Chapter 11 : Sacrifice

The night came and went. Soon it crept up to near mid afternoon. The meeting of the Elm Street parents came to a rather quick accord with the conclusion that they should take matter of dealing with Krueger into their own hands. There was a proposition from one set of parents that perhaps the police establishment should gain an arrest and search warrant for Krueger. But the rest of the parents fiercely disagreed, believing that if the police and FBI had screwed up once then they would screw up again. So, what better way to gain revenge on that bastard that taking the law into their own hands and send him to hell in flames?

At the Krueger's residence Katherine was patiently waiting for her father in the kitchen. Her shaky hands ran over her new white dress. It had short sleeves and several lines of sequins round the rims at the bottom of her dress, her sleeves and around her collar. It stretched down to just below her knees. It was rather simple and plain. Nothing too extravagant, just the way she liked it. A white cotton cardigan was draped over her shoulders. Her head swung towards the basement door as Freddy appeared in the doorway, dressed in his usual attire of red and green stripy sweater, black trousers and black dirty boots. He tipped his brown fedora hat to the side and smiled, "You look beautiful"

She smiled as best as she could and titled her head to the side in confusion as he held out two red ribbons. "Put them in your hair. You now how I like your hair to be"

She took the ribbons from him, "Yes daddy" He left the room to gather more belongings from upstairs leaving her staring blankly at the ribbons. Sighing she pushed herself up from her seat and made her way into the living room towards the window sill. At the side was a small set of cabinets and so she pulled the first drawer open, revealing random pieces of papers, pens and a small brown hair brush. She hated the way she had to put her hair into two pigtails; it wasn't as though she was a child anymore. She was thirteen, a teenager. But she knew that he would always see her as his little girl. Delicately she began to brush her hair and pull a part of her brown wavy hair to the side and tied it back with the red ribbon and did likewise with the other ribbon to her rest of her hair.

Curiously she gazed out the window into the street where a few of the neighbours from the neighbourhood stood in front of the Lantz's home. They were huddled together no doubt whispering and talking about her father. Her right hand reached out and pulled a long white string and closed the blinds. She walked back into the kitchen area finding her father sat at the table, placing his bladed glove and a few books into brown canvas bag. He glanced up and grinned, patting his lap for her to sit. Tentatively she slid onto his lap and soon his right hand curled around her waist rubbing it soothingly. He kissed her check and then flicked through one of his books until he came to a drawing of the dream demons, "Now, Kat. Do you know what they are?"

She leaned forward and studied the picture more closely, "Yes, they're the dream demons"

"Do you know what they do?"

"They give you nightmares when you fall asleep"

He smiled, "Yes. But they do something else…they make dreams real too. They break the boundary between dreams and reality. And tonight they're going to come to the boiler room. Remember the secret I told you?"

With a quick nod in agreement she asked, "Are they going to do anything to me?"

His face went blank and so was did mind. He hadn't even considered what would happen to Katherine. Perhaps he could persuade the demons into making a little side deal, "Well, you'll have to wait and see. But don't worry, you won't lose me"

She smiled weakly and slid off his lap and stepped out of his way as he got to his feet. He tided away the remainder of the books into the bag and threw the bag over his shoulder. Entangling his right hand with her left he led her out of the kitchen into the backyard, locking the door behind them. Glancing back at the house Katherine could do nothing but shudder, it had somehow changed into an old and worn down building as though no one had lived there in years. She slightly shook her head and turned her head forward, knowing that it had to be her mind playing tricks with her.

They passed through the gate of the fence into the alleyway behind their home where the car was parked away from the snooping eyes of the neighbours. After they both climbed into the car Freddy handed her the canvas bag and then drove off out onto the street. Soon they had headed out of the estate and were driving in the direction of the power plant on the outskirts of town.

The journey was quiet with only the steady hum of the engine. Both of them were lost in their thoughts of what events the night would bring. It was obvious to Freddy that it would ultimately end in his death and hopefully his chance to receive power beyond his wildest dreams and if it were to come true then the town of Springwood would feel his wrath. And as for Katherine he had hoped that the demons would come to some compromise about her and extend some power out to her. Then she would hopefully be able to cross into the dream world too with him.

