Chapter 20: Coma.

The street that young Janet hideously died was cornered off by the police. Red and blue lights flicked wildly on the top of several police cars. While the back doors of an ambulance were wide open as the two paramedics carefully covered the corpse of Janet with a black sheet.

Residents of the street eagerly watched from either side of the police cars that barricaded any curious bystanders from the scene of this unfortunate and grisly death. A few uniformed policemen kept a watchful eye on the crowd, making sure that no one got too close.

Sheriff Craven paced back and forth, smoking a cigarette with worry. His eyes kept glancing over towards the pavement were the woman's blood had mysteriously formed into the words - Freddy Lives.

Unfortunately, his men were still not able to clean the blood away. He had ordered several of his best men to questions the neighbours to see if they had seen anything and if they did, to escort them to the police station. They had to contain this fucker. Krueger was getting out of control, his powers were increasing rapidly. If anyone had seen that message on the ground, then who knew how many people would start having dreams of him?

Craven looked up from the ground to see Dr Campbell and his new friends lingering impatiently behind the police car. "Thomas" he shouted over one of this men, "You can let Doctor Campbell and his friends pass"

Slowly, he stepped aside and Dr Campbell walked forward followed by Maggie and the others. "We heard what happened" Dr Campbell murmured, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Help?" Sheriff Craven mused, "How about trying to get that fucking thing away?" he pointed towards the dried blood on the ground.

The group glance nervously at each other. "Did anyone see it?" Tracey asked.

"I'm not sure. I hope to god that no one hasn't"

Alice curiously looked about the street, searching for someone. "Where is Samantha and Naomi? Do they know?"

"Yeah, they know. They're at the station with Janet's parents. Look, I think it would be good if you left. I need to clear the area and try to think of some explanation to give the press. I'll be in contact with you in the next day or so. Go to Westin Hills and stay there. If you don't comply, I may consider placing you under house arrest. I don't want you to interact with anyone else in this town"

The group nervously looked at each other and silently agreed to his suggestion. "Would it be okay if I could go to my house and collect a few belongings?" Dr Campbell questioned.

Sheriff Craven gave a quick nod, motioning them away. "Be quick"

Maggie slowly followed Dr Campbell and the others down the street, feeling nauseated at the thought of going to Elm Street. It was only on the next street. Her legs shook slightly as the distance between herself and her friends increased. Bryan turned to look back, his face quickly full of concern by Maggie's pale face, "Maggie, are you okay?"

"I'm not sure. I think I need some water, I need to rest"

"You can get something to drink in Dr Campbell's house"

"My house" she breathed softly.

"What?" he asked.

"It's my house. Well, I mean was my house. I lived there"

"Okay. Are you afraid of going back there?" he rubbed her shoulders soothingly.

"Y-yeah. I haven't been there since they died. Spencer and Carlos"

"Look, nothing will happen. You're awake. He won't get to you, okay?" he wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders and led her towards the group that had stopped at the corner of Elm Street. A low rumble was heard in the distance, signalling to them that another thunder storm was heading their way.

"Everything okay?" Dr Campbell glanced at Maggie then Bryan.

"She's just nervous about going to your house" Bryan muttered.

"I don't blame her" Tracey stated, linking her arm with Maggie, "We've seen some terrible things in that house"

"It'll be okay. We'll only be there for no more than fifteen minutes. That's all" Dr Campbell stated briskly and began to venture onwards down Elm Street. Maggie glanced wearily at Tracey and followed the rest of their company down the sidewalk.

Glancing at Alice, Maggie noticed that she too was anxious about going to 1428 Elm Street. It was more than a house, but a reminder of their nightmares. A reminder of him.

They crossed the street to the other side, closing the gap between themselves and 1428 Elm Street. As the house came into view, the girls looked at each other with quiet wonder. It looked so different. The town had completely renovated the outside of the house. The door was now painted a yellow colour, with the green tiles now painted over with fresh paint. The lawn was now neatly kept, with a few flower beds under the windows. "Wow" Tracey whispered, "I can't believe that's the same house as five years ago. They must have put some money into doing it up!"

"Yeah. But remember, just because they put some fresh paint on the house doesn't mean that he still haunts it" Maggie grumbled, her face stern.

Alice nodded and they walked up the path, catching up with the others as they entered the house. With a deep breath Alice stepped into the house, followed by Tracey. However, lingering at the doorway was Maggie. She shakily rubbed her head, feeling a strong headache beginning to throb on her temple of her forehead.

Doc turned to face her, "You okay?"

"Uh" she mumbled and took a small step into the hallway, "I'm just getting a headache. Does anyone have any aspirin?"

"I'll get some from the kitchen" Dr Campbell nodded.

"Do you want to leave? I mean I could wait with you in the car?" Bryan asked.

Maggie shook her head. Despite the feeling of being watched, Maggie wanted to stay. It was her old home after all. She did have some happy memories here. However, something else deep inside of her wanted to stay here. A part of her felt that she belonged here and should never leave. She shuddered at this random thought. Shaking her head slightly she moved into the adjacent living room to her immediate right and settled down in one of the sofas along with Tracey and Doc. She thanked Dr Campbell as he entered the room to hand over a small glass of water and two pain killers.

"Do you feel anything Doc?" Tracey leaned forward in her seat towards him.

"Feel anything?"

"You know…his presence" she softly murmured.

