A/note: Decided to try and focus on this story and finish it before I go back to writing Dark Dreams (also have an idea for a story after FVJ, though not sure when i will be starting that). I have more or less the ending sorted out for this story - it should be completed around chapter 25 - it'll be strange as this story and the previous prequels have taken me so long to write.

Well hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 18: Repercussions

Katherine and Michael sat side by side on the edge of the bed, having finished getting dressed twenty minutes before. Despite putting on a smile and engaging in conversation with him, Katherine kept running through what had happened between them two in her mind. Over and over. She was telling the truth to him when she said she wanted them to touch each other. It was her hope that it would spark some sort of intimate connection between them both. That it could help her resist her father's advances. But now she was uncertain. Could the intimacy part of their relationship be over before they could both give it a chance to develop and grow? But that didn't mean that she didn't love Michael. She did love him. Perhaps she was just nervous seeing as it was their first time that they were able to do something as close and personal as that. Also, she had to remind herself it wasn't the most romantic setting for them to become intimate with each other. She knew she had to confide in Sandra when she got the first opportunity. Though deep down she was distraught that this could happen to her. As for her father, she knew the moment she drifted to sleep he would find out what had occurred between her and Michael. And he would be fucking fuming. But she had to make him understand. She had to explain it to him.

"I'm going to tell my mom what happened between us" Michael muttered.

She lifted her head from the edge of Michael's shoulder and turned to him. "What? Why?"

"She needs to know. Especially if you are meant to be getting sedated tonight. I know that your father threatened to kill you if you aren't sedated. But we both know that he will find out what happened this evening. My mom can awake you up with adrenaline if she sees any injuries appearing on you" he suggested.

"But if I'm sedated and if your mom uses adrenaline to wake me up, would that not be dangerous?" Katherine gripped the bottom of her hospital gown with apprehension. "What if I have a bad reaction?"

"I'm not sure. But she needs to know. I'll speak to her when she's leaving me back to Sheriff Thompson. But promise me that you'll fight him? Please?"

She nodded with a blaze of determination in her eyes.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her softly on her lips. She smiled as they broke the kiss. The sound of steps approaching the room caught their attention and they turned around towards Sandra as she walked up to them. "Are you ready Michael?"

"Yes" he nodded.

She smiled pleasantly at the young couple. "Is everything okay?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah, we just had a talk. I tried to cheer her up"

Katherine forced another smile and teased. "Yeah, I forgot how awful he is at telling jokes"

Sandra chuckled and glanced at her watch. "I shouldn't be long Katherine. I should be back in fifteen minutes"

"When is the nurse coming with the sedative?" Katherine felt uneasy as she climbed back into the bed. "You will be here before she arrives, yes?"

"Yes" Sandra began to tie her wrists back to the silver railings. "Don't worry"

Michael bent down to kiss Katherine on her quivering lips. "Remember what I said. Okay?"

Katherine took a wavering deep breath and nodded. "I love you so much"

He raked his fingers through her wavy hair and murmured in her ear. "I love you too Kathy. Don't let him do anything to you"

She nodded sheepishly against his shoulder and broke apart. He kissed her temple lightly and followed his mother out of the room. The lighting in the corridor was subdued as Michael followed his mother down the hallway. The thick smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. Michael cleared his throat and called out for his mother as they pushed opened a set of heavy wooden doors into a stairwell. "Mom, I have something to tell you"

"What is it?" she called over her shoulder as they turned right and descended the next flight of steps.

"Me and Katherine, we did something"

Sandra stepped off the last step and turned towards him, "What do you mean, you did something?"

"She asked me if we could touch each other"

Her jaw slackened and dropped opened in surprise. "You touched each other? Why did she ask you to do that? Does she not realise what that bastard will do to her?"

"She said she doesn't care. She wanted us to share something as special as that because we're together. It's what we are meant to do. She doesn't want him to control her that way. I understand her. I feel the same way mom. That's why we did it. Don't be angry at her. Please" he implored.

"I'm just concerned what he will do to her. She's not getting the sedative tonight. That's for sure" Sandra replied.

"We've got to get her out of here mom" Michael followed her as they continued down the stairwell.

"I know. But it won't be that easy" she halted at the grey door and eased it opened a few inches. Her eyes peered down the empty corridor. She quickly pulled back the door as a male orderly came back from outside, the large door clanging in the darkened corridor. After waiting for a minute, she pushed the door opened and ushered her son quicky towards the fire-escape door.