Katherine wearily glanced at her father knowing that tonight the parents would be coming for him to achieve their revenge on what he did to their children. He told her last night the 'secret' and if it came about this town would be faced with a nightmare they never faced before. But what would become of her? Would she survive and be placed into an orphanage and then be adopted by some strangers? Or would she be the last victim of her father before he died?

She was brought out of her thoughts as the car grounded to a halt in front of the power plant. The evening sky was bitterly overcast and rain had begun to fall from the sky. Sliding out of the car she followed her father into the entrance of the building and within a few minutes they were in the depths of the metal structure in the boiler room. Katherine handed the canvas bag over to her father; he pulled out a few of the books and marched into the side room to their left. Her eyes quickly darted about the boiler room, never noticing how large it was before. It looked like a maze of endless steel corridors and walkways.

Freddy appeared in the doorway and threw her a small packet of crayons and a sketch pad, "Sit down. We're in for a long wait. That should keep you occupied for a short while. I have a few things to do"

She scuttled over to the tattered mattress near the furnace, "Yes sir"

As for the 'few things' he had to do, well it would involved sleep and a very frank discussion with the dream demons.

x

Back on Elm Street a large crowd of parents of about twenty to thirty couples had gathered outside the Krueger's home. Lt Thompson and Officer Garcia bounded up to the door and knocked it loudly three times. "Open Krueger. I know you're in there"

Twenty seconds went by and there was no response.

"Fuck it" Thompson snapped, "Just kick it down"

Garcia stepped back and lifted his right foot, forcing it fiercely into the red door. He repeated it two more times until the door sprung open. Lt Thompson slowly and cautiously moved into the house, his gun withdrawn and held high. Garcia entered behind and quickly checked the side lounge to the right. It was empty. Mr Parker and Mr Lane were next to enter the house armed with baseball bats.

"Krueger" Thompson called, "Come on out"

Again there was no response, just a stony silence.

Garcia began to ascend the stairs with Parker a few feet behind him, "I'll check upstairs"

Thompson nodded and edged further into the living room with Lantz to his left who glanced towards the basement door. "What about the basement?"

"Good idea"

The two men inched towards the door and positioned themselves at each side. Thompson reached out and turned the handle quickly pushing it open. He quickly stepped onto the top of the staircase his gun aimed straight ahead, expecting to see Krueger charging at him. But again it was empty. At the bottom of the stairs Thompson made a quick thorough search of the basement area. He turned back towards the staircase where Lantz was staring anxiously at the secret doorway, "Donald…there's another room"

He edged closer towards the doorway and tugged at the handle, "It's locked"

"He's not here Donald!" Marge Thompson hissed from the top of the staircase, "You can examine this fucking house tomorrow, we need to find him! What if he escapes from the town?"

That was a possibility and he knew it. He stormed up the stairs followed by Lantz, "Garcia! I want this house cornered off and secured from the rest of the street. There is a secret room in the basement and I don't want anyone to open it until I authorize it. I'll be back as soon as I can"

"Yes sir"

Thompson rushed out into the lawn of the house and addressed the parents, "We are going to head towards the power plant and check to see if that bastard is there and if he is…well I'm sure you know what will happened. If any of you have changed your minds I understand"

"Changed our minds? After what he did to our kids?" a man called out from within the crowd, "Look Thompson we want that fucker to pay!"

There was a chorus of agreement from the other parents. "OK" Thompson sighed, "We meet at the power plant in half an hour"

It had been about fifteen minutes since Freddy had woken from his slumber. Yet again he had viciously assaulted his daughter. Her taunt and weak body lay sprawled on the cold concrete floor. Her new white dress was now covered in dirt, sweat and her own blood. Her cardigan was ripped from her torso and threw into the burning furnace. Along her face was a long red gash stretching from the bottom of her chin to the top of her collarbone. Both of her arms were scattered with small cut marks from the bladed glove and her lip had been busted open. She sobbed violently as her father towered above her, his right foot pressed forcefully into her chest crushing her ribs, "Stop" she gasped, "Please"

He just smiled maliciously and applied more pressure, before finally removing his foot from her chest. Inhaling a gulp of air she tried to slither away. He waved a blade in discord and ferociously kicked her side so that she was now lying on her stomach.

