Chapter 12: Deadly Knockout

The floorboards creaked and groaned as Freddy and Katherine marched up the steps of the basement towards the first floor of the Elm Street house. Katherine's mind was swimming with thoughts, worries. Who was he going after? Who was dreaming? Was it Nancy? Glenn? Or even Michael? Her stomach churned at the thought. She turned and walked down the hallway of her home, her gaze down at the ground as she followed her father.

Suddenly without a sound Freddy stopped and Katherine collided face first into the rough grimy fabric of his sweater. She yelped and staggered backwards. Freddy spun around to her and studied her blue hospital gown. "That won't do. You'll have to change"

Katherine lifted her gaze and glared at him in confusion. "What?"

He stepped closer and pointed at her garment with a blade. "You'll have to change into something more appropriate for me"

"What am I meant to wear?" she asked.

A crooked smile spread across his face, and he wheeled around to the living room, his blade pointing sharply at a light pink dress that was draped over the back of the busted couch. It was the exact same dress he had materialize on her in her dream the other week. It wasn't her style, too short and showed too much flesh to her liking. Katherine sighed and turned to face him.

"Come on, get changed"

Katherine chewed her bottom lip and took a few hesitant steps towards the garment and lightly ran her hands over the material. The scrunched elastic band was on either side of the waist of the dress. Why could he not pick something else for her?

A cool blade slowly curled under the rim of her hospital gown and tugged it up a few inches. Freddy's voice growled behind her. "Hurry up!"

She nodded and kept her back to him and reached down for the edge of her dress. But again, his voice spoke. "Turn around to me"

Katherine shivered. "Please-"

Freddy cut her off with a low growl of discontent. A warning that he would get angry if she did not obey to his command. Katherine sniffled and thought back to her childhood when she was nine years old and how he demanded she undressed in front of her. Her eyes clamped shut as she tried to fight back the tears. Why did he constantly feel the need to make her feel embarrassed?

Click, click, click…

Katherine slowly turned around to face him and saw his blades tapping in sequence at his side. She hung her head in shame and reached down to the rim of the gown and yanked it over her head. Her hands shook as she let it fall from her fingertips to the ground leaving her naked in front of him. Despite the dim lighting in the shabby living room Freddy could see every curve and line of her body. The curvature of her waist, her hips, and her rounded ample breasts. She glanced at him briefly and gulped as for a split second his tongue slithered out to run across his bottom scarred lip.

He took a slow step closer, and she felt her body go taut with dread. He noticed her uneasiness and smirked. "Go on, put on the dress"

A long whoosh of air escaped Katherine as she turned towards the dress and quickly pulled it on over her shaking arms. She frowned, dismayed at the length as she tugged it down over her hips. The edge of the dress stopped two inches beneath the rim of her ass. It was too short for her. She yanked fiercely at the material hoping to even tug it down a further inch or so. She sighed in aggravation and then adjusted the right sleeve of the dress as it hung a few inches down her right shoulder.

Freddy watched in interest as she did this and when she was finished, he smiled in approval, bending down to kiss her brow lightly. As he turned to leave the house, Katherine gathered her courage and asked. "Who are you going after?"

He twisted around and chuckled. "That would spoil the surprise, princess! Now, come on. I do not want this fucker waking up!"

Katherine nodded and pursued him as he quickly left the house into the light mist that had fallen on the street. She grimaced as despite attempting to keep up with him she discovered the dress had a habit of scrunching up further along her legs as she walked. The mist thickened in density as they continued down Elm Street until she lost sight of him. She frowned and picked up her pace, breaking into a light jog. After a few minutes she halted to a stop. Her eyes squinted in the fog. "Daddy?"

A silence engulfed her, and she took several hesitant steps forward and soon the fog began to lift. Soon, a red bricked building appeared before her. Thick black letters were scrawled across a board above an entrance to the building.

Fists of Fury Boxing Club.

