Chapter 8: Sin 4- Pride

I was alone in the dreamscape, well, alone as you can be. There weren't any lucid dreamers and Jake was gone. Krueger was all that was left. Instead of walking, I brought myself to 1428 with my mind. I couldn't do that before. My kill didn't just make me look more like a demon, it made me much more powerful.

I don't know why I didn't just teleport into the house. Maybe I couldn't, but I made it to the street in front of the house and stopped. Again, Jake was on my mind.

Look Angelina! Look at yourself! Look at what you've become.

The image of my new self came to mind as well.

I only look this way here… in the dreamscape… right?

I was becoming physically stronger and smarter in the real world. Maybe I'd look like this out there as well.

I placed my hand on the cold doorknob, and just held it. So many thoughts, so little knowledge.

I could just leave right now. I'm weaker than Krueger, but strong enough to hold him off… I barely sleep as it is when I'm not here…

No… I can't give up. No way… I'm so close…

I twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open. Heat hit me full on after the cold dreamscape streets. But somehow, through it all, I felt comfortable here. It was almost Goth-cozy, if you can understand that.

"Hello, my angel." I turned and there stood Krueger.

"I think demon fits better." I said.

"Aw. What's the matter with my angel?"

"The boy… Jake again."

"Oh yes, the boy. He makes you feel guilt."

"I know I shouldn't. I'm only killing sinners. I was never good at vindication." I admitted.

"First kills are always a bit shameful." Krueger said. He was actually confiding in me.

"Even those little girls you started with?" I pushed.

"Especially the girls…"

"Why?"

"Doesn't matter." He said, meeting my brown eyes with his own icy blue pair. It made me shiver.

"I got questions." I said.

"I knew you would. That's why I asked you here after your hunt."

"Asked, or demanded?"

"Like your style, bitch. Now I'm a bit glad I didn't kill you." He continued whatever he was doing, acting bored and examining his claws. I looked at my own, covered in crimson stains. I could smell the drying blood as though my claws were covered in fresh blood.

"Will I… always look like this?"

"No. This is… your dream self. Your soul. You still appear human to the masses and in the real world."

"What do you mean… the masses?"

"The bitches you hunt. Only those with genuine psychic abilities, you, and me can see you this way."

Now I know why Jake used that mirror… how he knew…

"How much more will I change?"

"Your form will not change anymore. Your power will still grow with each kill. And the pain you have felt from your last few kills will be nothing compared to the future kills."

"I already know who I'm going to kill for the next sin."

"Oh! Do tell, do tell!" Krueger was having a 'wacky' moment, something I didn't know he could do. He made the room change to white tiles and neon signs. I was sitting and Krueger had my gloved hand on the table. He was acting like this was a beauty parlor and I was getting my nails, or claws rather, done. He was using a knife sharpener to sharpen the claws. I was a bit freaked out.

"So, who's your next victim?"

"Well… he lives on campus at SWU, Springwood University."

"Yes, yes, I see… my, my, what have you done to these claws? They are such a nice shade of red!" he smacked his lap before continuing to sharpen my claws.

"Like you don't know already…" I snorted, actually enjoying myself.

What am I doing! I can't get attached! Not to anyone, and especially not to him! Dream succubus or not!

I realized how close I had actually began to proving that name right. Succubi were known to rape men while they slept. I almost did that with Wilkes. Instead though, I castrated him.

"He's a football player. He thinks he's so high on the hog that his team would lose and fall apart without him. He treats the other players like they mean nothing."

"So you're going to teach him there is no 'I' in team?" Krueger asked.

"Exactly." I smirked.

"And what of Jake?"

"I'll tell him to fuck off after this next kill. But even we dream demons need our rest, so if you're quite finished, I think I'll take my leave now." I said. He nodded like it was all casual and he looked over my glove again, and then he let go of my hand. I looked them over. He did a good job.

"You have to take better care of that glove, my angel."

"I will, promise. You did a good job, Freddy."

"That's a first. Are you starting to trust me?" he scoffed. He lunged forward with his claws so fast I couldn't react. One metal razor was just half an inch from my eye. Finally able to move again, I stepped back. Krueger's laugh echoed unnaturally all around, "Don't do that. If you trust me, that's when you can trust that I'll kill you." He sneered, bringing his arm back down to his side.

XxX

"1, 2… the angel's after you… 3, 4… better bar your door… 5, 6… you're in a fix… 7, 8… she holds your fate… 9, 10… never sin again… 1, 2…"

I sang my rendition of the Krueger chant over and over, in my playground. Krueger's playground was his massive boiler room. Boiler Room World was more like it. Mine was the Locker Room World.

"What the fuck…?" a male's voice echoed to my ears, making my heart jump. He was here, I had already sensed that, but now he was here. Nearly in sight, just past the steam that was coming from the showers.

For once, I wasn't going to hide and then pop out. Oh no, I was going to face him head on.

First, his shadow came out of the steam. I held my breath as excitement grabbed my heart. Next was his silhouette. He was much bigger than me, but then again, size wasn't everything. Maybe on the football field, but not in the dreamscape. Not in my dreamscape.

This is my world now, bitch. You'll die… pride isn't that bad, I guess, but you have taken it way too far sucker.

