Scream-The Alternate Version

Chapter Eight: Confrontation Between Billy & Sidney

With first period underway, the halls have cleared. One or two students linger at their lockers. Sidney needed a break and got a hall pass to leave the classroom. She's moves quickly down the hall, rounding the corner towards the bathroom when she walks right into Billy. They both fall backwards, but Billy catches her fall.

"Jesus, SHIT." Sidney cursed.

"Hey, hey, it's just me." Billy said as Sidney pulled away from him. Billy feels bad. "What? You don't still think it was me do you?" He asked her. Sidney catches her breath.

"No….I don't….it's just….Someone was there last night, Billy, someone tried to kill me last night." Sidney said.

"The police said I scared him off. It wasn't me, Sid. I promise I'd never hurt you." Billy said sincerely. Sid looks up at him. "Please. You have to know how much I love you. I spend so much time trying to protect you. I would never hurt you." Billy finished.

"I know. He called me again last night at Tatum's house." Sidney revealed.

"See, it couldn't have been me. I was in jail remember?" Billy asked her. Sidney looked up at him but didn't respond. "What did the killer say when he called you?" Billy asked genuinely concerned for his girlfriend. Sidney stared at him thinking that's an odd question to ask.

"He said that I fingered the wrong again." Sidney said to him.

"Again what did he mean by that?" Billy asked.

"I don't know." Sidney said confused. "He also said that I'd find out who he was. He promised that." Sidney said.

"You're not safe until whoever is doing this either dies or is in jail." Billy said. Sidney looked at him. "I didn't do this Sidney."

"I'm sorry…please understand." Sidney said to him.

"Understand what? That I have a girlfriend who would rather accuse me of being a psychopathic killer than touch me." Billy said to her.

"You know that's not true." Sidney came back at him.

"Then what is it? Is there someone else?" Billy asked her.

"No…" Sidney said.

"Is it the sex thing? Am I being too pushy?" Billy asked her trying to figure out what's bothering his girlfriend.

"No, it's me Billy. I need time. I'm still adjusting to what happened to my mother." Sidney said to him trying to get him to understand where she is coming from.

"It's been a year since she died." Billy said.

"Tomorrow. One year tomorrow." Sidney corrected him.

"When are you gonna get over that, Sid? When my mom left my dad, I accepted it. That is the way it is. She's not coming back." Billy said to her.

"Your parents split up. It's not the same thing. Your mom isn't lying in a coffin somewhere." Sidney retorted sharply.

"Ok, ok. You're right. That was a bad analogy. I'm sorry." Billy said then reaching for Sidney's hand. She allows him to take it. "Last night at the precinct, when I mouth the words I love you. You remember that?" Billy asked her. Sidney nodded. "I met every word of it.

"I know you do." Sidney said. "I'm just scared. Ok. I'm scared." Sidney said.

"I know." Billy said gently pulling her into him. His arms drape around her waste. She leans into him forgetting for a moment that she had him arrested for attempted murder. Her hands rest on his chest. "I want to protect you. Not hurt you."

"I know." Sidney said to him. "I'm just going through a lot and I feel like I'm losing it. With the anniversary of my mother's death coming, it's all overwhelming." Sidney said.

"You have to move on Sid. Your mother wouldn't have wanted you to wallow in the grief process forever." He said. Sidney angrily shoves him back.

"I'm sorry if I'm an inconvenience to you and your perfect existence." Sidney said walking away from him.

"No body said that. Sid. Stupid." Billy said calling himself an idiot for messing things up with Sidney. He smacks his forehead, pissed at himself

Principal Himbry is in his office with two students. He's pissed at their antics. Two students were murdered and one was nearly killed and these two jack asses show no remorse or respect for the severity of the situation. He hated these generation of kids any how. How in the hell did he get into the teaching business? He closes the door. He begins to read them the riot act.

"I'm sickened. Your whole havoc-inducing, thieving, whoring generation disgusts me. Two students have been savagely murdered. And this is how you express our compassion

and sensivity?" Principal Himbry said ripping the mask off their faces. "You're both expelled. Get out of here."

"Awe, come on, Mr. Himbry, it was just a joke." Teen Boy # 1 said.

"Yeah, that's not fair." Said Teen boy #2.

A deep rooted hostility has taken over Mr. Himbry's face. Neither student budges, scared to even breathe.