Katherine crossed her arms musing silently. Why would he bring her here? Then it dawned to her. Boxing…

Her mouth went agape. "Kincaid"

She rushed into the building and went through a small turnstile into a long narrow corridor. The walls on each side of her were decorated and adorned with various pictures of boxers with their winning medals, belts, and trophies. With other various photos of boxers and coaches participating in boxing machines and training sessions. As she approached the end of the corridor, she could hear the rhythmic pounding of boxing gloves hitting boxing pads, trainers barking out training instructions to their boxers. The clatter of metal weights, barbells as they clinked on the ground and against each other. The air was also filled with the groans and grunt of boxers as they performed various boxing routines as they worked out.

Katherine froze at the entrance to the large boxing gym and stared grimly at the crowd. There was at least twenty to thirty men, of all various physical physiques. Some of the men were light weight, feather weight, heavy weight boxers. There were six red boxing bags that were suspended by thick chains from horizontal bars that was attached to the walls to her left. Several of the apparitions were violently and savagely performing jabs and cross punches against the boxing bags. Katherine pulled a face of disgust at the thick blood that marred their knuckles each time they punched the bag.

She scanned the room slowly, seeing a few of the men were effortlessly using thick skipping ropes that swung at a hectic speed as they skipped. Her gaze went past them, and she observed men trickled in sweat as they used several weight machines such as leg press, shoulder press, curl bench machines. Their muscles on their arms were large, thin veins bulging beneath their skin as they used various weighted dumbbells and metal circular plates to work out their arms, shoulders, and triceps. There was a group of men paired off at the far end of the room as they sparred using various padded head gear and boxing gloves. Katherine took a few steps forward into the room. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

But just where was Kincaid? She had not seen him yet. There was a small part of her that wanted to warn him…

Four steel blades suddenly curved around her stomach, and she gasped as a firm hand gripped the other side of her waist. Katherine was abruptly tugged backwards against the lean frame of Freddy. Her eyes glimpsed down at his arms that was free of his grungy red and green sweater. His skin was free of his burns, now smooth and glistened in sweat. His untarnished lips pressed against her ear, and he warned. "Don't you dare think of warning this fucker"

She swallowed hard and tilted her head to the right, attempting to twist around to him. But he held her tightly against him. Her eyes widened as she stared into the normal, smooth face of her father. His strong rounded jaw, sharp cheekbones. Bright blue eyes that were intense, simmering with dark intent. His sandy blond hair was slightly tussled and damp with perspiration. Katherine took a fleeting glance at his toned chest and at his stomach seeing the faint white scars. She finally noticed that he was wearing a black pair of boxing shorts. It thrilled her to see him this way. This was the man she remembered as a child. The tips of his blades drummed lightly against stomach as he waited her reply.

"I won't" she shook her head quickly.

His thin lips pulled upwards into a sly grin, and he dropped his head forward, kissing her hard.

It caught her by surprise and before she could react, he broke away, leaving her standing breathless and uneasy. Her eyes followed him as he disappeared into the crowded gym, his claw wigging with murderous intent behind his back.

Katherine took a deep breath and slowly walked around the edge of the hall. To her right two burly men were sparring, but this time with no padded head gear or boxing gloves. Their fists were cut and grazed as they threw ferocious jabs and upper cuts at each other. The knuckles connected hard against the flesh of their cheeks, jaws, temple and ribs. Katherine's mouth parted in trepidation as with each blow she could hear the crunch and cracking of bones. Cuts and grazes appeared after each punch. She flinched backwards as the tallest of the men smashed his right fist hard against the nose of his opponent and left a nasty cut. Leaving him with a bloodied broken nose. But his opponent didn't falter, he kept fighting back. Punch after punch. Upper cut after upper cut.

