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Rated: 18+ · Document · Fanfiction · #1895799
Horror/Comedy Fanfiction for the discerning horror movie fan.
The morning mountain air was crisp and cool. The sun was just peaking over the tree line and cast a small reflection on the water.

Jason walked out of his lake house (which was actually just a small cabin) sipping a cup of hot black coffee.  It was two days until his birthday.  He stood looking over the lake.  The water was like glass.  Not a ripple to be seen. 

         From his deck, he could see that the cabins on the other side of the lake were starting to fill up for the summer.  No one stirred yet, it was still too early.  He let out a sigh.  One more freakin’ year.  Jason thought to himself as he absentmindedly rubbed his head.  He was starting to feel a bit of his age creeping up on him.  His left knee hurt, his right shoulder hurt, but most of all, his back hurt.  He never knew that getting old would suck this much. 

         On the bright side, his bros, Michael and Tom were heading up to spend the weekend, and they fully planned on giving the college kids across the lake a run for their money in the partying department, so to speak. 

         Jason struggled to remember his childhood, but it seemed as if Tom and Michael had always been there.  They were the good friends that he could get rowdy with.  Living up here isolated him from social contact.  It was tough for him at times, as he had difficulty talking with others, usually because he scared the hell out of them.  Among other things. 

         He walked back to the house to fill his coffee mug and then decided to take a stroll down to the water.  The lake had several trails that meandered around it, created by thousands of kids over the past fifty years.  There were several paths to take and Jason knew them like the backs of his own hands. 

         Setting his coffee mug down, after draining the rest of the steaming hot contents, he wandered down one of the paths.  He walked for about forty five minutes, and found himself near his mother’s house.  He walked closer and stood staring at the dilapidated cottage that was his boyhood home.  Jason struggled to remember anything these days.  But hey, his childhood was not exactly one for the history books. 

         He turned and headed back to his cabin, figuring someone would see him wandering around and get suspicious. 

         Tom was the first to arrive.  Tom was a large Texan with a quiet disposition that was unsettling to most.  He sat astride his Harley Davidson Road Glide adorned with leather accoutrements that he had made himself.  The Road Glide was a present from his Uncle Charlie, who was, as they say, as crazy as a shithouse rat. 

         “Hey, Jason!  Happy Birthday, partner!” Tom yelled.  Jason smiled and waved.  Tom stood and dismounted the bike and walked towards Jason.  “Good to see you, bro,” Jason said as he extended his hand to greet Tom.  Tom grabbed and pulled him over for a “bro hug”.  “Hey, you’re lookin’ good, man.  Nice to see you grew some hair out!  Not a stich of gray in it!” Tom joked. 

         “No gray, but a shitload of hurting body parts,” Jason replied with a slight smile.  “So what time is that douchebag Michael showing up?” Tom asked laughing as they walked towards Jason’s cabin.  “I have no idea.  You know how he is.  He’s always got something he needs to take care of.  He’ll be late as usual,” Jason reasoned as he remembered that Michael always had a story about why he was late.  Usually family stuff. 

         “You want a beer or something, Tom?” Jason asked as he opened the door to his less than palatial cabin.  “Thought you’d never ask,” Tom replied taking his cowboy hat off to walk inside. 

         Jason went into the kitchen and opened the fridge.  “I have Bud and Pabst.  What’s your pleasure?” he asked. 

         “I’ll take a Pabst,” Tom said as he inspected the kitchen for any type of seasoning and cooking supplies. 

         Jason tossed him a cold PBR, and grabbed himself one too. 

What the hell.  I might as well start drinking before noon.  It is going to be my birthday! Jason thought as he smiled to himself. 

         Tom raised his can.  “A toast.  To your mom.  I know you miss her, and she did bring your ugly ass into this world.  So, Mom, this one is for you,” he finished as he clinked cans with Jason.

         “Thanks bro.  To you Mom,” Jason said as he downed his first beer of the day.



         Tom and Jason sat on the porch and shot the shit for a while.  Tom told stories about Uncle Charlie and his misdeeds that included pissing everyone in the family off (like stabbing his Uncle Monte in the leg with a fork and then told him not to scream), and the cow that got hit (and exploded) on the highway, and he had to clean it up.  Jason talked about the girl he had seen staying in the condemned summer camp, and that even though she was a woman, he was scared to death of her. 

         Almost on cue, a van came speeding up the dirt road and skidded to a stop only inches from Tom’s Road Glide.  “Son of a bitch!” Tom yelled.  A slender dark haired man with piercing green eyes dark hair exited the van.  “Watch my fucking sled, dumbass!” Tom yelled.

         “Nice child molester van, Michael,” Jason yelled.  Michael turned to him and raised the one finger salute.  “So is Fred coming up?” Michael asked trying to get under Jason’s skin.  “Fuck no! I don’t want that pederass anywhere in my vicinity,” Jason hissed.

“Nice fucking mouth, Texan.  I wasn’t going to hit it,” Michael shot at Tom as he walked towards the two.  “Happy Birthday, Jason.  You got a beer for me?” he asked. 

         “My van is fucking awesome.  It’s like something Quagmire would drive,” Michael considered.  “Or that closet case Fred.  I can just see him driving it around looking at little kids saying ‘Giggity, Giggity!” He finished with doing the Quagmire impersonation. 

         “Who the fuck is Quagmire?” Jason asked, puzzled. 

         “Nevermind.  You don’t want to know,” Tom replied through his laughter. 

         “Michael, this might be the first time in recorded history that you actually made it within four hours of your original estimated arrival time,” Jason said as he handed Michael a beer from the ancient dented red Coleman cooler sitting next to them. 

         Michael cracked his beer, and took a long swig.  “Ahhh.  Refreshing.  So, what are the plans for this weekend?” he asked.

         “Well, I was thinking we could do a bit of hunting, get some wild game, and I’ll barbecue it,” Tom suggested.  Michael nodded in agreement.  “I hate to shit in your apple pie, Tom, but it’s June.  No hunting in June.  The last thing I need is for a game warden to come up here and try to give me a ticket for poaching, or worse, come up here and start poking around.  I’ve had enough of John Q. Law up here over the years,” Jason said. 

         Tom stared incredulously at Jason.  “White boy, have you lost your cotton pickin’ mind?  You’ve been doing it for years!  Besides, I had something a bit different in mind. I’ll tell y’all later.  It’ll be fun.”

         “This outta be fuckin’ interesting,” Jason said starting to regain his humor.  “Besides, I like fish.”

         Not missing a beat, Tom retorted, “I’m sure you do.”

Jason stood there shaking his head while Tom and Michael made themselves sick with laughter.

         “Be right back.  I gotta take a piss. I’ve been holding it since like Smith’s Grove,” Michael said as he set his beer down and ran into the cabin. 

         “I told y’all he was a douche,” Tom said smiling and punched Jason playfully in the shoulder.  “Yeah, he is.  But you know, he’s from Illinois.  That immediately qualifies him as a douche.  Besides he’s a fuckin’ Bears fan.  Wait until he has a few beers in him.  He starts talking like ‘Bob Swartzky’ from Superfans.” Jason quipped as he reached for another PBR. 

         “Too bad we couldn’t make him have a coronary,” Tom said giggling and slamming his fist into his chest.  “He outta like a real team.  Like the Cowboys.  That’s a football team,” Tom reasoned as he repositioned his large cowboy hat on his giant head.

         “Hey, Jason, who is the chick in this picture,” Michael yelled from inside.  Tom looked at Jason with wide eyes and a shit eating grin.  “Just a girl that used to stay up here.  Leave it alone, man,” Jason warned.  “Don’t get all homicidal on me, I’m just asking,” Michael said as he came back out to the porch.  “She looks familiar, that’s all.”

         Michael pulled up a camp chair that Jason had “borrowed” from some kids a few years back.  The three friends sat giving each other shit, talking women, sports, and whatever else came to mind.  Before they knew it, they were out of beer, and still thirsty. 

         “Who’s going to town to get beer,” Jason stated.  It wasn’t a question, more like an order.  “I’ll go.  No one knows me up here,” Michael piped up.  “Besides, I’m about a twelve pack behind you two psychos.”



         “Really? You’re calling us ‘psychos’?  Neither of us have been in a mental institution before,” Jason shot back.  Tom started laughing again.  “Awww shit! Y’all are going to make me pee m’self!”  Michael shook his head in disbelief.  “Man, that was cold,” Michael replied smacking Jason on the back of the head.  “Why I outta!” Michael joked doing his best Jackie Gleason impersonation.  “Just go get more beer,” Jason said as he made a half hearted attempt at squirrel tapping Michael. 

         “Dude, you need to get out of this place.  The isolation is making you weirder than you already are,” Michael said as he placed his hand in front of his balls to keep Tom from really clunking him in the testicles.  “Don’t do it, Redneck!” Michael yelled as he ran for his van. 

         “Holy shit.  That guy has issues,” Tom said regaining his composure.  “That guy has issues’ says the guy that works in a slaughter house,” Jason mimicked.  “Jason, don’t start that shit with me.  I know you’ve had a few beers, but don’t get all angry up on here,” Tom warned.  “Sorry, I just got a lot on my mind these days,” Jason apologized. 

         “Y’all worried about them yuppie mother fuckers building cabins and shit up here?” Tom asked, genuinely concerned about his friend.  “Yeah, I am,” Jason said with a sigh.  “The last thing I need is for the suits to move up here, and before you know it, there will be a Starbucks in town, and this place will be crawling with metrosexuals who shave their balls.  It’s just infuriating.  Last Halloween, I had to scare off a bunch of ghost hunters that came to ‘investigate’ the camp across the lake.  If it hadn’t of been for that girl I told you about, they would have gotten pictures of me, and then, shit, my life as I know it would have been over!” Jason explained. 