"No, it's not fair. Fairness would be to rip your insides out and hang you from a tree so you can be exposed for the heartless, desensitized, little shits that you are." Principal Himbry said to the student while holding a pair of scissors to the teen's shirt.

Sidney disappears through a door marked GIRL'S BATHROOM, leaving Billy alone in the hallway. The girls' bathroom is a large and spacious place fit for the ladies to tinkle. Closed bathroom stalls line one wall facing a row of sinks and a huge mirror. Sidney enters as two girls tinkle and talk-each from their respective stalls.

"She was never attacked. I think she made it all up." Girl # 1 said.

"Why would she lie about it?" Girl # 2asks.

"For attention. The girl has some serious issues." Girl one said.

Sidney listens intently. A toilet flushes. Sidney quickly jumps in a stall, hiding, just

as girl #1 appears from a stall. She looks like that voice—a snotty little twit.

"What if she did it? What if Sidney killed Casey and Steve?" Girl # 1 said applying make up to her slutty face.

"And why would she do that?" Girl # 2 asks.

"Maybe she was hot for Steve and killed them both in a jealous rage." Girl # 1 said of Sidney.

Another toilet flushes and stepped the other twit.

"What would Sidney want with Steve anyways? She has her own bubble but boyfriend Billy."

"Maybe she's slut just like her mother was." Girl #1 said.

"You're evil." Girl #2 said of her bitch friend.

"Please, it's a common fact. Her mother was a tramp." Girl # 1 said to her as both girls were fixing their make up.

"Cut her some slack. She watched her mother get butchered." Girl # 2 said sounding like she actually felt sorry for Sidney.

"And it fucked her up royally. Think about it. It makes perfect sense. Her mom's death leaves her distraught and hostile at a cruel and inhumane world, she's delusional, where's god, etc. Completely suicidal. And one day she snaps. She wants to kill herself but realizes homicide is a much healthier theraputical expression." Girl # 1 finished.

From the stall, Sidney listens, her heart pounding, jaw quivering.

"Where do you get this shit?" Girl #2 asks.

"Ricki Lake." Girl #1 responds.

"You're pathetic." Girl #2 says as both she and her snotty little twit of a friend head out of the bathroom.

Sidney moves out of the stall, catching her reflection in the mirror.

"Pathetic." Sidney said to her reflection.

Water drips somewhere from a leaky pipe as wind whistles in from the cracked transom above the bathroom door. It sounds almost like a whisper, "Siddneey..."

"Someone there?" Sidney asks. No response.

Sidney spins around. What the... She checks out the bathroom. The doors to the stalls are all closed. She bends down and scans beneath them, looking for feet. No one. Nothing. Sidney turns back to the mirror. Suddenly...

"Siddneey..." the voice whispers.

Unmistakable this time. The VOICE strikes Sidney like a nail through the eye. It comes from one of the stalls. She stands thunderstruck, eyeing the stalls thru the mirror.

"Is someone there?" Sidney asks again. A long, morose silence. And then:

"It's me, Sidney." The voice said softly simple.

Sidney spins around. Fuck no! HE'S HERE. Terror floods her face. She eyes the exit door, then the row of stalls she must pass to get to it. She checks under the stalls again. Nothing...where the fuck is he? She takes a step forward when...

TWO FEET step down from a toilet onto the floor in the last stall. Sidney's face draws tight as the stall door begins to CREAK open. She bolts forward, making a break for it...but slips on the wet floor...her feet flying out from under...

Sidney reaches out...grabs hold of a sink...saves herself from falling...she glimpses a GHOST MASK in the mirror coming for her. A hand grabs her shoulder as she SLAMS her body through the exit door...narrowly escaping. Sidney flies out of the bathroom door SCREAMING...burning up the down the stairs.

A TEACHER, hearing her SCREAM, peer out from an open doorway...as Sidney sprints by him, not stopping...running madly.

Suddenly the door BURSTS open and Sidney appears, hysterical. Principal Himbry was with the secretary when Sidney runs up to him.

"Sidney, what's wrong sweetheart? Are you ok?" Principal Himbry asked.

"He's here...I saw him...he's here..." Sidney said out of breath and crying. Mr. Himbry rushes to her, arms outstretched.

"Easy kiddo. It's gonna be alright. He her some water please." He asked the secretary.

Sidney collapses in his arms.