Not wishing to witness anymore Katherine staggered away and meandered through the dueling boxers. The echo of bones snapping and breaking resounded in the room, mixing amongst the groans and painful grunting of the men. As she vigilantly studied each man, Katherine felt bile form in her mouth. All their faces were marred with cuts, swollen eyes, busted noses, cut lips. Black and blue bruises tarnished their chest and ribs. But they continued to fight, despite their injuries and broken bones.

Katherine spun away and stumbled onwards to the side of the room, then fell to her knees. She gagged and vomited up a mouthful of yellow bile. Her hands shook as she weakly wiped at her mouth, "Oh god…"

Behind her she continued to listen to the cracking of bones, light curses of the men as they boxed. She inhaled sharply and rose to her feet, leaning against the wall as she meekly walked around the edge of the room. Her eyes darted about, finally landing on two other brawny men. Like the previous ones their bodies were black and blue in bruises, covered with cuts, grazes, busted lips, swollen eyes. But what was different and more sickening, was the sight of their ribs rupturing through their flesh that was trickling with blood and bodily fluids. Their fingers on each hand were mangled, twisted and broken. Nonetheless, it didn't stop them from bestowing heavy, hard blows to each other's head. She watched in horror as the right hand of the boxer nearest to her snapped in half as it struck with the side of his rival's head. The other man's head cracked sharply to the right, a spray of blood splattering over her face in the process. Katherine screamed and jerked back, bumping into another boxer who stood at 6'3. He towered over her and leered, displaying broken bloodied teeth. His bloodied, bruised hands swooped down to paw and grope at her. She shrieked and shoved him away and ran to the far left of the gym.

Her breathing was haggard, uneven as she clambered to a stop beside a wooden gym bench. A malicious chuckle erupted from directly behind her and she felt another body press against her as a pair of hands ran over her hips and down the front of her thighs. Katherine screamed and wheeled around, ready to push away her assailant but no one was there. Her father was toying with her, drawing out her fear. Did he not realize she was petrified enough as it was?

She straightened up and closed her eyes, counting quietly herself to alleviate her breathing and after counting to ten she opened her eyes. How much longer did she have to wait until Kincaid entered the dream? Katherine cautiously left her position at the bench and ventured pass a few men who were performing pushups. She bit her lip as she studied them. Each of their arms were twisted at disturbing angles, the bones from their elbows and shoulder blades had erupted through her skin.

Picking up her sped she rushed by them and saw to her left a doorway and a sign above that read 'locker-room'. A figure exited and she gasped. It was Kincaid. Adorned in his training gear, black shorts and a white vest top. He eagerly looked about and looked at her. But not at her. It was though he had looked through her. She rushed towards him, but he ignored her and as he passed by their bodies brushed each other. But through each other. She shrieked and jumped back. Why could she not touch him? It was like they were both mirages. Had her father gained enough strength to manipulate it so that he could let her see Kincaid dream but not allow him to see her? Even if she wanted to warn him now, there wasn't a fucking chance.

But did Kincaid know he was asleep? He had gazed at the whole room, he was looking at the boxers around him and wasn't even aware they were twisted, bloodied apparitions. It was only her that could see the macabre specters that her father had created.

She blinked and watched as he strode towards a large boxing ring in the middle of the room. A crowd of men had begun to gather around it, eager to get a good position to watch the little boxing match that Kincaid was about to participate in. Katherine jogged forward and cursed as a few men stepped across her, blocking her view. She stepped to the right a few feet and peered through the gap between two men at the boxing ring.

The raised platform of the ring was about four feet off the ground and two thick metal stairs lead up from the ground. Four thick ropes were attached to each post. The crowd murmured and chatted animatedly amongst each other. Excited for this spectacle.

