Chapter 1

1989

Christine's fingers were starting to cramp from the heavy plastic bags she was carrying. Predictably, her car never worked when she needed it, so she had to walk to the grocery store and back to her new home. She had finally done it. She'd bought a small house, well, more of an ancient and junk filled hunting lodge located on the outskirts of a small town in Illinois. She'd travelled from place to place all her life, never really staying anywhere for any real amount of time. She'd dreamed of a place to call home, to settle down and sprout some roots. Sighing wistfully, imagining what she would do to make the old lodge a home, her home, she didn't notice the blue pick-up until it screeched to a halt a few feet away from her.

Pausing by the driver's side window, she smiled at the young man sticking his head out. "Hi James." The lanky blond almost tripped over his own feet as he rushed out of the truck, giving her a sheepish grin "Hey Christine! Come on, I'll give you a ride!" Before she could move a step to the back of the pick-up, to put her bags in, he grabbed them out of her hands and practically ran to the back, almost dislocating his hip as he bumped it. Christine, put a hand on her mouth to stop herself from laughing, yelling "Slow down James!" giving him a mock exasperated look, she chided "I swear, one day you're going to break something - mainly yourself." He moved with her to the passenger's side, opening the door and giving her a wink "Nah, I'm indestructible." She waited for him to climb into the driver's seat before snorting loudly "Yeah, sure Superman…" opening her mouth to continue, she forgot what she was about to say. A strange sensation prickled the back of her neck. Turning her head to look out the window, she thought she'd caught a glimpse of someone by a house. That was weird, I could have sworn… She almost jumped as James spoke "Did you hear me?" snapping her head back to him, she blushed, embarrassed "Oh, sorry. Guess I zoned out for a moment there. You were saying?" He grinned at her in amusement and started driving "I was wondering if you needed any help settling in at the old lodge?" Christine waved her hand; an excited smile graced her features "Nope, almost done! After a week of cleaning and unpacking, I only have a couple of boxes left. The utilities were reconnected yesterday, so thankfully, I now have running water and electricity... anything else I can work out as I go."

She watched him from the corner of her eyes as he took her hand and squeezed it gently, sneaking glances at her "If you need anything Christine, you call me. I do mean anything. I don't much like it… you staying there alone, I mean. It's kind of isolated and too close to the woods for my peace of mind." Removing her hand slowly, she gave him a stubborn look "I told you before James, I like it there and I'll be fine. You really have nothing to worry about." She didn't miss his quiet sigh, or the way his shoulders slumped slightly as he spoke "Okay, okay. But I still don't get why you didn't choose a house or apartment closer to… I mean in town." Christine suspected he meant to say closer to him. He liked her, she knew. He'd been dropping hints since the first time she came to Haddonfield and literally bumped into him at the local hardware store. She looked him over as she spoke "I didn't have the money for a house there, besides they're too big and I'm only one person. And to be honest I've had enough of apartments to last me a lifetime. I wanted my own space, a little privacy, and the lodge is perfect for that."

James Barr was a fine man. One year older then her at twenty six, he was responsible, dependable, completely open and trustworthy - all rare and amazing qualities. She had to admit he was attractive too with his short blond hair, warm brown eyes and tall, lean build. Christine couldn't think of a good reason why she didn't just ask him out. He was everything a man should be. So why didn't he make her heart race, her palms sweat and stomach churn with butterflies? Why didn't thoughts of him invade lonely nights or the hours in passing days? Why didn't he make her...feel?

Her self-questioning was interrupted when they stopped in her driveway. Stepping out of the truck, she fished the keys out of her pocket and opened the door wide for him. It didn't take long for James to rush in behind her, bags in tow. He gave a low whistle as he placed her things on the kitchen counter "Wow, the place looks amazing!" Nodding, Christine smiled happily "Yeah, a lot better than it did when I first got here." When she'd opened the door to her new home for the first time last week, she'd almost thought it wasn't worth it. It was in essence a true hunter's haven. It took her days to get rid of all the trophies, old furniture and even older dust. Now, the solid hardwood floors were gleaming. The lodge was pretty much an open space, a large room that housed the kitchen with a small dining table, and a couch flanked by two recliners in front of a gorgeous stone fireplace. She had a bedroom off to one side of the main entrance and a small bathroom on the other. The place was airy with three large windows and a sliding door to a small deck in the back – it definitely suited her.