The cool night air greeted them as they hurried down the steps and across the grassy verge towards the area where Donald and Garcia waited for them. Sandra gave a sombre smile and whispered. "I'm going to go here. The nurse will be at Katherine's room soon. I'll phone the motel in an hour"

Michael nervously shifted on his feet. "Look after her. Please"

"I will. I'll speak to her" Sandra kissed her son lightly on his forehead and rushed back into the building. Her legs grew heavy as she hurried up the darkened stairwell, her mind consumed with thoughts regarding Katherine and her son's actions. She understood to a certain extent why Katherine had asked Michael to share in that intimate moment. But the repercussions would be disastrous. As for her admission that Katherine not getting the sedative tonight. She stood by this decision. No matter how much Katherine would protest. The young woman had to recognise that she was doing this to protect her.

Sandra glanced over her shoulder as she re-entered the corridor of the ICU ward and she turned to the right and ran down towards Katherine's room. She skidded to a halt as the nurse came into view, carrying a silver tray and an empty grey clear bottle. Her mouth twitched down into a frown.

The dark-haired nurse gave a little smile. "Hello Dr Turner. I've just finished giving Miss Krueger her sedative"

Goosebumps began to spread along Sandra's arms. A flicker of fear crossed over her face. But she pushed her trepidation to the side and smiled meekly. "Uh, thank you. I'll sit with her tonight"

"I'll be at the nurse's station if you need anything"

Sandra stepped to the side and let the younger girl walk by. She took a deep breath and dashed into the room and her gaze instantly fell upon the still sleeping figure of Katherine. "Shit" Taking a step forward she mused silently over her next course of action. Should she use the adrenaline to wake her? It was a risk, no doubt. But it was one she was willing to take and without another thought she turned and ran from the room.

Xxx

Katherine's eyes jerked opened as a thick blast of searing heat washed over her body. She staggered to her feet from her position on the thick concrete floor. Immediately her heart started to thump vehemently against her chest as the icy grip of fear took hold of her. Her eyes darted to her left then right searching for him. His presence was close. She could feel his eyes on her. Her brown eyes flicked upwards to the various red-light bulbs that were attached to the walls, separated by several feet. She stumbled forward in the dim light with a vigilant glance behind her as she pondered where he was. At the far end of the corridor, she could faintly make out a set of railings and a small set of stairs that led to the lower level of the power plant.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting screech echoed from behind her, and she shrieked, spinning around to face him as he lingered feet from her. She watched as he withdrew the tip of his steel talons from a nearby metal wall and flexed them at his side as he stalked towards her. There was a leer on his charred lips as he spat. "Why did you not take a nap-"

His voice stopped as he allowed his eyes to roam over her shaking body. The leer remained in place. But his lips twitched into a venomous snarl as he detected another presence that tainted her, that had touched her skin. Katherine hissed and clamped her right hand over her temple as a piercing, hot pain perforated her mind. She knew that he was raiding her memory over the last few hours. She heard him curse and a low growl as he took slow, predatory steps closer to her.

"That fucker visited you…" Freddy flicked his claw with intent.

"Please let me explain…" she begged. But her pleas went unheard as he closed the gap.

She had no time to react as he drew back his glove and brought the metal plating hard against her right cheek. "You fucking slut!" he sneered.

Her body flew to the left and she crashed hard into the steel wall, sagging weakly against it. She whimpered and jerked backwards as he advanced towards her and brought his left clenched fist towards her head. But she ducked and staggered back. "Please stop!"

Freddy's eyes narrowed in contempt. The red glow from the lightbulbs threw a hazy crimson shine over his hideous scars, exposing each rutted blemish. She saw him raise his glove and fanned his blades and swung them down towards her chest. She screamed and lurched herself backwards and stumbled hard onto her back. The tips of the blades missed her by inches. Freddy muttered incoherent words to himself and approached her as she teetered back on her hands. "I just knew that you'd turn out to be a whore! You asked that cunt to touch you! And you allowed him to use you! You traitorous bitch!"

Katherine's left hand brushed against a broken pipe laying on the floor. She snatched it and swung it at his right arm as he lifted it again, poised to strike at her. "No! Stop!"

The rusted tip of the metal pipe sliced at the frayed sweater just below his wrist. Thick gooey black-red liquid spurted from the cut. But as quickly as she wounded him the cut healed over. Freddy sneered and grappled the pipe from her hand with his burnt hand and with a curse he struck the pipe ferociously at the right side of her head. She screamed and rolled onto her stomach, feeling a trickle of blood oozing down the side of her forehead across her right cheek. She sobbed and pitifully tried to crawl away. But she shrieked as he clutched her hair and jerked her hard to her feet. She squeezed her eyes shut as he spun her around to him. "Little damn bitch!"

