open." Stephen helped Dan up and let him lean on his small shoulders. They raggedly walked across the attic over to the window. Stephen grabbed the lock and tried to pry it free but it was jammed shut. "Lemme try." Dan gave a good tug but to no avail, the lock wouldn't come free. Dan looked around and found his little league baseball bat sticking out of a dusty box. "Ok, phase two." He smashed the window open and cleared the glass.
He dropped the bat, "up you go, watch your step bud." Stephen climbed up and stuck his head out the window. He looked down and felt his bladder weaken. They were three stories up and the ground was a long way down. Stephen pulled his head out and looked at Dan, "I can't, it's too high!" Dan climbed up and looked down, "We're not going down." He grabbed the clothesline tightly tied to the tree house in the back yard, "We're going across."
Jesse had gone to her room and told her parents she was going to bed. They didn't argue and she had gone upstairs. She had tried to sleep but couldn't. All she could think about was Miles, Sara and Ms. Harris. She couldn't believe they were dead. They were all dead. Jesse was still in shock but had decided she needed to be with Dan and Stephen. They still weren't safe and she needed to be there to help them. She had tried calling them but when the other end was busy she knew something was wrong. She decided to go over there. She had snuck out of her room and quietly gone down stairs to slip out the back door. When she had gotten to the street she had remembered that her car was still at the school and couldn't be moved because it was part of a crime scene. She would have to walk…run to Dan's house.
It had taken about twenty minutes to get there but when she did she got the worst surprise. She saw Officer Merrick sitting in his squad car and hollered, "Where are the others!" She ran up to the car and noticed the door was slightly closed. She opened the door and screamed. Officer Merrick was sitting dead in is seat with dark bruises around his neck from the cord still hanging around him. His eyes were red from the burst blood vessels and the radio had been smashed. She backed up and looked at the house. She didn't know what to do. Should she go in and find the others or should she run away and get help. She realized that if Michael was here, then no one else would be able to help them. She needed to get to Dan and Stephen before Michael did. She ran up to the front door and tried to get in but it was jammed shut. She ran over to the window next to it and used her elbow to smash it. Then, she climbed into the house.
Jesse entered the house and immediately gasped. She saw the TV on the ground still emitting a static sounding voice from within it, the screen was crushed and sparks were flying out of it. Jesse could smell the light smoke coming from the set and covered her nose in disgust. She ran into the kitchen to look for any signs of Dan or Stephen and felt her stomach churn when she saw the door on the ground in pieces. She saw the broken window and the two mutilated cats and she turned away in revulsion. She went back into the living room and stepped over what used to be the entertainment center. She started to climb the stairs and was nervous as she looked around.
She reached the top and felt something warm fall onto her shoulder. She looked up and had to clasp her hands tightly over her mouth to keep her scream from being heard. Diane was pinned up against the wall and ceiling, her head was down and blood was stained on her mouth and neck. The long fire poker was jutting out of her abdomen pinning her to the wall. Jesse backed up and tripped over the cordless phone on the floor. She lost her balance and tumbled down the flight of stairs and hit her back on a corner of the splintered wood from the entertainment center.
15 Miles from Haddonfield
Thom was driving down the freeway with Kara, they were right in front of Lindsay and John who were following them. Kara tried the phone again, "Shit, it's still busy." Thom sped up, passing a semi truck. The truck beeped at him as he passed without signaling. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw Lindsay also changing lanes to catch up, "I cant believe she's been in on this." He tightened his grip around the steering wheel. Kara redialed on her cell phone while she spoke, "She didn't know, she was mislead us like the rest of us. You saw her, she was just as mortified as we were when she found out what had happened." Thom slammed his hand down on the dashboard in anger, "God Damn it!" Kara tried to put her hand on his shoulder but he shook it off. She looked hurt, "Thom, it'll be ok. The sheriff will-" Thom snapped back, "It wont be ok. He'll never die! Mark cant do anything to stop him. We couldn't, how could he? God, Sara…and Miles, how many more people have to die at his hands before someone can stop him!?" Kara looked down in her lap. She felt tears coming but closed her eyes and forced them away, "I know." Was all she could say. She knew all too well. She remembered that night eight years ago. Her mother, her brother, Beth, even her bastard of a father. None of them deserved that.
