Billy raised the bloody kitchen knife over Randy’s chest and drove it through him.
“No…”
Stu continued to punch his face and laughed maniacally through the whole ordeal.
“No…stop…
“Stop…
“NO!”
Randy snapped awake.
I just can’t get it out of my mind, he thought to himself. Every time I close my eyes, it just keeps coming back.
I was shot. By Billy.
And he’s dead.
And Stu?
Dead.
God, it’s just like that movie Carrie…

Randy had suffered minor emotional trauma since what had happened. He hadn’t been able to talk to anyone but Sidney and the psychiatrist his parents sent him to. Even since he got home from the hospital, all he seemed to do was sleep. It was the only way to block out thinking about the terrible incident. Then he’d end up having nightmares. It was a losing battle. His sister, Heather, thirteen, was scared to death of what her brother had been through. The only time Heather had ever even heard of anything so gruesome was in Randy’s horror movies. Her curiosity was hitting the peak, though. She was getting to the point where she just wanted the truth. Heather sat in the den for three hours, alone, waiting for Randy to wake up.

The phone rang and startled her for a second. She reached for it, almost by reflex. Then she remembered what had happened to Casey Becker when she answered her phone. Randy’s exact words were “butchered and hung out like raw meat.” Heather let the phone ring three more times until the answering machine picked up the call.

“Hello?” a girl’s voice said. Sidney. “Is anyone home?”
Heather picked up the phone. “Hi, Sidney.”
“Hi, Heather, how are you doing?”
“Uh, fine. A little edgy, but fine.”
“Is that why you screened the call?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Is Randy home?”
“Yeah, he’s sleeping in his room, like always.”
“Oh. Uh, do you think it would be okay if I came over for a little while?”
“Absolutely,” Heather said, without any kind of delay. “Definitely. Come right over.”
Sidney could tell she was pretty scared about the incident. “I’ll be right over.”
“Bye, Sid.”
“See you in a few.”
Heather heard the click on the other end, then hung up. She went over to the front window and looked outside. The sun was starting to set over the horizon, making the sky a spooky purple color. It was like something out of a horror movie…

She got up and went towards Randy’s room, his Halloween poster ripped off the door. Heather opened it a crack and looked inside. There was her brother, snoring away.

“No…”
Randy’s breathing pattern suddenly changed. He started talking in his sleep.
“Put it down…oww…no…get off…NO!”
Heather rushed to his side. “Randy, wake up! Get up! You’re having a nightmare!”
The doorbell rang at the front door and Heather let out a shriek. Randy promptly woke up.
“What’s going on?” he asked groggily. “There’s someone at the door.”
“What?” he said. Was it all starting again? He figured he was in a strange dream and went back to sleep.
Heather opened the door and smiled at seeing a familiar face. “Oh, thank God you’re here! I thought you were someone else! I’m so glad you’re not!”
“Heather, listen to me.” Sidney held Heather’s shoulders. “There is nothing to be afraid of anymore. It was Stu and Billy, and they’re both dead. It’sover. Okay?” She smiled. Heather nodded. “Good. Where’s Randy?”
“In his room.”
Sidney headed to Randy’s room. She pushed the already open door and walked inside. Randy was asleep. She knocked on the door and woke him up.
“Hey,” he said, slightly hoarse from sleeping.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” he assured her. “I just woke up. What are you doing here?”
Sidney didn’t answer right away. It was weird seeing Randy so different than his normally peculiar self. “Have you been, you know, okay?”
Randy actually hadn’t been okay. For the past five months, he had been scared of everything. Phones, knives, guns, masks…
“My parents were getting worried, so they sent me to a shrink.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, they thought I was withdrawn. I probably was, but check this out.”
Randy smirked and reached behind his many pillows to get something on his night table. He held a prescription bottle and rattled it, then put it back on the table.
Sidney nodded.
“Do they work?”
“Absolutely. And then some.”
“Heather was kind of eager for me to come over. Do you know anything about that?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s really paranoid since what happened. She thinks she’s gonna die if she’s left alone in the house. And she won’t answer the phones unless my parents are home, either.”
“I don’t blame her. Would you?”
