Chapter 74, The Shape returns

…

"What happened? Are you guys still there?" Danielle heard running feet and hushed voices and was terrified they'd left her for some reason.

"Yes, sweetheart we're here," Joanne said, putting her hand back through the hatch. She pulled out her work cell and sent a text to Dr Loomis, making it as cryptic as she could as they were work cells and could be checked.

Not changing, but please authorise.

The doors in solitary confinement were controlled by a computer system, which generated a new code each twelve hours to open the doors, only the doctors knew it or could override and reset it. It changed every twelve hours precisely to stop a corrupt guard from letting a patient out without permission, because they liked them or maybe even on a bribe. Joanne hated it. They were all trustworthy and she hated having to beg Dr Loomis for the code, purely so they could get in and hug Danielle. Seconds later he replied. The text read just two words.

Check other.

Joanne was confused for a second, then it clicked. Pulling out her personal cell she looked and sure enough there was a text from a number she didn't recognise. She realised with a rush of affection and respect that this was his personal cell number, he'd been thinking exactly what she had. Of course, he was, he was a damn clever man. His personal text read:

Danielle deserves at the very least a hug, I agree. 5276.

Quickly, she stepped towards the keypad and tapped in the code. Immediately the door buzzed open, and she and Jack ran in. With three of them in the tiny space designed for one it was a squeeze, but Joanne didn't care. Reaching out, she pulled Danielle tightly into her arms, as finally the young woman gave into her tears.

"We're here," Joanne soothed, as Jack began to stroke Danielle's back.

"Yeah," he said, me with the small ears!" He knelt in front of her where she was sitting on the hard bench and placed her hands on his ears. Finally, she gave him a very small smile as she gently pulled them. "Ow, ow! My ears, my tiny ears!" Jack exclaimed in a squeaky voice, and now she did laugh a little. "That's more like it," Joanne stepped back and now he was hugging her. She noticed he wasn't wearing his equipment vest.

"Where's your stuff, Jack?" She croaked; her eyes still wet from crying.

"Ah, that. Well, you see, I took it off, it's on the bench outside this door. as is Joanne's."

"Why?"

"Well, why on earth do we need our equipment when we're down here to see our friend?" He hugged her again. Danielle was more touched by this than she could ever tell them and for a moment could not speak.

"I wish these were Dr Hazard's fucking ears," she said, touching his again. "I'd pull them right off her head!"

Jack mock winced. "Ouch! Well in that case I'm so glad they're not!"

"Me too," Joanne said fervently. "Not that I'd mind if you did, though."

"Oh, me neither," Jack assured. "Hell, I'd hold her down for you!"

…

"What the hell do you mean he's…" Rick began as he burst into the corridor and stopped dead. Ryan was right, Michael's cell was empty. Immediately he started to doubt himself. Had it been this cell? Stupidly, he opened the door, like that would show him anything. His mind had gone blank. What the hell?

Rick recalled how Dr Loomis had told him about the time in 1978 Michael had just completely disappeared after the Psychiatrist had shot him six times. He hadn't believed it at first but now…

"Where the fuck is he?" Ryan was white as chalk.

"We need to tell Dr Loomis," Rick said. "Now."

…

Oliver Cutter stared in horror as he listened to the audio of the footage in the exercise yard. Dr Hazard had crossed so many lines, moral if nothing else. She'd been on leave for a year, then she just burst back in thinking she was in total control. He could hardly believe his eyes or ears. He could see the panic on Hayward's face when she was chained, then again when she was dragged towards solitary by two of Dr Hazard's guards. What made him even angrier was the fact that Dr Hazard worked on a lower ward from where Danielle was. She knew nothing about her, hadn't even spoken to Dr Loomis about why she wasn't chained, she'd just leapt into action without hesitation based on words in a textbook! He was seriously considering first a formal reprimand, but maybe even that was too soft? She probably should lose her job for this.

