October 14, 1998
6:45 pm
Laurie grunted as she forced her body to pull up its own weight more times than it was capable of. Her arms ached but she fought through the soreness. She'd been at this for the past forty-five minutes, alternating with sit-ups, with a few two-minute breathers in between.
Her fingers finally gave out and she dropped to the mat underneath. She lay there for a while, her chest heaving heavily and her body glistening with sweat. She recalled the conversation with John earlier when he realized what his mother had purchased.
"You bought a workout set?" he inquired, as the flicked on the basement light.
"Yep."
"Why?"
"I think you know the reason," Laurie answered. She looked her son in the eye with brutal honesty.
"You're insane!" John said, heading back up the basement steps with his mom right behind.
"You really think you can take him on?"
"I'm not running this time," Laurie responded, and she headed into her bedroom to change.
The last piece echoed in Laurie's head for a while. The 31st was just two weeks away. Could she really take on her brother? Maybe John was right.
She considered it while she showered and dressed.
8:00 pm
Dr. Loomis was right on time. Laurie invited him in and offered a drink.
"Brandy, if you have it."
Laurie got out two tumblers and filled them up.
"There's more where this came from," she said, as Loomis sat at the breakfast nook and Laurie across from him.
"Is John here?"
"No. We had an argument so he went to a friend's house to calm down."
"What about?"
"It's not important." Laurie said.
They both sipped their drinks in silence before Laurie continued.
"Why are you here?"
Loomis was taken aback by the question, but he tried to answer it as best he could.
"Isn't it obvious? To save John."
Laurie didn't appreciate the artificialness of his answer. She was looking for the truth.
"No, I mean why now? Before today, I thought you were dead. What brings you back?"
Loomis shifted in his chair before delivering the truth.
"You."
"Me?"
"A few weeks ago I received a phone call from Dr. Ray Wallace. He said that during your last session, you mentioned having seen Michael. Knowing our history, he contacted me in hopes of getting through to you. But there is a difference between Dr. Wallace and myself, Laurie…" Loomis admitted.
"And what is that difference?" Laurie asked.
"I believe you."
Laurie took in all the information and the rest of her brandy before responding.
"Sam, I'm not the same girl you rescued from certain death twenty years ago. I don't need to be saved."
Laurie stood now to refill her glass. She offered more to Loomis, who declined.
"I know," Loomis replied. "But I need your help to finally take him down. You and I…he's fixated on us. He won't stop until we're dead."
"I know," Laurie said, now completely sure of her most recent purchase. She looked Dr. Loomis in the eye, unable to ignore the slightly healed burn marks.
"But you and I…" Laurie started, swirling her second drink.
"…We have something in common. Something no doctor or psychopath can ever deny. We have history tattooed on our flesh. And it can never be rewritten."
Loomis smirked at the realization of what she meant, and hoped that this would be the end.