Scream-The Alternate Version

Chapter Seven: Even Doesn't Feel Safe

Once again, REPORTERS line the street attacking students as they make their way to school, asking questions, hungry for that teenage insight. Dewey's patrol jeep cruises by. Sidney watches from the passenger's window. Dewey pulls up in front of the school. Tatum hops out while Sid lingers, suddenly unsure. Dewey takes notice.

"Hey, it's school. You'll be safe here." Dewey said to her.

Sidney forces herself out of the jeep as microphone is shoved in her face…

"How does if feel to almost be brutally murdered?" Asked the overbearing reporter.

Dewey leaps from the car, intercepting the reporter.

"Leave the girl alone, will ya? She wants to go to school." Dewey said to the reporter who wouldn't let up.

Sidney eyes the newsvan that pulled up behind her. The side door slides open and Gale Weathers steps out.

"Come on Sid." Tatum said pulling on Sidney's arm.

"Just a sec…I need to talk to someone." Sidney said as she heads over to Gale who's applying make up to the bruise Sidney gave her the night before. Sidney puts her head down hiding her face…avoiding other reporters. Gale spots Sidney immediately and leaps to her feet.

"Stop right there." Gale said to Sidney. Sidney throws her hands up in the air surrendering.

"I'm not here to fight. I need to talk." Sidney said to her.

"Kenny the camera." Gale orders.

"Off the record. No cameras." Sidney said to her.

"Forget it." Gale retorts.

Sidney contains her self.

"Please. You owe me." Sidney said to her.

"I owe you shit." Gale came back at her.

"You owe my mother." Sidney responds. This seems to stop Gale in her tracks.

"Your mother's murder was last year's hottest court case. Somebody was gonna write a book about it." Gale said.

"Right and it had to be you with all your lies and bullshit theories." Sidney asked.

"What is your problem? You got what you wanted. Cotton's in jail. They're gonna gas him. A book isn't gonna change that." Gale said to her.

"Do you still think he's innocent?" Sidney asked her.

Gale's interest is peaked. She eyes Sidney suspiciously.

"Your testimony put him away. It doesn't really matter what I think." Gale tells her.

"During the trial, you did all those stories about me. You called me a liar." Sidney said to her.

"I think you falsely identified him." Gale responds.

"Have you spoken to him?" Sidney asked.

"Many times." Gale responds.

"Has his story changed?" Sidney asked.

"Not one word. He admits to having sex with your mother. That's all." Gale said.

"He's lying. She never would have touched him. He raped her and then butchered her. Her blood was all over his jacket." Sidney said.

"He was drunk that night. He left his jacket at your house, after your mother seduced him…" Gale responds.

"I saw him leave wearing it." Sidney said to her.

"No you saw someone leave wearing it. The same someone who planted in Cotton's car framing him. The same person who really killed your mother." Gale adds.

A long pause. Sidney considered this for a second. Could it be true? Could Sidney have identified the wrong man in her mother's murder trial? It would explain Casey and Steve's deaths. May be the same person who killed her mother also killed Casey and Steve is the same person targeting Sidney.

"No Cotton killed my mother." Sidney said her voice displaying doubt. Gale's face lights up. She's got Sidney right where she needs her. Doubting her self.

"You're not so sure anymore are you?" Gale asks. Sidney clams up.

"Nice welt sweetie. Sidney let's go." Tatum said appearing beside Sidney. Gale ignores her, zeroing in on Sidney.

"The killer is still on the loose isn't he? These murders are related." Gale shouts to a retreating Sidney and Tatum.

"I'm sorry I mangled your face." Sidney said taking off with Tatum.

"Wait Sidney, don't go." Gale said but Sidney and Tatum have already disappeared in the crowd of students moving across campus. Gale looks to Kenny. "Jesus Christ! An innocent man on death row. A killer still on the loose. Kenny, tell me I'm dreaming."

"You want to go live?" Kenny asks her.

"No, not so fast. We have nothing concrete." Gale said her mind racing with possibilities.

"When did that ever stop you? You can't sit on this. This is huge." Kenny said to her.

"I know that's why we need evidence." Gale said to him. "If I'm gonna blow this up-I need hard proof."

"But it's so much easier when we make it up." Kenny complained.

"Not this time. I owe Cotton that much. Hell, even I thought the man was guilty." Gale said to Kenny. "No I gotta do this one right."

"Well what do we do?" Kenny asked her.

"I don't know yet. I tell you though, if I can save an innocent man's life, do you know what that could do for my book sales?" She asked Kenny slapping his face.

Tatum and Sidney make their way towards the school building. She could see that Sidney was on edge.

"Just relax. You're at school now. No one can get you here." Tatum said trying to comfort Sidney.

"But if it wasn't Billy, it could be anybody. He could be here at school right now." Sidney said worried. She was absolutely terrified. They move up the walk as a figure falls in step behind them, sporting a white ghost mask.

"Serial killers are smart by definition. They minimize their risk. They plan and pre-calculate everything. Showing up here would be the most lame-brain move he could make." Tatum said to her.

"He promised me he'd be back." Sidney said to her. As easy as the figure appeared, the figure was gone disappearing out of site unseen by either of them.

"I wouldn't put too much stock in a psycho's promise." Tatum said to her. They move up the front steps toward the main doors of the school as the GHOST MASKED FIGURE reappears...standing at the top of the steps...Sidney sees it first, stopping dead in her tracks.

She steps back, spinning around to find...

A GHOST FACE behind her as well, both of them approaching, closing

in on her. Sidney starts to SCREAM when the two ghosts bust up

LAUGHING, tearing off across campus. Two jack ass teens doing a good job scaring Sidney.

In front of the school we catch a REPORTER doing a live report. He holds a mask in his hand.

"This morning several students, in what appears to be a prank, have been spotted

wearing masks. School officials have yet to comment but this is the same type of

mask worn by the killer..."

Just before the bell. The hallway is congested with students heading to class. Tatum is at her locker with Sidney.

"This is a mistake. I shouldn't be here." Sidney said.

"I want you to meet me right here after class, ok Sid?" Tatum asked. Billy appears in the crowd of students along with Stu tagging along behind him. Tatum spots him first. "Shit, what is he doing here?" Tatum asks.

"I bet he's pissed at me." Sidney said to her.

"Just ignore him. You had a good reason to think what you did." Tatum said defending her.

Billy and Stu approach the girls. Billy's face is solemn. He truly misses her. Tatum could see this but would have Sidney's back.

"Hey Tatum, Sid." Billy said as both nodded. "Sid, can we talk a sec?"

Sidney said nothing. She can barely look at him. Tatum intervenes.

"You know if I were accused of carving up two people, I'd take the opportunity to skip school." Tatum said to him. Billy ignored her comments.

"Hey, go easy on him Tay. He didn't do it." Stu said defending his best friend.

"Talk to me Sid." Billy said softly. Suddenly, a SCREAM erupts. All eyes go to a GHOST MASKED STUDENT running down the hall, screaming wildly, running amuck.

"Why are they doing this?" Sidney asked.

"Are you kidding? This is like Christmas." Stu said as Billy punched him in the side.

"Owwwww…." Stu said holding his left side.

"Your open your mouth and stupidity pours out." Billy said to Stu.

"Sorry." Stu apologized.

Sidney, clearly upset, takes off down the hall. Billy races after her.

"Stay away from her Billy. I mean it, back off." Tatum said following Sidney. Billy felt bad but did as Tatum asked. Sidney needed some space.

To Be Continued!