"Sir," Dr Loomis said, pulling him out of his thoughts. "I… I'm sorry, but I need authorisation to release Danielle from solitary, or she could take it to court and…"

"Say no more!" Cutter said. "Leave this with me, I'll deal with this. As for letting Danielle out, of course you can, but I think Dr Hazard should do it, with a damn grovelling apology. She loves putting people in solitary, she should see how bad it actually is down there for herself! Do you think Danielle will be ok to hold on for a few more minutes while I do what needs to be done?"

Dr Loomis hesitated. "Yes, she's a damn lot stronger than she was when she arrived here, but please don't make it too long, I don't want her down there for any longer than necessary, when it's so undeserved and she's probably scared. It's cold down there, quiet and for a blind person I'd imagine it would be terrifying. I asked Joanne to stay with her, but still…"

Say no more. "Ok then," Cutter stood up. It was clear this meeting was over. "Your guards can go down with Dr Hazard if they want, but I won't blame them if they don't," he muttered.

"Ok Sir," Dr Loomis nodded and left. Cutter headed at a fast walk out of the office. Dr Hazard was going to have some serious questions to answer and would be very lucky indeed if she still had her job by the end of the interview.

…

Dr Hazard stepped out of the therapy room at the end of one of her sessions, feeling very pleased and self-satisfied with how she'd handled the incident with Hayward that morning. That was how it should be done, and she knew Dr Loomis knew this too. The very fact he hadn't tried too hard to have her released was because he knew as well as she did that Hayward had indeed actually broken a rule and she had made the decision to punish her with solitary. Dr Loomis could not override that without the authority of the CEO, and why would he go to the CEO for something as stupid as this? Smiling to herself, she headed back into her office.

…

"Dr Loomis," Rick said, catching him as soon as he re-entered the block. "Michael's not in the cell I put him in! We don't know where he is!"

"What are you talking about?" Dr Loomis followed Rick fast towards the cells.

"We've looked everywhere Sir," Ryan appeared beside them. "He's… he's not there."

They stopped outside the cell Michael had been put in and Rick and Ryan stared at each other, unable to speak. Because Michael was standing right beside the door, his eyes fixed on them.

"I say again," Dr Loomis said. "What are you talking about? He's right here."

"He… he wasn't," Ryan stammered, but lacking conviction in his voice. "I swear Sir! I went to the cell he was in and he… he was gone!"

"That's impossible," Dr Loomis said, but Rick saw him turn pale. "I know you had that incident with Gregory and suffer both mentally and physically because of it, could you possibly have taken something… um, unusual and…"

"I'm not damn tripping!" Ryan said furiously. "He damn well wasn't there!"

Dr Loomis glanced at Michael now and was it his imagination, or was there a definite look of amusement on the killer's face? He felt himself actually shiver a little. If Michael Myers found something funny, it was a very bad sign. God knew his humour was dark and twisted enough.

"For Christ's sake man," Rick turned to Ryan. "You almost caused full on panic! I echo Dr Loomis. Have you taken something you shouldn't have?"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Ryan yelled. "I'M NOT FUCKING TRIPPING GOD DAMN IT, I KNOW WHAT My EYES SAW! WERE YOU THERE? NO, SO STOP FUCKING JUDGING ME! HE, WAS, NOT, IN, THIS, CELL!"

Dr Loomis stepped forward and touched Ryan's shoulder. "Go and get some air," he murmured. "Calm yourself down. There's been no harm done, so whatever happened doesn't matter now. Go on, go." He looked back at Michael and there was absolutely no doubt to him this time, the killer was silently laughing at them. This whole thing amused him. Rick looked at him too then, and Dr Loomis was certain he shivered.

Ryan stormed away, as Rick and Dr Loomis now looked at each other. "Are you saying…" Rick whispered. "That he…"

"I don't know," Dr Loomis still looked pale. "But judging by the fact he's laughing at us… I really, really don't want to find out."