         “What did she do?” Tom asked with curiosity, and then added, “How do you know about ‘metrosexuals’ that shave their balls?” Jason chuckled.  “I do read you know.  Well, first, she warned them not to be there, and then told them some horrible stuff about what had happened up here.  At first, they were really excited that people had died up here.  They weren’t too happy with her when she rigged the entire place with all kinds of booby traps. It was like military stuff.  Trip wires, nets, open pits covered with leaves and punji sticks, real Viet Nam type shit.  I tell ya, Tom, most of them went to the hospital. I got a kick out of it really.  She ran around like there was someone out to get her, and acting all crazy.  She would hide almost in plain sight, and then would jump out at them.  Most of those dumbasses didn’t realize that I was watching them the whole time. 

         I tried to approach her when I went down to investigate, but she shot the scariest look at me and told me ‘Hey, Mother Fucker, if you don’t try to hurt me, I won’t hurt you.’  So, I split.  It was like talking to your Uncle Charlie, but in a curvy little body.  She was pretty cute though,” Jason finished. 

         “You stay here hoping she’ll come back, right?” Tom asked.  “Yeah, I guess I do.  But after that, she disappeared.  I went to the cabin where she stayed and well, I guess I took the picture of her and one of her hats.  I know, I know.  I sound like a stalker.  She hasn’t been back since,” Jason replied.  Tom laughed a bit and then shot, “I wonder why.  That’s some shit that only stalkers do.” 

         “I guess it makes me look like a huge asshole,” Jason considered. 

         “Look, after this, seriously consider goin’ back to Texas with me.  You can stay with me and my family.  Uncle Charlie loves you like a son.  God knows I could use a friend down there, and maybe the girl thing with take care of itself,” Tom offered.  “I’ll think about it.  I just have so much history here,” Jason lamented.  “Yeah.  History you don’t really remember,” Tom offered.  “Just think about it,” he finished as he got up to go take a pee by the trees. 

         “Hey, Tom, I’ll think about it,” Jason called to him. 

         But I want to see if she comes back first. Jason contemplated to himself.

         Michael came back about an hour later, with a van full of beer.  “Okay, all the shit I talk about you, I take it back right now,” Jason said with a smile.  “You better, All of this frosty beverage was kind of expensive. 

         Tom shook it off and came to help unload the multiple cases of PBR, Bud, and Bud Light. “I bought the store out of beer for the weekend,” Michael said with a smile. 

         As they unloaded the beer, Tom couldn’t leave it alone.  “Where’s her hat, Jay?” Jason shot him a look that could kill, and Michael’s ears stood up.  “Can we talk about this later?” Jason asked as he took the beer into the cabin.  “He took her hat? And her picture?” Michael asked with great interest.  “Yeah.  He did.  After she left.  I’ll fill you in later.  He’s a bit pissy about it right now,” Tom explained.  “There has to be more to the story than just him taking her picture and her hat,” Michael figured.  “There has to be more to the story than he’s letting on.”

         “You got that right, son.  I tried to get him to tell me about her, but apparently, he has not been able to even say one word to her,” Tom replied. 

         “You know, it’s gotta be difficult living up here.  I bet his hand gets really tired!” Michael joked nearly dropping the four cases of beer in his arms.  Tom laughed along with him and replied, “Damn, I know.  There ain’t even sheep around here!”  “And I was going to get him some Velcro gloves for his birthday,” Michael added. 

         “Stop talking about me, dammit!” Jason yelled from inside the cabin.

         “You know, maybe we should cool it with the all the talk about Jason’s ‘Intended’, I think he will really blow a gasket.” Michael said with a smile.  Tom knew damn well Michael wasn’t going to let this one go.  He was going to poke Jason with a large stick until Jason freaked out and punched him. 

         In the distance, a car was pulling up to the camp.  It was a deep, throaty, and resonating exhaust on it, and the boys figured it might have been some sort of a classic muscle car by the sound.  Jason tried to look past the tree line to see the road.  It was indeed pulling into the abandoned and condemned camp.           

Michael and Tom noticed that Jason was transfixed on seeing what it was, and who was driving it. Both of them worried that Jason was a bit “off” today. 

         “Do we have visitors?” Tom said quietly.  He watched Jason to see his reaction.  Jason continued to stand there fixated on the camp across the little cove next to his cabin.  It was like he had frozen in his tracks.  Jason’s massive chest heaved in and out with every breath.  “No.  No one is supposed to be up there,” Jason said, his eyes narrowing to get a better look at what might be there. 

         Tom and Michael looked at each other knowing what was going to happen next.  The sun was setting quickly.  Jason turned and walked into his cabin.  Tom followed, leaving Michael to figure out how he was going to corral his friend that outweighed him by about 75 pounds, and was considerably stronger.  He figured he’d leave it up to Tom, who was a “big strong brute with a child’s mind”.  He giggled to himself at his clever thoughts, and went to his van to retrieve his duffle bag.  Michael figured it was better to just let those two wrestle it out.  As long as they didn’t try to involve him in the “male bonding” he was just fine.  Besides, he didn’t want to mess up his hair if he didn’t have to. 

         Michael walked into the cabin.  It was dark except for a small lamp near the picture of Jason’s “intended”.  He heard Jason and Tom talking in the kitchen.  He figured that Tom was just calming Jason down as it was still early in the night.  Michael decided to just give Tom the opportunity to talk Jason off the ledge. 

         He strolled up to the table.  Jason had fashioned a small shrine like display for her.  There was the picture, a black beret with a pin on it, a wilted red rose, and a faded and stained piece of what was once a blue cable knit sweater. 

Michael smiled.  It was kind of funny, but he didn’t want to touch anything. Getting his ass kicked by Jason was not on his list of things to do this weekend.  He understood the picture, and the beret.  Obviously, the beret belonged to the girl, who was in the picture, a United States Army Soldier.  She was pretty, delicate, and didn’t look like someone who could fight her way out of a wet paper bag.  Although she was pretty, Michael noticed that she probably wasn’t a real hit with the guys.  She did have “nerd” written all over her face.

Her eyes were bright, and she had an innocent smile.  It made Michael want to puke all over his boots.  Yeah, Jason would totally go for this chick.  She wasn’t just a soldier, she was a commissioned officer.  Michael picked this up by looking at the two silver bars attached to the blue flash on the beret.  He still couldn’t figure out what the piece of sweater was from. 

“Bro, let’s just go get dinner.  You can go over and see what is going on at the camp as we go,” Tom said, exiting the swinging door to the kitchen.  Michael backed away from the table.  “Sounds good to me.  I’m starving,” Michael piped in.

“Okay,” Jason said not showing much enthusiasm.  “Jay, you got a chainsaw?” Tom asked as he rifled through his small bag looking furiously for his party mask. “Yeah, in the shed out back.  There’s gas for it on the shelf,” Jason said as he opened a drawer on his “shrine” table. 

The three men left the cabin and headed for the woods.  Jason lead the way, reminding them to watch their step.  There were tree roots that could come up and trip an unsuspecting hiker.  Jason was walking slow and deliberately, not wanting to miss anything.  Tom kept beating the chainsaw on every big tree he passed.  “Cut that the fuck out, man,” Michael whispered.  “We’re gonna get caught if you keep doing that shit.”  Jason turned and gave both of them the evil eye. 

“Okay, we’ll do better if we all split up.  I’ll take the camp.  Tom, you go over to that bunch of cabins on the left side.  Michael, you take the giant lake house to the right.  We’ll meet back here in an hour,” Jason planned. 

“Sounds good, brothah,” Tom said scratching his “face”.  “I should be able to get into that house, no problem,” Michael said confidently.  Tom turned to say something to Jason, but he had already started walking towards the dilapidated camp.

“Hey, Tom.  The girl is a soldier.  It’s a service picture, and she’s an officer or was.  The hat is her Army beret.  It had Captain’s bars on it.  The rest of the stuff I’m not really sure what it means,” Michael whispered. 

“You know Jason.  He has weird attachments to things.  Sometimes it doesn’t mean anything, and he just puts stuff there because he likes it,” Tom explained as they walked to a path that would get them both to their destinations.  “He probably sees her as his puppy.  He’s got some really strange ideas on things. He really needs to get a pet or something,” Michael reasoned. 

Tom giggled slightly thinking about Jason taking his “soldier puppy” for a walk.  “So do you think he would get her a little basket to sleep next to his bed?” Tom said trying to contain himself thinking about the absurdity of Jason with this girl. 

“Naw, man.  She’d be sleeping at the foot of his bed.  With a jar of peanut butter,” Michael ripped as the two of them tried to stifle their giggles. 

“Alright, see you on the flip side,” Michael said as he regained his composure and high fived Tom and headed towards the large lake house that was his target.

Tom was left with his sick thoughts.  He was getting hungry, and he assumed that Jason and Michael were getting hungry too. 

Jason felt his heart beating faster as he walked toward the camp.  There was a red and white car from the 1950’s parked out front of the head counselor’s cabin.  That is exactly where she stayed.  Was she back? Jason slowly moved closer to the cabin and the old car. 

It was red and white with red and white interior that was immaculately restored.  He could see the large red trunk with the iconic tail fins.  It was emblazoned with the word Plymouth on it.  It had a sticker in the back window.  US ARMY VETERAN was on the sticker.  And another choice sticker that read Dysfunctional Veteran- LEAVE ME ALONE! on it.

