Notes: A chapter without Billy. You can comment what you think about the story so far. I might rewrite it now that I have a clearer plot in my mind.
A whole week has passed since the second time that Billy left. Some mornings, Stu drives through Woodsboro to see if he could find him again, sitting outside a store or even in a park. There was no way Billy could have gotten too far with the ankle in that condition, yet there was no trace of him in Woodsboro.
On Sunday, he decided to visit Nancy Loomis' tomb. It was almost empty, with a single withered rose there that seemed left many days ago. He wondered if maybe this should have been his starting point in the search, but there was no way Billy would get here without being recognized.
He looked one last time at the crypt name in disgust, having an unpleasant idea of what to do next, even if it was pointless.
He went to Hank Loomis' house. He hasn't laid a foot there in years. To think this used to be his second home… Now it looks unwelcoming and empty.
He knocked on the door, even if he didn't have high hopes. A blonde woman in her late thirties with a little girl hidden behind her legs opened the door. Stu was baffled to see the man had a new family now, he could sense the rage building up in his throat.
He excused himself with a fake smile, lying about being a mistaken address. He jumped in the van and drove fast, feeling completely miserable.
It was crazy to think that he hadn't even thought that much about Billy the last few years, yet he felt totally devastated that he had come back to his life just to leave the next second.
He used to think of Billy as a faraway memory from the distant past, but now has come to the conclusion that he was trying to not think about him at all. He felt far too comfortable in Billy's presence, it wasn't like being with any of his other friends. They were just decoys, Billy was the real thing.
And he was left feeling lonely and miserable as never in his life.
By the second week, he considers Billy's advice and tries to go out with his so-called friends and not be alone for a long time.
Yet, when he's been in his house, he wonders if Billy hasn't knocked on the door when he was out and left because he hasn't found Stu in there.
Stu sits at home and he sighs deeply. He's been in a state of complete depression ever since last week. His whole facial and bodily demeanor has changed. He has become much more sluggish and lethargic.
There is a stack of bills sitting on his living room table because he hasn't had the heart to do anything about it. The state of the house has degraded into complete chaos, and the mail that used to line the house has been piled up in the corner and gone completely untouched.
There's the sound of sirens outside, it's not the ambulance sound but the police one. They seem to stop outside his house, and after a minute, the door ring sounds.
Stu's expression goes from sadness and depression to confusion and fear as his eyes widen, and his heart rate speeds up. He quickly gets up from his couch and walks to the door in complete confusion. He looks through his peephole and sees several police officers with their weapons drawn.
"What the… " his face turns to one of complete terror, and then he quickly opens the door and speaks in a fearful tone. "What's going on? What is it? What's happening?"
He speaks in a panicked tone of voice, and his whole body is shaking profusely as he speaks with a panicked and terrified tone.
It's Deputy Riley who approaches him first, signing to the officers that they lower their weapons.
"Sorry ,Stu. We have to check your house, I have a judge order. I'll explain to you, just let us do our jobs, okay?" Dewey pats Stu's shoulder to calm him down as he leads him out of the house.
Stu lets out a soft and shaky breath as Dewey pats him on the shoulder. He still looks very anxious and terrified. He speaks in a scared and shaky voice.
"Okay. Ok. Just please tell me. Is somebody in trouble? Is everything okay? Why do you need to search my house? Please tell me what's happening. I… I'm sorry but I need to know." He speaks in an anxious and scared tone of voice.
"Relax" says the police officer. "We received a call denouncing that someone saw Billy Loomis in Woodsboro. Can you believe it?" He chuckles a bit. "This person said he was Billy leaving your house two weeks ago, and he was scared to call the police back then. There was a suspicion of you hiding him in your house, but don't worry. I'm pretty sure he's lying." Dewey looks at the house where the police are searching.
Stu sighs, and he speaks in a relieved yet shaken voice.
"Oh… Okay. That's… That's good… " He sounds and looks genuinely relieved now. "Thank God it was just a misunderstanding. I was starting to freak out there for a second. Yeah. I don't blame you guys for doing your jobs so thoroughly. There's… No reason to worry." He chuckles as he tries to reassure him. He speaks with a soft and friendly tone of voice. "And… I apologize for wasting your time."
Dewey nods, smiling. Then his expression turns serious and cautious.
"Do you think he would ever come back to Woodsboro?
Stu's expression turns from relief to sadness and fear.
"Well…" He sighs and then he speaks in a much softer and controlled tone of voice. "No… I don't think he will ever come back to Woodsboro... " His expression changes to one of deep sadness as he speaks. "I'm pretty sure he is never coming back... I'm sorry." He puts his hand on his chest and he looks down to hide his fear and pain.
"I think the same thing, you know?" Dewey sighs and sits beside Stu in the bank outside the house. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't even risk coming back. But with the recent murder spree and the second Stab movie being scripted, I'm sure there's an interest in putting the Loomis name again in people's mouths. It's a marketing strategy." He laughs.
Stu nods with a sad smile and a short chuckle.