The rough, uneven skin of his palm crashed down against her jaw again. And again. Her legs nearly buckling beneath her. His blades had curled into her hair holding her up as he growled disapprovingly in her face. "It's time for some medicine Katherine"

She swallowed a mouthful of her blood that filled her mouth and gasped, "Please daddy you've got to-"

He ignored her and clasped his left hand around her throat and began to squeeze.

She sobbed and with a strangled cry she thrusted her right knee hard into his crotch and he scowled, letting her go as he doubled over. Taking her opportunity, she stumbled backwards and begged. "You have to listen to me!"

Freddy gathered his composure and straightened his back. She backed away and whimpered as he stalked towards her and raised his right hand, the tips of his blades poised to strike and with a snarl he drove his arm down fast.

She shrieked and hissed in pain as the points of the blades ripped along her chest, tearing through the polyester material of her dress and carving into her sweaty skin. Four five-inch lacerations were sliced into her skin, from the collarbone down across her chest to just above her right breast. Her legs wobbled as she collapsed onto her back with a pained cry.

Katherine wheezed and clawed at his left hand that now wrapped around her throat as he quickly climbed on top of her. Her fingernails dug into his scarred flesh, tearing at his skin. But his grip tightened around her skin. Her legs buckled and squirmed under his lean frame as he crushed his full body weight upon her. She saw through her tears his glove repositioning against her stomach and with her remaining strength she tried to push his wrist backwards. He chuckled darkly at her attempts and hushed her as he jabbed his blades closer to her stomach. She sobbed and gagged as his fingers constricted around her trachea. Her breath coming out in short gasps. Her mouth trembled as she strained to choke out her words.

"I didn't…l-like…it!"

Sandra quickly flicked her fingers against the syringe as her eyes darted back and forth between the needle and the sedated girl before her. Katherine whimpered and cried out as four thin lacerations appeared across her chest. Satisfied that the adrenaline was ready Sandra raised the needle above the girl's chest. "Please let this work" she murmured.

She took a deep breath and slammed the tip of the syringe hard into the girl's heart.

Katherine screamed as a sharp, sudden pain penetrated her chest and her body arched upwards as though a jolt of electricity was shot through her. Freddy flinched at this unexpected movement from her. He could feel the piercing pain that speared into her body. Directly into her heart. What the fuck was going on? His eyes narrowed as he concentrated on connecting to the waking world even for a few seconds. He knew that something was happening in the waking world. After a few moments a sneer crept across his face, and he shook his head in disdain as he sensed Sandra lingering over Katherine's body. There was a syringe in that woman's hand. She was trying to wake Katherine up. "That fucking whore…"

He saw Katherine's body fade underneath him, but he refocused his power on her consciousness and snickered as he pulled her back into the dream. He had successfully subjugated the adrenaline that was injected into her. Lifting his gaze from the floor he saw Katherine reappear a few feet from him, her body was sagging feebly against a set of railings as she gathered her breath.

Sandra glared in dismay as Katherine's body jolted upwards, then fell backwards onto the mattress with a dull thud. Her eyes were still closed, rolling underneath her eyelids. It didn't work. That fucker was stronger than she had anticipated. Her eyes fell to the syringe in her hand. The contents now gone. Should she give her another shot? She pushed this idea to the side. No. It was too dangerous. There was the risk that she could cause Katherine to go into cardiac arrest. Sandra shoved the empty syringe and bottle into her bag and quickly began to attend to Katherine's wounds on her chest.

Katherine wheezed and panted. Her mind was disorientated. Vision blurry and unfocused. What had just happened? She never felt such an intense pain like it. It was like a knife was impaled into her heart. It was excruciating. She heard the metal slink of blades and became alert, swinging around towards her father her as he stalked towards her.

"We aren't finished" he pointed a bloodied blade at her.

"W-wait!" she leaned against the railing and staggered back, lifting her hands in a feeble attempt to pacify him. His left hand whipped forward and once again enfolded around her throat. His fingers pinched sharply against her soft skin. She gagged hoarsely. "It wasn't…n-nice!"

He titled his head forward and his fingers loosened slightly. "What did you say?"

Katherine took a few strong gulps of air and sniffled. The taste of blood filled her mouth again as a trickle of the crimson liquid flowed into her mouth from her wound on her forehead. "I didn't like it" her eyes flicked up towards his. She immediately saw the wrath that devoured them and knew that one wrong word from her and she would set him off again. "When Michael was touching me, I didn't like it. Nothing happened"

"If you are lying to me…." his grip tightened around her throat again.