Dewey's patrol jeep is parked in front of the school. He stands in the open driver's door talking on the radio. It had been called in that Sidney was attacked again. He had to see if she was ok. Sheriff Burke had also responded to the call. Sidney was definitely shaken up but not hurt.

"She's okay. Looks like some boys were teasing her. Himbry's shutting down the school though. I want you to take look around." Sheriff said from the radio. "Yes, sir, sheriff." Dewey said to his boss. Dewey shuts the jeep door and heads for campus when Gale Weathers appears, her fake face aglow.

"Hi! Gale Weathers. Field Correspondent, INSIDE STORY." Gale said introducing her self.

"I know who you are, Ms. Weathers. How's the eye?" Dewey asks.

"Productive. So they're closing down the school?" Gale said smiling.

"Well…uh...yes ma'am. For the time being." Dewey said to the nosey reporter.

Dewey heads for the school building. Gale scurries along side him flirtatiously.

"And why is that? Has something happened?" Gale asked.

"You're not supposed to be here, ma'am." Dewey told her.

"I know. I should be in New York covering the Sharon Stone stalker but who knew?

You look awfully young to be a police officer." Gale flirts.

Dewey's eyes wander down to Gale's long legs, the way her hips

move as she walks...he's clearly distracted.

"I'm twenty-five years old, ma'am." Dewey said to her.

"Twenty-five, huh? In a demographic study I proved to be most popular amongst

males, 11-24. Guess I just missed you. Of course, you don't look a day over twelve, except in the upper torso area. Does the force require that you work out?" Gale asks continuing to flirt.

Dewey looks away, blushing a bit.

"No ma'am. Because of my boyish good looks, muscle mass has increased my

acceptance as a serious police officer." Dewey flirts back.

They approach the school's front entrance. Suddenly, Mr. Himbry's VOICE in amplified through intercoms across campus via the PA system. They stop to listen.

"Your attention please. Due to the recent events that have occurred and until it comes to a resolve—effective immediately-all classes are suspended til further notice. The Woodsboro Police Dept. has also asked me to announce a city wide curfew beginning at 9 o'clock PM. I repeat..." Principal Himbry said via the PA.

Gale speaks over Mr. Himbry's voice.

"Looks like we have a serial killer on our hands." Gale said.

"Serial killer isn't really accurate. Kinda have to knock off a few more to get that tile." Dewey said to her.

"One can only hope." Gale joked. We certainly don't have any leads. A ghost mask, a cellular phone-not much there."

"We're tracking the cellular bill." Dewey responds.

"Really? You small town guys are good. And have you located Sidney's father?" Gale asks probing.

"No, not yet." Dewey answered.

"He's not a suspect, is he?" Gale asks.

"We haven't ruled him out yet…" Dewey stops himself realizing what has happened. He clams up. "If you'll excuse me ma'am."

"Am I keeping you? I'm sorry." Gale apologizes trying to get more info.

"That's quite alright. If I may say so myself ma'am, you're much prettier in person." Dewey said being the gentlemen that he is. Dewey starts up the school's front steps as the bell RINGS.

"So you do watch the show?" Gale asks smiling.

He turns to her earnestly as students come pouring out the front doors.

"I just turned 25. I was 24 a whole year." Dewey said smiling.

"You're precious. Please, call me Gale." Gale shouts to the young eager officer. She smiles deliciously, gives him a wink, then struts off as Dewey, like a nervous little school boy watches her go.

School is clearing out. The halls have begun to empty as Tatum escorts Sidney down the hallway. Sidney has had rough day.

"It was just some sick fuck having a laugh." Tatum said to her.

"It was him, Tatum. I know it." Sidney said convinced the person who came after her in the bathroom was really the killer.

Tatum wants to believe her but is unsure. She'd never tell Sidney that though. Stu appears next to them.

"Is this not cool or what? Hey Sid what happened?" Stu asks absent mindedly.

"For once, Stu drop it." Tatum said to him.

Stu moves to Tatum and gives her a kiss.

"And to celebrate this impromptu fall break, I propose we have a party. Tonight, my house." Stu said.

"Are you serious?" Sidney asked him.

"My parents are out of town. It'll be like my hurricane bash last year. Nothing extreme. Just a few of us, hangin'." Stu said. Tatum warms to the idea.

"This could be good. What do you think, Sid?" Tatum asked her.