He tried really hard to step quietly as not to alert anyone inside, but he was transfixed on this car.  It was beautiful and creepy.  Just like the girl that owned it. His heart thudded in his chest dully, and he tried to keep his breathing quiet.

Too late.  He stepped on a dried branch and SNAP!  He saw movement inside the cabin.  He frantically looked around for a bush or tree to hide behind.  He heard the door opening.  Jason dove into a small grove of bushes.  Hoping whoever opened the door didn’t see him in the dimming daylight. 

The door flew open with a thud.  Jason’s heart skipped a beat.  It was her. 

He could hear a song playing loudly inside the cabin.  Unbeknownst to him, it was Danzig’s Devil’s Plaything.  She marched on to the porch to the beat of the music and surveyed the land.  She looked right at Jason.  Her eyes locked onto his.  A slight smile crept over her face. 

She didn’t approach, but stood there staring at him (or where he was) while she tied up her long chestnut colored hair into a ponytail.  She had on a black tank top with faded Levi’s jeans that were cuffed 50’s style and black motorcycle boots.  Jason tried to slow down his breathing again. He noticed that he was making the leaves around him move.  Real fucking smooth.  She can see me. Jason thought as he tried to make an exit strategy. 

She made a move towards where he was hiding then turned to the faded and torn heavy bag hanging in the center of the clearing right in front of the cabin.  He remembered that she put it out there when she was here before.  She threw a left jab and then a right cross, detaching the bag from the stand it was hanging on.  She laughed a bit and walked towards the cabins where Tom was. 

Here was his opportunity.  Jason knew he needed to get the fuck out of Dodge before she totally saw where he was.  He planned to see her in the morning.  He’d be up at the ass crack of dawn, and maybe she would too.  This way he could see her naked boobs (as she swam early in the morning and sans bathing suit) again, then she would exercise with as little on as possible.  She would take machetes, swords, sticks, and knives and fling them around to practice her moves. 

He figured she was pretty much the end all be all.

This time, he wasn’t planning on pussying out.  He was going to talk to her. 

By now, the sun was down, and the moon had not risen.  Tom spied a health boy that looked like he lifted weights.  He waited quietly until the young man ventured out to the woods.  He was drunk and staggering around.  “Perfect,” Tom whispered to himself.

Tom was happy with himself.  He walked back to catch Jason hiding behind a tree.  “What the hell you doin?” he whispered.  Jason jumped back from the tree adjusting his pants.  “Nothing.  Mission accomplished?” Jason asked hoping that Tom wouldn’t probe further. 

“Um, yeah, whatever you say, Spanky,” Tom said smiling under his mask.  “I left him over there,” he finished and pointed at some trees about a hundred yards from the camp.  Jason pretended not to hear him and quickly started walking that way.  “Okay, let’s go,” he said getting a few steps ahead of Tom.  “Where you going so fast?” Tom asked just to add some insult to injury.  He knew damn well what Jason was doing. 

“You saw her again didn’t you,” Tom said poking Jason in the back with the tip of his chainsaw.  Jason spun around knocking the chainsaw out of Tom’s hands.  “Stop it dude! Seriously! And yes, I did see her again!  SHE’S OUT THERE!” Jason whispered loudly. His visible eye was as big as a serving platter.

“Well, that explains the pup tent in your pants then, pardner,” Tom said trying to contain his laughter.  “Shut up, Tom,” Jason said trying not to smile. He knew he was busted. 

They could see the white face of Michael coming towards them.  He shrugged his shoulders to let them know that he was coming back empty handed.  As he walked, a glowing red dot appeared on his forehead. 

“What the fuck?” Tom said as he dropped to the ground.  “Guys, what the hell is going on?” Michael asked, knowing that that red dot was a laser scope attached to some sort of firearm.  “Get down, Michael!” Jason whispered loudly.  Michael dropped to the ground. 

“Oh my God!  I think she is trying to kill us!” Tom whispered loudly to Jason.  “Oh that’s a fucking switch, eh, guys?” Michael said, trying to keep from shitting his pants.

The red dot went away after a few really long seconds.  There was giggling from the trees

The three elected to crawl on their bellies to get to Tom’s kill.  They got to the clearing where he put it, and saw something dragging it further into the woods.  Tom stood up with his chainsaw.  “Hey, that’s mine!” he yelled.

They all heard another creepy laugh as the shadow and Tom’s kill disappeared into the woods.  “Fuck man, really?” Michael said as he pushed Tom.  Tom tried to run after the shadow, but Jason stopped him.  “I think I know where it will be.  It’s crazy, but I think I can find our dinner,” Jason explained as he pulled his mask back down covering his face. 

His stomach turned a bit as he walked towards the inner circle of the camp.  He heard thumping noises coming from the large kitchen and dining cabin.  He crouched down by the window to the kitchen.  She was in there.  With their meat.  Tom crept up slowly and peered through the window.

They crouched down and Tom made a suggestion.  “Damn, she’s a pretty good butcher.  We can let her cut up all of this meat, then we come back later and steal it after she goes to bed.”

         “She doesn’t sleep,” Jason said as he stood to take another look at her. 

         THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!

         The carcass now was separated into five pieces.  WHACK!           

         She lopped off the head and sent it skidding down the counter towards the window.  Her head turned as if it was on a swivel, and stopped as she looked out the window.  Jason dropped quickly.  “I think she saw me.  Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said trying to quietly run off. 

         “Not so fast, Blutarsky,” Michael said trying to grab Jason by the arm.  Jason got to the faded sign that said the camp’s name. 

         THWWHHHACK!

         A throwing knife hit the sign inches away from his head.  Jason stood there frozen.

         “RUN!!!” Tom yelled as he booked it for the woods. “Every man for himself!”

         “Hey! Don’t forget your dinner!” her voice called out from the dining cabin, and a large plastic bag came flying out of the doorway.  Tom doubled back, grabbed the bag and ran back to the woods, leaving Jason and Michael to deal with the crazy girl.

         Michael followed suit, and walked briskly towards the trees to make it back to Jason’s cabin.  “Jason, let’s go!” Michael yelled as he disappeared into the trees. 

         Jason picked the knife out of the sign and looked over at the dining room of the main cabin.  Out she came.  Her face, chest, hands and arms were covered in blood.  She stared Jason down as she had done before.  He took five slow steps towards her.  He clenched the knife in his hand.  His chest was once again heaving, and it seemed to get bigger every time he took a breath in. 

         She spoke. “I finally know your name.  I guess you’re the Jason that everyone has been talking about around here,” She said as she wiped off her face with the back of her arm, only smearing more blood around her face.  “Maybe someday I’ll get to see what you look like without that mask,” she said as she walked closer to him. 

         “Why should I be afraid of you?” she said as she moved closer.  “You should be afraid of me.”  Her eyes seemed to glow green.  Jason didn’t know what to say. He was completely tongue tied again. 

         She was now within arms length of him.  “Jason, I’m AJ.  Now you know my name.  We’re not strangers anymore,” AJ said as she extended a bloody little hand to him.  He reached out slowly and shook her hand.  She smiled at him but the smile never reached her eyes.  She was smaller than he though. He was over a foot taller than her. She didn’t look as delicate as her picture, and her eyes seemed different.  As if she has seen and done more than most people could ever dream of.

         “Hi,” he managed before his fear overtook him, he turned and hoofed it to the relative safety of his cabin. 

         One of these days, I’m gonna figure out what is under that mask. AJ said to herself as she walked back to the kitchen to finish her meat cutting.  He was the man that she had come into her dreams.  Sometimes he was just there.  Sometimes he chased her, sometimes he saved her from this other jagoff that constantly came into her dreams and tried to kill her, and sometimes…well….let’s just say she figured she knew what he looked like without his mask. Based on her dreams, anyway.  Sometimes he had the mask on and sometimes he took it off. But he wasn’t the fuckin’ Phantom of the Opera without the mask. 

         She thought about it as she trimmed what little fat there was from the thigh she kept for herself. 

Would he have those gray eyes that were like the ocean sky during a storm?  And that black Fu Manchu mustache? Or was it a goatee?  Or was he just kinda scruffy?  Anyway, whatever was under that mask she would know for sure by tomorrow night.  Hell, all three of them had masks.  Maybe she should get herself one too. 

AJ washed down the kitchen, put her fresh meat in the large refrigerator that she was able to get working again and made sure that there was no evidence of anyone in the kitchen.  She turned off the lights, and walked to her cabin to “freshen up”.  After a long shower and fresh clothes, she styled her hair, and put some make up on. 

She decided that she was going to “crash” the party the boys were having.  She could hear the laughter, and realized that two of them were giving Jason a bit of “shit” over her.  And she could smell fresh barbecue from the smoker out back. 

They saw her walking and the bright moonlight outlined her figure in the dark.  “Holy Shit!” Tom exclaimed as he pulled his mask over his face.  Michael fell over and spilled his beer all over himself.  He quickly grabbed his white mask and pulled it over his face.  Jason was kind of stuck.  His mask was in the house, and so he darted quickly in to the cabin to retrieve it. 

Casually, Jason strolled out of the house and stood there motionless as she came closer. 

“So, is there one of those for me?” she asked smiling.  Jason smiled, but she didn’t see it through his mask.  He just simply opened the cooler and let her pull one out.  Tom’s jaw practically hit the floor when she walked up onto the porch among them.  “Why is she not afraid of us?” Michael whispered to Tom. Tom shrugged and whispered, “Why should she be afraid of us?  She’s gotta know what we are and I got a pretty good idea of what she is.”