James leaned on the counter and quirked an eyebrow, drawling "I thought all the ladies liked stuffed dear and fish on the wall? Not to mention antlers displaying cobwebs over windows?" she wrinkled her nose at him "Funny. Or it would be if I still didn't feel like I have spiders crawling in my hair." She had to consciously stop herself from taking a step back as he moved to stand in front of her. His hand slowly reached out and tucked a few strands of auburn hair behind her ear. The intense look in his eyes spoke volumes more than his whispered words "There's nothing in your hair Christine. It's beautiful." Blushing, she looked everywhere but at him "Uhh, thanks." James tilted her chin up so she'd look up "Come have a drink with me tonight? We could watch a movie at my place since you don't have a TV yet." Christine squirmed a little, averting her eyes "I can't. I still have a lot to do and it's already getting late…" She didn't look up to see it; she could practically feel his disappointment. She wanted to kick herself – hard. What the hell is wrong with me? I should be all over him! Tipping her head back, she was interrupted, or rather saved, from speaking by ringing on a small table by the front door. Muttering a quiet "Excuse me." she stopped in her tracks a moment before reaching it. Taking a deep breath, Christine turned to James "About that drink…would you take a rain check for sometime…umm…next week?" The hope that lit his eyes made her smile and cringe at the same time. She desperately hoped it was the right thing to do. She certainly didn't want to hurt him.

Another ring made her whip around and grab the receiver "Hello?" putting a hand on the mouthpiece, she turned her head to James and found him grinning and mouthing "catch 'ya later" as he left. She waited for the door to close behind him to lock it before raising the handle to her ear again "Hello?" Her nape prickled, and Christine almost dropped the phone – there was deep even breathing on the line. Frowning at the table top, she demanded "Who is this?" The breathing continued. Irritation replaced her first flash of fear. It was probably some kid making an obscene phone call thinking it was hilarious. She ground her teeth "This is the fifth time in two days. If you have nothing to say STOP CALLING!" she disconnected with a violent slam. She barely took three steps away from the phone when it rang again. Looking at it, she debated whether or not to just let it ring.

Shaking her head with a sigh, she snatched up the receiver, snapping "Look you little ass, if you don't stop calling me, I'm calling the poli-" her mouth snapped shut so hard at the screech into her ear she thought her jaw would crack from the pressure "Christine Emma Fields have you lost your mind? That is no way to talk to your mother!" Wincing, Christine sputtered "Mom! So nice of you to call…uhh sorry about that…some kids were just making a crank call…" Rattling her mind for a topic to distract her parent, she rushed "How's Italy? How's…err…Gerry?" the name spoken in a hopeful pitch. Her mother sighed "Dennis, dear. Gerry was after Tom and before Leopold. Do try to keep track of your stepfathers Christine." Right Dennis, the Irish banker… or was he the British Lord? The Swedish artist? No, no the artist was Bjürn something… She ran a tired hand through her hair, for the life of her she couldn't remember who was what. Her mother interrupted with a laugh "Italy is wonderful as always. I'm staying at Dennis's Tuscan villa for the remainder of the year. We're thinking of going to Germany after the holidays…" Christine mumbled "That's nice mom." followed by other nonsensical phrases and noises as her mother prattled on about this place or that, and this husband or the other. Her gaze wandered to the closest window and her mind with it. Maybe I should buy some curtains? I definitely need to paint the frames and sill, they're really chipped. Blue is a nice color…or a sunny yellow to add some cheerfulness to the dull brown of the wooden structure…

Christine was pulled out of her musings by her mother's impatient tone - which only meant one thing really. Before this call was over she would find herself wishing the phone cord was longer and that she hadn't removed all the antlers from the walls since she didn't have any convenient beams sticking out. "Christine you are twenty five already. You need to start thinking of the future. What happened to that Doctor you mentioned a while ago? He sounded delightful! Are you two dating? I bet he's there with you! Has he proposed? Are you married and didn't tell me?" Oh dear lord, that lecherous pig? She got fired from Ridgemont because of him! Was her mother high on something? She looked longingly at the disconnect button -There's never a power outage when you need one. Shaking her head, her voice turned whiny before she could stop herself "Mom, pleeease. If you remember I went out with him once. I told you three years ago and in every phone call since, that he is not now, nor will he ever be someone I could get involved with. Period." Christine didn't dare tell her about James, she would never hear the end of it. She'd definitely never make that error in judgment again. Her mother chirped "But darling, you need someone to take care of you! Besides that, you also need a man for some satisfying sexual intercourse. I'm not getting any younger you know. Oh that reminds me, I've recently heard that certain positions during the act can bene-"

Wrenching the phone handle from her ear, Christine looked at it like it just grew hairy spider legs and was about to go for her jugular. Hell no! They were not going there! Closing her eyes, she took a few calming breaths. She really needed to take a soothing bath after this, her head was starting to throb "Mom I love you, I do. And I promise I'll tell you as soon as I have someone special okay?" She heard a gulp and could actually envision her mother throwing back a vodka martini. A pouting tone reached her "Ooh alright, but don't you dare think we won't continue this Christine."Her mother gave an exasperated sigh before gentling her tone "I love you too dear and you know I only want the best for you. I'll talk to you again in a few weeks." After they said their goodbyes, Christine slumped against the front door. Her mother could be exhausting. Dang it, I'm in my twenties not my late thirties to have to worry about having kids! Pushing that thought determinately from her mind and herself away from the main door, she shuffled to the bathroom for aspirin.

