Holly Hale had been working at Top Story for seven years. Going up the ranks until she was finally the reporter she had dreamed of being since she was a little girl. She had been happy with her job until the story of the two girls murdered had come out. Now she was hungry for fame. She knew that writing the books on the killings and taking part in them had helped Gail Weathers career. Now with a new generation she could do the same, just as long as she stayed close to the story. This is why she and her cameraman were now trying to get through a crowd of other reporters to try to get a glimpse of, and maybe a few sound bites, from the latest victim.
Finally reaching the front Holly moved to go past the officer standing somewhat in front of her when he grabbed her by her arm and stopped her from going past the "No Press" line.
"I'm sorry miss. You'll have to stay back." The officer said, releasing her arm from his hold.
"Are you kidding me? Do you know who I am?" Holly spat out. Clearly this officer did not know whom he was talking to.
"Yeah, you're the lady who's gonna get arrested if she doesn't back up right now." The officer answered back.
Grumbling and loudly vocalizing her aggravation Holly moved quickly as she made her way out of the crowd. Quickly pulling a cigarette from her pack she lit it up as soon as she exited the huge crowd of reporters who were still trying to get a word with or a glimpse of the latest almost victim.
Staring, still embarrassed by what just happened. Her cameraman Joey soon joined her. He was only a bit older than she was. Somewhere in his early 30's and single. Holly may have done something about that last part if he didn't reek of small town and mediocrity. Taller than her with light blonde hair and a slightly muscled build, he wasn't too bad to look at but when all you know is small town life, it's all your ever going to know.
At least that was Holly's motto about people.
Well, except for herself and a select few.
Holly had been caught up in her smoking and thinking she hadn't realized that Joey had been talking until she noticed his lips were moving.
"What?" She asked, her tone clearly showing how annoyed she currently was.
"I was asking if we were heading back to the station now." He said, letting the large and somewhat heavy camera fall from his shoulders, preferring just to hold it.
"No. Were not. I am getting my story damnit!" She said as she noticed an officer leaving the station and heading to the diner across the street.
Smiling she quickly dropped her cigarette butt before stepping on it in her green heels. Flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder, she began following the Officer. She was going to get her story no matter what it took.
"Holly? Holly! Where are you going?" Joey asked her franticly.
Holly just kept walking. Only slowing down a fraction to turn her head back to Joey and tell him,
"Get the van ready. I'll be there in a minute."
SCREAMSCREAMSCREAM
Nate opened the door of the all night diner. The only one in town. Strategically placed adjacent to the police station so that after a long shift an officer could walk just across the street to get something to eat.
Nodding to the on duty staff he smoothly made his way to his usual booth. Picking up a menu, he began scanning the pages, looking for the first thing that sounded appetizing. He was caught up in his thought of food in such a way that he had not paid much attention to the sound of the door opening or the clack of heels on the tiles heading his way.
Holly made her way easily to the officer's booth. Sitting opposite him. Smiling at the back of the menu, she waited for the officer to notice her. She waited for almost a minute before clearing her throat to get his attention. Putting down the menu Nate gave her a confused look.
"Can I help you?" He asked, not trying to sound rude but still trying to figure out why the woman had sat at his booth.
"Hopefully, yes. What can you tell me about Danielle Edwards' attack?" Holly asked, her right hand hidden under the table with her tape recorder on.
"Nothing. Sorry." Nate answered with a cocky smirk.
"Any, statement on the recent murders. Anything. It's all completely off the record." Holly smiled she wanted this story bad.
Nick still had the smirk on his face as locked eyes with Holly before they traveled to where Holly's missing hand was under the table.
Rolling her eyes, she brought the recorder out and turned it off. She could go off a word-of-mouth story if it was from a "reliable source".
"Happy?" She said, raising her hands to show they were empty.
"Kind of." Nick said putting down the menu fully as the server arrived.
"What can I get you?" She asked a polite happy tone to her voice. A surprise considering the line of work she was in.
"Could I get a cup of coffee? Thanks." Nate asked politely, handing the woman his menu before looking at Holly.
Holly gestured toward the server. A clear message saying 'You can leave now." She was far too focused on getting a story to worry about food right now.
"Look miss, I can't tell you anything. The killer has gone after only females, attacked in their own homes wearing the Ghostface costume clearly remaking the events of the original Stab movie."
Holly cocked an eyebrow at the end of the officer's sentence.