Kincaid climbed up the metal steps and slid in between the ropes, his hands were clasped in thick red boxing gloves. He gingerly shook his head and shook out his legs, then bounced on his feet as he fired out a few quick jabs. One of the coaches had approached him as he was about to leave for home. They had pestered him to spar with a newcomer to the boxing gym. Some guy named Charlie. As much as he was tired, he was always up for any extra training and well this guy was new to the gym. It would be good to help him feel a little more at ease. He glanced at the crowd gathered outside the ring. Come to think of it, there was quite a few newcomers to the gym this evening. He sighed and turned back to his corner where his coach waited, and he stepped forward. "I need my gumshield"

His coach smiled strangely. "It's only a light workout. You won't need your gumshield"

The young man frowned, "What?"

"There's your opponent. Good luck kid"

Kincaid swirled around as a figure entered the ring.

Katherine stared in dread as her father smugly stepped into the middle of the ring, his hands encased in red boxing gloved that had a thin green wrap around the bottom. His frame despite being lean, was firmly toned and his arms were surprisingly muscular. Her eyes ran along his toned chest to his neck, then his face that held a vicious smirk. Her heart thumped hard against her chest in horror. He was going to beat Kincaid to death. She rushed forward but again her view was blocked as two men stepped in front of her. "Damn it!"

A shrill ding of a bell being struck startled her and she tried to peek through the gaps in the men's body towards the center of the ring…

Kincaid lightly bounced on his feet again and lightly jogged into the middle of the ring, raising his gloves in a boxing stance. He eyed his opponent with intrigue. He was an inch or two taller than him, sim toned frame. Sandy blond hair and eyes a bright blue. They reminded him of someone. Their lips were curled into a dangerous smirk.

They both circled each other, lightly springing on their feet until Kincaid attacked first. He threw several sharp jabs, with his left then right. Charlie dodged each blow, ducking his head and jerking back. The then threw a sharp, powerful right hook into Kincaid's face. The young man staggered back shocked at how powerful the punch was. Especially someone not the same weight as him. He was familiar with boxing with heavyweight fighters. This guy was probably a light weight or cruiser weight boxer.

He pushed his ponderings to the back of his mind and focused his attention back on the boxer and lightly bounced forward, throwing three snappy jabs towards Charlie's face, connecting not once, but twice. His head jolted back, and he grunted, a snarl crossing his face. It soon twisted into a vile smirk as a trickle of blood oozed from the left corner of his lip. For a split second his slick tongue slithered out and licked away the crimson liquid.

Kincaid looked at him in confusion. For a moment there he thought that the tongue had looked blistered. He gained his composure. It was probably his lack of sleep over the last few nights that were causing him to imagine things. Michael had constantly reminded them that the longer they went without sleep they would start to hallucinate.

Both men circled each other, then threw various punches. Jabs, upper cuts, right hooks, left hooks. Again, and again. Sometimes their punching gloves connected with each other's cheeks, chins, side of the face, their ribs. Though it was Kincaid who was came out worse for wear. His face was scattered with various cuts and his right eye was slightly inflamed. Kincaid leaned against the ropes of the ring and frowned, when the hell was the bell going to ring for the end of the first round? They must have been boxing for at least three minutes.

Charlie/Freddy leered at the man and approached, ready to aim another body blow to him. But Kincaid staggered away and ducked under the swing of his right glove. He whirled around and saw that his coach was nowhere to be seen. And where the fuck was his opponent's coach? What kind of sparring match was this? He spun back to the man who advanced towards him once again. "Hey, time out man!"

Charlie/Freddy shook his head and raised his gloves, swiping out hard with his left glove and hit his ribs causing Kincaid to cry out. Kincaid stumbled back and groaned. His feet lost their balance and he fell backwards against the ropes, winded. "C'mon man! We need a break!"

Charlie/Freddy sneer. "The only thing I want to break is you!"

Kincaid pushed himself away from the ropes and glared at him. "What the fuck? I quit!" he turned to leave but saw on the edge of the ring several of the boxers. Now, he could see their bruised, bloodied and broken faces. Just what was going on…?