She faintly shook her head. "I'm not lying!"

Freddy quickly let go of her throat and sedulously studied her. He knew that he could read her memories. It came naturally to him now. But perhaps he should discern her thoughts and feelings at that very moment when she was with that fucker. When they were touching each other. He could try and detect if she had any type of pleasure from when that cunt was touching her. Then maybe he would be able to confirm if she was telling the truth. He saw her shift backwards uneasily against the rusty railing. Her hands were clamped around the metal. Shivers consumed her body as she cried softly. Raising her right hand, she wiped away at the blood that flowed down her chin from her busted lip.

"I didn't like it. I lied to him!" Katherine whimpered. "I didn't cum! I faked it!"

Freddy cocked his head to the side, sensing the feeling of humiliation and desolation that emanated from her. She was devastated. His face was vacant, eyes glossy and void of emotion as he processed this admission. His eyes roamed slowly from her face down towards her thighs and he smirked. Maybe she was telling the truth.

"That's what you wanted to hear? Isn't it?!" Katherine shouted. "Huh? I felt nothing when I was with him. I faked it! I faked the orgasm!"

Freddy's smirk grew into a conceited grin, and he lightly grasped her face with his claw and burnt and. He tipped her face up to his. She blinked and swallowed more blood. "Are you fucking happy now?!" she hissed through her sobs.

He began to laugh. A maniacal laugh. Full of triumph and malice. "Oh, I'm fucking ecstatic baby girl!"

Katherine slinked away and tried to shake her head from his grasp. But he tightened his grip and smiled viciously. The fact that she failed to have an orgasm with that fucker Michael could help his plan. This was fucking perfect. All he had to do now was wait until that bitch fell asleep and he could use her to entice Katherine to finally let her guard down. It would be soon. Very soon. The sick, demented smile grew wider as he eyed her shaking, bleeding face. His left hand lightly rubbed over her busted lip. A line of crimson liquid was slowly smeared across her right cheek, and he chuckled, leaning down to languidly lick it clean with his tongue. Katherine groaned in repulsion at the slimy tongue as it slid across her skin and with a surge of energy, she shoved him forcefully away.

"No!"

He staggered back and growled angrily at her act of defiance.

"What happened between me and Michael doesn't mean anything!" Katherine snapped and winced at the stinging pain from her cuts on her chest. "I still love Michael!"

Freddy scoffed. "Really? You see princess, what happened between you and that cunt just shows what you said there isn't true"

Katherine glanced to the left where the top of the staircase was and slowly began to inch towards it. "No, you're wrong!"

His gaze followed the movement of her eyes as they darted towards the staircase, and he slowly wagged a blade at her. "Uh-uh. Don't you dare"

She ignored the warning glare he gave her and with a flurry of vigour she sprang towards the steps. But Freddy lunged forward and wrapped his right arm around her chest and pinned her back against his chest. Katherine shrieked and thrashed weaky in is grip. He snarled against her hair and shoved her fiercely against the railing. She whimpered and sobbed as he bent her forward, his lean frame arching over hers. His chest was pressed hard against her back as he hissed in her left ear. "You will listen to me"

"Let me go!" she sobbed.

His left hand crawled up the side of her body and clamped around her throat yet again. "No. You will listen to your daddy. Deep down you don't love that fucker"

"No, I do love-" Katherine began to retort. His fingers quickly curled tightly around her throat to silence her.

"Shut up!"

Katherine gagged and grimaced as she felt the tips of the blades lightly trail over her lacerations on her chest. "I'm the only person you should love. You keep forgetting that"

She sniffled and heaved a sigh of reprieve as he withdrew the blades from her skin. His eyes skimmed over them as he peered over the rim of her shoulder. He sneered in annoyance. The bleeding was starting to ease. That bitch Sandra was attending to her wounds. Katherine breathed deeply and sighed as the pain on her chest began to wane. She yelped as he shoved his hand into her tousled hair and tugged her head to the left. Her eyes darted to the right seeing his burnt face inches from hers. "I'm not happy with you though. The fact that you asked him to touch you has gone against everything I taught you as a child. There will be repercussions Katherine"

"Please daddy. No…"

He waved a blade back and forth of her shaking face. "Sshh"

She watched in silence as he leaned forward and gazed over the railings to the level below them. There was a thick layer of steam in the corridor and soon the faint outline of a figure staggered through the steam. She tried to crane her head to the left to follow his stare. But he held her hair tightly in his fingers, keeping her gaze directed on him. "What is it?" she asked.