"Exactly. " His eyes get a little watery as he thinks about what Dewey just said. Then he speaks in a sincere, kind, and friendly voice while smiling a bit sadly. "Thanks for listening." He sighs again. "I appreciate you taking the time to explain all this. "
He looks at Dewey with a much more concerned and sincere expression as he adds.
"I'm sure your job is probably a lot tougher than I know."
"Hey, thanks. Not everyone appreciates our job." Dewey smiles. "Did you know there's a Hollywood director who moved to Woodsboro recently? He's working in the second Stab movie, he said he came to know the place better." He laughs bitterly. "These Hollywood eccentrics."
Stu chuckles at that last part and he smiles.
" I couldn't agree more." He speaks with a more sarcastic and dismissive-like tone. "I've never been a fan of the whole 'glorify the murderer' thing myself. " He speaks with a slightly annoyed tone of voice. " I mean, that's so incredibly stupid. " He speaks with a tone of disgust and disdain. "If it were up to me, I'd just make them all rot in prison, if they aren't executed first." He sighs deeply and shakes his head, trying not to laugh at his lies. "But, what can you do?"
Dewey nods.
"I'm glad you think that way" he says, relieved. "If there's any chance that you see Billy around, please call us immediately, okay?" Dewey stands up as the officers get out of the house, hands empty of any incriminatory evidence. "But like I say, I think this is just a big marketing move."
Stu nods with a relieved and happy expression now.
"You can count on me." Stu speaks with a friendly and more sincere smile as he adds. "Like I say, I really appreciate you taking the time to hear me out and explain this. It really helped to calm me down." He chuckles a little bit. "I can really be a little too paranoid every so often. That's… Who I am… " He sighs a little bit as he adds with a bit of a nervous smile. "But… I'll be sure to do exactly that. I promise."
Dewey smiles and pats his shoulder as he greets him and leaves with the rest of the police officers, leaving Stu alone to think about this director that has come to Woodsboro and Billy.
The second Stab movie should be based on the second book of Gale Weather, the one Billy said that talked about his mother's death in Sidney's hands with a hateful look impossible to miss.
Stu has a troubled and thoughtful expression on his face as he thinks back to what Dewey just said. He still looks at the place where the police were, clearly very troubled by the whole thing. He stands there silently for several minutes wondering where Billy might be now and thinking about what Dewey suggested. His mind is filled with a lot of thoughts and questions, but the main one is.
"Is Billy okay? Or is he hurt? Did he get himself into a bad situation?" Stu is worried. "What is he doing right now?"
After that incident, there is news in the television and wallpapers about the rumors of Billy Loomis appearance in Woodsboro, after five years.
The press didn't lose a chance to add that, since it was the college mid break, Sidney Prescott was in Woodsboro too and Billy was plotting his revenge because of his mother's death.
Stu sighs as he watches the news.
"This won't end well. " He speaks with a tone of frustration and slight bitterness. "The media is always blowing things out of proportion. "he speaks with a slightly dismissive voice. He sighs again, more deeply and more seriously as he adds. "I mean, they make it sound like he's the second coming of Michael Meyers. " He chuckles with disdain. "This is... Just absurd. This... is just insanity."
"A couple of days later, it's a rainy afternoon and Stu is about to watch a movie with a friend from College who had seen his depressive state and insisted on coming over. It has been raining for the whole day, making it impossible to go out at all.
Stu speaks with a sincere and friendly tone as he invites his friend inside.
"Well, thank you for coming over. It's really appreciated. It's been a little tough lately... " Stu looks down with a sadder and more depressing expression on his face. "My life has been... Different ...But I don't want to bore you with it. What do you wanna watch? I have literally almost every single new movie coming out on dvd. I also have plenty of classic films and I got every single horror film ever made. " He smiles. "What do you wanna watch?"
"Do you have the Stab movie? I think you're in it" she laughs. "Well, not you, but one of the characters is based on you. Have you seen it?" She asks genuinely curious, taking a seat in the same couch Billy slept last time Stu saw him.
"Oh boy," he chuckles as he thinks about the topic." "You've just opened a can of worms. Yes. I'm familiar with Stab." He chuckles again. "Have I seen it? What a question. " He shakes his head and he speaks in a genuine and sincere tone. "I'm not exactly proud of it." Stu says annoyed and irritated.
His friends study his expressions carefully.
"I see you're not happy with the way they depicted that night's events." She says, in a empathetic voice. "Do you hate the movie at all?"
Stu sighs deeply, as he looks down with a more troubled expression.
"Hate it?" He looks back up at his friend with even more annoyance. "I despise it." Stu speaks in a much more angry and irritated way. "I mean, they made Billy into some kind of monster." Stu sighs and shakes his head. " And... I mean seriously. It all makes me look really bad." He takes a deep breath to calm himself down. "It's just so wrong on so many different levels." He speaks with a more sad and frustrated edge to his voice.
"Some kind of monster?" She laughs with incredulity. " He killed five people, of course he's a monster. And he acts like an idiot the whole movie ... I can't believe someone as stupid could do it all alone." She gestures with emphasis.
