Chapter 3: Departures & Dark Waters
The ship's horn blared ominously, a low and heavy sound that reverberated through the port, announcing the S.S. Lazarus' departure. On the dock, parents waved farewell, their faces a mix of pride and anxiety, while children leaned over the ship's railings, shouting goodbyes to their families. The wind carried the scent of saltwater and diesel, weaving through the excitement that buzzed in the air.
Among the crowd on the ship's deck, Sean Robertson scanned the scene, his eyes combing through the throng of excited students. His gaze caught sight of Rennie Wickham, her golden retriever Toby tugging slightly on his leash as he sniffed at the unfamiliar scents. Sean took a deep breath and approached her, hoping to make a good impression.
"Rennie," he called, raising his hand in a friendly wave.
Rennie turned, a smile tugging at her lips as Sean's familiar face came into view. "Hi, Sean. Looks like we're finally setting sail."
"Yeah, it's pretty exciting, isn't it?" Sean replied, running a hand through his hair nervously. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. "I, uh, wanted to give you something."
Rennie's eyes widened in surprise as Sean opened the box to reveal a delicate silver necklace. It glimmered in the sunlight, the pendant a small heart with an intricate design etched into its surface.
"It's beautiful," she said softly, her fingers brushing over the pendant. "You didn't have to..."
Sean shook his head, holding the necklace out for her. "I wanted to. May I?"
She nodded, lifting her hair to allow him to clasp the necklace around her neck. The metal felt cool against her skin, a strange contrast to the warmth of the moment. As Sean fastened the clasp, the ship's intercom crackled to life.
"Attention all passengers," the voice boomed. "There will be a welcome dance party on the lower deck starting at 8 PM. We hope to see you all there!"
Rennie laughed, the sound mingling with the cheers of the other students who were looking forward to the event. "I guess we know what we're doing tonight."
"Yeah," Sean agreed, smiling down at her. "It'll be fun. We should—"
"Sean!" a stern voice interrupted them, and they both turned to see Charles McCulloch, Rennie's uncle and the chaperone for the trip. "Your father needs to see you."
Sean glanced back at Rennie apologetically. "I should go. We'll talk later?"
Rennie nodded, watching as Sean hurried off to meet his father. She sighed and patted Toby's head, her thoughts interrupted by the approaching figure of Charles.
"There you are, Rennie," Charles said briskly. "I was worried you might have gotten... distracted."
Rennie bristled at his tone. "I'm perfectly fine, Uncle Charles. I wanted to say goodbye to my parents properly. Not letting my life be ruled by trauma is what they would want."
Charles's eyes narrowed slightly. "This trip is very important, Rennie. You need to be careful and stay focused on your studies."
Her jaw tightened. "I'm aware of that. But I also made a promise to Colleen that I would try to enjoy myself."
He frowned, clearly disapproving of the idea. "Enjoying yourself should not come at the expense of your safety. These kids might view this as a vacation, but for you, it's an opportunity to learn and grow. That means no partying."
Rennie crossed her arms, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. "It's just one dance, Uncle Charles. I can take care of myself. I'm not a little girl anymore."
Charles glanced around the deck, noting the clusters of excited teens and the potential for things to go wrong. "No. It's too risky. You'll stay in your room where it's safe."
Rennie balled her hands into fists, feeling the pendant Sean had just given her press into her palm. She wanted to argue, to tell him off, but she knew it would be useless. Charles was as stubborn as they came.
"Fine," she muttered, and her uncle's stern expression softened slightly.
"Good," he said with a nod. "Now, go to your room and stay there. We'll discuss this more later."
Rennie turned, Toby following at her side as they walked away. She knew her uncle meant well in his overprotective way, but it only made her feel more trapped.
Further along the deck, JJ Jarrett and Wayne Webber were engaged in a lively conversation. JJ, with her electric personality and guitar slung over her shoulder, seemed to light up any space she occupied. Wayne, her best friend, was more reserved but his eyes shone with a crush he couldn't quite hide.
"So, what's up with you and Tamara?" JJ asked, nudging Wayne playfully.
Wayne blushed, adjusting his glasses. "Nothing much. I mean, I like her, but she's... you know, way out of my league."
JJ laughed, the sound vibrant and full of life. "Come on, Wayne! You never know until you try. Besides, you're a great guy. You've got to show her that!"
Wayne looked thoughtful. "Maybe you're right. I've been trying to work up the courage, but she's always surrounded by people."
"Tell you what," JJ said, grinning. "I'll wingman for you at the party tonight."
"Thanks, JJ," Wayne said appreciatively. "I owe you one."
Leaving Wayne to his thoughts, JJ decided to sneak off to the mechanical room on the lower level of the ship, her curiosity piqued by the lure of the restricted area. The machinery fascinated her, and she loved the industrial sounds and smells that most people found off-putting.