Jason quickly grabbed a chair.  “Here please sit down,” he said motioning to the chair.  His curiosity got the best of him. “What brought you up here?” Jason asked, pushing Michael off the chair he was sitting on and placed it next to her and sat down.  AJ took a drink from her Budweiser.  “Well, I came up here the first time to just get away from everyone.  I had read about this place, and thought it was so haunted, and so much had happened up here, no one is crazy enough to come here.  Man, was I wrong.  I just wanted to be alone.  I wanted to find out what had changed inside of me.  See, I was in the Army, and was over in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Saw some really gnarly stuff.  I was kind of worthless as a real soldier, but I was a college graduate with a degree in journalism, so I became a reporter for Stars and Stripes. I was good at it too.  I just wasn’t so good at all of the physical stuff. 

There was an accident, and it changed something inside me.  I was stronger and it was almost like there was nothing I couldn’t do.  I was fearless. I wanted to know why it happened, so I researched the one place where I thought I could go, be alone, study, write, and better yet, train.  So, when I disappeared from here, the Army wanted me to go back in, and head to Iraq to cover the cessation of activities, because, you know we were done.  I knew we weren’t.  We wanted to believe everything was going to be okay, but we all knew it was probably going to get worse.  We picked off Bin Ladin, and shit just flared up again in Afghanistan.  I roamed around interviewing soldiers, my photographer took pictures. Basically, I just went through the motions.  It was nice being in the Army.  I had everything I needed, and well, I’m not that kind of girl that guys flocked to,” she explained.  Jason, Michael, and Tom sat transfixed on her, listening intently. 

Jason sat thinking about who this “Ben Lauden” guy was, and Tom quickly realized that maybe she wasn’t so different from him.  Michael sat skeptically criticizing her story in his mind.  He at least held his tongue, just in case she wasn’t bullshitting. 

“I’m glad you made it back,” Jason said quietly.

         “I’m glad that you actually started talking to me,” AJ said smiling at him. 

         Tom announced that he was going to check the barbecue, and Michael jumped up to go and help him.  Leaving AJ and Jason alone for a few minutes.

         “Look, you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” AJ said as she reached out to touch his hand.  Jason reached out for her hand.  “Thanks for coming over,” he said genuinely meaning it.  “You are welcome.  So, what’s the occasion?” she asked. 

         “It’s my birthday in two days. These two idiots came up here to get me to celebrate.  They think that I’m a hermit.” Jason thought about it. “Yeah, I guess I am kind of a hermit.”  AJ scooted her chair closer to him, not letting go of his large hand.  “I just think that you haven’t really had the opportunity to hang out with people.  How did you meet them anyway?” she asked

         Jason looked at the ground, and sighed.  “I don’t remember.  They’ve just always been there.”  He rubbed his head and readjusted his mask nervously.  “They seem interesting,” AJ observed.  Jason let out a small laugh.  “Yeah, I guess you can say they’re different.”

         He wasn’t sure how to talk to her.  Here she was, the girl that he watched for months, and all he wanted was an opportunity to talk to her. And now he had nothing to say.  Or couldn’t think of anything to say.  There was actually a lot he wanted to tell her.  She kind of took his breath away.

         “Hey, it’s okay if you don’t want to talk right now.  You’re wearing your mask.  I know it’s hard to talk in that thing,” AJ said, trying to comfort Jason, who by this time, was trying so hard to come up with something to say. 

         She looked at him closely and leaned closer to him.  His gray eyes started to sparkle under the sparse light that fell on his porch.  “You know, you’re nothing like what I’ve read about you,” AJ observed.  This startled Jason a bit. 

         “Why do you think I came up here?” She asked moving close enough for their knees to touch.  He could smell her perfume, and it smelled like wildflowers. Jason just shrugged.  AJ leaned over and pulled a beer out of the cooler, cracked it, and started explaining.  “I told you that I wanted to come up here because I could be left alone.  I was here to study what had happened to me, and what changes I went through.  I didn’t come home the same.  I came home different.  I’m curious by my nature, so I sat up here reading about why I had changed,” AJ explained.  “By the way, there isn’t a whole lot of information about what happened to me.”

         Jason was really interested as to why she “changed”.  “So what was the change that happened to you?” he asked, genuinely interested.  AJ sat quietly remembering how everything actually started.  “Hey, it’s okay.  You don’t have to talk about it if you aren’t ready to,” Jason said as he touched her face with his large hand. 

         AJ didn’t jump back or move away from him.  The moment was shattered by Michael’s voice.  “Hey, Mama’s Boy!!! What ‘cha doin’?”

         Jason jumped back away from AJ, and grabbed his machete.  He stood quickly and pointed the machete at Michael.  Michael cackled and pulled out his carving knife and pointed it at Jason.  AJ, frustrated by all of the testosterone, stood and yelled, “Enough! Enough of this pissing contest! Both of you, put your blades down, or I’m going to get really angry!”

         Both dropped their blades, and Jason quickly said, “At least I had a Mama that loved me.  You killed yours.  Didn’t you?”

         “Oh, that was so below the belt. And no, I didn’t kill my mom.  Just my sister! And you sir, are a giant scrot sack!” Michael retorted, pointing furiously at Jason and pulling his mask up to his forehead.  It sat crazily on his head like an ill-fitting hat. 

         AJ understood that these two were just being guys and shooting their mouths off.  And of course having large quantities of beer around didn’t help the situation. But it didn’t change the fact that Michael was a bit mean to Jason.  She picked up on this immediately. 

         Michael, now exposing his face, winked at AJ.  He was not a bad looking man at all.  He had dark hair with a widow’s peak that was perfectly centered on his head.  He looked a bit like a 1940’s matinee idol.  And he knew it. However there was something missing with him.  It was like there was no soul to go with the body.

         AJ rolled her eyes and looked back at Jason.  “Hey, I better get going big guy,” AJ said holding her arms out for a hug.  Michael pulled his mask back down over his face, tilted his head and looked at her quizzically.  Jason immediately turned to her, bent down, and wrapped his arms around her waist.  He lifted her up and gave her a big hug.  “Goodnight, AJ,” He said as he touched the forehead of his mask to her forehead.  “Goodnight Jason,” AJ said kissing him gently on the cheek of his mask. 

         “Awwwww.  Isn’t that sweet,” Michael mocked as he cocked his head to the side.  “Shut up, Michael,” Tom said as he came walking out from behind the cabin.  “Why ya leavin’ girl?  You ain’t even ate yet!” Tom said.  “I really gotta clean up just in case those kids go poking around the camp,” AJ said and it was looking like she was having a difficult time leaving Jason’s side.  “Do you want me to walk you home?” Jason asked, hoping she’d say yes.  “No, it’s okay.  I can find my way,” AJ reasoned.  “You know that there are crazed freaks out in these woods,” Jason said, hoping AJ would reconsider. 

         “They should be more afraid of me than I am of them,” AJ said walking away. 

         She stopped after a few steps and turned back to look at the guys. “Jason, I almost forgot.  I have something for you,” she said as she reached into the pocket of her jeans.

         She pulled out a small gold oak leaf pin and tossed it to him.  Jason reached out his hand and caught it.  He opened his hand and looked at it, and cocked his head to the side like Michael would when he was looking at something.  “Stop taking my move, dick!” Michael yelled. 

         “Shut up Michael,” Tom growled, noticing that whatever she gave him must have meant something.

         AJ explained further.  “It’s for the beret.  It’s an oak leaf.  I got promoted on my final deployment.” 

         Jason wanted to show her who he really was, but he would have to wait.  AJ smiled and jumped off of the porch and headed for her camp.  She walked towards the dark woods that lead to the camp.  Before she entered the woods, she turned to look back at the boys, who were watching her with fascination.

         “Bye, girl,” Tom said waving and adjusting his mask.  “You can take that thing off, she’s leaving,” Jason said, dejected, as he pulled off his mask revealing what he really looked like. 

         “She saw the only one of us that really matters.  Because you two are so ugly, you could be modern works of art,” Michael managed through his hyena like laughter.  “Fuck you and the horse you rode in on, Chuck,” Jason said showing his smile.  “She sure is pretty Jason,” Tom commented as he pulled his mask off.

         “She is,” Jason replied, watching AJ disappear into the darkness. 



         The next morning, Jason woke to find himself sitting in a lawn chair on his porch.  His mask was lying next to him on the beer stained wood floor.  He could still smell the smoker going but Tom was nowhere to be found.  He heard splashing from the water down by the small dock. 

         It was AJ.  The sun wasn’t fully up yet, but he could see her little head bobbing up and down in the water.  He tried to be quiet as he reached for his mask and stepped off the porch and walked down to the water. Jason rubbed his eyes frantically, and put his mask on. 

She gracefully swam around, knowing he was watching her.  He got to the edge of the dock, and she swam underneath it, leaving him to look for her. 

         He walked to the edge of the dock.  His boots thudded on the damp dock as he stepped.  She was nowhere to be found.  He furiously scanned the water.  The ripples in the water dissipated and he walked to the edge. 

         Without warning, she sprang out of the water with a WHOOSH!!! She grabbed him by the calves and gave a mighty tug.  He didn’t react in time. She had already pulled him into the water.  All 260 pounds of him.

         Jason angrily flailed in the water. He was staring to hyperventilate, and trying to curse a blue streak at the same time.  AJ swam just out of his reach.  She calmly treaded water as his massive arms created whitecaps around them.  In his panic, he hit himself in the face, knocking his mask off revealing the man underneath. 

         “Stand up, Jason,” she said in a commanding voice as she resurfaced.  He did.  He realized that he was in chest deep water.  A look of temporary relief crept over his face.