Freddy averted his contemplative face back to hers and smiled maliciously. She felt his fingers unravel from her hair and as he stepped away from her, he vanished. She wildly looked about and called out. "Daddy?"

Her hands instantly gripped the railings, and she inclined her body forward over the rail to peer down to the corridor below. What was he looking at? Was there someone dreaming? Could that be what he meant by there will be repercussions. But why not punish her? It was what he did. Anything she did wrong or say out of turn, he would admonish her. She took a fleeting glance at her chest. Relived that the lacerations had stopped bleeding. Her eyes began to roam the ground, searching for that metal pipe. Even though she knew he would be fucked off if she dared to attack him with any type of weapon. She felt a need to protect herself. She had promised Michael that she would. She saw the metal pipe lying on the ground a few feet to her right she stooped down and grabbed it, then descended the staircase to the level below.

The thick steam began to dissipate as Katherine wandered down the corridor. She noticed two passageways, one to her right and one straight ahead. Both shrouded in darkness. In the passageway ahead of her she could faintly see a hazy white light at the end of the corridor. She glanced to the right to the other passageway. There was no way she was going down there. It was pitch black. Not a shed of light to guide her. The best option was straight ahead. She tightened her grip on the metal pipe and slowly marched down the passageway. The hissing sound of steam billowing from the pipes along the wall resounded in her ears. She coughed and wheezed as she walked onwards. "Hello? Is anyone here?" she called out.

There was an eerie silence and she picked up her speed, nearly sprinting into a run as the light from ahead grew brighter. She saw another room up ahead and her brown eyes adjusted to the new light as she stepped into an opening. A few lit furnaces illuminated the room. From above in the middle of the room a trickle of warm water dripped from a cracked pipe. Katherine glanced wearily behind her and around the room. There was another corridor to her right. Though there were a few lights on the ceilings, shedding light on the various boilers and pressure values that aligned the walls that stretched out for at least fifty feet. Ignoring this, Katherine walked towards the water that steadily dripped from above and eagerly left the pipe at her feet before cupping her hands under the water. A pool of warm liquid formed in her palms, and she splashed it over her face, trying to rub away the blood from her skin.

From behind her a sound startled her. It appeared to be a cough, a splutter and then the sound of feet slapping lightly on the ground. Footsteps. She jumped to her feet and grasped the pipe again and waited with trepidation as figure approached from the corridor she had came from. Raising her weapon, she steadied herself and was about to swing it forward. But her grip on the metal faltered and it clattered to the ground as she stared in horror at the person in front of her.

"Mary?"

The young woman glimpsed curiously at her surroundings, then finally let her gaze stop at Katherine.

"Hey!"

Katherine rushed towards her and grasped her shoulders. "What are you doing here? You need to wake up!"

Mary arched her eyebrows in surprise. "How are you in my dream?"

"It doesn't matter how" Katherine glanced to the corridors. "I've got to get you awake"

Mary slowly studied Katherine's blood-stained chest and her face. "What happened to you?"

"Mary please. Listen to me-"

"Is this the place you dream of?" Mary's inquisitive nature took over as she looked about the power plant. Mesmerized by the place. "It looks amazing"

Katherine growled, becoming irritated by Mary's lack of cooperation. Why would she not listen to her? "This dream, it's real. You're in danger!"

Mary scoffed and shrugged Katherine's hands from her shoulders, dismissing her words. "Dreams aren't real. Is that why you're in Westin Hills…" her voice faltered off as her eyes caught glance of a figure in the corridor to the right. They lingered in the corridor. Watching them with a wicked grin. "Who is that?"

Katherine twisted around to face Freddy. She swallowed in alarm and ushered Mary to wait where she was. She threw Mary a nervous glance and walked briskly over to her father who smiled darkly at her.

"What is she doing here?" She demanded.

Freddy chuckled and relished in her rising apprehension. "Didn't I tell you that little Mary would get a visit from me!"

Katherine shook her head and blocked his view of the other girl as she stepped in front of him, "Leave her alone. She has nothing to do with the fire that killed you. She's not even from Springwood!"

He smirked and took a malicious glance at Mary. "You see, it doesn't matter if she isn't from Springwood. She saw the drawing you made of me. You know her. Anyone who meets you is a target for me"

Katherine's bottom lip dropped opened, a shiver of terror shot through her spine at his words. It was a tactic he was using for her to isolate herself from everyone. Just like she was a little girl. She gathered her composure and shook her head, snarling in disgust. "You can't do this!"

