Once the kitchen door swung closed behind me, I heaved a tremendous sigh of relief. I let myself fall back against the wall next to the door. My head sunk into my hands. I wanted nothing more than to just sink all the way down to the floor and let it open up to swallow me whole.
What am I going to do?!
Rubbing and stretching the skin on my face, I despaired.
While I truly was thankful that I continued living, the circumstances were less than favorable. I hadn't even spent three weeks in this house, and it was already taken out from underneath me! And from squabbling monsters no less! With not quite enough time to unpack before my parent's chance at a second honeymoon passed on by, most of the boxes had been shoved upstairs and above to be taken care of at a later date. There was no telling how long my unwanted guests intended to stay. Hopefully they could make up their minds and leave before my siblings had to return home, and preferably would do so without murdering me before they left. Maybe by that time they'll have killed each other. It did seem like a good portion of them hated one another. Now that was a nice thought.
A nice thought of which was being encroached upon by the sound of running water. I peered through my fingers across the space to look at the still-running faucet. The recollection of almost being stabbed made my heart stutter, though thankfully it was quickly overridden by the memory of dousing Ghostface with the sink's sprayer. My mouth twitched at the thought. God I was so glad I did that.
Letting my hands slip from my expression, I made short work of crossing the distance to quiet the ongoing stream. One fleeting squeak from the handle later and a lovely silence filled the room. For a second I could almost pretend that I was home alone. Truly alone. Safe. Sound of mind. As though I had only gone down here to get a glass of water in the night, nothing more.
But I knew otherwise.
The menacing knowledge had me lightly gnawing at the skin of my lips.
Alright. The drink. Get the drink. Then I can go back to bed and put this night behind me for good. It's just one drink. I reminded myself.
Glumly I turned away from the basin and approached the refrigerator. Being sure to avoid the milk puddle as best as I could, I pulled the door open and leaned down to retrieve a beer from the lowest drawer. I myself did not partake in alcohol. I never saw the point in it. Alcohol always seemed to have an unsightly effect on people, either turning them dumb or turning them into emotional wrecks. What was enjoyable about that?
With the long shape of the bottle in my hand, I let the fridge door close to let the light bulb inside rest. A pale blue glow lit the world outside from the view of the sink window but I kept my gaze averted from it. I didn't need another reminder that while the rest of the neighborhood was peacefully asleep, I wasn't. Nonetheless I sighed, figuring any chance of getting a fitful rest would be ruined now. I don't even want to think about how late it is.
Before I could turn away to finish my depression quest, my eyes then caught sight of the house phone.
I stopped dead in my tracks. I felt the rise and fall of my chest as I eyed it, temptation just in reach. My eyes hopped back to fix onto the door. This could be my only chance, but what if they find out? What if they walk in on me in the middle of a call? Would they go back on their decision to let me live? Would they strike me down right then and there? It was cruel how it looked just sitting there, mocking me, gleaming in the light of early dawn. The fingers of my free hand twitched. The overwhelming urge to drop the alcohol and dial 911 had set in.
With a furtive glance over my shoulder at the door, I slowly set the drink down on the island counter. My heart began a hopeful thump. Maybe if I'm quick..
"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are ya?"
I let out a startled gasp, ripping myself around to the right. My stomach did a painful cartwheel at the horrible voice in which I had been grimly acquainted with. Mother of fuck!
Freddy leaned against the pantry door across the way, nestled easily among the shadows. His legs were crossed at the ankle, one hand in his trouser pocket and the other dangling menacingly. While he was dressed in dark environmental shades, his blades caught the reflection of the early morning. How did he-? I let it go. At this point there were too many questions and not enough fucking answers. And with him popping out of nowhere like that, it had the mental debate of what this night was supposed to be leaning more towards 'hallucinating' rather than 'just dreaming'. Creepy fuck!
"Well?" He prodded in a sneer. He wanted a response. Of course he did. Though he wanted an answer to a clearly obvious question. He knew full well what I had in mind, but it seemed he wanted to hear me say it anyhow; To humiliate me because I was caught.
My mouth opened and closed like a ventriloquist that wasn't quite sure what to make their puppet say. Well? Answer him, idiot! I snapped out of it to blink furiously. I might as well have had my hand in the cookie jar. "Um," I took a step back from the counter, as if by retracting my arm from the metaphorical jar of sweets I wasn't as guilty as I seemed. Maybe there was a way I could spin this, distract from it even. It was unlikely but a girl had to try. "I um..I don't know what you're talking about." Wow. Could I have said that with any less confidence?
"Mm. You don't, huh?" The laugh Freddy let out was brief. He uncrossed his legs and pushed himself forward from his leaning stance. I tensed, watching him stride towards me from the gloom. His walk was more of a prowl with his eyes on mine. The glove came into contact with the island before the rest of him did. He waved each blade in an approaching tap, drawing my eyes to watch him do this. A small shiver tore through me before I could help it. I quickly slid the beer over to him so he didn't have to come any closer than necessary. His bladed hand caught its cylindrical body on cue. The other one came to take the bottle instead as he then used his index talon to pop the cap off of the top. With an ease that was scary, the top easily vacated the mouth of the bottle. He probably saw how I flinched at the sound of the measly little cap plinking onto the topside of the island. My eyes left it to meet his. A dark grin tugged at the corner of his mouth; "That's funny...Because it sure did seem like ya wanted to drop what you were doin' and leap for the phone."
