Disclaimers are in the prologue.

Here is the first chapter. Yes, I posted the prologue and the first chapter in the same day. What can I say, I'm on a roll. I haven't written in...I think it's been about five years. So take it, take it all, take it now, here we go.

Freddy and Candyman sat on the rocks in one of the many "caves" that made up the maze that is Hell. They were hatching a plan to escape, looking for any possible way. They had gone over several plans, but none of them seemed good enough to work. Freddy was beginning to get frustrated. Every second he wasted in Hell, other things were happening in the world. He needed his vengeance before Jason decided to wake up and go on another killing spree.

"I think I have it," Candyman said suddenly.

"Tell me," Freddy growled.

"Do you know who Pinhead is?"

"You mean that pale sissy with the hooks and chains? Yeah, I've seen him."

"He's Satan's right-hand man. If anyone can get us out of here, it's him."

"He won't just let us go," Freddy said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully with his razor-fingers. "Maybe he'd join us..."

"No such luck. He's completely devoted to the Master. But maybe we can use him..."

"Well, how?" Freddy was becoming impatient now.

Candyman leaned in close and whispered, so if anyone were listening, only Freddy would be able to hear. "I've seen him leaving this place with the power of a little golden puzzle box. Every time someone activates the box, a gateway opens between Hell and Earth. That could be our chance."

"That sounds too easy."

"Yes, well...the problem is that we need someone from outside to activate the box."

Freddy jumped out of his seat, cursing. "How the fuck are we gonna pull that off?"

"I have a little friend on the outside who would help us, but I have no way to contact him."

A smile formed on Freddy's face as he turned back to face Candyman. "I have another idea..."

Somewhere near the desolate highway that is known as East 9, something slept under the ground. For about the past twenty-three years, it had been hibernating, waiting until Spring of that year to come out and feed. It would eat for twenty-three days, and then it would hibernate again for the next twenty-three springs.

For the first time in its countless centuries of existence, it began to dream. In its dream, the Creeper was chasing a human teenager. It could smell his heart, and it smelled good. The Creeper swooped down from the sky and dug its claws into the boy's shoulders, carrying him off into the distance. The boy's screams were music to the Creeper's ears.

Then, suddenly, the screams turned into a deep, dark kind of laughter. The Creeper bared its razor-sharp fangs and looked down at its prey. It was no longer a teenage boy. It was an older man who wore a brown hat, red and green striped sweater, and a strange glove on his right hand. Also, the man was scarred horribly, as if he had been burnt to a crisp.

"I've got a proposition for you!" the burned man yelled through his laughter. "Bring me down and we'll talk! Well...I'll talk, you listen."

More curious than anything, the Creeper swooped down towards the ground and slowed its pace. Once Freddy's feet were on the ground, the Creeper released him and stood about five feet away. The two sized each other up.

"Good," said Freddy, smiling and clicking his claws together. "I can't stay long, so listen up...if you don't want to go back into the ground."

The Creeper's eyes narrowed and he let out a low growl, but he listened.

"I need you to find something for me. Do this, and I'll make you more powerful than you could ever imagine. For example, you won't have to hibernate anymore...you can feed at will."

The Creeper seemed to consider this for a few moments before giving a slight nod. Their eyes never left each other's.

"Alright," Freddy said, "here's what I want you to do..."

Back in Hell, Candyman watched Freddy's seemingly comatose body lying on the rocks. He had been like that for about a half hour, and Candyman was starting to wonder what was taking so long. Suddenly, Freddy shot up on both feet. He staggered and Candyman caught him before he could fall. After a moment, Freddy was able to stand up on his own.

"What happened?" Candyman asked.

"I used too much power," Freddy said, panting. "If I'd held out any longer, I would've ceased to exist."

"Did it work?"

The smile returned to Freddy's face. "He'll be waking up in two days, and then...we're back in the saddle again."

Candyman also smiled and began to laugh deeply. For the first time in what seemed like, or was, forever, Freddy shared a laugh with someone as evil as himself, and it felt good.

Author's Notes: The plot thickens! Many, if not all, of you should be able to guess by now who Candyman's "little friend" is. Some of you may be wondering, "How are Freddy and Candyman supposed to gain power while they're stuck in the deepest, dankest, darkest pits of Hell?" Well, that's a surprise that can only be revealed when the time is right. I'm thinking, next chapter maybe? Maybe.