He heard his opponent approaching and turned around just at the moment a barrage of jabs, punches and upper cuts pummeled down on his face and chest. Drawing more blood from the numerous cuts and grazes that decorated his face. He tried to duck but Charlie/Freddy was too fast, and Kincaid flew back against the ropes and that was when he noticed the colors. They were normally red and white. But these were red and green. He shook his head. No, he couldn't be. There was no way he was dreaming.

Katherine jumped on her toes and tried to duck to peer through a gap in the crowd. She could see the look of confusion on Kincaid's face. He was slowly starting to realize what was going on. That he was dreaming. Her heart quickened as she knew what was coming.

Kincaid felt grimy sweaty hands grasp his shoulders and flung him back into center of the ring, towards Charlie/Freddy. Gathering what strength, he could muster Kincaid lashed out with his right boxing glove and thumped him square in the jaw. He instantly saw a bruise appear on his cheek. But it wasn't a bruise, but like the skin was peeled away. His eyes went wide in terror. Beneath the skin was a burn mark. Before the man could react, Charlie/Freddy raised his right boxing glove and performed a right hook into the left side of his ribs. Kincaid cried out as a sharp piercing pain torn through his lower ribcage. Like there were knives digging into his flesh. His eyes dropped to his left side of his body, and he gasped, seeing the red and green striped sleeve of a grimy sweater. Attached at the bottom of the arm on a hand was HIS glove. Krueger's glove. He spluttered up a spittle of blood as he lifted his face upwards.

The ghastly burned face of Freddy smiled darkly. "Surprise!"

Kincaid wheezed as he tried to reply. Freddy sneered and jabbed his blades deeper into the man's body, the blades scraping the bones of his ribcage. "H-how…?" Kincaid stammered.

Freddy's scarred hand gripped the young mans' neck and drew him closer. "You thought I was powerless? That I was weak? Wrong!"

Katherine blinked and looked about wildly as the apparitions of the boxers disappeared leaving her alone outside the boxing ring. Her terrified gaze fell upon Freddy as he held Kincaid. His claw embedded deep in the boy's flesh. The blood had begun to stain his white vest top, spreading slowly across his waist. She sniffled as she heard her father taunt him.

"I had my powers all along!" Freddy cackled. "I'm not as spineless as you fuckers believe!"

Kincaid gagged and tried to pry Krueger's blades from his ribcage, but Freddy drove them in further, then smirked. "And you know what the best thing about it is?" he turned his gaze to the right, his eyes landing on Katherine. "She knew all along"

The young man wheezed and sluggishly followed Krueger's pensive stare and finally she saw Katherine lingering outside the boxing ring. Her head was lowered in shame, disgusted at herself. Kincaid grunted and spluttered. "You…bitch!"

"Uh-huh!" Freddy's grasp on his neck clenched tightly, fracturing a bone. "Don't you dare speak to her like that!"

Katherine inhaled sharply and looked up as Freddy yanked his blood smeared blades from Kincaid's body. He curled his blades inward, making a tight fist and smiled darkly. "It's time for the knockout punch!"

He let go of Kincaid's neck and swung his enclosed glove down hard into his face, making his head snap quickly to the right. There was a sharp crack of bones as his neck was disconnected from his spine.

Katherine screamed and staggered back, coming out of her trance. She watched as Kincaid's body fell forward as her father took a quick step back. The raised platform shook under the weight of Kincaid. Soon, his blood began to stain the white canvas as it pooled around his cadaver. Freddy licked his lips with delight and closed his eyes, opening his arms as Kincaid's corpse transformed into a white mist. His soul surged into Freddy's chest and with a pleased moan he opened his eyes, feeing energized by the latest soul. He spun around and advanced towards the ropes.