"I told them below ground that I thought something in him had… had changed. He seems angrier even than when Dawson…" Dr Loomis nodded grimly. Rick glanced briefly at Michael again but had to look away. The killer's blank, emotionless gaze was too cold, intense, fucking terrifying to hold, as was his cruel, amused smirk. Right then, Rick Evans was sincerely glad he wasn't Myers enemy. Judging by the look on Dr Loomis' face, his boss was thinking exactly the same thing.

…

"I'll be right back," Jack said to Danielle a few moments later. She felt panic threaten to take hold again. "No sweetie," he soothed. "We bought you a little something. Through the hatch, he handed Danielle back her phone a clear rule violation, but he didn't give a shit. "There's no cell service down here of course, but listen to some music, read a book or something to keep calm and I'll be back to let you out as soon as I can, I promise!"

"Please don't leave me alone down here," Danielle whimpered, and normally she would be ashamed but not here, not now.

"No chance kiddo, Joanne's going nowhere," Jack said, squeezing her cold hand before releasing it. "She is your assigned guard after all. You're not going to be left alone we'd never do that to you down here, no way in hell."

Joanne sat on one of the seats outside Danielle's door, designed for doctors to sit on as they talked to a patient they were considering letting out. They were not in the least comfortable, but she didn't care. She'd sit there all week if she had to. "I'm going nowhere. Still use your phone if you want, but I'm right here."

"At least I have Michael's kiss for comfort," Danielle muttered, seeming not to hear what Joanne had said. "That's the only part of him I'll have for a while." Lowering her head, she started to cry again. Joanne heartedly wished she hadn't let the door close. Jack had kept it open with his foot to avoid this, but she hadn't moved fast enough to stop it. The light on the control pad had just flashed red then green at that precise moment, indicating the code had just been changed. "God fucking damn it," Joanne muttered. Hearing Danielle crying was breaking her heart. Putting her hand through the hatch again, she coaxed her to take it. The tears were pouring down her face and Joanne didn't think she'd ever seen her looking so wretched, beaten. Was this how she'd looked when Adam had been putting her through hell? Joanne tried hard to blink back her own tears so as not to cry with her, but failed and within seconds was silently crying her eyes out too.

…

"Dr Hazard," one of the personal assistants said, knocking on her office door. "Oliver Cutter wants to see you in his office now."

Probably to promote me for following the rules correctly, she thought with a smug grin. About time, I might add.

She gave the woman a dismissive nod, after all what was she but a secretary, not worth her time and headed down the corridors towards an elevator up to Cutter's office. She'd looked back through her Emails while in her office earlier and had read one about how Andrews had indeed been replaced by Cutter, who had previously been his deputy. She didn't know why but this saddened her, and she was determined to find out. Maybe Cutter would tell her what had happened? After he'd shaken her by the hand and promoted her, of course.

Heading into the elevator, Dr Hazard headed up to the top floor of the main reception, which was where the CEO's office was. It still felt wrong to her that Andrews wasn't sitting behind the polished wood desk though. When she knocked, Cutter's clipped voice spoke. "Dr Hazard, please come in."

She opened the door and saw the new CEO sitting behind his desk, wearing a tailored suit and tie. He did not look pleased, but she didn't think anything of this at first, assuming that was just his default expression or something. Maybe he needed his coffee? "Please take a seat," he said. She sank into the seat opposite him and waited for him to speak.

"Dr Hazard, in all my years of working here, I have never, ever been so disappointed and angry at a staff member in my life, as I am currently with you. You have crossed so many lines this morning, everything from moral to ethic. I don't even know where to start with your conduct. As I understand it, you've been on leave for a year, is this correct?" She nodded, too stunned to speak. What the hell? "Right," he continued, his gaze not leaving her face. "So, what on earth Dr Hazard, made you think you could just come back in here and act like you're the one in charge? You know nothing about Danielle Hayward's circumstances or position within this hospital, and you immediately ordered her chained, without checking first if there was a reason why she was not. Not only that, but you then put her straight in solitary, admittedly she had technically broken a rule, but I heard what she shouted. 'Dr Loomis, Jack, Rick, I'm in trouble!' Does that sound like someone 'messing around' to quote your very words, to you?"