“No. I won’t even open my window! My shades have been drawn for the past five months. Look! They’re tied down by shoelaces! Those things are not being opened! Nobody’s getting through that window!”
“That’s great, Randy, but what about the door?”
He thought for a second and realized his foolproof plan wouldn’t work. “Hmm. I guess you’re right.”

About an hour later, the phone rang. Heather answered after two rings.
“Hello?”
“Hello?” It was an unfamiliar man’s voice. She shuddered.
“Who is this?”
“Who am I speaking to?”
“Uh, who are you trying to reach?”
“What number is this?”
“What number are you trying to reach? I think you have the wrong number. Bye.”
“Are you sure?”
Heather froze. Could it possibly be the killer? No, Stu and Billy were dead.
“Uh, yeah. Bye.”
“Wait…” Heather hung up before he could finish. She brought the portable phone with her into Randy’s room.
“Can’t you knock?” Randy said, eyes glued to the TV.
“No, Randy. I think he…” The phone ringing again interrupted her. This time, she didn’t want to answer.
“Heather, just answer it.”
“No, I can’t. I think it’s him.”
“It’s probably just a prank. Answer it.”
“No!”
“Randy, don’t force her! You answer it! If they hear a guy on the other end, they’ll probably go away. Do it.” Sidney grabbed the phone from Heather and gave it to Randy. He grudgingly took it and answered.
“Hello?”
The voice on the other end didn’t answer right away. “Hello, Randy.”
Randy’s attitude changed. He grew scared. “Oh, God…”
Sidney sat closer to Randy. Heather got ready to leave and lock the doors, but Sidney stopped her. Randy looked to Sidney for help. She shrugged.
“I can see your house, Randy, and I know how to get in. I know all your secrets and all of Sidney’s secrets.”
“Fuck off! Stay away from here!”
“You have no way to control me, Randy. Brace yourself. You have nowhere to run.” The caller hung up. Randy couldn’t move. He was trembling and his face turned white. He looked up at Sidney.
“It’s him.”
“No…”
“It’s him! He’s here. He’s gonna break in. He’s gonna kill us.”
“No. He won’t, it has to be a prank!”
“Sidney, I’m telling you, it’s him.”
They all heard a crash on the front door, as if it were being bashed in.
Screams rose from their throats. Heather got up to close the bedroom door, slowly and quietly. Through the doorway, she saw a figure in black, carrying a knife. Luckily it didn’t see her. She let the doorknob mechanisms fall into place then locked it.
“We have to get out of here.”
How…? “The window.” Randy sped to the window in two steps.
Heather waited by the door while Randy and Sidney tugged at the shoelaces.
“Shit,” he muttered. “Sid, do you have scissors?”
“Yeah, Randy, they’re in my back pocket,” she said sarcastically. “What about a pocket knife? Don’t you have one?”
“He’s got a knife,” Heather feebly joked. Randy and Sidney gave her a dirty look. “Sorry.”
“Randy, help me rip them.” Sidney pulled at the tight shoelaces as Randy tried to help her. They all heard a huge bang on the door, then rattling of the doorknob. Heather took everything from Randy’s night table off and put it all on his bed. She pushed the night table over to the door and blocked it. Then she propped his desk chair under it. With all her might, she pushed against the door herself. Sidney ripped one shoelace with a big yank. More of them came loose.
“Almost got this one…” Randy tore another shoelace, freeing the shades. They snapped up, startling them. “Let’s get out of here.” He opened them and looked outside. Sidney started to follow him, but then the phone rang again.
They all froze and noticed that the noises on the door had stopped.
“Heather,” Sidney whispered, “answer it.”
She shook her head. The phone rang again.
“It’s okay. We’re here for you.”
Hesitantly, she answered the phone. “Yeah?”
“So, trying to escape through the window? Smart idea with Randy’s bum leg.”
“Go away!” she cried.
“Uh-uh-uh. We’re gonna play a little game first. Do you like games?”
“What kind of game?” Heather looked at Sidney and Randy and started to sob.
“Do you like scary movies?”
“Huh?”
“You heard me. Do you like scary movies?”