Jason was an intense looking man with a shock of black hair on top of his head and a well trimmed Fu Manchu mustache.  His dark eyes looked tired, but happy.  He was not ugly by any stretch of the imagination, but he was definitely manly looking.  When the mask went on, it was like a transformation took place.  His hair would evaporate, and his left eye seemed to disappear from sight. 



He realized his mask was off, he looked around to find it, and AJ saw it drifting to the bottom of the lake under the dock.  She dove under and swam to pick it up before it hit the bottom. 

         Jason seemed unnerved that he was without his mask in front of her.  He frantically touched his own face, hoping not to scare her off.  In his mind, he looked like Lon Chaney, Sr. from the Phantom of the Opera.  But the reality was quite different.

         AJ perched the mask on top of her head and smiled at Jason.  He looked immediately upset.  “You can’t…” he tried to say.  “I can’t wear your mask?” AJ said as she motioned for him to swim over and take it off of her head. 

         He did just that.  He waded over and reached out and grabbed the mask off of her head, and at the same time he grabbed her with the other hand.  He realized that she wasn’t touching the bottom.  He pulled her over to him as he tried to put his mask back on.

         “No.  I finally know it’s really you.  Don’t put it back on.  Okay?  Just for a few minutes.  Let me look at you,” AJ said calmly, knowing that he wouldn’t hurt her.  He was upset for a few seconds, but quickly got over it.

         He realized that this was the only time he could remember holding a woman this close, and he didn’t kill her. 

         This is kind of awesome…Jason thought to himself.  AJ wasn’t fighting him, she wasn’t afraid of him, and she wasn’t trying to make breakfast out of him. He realized that she was staring at him intently and touching his face. 

         “What..?” he started to say. She kept looking at him and took the mask off of his head and held it from him.  No words just eye to eye contact.  He could see her whole life.  She could see his life and why he is the way he is. 

         She soon realized that Jason was a bit unaware of things.  It was like he was a twelve year old boy that just got asked to work out a math problem on the board in front of class.  He should have been immediately embarrassed, but it was as if he was not cognizant that AJ would notice it.  But he didn’t realize that she knew.  AJ definitely knew.

         AJ moved in closer on her own, just to see if he would notice.  He did.  He put his arms under her ribs and moved her away from him.  An embarrassed look spread over his face.  “Um, I gotta go,” said sheepishly as he grabbed his mask from her and sprang from the water like a dolphin.

         “Where are you going?” AJ yelled.  “I just gotta go for a minute.  See you later!” Jason said as his huge figure sprinted out of the water.

         AJ giggled to herself as she watched Jason get out of the water and slowed down to his slow deliberate pace he normally had.  As he slipped his mask back on, he turned to look at her.  The black crop of hair on his head disappeared from sight and his left eye was no longer visible.  She finally knew the man behind that mask.

         AJ spent the rest of her morning working out and then she headed for town to get some refreshments for tonight, but more importantly, she could get Jason a birthday present. 

         Jason was quiet all morning.  Michael was feeling the effects of all of the beer, and Tom, well, Tom was out attending to the meat in the smoker.  He believed low and slow was the way to properly barbeque meat.  He wasn’t satisfied with what he had cooked last night.

         AJ returned in the afternoon with a half gallon of Jack Daniel’s and four shot glasses, and a present for Jason.  Michael didn’t even bother to retrieve his mask from the cabin.  He just sat there and stared at her.  He had dark circles under his eyes.

         “You must have had fun last night after I left.  You look like a raccoon!” AJ teased good heartedly.  “I feel like shit,” Michael said reaching for a glass of water he had on the porch next to him.  He was completely unamused by the fact she had brought more alcohol.

         “So, where’s Jason?” she asked, knowing that Michael probably didn’t know.  “Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t make you drink too many of these tonight,” AJ finished.  Michael looked at her with a cold, unemotional look.  “I think he’s inside,” Michael said closing his eyes and pointed towards the door.   

         AJ was relieved that Michael didn’t have any smart ass remarks for her.  And she was relieved he didn’t hit on her.    She quickly walked over to the screen door and opened it.  She was going inside his cabin.  She noticed the “shrine” and saw that he had already placed the pin on her beret.  AJ wasn’t creeped out by it, in fact, she was very flattered by it in kind of sick sort of way.

         She didn’t go and look at it, but went over to the door she figured was the kitchen. 

         Jason sat inside at the table by himself.  He jumped when he saw her come through the door.  “You ran off to quick this morning.  I wanted to talk to you more,” AJ said quickly sitting down so that he wouldn’t have time to ask her to leave.  She put her bag with the Jack Daniel’s, shot glasses, and Jason’s present on the floor next to her.          “I don’t scare you without the mask?” he asked honestly.    AJ smiled and said, “No, you don’t.  I think you’re scarier with the mask.” She saw the look in his eyes when she said this and followed up with, “You don’t look like you think you do.”

         “Oh,” he responded trying to figure out what she meant.  “Jason, you are not a horrible monster.  Let me rephrase that.  You don’t look like a horrible monster.  I don’t either.  But I am,” AJ said seriously.

         “No, you’re not,” Jason responded sadly.  AJ drew in a deep breath.  “I didn’t want to go into this totally right now, but I understand you three.  I understand because in a way, I’m like you.  My accident was a helicopter crash,” AJ started to say.

         Tom interrupted by coming in to get more seasoning spray from the fridge.  “Sorry you two.  Didn’t mean to interrupt.  AJ it’s good to see you,” Tom said trying to make himself scarce. 

         “Tom, you don’t have to go.  I was just telling Jason about what happened to me,” AJ explained.  “Can you put these on the counter?” she asked, handing Tom the bag.  “Sure.  You want a beer, darlin?” Tom asked. 

         “Yeah.  The brand doesn’t matter,” AJ responded. 

         Tom handed her a PBR, and AJ started talking as Tom and Jason cracked their own beers. 

         “I was in Afghanistan with a group of Rangers.  We were flying over a mountain range and I was doing a story on them.  I didn’t have my photographer with me because of the space problem on the chopper, but I wanted to write about these guys.  To make a long story short, the chopper was hit by an RPG, and we went down. 

         I was scared shitless.  I don’t remember us hitting the ground, but I woke up to the taste of blood in my mouth.  It was like I was choking on it.  I realized after a few minutes that it wasn’t mine.  It was SSgt. Jack Lyon’s.  He was strapped in directly above me.  Somehow he had been impaled and he exsanguinated.  I woke up after I had ingested his blood.  I realized that he was dead, Sgt. Marty Edwards was dead, the two pilots, and the other two Rangers were also dead.  I was trapped in my seat, my right leg was broken, and I figured my shoulder was dislocated.  I was on the bottom side of the chopper.  It was on its side, so I was going to have to climb to get to the door. 

         So, my two Ranger buddies were dead.  Everyone else was dead.  I was alone.  No one knew where I was.  I knew that it was only a matter of time before I ran out of water, and I didn’t have any MREs.  In a word, I was fucked.  Out of all the people in the Army, I was the one trapped in the mountains of Afghanistan alone.  And I sucked as a soldier. 

         I started to cry for a minute, but then something inside me changed.  I knew I needed to eat.  I grabbed SSgt. Lyon’s knife, and while I was sobbing, I knew what I had to do.  I carefully cut his quadricep and took a piece of meat.  I ate it.  I told him I was sorry…”  AJ’s voice trailed off as Jason and Tom realized she had taken herself to that place. 

         Jason stood up and walked over to her and sat right next to her.  She looked at him and said, “Sorry, I’ve just never told this story out loud before. I don’t want to talk about it anymore right now.”

         “You do understand what happened to you, right?” Tom asked knowing the answer.  AJ looked directly at him.  “Yeah.  It’s called Windigo.  Apparently it only happens to certain people.  You have it too, huh?”

         “I guess I do.  My family started out of survival.  Some of us get stronger, faster, crazier.  You haven’t touched your beer!” Tom said trying to make light of the situation.

         Jason hugged AJ tightly, “You don’t have to talk about it anymore. So what’s in the bag?” he asked trying to change the mood in the room.

         AJ smiled and said, “A bottle of Jack Daniel’s, which you are all going to help me drink tonight, and your birthday present.”    Jason smiled as he thought about getting drunk with AJ.  Maybe he would be able to finally put his hands all over her like he wanted to.

         “You don’t get your present until tomorrow.  When it is your actual birthday,” AJ finished. “That is bullshit,” Jason reasoned as he gave AJ another tight squeeze and then let her go. 

         AJ heard voices outside.  She motioned to the guys to stay quiet, as Michael was still outside.  The last thing any of these guys needed was Michael drawing attention to them.  AJ listened more intently, and relayed the information using military like hand signals to Jason and Tom.  She gave them the “hold” sign and quietly crept out into the living room and then out to the porch.

         There were five college age kids standing there trying to get answers out of Michael.  He just sat there shaking his head, and not saying a word.  AJ took the initiative.  “Hey, guys.  What’s going on?  Oh, don’t mind him, he’s still hung over from last night,” AJ said.

         The tall blonde boy spoke first.  “We’re staying over on the other side of the lake, and our buddy left last night for a walk, and didn’t come back.  Have you seen him?  He’s like six feet about 200 lbs, with brown hair.  His name is Braxton.  He was wearing an old Nirvana t shirt,” he explained.  The steroid taking Guido just nodded. 