"I don't know what she was scared of though Sir," Dr Hazard said, still keeping her voice calm and professional. "I was in charge, and I was only chaining her as the rules state, and she acted like I was going to kill her."

"But again, you did not check with Dr Loomis or even Joanne for that matter if there was a reason she was not chained, or hell; even ask Danielle herself. Why? You had no idea why she was even in Smith's Grove; you haven't been here for twelve months. But you just stormed back in and inserted your authority, which I might add you didn't have in that ward. Need I remind you Dr Hazard that you work in medium security, not high, so you had no right to make a decision about one of Dr Loomis' patients without speaking to him first. I haven't been CEO long, but I have already read some reports on you, your constant desire for control in whatever ward you work in and even those you don't. You have just locked a totally blind young woman in solitary, with no thought for her welfare or even safety."

"Sir," Dr Hazard was now struggling to keep calm, if she was honest with herself, she was starting to feel scared. This was not at all the promotion and praise she'd thought she'd receive when she'd first entered this office. "Hayward has nothing to be scared of the cells are tiny, there's nowhere for her to go. Ok she's blind, but it's not like she can get lost, is it?"

"You really have no empathy, do you?" Cutter said quietly. "I've heard that said about you, but this just proves it. Your only concern is practicality. How would you feel if I blindfolded you right now and locked you in one of the cells down there? Unable to see, nothing to hear, total empty silence. Are you telling me you wouldn't be scared? If only a little?"

Dr Hazard decided to humour him and considered his question for a moment. Yes, maybe she would be a little unnerved, but Hayward had nearly had a full-on damn panic attack when she'd been chained then taken away. A little over the top, she thought.

"I certainly would not have had a panic attack Sir," she said eventually. "That was a little melodramatic, was it not?"

"I can't believe my ears," Cutter said. His voice was quiet, but she knew he was disgusted. "Wow. You are supposed to be a doctor here looking after mentally and, in some cases, physically ill people? We really need to take better looks at who we employ in such positions, wouldn't you say?"

"What are you implying, Sir?" She asked, her voice cold now.

"I am implying Dr Hazard, that you will be very lucky indeed to keep your position here, I am seriously tempted to dismiss you, I have more than enough evidence to do so on this alone. Not to mention the fact that Dr Loomis' worst fear was that you would take them to court if he let Danielle out without my authority, and he and his guards would go to prison, purely for trying to help a vulnerable person. Quite frankly Dr Hazard, you make me feel sick. I certainly would not want to be cared for by you."

"Excuse me," Dr Hazard's voice was ice now. "Who exactly do you think…"

"I'm talking to?" Cutter laughed grimly. "Someone who is very likely to lose their job and be struck off the medical register, that's who I'm talking to. I will call you back in once I have considered things thoroughly, but it's not looking good for you. I don't know how anyone, especially a doctor, could be so cruel and cold. Now please leave my office, I have what might be your last job for you to do."

Dr Hazard glared at him now, if she'd lost her job what did she have to lose? "So, what, exactly, is that, Sir?"

"You are to go down to solitary, either alone or with guards and let Danielle out immediately, with a grovelling apology. That's the very least that young lady deserves from you, although I won't blame her if she doesn't want to accept or even hear it."

"Down to solitary, Sir?" Dr Hazard said, trying not to let her fear show. She'd always hated the dark, right from when she was a child. Not to mention being underground…

"Really Dr Hazard," Cutter said with a grim smile. "Surely, you're not scared, are you? Maybe now then you understand some of how Danielle felt when you so cruelly locked her in there, and you can see let's not forget that little fact."