"Oh, but I can. And I will" he pointed a blade sharply at her. "This is the price you'll have to pay for what you did with that bastard earlier"

She clenched her fists in ire. He smirked and began to approach Mary. Katherine shook her head and grabbed his left arm to tug him back. "No!"

Freddy sneered and backhanded her with the back of his glove. The metal plating hitting hard against her already busted mouth. She shrieked and toppled to the floor, whimpering as he spun around to her. He slowly licked her blood from the metal hinges. "What the fuck did I tell you the other day? Mmm? Keep out of my way!"

She lifted her pale face and gasped as the metal pipe was raised behind his back and swung down hard against his head. He cried out and staggered to his knees, holding his head with a curse. Katherine felt Mary's hands grasp her arms and assist her to her feet. Both girls teetered back from Freddy as he rose to his feet. He placed hi his fedora back onto his head and tipped it down with his glove. Then locked his gaze with Mary. "That was a big mistake, you bitch!"

Katherine entangled her hand with Mary's and saw her father lift his scarred hand and with a vicious smile clicked his fingers making them vanish from the boiler room.

Both girls gasped as their heads jostled up from the ground. Katherine grimaced at the sticky sensation of mud and wet gravel smeared into her clothing. She wildly looked about and saw Mary lingering a few feet from her, pushing herself to her knees. Around them was tall corn plants, the height of the plants ranging from 8 feet to 12 feet. Their long leaves green and lush, wrapping tightly around the stalk of the plant. The sky above was overcast, and a few black crows and ravens circled above them, squeaking and screeching loudly. Katherine uneasily staggered to her feet and wearily looked about, peering through the stalks of the corn plants. Why would he bring them to some cornfield? She stumbled over the sludge towards Mary and helped her to her feet.

The woman curiously studied the corn stalks around them and soon a broad smile crossed her face. "Oh my god. I know this place"

"Where are we?"

"My uncle's farm. I used to help on the farm during the summer when I was a teenager" Mary smiled.

"We've got to get out of this corn field. Now" Katherine clutched her hand and drew her close. "Mary, I know you'll think this is crazy. God, sometimes I wish I was making this up. But if you die in this dream, you die for real. That's why I need to wake you up"

"Who was that guy who hit you?"

"He is my father. He died eight years ago. He was burnt to death" Katherine replied. "He's dangerous and can hurt you"

"Did he give you those cuts?" Mary glanced sullenly at the girls' chest.

Katherine nodded and pulled her forward. "Let's go this way. Don't let go of my hand"

Mary gave a muted nod. So, this was why this girl was in Westin Hills. She believed her dreams were real. Sometimes Mary would think her dreams were real too. But she knew that they weren't. She stumbled into the back of Katherine as the girl stopped. Then she felt it, the light drizzle of water falling from the dull sky. Katherine glanced over to her, a concerned look in her brown eyes. She flicked her eyes upwards as the drizzle of water began to increase in intensity, a heavy rainfall soaking and saturating Katherine's dress and Mary's plain grey bottoms and tank top. They continued walking, though at a slower pace. Their bare feet sunk into the mud that was becoming soggier and thicker with each drop of water.

Mary lifted her gaze and scanned the top of the corn plants and to her left she saw a shadow suspended on a wooden cross. Her bottom lip dropped opened in awe. "Look!"

Katherine glanced at her and then followed her preoccupied gaze to the left. A flash of yellow lightening crackled across the dark sky and illuminated the scraggily body of a farm scarecrow. Before she could warn Mary, the girl broke free of her hand and staggered through the corn plants towards the effigy.

"Damn it! Mary, wait!" Katherine skidded on the mucky ground. But she gathered her balance, ambling forward and pushed through the corn plants until she came up behind Mary. The older woman was looking excitedly up at the scarecrow. Its head, limbs and body were crammed with bundles of straw and white cotton. The face was an old brown canvas bag with large black buttons for its eyes and red/black stitches across the bottom of the face, twisted in an unnerving smile. The upper body of the dummy was adorned in a red and green checked shirt, the legs covered in black grimy trousers.

Katherine felt a lump form in her throat. She didn't like this. "Mary, we've got to go"

The woman scoffed. "It's just a scarecrow"

"No, it's not" Katherine replied.

They both heard a low groan and pulled their gaze back towards the scarecrow. Its limbs jerked against the frayed rope that had it pinned to the wooden cross. The stitches across its face snapped and curled upwards into a sickening bloodied smile and it craned its face downwards to them.