         AJ pretended to think about it, knowing this kid was now in the smoker in the back yard.  “You know what?  I did see him,” AJ started.  “He was pretty drunk, I asked him if he was okay, he said that he was, he just needed to go and lie down.  He wandered off that way,” AJ said as she pointed to the opposite side of the lake away from the camp. 

         “Could he be at that old haunted camp?” one of the bulimic looking blonde girls asked in a small squeaky voice. 

         “Naw.  I’m staying in the only building that’s even safe to go into.  Look, guys, if you don’t find him or he doesn’t wander back up to your cabin tomorrow morning, let me know.  But I don’t want to see any of you get hurt, so stay out of the camp tonight.  It gets really dark and there’s a crap ton of booby traps around.  I haven’t had the chance to go and clear all of them out.  I nearly broke my leg last night walking back from here.  It’s pretty dangerous.  So come by in the morning if he doesn’t show back up.  Okay?” AJ offered. 

         The brainy girl with layered brown and blonde hair spoke up.  “So, is there a possibility that Braxton could be over at the camp right now?” she asked trying to outsmart AJ. 

         AJ laughed.  “No.  I would have seen him.  Most of the camper’s cabins are so bad that you wouldn’t make it through the front door.  Plus there’s snakes, skunks, and raccoons that have decided to make those buildings home.  I haven’t smelled any skunk, so I seriously doubt he crashed there.  Like I said, he’s probably just sleeping it off, and he’s embarrassed that he got so drunk and shit his pants and puked everywhere.  Especially if he’s trying to tap one of you ladies,” AJ said as Michael jumped up quickly when she mentioned shit and puke in the same sentence.  There were giggles from the two boys.  The three girls stood there staring at AJ, half out of curiosity and half out of fear. 

Michael’s stomach wretched and he ran for the small bathroom on the main floor. 

         The kids kind of laughed.  AJ joked that he wasn’t a very good drinker. 

         The group agreed to find AJ in the morning if their friend didn’t show up.  The dark haired girl kept her eyes on AJ as they walked away.  AJ stared her down, and the girl was so uncomfortable, that she motioned for them to move faster away. 

         Tom made his way out onto the porch.  “What was that about?” he asked.  “They were asking about our dinner.  I have a feeling that we’re going to have to take care of the problem.  If you catch my drift,” AJ said watching the kids walk to the other side of the lake. 

         “We gotta do what we gotta do,” Tom said with a cold unemotional tone then he added, “Well, he was wearing a Nirvana t-shirt.”

         AJ silently laughed, she didn’t like Nirvana either. 

         With the sun now waning into the west, dinner was about served.  Jason’s birthday would be in four hours.  The four of them sat in the kitchen talking, laughing, and soon, drinking shots of Jack Daniel’s. 

         Michael had forgotten about his hangover, and quickly took a shot.  Jason was taking a more conservative route, only having a shot when AJ noticed that he didn’t have one in front of him.  They toasted to everything.  Jason’s birthday, Michael’s stupid van, Tom’s new mask (AJ saved the head of their dinner for him in the freezer), AJ’s Ranger buddies, but most of all, to meeting a new friend. 

         As the night wore on, Jason found himself in closer proximity to AJ.  He inched his chair over to hers in the kitchen.  Michael noticed.  He eyeballed Jason wildly as he downed two shots one right after another.  “So, you find a new puppy, Jason?” Michael asked as he stared at AJ and Jason. 

         AJ took the initiative.  “What the FUCK!? What did you just call me you shitter?” she hissed at him as she started to stand.  “AJ, no,” Jason said as he placed his large hand on her shoulder to get her to sit back down.  “Shut up, Michael. Or I will kick your head off and shit down your neck,” Jason said as he reached for Michael’s throat.  Michael didn’t flinch. He was drunk and feeling very bullet proof. 

         Tom stepped in between the two of them.  “Stop it, y’all!  This is just fuckin’ ridiculous!” he roared.  AJ stood up and without a word walked out with the rest of the Jack Daniel’s. 

         “Michael, you are an asshole.  I don’t even know what that was all about,” Jason said trying to back off.  “You don’t need to talk to her like that,” Jason finished as he stared holes into Michael’s non-existent soul.  Jason stomped off to find AJ who was now shotgunning the Jack Daniel’s straight out of the bottle on the front porch.

         AJ shot Jason a long and measured drunken stare.  “That fuck head.  I am not a dog,” she said as she started to lean and then stumbled a bit.  Jason reached out and grabbed her.  “How much is left in there anyway?” Jason asked taking the bottle with his free hand.  “Not enough,” AJ answered.

         Jason noticed that it had about a fourth of the half gallon left.  “We really put a dent in that, didn’t we?” Jason tried to joke.  AJ really didn’t answer.  She rested her head on Jason’s chest and closed her eyes. 

         “I thought you didn’t sleep,” Jason said as he heard her snoring a little.  “I don’t.  I pass out,” AJ said with her eyes still closed and a smile on her face.  She stirred a bit and then asked, “So, Jason.  Have you seen my car?”

         Not wanting to offend her let her know that he had seen it.  AJ forgot about Michael and focused on her car.  “It’s a 1958 Plymouth Fury.  It was all custom made for a guy back in the day,” she mused.  “See, they didn’t come in red.  He ordered it that way.  He was in the Army too.  That’s why he let me buy her.  Because I’m in the Army,” AJ drunkenly explained.  “The Army is fucking awesome.”

         Jason could hear Tom and Michael yelling from the kitchen, and no doubt it was about Michael’s weird sexual shit with women.  Jason figured that he could actually get away from him for a bit, and got a brilliant plan.

         “Show me your car.  It’s pretty neat,” Jason said as he held AJ close to him.  “Yeah, we can go for a cruise.  That’s what he called it.  He would take her cruising,” AJ answered with a smile.  “Um, I hope you are not planning on driving, AJ,” Jason said concerned that she would ask him to drive.  “I think you should also know that I don’t know how to drive,” Jason finished hoping she wouldn’t make fun of him. 

         “Don’t worry, Jason.  Rollie will drive.  He usually does when I get this fuckered up,” AJ said taking the keys out of her pocket.  “Okay, I hope he can drive good,” Jason said, helping AJ down the steps. 

         “Let’s motorvate,” AJ said with a smile.  Jason picked her up in his arms, knowing that she would probably face plant herself several times on the walk over there. 

         They got to the car, and AJ carefully unlocked the driver’s side door.  Jason, trying to be gentlemanly, opened the door for her.  “Go around the other side.  I don’t know how Rollie or she would feel about you in the driver’s seat,” AJ said as she slid over and unlocked the other door. 

         Jason got uneasy as he sat down inside the large red car.  “Don’t worry.  Rollie won’t hurt you.  As long as you are on my side.  He won’t hurt you and neither with she,” AJ said as she patted the car on the dash.  “Her name is Christine,” AJ said proudly. 

         “I like old cars,” Jason said as he tried to acclimate himself to it.  She turned the ignition and the old radio came on.  The green glow lit up the inside of the car.  It was playing Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by the Platters. 

         Oh, shit.  Jason thought as a familiar feeling crept over him.  He kept looking at AJ, with her long dark hair and cleavage, and she was sort of conscious.  His pants were getting a bit tight in the crotch so to speak and he figured that if he didn’t look like Quasimodo to her, he’d give it a shot. 

         “So what does AJ mean?” Jason asked sliding closer to her.  “Um, my first name is Ava.  My dad loved Frank Sinatra, so he named me after Ava Gardener.  J is just an initial,” AJ explained. 

         “Ava.  I like that.  It’s pretty.  And so are you,” Jason said, gambling that this line would work. 

         This was only going to go one of two ways.  She would either completely melt, throw her clothes off and let him ravage her right here, or she was going to rip out his throat and eat his liver with a nice chianti and some fava beans. 

         He slid over to her slowly and put her face in his hands.  Jason gently brushed her hair away from her face and leaned into her.  He was trying so hard to be smooth.  She wasn’t trying to choke him out, so he proceeded. 

         Their lips met briefly, and a more passionate kiss followed.  As they kissed with the soft melody of the song poured out of the speakers, it was almost like a movie.  Jason got brave, and his hand wandered into AJ’s tank top.

         The beautiful mood was shattered by someone tapping on the window. 

         Jason jumped and realized he had made it to second base!!! 

         “Why the hell did you stop?” AJ slurred.  Jason growled at Tom, who was standing outside the car.  “Get the hell out of here, you douche!” Jason roared as he crouched over AJ and looked directly at Tom          

         Tom frantically waved his arms and apologized profusely.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt y’all, but Michael is passed the fuck out, and so it’s safe to come back,” Tom said stifling his giggles and trying not to look at AJ’s chest.

         “Thanks Captain Obvious,” Jason said, realizing that he was in a car with a girl. He looked over at AJ who was starting to be a bit more coherent.  AJ started to laugh as she leaned her head back on the seat exposing her throat.  “Captain Obvious, that’s funny,” she commented, “I used to get called that all of the time.”

         Jason smiled and asked her if she was his birthday present.  “No…I think I left it in your kitchen,” she started.  “I was kind of hoping you were,” Jason said sheepishly, as he twisted his shirt tail to avoid looking at her. 

         “Do you want to stay here with me tonight, Jason?” AJ asked lifting her head to look at him.  Jason sighed and explained.  “I can’t stay here.  I mean, I can’t stay at this camp.  I don’t really know why, but I have to go back home.  But you can come back with me if you want to.  I promise.  I’ll be good.  I’ll behave myself,” Jason said now finally looking at her and raising his right hand to show her he was serious. 