Without another word, Dr Hazard stood up and left the office. Cutter had hit the nail on the head. She was scared, and she fucking hated it! But there was no way she was going to let that arrogant little prick see it though. Damn, why couldn't it have been Andrews behind that desk? He'd have seen it her way immediately and would've helped her with the court case. Why had he even lost his job in the first place? That was one piece of information she didn't know, and she wanted to! It was probably some total miscarriage of justice, just like she was going through now. Cutter hadn't heard the last of this, she'd report it to anyone she could, get him fired as well as Dr Loomis and his idiot guards. It was clear they ran on emotion, not rules. A stupid and dangerous thing to do when dealing with their patients, especially on the damn high security ward! What if Hayward had attacked them, what then? They needed some serious training. She needed to get herself a damn good lawyer, get around Cutter then start working on the road towards getting herself in charge and really showing everyone how this hospital should be run. Once this whole thing with Hayward had blown over, she would make a start on doing just that.

…

Jack stepped out of the elevator, and joined Rick in the staff canteen where he was drinking a coffee. His colleague looked as exhausted as he felt. Although Danielle didn't know it, her conversation with Mel and Dr Stark a few weeks ago had come to fruition. Cutter had indeed replaced the coffee machine in the staff canteen with a much better one. Jack headed over to it and got himself a coffee through the touch screen commands, then joined Rick at his table. "You ok man?" He asked.

Rick let out a long sigh. "Whew, what a shit storm this day has turned into. As soon as Dr Loomis told us Dr Hazard was back, I knew we were in trouble, I just didn't know how fast things would go to hell. Dr Hell? She's certainly earned that nickname just this morning alone."

"Ain't that the truth," Jack nodded. "Poor Danielle, my heart is breaking for her."

"I know, but Joanne's with her, she's in safe hands and we'll get her out as soon as we're able."

As if on cue, Oliver Cutter himself entered the canteen, looked around then approached their table. "Good morning gentlemen," he greeted them.

"Good morning, Sir," Jack and Rick said together.

"Do you mind if I join you for a moment?" Cutter asked.

"Of course not," Rick said. Cutter smiled at him and took the seat across from the two guards. "Well gentlemen, as much as I wish this was just a social chat to pop in and say hello, chew the fat as it were, I'm afraid that's not why I'm here, as you've probably guessed." Looking at him, Rick noticed the CEO looked almost as tired as they and Dr Loomis were. "First off I want to say I'm very sorry for what happened to Danielle, that was totally needless and exceptionally cruel."

"Why are you the one apologising Sir?" Jack asked, echoing Rick's exact thoughts. "You weren't the one who locked her down there or chained her, were you?"

"Indeed not," Cutter smiled at him sadly. "But I know enough from the little I know about Danielle that this can not have been pleasant or easy for her. So, I take some responsibility for the selfish and heartless way my staff member acted towards one of our patients. I always have done, even when I was deputy CEO to Andrews. So, here's the deal. I have told Dr Hazard in no uncertain terms that she is to go down to solitary and let Danielle out, with a grovelling apology I added."

Jack snorted, unable to help himself. "That woman doesn't apologise to anyone."

"That's as maybe," Cutter sighed. "But if you're willing, I'd like you to go down with her. Nothing to do with her, but because Danielle knows and trusts you, and I want her surrounded by people she trusts when Dr Hazard is anywhere near her. I saw you fire your gun Mr. Evans, and nothing is going to come of that for you. You were more than justified in your actions, trying to protect one of your patients."

Rick flushed. "Thank you, Sir, I was just so angry, and I didn't think."

"To me, that just proves you're a good man and you care about those you're protecting and in charge of. Dr Hazard isn't even on your ward, which makes this whole thing even more of a problem. For her, that is. So, gentlemen, are you willing to do this?"