I took my claws and spread them out wide. I slowly scraped them on the lockers. Skrrreeeeeech--ekkk! The sound made him jump.

He turned, his back was to me. It would be so easy to attack him now. My claws could go through his back like tissue paper. The blood would coat my fingers. Maybe I'd even drink it up as I absorbed his soul.

Skrrreeeeeech--ekkk! Skrrreeeeeech--ekkk!

I brought my claws back down. He definitely knew I was behind him now as he turned. He couldn't see me through the steam, but I could see his outline. I figured my demon eyes had a hand in that.

My new demon ears picked up his heartbeat, pounding much louder than you would normally hear. Thump, thump, thump! Faster and faster, louder and louder, until it seemed to echo off the lockers.

"I'm right in front of you, fucker!" I snapped, growing impatient.

I saw his figure grow larger as he came closer. I almost growled from the intimidation. He was far larger than I thought.

He was at least 2 heads taller than me, twice as wide, and dressed in his jersey. That was perfect, though. If people saw I could kill such a huge guy, their fear would grow, and thus I could gain more power. So far, I think Krueger was getting all my fear, but at least I was getting the souls. I'd make sure they knew I was the one who killed him.

"Chris… good evening."

"Do I know you?" he sounded sarcastic.

"Arrogant… it will be your downfall. You have sinned."

"Oh fuck! You're the Angel of Death!"

"So you do know of me? Tell me… what other names do I go by?"

"Uh… uh… um…"

"Stop stuttering and tell me!"

"There- there's Nightmare Angel Slasher…. Dream Sinner Slasher… Dream Demoness. That's it." He said. He still didn't seem too scared.

What's this… it's like I'm… losing strength… losing power… because he doesn't fear me?

"Are you scared?" I asked, trying to sound calm.

"You're just a little girl, why should I be scared?"

I felt energy leaving me. He wasn't afraid. Krueger needed their fear to come back… and I needed it as well.

I have to fix this. I have to scare him.

"Tell me then, Chris. Do you fear Krueger?"

"Fuck yeah!" he cried, like I asked a stupid question.

"Then you should fear me. I'm his apprentice… his… daughter, you could almost say." I went to punch him through the gut, but my hand went right through him. No blood, nothing but incredible heat coming from his body.

I stumbled back and just looked at my claws and back at his chest. I hadn't hurt him one bit.

"I TOLD YOU DON'T GET COCKY!" Krueger's voice rang out.

"Holy shit…"

His fear was directed to Krueger, not me. I had to scare him. An idea came to mind. I tackled the guy, still able to make contact.

"What are you doing, bitch!"

"Ooh... something ole Freddy boy told me about." I dug one of my claws into his temple and pushed in. His eyes went blank as I started to pick his brain, literally.

I searched and saw just how prideful this guy was. He really believed that his shit smelled like roses. I dug in deeper and found his mental core, and wrapped around it was his fear.

Oh, this is good… this I can do…

I pulled out my claw and stood up, backing away from him. He grabbed the side of his head and shakily stood up.

Greek myths were one of my favorite things to read up and study. No kid in Springwood knew more about Hercules or Apollo than me. Or Perseus, that's where I got my inspiration for this kill.

I turned away from the guy as I started to shape shift. He didn't know this, of course. He went to run, but I shifted to his other side so he couldn't escape. He was cornered now.

"Bitch!" he screamed. But he didn't have much time left now. I turned and faced him. He let out a scream like no man could. It sounded almost like a little girl screaming. It filled me with power and I charged forward, grabbing him by his neck and somehow managing to lift him off the floor. He clenched his eyes tight and turned his face away as I laughed. I was a living Medusa. I let my human shell melt away and I showed him my dream demon form. I let snakes become my hair. I was truly a gorgon now.

"Open your eyes, pig! Look into terror!" I laughed, "Freddy isn't the only dream demon anymore! Remember that while I digest your soul!"

But he wouldn't look at me. His fear made me stronger, so I hatched a new idea. I dropped him and made mirrors fill the room. I knew my own horror, so I wouldn't turn to stone, not since I was in control. He opened his eyes and started to crawl away, but he had to look, and once he looked up, he caught my reflection. He screamed again and I watched as he stood, trying to find a way out. But it was too late now, and I laughed at his terror as he watched ashis hand started to turn to stone. Then his arm, shoulders, down his side, his other arm, legs… it was so thrilling to watch as I kept on laughing, scraping my claws on the glass. Finally his head turned to stone, twisted in eternal horror.

I blinked away the mirrors and my snake hair, and oddly all but one snake vanished. It slithered down my arm and seemed to want to stay. I scratched the top of its head affectionately and let it stay.

It was one of the pythons I had created. She was completely black and about arm's length in her size. I thought back and realized she was the alpha snake within all the snakes I had created for my gorgon hair.

"Well, if your false will is that powerful, then I may keep you. How about Medusa? Sounds good to me." The snake wrapped around my arm with its head resting on my shoulder. I looked to the statue and laughed again.

"Well, Medusa my pet, shall we keep this lawn ornament or shall we smash it?" she hissed in reply, "Right, smash it!" I kicked it and it fell over, breaking into hundreds of little bloody pieces.

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AS22: ok, R&R if you wish for more gore!