Stu raises an eyebrow with an annoyed and condescending look on his face as he speaks.
"Oh, how very wrong you are."His expression changes into a very serious and threatening look. His voice goes quiet and his words are very intense. " You... You think you know what he's capable of? You know nothing! You don't even come close! " He says with a dangerous and terrifying edge to it.
She looks at him petrified by his change of demeanor.
"The hell are you saying...?" She mumbles nervously. "You saw him killing your friends, why do you talk like he's your idol being disrespected?" She stands up, suddenly. "What the fuck is happening to you lately? I can't recognize you anymore."
Stu looks extremely bothered by what his friend just said. He stands up very quickly and he is still extremely angry. He speaks in an overly loud and aggressive tone of voice.
" Who do you think you're talking to? " Stu's tone is getting even more threatening here. " Who do you think you are? " His voice is getting louder and more enraged as he speaks." You… you think you know me?"
"I'm leaving" his friend says suddenly. "I wanted to make sure you were okay but you're crazy... Stu Matcher, taking offense over me talking about the guy who murdered his friends in cold blood. I never expected to see this." When she's almost at the main door, the bell sounds, startling both.
Stu glares at his friend and he talks in a much more menacing, loud and aggressive voice.
"You know what?" His eyebrows wrinkle on his face in disgust. "You and I" He says in a fully sarcastic and dismissive tone. "aren't friends. " Good riddance... " He rolls his eyes with a smirk on his face as he speaks with a clearly disgusted and angered tone of voice. "And… If I were you... "He speaks in an enraged and intense tone. "I'd leave, too."
She looks at him with a totally scared expression, opens the door with a trembling hand and leaves, even bumping into the person that was at the door ringing the bell.
Stu shouts in an aggressive and very mocking tone. He chuckles a little bit, clearly enjoying that he just scared away his so-called "friends".
"Well... looks like I've just lost a so-called "friend"." He chucks again and he speaks with a much condescending and more sarcastic edge. "Well, nothing of value was lost. "He shakes his head and makes a face of disgust. "I mean... " He speaks with even more contempt on his face as he adds. "who even needs friends anyway?"
"I can see I came at an inconvenient moment," the man at the door says in a soft voice. He is shorter than Stu, has short brown hair and wears a pair of glasses.
Stu is a little bit surprised and taken back to see someone else.
" Oh, it's quite alright. What can I do for you?" Stu speaks with a more polite tone as he's now clearly calmed down. "My name is Stu. Stu Macher. You can call me what you'd like though. " He chuckles a bit. "What's your name?" He speaks with a friendly and calm tone. "What brings you here?"
"My name is Roman Bridger" the man says, extending his hand towards Stu. "I don't know if you heard my name already, I'm the director of Stab 2." He smiles, though it looks clearly fake.
Stu smiles back, but his smile is a little bit more forced and not quite as warm as it normally would be. He takes the man's hand in a handshake. His demeanor definitely seems to have changed. He speaks in a more official, more business like tone.
" It's a pleasure to meet you, Roman Bridger. What can I help you with?"
The man smiles genuinely as he notices Stu has fallen into his gentle facade.
"Well, I've been in the city with my team to know the place and hear people's thoughts on the film. We are working on the script right now, and I would appreciate it if I can have an interview with you. It doesn't have to be today." He clarifies. "We want to know how to improve the characterization of the survivors of Stab one."
"Well, I would gladly do an interview. " He speaks with more confidence now. He smiles and chuckles a little. "I've done quite a few interviews the past few years. Even with Gale Weathers and her boyfriend, Dewey Riley. So I've gotten plenty of practice." His confidence and professional and business-like demeanor are very clearly noticeable. He speaks in an energetic pitch now. " So I am completely down."
The man studies him, thinking.
"We won't be recording, anyway. It's just to know your thoughts and how we can improve." He looks at his watch here and there, as if controlling his time. "Well, if you can give me a way to contact you, I'll call you to coordinate the day and time me and my team can come." He smiles widely.
Stu speaks with an excited tone.
"Of course." He laughs and then smiles again. " There's been plenty of talk and buzz around this film of yours. I'm really intrigued and I will be happy to help you in any way I can. "He speaks with a sincere and friendly tone, so that it doesn't seem fake at all in his ears. " You must be a busy person. So I'll just give you my number so we can coordinate through that." Stu grabs a piece of paper and writes something down on it and he hands it over to the man. "Feel free to call me anytime."
"I appreciate your help with our work." The man smiles, looking beside Stu at the messy state his house is in. Then he extends his hand again. "I'll contact you soon. Thank you for your time " he leaves after Stu shakes his hand, leaving Stu with a bitter taste.
The Stab movie is everywhere lately, he is sick of it.
Stu sighs deeply and he stands there staring off in deep thought. He thinks back to the previous conversation he had with his friend earlier and now this. He is now much more troubled and uneasy. He speaks with a much darker and more annoyed tone.
" I have made a big mistake." His voice goes slightly quieter now. "I shouldn't have trusted him. I.." He sighs deeply, as he mutters more angry and more aggressively. " I am stupid. I am so stupid."