Katherine panicked as she saw him begin to stalk towards her. She could see a look of invigoration in his eyes. He was elated by that kill. There was a spring in his step, a sense of drive that flowed through him. She jolted out of her thoughts and quickly backed away as he neared her. After a few feet her back thumped against a tall metal pole that was connected at the top by a vertical bar that stretched across to feet to another horizontal bar. Her eyes glanced up and she saw that it was a pull-up bar fitness station. She tried to step around it, but Freddy raised his claw, clicking his index blade at her. She shrieked as a force wrenched her into the middle of the bars and an energy yanked up her arms to each horizontal bar. The back of her hands slammed against the bars and two thick chains materialized and wrapped around her wrists pinning them against the metal. She whimpered and tugged at the chains, but they grew taut. Pressing deeply into her skin.

"Let me go! Please!" She begged.

Freddy stopped a foot from her and wagged a crimson stained blade at her. "No. Now, we need to have a little talk about what will happen when you eventually wake up from your coma"

"What?" Katherine glared at him with uncertainty.

He leaned in and curled his blood-stained claw round her left wrist. "That bitch Sandra will be asking you questions. What has happened to you when you were in the coma. If I have done anything to you…" he smirked. "She will want to know if you saw what happened to that fucker there when they find out that he is dead. Remember, you've been lying to them? Haven't you?"

She sniffled and nodded.

"After what happened there" he nodded over his shoulder at the boxing ring. "You should maybe tell them the truth. That you knew I had my powers, that I was killing all along" a vile smirk appeared across his face. "They will find out either way"

Katherine felt her breath quicken. "B-but if they find out I've lied to them. They won't trust me or believe anything that I say!"

His smirk spread into a devious smile. "Exactly!"

She began to panic and squirmed in her chains; her voice full of anxiety. "But I only did it because of you, you made me!"

"I made you?" he scoffed and laughed. "I never made you do anything Katherine. It was you who made the decision to lie to them. It's all down to you, not me!"

Her movements went still as she considered this. He was right. She looked up at him, "I only did it to make you proud of me daddy. Like when I was a little girl"

He nodded and raised his charred hand to trail through her hair lightly. "I know princess"

Katherine sobbed again, feeling devastated at the prospect of waking now. How would the others react to her now, how would Sandra feel about her? She had grown to like Nancy and the others. Her lips pouted as she muttered. "But they're my friends…"

Gone was the tenderness of Freddy's touch as his scarred fingers curled into her hair and he tugged sharply, yanking her head back. His face loomed inches from hers as he spat. "You really think Nancy and the rest of them fuckers are your friends? They're not! They are only interested in you because of your connection to me. They believe because you are my daughter that it would help them defeat me! They don't give a fuck about you and in the end, they will turn on you!"

Her eyes welled with tears, and she defiantly shook her head. "I don't believe that!"

Freddy growled and gave her hair another fierce tug, then brought the tips of knives to her face and trailed them over her flesh, "Oh, you'll find out that I am right Katherine"

She cried out as he flung her away and felt herself falling backwards, through the air until her back crashed down onto a soiled mattress. Her head jerked upwards as she saw her wrists were now connected by the chains to the rusty railing of the bed. The darkness of the room began to lift, and she realized she was in the side room of the main boiler room. A shadow moved across the bed, and she craned her head to the left seeing Freddy looming above her. He flashed her a wicked smile, "You'll be staying here until you wake up"

X x x

ICU Ward…

Sandra stared grimly at Katherine's ashen face as she sat at her bedside. It had been a few minutes since she had assisted one of the doctors in removing the breathing tube from Katherine's throat. Thankfully the girl was now managing to breath on her own, but still there was little sign that she was about to wake up from the coma. The indicators on the monitors shown that her REM activity was quite high, especially in the last thirty minutes. Looking down at her watch Sandra noted that it was nearing 10pm. She was hesitant to leave the girl's side, no matter how many times the doctors would insist she went back to her motel to get some rest. It had been a long day for her. But she was terrified to leave Katherine. As far as she knew from her dream, Krueger had lost his powers, but that meant fuck all to her. He could still inflict psychological damage to his daughter. Just like had he done over the last few weeks and when she was a little girl. Her hands soothed out her navy skirt as she rose to her feet. Some coffee was needed and then she would give Michael a quick update on Katherine's condition. She turned to leave and saw Dr Vickers entering. "Would you let me know if anything changes regarding Katherines' condition? I'll be in my office; I should be back in twenty minutes"