         AJ’s massive Rockwell watch beeped.  It was midnight.  “Happy Birthday, Jason,” AJ said as she leaned over to hug him.  “Thank you, AJ.  Are you sure you’re not my birthday present?” he asked.  “Well, maybe a little,” AJ said as she held on to him tightly.

         It took the two of them what seemed like an hour to make it back to Jason’s cabin. 

         AJ was still stumbling a little, but they made it back.  Both of them looked a bit disheveled.  Jason had a difficult time not smiling.  He had not only talked to a girl, but kissed her and got to feel her boobs.  Maybe this birthday wasn’t going to be so bad after all. 

Michael was face planted right by the porch steps and didn’t move when Jason tapped him with his foot.  Michael grunted and mumbled something.  AJ and Jason laughed as they stepped over him. 

         They made their way to the kitchen and AJ grabbed a rectangular shaped paper bag out of the big bag that had the Jack Daniel’s and shot glasses.  She handed it to Jason with a smile. 

         “Thank you, AJ.  It’s been a long time since I got a birthday present,” Jason said as he opened it.  He took the paper off and noticed that it was a picture frame.  He flipped it over and saw a small scrap of fabric that had an American Flag with some black scribbles on it.  There were a few copper colored stains on it.  Jason figured it must have meant something to her. 

         “It’s my blood chit.  We carried these with us so that we could show we were American.  The black on there is Arabic, it let the friendlies know who we were.  Sorry about the stains, that’s my blood,” AJ said proudly. 

         Jason was touched.  Again, a moment was shared between the two, interrupted by Tom.  “Jesus, man.  Really?” AJ asked sarcastically. “Swear to God, you have the worst timing of any human being on this earth, Tom,” Jason said. 

         Tom just kind of shook his head and laughed.  “Hey, Tom, there is a present for you over in my cabin in the fridge.  Look in the blue and white cooler,” AJ said hoping that Tom would take the hint and spilt for a while. 

         “Oh, cool!” Tom said as he grabbed a flashlight off the fridge and took off out of the back kitchen door. 

         Jason could tell AJ was getting tired, she was still drunk, and was searching for the remnants of the Jack Daniel’s bottle that she left.  “Hold on, there’s one more thing in the bag,” AJ said as she pulled out a new shiny machete and handed it to him. “This is military grade.  Straight from the jungles of ‘Nam,” AJ continued as she started to lean to the left. 

         “I’m taking you upstairs,” Jason stated as he swooped AJ up in his arms. “Okay” That sounds spectacular,” AJ said as she rested her head on Jason’s chest.

         It was late afternoon before AJ started to stir.  The afternoon sun reflected off the water and into the room.  Jason had drawn the shades so she could sleep.  She moved her arm and found that she was lying on Jason’s chest.  He was still asleep.  AJ didn’t want to move just yet.  She checked to see if her jeans were still intact. 

         Her clothes had not been touched, and Jason was still dressed in his workshirt and pants.  He hadn’t even taken his boots off.  His mask was lying on the floor next to her boots. 

         AJ noticed that she had a disgusting taste in her mouth.  She tried to swallow, but she had no spit in her mouth.  Jason moved slightly and spoke. “Did you sleep okay?”

         AJ felt okay, and yes, she did sleep well.  “Yeah, Jason, I did.  Thanks.  But I have to ask you.  Where is your cat?”

         Jason smiled for a second.  “What cat?

         “The one that shit in my mouth!” AJ said laughing.  Jason wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that, but it sounded funny anyway. 

         AJ quickly realized that she needed to get something to eat, and the smell of steak and eggs coming from the kitchen permeated Jason’s room. “That smells awesome,” AJ mused.  “Yeah, I’m pretty hungry too,” Jason replied, rising to his feet. 

         They walked downstairs to the kitchen and found that Tom had made a complete breakfast for them being as they missed actual breakfast, but Tom figured that no one was going to actually sleep tonight, so what the hell.

  “Jason, we gotta talk later,” Tom said smiling. 

         Jason rubbed his hair and let Tom know that there was nothing to tell.  “Sure there isn’t,” Tom snickered.  AJ shook her head.  “No, really, there isn’t,” AJ said attacking the piece of meat on her plate.  “This tastes excellent,” AJ said with a mouthful.  “I’m glad you like it, darlin’,” Tom said smiling. 

         “I just want some toast,” Jason said pushing the large chunk of meat away from him.  Meat just didn’t look good to him.



         AJ walked back to her cabin back at the camp and cleaned herself up for the rest of the day. 

         It was a fairly uneventful evening until there was a large thunderclap that resonated across the lake.  “Expecting a storm?” Michael asked, as he surveyed the night sky.  “I don’t think so,” Jason responded taking a drink of his freshly opened beer.  AJ shuddered when the cold breeze hit her.  “Something’s wrong,” she said standing up and resting her hand on her survival knife that hung from her belt. 

         The sun had set and it was now almost completely dark except for the lights across the lake.  AJ felt something bad was coming.  “Guys, I think we need to be on alert right now,” AJ said stiffening her back. 

         Jason immediately felt something inside him change.  It was like anger and rage of all of the years he couldn’t remember started to well up inside him.  It wasn’t directed towards AJ or the fellas, but to those kids across the lake.  Kids like that were responsible for his horrible childhood, his mom’s death, and his being trapped up at this lake like a prisoner. 

         Without a word, he stood up and reached for his mask and his machete.  Jason silently walked into the woods. 

         Tom observed that he was not feeling so friendly either.  Michael sat silently playing with his large kitchen knife.  AJ began to do a visual patrol of the area.  They were all feeling the same thing. 

         “I gotta go,” AJ said slowly looking at the woods with the 1000 yard stare that would scare the buzzards off of a gut wagon. 

         Tom and Michael didn’t respond, they were reaching for their masks and preparing for whatever was about to happen.  AJ started home to the camp like an MP on patrol. 

         Her senses were completely heightened.  Something was definitely amiss at the old homestead.  She heard a familiar sound.  It was like metal being scraped on metal.  The sound grew louder and more grating as she got closer.  “Whoever you are, you better not be fucking with my car!” AJ yelled starting to a sprint towards her cabin. 

         She found nothing.  Her Fury sat quietly next to the cabin.  She spun around to get a 360 degree look at her surroundings.  Nothing was going to surprise her.  She quietly stalked her way into her cabin.  She made her way in there and dropped to the floor.  She crawled to her dresser where she began pulling out her ACU’s.

         AJ prepared herself for battle.  She tied the laces on her boots and slicked back her hair.  She secured her large K Bar onto her belt and placed her well-shaped beret on her head.  It was on. 

         She remembered the large bear trap she found in the boat house, so she again low crawled to her bedroom where it was stored under her bed.  AJ dragged it out to a small clearing in front of the cabin and covered it with leaves.  She also realized that most of her booby traps were still operational.  All she needed to do was reset the snares and take the wood covers off the pits.  She didn’t figure she had time to cover the punji sticks with her own shit, so that would have to be a no go for right now. 

         After preparing for whatever was coming, AJ completed the age old soldier ritual of putting camouflage on her face.  Again she heard the scraping metal sounds.  She drew in a breath and slowly let it out as she stretched her arms and legs out.

         From out of the darkness, a black hooded figure came running at her.  Its face was obscured by a ridiculous white screaming ghost face. AJ jumped to her feet and braced herself.  Ghost Face raised his right arm with a large kitchen knife in his hand intending on brining it down into AJ’s chest.  AJ laughed and began running at him. 

         As their bodies met, he brought down the knife. AJ caught his forearm with hers and then quickly slid under his arm while holding on.  She cranked his arm backwards and with a sickening snap, his arm bent backwards.  He started to fall, and she threw a turning long kick into his jaw.  He dropped like a stone.  AJ let go and started to dance like Muhammed Ali.

         Ghost Face let out a scream.  “Get up, you shitter! Fight me like a fucking man!” AJ yelled as she threw a side kick into his ribs as he tried to stand.  More snapping bone.  She waited like a mountain lion waits to pounce on some small animal that is going to be dinner. 

         AJ let him stand.  He struggled to put the knife in his left hand and tried again.  “Goin’ southpaw, huh?  That’s a bitch for you.  I’m better fighting southpaw,” AJ said as she again parried an overhand knife strike.  This time, she arm barred him and brought the knife back up into his own abdomen.  She paused for a minute, looked him in the eyes and said, “That’s it for you, shitter.  Never fuck with a United States Soldier!”

         She drove the knife into the soft flesh above the pelvis and tore up the abdomen to his ribcage and buried her hand in what she figured was his lungs.  Ghost Face attempted a blood gurgled scream, but it was in vain.  His entrails poured out of his stomach cavity as AJ withdrew the knife.  To add insult to injury, she reared back and threw her desert boot directly into where his jaw would have been. 

         Ghost Face fell in a bloody lump on the path to the beach. 

         To ensure he was completely wasted, AJ bent down, put his head in her hands and twisted it quickly.  With the succession of about seven snaps, his head bounced like a bobble head.  She dropped it and stood looking over the lake. 

         By now, there were screams and pandemonium coming from the house across the lake.  The faint sound of a chainsaw shot through the air.  AJ laughed quietly to herself.  She knew this night wasn’t even close to being over. 

         Slowly, she began to walk back to her cabin.  A beer sounded good.  So, she walked to the kitchen around the side and pulled out a Budweiser.  Tom’s present still sat untouched in the cooler on the bottom shelf.  As she took two healthy gulps of beer, she heard the metal sound again.  This time it was closer.  And it was where her car was. 