"Let's play…" the scarecrow growled.

Katherine snapped out of her petrified trance and snatched Mary's hand, pulling her away. The scarecrow laughed a gritty hoarse chuckle as it yanked their limbs free from the bindings on the wooden cross.

The heavy breathing and panting of Katherine and Mary filled the darkened night as the girls scampered through the corn plants. The tall stalks trembled and swayed strongly as they shoved the leaves out of their way. Their legs grew heavy with fatigue. The palms of their bare feet sunk and slithered along the muddy ground. Thick sludge squeezed between their toes as they wheezed, panting jadedly as they tried to tug their legs out of the mud in an attempt to keep their distance from the demonic scarecrow.

Katherine sobbed and strained to pull her right leg out of a muddy hole but toppled forward onto knees. "God-damn it!"

She heard a squeal of irritation from her left and saw Mary falling onto the sludge. The brown dirt sinking into her tank top, marring her skin. Katherine screeched and reached out for a thick stalk to her right and grasped it. She grunted and pulled herself out of the mud, staggering to her feet. Her gaze shot towards the fluttering stalks behind them and saw a shadow pushing forward through the field towards them. She hobbled towards Mary and bent down, grabbing her mud-stained hands and with a cry she pulled hard. Mary's body slid forward a few inches. Katherine tugged again at the girls' arms and then looked up as the scarecrow/Freddy broke through a row of corn plants, meters from them. Katherine pulled again and Mary pushed her knees onto the ground. She grunted and groaned as her feet skidded on the ground as she attempted to get to her feet.

Katherine glanced up at the grinning stitched face of the scarecrow, seeing blood dripping from the corner of its crooked smile. She yelled out and with one fierce yank she pulled Mary free from the mud. The scarecrow/Freddy snarled and dove forward with their right hand raised high. Another flash of lightening brightened the sky and the gleaming blades of Freddy's claw flashed through the air missing Mary's back by inches as she staggered forward.

Running through the large plants Katherine and Mary panted, crying out of fear and soon they broke through the periphery of the field out into the open. They clasped onto each other's arms and ran along a large field of grass towards a large brown bricked building. Katherine gripped the large wooden doors and heaved them opened, staggering in followed by Mary.

The wooden doors rattled in their hinges as Katherine slammed them shut. Her hands trembled as they pressed firmly against the wood, and she took short, sharp breaths. Mary whimpered and muttered softly to herself as she stood at her side. Turning around, both girls stared at the building they had just entered. Darkness engulfed the room. A dripping sound echoed to their right and Katherine felt her hands begin to shake. She gasped as above them several bright lights flickered on, revealing pieces of mutilated meat scattered on the blood smeared concrete floor. To the right and left of them in the corner of the room were long thick metal tables. The dead remains of cows such as ribcages, mutilated heads and bloodied legs were strewn on each table. Along with the dismembered limbs of baby lambs, the heads of sheep and tattered blood-stained wool. The heads of piglets and their innards were smeared across the metal and dripped onto the floor. Red gooey blood flowed along the ground and into various square drains that were sporadically placed along the ground. At the end of each table were bloodied machetes, metal cleavers, hacksaws and butcher knives.

Katherine instinctively grasped Mary's hand.

They soon averted their terrified gaze to the middle of the room, seeing various thick metal chains swaying from side to side. Attached at the bottom by sharp hooks were other various dead calves, sheep and piglets. There was about six in total. Each of them was gutted, their skin mangled and sliced away. Thick intestines, lungs and hearts hung by thick muscled tissue over the openings of their wounds.

"What is this place?" Katherine muttered breathlessly.

"It's our abattoir" Mary replied.

Katherine swung back towards the door, grabbing the thick metal handle and yanked at it. The door shuddered and then jolted back into place. There was a small click of the lock, sealing them inside and she cursed. "Shit!" Katherine turned to Mary. "Is there any other way out of here?"

Mary pointed to the other side of the building. "There might be a door over there"

Katherine nodded and tugged Mary close to her as they slowly moved away from the door. She glimpsed to the left then right, seeing four large compartments that were divided by four feet metal barriers. In each compartment were more corpses of small piglets and lambs, various flies buzzing from their remains while maggots and worms wriggled inside their decaying bodies.