"Don't even need to ask," the two said in unison and Cutter smiled at them. "I thought not. It's clear you really care about Danielle, and I can see why, she's a good woman whose been through a lot from what Dr Loomis told me. Thank you, I appreciate it."

"It would be our pleasure," Rick said. "Not for Dr Hazard, I might add."

Cutter simply smiled again, stood up and left. "He's a good man," Rick said. Certainly, better than Andrews ever was."

…

Destiny Hazard was furious, absolutely furious. Who the hell did Oliver Cutter think he was to talk to her like that? She had been the one following the rules, it had been Dr Loomis and his goons who were violating them not her. Now she had to go down to solitary like some damn slave and actually apologise to the patient she'd locked in there as, in her eyes, fully justifiable punishment. It made her blood boil. Cutter had just told her after coming to her office that Evans and Grant would go down with her. Privately she would've preferred her own guards, but Cutter had told her firmly this was not up for negotiation. Considering how much trouble her job was already currently in, she decided, with gritted teeth, not to fight him further on it. She entered the staff canteen and immediately saw Grant and Evans sitting at a table together. She had to fight hard not to glare at them, especially Evans. He'd tried to shoot one of her guards and almost hit him. The nerve of him! She approached the table and looked coldly at the two men.

"Grant, Evans, I hear you are accompanying me down to solitary momentarily. You are to go ahead of me, just in case Hayward tries something against me upon her release." The two guards simply nodded, saying nothing. The absolute insubordination made her even angrier, but for now she had to clamp down on it. Who did they think they were? They were only guards, and they were under a doctor's command at all times. She was still a doctor, at least right now. That last thought made her even more determined. No, she would keep her job and qualification if it was the last thing she did. Maybe she'd leave and go to somewhere like Glass Hill, where she could really show those lunatics who was boss.

"Ready when you are then," she said dismissively, really wanting to say put down those coffees and do as you're ordered! But of course, she couldn't. Still without a word the two men got to their feet and walked to her side. She gave them a cold nod as they walked out of the staff canteen and back towards the elevators. As they walked, Grant appeared to scratch his right ear twice.

"That's a woman who doesn't know please or thank you," Rick whispered in his ear as they walked ahead of her as instructed, or more accurately commanded to do. Jack turned his head ever so slightly towards his friend, and Rick saw the tiny head camera he was wearing.

"Dr Loomis advised it," Jack whispered. Mr. Cutter passed it to me just now."

"Good thinking," Rick whispered. "Did you catch that… interaction?"

"Yep, I will show it to Dr Loomis as soon as I can. We're not even her guards, we're a rank above hers, so she has no business talking to us with such blatant disrespect."

"Yeah, and we still have to protect her," Rick muttered. "God! I almost wish Danielle would do something to her, but we both know she'd never do anything like that. But in this case, I sure as shit wouldn't try too hard to stop her!"

"Let's go," Hazard snapped, joining them at the elevator doors. Rick couldn't help himself and gave her a mock bow. "Certainly mam," as he pressed the call button. Hazard glared at him but said nothing, that was a relief. The woman never knew when to stop giving orders and just shut up.

…

Joanne's heart broke all over again, when Danielle lay down on the hard bed bench and pulled the thin blanket over her. She looked utterly defeated and appeared to be trying to sleep. The sight tore Joanne apart. That bed was not in the least comfortable and Danielle should not even be lying on it! It was so unfair. Where the hell was Cutter with his authorisation? If it didn't come soon, she was going to release Danielle and to hell with the consequences, she'd face them willingly. What she'd said to her was true, she really was starting to love her like a daughter. It was hurting her deeply to see this happening to her.

Pulling out her personal phone, she texted Rick.

Babe, what's happening? What Danielle is going through is really upsetting me, is there any word on releasing her yet?"

For some reason the message was not delivered, he either had his phone off or was in a place with no cell service. But as far as she knew the only place that would happen was down here, so did that mean they were making progress? God, she hoped so.