“No…”
“C’mon, everyone likes scary movies. What’s the matter? Too scary?”
"Well, yeah.”
“Oh, poor thing.”
“Heather, hang up,” Randy said.
“Huh?”
“Hang up!”
“Don’t hang up, Heather! Unless you want to be hollowed out!”
Heather couldn’t say a word. She was afraid to. Anything she said would probably get her killed. There was nothing she could do.
“Now, do you want to play a game? Or do I have to come find you?”
“Please, go away. Leave me alone.”
“Answer my questions and I will!”
“Fine! Fine! Fine!” she sobbed harder. “I’ll answer your questions.” She looked at Sidney and Randy for help.
“Good girl. What did they use for blood in Psycho?”
“Huh? I’ve never seen it!”
“Everyone’s seen Psycho. You have to know it. Your life, Randy’s life, and Sidney’s lives all depend on it.”
“Heather, what’s the question?” Randy whispered. She realized that her brother knew everything about horror movies. What better person to ask? She started to open her mouth. “No! Write it!” Heather wrote the question. Randy quickly wrote the answer. She silently thanked him.
“Chocolate syrup.”
“That’s right. I’m impressed, for someone who’s never seen it. It’s like you’ve got someone helping you. Do you?”
“No…”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Then here’s another question. What did they use for pig’s blood in Carrie?”
This time Randy had heard the question over the phone. He grimly remembered Billy right after he’d been shot, right before he’d lost consciousness. Corn syrup…
He wrote the answer and Heather watched him. “Corn syrup! Corn syrup! Now leave us alone!”
“Well, you got it right.”
“I know! Now leave us alone!”
“No way! You cheated! That’s against the rules!”
“No! I didn’t!”
“Yes you did! I’ve been watching you cheat the whole time you stupid bitch!”
“That’s impossible. You were in the house. I saw you.”
“Did you?” The caller hung up.
“Heather, what’s going on?” Randy asked. Suddenly he screamed and was pulled out the window, landing on his bad leg in a very painful way.
“Randy!” Sidney yelled. She looked out the window and saw the familiar costumed figure of the killer that she thought was dead. He hovered over Randy and raised his knife over him, ready to sink in. Taking a glance at the side of the house, Randy grabbed his very conveniently placed hockey stick, jabbed at the killer’s stomach, and quietly thanked God. That bought Sidney enough time to jump down and help Randy get up.
“Are you okay?”
“No, I landed on my leg.”
Heather watched from the window, not knowing what to do. She left Randy’s room right before he looked up for her.
“Heather…?”
The killer fiercely shoved him against the side of the house, causing him to slam his head into the hard surface.
Sidney kicked the killer while he prepared to stab Randy. He kept a firm grip on the knife. He made swipes at her and Randy from the ground, missing by fractions of an inch. Randy rushed as fast as his leg and dizziness allowed him towards the front yard, looking for Heather.
“Randy, get Heather!”
“I’m trying!” He limped over to the car, the same way he was five months before. “Heather! Heather! Where are you?”
“Get off of me, fucker!” Sidney used all her strength to shove the killer off of her. She saw the hockey stick, grabbed it, and swung it as hard as she could at the killer’s head. Sidney had good aim. She stumbled to her feet and ran towards her car. “Randy, I’m here.”
“Thank God. Let’s get the hell outta here…”
“Where’s Heather?”
“Huh?” He was out of breath.
“Where’s Heather?”
“I don’t…”
They looked at each other in dismay. They both groaned, “Inside.”
“Randy, get in the car. I don’t want you hurting yourself again.”
“Sid…” he started to protest. He didn’t want to look like a wuss in front of Sidney.
“Go!”
She obviously wanted the best for him. “Okay. Go ahead in. I’ll watch your back.” He opened the car door, quickly sat in the passenger side, shut, and locked the door. He quickly locked all the other doors as well. He was safe, for the moment. Sidney ran in the front door of his house. God, she was tough.
“Heather?” Sidney called out.
“Sid? Is that you?” Heather emerged from under the long tablecloth covering their dining room table, holding a gun.
“Heather, where did you get that?”
“Does it really matter?”