My face flushed a ridiculed pink. That's the last thing I wanted him to know!
The grin broadened before taking a healthy swig of the beverage in his hand. He held my gaze while he drank, leaving my eyes to dart uncomfortably to the side. Oh who was I fooling? Clearly not him, so I gave in. My face warmed while I stumbled out to admit; "I-I was only thinking about it." My voice was low, very self-conscious under his scrutiny.
Freddy set the drink down with a satisfied exhale; "Let me help ya with that." A puzzled look came over my face as I watched him scoot the house phone closer to the both of us. Glancing at me, his hands sought the cord powering the device. A wicked mirth crossed his face as he slid his index blade just underneath it.
NO!
"Wait! Don-" It sliced right through the cable, severing the connection.
My hands flew to my head in exasperation. I blew out a breath, not believing that he had just done that. Well…There went my way out. Goodbye outside world! Was nice knowing you! Looks like I wasn't going to get any phone calls from mom and dad anytime soon. My head shook while my hands dropped back down; "Thanks, thanks a bunch. I-I never really liked that phone anyway." Oh my fucking...GOD! Wwwhhhyyyy?! Now what the fuck do I do!? Thanks, fucker!
He chuckled at my reaction but stopped when I yawned.
Freddy cocked his head, looking me over then. "Someone feelin' a little tired?" He was pleased with something. Other than being an asshole, I couldn't imagine what with. Rubbing my drooping eyelids, I sighed. "If you really need to know, then yes. I'm really, reeaally-" I yawned a second time; "Tiiirred."
His mouth lifted into an amused quirk. He gestured with a nod of his hatted head directing me to the kitchen door; "By all means, don't let me keep ya." Freddy chuckled nefariously behind closed lips, watching my expression.
God, can you get any creepier? I shrugged; "Say no more." He didn't have to tell me twice. There was only so much 'creepy fuck' I could handle. And he got his damn drink. Hopefully now he would leave me alone. Sleepily trudging away from him, I left the kitchen and his unsettling laughter behind me. I made it to the foot of the stairs before I was interrupted by a calling voice;
"And where are you off to?" SIGH. I reluctantly turned to face the living room where it came from. Ghostface, Wishmaster/Nathaniel, and Jason were standing at the entrance watching me ascend the staircase. They weren't finished with me yet? That was too bad, because I was finished with them. With my warm bed and blankets in mind, the craziness of the night was as good as dismissed. Additionally the stubborn urge to return to my much nicer dreams had me refusing to leave where I now stood. I rested my hand on the rail and said in the most sleepily-theatrical way that I could muster; "I'm going to bed! The sooner I wake up, the sooner I'll have the pleasure of never seeing any of you ever again!"
I was so tired, that's what I seriously believed. The fatigue had put me right back at square one with thinking that this was all just a stupid dream. Nonsensical. Stupid. Dream.
Ghostface scoffed; "Fat chance of that." You're a fat chance. I was quickly becoming just as hostile towards him as he was to me. I shook my head, waving his words away while I continued my climb up the stairs. What were they going to do? Chase me again? If they did, I might just let them catch me this time.
"Goodnight, Jennifer!" Called Chucky from the living room.
Rolling my eyes, I returned the favor; "Goodnight!" Ignoring their humored noises, I kept mounting the stairs and finally got to the top. I stumbled in my sleep deprived state down the hallway, not even pausing to enjoy the imagery of Chucky having landed on his ass against the wall, and thankfully without incident made it all the way to my bedroom; Which funnily enough I was able to enter now.
"Figures you open when I need you least." I mumbled sourly.
Shuffling into the room, I closed the door behind me. A weight seemed to lift from my shoulders. I was finally alone. Just to double check, I did a slow spin to survey the space. Thank God. Just me. Despite the gratitude I felt for the small mercy of privacy, the sun slowly rising through my window was trying its best to eradicate any feeling of good. I wasted no time literally collapsing into bed. I didn't know what to think anymore. The events that had transpired tonight seemed far from believable, even in my wildest of dreams. Recalling everything only served to launch me further into exhaustion. My eyelids could no longer keep themselves up. They fell closed like a rushing curtain freed from a rope.
If they did decide to march up here and end my life, I just hoped they would let me sleep first. That was the only certainty now: All I knew was that I was tired. And no matter what happened, I just wanted some sleep.
I reached a hand out, fumbling blindly for my blanket. "Mmmnnghh!" I groaned miserably. The damned thing was trapped underneath my dead weight. "Screw it. Whatevermm." I promptly gave up on its rescue.
It's just a dream. They'll be gone in the morning. Just a dumb dream.
Those thoughts were my last as I succumbed to the encompassing black of slumber.
How wrong I was.