…

As directed, Rick and Jack moved ahead of Dr Hazard, not even looking around to see if she was following them. They knew exactly where Danielle's cell was, but they had been asked by Cutter to wait for Dr Hazard there, and for her to be the one to let Danielle out and apologise for her mistake.

…

Dr Hazard headed into the darkness, turning on a flashlight she'd sneaked from the equipment store. There was no way in hell she was coming down here without one. She hated the dark so much! She saw Grant and Evans walking fast ahead of her, but she didn't care. They were just there to protect her when she reached Hayward's cell, after all it wasn't like there was anything else down here which could hurt her, whereas Hayward might. As she headed further into the darkness towards where she was sure the solitary cells were located, she heard the sound of dripping water. Glancing around, she saw the walls where she was standing were damp, grey stone. Where was the water coming from? Just how big was this punishment underground area? She knew staff also kept supplies down here, but surely solitary wasn't this far down, was it?

Eventually she had to stop when she reached what was unmistakably a collapsed tunnel. Ok, now she was definitely lost. She tried to ignore the flickers of unease and fear starting to press in on her. She hadn't brought a radio or any type of communication device down with her, because she'd figured she wouldn't need it. Where the fuck were the guards? "EVANS, GRANT!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Her voice echoed loudly off the damp walls, but the guards did not respond. Could they not hear, or were they simply ignoring her? Surely their professionalism wouldn't let them, would it? The very professionalism she'd been criticising just minutes ago…

Swallowing down these unpleasant thoughts, she resumed walking. Surely, she would find the cells eventually. As she glanced to the right, she was certain her flashlight picked up something. Looked like a flash of white? But when she looked again, it was gone. Must have imagined it, she thought. Getting jumpy! Come on Hazard, you're better than that!

No, she had to be lost. Turning, she walked back the way she had come, looking over her shoulder every few seconds. Where the hell were those two fucking idiot guards? There it was again; this time she couldn't tell herself she'd imagined it. A flash of unmistakable white. What the hell? She stepped forward, desperately trying to see anything through the utter darkness she was in, but without success. She was also certain her flashlight's battery was running out, the beam seemed to be dimming which was the last thing she needed. As she stood there trying desperately both not to panic and to think what to do, all she could hear was the dripping of water. Where the fuck was she? She'd seen odd pieces of what were clearly rubbish scattered around as she'd passed, broken metal poles, unrecognisable machinery clearly unfit for use and other things she would never be able to identify, thick rust coating everything. She was just considering her next move, when she felt the lethal point of one of those poles entering her neck. She spun on the spot, blood immediately pouring from the gaping wound in which the pole was still lodged.

Falling to her knees she looked up, now coughing up blood and this time there it was. An unmistakable, deathly white, pale mask. "Michael Myers," she just managed to gasp, finally seeing the man who wore it towering above her. The silent killer stood over her, looking down and admiring his handy work before reaching down and yanking the pole out of her neck. Blood sprayed from her body, spattering the walls of the tunnel which would now be her tomb. She looked up and made eye contact with Myers, his eyes the last she would ever see, black, cold ice. She'd read something once about the eyes of Michael Myers being the abyss, now she was finding that out for herself, just before she died. Her last thoughts before her world fast started to turn black were of that kiss Myers had given to Hayward. Surely, surely this wasn't… did he love her? If so, she by her treatment of Hayward had signed her own death certificate, truly living up to her initials. It wasn't long after this that death became not just her initials, but her reality. Perhaps this was lucky for her, because she didn't feel it when Myers slashed open her abdomen with the same pole he'd slit her throat, all the while his breathing calm, steady, before he once again melted into the shadows as if he'd never been there. Blood dripped from the deceased woman's body, which was already beginning to cool. The tunnel and damp walls looked on, indifferent, uncaring that they now held a grave.