"You really should get some sleep. Go home for a few hours" Dr Vickers sighed. Noticing the wary look on the woman's face. "You look exhausted"

"I'll be fine" she smiled and left the room down the dimly light corridor. She passed various other patients that were in their own rooms, some of them were in comas or just making their recovery after waking up. Her shoes clicked sharply on the gleaming ivory tiled floor as she made her way down towards the floor before where her office was situated. After entering the office, she grabbed her black office phone and dialed the Thompson residence, waiting to the fourth ring until it was answered.

"Hello?" the male voice on the other side spoke.

"Hi Donald, it's Sandra here. Is Michael there, I need to speak to him?" Sandra asked.

"Is everything okay?"

"Not really. I fell asleep…" she murmured, "Is he there?"

"I'll get him now"

There was a minute of silence and then another voice came on the phone, Michael's. "Mom? What's wrong? Is Katherine okay?"

"Her condition remains the same" Sandra leaned back into her chair and pondered her next words. "Look, don't be alarmed, but I fell asleep. I confronted that bastard. God, I knew never his burns were that bad" her eyes snapped shut and she sneered silently. How dare that fucker use the death of her old patient against her? "Katherine saved me"

"Saved you?"

"Yeah, she managed to get in between me and her father. I slammed my hand against a hot pipe. But you were right, when I woke up there was no burn mark" her eyes darted down to her free hand. "But I'm just worried about Katherine. She's still in there with him. God knows what he has done to her after I woke up"

"I'm going to ask Kristen to go into the dream-"

"No!" Sandra cut in, rattled by his suggestion. "No one is to sleep tonight. Okay? Just phone everyone and make sure they know to stay awake"

"I will" Michael nodded slowly. He glanced out the living room towards the old, dilapidated Elm Street house. "Can I come and see Katherine tomorrow?"

"No, I told you Michael no one is allowed to visit her when she is in ICU. And when she does wake up, there will be no visitors as she will be on suicide watch" she reminded him.

He groaned inwardly, dismayed at this. "Okay. Me and Nancy will check in on the others"

"Good" she smiled.

"Did he do anything to you mom? When you were in the dream?"

"He was vindictive. Do you remember when I worked in Hillview Children's Hospital? That I lost a patient?" her hand tightened on the phone in rage.

Michael swallowed thickly. "Ruth. Her name was Ruth"

"Yeah, well that fucker used that memory against me!" she blinked away a few tears.

"But mom, you know you weren't to blame for her death!"

"I know" she nodded. "I'm going to get some coffee. I'll phone you in an hour"

"Take care mom, I love you"

"I love you too" she whispered and placed down the receiver. After a few moments of gaining her composure, she left the office and hurried down to the vending machine, ready for some caffeine.

X x x

The grimy black metal ceiling seemed to be closing in on her as Katherine continued to stare up at it. Her breathing became short, haggard as she felt a wave of apprehension swarm through her body. Closing her eyes, she mentally counted to ten. As she opened them, she twisted her head to the left staring at the steel door that had been closed since her father had left her after stating that she would be remaining this way until she woke up. But how would this be, hours, days? And just where the fuck did her father go to? Was he killing someone else? Had one of the others fallen asleep? Her eyes watered at the thought and then the feeling of dishonor engulfed her as she thought of her actions over the last week. All the lies, the secrets. Everyone would be suspicious of her now, would they hate her? Disown her?