Lindsay was silent as she drove. John had finally calmed down and she didn't want to say anything to upset him further. She had done enough, how could she have been so stupid. Top of her class at Quantico, and she was asked to police the psycho who had stalked her as a child. She shouldn't have been so blind, so arrogant. She had jumped at the opportunity to work on a case that had drawn nationwide headlines. She had been so enthused about profiling all his surviving victims, herself included. She should have known, she should have paid more attention to Loomis' manuscripts. Sam had suspected for years that Michael had some kind of reasoning to his carnage, some higher power at work. He even had the audacity to claim someone from the inside had influence over Michael. She should have listened to this, should have realized Wynn had an agenda. Why else would he want her on the case, of all people, she was the only one who had previously encountered the monster and lived to tell the tale.
John glanced over to Lindsay who was quietly scolding herself in her naiveté, John knew she meant well but this had been so obviously planned. He had known since the night he got Thom's email that someone had been orchestrating this whole ordeal. This Wynn, had been playing with everyone's lives like a chess game, and Michael was his knight. John realized he had unjustly lashed out at Dr. Wallace, she hadn't known about Wynn's plan, she couldn't have. Could she? "Dr. Wallace, I, I'm sorry about what I said. It was out of line." Lindsay lifted her brow and looked at John, "No it wasn't John, you were right. This is my fault. I should have known better, I should have realized what was going on. Now people are dead and their blood is on my hands." John quickly reassured her otherwise, "No, their blood is on Michael's hands. His and Wynn's."
Doyle Residence
Dan tried to coach Stephen into climbing onto the clothesline. It was a strong wire, it could support him if he went alone. Dan would go second and hopefully, quickly enough to get across before the line broke. Dan glanced back at the attic door covered in the boxes, there was no movement, no sign of Michael trying to get through. Stephen looked at Dan and waited. Dan crawled back over to the door and set his head down on the cold wooden floor. The dust rising from the ground made him cough but he stifled the sound. Stephen whispered to his brother, "Is he gone?" Dan got up and whispered back, "I don't know, I think so." Stephen looked back at the boxes and decided to take his chances on the clothesline, "Help me up?" Dan climbed up over to the window and wrapped his arms around the small boy, "Hang on, I'll carry you up there." Stephen clung to his brother's shoulders as Dan climbed out the window.
The cool breeze made them shiver and Stephen immediately looked down. Dan felt his brother tense up and quickly said, "Stephen, listen to me. Don't look down, just look at me, keep your eyes on me." They were on the ledge three stories high, Dan could feel shingles sliding under his feet and knew he had to move quickly. He slowly set Stephen down and the boy climbed on to the wire, "Be careful, don't look down." Dan encouraged his brother who had broken out in a cold sweat. Dan tried again, "Just look at the tree house kiddo, remember when dad built it?" Stephen closed his eyes and froze. Dan leaned forward and tried to encourage his frightened brother, "Remember? Dan sprained his ankle when he fell out and you were afraid he'd broken his funny bone because he couldn't stop laughing?"
Stephen opened his eyes and looked at the dark tree house, he remembered all the good times that they had in there. Suddenly he was more determined to get across. His little arms and legs began to pull him as he shuffled across the wire. He was about half way across when a shout made him shake and almost lose his balance. He squeezed the wire tightly and the metal line started to cut into his hands. Stephen had to do it, he looked down felt the wire shake.
Jesse had gone into the back yard to look for Dan and Stephen. She had apprehensively gone through the shattered doorframe and stepped over Starks' body. She stood in the yard a moment trying to keep herself from crying, she'd seen so many bodies tonight.
She looked up and saw Stephen on the wire and immediately shouted for him, "OH MY GOD!" Dan looked down and Stephen lost his grip, he nearly fell. She immediately ran over to the massive oak tree and started climbing up the rope ladder hanging from the tree house. She frantically clambered up the tree and slid over to the other end of the wire where she reached for Stephen. He was still too far away, he was dead center of the wire and had frozen.
Jesse started encouraging him along with Dan, "It's ok baby, come on, I'm right here. Come to me baby." Stephen felt tears in his eyes but tried to blink them away. Jesse saw this and tried to speak more soothingly, "Your so close baby, just a little further. I can almost reach you." He started climbing forward towards Jesse. He kept his head up and his eyes focused on hers. Jesse forced herself to smile for the little boy and keep him moving.