Katherine pulled her gaze away from the compartments and stared straight ahead. She felt Marys fingers tighten around hers and they teetered around the dead animals that swung feet from them. They neared halfway through the building, and they halted to a stop. The clink of chains startled them as they looked up. Several maimed calves, lambs and piglets dropped in front of them. Each animal gutted by thick metal hooks attached to long sturdy chains. Blood and thick muscled tissue drained from their eviscerated bodies. Katherine and Mary screamed and stumbled away from the carcases. Then they heard the squeals of pigs coming from behind them. Dozens of piglets and small lambs scattered from the compartments and scurried around their feet.

Mary yelped and loosened her grip on Katherine's hand, backing away.

Katherine reached out to her and entangled her hand again with hers. "Don't let go!"

They gazed down in abject horror as invisible blades clawed and stabbed at the piglets and lambs, tearing their skin apart. Blood gushed and sprayed from their skin as their tendons and muscles were yanked out. Squeals of pain echoed in the slaughterhouse, increasing in intensity as more of the animals were slaughtered around their feet. Mary screamed and clambered closer to Katherine who screamed a flash of blood spewed over her feet from a nearby lamb. She breathed heavily and looked over to her right seeing a small door tucked in the corner. It was a way out.

She tugged Mary's hand and tried to lead her through the corpses at their feet. Soon, the screeches of pain died away until the only sounds were Katherine's and Mary's soft crying. They huddled close and glanced wildly about as a wicked laugh reverberated from all around.

"Mary had a little lamb…" Freddy's dark gritty voice called out from the darkness above.

Katherine glanced about and tried to trail Mary backwards, inching towards the other door.

"Its fleece was red with blood"

Katherine's head whipped back and forth, looking for any sign of him.

His voice was thick with murderous hunger as he whispered darkly. "With her blood!"

Before she could react, a force pulled Mary from Katherine. She screamed as a thick metal hook pierced into the top of her spine. The chain stretching up to the ceiling above. The sickening sound of skin being torn, metal hitting bone filled Katherine's ears along with her own screams as Mary's body thrashed and jerked feet from the ground. Katherine jerked back and screamed again as four thick deep lacerations were carved along her throat. A thick gush of Mary's blood showered across Katherine's fear consumed face. Blood trickled and squirted down Mary's skin as she gagged and coughed. Her body spasmed as four invisible blades tore deeper into the flesh on her neck. There was a loud insane laugh as her head was yanked backwards and with a crunch her neck was snapped in half.

Katherine's tear streamed eyes glowered in dismay at the mutilated body. Just like her dream from last week in the canteen, she could see inside the girl's throat. Her oesophagus and the top of her spine was visible to her. Staggering back Katherine sobbed violently and let out another shriek as Freddy stepped up behind her, curling his bloodied claw and hand around her waist. His conquering chuckle filled her ears as he hissed. "That was fun!"

Not wanting to be anywhere near him, Katherine began to struggle and squirm in his arms. She managed to wriggle her right arm out from under his lean arm and dug her elbow hard into his ribs. He growled and spun her around, aiming his clenched left fist into her face. She cried out and fell to the ground that was stained with Mary's blood that dripped from her flesh.

Freddy grumbled and knelt before her. "It's your fault she's dead!"

Katherine recoiled away from him and shook her head. "No, it's not!"

His left hand clutched her chin and jerked her face towards his. Eying her shaking face he smirked and then hauled her to her trembling feet. She whimpered as he positioned her in front of Mary's corpse. His gloved hand tightly gripped the back of her neck, "Look at her!"

She sniffled and lifted her blood-stained face to Mary's limp body. Red liquid smeared the girls throat and face, the severed and gashed flesh was rutted and grated. Katherine sobbed and swallowed a mouthful of vomit that threatened to spill from her mouth. Freddy pressed his coarse lips against her hair. "She's like this because of you! Because of what you did with that fucker Michael. It's all your fault!"

Katherine closed her eyes and tried to shake her head. To shake those corruptive words of his from her mind. It wasn't her fault. He was trying to fuck with her mind again.

Freddy sneered as he read her thoughts and intertwined his scarred fingers into her hair and tugged her head back sharply. "It is. If you do anything else that I don't like, then there will be more repercussions. Got it?"

Katherine nodded quietly.

He sneered, disgusted at her lack of response. His grip grew taut on her hair. "Answer me!"

"Yes daddy. I understand" Katherine whispered. Freddy twisted her around to face him and she saw the malice that tainted his eyes. She knew that despite what he did there, killing Mary. That he was still fucked off with her.

Freddy drew her close. His charred mouth millimetres form hers. "Say hello to Michael for me!" He smirked and flung her backwards and her body vanished from the dream.