Chapter 10: A Plan of Their Own
Lenore took the medicine bottle from Taylor, reading the label aloud. "Hypnocil? What's that? Something to keep us awake?" Then, Lenore noticed something very odd about the label. "And why does it say, "The Swift Family," on it, and isn't prescribed to anyone specific?"
Taylor said, "Long story short, it's the town's last line of defense to keep us - kids – safe; or at least as 'safe' as they're able to keep us from a dream-stalking monster, whenever he's on the loose."
"How do you know that?" said Treavor. "We only just now found out about Krueger."
Taylor shrugged, taking the bottle back from Lenore and handing it to Treavor to look at. "Until a few hours ago, I didn't know. I saw this in my parent's medicine cabinet last year, got curious and googled it. Then, when Krueger gave just us his 'life story;' I put two-and-two together.
"Thank G-d that I only just realized this after waking up, or Krueger might have killed us all.
"Hypnocil's some kind of experimental dream-suppressant drug. You can't get it, legally. No doctor may prescribe it, yet. But I'm guessing every family here in Springwood with anyone under 18 has a bottle handy, just in case. As a matter of fact . . . ."
Taylor went into the bathroom of the Browning's master bedroom, and emerged a moment later with a similar prescription bottle labeled, "The Browing Family."
"Just what I thought," said Taylor dryly. "And I'm betting that if we check Pamelynne's parents' bathroom; we'll find one labeled, "The Conroy Family." Taylor nodded to Treavor. "Your family probably has one, too. Just in case."
"In case of what?" pressed Treavor.
"In case of an 'outbreak' of kids dying in their sleep," said Taylor. When Lenore and Treavor looked puzzled, Taylor continued, "From what Krueger showed us, the town was treating Krueger's dream killing sprees as a kind of 'infectious disease' that "spread" though direct knowledge of Freddy Krueger being able to get into kids' dreams. That's how he got his victims since he died.
"Remember, Krueger said that his first victims didn't know about him, but they were the kids of the parents who were part of the vigilante mob that killed him. Krueger got his later victims when those kids heard about those first kids dying in their sleep."
Treavor nodded, "But if a kid didn't 'know about' Krueger; he couldn't get them?"
"Yeah, exactly," said Taylor. "That's why the town's been trying to keep Krueger's existence a secret."
"And I was going to expose that secret to the whole world," said Lenore softly.
"Hey, you couldn't have possibly known what would have happened if you did," insisted Treavor.
"And even if you did know," added Taylor. "What would you have thought if anyone told you the 'coverup' was to prevent a dream-stalking bogeyman from killing kids while they slept?"
Treavor said, "Well, we just can't let Krueger lose on the world, just to save ourselves." When Lenore and Taylor nodded in solemn agreement, Treavor added, "You got something in mind, Taylor?"
"Wait," said Lenore. "Won't he know we're planning to turn on him?"
Taylor said, "I'm pretty sure that Krueger can't know what we're saying now. But if we fall asleep; then he'll know all about our plans. But he can't exactly "read" minds; just fear.
"Krueger feeds on fear the way a vampire feeds on blood. He knows what scares us. And it definitely scares me that if any of us falls asleep, Krueger will immediately know what we're planning because we'd be scared of him finding out."
Taylor laid-out his plan to destroy the vampire and Krueger. But the first part still needed Krueger's 'help.' For the plan to be effective; the vampire had to be out of the way. Taylor put the stake he made on the bed, and then took a wooden mallet, a crowbar and a heavy steel mallet out of his backpack.
"We will need Krueger to take out those dogs guarding the vampire so we'll be able to go into the house, and stake the vampire. Then we get back to Lenore's house to be certain that Allen and Pamelynne are fully awake, like Krueger promised.
"Once they're safe and awake, Norie will stay with them and bring them up to speed while Treavor and I go back to the vampire's house, and tear-up the drywall hiding the bomb shelter entrance, and then be sure we can get the door open.