Stephen looked at Jesse and got confused when her expression changed from encouragement to terror. She looked up to Dan on the other side of the wire still on the ledge. She looked past him into the attic and saw the boxes on top of the attic door shaking. She saw a large hand break through the door and smash the boxes out of it's way. She saw another hand clutching a butcher's knife slowly pulling a large dark blue torso. She saw the white face staring at her and Stephen deep from within the attic. She felt her pulse quicken as the shape slowly climbed up into the attic and rose to full height. Jesse closed her eyes praying it was her imagination.
She opened her eyes and bit her lip hard before screaming to Dan, "Dan! Behind you!" Dan turned around and stumbled back on the ledge, nearly losing his balance. Stephen turned his head back and screamed as Michael slowly walked towards the window. Jesse shouted to him, "No Stephen, don't look back, don't look back. Just look at me and come to me." Stephen looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. He picked up his pace and crawled forward. And reached his arm out to Jesse. She grasped his fingers in hers and held tight as she pulled him up onto the tree house ledge.
Stephen crawled up and hugged her tightly. They looked back at Dan who was still on the other side. Jesse shouted to him from across the yard, "Go now! He's coming!" Stephen screamed, "Danny! He's behind you!" Dan was shaking and in a cold sweat. His adrenaline was pumping and he didn't look back. He climbed out onto the wire and started shuffling forward. His foot was still sore from the cut but he forced it around the wire to push him.
Suddenly he was jerked back violently. He turned and screamed as Michael pulled him back with his free hand. His blood stained hand was wrapped tightly around the boy's ankle and he was pulling him back onto the ledge. Jesse screamed and pleaded for him to hurry. Dan looked back at Michael who raised his other hand in the air, the gleaming butcher's knife shining in the moonlight. Dan struggled and managed to kick Michael in the chest. It was enough to get the shape to let go and Dan started to crawl forward as fast as he could. Jesse screamed again, "Watch out!!" Dan didn't turn back, he couldn't, but suddenly the wire shook violently. He looked up at Jesse and Stephen still too far to reach then he turned back and held his breath in fear. Michael was yanking on the wire trying to break it from the knot.
Dan crawled forward again but Michael reached out and yanked him back again. He was using all his strength, but Dan just couldn't free himself this time. The knot was slipping and Dan could feel the slack giving way as the wire started to loosen. He looked up at Jesse one more time and reached his arm out. She ran to the edge of the tree house and reached out as far as possible, Stephen had to hold her back to keep her from falling. Michael stumbled forward near the edge of the attic ledge.
Then the knot broke.
~TBC
Haddonfield IL
October 31st 1989
The Myers House
Jamie climbed out of the laundry shoot, her leg bleeding. She stumbled to the door and shook the handle. She limped out into the hallway and searched for a way out of the house. The place was locked down and the cops were gone thanks to Loomis, now Jamie was trapped alone in the house with her uncle. She looked at the attic stairs and saw light coming from above. Curiously, she began limping up the stairs. She felt the hot tears on her face as she reached the attic floor.
The massive attic reached up into an arc, candles were scattered around the room casting red shadows over the rotting wood. Jamie noticed a dirty bathtub sitting in the middle of the room, with a coffin set on top of it. She remembered what Loomis had told her about the coffin of a nine year old girl being stolen from the cemetery and it gave her a cold chill. She backed away from the tub and right into a body. She turned and screamed, "Max!" Her beloved dog was hanging by his leash. She turned to get away and bumped into the mutilated body of Tina's boyfriend. Jamie screamed and turned to run for the stairs when she saw the most horrific sight.
"RACHEL! NOO!" Jamie screamed in horror as she came face to face with her step sister. Rachel sat very dead in a chair, a deep stab wound in her chest. Blood had flown down over her white sweater. Jamie began to cry when she heard steps coming from the staircase. Jamie saw a shadow coming up the stairs and started to back up, "Rachel…help me…" She saw Michael coming up the stairs and started looking for somewhere to hide. She came to the inevitable, the coffin. Jamie climbed into the coffin and lay down just as Michael reached the top of the stairs.