He climbed onto her back and ripped away the back of her dress, throwing bits of the fabric to the side so that he could see her smooth back. Leaning down he mockingly kissed her skin, but then proceeded to slice and tear at her skin with each of his blades. Her whimpers and cries of pain echoed throughout the boiler and it was like music to his ears. With his left hand he began to spread her blood over her back and every now and again he would press roughly into her wounds. She whimpered softly then let out a loud shriek as her head was jerked back. Freddy chuckled and deftly began to run his bloodied hand through her hair staining it with her own blood. His hand swerved over her check and down her neck, smearing her blood over her pale skin.

Freddy rose to his feet and dragged her to her feet, turning her around to him. She could barely stand and so had to grasp his sweater for support. Soothingly he traced the outline of her face with his un-gloved hand calming her. However, she knew what he had planned for her. Gradually his glove trailed down the side of her body towards the rim of her tattered dress and with a single blade started to pull it upwards, allowing his left hand to slide underneath.

From behind the Elm Street parents began to emerge in small groups. Several of the men at the front had baseball bats and other items of weapons, while two of them had two long sticks with cloth wrapped at the very tip. Both of which were on flames. Three men had a canister of gasoline each, no doubt to be used upon Freddy. Lt Thompson sneered in rage as he stepped forward and aimed his gun straight at Freddy, "Step away from her Krueger!"

Krueger grinned and quickly grabbed her throat with his glove, swirling around to that her back was pressed against his chest. Thompson cocked his gun, "Let her go!"

Katherine gazed vacantly at the parents before her, her salty tears streaming steadily down her face. But her expression soon turned to surprise at the canisters of gasoline. Freddy chortled and whispered in her ear, "I told you, didn't I?"

"This is your last chance, let her go!" Thompson warned.

Freddy shook his head, "I don't think so fucker!"

Thompson growled and aimed his gun at Freddy's arm and fired. The bullet blasted into Krueger's right arm and he fell in agony to his knees. Katherine cried out and collapsed to her knees. As she was about to crawl forward a surge of pain soared through her body. She glanced over her shoulder to see her father's blades embedded at the bottom of her back.

Two of the male parents rushed forward and helped pull out the blades from her flesh. She yelped and heard a grunt behind her as one the men - Mr Stanton - kicked her father backwards towards the furnace. She inched forward and was helped to her feet by Marge and Elaine. "It's ok honey"

The men who had the canisters of gasoline saw this as their opportunity to cover Freddy and the boiler room with gasoline. Katherine shook her head in horror, "No! Don't"

Her trembling hand reached out as if trying to touch her father. He gazed at her from beneath his hat, not bothering to fight back. He would accept his fate and sacrifice his life. A fire of wall soon erupted between them and it spread rapidly devouring his body within seconds. Katherine screamed, "Daddy!" and soon became mesmerized as a red mist swarmed around his body and then plunged into his dying corpse. But while she was watching she didn't realize that another mist had formed near her and had seeped into her mind. Her body was instantly overwhelmed with a wave of nausea.

"We've got to get out of here!" came a cry from one the parents.

Running as fast as they possibly could the group made their way through the corridors and passageways to the exit at the front of the building. Thompson carried the wounded Katherine who was slowly losing blood. Once gathered outside the power plant the group of parents headed back toward their cars, but did not leave the scene. They were relieved that the night was over. As for Donald and his wife Marge they had immediate concerns over Katherine. She may had been Freddy's daughter but that didn't mean she deserved to be treated in the way that he had been doing so. Thompson lay the young girl in the back of his patrol car and called for an ambulance and two fire brigades. Marge and Elaine tried to ease Katherine's loss of blood by applying pressure to her four stab wounds. Katherine coughed loudly, spluttering up blood. Her brown eyes began to droop to the alarm of both women. Marge turned to her husband, "Where the hell is that ambulance Donald? We're losing her!"

"It's coming" he hissed.

In the distance the sirens of the ambulance and fire crews grew closer. Marge turned back to Katherine whose head had slumped to the side, her remaining strength beginning to wane. Soon her eyes drifted shut as she allowed the darkness to consume her.

The End?

AUTHOR'S NOTE:: So, is it the end? Has Katherine really died? Who knows…well only me! Hope you enjoyed this. I have two sequels in mind, both of them I will write. But I'm not sure what one to write first. But it should be up in the next month or so…I hope.