...
As she wandered deeper into the bowels of the ship, shadows seemed to grow longer and the air turned cooler. JJ hummed a tune, oblivious to the menacing presence that was on board with her and her classmates, a dark figure emerging from the gloom, stalking and plotting his next move.
Meanwhile, back on the upper decks, Rennie was walking towards her room when she encountered Suzi Donaldson, a fellow student she hadn't spoken to much before. Suzi was leaning against the railing, staring out at the water, lost in thought.
"Hey," Rennie said softly as she approached. Toby wagged his tail, sensing the need for comfort.
"Hey," Suzi echoed, glancing briefly at Rennie before turning back to the ocean. "It's beautiful, isn't it? The water, I mean."
Rennie nodded, joining her at the railing. "Yeah, it's calming in a way. Makes you forget about everything else for a moment."
Suzi sighed, her expression darkening. "Not everything. There are some things you can't forget, no matter how far you go."
Rennie looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"
Suzi hesitated, as if weighing whether to share her burden. Finally, she whispered, "Have you ever heard of Jason Voorhees?"
Rennie's blood ran cold at the mention of the name. "Yes... But he's a legend, right? A story used to scare kids."
Suzi shook her head vigorously, tears welling in her eyes. "No, he's real. He... he killed my boyfriend. No one believes me, but I saw him. No mask can hide those eyes, those dead, soulless eyes."
Rennie placed a hand on Suzi's arm. "That sounds terrifying. I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"It's been a nightmare," Suzi admitted, her voice quivering. "Every time I close my eyes, I see him. And now, being here on this ship... I can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen."
Rennie felt a shiver run down her spine. "I know the feeling. I've been dealing with my own fears, my own traumas. We all have our demons, I guess."
They stood in somber silence for a moment, finding solace in their mutual understanding. Rennie finally broke the silence. "Want to come to the dance with me? Maybe it'll help take our minds off things. At least for a little while."
Suzi nodded, managing a weak smile. "I'd like that."
As they made their way together towards the lower deck, neither of them noticed the shadowy figure lurking in the background, watching every move they made.
In another part of the ship, Tamara Mason and her friend Eva Watanabe were perched on a bench, watching a group of boys who had set up an impromptu boxing match. Tamara's eyes followed Julius Gaw, the reigning champion, as he swiftly dodged a punch and countered with a powerful jab to his opponent's midsection.
"Julius is definitely the best," Tamara declared, her voice dripping with admiration. "No one can touch him."
Eva nodded, twirling a strand of her dark hair. "Yeah, he's amazing. But there are some other cute guys too. Look at that one over there."
They giggled, their conversation drifting from the fighters to their other classmates as they pulled out a small baggie containing some powder.
"Want to try some?" Tamara offered with a mischievous grin.
Eva hesitated but then took a small amount. "Sure, why not? It's a party, after all."
As they disappeared into a shadowed corner to indulge, they stumbled upon Rennie and Suzi, who were looking for Toby who had wandered off after catching an interesting scent.
"Lost something?" Tamara asked with a smirk.
"Just our dog," Rennie replied, not fully trusting Tamara's intentions. "He ran off. Have you seen him?"
"Nope," Tamara said, her tone mockingly concerned. "But good luck with that."
As the two groups went their separate ways, Charles McCulloch happened to walk past and caught sight of Tamara and Eva's suspicious behavior. His eyes narrowed as he approached them.
"What are you two doing back here?" he demanded, his voice harsh and unforgiving.
Tamara quickly hid the evidence of their drugs behind her back and put on an innocent face. "Oh, Mr. McCulloch, we were just... talking."
"Talking?" Charles echoed, clearly not buying it. His eyes darted between the two girls. "I've had enough of your mischief, Tamara. One more stunt like this and you'll be sent back to your room for the rest of the trip. Understood?"
Tamara's eyes flashed with anger, but she managed to keep her voice steady. "Understood."
As Charles walked away, she muttered under her breath, "You'll regret that." Her gaze shifted back to Rennie, her resentment growing.
Meanwhile, Jason Voorhees was making his way unseen through the ship, a deadly shadow among the bustling students and crew. He found his way to the health club, where a lone boxer, who had lost to Julius earlier, was cooling off in a sauna. The young man lay back, the heat of the sauna relaxing his sore muscles, unaware of the monstrous presence closing in.
"Yo Julius? Is that you man?" Said the boxer, completely unaware of the gruesome fate that was in store for him.
Jason silently picked up a large, hot rock from the sauna, his cold eyes fixed on his unsuspecting victim. With brutal efficiency, he thrust the rock into the boxer's chest, causing him to cry out in pain before his voice was abruptly silenced. Jason tilted his head, observing his handiwork before dragging the lifeless body out of the sauna, leaving a trail of blood behind.