Michael walked over to the coffin and looked down at his prey. Jamie looked up at him with fearful eyes. He raised his knife and prepared to finish off the last of his lineage when she spoke up. "Uncle? Boogeyman…let me see?" Something deep within Michael stopped him from slaughtering the little girl. It grew within him and made him reach up for his mask, and pull it off. Jamie looked into the dark face of her stalker and saw herself in those lonely eyes, "Your just like me." The last of Michael's ancient humanity slipped from his body in the form of a tear sliding down his face. Jamie realized her connection to him, she knew this was her last chance to reach the goodness within him, "Let me…" She reached her arm out past his bloodstained arms and tried to brush the tear away when the rage took him again. He lurched back and pulled the mask on, his shield from the world. Jamie knew she had failed and could only run for her life again. Michael was lost to the rage and there was no going back.
Haddonfield IL
October 31st 2004
The Doyle House
Michael stood in front of Diane and looked down at her breathing heavily. Diane had a stern look on her face but she was still afraid. Dan and Stephen had been pushed behind Diane and were in the living room. Diane backed up into the living room and began waving her right hand toward the front door. Dan saw what she was doing and yanked Stephen with him as they ran over to the front door. Michael tried to walk over to them but Diane got in the way, "Stay back!" He looked at Dan and Stephen. He stared at Stephen through the black eye holes carved into his white mask. Stephen stared back, losing himself in the Shape's gaze. Stephen looked into those deep black holes, voids of nothing. He felt himself drawn in once more, just like at the school.
Diane waved her arm again and shouted, "Get out!" Dan started to unlock the door and Michael plowed forward. He swung his left arm and knocked Diane off her feet. She flew over the coffee table and lost her breath. She looked up and saw Michael heading towards the kids. She had to stop him. She looked around for anything nearby that she could use as a weapon. She found the fire poker resting against the fire place next to the coffee table and grabbed it.
Dan screamed as Michael came towards them. Stephen did nothing but stand motionless, transfixed in the Shape's stare. Michael was nearly upon them when Diane came up behind him with the fire poker poised high in the air. She cracked the poker down on Michael's back. He arched his back and turned around. She whacked him again, this time on his shoulder. Michael fell to his knees and swung dizzily from side to side. Diane Screamed to the boys, "Go!" She swung the poker again and cracked the side of his head. Michael flew into the TV sending it and the entertainment center crashing to the ground fight in front of the boys. The entertainment center hit the front door causing it to jam shut. With the front exit blocked, their next bet was the stairs. Dan looked at Diane who was pointing the poker at Michael who was slowly getting up. She nodded and he took Stephen by the hand and shooed him up the first couple of steps. The little clown looked at Diane and then down to Michael who was shaking off his injuries. Dan whispered sharply, "Hurry up, go!"
They ran up the stairs just as Michael stood up. He looked down at Diane once more and she started backing up, aiming the sharp end of the poker inches away from Michael's chest. Diane glared at the Shape and spoke, "I'm not going to let you kill them. He started walking towards her and lifted his knife. She quickly whacked his hand and the knife flew out of his grasp and landed on the floor next to the shattered television. Diane and Michael walked in a slow circle until it was her who was in front of the stairwell. She backed up slowly over the TV and entertainment center pieces. She slowly climbed the stairs while Michael advanced. Michael reached his arm out again to grab her and she whacked it away leaving a bloody cut on his hand.
She reached the top of the stairs and looked down the hallway where she saw Dan and Stephen standing. She signaled above them and they looked up, the attic. Dan jumped and reached the handle hanging above. The ceiling door fell to the ground with the wooden ladder close behind. Dan helped Stephen up the ladder and then climbed up himself. He left the door open as they climbed into the attic. Diane slowly backed up towards the attic door with Michael picking up pace. He reached for her again and she swung the poker at him but this time he didn't get hit. He swiftly maneuvered and got out of the way.
She swung again but missed and knocked the cordless phone off the wall. She swung again, trying desperately to knock Michael out but instead he grabbed the poker with his bleeding hand. He yanked out of her hands and flipped it over. Michael moved towards her now with the fire poker aimed at her. Diane's expression changed to that of inevitable terror as she saw him pull his arms back. He lunged forward and jammed the poker into her stomach. Diane screamed and grabbed the poker with her hands. She pooled all her strength into pulling it out but Michael pushed it in further. Diane felt her mouth fill with blood and looked up at Michael with a combination of fear and anger. She spat the blood in his face and it smeared over his mask. Michael lifted the poker handle and Diane was yanked off her feet. She yelped in pain and continued to grasp at the poker buried deep within her. Michael looked up at the open ceiling and then thrust the poker into the corner of the wall. Diane was pushed upwards where she hit the ceiling and felt the poker continue on through her. Her eyes bulged and her arms fell to her sides as the poker rammed through her.