"No" he shook his head, "I would only feel his presence if I was asleep"

"Right"

Maggie set the glass down on the glass table, looking around wearily. Sensing something, hearing something. A voice. A male voice. It was familiar. Glancing at her friends she quietly excused herself from the room. Slowly, she walked down the hallway past the lounge where Alice, Jacob and Bryan talked. Maggie's gaze went towards the kitchen as she headed past it. Dr Campbell was busy talking to Dr Gordon and the rest of the group. They didn't seem to notice her as she walked past towards the basement door.

Stopping at the door, she strained to listen to the voice. It grew in intensity. It was definitely coming from below. Curiously she pushed the door opened and began to descend the staircase with slow cautious steps. Instantly she knew who the voice belonged to. Her father. He was talking quietly to himself.

"It won't be long now until she starts to change. Not long now. She'll soon realise that I'm right. Yes, Katherine will. I won't let them win this time. No. She belongs with me"

At the bottom step Maggie turned to where his voice was coming from. Her eyes went wide in shock. He wasn't there. The basement area was empty. She sighed. She was definitely losing it. And what the hell did he mean change? Change into what?

Turning around she began to walk back towards the stairs when a sudden rush of dizziness washed over her body. Her vision began to blur, her feet unsteady as she staggered forward a few feet. Grasping onto the railing she pulled herself up a few steps but her grip loosened. Her vision went dark and she fell backwards hitting the side of her head off the hard concrete floor.

In the kitchen, Dr Campbell had gathered together a few items of clothing and some notes from his work. "I think we should go now. I don't want Sheriff Craven to be any more angry than he already is"

Neil nodded and they walked into the lounge. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yeah. Where's Maggie?" Alice glanced into the kitchen.

"I thought she was with Tracey and Doc"

"No, Tracey came in and asked me where she was. I thought she was with you"

"If she's not here, then where is she?" Bryan snapped and abruptly got to his feet. He took off in a charge into the hallway. Soon his eyes clasped on the basement door that was ajar. In a flash he had the door flung open, "Shit! Maggie!"

Alice dashed after him, her eyes wide with fright at the sight of Maggie lying unconscious on the steps. "We have to wake her up!"

Bryan scooped Maggie into his strong arms and carried her up the stairs, "I think she hit her head. It's bleeding. She has to be out cold"

Dr Campbell glanced at Maggie. "The best option is Westin Hills. We can monitor her condition there"

"Then let's fucking go" Tracey cried.

x x x

Maggie groaned and sat up on the bottom step of the basement. Her vision was slightly hazy, but soon cleared away as she looked up into the burnt face of her father. She gasped in shock and jerked backwards, terror now carved onto her face.

"Did you like the little scene I made over at that whore's house? Hmm?" he growled.

She slowly stood, shaking her head. "No, I didn't. Wake me up"

He raised a blade waving it back and forth in front of her face, "No. I won't. Anyway, you won't be waking up for a while yet. You're in a coma"

"You put me in a coma?"

"Yeah, just for a little while" he grinned and glanced down at her stomach. His left hand quickly reached out and grasped the rim of her shirt pulling it up, "You covered them. I don't know why you did. You shouldn't be ashamed of them, Katherine"

She sneered at him and swatted his hand away, "Don't you touch me, you bastard!"

Freddy growled and backhanded her with his left hand, "You're beginning to test my patience, princess. Just because I'm not going to kill you, doesn't mean that I won't hurt you. Because I will"

She pushed her hair away from her face, a trickle of blood spluttering down her busted lip. The fingers of his left hand gingerly touched the blood on her skin and raised them to his lips. With one quick lick of his tongue the blood was gone. Cringing in revulsion Maggie turned away.

"Now, c'mon" he beckoned with his bladed glove and began to ascend the stairs.

She glared at him, crossing her arms defiantly. "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Slowly, Freddy turned to face her. His eyes glimmering with anger. He reached out and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her forward as he began to walk on. She yelped, thrashing and struggling in his grip as he hauled the door open. He strode into the hallway, his grip on her hair tightening as they entered the living room. The décor of the house was the way it was in the dream world. Shabby, worn down and dirty. With a chuckle Freddy rammed her into the wall and smirked, "Did you enjoy your little time in the bathroom?"

"I didn't" she averted her gaze from his, "It wasn't me who did it…"

He chuckled maniacally, "Really? Then who was it Katherine? I was there, I saw it. It was definitely you and I saw you smile. I saw you laugh" he leaned towards her face, grasping her face with his glove and forced her to stare into his eyes, "You loved it Katherine. Every little cut"

A few tears dribbled down her quivering face at this statement. "But that doesn't mean I'm like you…it just d-doesn't!"

He tapped the side of her cheek with a single blade, grinning. "You are. Just think back to all them years ago when you were a teenager. They were fun times, weren't they?"

"N-no, they weren't. I hated it" she snapped.

"Well, I think you're lying. I've been in your sweet little mind and seen what you were like princess. All that anger and hatred. It's still there you know. Simmering underneath the surface" he smiled, "Ready to erupt"

She gulped and heaved a sigh of a relief as he backed away. "W-what do mean about Doc? About him hiding something from me?"

"You've known him for how long, hmm? Since you were sixteen? He was your fucking shrink? Wasn't he?"

"My therapist" she corrected, "And what of it?"

"Well, he's been keeping his secret from you since you started your sessions. It's a very long time for someone to keep secret, isn't it?"

"Then tell me what he's keeping from me!" she barked.

He tapped his burnt chin with a single blade, thinking. "No. But don't worry, you'll find out. Very soon"

x x x

Author's Note:

This is the last chapter. But don't worry. There is sequel - The Evil Within 2: Krueger Legacy - I hope to have the start of it up by the end of March, beginning of April. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I really appreciate it. ^_^

Paula.