Chapter 8
Morning has arrived and Dave had poured cereal for the boys for breakfast. "Fellas, time to get up!", Dave called. The Chipmunks then made their way to the table as Dave listened to the news on the TV. "Top story this morning, a local girl named Caroline Stanley was found by her parents brutally slashed to death in her bed. Police so far have found no evidence as to who could have committed this horrific murder", the news anchor said on the TV. Dave is in shock as he watches further. "Oh my goodness!", Dave exclaims as Caroline's mother is shown crying as she tells her experience. "I don't know who would want to kill my sweet daughter! I'm so confused!", Caroline's mom said on the TV. Alvin speaks up and says, "Slashed? It's Freddy, I know it! He did this!" Simon then says, "Aren't you jumping to conclusions? How do you know it's Freddy?" "Didn't you hear the news? Key word: slashed! Put the pieces together Simon!", Alvin says. "I know it's scary, but let the authorities find this monster and deal with him", Dave says to Alvin. "Besides you and your brothers need to eat so you can get to school."
After Dave drops the boys off at the school, the Chipettes arrive a couple of minutes later. Alvin then says to the girls, "Did you hear about what happened in the news? It's awful!" Brittany answers, "Yes we did. That girl, Caroline was in my drama class!" "She was a student here? I never met her", Alvin says. Jeanette chimes in, "Probably because you and her never had any classes together." Alvin then notices bandages peeking out from under Jeanette's shirt and says, "What happened to you? Was it Freddy?" Jeanette answers, "I had a nightmare last night. I did see Freddy and he did do this to me." Alvin then says, "Freddy seems to be getting more active! Also, I'm sure the worst has happened, Freddy killed Caroline! He has claimed his first victim!" Nathan walks up and asks, "Are you sure it was Freddy?" Alvin answers, "The news said she was slashed to death." "I see what you mean. Anyway we better get to class before we're late", Nathan says.
In math class, Mrs. Shepherd says, "It's absolutely terrible what happened to Caroline and though not everyone in here knew her well, we must respect her memory." A student spoke up and said, "I knew her well, we were like sisters. I miss her so much already." The student is named Ruth Clapton. "I'm terribly sorry you lost a great friend Ruth", Mrs. Shepherd said. She then continued, "We will have a ceremony later on to remember her. However, right now we must focus on the upcoming final exam." Alvin then thinks, "If any of us even make it to the final exam alive."
Later in Brittany's drama class, Ms. Baker is talking about Caroline to the class. "I did have to put her in her place a couple of times, I'll admit, but she was still a good student to teach", Ms. Baker said. Brittany says, "She and I would at times be rivals, but she definitely did not deserve what happened to her. Freddy is absolutely pure evil for doing this." Fellow classmate Mark Green said, "Freddy? Who's Freddy?" Brittany answers, "The monster that killed Caroline. He did it in her dreams! I'm sure because he attacked me and I woke up with cuts and the news said she was slashed to death." Mark replies, "Oookay, that was weird." The rest of the class, including Ms. Baker, looked at each other with strange looks before looking at Brittany with those same looks. "I know it was Freddy. I just hope no one else dies", Brittany thinks.
Later on in the cafeteria, the staff and the students do their ceremony to remember Caroline. Ruth says while in tears, "She and I were very close. I can't believe some monster would do such a horrible thing to someone who was as harmless as her. I feel so empty without her. I know it was just yesterday, but I feel like she has been gone for years already!" Other students who knew her gave their speeches about what she was like. The ceremony lasted a while before the students could freely have their lunch. Alvin says to Simon, "This creep needs to be stopped before someone else dies! Any ideas?" Simon replies, "This is something totally new from what I'm used to. I don't think even I have any ideas of how to stop him."
After the final class of the day ends, the Chipmunks and Chipettes go to the library for a brief moment. Simon was looking through a book about dreams when he said, "This doesn't make sense! There's stuff in here about people dying after having horrific dreams, but nothing about people dying from bad dreams!" Alvin replies, "That's because I don't think this has happened before. Any lasting doubts you had should be gone now about Freddy being real." "I'll admit, I still had some small doubts about Freddy, but after reading through this, I definitely think Freddy is not part of any traditional dreams. Also considering the fact that we never had this happen before, he is definitely something that is real since he injures people in their dreams and they wake up with injuries in the same places, if they even wake up at all", Simon says.
Later at the Seville house, the boys are doing homework when Alvin says, "I know I keep bringing this up, but we need to stop Freddy." Simon replies, "I'll say I'm actually fully on board with Freddy being real after what I read. Besides, from what I've heard from you, Theodore, and Brittany, it seems Freddy really can't be hurt by anything." Alvin then says, "We need to find a way to hurt him. Even better, stop him, because if we don't, anyone will be next to die. Maybe even the girls or us!"