Dan and Stephen had reached the attic and were searching for a window when Dan remembered Diane was still downstairs. "We have to go back for her!" He tied to run over to the door on the ground but Stephen was pulling him back, "No!" Dan pulled hard and freed himself from his little brother. He was running forward and was practically at the door when a sharp object crashed through the floor and sliced his foot open. Dan jumped back and grabbed his foot. He hopped around for a moment before falling onto his butt. He clutched his wound and looked at the floor. The fire poker head was sticking out of the ground red with blood.
Dan crawled forward and saw Michael at the bottom of the ladder looking up. Dan started pulling up on the ladder to get it to close but Michael's hand shot out and he started to pull it back open. Dan struggled and shouted for Stephen, "Stephen, he's too strong! I need help!" Stephen ran over and helped Dan. Together they continue to pull upwards and the door started to give. Michael reached out and grabbed the second ladder step and it broke under his strength. The first one similarly broke and the ladder slipped Michael's grip. The boys fell back at the sudden release and the door slammed upwards.
Dan stood up but quickly fell over. He grabbed his right foot and pulled his shoe off. His sock was stained red and he pulled it off to examine his cut. It was long but not too deep. The poker had only slice the side of his foot. Stephen looked at his brother's cut, "Does it hurt?" Dan put pressure on the wound, "Kinda. We need to get outta here." Dan slid over to a stack of boxes and started pushing them over to the door, "Gimme a hand." Stephen went over to the boxes and together they blocked of their only safe exit, not that it was very safe anymore.
Stephen looked at the poker tip sticking out of the ground next to them, "Diane?" Dan looked Stephen in the eyes, "She's not coming. Don't think about it, just help me pry that window open." Stephen helped Dan up and let him lean on his small shoulders. They raggedly walked across the attic over to the window. Stephen grabbed the lock and tried to pry it free but it was jammed shut. "Lemme try." Dan gave a good tug but to no avail, the lock wouldn't come free. Dan looked around and found his little league baseball bat sticking out of a dusty box. "Ok, phase two." He smashed the window open and cleared the glass.
He dropped the bat, "up you go, watch your step bud." Stephen climbed up and stuck his head out the window. He looked down and felt his bladder weaken. They were three stories up and the ground was a long way down. Stephen pulled his head out and looked at Dan, "I can't, it's too high!" Dan climbed up and looked down, "We're not going down." He grabbed the clothesline tightly tied to the tree house in the back yard, "We're going across."
Jesse had gone to her room and told her parents she was going to bed. They didn't argue and she had gone upstairs. She had tried to sleep but couldn't. All she could think about was Miles, Sara and Ms. Harris. She couldn't believe they were dead. They were all dead. Jesse was still in shock but had decided she needed to be with Dan and Stephen. They still weren't safe and she needed to be there to help them. She had tried calling them but when the other end was busy she knew something was wrong. She decided to go over there. She had snuck out of her room and quietly gone down stairs to slip out the back door. When she had gotten to the street she had remembered that her car was still at the school and couldn't be moved because it was part of a crime scene. She would have to walk…run to Dan's house.
It had taken about twenty minutes to get there but when she did she got the worst surprise. She saw Officer Merrick sitting in his squad car and hollered, "Where are the others!" She ran up to the car and noticed the door was slightly closed. She opened the door and screamed. Officer Merrick was sitting dead in is seat with dark bruises around his neck from the cord still hanging around him. His eyes were red from the burst blood vessels and the radio had been smashed. She backed up and looked at the house. She didn't know what to do. Should she go in and find the others or should she run away and get help. She realized that if Michael was here, then no one else would be able to help them. She needed to get to Dan and Stephen before Michael did. She ran up to the front door and tried to get in but it was jammed shut. She ran over to the window next to it and used her elbow to smash it. Then, she climbed into the house.
Jesse entered the house and immediately gasped. She saw the TV on the ground still emitting a static sounding voice from within it, the screen was crushed and sparks were flying out of it. Jesse could smell the light smoke coming from the set and covered her nose in disgust. She ran into the kitchen to look for any signs of Dan or Stephen and felt her stomach churn when she saw the door on the ground in pieces. She saw the broken window and the two mutilated cats and she turned away in revulsion. She went back into the living room and stepped over what used to be the entertainment center. She started to climb the stairs and was nervous as she looked around.