"We then call the Springwood Archdiocese, and tell them to send their Exorcists back to 1428 Elm Street to redo the Exorcism because the first time, they missed a room."
Impressed, Treavor gave a rare nod of approval, but Lenore shook her head. It sounded like a very good and simple plan; one that would rid the world of TWO monsters at once. But . . . .
"That could take days, Taylor," said Lenore reasonably. "We can't stay awake for days!"
"That's where the Hypnocil comes in, Norie. We each take one when Treavor and I come back here after the bomb shelter door is exposed and open. And we'll take one every night before we go to sleep until we know the exorcism is done.
"It should be safe to sleep and dream, then."
Lenore said, "How long do you think it's safe to be on Hypnocil, Taylor?"
"I don't know," said Taylor. "Dream depravation is dangerous in the long run. But I don't think it will take the Church more than a day or two to come back and repeat the exorcism; especially if we name-drop "Frederick Charles Krueger."
Treavor said, "Maybe the three of us should take a Hypnocil now, just to be safe."
"We don't know all the effects of Hypnocil, yet," said Lenore. "It might make us all drowsy. Waiting until we're done with the monsters is probably the best plan. I'll just make us some strong coffee to drink until we need to stake the vampire in a few hours."
In the dreamworld, Freddy checked the clock on the wall of his nightmare boiler room. It would be sunrise soon, and Fang Boy would be in his coffin. Then, at exactly 6:45 am, Krueger would kill the vampire's mutts in their dreams, while using his considerable dream powers to make the vampire think they were still alive, still watching over him.
And then, Krueger's 'minions' would strike! One thrust of a wooden stake, and the bloodsucker would be dust in the wind.
And then, the fun would REALLY start once his new website was up and running and knowledge of his existence would be indelibly stamped on the public consciousness; impervious to any subsequent attempts at censorship or coverup!
At long last, the Springwood Slasher thought, he would finally be unstoppable! And the more kids he frightened and killed in their dreams, the more powerful he would become until he became THE most powerful demonic force in all existence!
No child would be safe from him, ever again! The thought made Krueger hungry, and he looked over at the teenage girl and preadolescent boy that he held onto as 'assurance' of his new minions' loyalty. True, he promised to not harm them physically. But that didn't mean that he couldn't scare them, a little bit . . . .
Krueger's young hostages were still stuck to a section of vinyl siding from the Conroy's home, leaning up against the cinderblock wall of his nightmare boiler room. The girl was still dressed in her tiny, leopard skin bikini, and the little boy was in "Batman" pajamas.
Both kids watched silently as the Bastard Son of a Hundred Maniacs scowled as he casually walked over to them, making a sound that could have been either a low growl or muted laughter. Starting at Pamelynne's right knee, Krueger ran the back end of his middle-finger blade up her leg, to her abdomen, stopping just below her navel.
"Ahhhh . . . this body . . . so flawless! The perfect canvass for my, ah, 'special work' . . . ." Now Krueger laughed as Pamelynne began to sob softly, before saying, "So . . . where's the little slut who tried to bash in my head with a baseball bat while her boyfriend was wailing on me, huh?
"Not so tough when you can't move, huh, bitch?"
Allen said, "L-leave her alone!" Krueger's baleful attention then turned to the terrified fifth grader, who swallowed hard at the bogeyman's stare. The boy fought back tears as he said, "Y-you promised to leave us alone and to let us go unharmed when cousin Norie and her friends killed the vampire for you! You can't hurt us!
"They'll need us to help them get your website up and running by tomorrow night!"
"Heh, you got spunk, little piggy," admitted Krueger, touching Allen on the nose with the flat of his forefinger blade. "Y'know, before I got a taste for teenagers, I used to like butchering little piggies your age. I got nineteen kiddies like you back in 1968, before I was caught!
"But I was forced to make a deal with that 'Strong Creative' bitch Charlie Manx that prevents me from going after kids under fifteen.
"Heh, it's been a long time since I've gotten to fiddle with kiddies your age. Seeing you here, all helpless and everything . . . makes me feel . . . kinda nostalgic . . . .