"You believe the killer is making a "remake" of the original STAB movie? Of the events that happened over 20 years ago in Woodsboro?" Holly asked, fishing for whatever she could get.
"Well, doesn't it seem like it? I mean the two girls is a bit of a throw off but you have still have the two teenagers home alone that get butchered. Then the young heroin who barely escapes with her life. Next thing you know were gonna find the Principal de-….I didn't say any of that." Nate said, realizing his mistake a few sentences to late.
"I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, no, it's fine." She was beginning to get a bit frustrated though. She wasn't getting much out of him and so far, this was her only lead.
"Look, officer." She said standing. She wasn't giving up but she needed a quick second to get her mind together.
"I'm going to be right back. I would really appreciate it if you were still here." She said before turning and making her way through the empty diner to the restroom. While Nate was left sitting alone in the booth, very confused.
Pushing the door open Holly entered the diner's restroom.
There wasn't much in there. No patrons. A few stalls and sinks with mirrors in front of them. Holly gagged as she carefully made her way over to a sink. Looking at her reflection, she sighed. Being a reporter was tough on a person. Always needing to be the first with a scoop. Shaking her head she quickly straightened up, looked herself directly in the eyes before telling herself to get it together.
A smile on her face she had begun to re apply her makeup when she heard a sound from behind her. Something like metal scratching metal. Turning she scanned the empty bathroom slowly.
"Hello? Is somebody in here?" She asked from her spot by the sink.
A serious look over came her as she reached into her purse for the can of mace she carried around in case of emergencies. Making her way to the first stall, she opened it quickly.
There was nothing inside but an uncleaned toilet.
Holly gagged quietly before moving to the next one. Opening the stall door quickly she readied herself in case anyone was in it. Opening the door, she saw…
Yet another empty stall.
Now, sure there was someone in the last stall. She moved to it slowly. Pushing on the door slightly, mace held tightly in her hand, she tensed her body up. Ready to protect herself if she needed to. Thrusting the door open she screamed as a rat ran out of the very empty stall.
Leaning against the near wall, she tried to catch her breath before sighing. Done with scaring herself, she gathered her things and walked out of the bathroom. Opening the door, she walked down the thin hallway leading to the rest of the diner. Focusing on the questions she was going to ask the officer she didn't sense the person at the end of the hall until they had grabbed her around her arm.
Turning to attack, she stopped quickly. It was the attractive officer. Pulling her arm from his loose grip she smoothes the fabric of her jacket before shooting the officer a death glare.
"What are you doing? Waiting outside the bathroom like a creep." She said as she began walking outside
"I'm sorry." Nate said, following her. A cocky grin playing on his face.
"I didn't mean to scare you."
Holly turned around, marching back to the spot where Nate had stopped. Not at her happiest right now, she was going to let him have it.
"You did not scare me. I'm just tired of talking to people and getting nothing for my story. Nothing on nothing about nothing and now here I am arguing with a Dewey Riley wannabe!"
Nate, keeping his composure and smirk on his face is in no way hurt by the statement, instead choosing to ignore it and walk with the raging reporter.
"Let me walk you to your car. It's late and I wouldn't want anything happening to you when I could have prevented it." Nate said, once he caught up with her.
"Whatever. It's right over here." She said pointing to the unmistakable Top Story news van. Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw it, not started and seamlessly empty, Joey nowhere in sight.
"Of course not. No one in this town can do anything right." Holly remarked rather loudly.
Nate walked her to the driver's side of the van. Turning towards each other, Nate put his hands in his pocket.
"It was really nice talking to you…"
"Holly Hale. Catch me on channels 3, 5, and 7." She supplied quickly.
"Holly. Yeah, that makes sense. Drive safely Ms. Hale." Nate said as he waved and began his walk across the street to the station.
Holly began mumbling something about "Dewey Riley" and "at least he helped Gale Weathers". Fuming she looked through her purse to find her keys. Finding them, she pulled them out of her purse, just to drop them onto the ground. Sighing, Holly got down on her knees, looking for the keys that somehow made their way under the car. On the ground, she noticed something liquid under the van. Great, to top off her wonderful day her van was leaking something.
Standing back up Holly hastily unlocked the door and swiftly threw it open making the bloodied lifeless body of her cameraman fall onto her. His throat slit and multiple stab wounds to his chest. She backed up, allowing the lifeless corpse to hit the ground below as her earsplitting scream tore through the night.