She reached the top and felt something warm fall onto her shoulder. She looked up and had to clasp her hands tightly over her mouth to keep her scream from being heard. Diane was pinned up against the wall and ceiling, her head was down and blood was stained on her mouth and neck. The long fire poker was jutting out of her abdomen pinning her to the wall. Jesse backed up and tripped over the cordless phone on the floor. She lost her balance and tumbled down the flight of stairs and hit her back on a corner of the splintered wood from the entertainment center.
15 Miles from Haddonfield
Thom was driving down the freeway with Kara, they were right in front of Lindsay and John who were following them. Kara tried the phone again, "Shit, it's still busy." Thom sped up, passing a semi truck. The truck beeped at him as he passed without signaling. He looked in his rearview mirror and saw Lindsay also changing lanes to catch up, "I cant believe she's been in on this." He tightened his grip around the steering wheel. Kara redialed on her cell phone while she spoke, "She didn't know, she was mislead us like the rest of us. You saw her, she was just as mortified as we were when she found out what had happened." Thom slammed his hand down on the dashboard in anger, "God Damn it!" Kara tried to put her hand on his shoulder but he shook it off. She looked hurt, "Thom, it'll be ok. The sheriff will-" Thom snapped back, "It wont be ok. He'll never die! Mark cant do anything to stop him. We couldn't, how could he? God, Sara…and Miles, how many more people have to die at his hands before someone can stop him!?" Kara looked down in her lap. She felt tears coming but closed her eyes and forced them away, "I know." Was all she could say. She knew all too well. She remembered that night eight years ago. Her mother, her brother, Beth, even her bastard of a father. None of them deserved that.
Lindsay was silent as she drove. John had finally calmed down and she didn't want to say anything to upset him further. She had done enough, how could she have been so stupid. Top of her class at Quantico, and she was asked to police the psycho who had stalked her as a child. She shouldn't have been so blind, so arrogant. She had jumped at the opportunity to work on a case that had drawn nationwide headlines. She had been so enthused about profiling all his surviving victims, herself included. She should have known, she should have paid more attention to Loomis' manuscripts. Sam had suspected for years that Michael had some kind of reasoning to his carnage, some higher power at work. He even had the audacity to claim someone from the inside had influence over Michael. She should have listened to this, should have realized Wynn had an agenda. Why else would he want her on the case, of all people, she was the only one who had previously encountered the monster and lived to tell the tale.
John glanced over to Lindsay who was quietly scolding herself in her naiveté, John knew she meant well but this had been so obviously planned. He had known since the night he got Thom's email that someone had been orchestrating this whole ordeal. This Wynn, had been playing with everyone's lives like a chess game, and Michael was his knight. John realized he had unjustly lashed out at Dr. Wallace, she hadn't known about Wynn's plan, she couldn't have. Could she? "Dr. Wallace, I, I'm sorry about what I said. It was out of line." Lindsay lifted her brow and looked at John, "No it wasn't John, you were right. This is my fault. I should have known better, I should have realized what was going on. Now people are dead and their blood is on my hands." John quickly reassured her otherwise, "No, their blood is on Michael's hands. His and Wynn's."
Doyle Residence
Dan tried to coach Stephen into climbing onto the clothesline. It was a strong wire, it could support him if he went alone. Dan would go second and hopefully, quickly enough to get across before the line broke. Dan glanced back at the attic door covered in the boxes, there was no movement, no sign of Michael trying to get through. Stephen looked at Dan and waited. Dan crawled back over to the door and set his head down on the cold wooden floor. The dust rising from the ground made him cough but he stifled the sound. Stephen whispered to his brother, "Is he gone?" Dan got up and whispered back, "I don't know, I think so." Stephen looked back at the boxes and decided to take his chances on the clothesline, "Help me up?" Dan climbed up over to the window and wrapped his arms around the small boy, "Hang on, I'll carry you up there." Stephen clung to his brother's shoulders as Dan climbed out the window.