And as for Sandra, what would she think of her now? The times she had unashamedly lied to her face and even to Michael. Her relationship with him would be under threat. But her father was right, he never forced her to lie. It was all her own doing. Was she changing back to when she was a little girl? Was her mind becoming twisted? All she wanted was to make her father proud of her and he was. But she also wanted a friendship with Nancy and the others. Though that would be ruined now. Where they only drawn to her because of what was going on in their dreams? Did they only want to know her to gain advantage over her father?

Katherine sighed and turned her attention back to the ceiling above her. Her brown eyes fluttered closed as she felt light-headed. A light glow began to shimmer over her body, starting from the tips of her toes along her legs, stomach, chest to the top of her fingers. Within seconds her body vanished from the dream as she slowly emerged from the coma…

Sandra looked up from her coffee as a high-pitched beep echoed from one of the white monitors. Her eyes roamed towards Katherine's face as the girl began to stir, her eye lids flickered and jerked as they slowly opened. A low mumble fluttered from her throat as she moaned. Sandra sprang to her feet and left her coffee on a nearby table. "Dr Vickers!" she called out.

The man appeared in the doorway and approached the bed.

"She's waking up"

He attended to the young woman, checking her vitals on the monitors. Katherine's head lulled to the right, her eyes opening them closing. Still not fully awake. "This is good. I didn't expect her to awaken from the coma this soon. I would like to run some blood tests. We'll have to run some cognitive tests. She may drift in and out of consciousness for a few hours"

Katherine eyes flickered between the two figures at the side of her bed. They seemed blurred, distorted. Their voices were muffled, low, incoherent as she tried to focus on what they were speaking about. The fuzzy images moved towards the monitors to the side of her bed, and she heard sharp bleeping as buttons were pushed, and she felt them checking her tubes. Removing them and replacing them with new ones. She knew that she was awake, that perhaps one of them was Sandra. How did she wake from her coma? Was it naturally or had her father pushed her out of the coma? Maybe he wanted her to face the anger of the others when they finally discovered the truth. She would have to face the repercussions.

The muffled voices echoed in her ears, and she closed her eyes, taking a long shaky breath. Her throat was rough and dry. She coughed lightly.

"Katherine?" Sandra bent down towards the girl. "Can you hear me? It's Sandra?"

Katherine weakly turned her head toward her and finally the fuzziness began to dissipate until she was starting into two familiar bright blue eyes. She mumbled softly, trying to form words.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"W-water…" Katherine groaned.

"I'll get some for you now" Sandra lightly touched the girl's hair. She quickly walked to the corner of the room where the water dispenser was and filled up a white cup with water.

Dr Vickers assisted her in removing Katherine's gas mask. Sandra smiled kindly as she raised the grim of the up to the girls' parched lips. A trickle of water dribbled down her as she eagerly took a few sips. "That's good" Sandra nodded.

"I'll have to notify Dr Carver of Katherine's condition. We will be monitoring her for the next twenty-four hours. Then we'll more her to her new room. As you know she will be on suicide watch, and we will be restraining her arms"

"What?" Sandra glanced fearfully at the girl.

"It is just a precaution. We have had a few instances in the ward where the patients have ripped the needles from their arms and tried to use it to harm themselves" he explained.

"I understand"

"I will be back soon. Just try and get her to talk? It will help with her cognitive functions" Dr Vickers suggested.

"I will" she watched as he left the room and after a few minutes she turned towards Katherine. The girl was staring somberly at her. Eyes glazed with tears. "I want to thank you for what happened in the dream. For saving me"

Katherine sluggishly nodded then whispered. "I'm sorry…"

"What for?" Sandra shuffled forward in her seat. She saw Katherine holding back a sob, her bottom lip sucking inwards under her top lip. She was trembling. "What is it? You can tell me anything"

Katherine sobbed quietly. "Something has happened"

Sandra saw the haunted look in her eyes. They were tainted with despair, sorrow. A feeling of consternation Sandra's body, her muscles tensing as the words 'something has happened' spun around in her mind. She rose to her feet and ran from the room.

x x x

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