"I don't know..." Sidney said unsure of this party idea. With the murders of Casey Becker and Steven Orth, not to mention the fact that she was attacked not once but twice really didn't sit well with Sidney.

"Come on. Pathos has it's perks." Tatum said to her. Sidney considers trying to be good spirited.

"Remember, there's safety in numbers?" Stu said.

"Yeah, ok. Whatever." Sidney said giving in.

" Nice. You girls bring food ok." Stu said cheering off.

Mr. Himbry sits at his desk staring at the ghost masks before him. He picks one of them up, snickering. He couldn't believe that someone would put on a stupid mask to scare let alone kill two of his students. He scoffs at the mask.

"Damn." He mutters to himself.

He stands and moves to the closet next to his office door. He pulls it open to reveal a mirror hooked inside the door. He tries the mask on, pulling it over his face, looking in the mirror when...

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR stops him. He rips the mask off his head, turns to his office door and opens it to reveal...

AN EMPTY DOORWAY. He pokes his head into the outer office area and looks around. But no one's there.

"Yes? Hello?" Principal Himbry asks. The place is empty. A little suspicious he closes the door, catching his reflection in the closet mirror. He looks at the mask in his hands. Jesus, even he's jumpy. Two seconds later...

ANOTHER KNOCK AT THE DOOR. Himbry grabs the door quickly, this time throwing it open. Again no one's there. He steps out into the outer office determined to catch a prankster.

Completely empty. Mr. Himbry moves through the outer office and into the school corridor. The overhead lights have been turned off and the corridor is now dark and deserted. He looks up and down the hall. Only a JANITOR is seen in the distance pushing a broom.

"Little shits." Principal Himbry said.

"What, What did you call me?" Fred the janitor asks. He's mopping the floor.

"Not you Fred."

"Prick." Fred calls him.

Mr. Himbry returns to his office. Himbry reenters his office, moving to his desk, when he spots the closet door NOW CLOSED SHUT.

This gives him a pause-he had left it open. Hadn't he? Suddenly, he can't remember. He shifts uneasy, reaching for the door knob, pulling the door open to reveal...

AN EMPTY CLOSET. He stands still a moment, suddenly realizing someone could easily now be standing behind the open closet door. Nervously, he pushes it shut to reveal...

NOTHING. Himbry shakes away his jitters, realizing he's spooked himself. He continues to his desk, pushing his office door shut when...

A GHOST MASKED FIGURE lunges from behind it...knife in hand. Quick and easy. Three quick jabs to the stomach and Himbry goes down. The GHOST MASKED FIGURE towering above him.

Tatum and Sidney had gotten to Tatum's house. Both are on the porch talking. The late afternoon sun is still shining steadily. Tatum and Sidney rock on the front porch looking out into the small town neighborhood. Dewey's patrol jeep is parked in the driveway.

Despite loud music, BLARING from an inside stereo, this is a quiet moment.

"Maybe Cotton Weary is telling the truth. Maybe he was having an affair with your

mom." Tatum said to Sidney.

"So you think my mom was a slut too?" Sidney asked her.

"I didn't say that, Sid. But you know there were rumors. Your dad was always out of town on business. Maybe your mom was a very unhappy woman." Tatum explained.

"If they were having an affair how come that Cotton couldn't prove it in court?" Sidney asked her.

"You can't prove a rumor. That's why it's a rumor." Tatum said.

"Right, created by the little tabloid twit Gale Weathers." Sidney said.

"It goes back further, Sid. There's been talk about other men." Tatum said to her delicately.

"And you believe it?" Sidney asked her best friend.

"Well...you can only hear that Richard Gere-dribil story so many times before you have to start believing it." Tatum said as Sidney got up from the chair she was sitting in. Tatum immediately regretted what she said. A long silence as Sidney agonizes over all of this. She moves to the edge of the porch and stares out onto the neighborhood. "I'm sorry Sid."

"If I was wrong about Cotton, then he's still out there." Sidney said thinking that she could've had this all wrong.

"Don't go there, Sid. You're starting to sound like some Wes Carpenter flick. Don't freak yourself out-we've got a long night a head of us." Tatum said trying to comfort her friend.

"You're right. I'm a mess. Ignore me." Sidney said sighing.

"Come on, let's boogie." Tatum as Sidney follows Tatum inside the house never seeing the ghost masked figure that stands across the street, under a tree. His presence so subtle that neither girl knew he was there all along.

To Be Continued !