The cool breeze made them shiver and Stephen immediately looked down. Dan felt his brother tense up and quickly said, "Stephen, listen to me. Don't look down, just look at me, keep your eyes on me." They were on the ledge three stories high, Dan could feel shingles sliding under his feet and knew he had to move quickly. He slowly set Stephen down and the boy climbed on to the wire, "Be careful, don't look down." Dan encouraged his brother who had broken out in a cold sweat. Dan tried again, "Just look at the tree house kiddo, remember when dad built it?" Stephen closed his eyes and froze. Dan leaned forward and tried to encourage his frightened brother, "Remember? Dan sprained his ankle when he fell out and you were afraid he'd broken his funny bone because he couldn't stop laughing?"
Stephen opened his eyes and looked at the dark tree house, he remembered all the good times that they had in there. Suddenly he was more determined to get across. His little arms and legs began to pull him as he shuffled across the wire. He was about half way across when a shout made him shake and almost lose his balance. He squeezed the wire tightly and the metal line started to cut into his hands. Stephen had to do it, he looked down felt the wire shake.
Jesse had gone into the back yard to look for Dan and Stephen. She had apprehensively gone through the shattered doorframe and stepped over Starks' body. She stood in the yard a moment trying to keep herself from crying, she'd seen so many bodies tonight.
She looked up and saw Stephen on the wire and immediately shouted for him, "OH MY GOD!" Dan looked down and Stephen lost his grip, he nearly fell. She immediately ran over to the massive oak tree and started climbing up the rope ladder hanging from the tree house. She frantically clambered up the tree and slid over to the other end of the wire where she reached for Stephen. He was still too far away, he was dead center of the wire and had frozen.
Jesse started encouraging him along with Dan, "It's ok baby, come on, I'm right here. Come to me baby." Stephen felt tears in his eyes but tried to blink them away. Jesse saw this and tried to speak more soothingly, "Your so close baby, just a little further. I can almost reach you." He started climbing forward towards Jesse. He kept his head up and his eyes focused on hers. Jesse forced herself to smile for the little boy and keep him moving.
Stephen looked at Jesse and got confused when her expression changed from encouragement to terror. She looked up to Dan on the other side of the wire still on the ledge. She looked past him into the attic and saw the boxes on top of the attic door shaking. She saw a large hand break through the door and smash the boxes out of it's way. She saw another hand clutching a butcher's knife slowly pulling a large dark blue torso. She saw the white face staring at her and Stephen deep from within the attic. She felt her pulse quicken as the shape slowly climbed up into the attic and rose to full height. Jesse closed her eyes praying it was her imagination.
She opened her eyes and bit her lip hard before screaming to Dan, "Dan! Behind you!" Dan turned around and stumbled back on the ledge, nearly losing his balance. Stephen turned his head back and screamed as Michael slowly walked towards the window. Jesse shouted to him, "No Stephen, don't look back, don't look back. Just look at me and come to me." Stephen looked at her and saw the fear in her eyes. He picked up his pace and crawled forward. And reached his arm out to Jesse. She grasped his fingers in hers and held tight as she pulled him up onto the tree house ledge.
Stephen crawled up and hugged her tightly. They looked back at Dan who was still on the other side. Jesse shouted to him from across the yard, "Go now! He's coming!" Stephen screamed, "Danny! He's behind you!" Dan was shaking and in a cold sweat. His adrenaline was pumping and he didn't look back. He climbed out onto the wire and started shuffling forward. His foot was still sore from the cut but he forced it around the wire to push him.
Suddenly he was jerked back violently. He turned and screamed as Michael pulled him back with his free hand. His blood stained hand was wrapped tightly around the boy's ankle and he was pulling him back onto the ledge. Jesse screamed and pleaded for him to hurry. Dan looked back at Michael who raised his other hand in the air, the gleaming butcher's knife shining in the moonlight. Dan struggled and managed to kick Michael in the chest. It was enough to get the shape to let go and Dan started to crawl forward as fast as he could. Jesse screamed again, "Watch out!!" Dan didn't turn back, he couldn't, but suddenly the wire shook violently. He looked up at Jesse and Stephen still too far to reach then he turned back and held his breath in fear. Michael was yanking on the wire trying to break it from the knot.
Dan crawled forward again but Michael reached out and yanked him back again. He was using all his strength, but Dan just couldn't free himself this time. The knot was slipping and Dan could feel the slack giving way as the wire started to loosen. He looked up at Jesse one more time and reached his arm out. She ran to the edge of the tree house and reached out as far as possible, Stephen had to hold her back to keep her from falling. Michael stumbled forward near the edge of the attic ledge.
Then the knot broke.
~TBC