Voorhees took a deep breath of rage, before departing the sauna, In route of his next victim...
Back on the upper deck, Rennie and Suzi finally spotted Toby, happily wagging his tail at the sight of them. They scooped him up and made their way to catch up with their teacher, Colleen Van Deusen.
Colleen greeted them warmly. "I was wondering where you two ran off to. How are you handling everything?"
Rennie exchanged a glance with Suzi before answering. "It's been... a lot. But we're managing."
Suzi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's just hard sometimes. Thank you for letting me come on this trip. It means a lot."
Colleen smiled kindly. "Of course. We're all here to support each other. And if you two ever need to talk, I'm here."
Their conversation was interrupted by Tamara storming towards them. With a calculated push, she shoved Rennie over the ship's railing. Rennie's scream pierced the air as she plunged into the icy waters below. Suzi and Colleen watched in horror as the splash marked her entry into the dark seas.
"Rennie!" Suzi screamed, and without hesitation, she and Miles Wolfe, who had witnessed the event, jumped into the water. As members of Lakeview High's swimming team, their skills were put to the test as they fought the cold and currents to reach her.
Miles reached out, grabbing Rennie, who was struggling to stay afloat. "I've got you! Just hold on!"
Back on the deck, Charles rushed to the scene, his face a mask of fury and fear. "What happened here?" he demanded, his eyes blazing as he looked at the gathered crowd, landing squarely on Colleen and Suzi as they were helped out of the water.
"It was an accident," Tamara lied, her voice filled with false innocence. "Rennie must have slipped."
Charles turned to Colleen, his anger palpable. "How could you let this happen? You were supposed to be looking after her!"
Colleen took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "It wasn't my fault, Charles. I was talking to her and Suzi when—"
"And you, Suzi," Charles cut her off, his face red with rage. "What were you doing? Trying to play hero?"
Suzi, shivering from the cold, stood her ground. "I was just trying to save her, sir. I wasn't going to let her drown."
Rennie, wrapped in a towel and still dripping wet, climbed back on deck with Miles' help and faced her uncle, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't slip, Uncle Charles. Tamara pushed me."
Charles' face hardened. "Is that true, Tamara?"
Tamara scoffed, her bravado slipping for just a moment. "I said it was an accident. Why would I push her?"
"Because you're jealous," Sean Robertson said, approaching the group with a determined look. "Everyone knows it."
Tamara's face flushed with anger as the eyes of the gathered students and faculty turned on her, some skeptical, others convinced.
Just then, a deckhand appeared from the shadows, his face pale and eyes wide with fear. He approached Charles and the others, his voice low and urgent. "He's here. Jason Voorhees is here. We're all doomed."
The crowd fell silent, the weight of his words pressing down like a heavy fog. Some students laughed nervously, dismissing the warning as a crazy old sailor's ramblings, but others felt an icy chill run down their spines.
"You're crazy," Charles snapped, dismissing the deckhand's warning. "Go back to wherever you came from."
The deckhand's eyes bore into Charles, his voice unwavering. "Mark my words. He's here, and he won't stop until we're all dead. I've seen the signs. You need to get off this ship."
Before Charles could respond, the deckhand slunk back into the shadows, leaving his ominous message lingering in the air.
Rennie huddled closer to Suzi and Sean, her mind racing with fear and confusion combined with the ice cold waters coursing over her body. "Do you think it's true? Could Jason actually be on this ship?"
Sean's face was serious as he answered. "I don't know, but we need to be cautious. Whatever happens, we need to stick together."
Miles, still shivering from the icy plunge, nodded in agreement. "He's right. If there's any truth to this, we're in for a long night."
As the group moved towards the safety of the cabins, via Charles punishing them all, the kids were shrouded in a newfound tension,
Little did they know, Jason Voorhees continued his silent rampage in the bowels of the ship, his presence felt but not yet seen. The night stretched ahead, ominous and unforgiving, as the S.S. Lazarus sailed on into darkness and uncertainty.
With the thumping bass of the ship's makeshift dance floor fading into the background, JJ Jarrett found herself drawn to the bowels of the S.S. Lazarus. The mechanical room was her escape, a sanctuary away from the noise and clamor of her classmates. She had always found solace in the industrial symphony of machines, the hum and clank offering a strange comfort.
JJ's footsteps echoed down the metallic corridors, her reflection fractured in the polished surfaces of cold machinery. As she descended into the depths of the ship, the air grew cooler and more oppressive, shadows lengthening until they seemed to swallow the light. She tightened her grip on the guitar slung across her back, her fingers instinctively running over its strings.