Sidney shrugged. A look of horror came over Heather’s face. Sidney turned around and let out the biggest scream she ever made when she saw the killer, looming over her with his huge knife. She jumped under his legs quickly, tripping him. Heather slid her the gun. Sidney quickly grabbed it, took the safety off, and fired at the killer’s stomach. She and Heather ran out of the house as quickly as they could.
Randy saw them racing to the car and unlocked the doors for them. Sidney jumped in the driver’s side.
“Okay, let’s go…”
“Shit. We can’t.”
“What? Why not?”
“The keys are inside. I put them on your table. Heather, give me the gun. I’ll be right back.”
“No, Sid!” Randy shuddered at the sound of those words in a time like this.
“Shit.”
“It’s okay. We shot him.”
As far as Randy knew, they didn’t own a gun. “How? With a staple gun?”
“No, Dad kept a gun in the hutch. I found it.”
“Oh. Lucky us, huh?”
“Yeah. I think we killed him.”
Sidney was more than ready to fire at anything that moved. When she got inside, she went right to the table where she left her keys. They weren’t there. Suddenly, she heard the jingling and looked over. Her keys had been thrown and were now on the living room couch. Confident in her shot, she went over to the couch to grab the keys. She got them too easily. Sidney made ready for anything to happen. And it did…
A black blur came at her from the right, but…
…then another from the left! There were two killers in the house! Acting on fear, Sidney randomly fired the gun, not even knowing or caring if she hit anyone. She backed into the closed front door and couldn’t open it. One of the killers had locked it. As she tried to fiddle with the lock, one of them got up and chased her. Sidney ended up cornered in the kitchen, just like she had been with Billy and Stu not long ago.
“Who are you? What do you want?” she asked, trembling.
The killer just shook his head. He began to lunge for her. She ducked and he stabbed the counter. Sidney faked out the killer, then rushed out of the kitchen. As he rushed toward her, she whacked him in the face with the pantry door, knocking him to the ground. Sidney saw that the other killer was gone. She panicked when she realized he could be out by Randy and Heather. Making sure she still had her keys and the gun, she ran out to the car.
“Sid, no!” Randy yelled from inside the car. He desperately banged on the window and pointed down. Sidney stopped in her tracks, knelt down, and saw the killer under the car on the other side, with another gun, a rifle. She checked her back and saw the other killer. There was no way out of this one. Sidney aimed carefully, and shot him right in the head. He fell to the ground, blood pouring out onto the stoop. The other killer threatened her by pushing the gun through the window of her car, hitting Randy with it. Randy screamed along with Heather. Sidney was trapped. It looked like they would all end up dead. There was no winning.
Sidney heard three loud gunshots and fell to the ground, sobbing. It had happened again; her friends were dead. And soon, she’d be dead, too.
“Sidney! Sidney? Come, on, sweetie, get up. It’s okay, it’s okay. We got him.”
Sidney lifted her head and saw Sheriff Burke leaning over her, rubbing her back. She looked up again and saw the other killer sprawled out dead on the ground in front of her car. Randy was in her car, holding his head, answering questions. Heather was being led out by another cop.
“What? What happened?”
“Somebody reported a disturbance, some stranger. She was driving by and heard screaming, so she called us up.”
“Oh, God. God…” Sidney put her head to her knees and cried. It was all she could do, all she wanted to do.
“I know this was hard for you, Sid, but Randy wants to talk to you.”
She looked in the car and saw Randy being helped out by the police. He was going in an ambulance. Sidney nodded and let Sheriff Burke help her up. She walked over and waited until he was in the ambulance.
“I can’t believe this happened again,” Randy said with a weak smile.
Sidney let out an equally weak laugh.
“We have the worst luck, huh?”
“I’ll say. Are you okay?”
“Of course. That’s why they’re putting me in an ambulance.”
Sidney laughed again. How could he possibly find time for jokes? she thought. Just ironic, I guess.
“Come with me?”
“What about Heather?”
“She’s coming, too. She’s kind of in shock.” He paused. “It’s her first time.”
“Oh, of course.”
“Yeah, we’re professional victims now.”
Sidney smiled and got in the ambulance.