Alvin: Darkness strikes
Once again
Simon: I'm all alone
It feels like the end
Theodore: He walks with me while I sleep
It's like a heart attack on a one way street
All: Can't sleep tonight cause I gotta run, gotta hide
And I'm running
Running from this nightmare
I turn around and there's no one there
And I'm running
Running from this nightmare
Running
Theodore: Running from this nightmare
Alvin: One way out
Not this time
Simon: I've seen you before
Inside my mind
Theodore: My heart beats faster
With every step
Alvin and Simon: I'm not afraid of you
You haven't gotten me yet
All: Can't sleep tonight cause I gotta run, gotta hide
And I'm running
Running from this nightmare
I turn around and there's no one there
And I'm running
Running from this nightmare
Running
Theodore: Running from this nightmare
The boys finish their homework and head downstairs for dinner. Alvin says to Simon, "Nice to know you are totally and completely on board with this now." Simon responds, "I am. I still will say, even with my smarts, I still can't think of anything to do." Dave then says, "Are you talking about that Freddy guy? Although what has been happening is strange, I still don't really believe that it's a dream man doing this because I haven't seen him." Theodore then speaks up and says, "We know this creep is real! After what happened to Jeanette, Derek, and Caroline, it should show you that he's real, especially after he came after me!" Dave then responds, "I know what you guys and some other people have seen is scary, but it's dreams. Even if this Freddy guy was real, I wouldn't let him hurt you guys." Alvin replies, "I know you wouldn't let him hurt us, but he'll find a way to do it."
Later that night at the Miller house, Ms. Miller had just tucked the girls into bed for the night. "Goodnight girls", she says to the Chipettes. "Goodnight Ms. Miller", they respond.
At the Seville house, Dave does the same thing. "Sweet dreams boys", he says. Alvin responds, "I hope we have sweet dreams." Dave says, "Relax Alvin. It'll be okay. Goodnight boys." "Goodnight Dave", the Chipmunks say back.
At the Miller house, Eleanor hears beeping coming from the kitchen and also smells something burning. She runs down to the kitchen and sees that it's the oven. Eleanor immediately shuts off the oven and a small fire erupts on a burner. She grabs salt and quickly puts it out. "How did the oven get turned on? I know I saw Ms. Miller turn it off", Eleanor says to herself. Suddenly the oven door opens up and Eleanor screams at what she sees inside the oven. It's Freddy! "What's cooking? I know I've been!", Freddy says before laughing evilly as he steps out of the oven. Eleanor quickly grabs a knife and stabs Freddy in the stomach and leg before kicking him in the shin. Freddy laughs and flexes his blades. "Nice try, but you'll still meet the eternal sleep", he says before slashing at Eleanor. Eleanor screams and runs out of the kitchen toward the front door. Unfortunately it's locked. Freddy runs and tries again to slash Eleanor. She is able to get out the back door and runs down the street. She then hides behind a house. Eleanor tries to hold in a scream when she hears Freddy scrape his knives on a fence. He was close, so Eleanor tried to run but was cut off by Freddy. Freddy rasps, "You'll have to do better than that!", before letting out a terrible laugh. Eleanor runs again but the ground starts swallowing her. Freddy smiles evilly as he watches the green loving chipette sink further into the ground.
"Ouch!", Eleanor says when she lands on a hard floor. She quickly looks around and sees that she's in the boiler room. "Anyone here?", she calls out as the fear in her rises. She suddenly feels a terrible pain in her arm and falls to the floor. She looks and sees four cuts in her arm and then hears Freddy say behind her, "You're mine now!" Eleanor runs but Freddy jumps out from behind a curtain and cuts her off. Freddy chuckles as he rubs his first two knives together and comes toward Eleanor. Eleanor runs and finds a pipe against a wall and waits for Freddy. He then runs up and she hits him in the stomach and then repeatedly in the head. Freddy looks up and smirks evilly at her. Eleanor tries to run again but Freddy appears in front of her and lifts her up by her nightgown. He then pulls his knives back as Eleanor screams in terror. "Lights out", Freddy says before slashing at Eleanor.
Eleanor wakes up screaming and sweating. "Ellie, are you okay?", Jeanette asks with concern. Ms. Miller then runs into the bedroom and asks, "What's going on?" She then sees the cuts on Eleanor's arm and says, "Goodness Eleanor, you're bleeding!" Eleanor looks and sees the cuts and says, "I had a nightmare. It was Freddy! He attacked me!" Ms. Miller goes over and hugs Eleanor to comfort her. "It's okay, it's over now", Ms. Miller says soothingly. She then says, "Come on, we'll clean and bandage those up." After Ms. Miller and Eleanor head to the bathroom, Brittany says, "Not Eleanor too! Freddy is trying to get all of us!" Jeanette then says, "He'll try to get anyone. He needs to be stopped!" Brittany replies, "I know, but I don't think we can stop him!"
In the bathroom, Ms. Miller has cleaned and bandaged Eleanor's arm and says, "Remember what I told you and your sisters before dear: even with my aging bones, I will do everything I can to protect you. Now let's get you back to bed." She then takes Eleanor back to the bedroom. "Feel better now dear?", Ms. Miller asks Eleanor. "Yes, but what if he comes back?", Eleanor says. "Don't worry. Like I said, I'll do everything I can to protect you, now get back to sleep because you have school tomorrow", Ms. Miller said. "Goodnight again girls", Ms. Miller says before turning off the light and closing the door.
Brittany then says, "What are we going to do?" Eleanor responds, "I don't know. I hit him with a pipe in the dream and stabbed him with a knife and it didn't hurt him! He's unstoppable!" Jeanette then says, "We need to work with the boys to try to find a way to stop him or more people will end up like that Caroline girl: dead." Brittany says, "I'm too young and pretty to die!" Eleanor says, "We all are, but if we can't stop him, we and the boys along with who knows how many others will die!" Jeanette responds, "That's why we need to find a way. However it's late, let's at least try to get some sleep." Eleanor however is too frightened to go back to sleep for the rest of the night.
The song is "Nightmare" by Tuesday Knight. I do not own this song. It was used as part of the story for entertainment. Find out what happens in the next chapter!