"But all that will change, once my power grows. Then, I'll be able to 're-negotiate' that little "deal" that was forced on me. Probably about a week from now!
"It's been so long since I tasted the terror of a kid like you, much less took their lives . . . ."
Freddy clicked the blades of his Glove, getting both Pamelynne's and Allen's undivided attention. "Do you two know what happens to the little piggies I kill in my dreamworld?
"I TAKE THEIR SOULS! THE SOULS OF MY CHILDREN EMPOWER ME! THE MORE I TAKE, THE STRONGER I GET!"
Krueger then ripped open his red and green striped sweater, in the manner of a "flasher" opening their trench coat, and his young hostages gasped at the sight of what had to be dozens of children's weeping faces that seemed to be – there was no other way to describe it - sculpted into the burned skin of Freddy's torso.
A moment later, the horrible vision vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Krueger's burned skin less scary by comparison; and even Krueger's sweater was no longer torn apart.
"Nobody's at home, now. But soon, that will all change . . . ."
Krueger's demeanor then shifted to the polar opposite of what it had just been, and a smile now replaced the scowl. "I really gotta thank you little piggies. Your fear nourishes me – though not as much as your actual deaths would.
"But I feed on fear and death the way that vampire feeds on blood! Speaking of which . . . ."
Krueger saw that the clock on the wall was close to 6:45 am. Time to set his Master Plan in motion.
"I've got some mutts to kill. Don't go away; I'll be right back! And you'd both better hope that the other three piggies do what I want, or you'll ALL end up . . . here!" Krueger pointed to his chest before he vanished, leaving Pamelynne and Allen alone in the nightmare boiler room.
The Hellhounds of Dracula slept at their posts, but like all guard dogs; they slept with both ears and one eye open at all times; ever ready to defend their master with their very lives should anyone be foolish enough to step on their master's property uninvited.
Though in the past, their ancestors had been trained to bark loudly to scare away any potential intruders as a first course of action; this was no longer acceptable behavior. If nothing else, constantly barking dogs could attract unwanted attention from the local HOA, or even the Police. Yet one more way the world had changed, making the existence of any vampire insufferable, if not downright impossible.
Instead, they perked up and stared menacingly at any potential intruder as a first course of action, to let them know that they were being watched. This is what they had been doing with the young boy in the house directly behind their master's property, whenever he looked out at them from the second-floor window, and so far, it seemed to have been enough to dissuade the boy's curiosity.
The two dogs assigned to patrol the backyard while their packmates patrolled the inside of their master's house were surprised to hear the voice of their master calling them inside for a treat. The sun had just arisen, but they knew all their master had to do was avoid the sunlight itself. Entering the house through the special 'doggy-door,' they immediately came to their master, who stood with his back to them; no doubt to conceal the reward that he planned to give them for their loyal service. Eagerly, the two dogs approached their master to claim their reward.
It was over in seconds as the cloaked figure turned rapidly, slashing at both hellhounds with razors on his Gloved hand, killing them instantly even as he easily killed the other three in the house itself.
But Freddy Krueger had no time for gloating over the five dogs that he had just killed who thought he was their vampire master. Bringing all his dream powers to bear, Freddy Krueger made the dreaming vampire think that his guardians were still at their posts, still guarding him from the multifarious threats that endangered his existence.
But Freddy also knew that this wouldn't work for very long. Though he was the master of the dreamworld, the vampire had dream powers of his own that – while not as comprehensive as Krueger's own dream powers – were nonetheless enough to rob Krueger of his main advantage.
No, Krueger couldn't kill the vampire – who claimed to be THE Count Dracula – in his dreams. But he could easily make the bloodsucking freak think that his dogs were still alive, guarding the vampire, who lay helpless in his coffin, as Freddy's minions crept in and drove a stake through the vampire's undead heart.
A small part of Krueger's mind thought, "There. I've done my part. Now finish this bitch off, my little minion piggies, and then get to work on telling the world all about me!"