Christine didn't notice a flash of silver through the sliding glass doors, and as the bathroom door closed, the back door slid open.

Steam billowed into to the main room when she walked out of the bathroom an hour later dressed in a pair of comfy navy blue sweats. Drying her hair with a towel, she absently flipped the light off in the bathroom, noticing after a few steps that she was in complete darkness except for a few slivers of moonlight from the windows. Her brows furrowed and she muttered "I could have sworn I felt a light on in here…" Pulling the towel off her head and pushing damp hair out of her face, she heard it then – quiet muffled breathing. Her whole body froze in horror and a gasp lodged in her throat. It didn't take her long to locate where the sound was coming from. Christine could make out a large shadowy figure a few feet in front of her and to her left, next to the couch. She didn't know if it was deliberate or not, but the shadow made a small sudden movement, making Christine highly aware of a very big and very sharp knife.

Instead of wondering who he was, why he was there or how he got in, only one thought stood out in her frazzled mind. Oh God, I don't want to die like this. James's words about her being isolated and alone flitted through her head and her smart-aleck reply about being perfectly fine mocked her a few feet away with a butcher knife. Her legs shook. It was almost enough to make a hysterical bubble of laughter constrict her cotton dry throat. Self preservation kicked in. I need to get out…need to escape… Christine's eyes darted all around, looking for something, anything that could help her. The door behind her was locked and the only means of escape was through the partly open sliding door. The literally big problem was, she would have to get past the figure without being killed. Her fingers flexed on the towel she was clutching in a death grip. She could feel his eyes watching her. It was almost physical and it made goose bumps rise on her flesh. Gathering her scattered courage she threw the towel, hopefully at his face, and bolted for freedom. Christine screamed "NOOO!" as a vice like grip clamped around her lower arm making her jerk back. Before she knew what she was doing, her body hunkered, her left shoulder pitched forward and her bare feet pounded on wood in seemingly one smooth motion. She barreled into the figure and then dropped painfully to the floor when his grip loosened. Christine didn't register the surprised grunt, clatter of metal on wood or the loud thud that came from the other side of the couch. Scrambling back clumsily, she regained her footing as fast as humanly possible and dashed through the sliding door, blindly running for the woods and for her life in terror.

Braches clawed her face, almost like they wanted to stop her and debris on the forest floor cut into her feet. Pain was staring to radiate through her. Ignoring it, she pushed on. After a few minutes Christine's sides hurt too much and she could barely breathe the cool air. Throwing herself behind a thick tree, she tried making herself invisible by tucking her hands and feet into her sweats, pulling her knees up to her chest and keeping her head down. Please don't let him find me please, oh please don't let him find me please… Christine chanted in her head, trying to stop her chest from heaving and her body from its violent shaking. Her pounding heart almost stopped dead – a twig snapped near her. Carefully easing herself up, she inched her head to the side, squinting through the darkness. When she saw him, she covered her mouth with a hand, to prevent a frightened whimper from escaping her. He's so close! Oh god, what do I do? What? His back was turned to her, the knife clutched in his right hand, and he was methodicaly looking around. She could make out black hair and a dark jumpsuit. Hearing him move a bit closer toward the tree she was hiding behind, Christine knew she would have to make a fun for it. It was too risky to keep her position.

Fisting her hands until her fingers hurt more than her feet, she took silent deep breaths, waiting with tense muscles. You can do this. You have to. 3.2.1. Now! She ran as hard and as fast as she could. Somehow knowing in the back of her mind that he was in pursuit, but didn't dare look over her shoulder to see it. After what felt like miles, she burst through a dense part of bushes and almost ran straight down a very steep incline, catching herself on a small wispy tree at the last possible moment. Huge puffs of air escaped Christine's strained lungs as her panicked eyes looked for a way down. Damn it to hell, I can't see anything! She couldn't make out where the incline ended. The now already familiar sensation of small hairs rising in warning made her jerk around and take a careless step back in shock. He was barely a few feet away, the moonlight now enough for her to make out a strangely familiar mask. Where had she seen it before? Distant memories from six years ago assaulted her, a handsome man lying motionless in a bed - a man with a horrific past. She whispered his name with wide frightened eyes "Michael?" glancing from the masks emotionless gaze to the knife by his side and back again; she took another shaky step back, and felt her heel connect with nothing but air.

Prepared for the beating her body would sustain from such a fall, with tightly closed eyes. They snapped open to meet a masks empty stare when her backward plummet stopped with a sudden jolt before it could even begin. He was holding her by the front of her top with one hand, keeping her body precariously tilted over the edge. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Christine inanely wondered why, whispering "M-Michael, I'm scared. Please…" Unsure if she was more afraid of him or the fall. Unsure if she was pleading with him to pull her up or just let her go.

She would never know if he would have saved her or doomed her though. Before Christine could reach her shaking hand out to him and before he could decide her fate. Christine's old worn out sweatshirt ripped…