Pausing near a large set of turbines, JJ fumbled with a tape player and her infamous guitar, settling into the industrial rhythm that mingled with the distant strains of her favorite rock songs. She let the music wash over her, head bobbing, beginning to lose herself in the moment.
Unbeknownst to JJ, she was being watched. From the deep shadows of the mechanical expanse, Jason Voorhees observed her, his cold, unblinking eyes tracking her every movement. The dim lighting glinted off his tarnished mask, revealing the corroded edges and the emotionless expression that had become the symbol of unending terror.
Slowly and methodically, Jason began his predatory approach. Each step was silent, calculated, his imposing frame moving with a deadly grace. JJ, lost in her music, remained oblivious to the impending danger.
As she adjusted the volume on her guitar player, Jason closed the final distance, and his massive hand shot out to grab her. JJ's scream was muffled beneath the roar of the turbines and the thump of her headphones. Jason's grip was like iron, lifting her effortlessly off the ground and slamming her against a metal column.
Her scream tore through the confined space as she struggled to free herself, kicking and thrashing wildly. Jason's dead eyes flickered with a cruel intent, and he released her momentarily, allowing her to stumble and crash into a set of dangling chains. Desperate for a weapon, JJ grabbed a heavy wrench, swinging it with all her might. The scrapy clang echoed, but it barely phased Jason, who advanced relentlessly.
JJ turned and tried to flee, her heart pounding in her chest like a jackhammer. She glanced back, just in time to see Jason snatch up an electric guitar that had been set aside. With terrifying precision, he swung the guitar, making brutal contact with her back and sending her sprawling to the floor.
The impact knocked the wind out of JJ, her body spasming from the pain. She crawled forward, trying to reach the exit, but Jason grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her back. Helpless and desperate, she clawed at the floor, leaving bloody smears in her wake.
Jason, ever-methodical, lifted JJ by her hair, forcing her to look into his dead, lifeless eyes. With a swift and monstrous display of strength, he sent her flying across the room, her body crashing into the intricate tangle of metal beams and wires that comprised the ship's heart.
Groaning in pain, JJ looked up, her vision blurring from the force of the impact. She barely had time to register Jason's approach before he grabbed her again and threw her with unyielding force against a control panel. The sharp edges of the metal console cut into her back, and she felt a warm trickle of blood seeping through her clothes.
Gasping for breath, JJ's trembling hands found the edge of a loose pipe. With every ounce of strength left in her battered body, she swung it at Jason. It connected with a dull thud, but it might as well have been a feather for all the effect it had on him.
Enraged by her defiance, Jason grabbed the pipe and wrenched it from her grasp, snapping it in half effortlessly. He discarded it and seized JJ by the neck, lifting her off the ground. She clawed at his hand, trying to break free, but his grip was merciless.
JJ's eyes widened in horror as Jason moved her closer to the massive power box on the wall, its wires sparking ominously. She tried to scream, but his hand around her throat cut off any sound. With ruthless intent, Jason shoved her face-first into the buzzing circuitry.
The room lit up in a blaze of sparks as electricity surged through JJ's body. Convulsions wracked her frame, her muscles seizing painfully as the power arced through her. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, mingling with the acrid scent of ozone. Jason then grabbed her discarded guitar and for extra credit, brutally smashed it into her already burn and horribly disfigured face.
Just as suddenly as it began, the lights dimmed and the sparks subsided. Jason held her lifeless body for a moment longer before dropping her unceremoniously to the ground. JJ's still-smoking form slumped against the wall, her once vibrant spirit extinguished.
Jason stood over her for a moment, his work completed, before he turned and melted back into the shadows, leaving the grisly scene behind. The mechanical room fell silent, save for the hum of the turbines and the ominous crackle of dying electricity.
The S.S. Lazarus continued its journey through the dark, unfeeling waters, the brutal reminder of its unwanted guest hidden in its depths. As the ship sailed on, unwittingly bearing the horror it harbored, the night promised only more bloodshed and terror for those aboard.
And thus, the grisly chapter closed, with Jason's rampage far from over and the unsuspecting students of Lakeview High sailing towards their doom.
A/N's: Chapter 3 of Jason Takes Manhattan Is downpacked. So far, the Lakeview Crew are having fun but not everyone, Rennie's the victim of Tamara's bitterness, and JJ and Julius's boxer friend are gone. With JJ's death, I wanted it to be as gruesome and merciless as possible, and I wanted the details broken down specifically so people can get a feel of how brutal her death is. I hope any current & future readers like how I did it.
I wanted to release this on Friday The 13th, three days ago, But was heavily occupied that day and didn't have the time to release it. But let's not dwell on the past, it's here now!
With all that being said, hope to see you all in Chapter 4. Have Fun, Stay Safe, And Be Good People :)