         “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me,” AJ hissed to herself.  She downed the rest of her Bud, and grabbed her “Buford Pusser” stick, which was an old Louisville Slugger bat. She headed out to the large clearing in front of her cabin.  There was a man in a dirty red and olive drab sweater with a fedora standing next to her beloved Fury. 

         He had a glove of knives that he was scraping down the hood of her Fury.  A white hot spark of anger exploded in AJ’s brain.  Her eyes widened and she marched towards the man.  “So, now that you’re a badass soldier, you’re not afraid of me anymore?” he asked in a mocking tone. 

         He was the man with hideous burn scars and a hand with knives on it that plagued her dreams as a child and when she was going through training at Fort Campbell. He was right.  She wasn’t scared of him anymore.  She was just pissed.  She held her ground waiting for this dumbass to come after her. 

         He giggled thinking that maybe he had scared her speechless, but that wasn’t the case.  “Listen you fuck stick, scratch my car one more time, and I’m gonna waste you like I wasted those fuckin’ ragheads in Afghanistan,” AJ barked. 

         Just then, he felt a push from behind him.  It had pushed him towards her.  The man turned to see a ghostly figure with a small patch of white hair and a dirty back brace, and the figure pushed him again.  “Just try to get her, shitter,” it whispered.  The man swiped at the figure and the figure laughed.  “She’s gonna tear you a new ass,” it whispered laughing.

         “I know who you are.  Your name is Fred.  You killed kids.  But I’m no kid.  Bring it you well done piece of shit!” AJ said motioning for him to come at her. 

         Fred realized that she wasn’t afraid of him.  He couldn’t make her run like he used to, and this was no dream.  He had no supernatural power.  He was just a man.  He had could gain no power over her, because she wasn’t afraid of a man with scars or a man with knives on his hand.  “You’re mine!” he yelled as he charged towards AJ. 

         “Is that the best like you got?” AJ said laughing and dropping her “Buford Pusser” stick.  She wanted to kill him with her bare hands.  Fred was at the point of no return.  Lighting tore through the night sky again, and the lights came on illuminating the clearing. 

         AJ’s eyes had turned from an emerald green to a black color.  Her mouth contorted into a demented smile.  Fred swiped at her and she countered with an out in kick that deflected his arm crazily to the side of his body.  “Your hockey masked knight in shining armor isn’t here to save you this time, bitch,” Fred snarled as he quickly recovered and brought the knives back the other way.  They clipped AJ’s uniform shirt, tearing four big gashes in it.  “Son of a bitch!” AJ yelled as she rushed at Fred, grabbing his knived hand and she began to headbutt him repeatedly. 

         When she got tired of that, she twisted his arm and exposed his chin.  She hauled off and laid a right cross followed by an elbow.  AJ worked back and forth hitting him with a barrage of fists and elbows.  Blood poured from his mouth and nose, and his jaw started to contort and break down in shape. 

         “Please, stop,” Fred managed through a mouth full of broken teeth.  “No,” AJ said cruelly.  She hit him once more, putting him on the ground.  She stood over him like a triumphant gladiator.  “Get up, shitter,” AJ said.           

         The ghostly figure by the Fury cheered her on. 

         She nudged him with her boot.  Fred groaned, and AJ drove her boot into his ribs.  There was a crack and Fred doubled up in pain.  He had never felt pain like this except for his burn injury.  His face was on fire, and now his ribs hurt.  “Get up, shitter,” AJ cackled as she backed off, ready for round two. 

         She backed off, and let Fred get up.  He stood slowly, regaining his strength.  “Now, we can get it on, little girl,” Fred snarled bearing his claw once again.  “Good luck with that, asshole,” AJ hissed back.

         From the beach of the camp, Jason’s heavy footsteps thudded in the wet sand.  Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, and storm clouds began to accumulate over the lake.  Jason walked slowly and deliberately up to the clearing.  His machete was dripping with blood and it left a trail from the other side of the lake.

         He saw AJ and Fred squaring off again in the middle of the clearing.  Jason’s chest heaved with deep breath and he slowly made his way to the clearing.  He watched as AJ grab Fred’s arm as he swung at her and she flipped him on the ground and twisted on his arm.  Fred screamed out obscenities as AJ cranked his arm backwards, and twisting it at the same time.  She stood bracing her boot into his armpit, and pulled savagely.  Fred’s knived hand and arm popped off like a cork out of a bottle of champagne.  Blood spurted out of the wound like a fountain covering AJ in his blood.  It was dark, coagulated blood like the blood from a corpse. 

         “You’re fucked now, pal,” AJ said swiping him with his own weapon, tearing open his face, chest, and torso.  There was virtually no blood, because Fred had basically lost all of his blood volume out the hole where his arm used to be. 

         AJ started dancing around with Fred’s arm, mocking him.  “Oh, look at me!  I’m such a badass, I kill children! Because I’m too big of a pussy to take on a grown up!”

         Jason’s heavy footsteps alerted AJ to his presence.  She turned around to face him.  “Hi, Jason!  I have a souvenir for you!” AJ said handing Fred’s arm to him.  Jason stood motionless in front of her.  His chest heaved in and out.  “Hey, what’s wrong” AJ asked noticing that Jason was acting different than he did earlier. 

         Jason lunged at her with the machete.  “What the fuck are you doing?” AJ yelled as her fist connected with his throat.  She caught him in the larynx, and he stumbled back and dropped the bloody machete.  AJ realized that something was very wrong with her new friend.  Jason shook off the strike, and again grabbed for AJ with his hands. 

         AJ slid back, and tried to stay out of his reach.  “Jason, what is wrong with you?” AJ asked, trying to reason with him.  Jason continued to come after her.  AJ deflected his arms with the skill and precision of Jackie Chan, but she was worried that Jason was not exactly in his right mind. 

         He finally got ahold of her.  His large hands clamped down on her throat. AJ dropped hoping that she could get some leverage to start kicking him in the solar plexus. 

         She could feel his hands cutting off her breath and blood flow.  She was seconds away from passing out, leaving her defenseless.  AJ felt him let up and she dropped her chin and brought her fists up just below the elbows.  Jason let go and jumped back, unsure of his next move.

         Tom’s booming voice shattered the relative silence.  “Jason, what in the hell are you doin’, pardner?”

         Jason again started after AJ.  Tom hit a dead sprint towards them.  Jason picked up his machete and raised it over AJ.  Tom hit Jason square in the midsection like a linebacker sacking a quarterback.  They fell a few feet away, and Jason dropped the machete. 

         AJ found herself on the grass, gasping for air.  “Fuck you guys,” AJ croaked as she stood up.  Tom held Jason on the ground.  Jason fought furiously, but Tom held him down.  “What the fuck, man! It’s AJ! I know it’s your birthday, but damn! Knock this shit off!!!” Tom yelled in Jason’s face. 

         Jason stopped fighting.  He realized where he was.  “AJ,” he whispered as he tried to get up.  “You done with this horseshit now?” Tom asked. “Because if you’re not, I’m kicking your ass right now!” he finished.          

         “AJ, I’m sorry,” Jason tried to say as she jumped on him, pushing Tom off.  “You shitter! Fuck you!” AJ yelled as she drew her fist back and walloped Jason in the jaw knocking his mask off.  She pulled her other arm back and when to hit him again, this time she targeted his philthrum, the space between his nose and his top lip.  She brought down her left fist hard and stopped just short of his face.  “Don’t ever do that to me again. I swear to God and Sonny Jesus, I’ll kill you,” AJ said grabbing his shirt and pulling him close to her.  “I’m sorry, AJ.  It’s this day, this place, I really didn’t mean to hurt you, it just happened,” Jason apologized.  He tried to touch her face as a peace offering, but she slapped his hand away.

         “Just go home, Jason.  I don’t need you here.  You too, Tom,” AJ said as she stood up and turned to walk away.  “There is one more.  This shit always happens in threes,” AJ said cryptically.  “What do you mean?” Jason asked standing to try to stop her. 

         “Just go home, Jason.  I’ll be fine,” AJ said unemotionally.  “I will make this up to you, AJ,” Jason said, dejected as he looked at the ground.  Tom brushed himself off and realized that AJ really wanted them to go.  “Come on, bro.  Let’s go,” Tom said motioning for Jason to just get his shit together and go. 

         “Okay.  I’ll go.  I am really sorry, AJ,” Jason said as he picked up his mask and machete.  AJ waved and walked towards her cabin. 

         Jason turned towards the path and started walking back to his cabin.  “Hey, Jason,” Tom started.  Jason turned, but he wasn’t looking at Tom. He was watching AJ, who was now taking out her  K Bar and pacing like a caged animal. 

         “Jason, let’s hide in the woods for a bit.  I have a feeling that she might need you,” Tom said trying to get Jason to turn around.  “She told us to leave, Tom.  What the fuck did you not understand about that?” Jason asked, starting to get pissed.  Jason kept walking.  “I’m going home,” he finished. 

         Tom shook his head and followed his friend back to his cabin. 

         It was 1:15 in the morning by the time they reached Jason’s cabin, and they found Michael waiting for them.  “Hey fuckers! What took you so long?” Michael joked as he opened a beer, waiting for the “lone survivor” to make her way over.  “Don’t ask,” Tom said as Jason grunted and went into the cabin.  “AJ finally realize what a retard he is?” Michael said laughing at what he thought was so funny.  Tom punched Michael full on in the face and said, “Don’t ever use that word ever again in my presence you self-centered jack hole!”

         Michael rubbed his cheek.  “Fuck, so sensitive,” he said as Tom threatened to pound him again.  Tom followed Jason into the cabin.  Jason was sitting on a chair next to his “little shrine”. 

         “Look, there’s no harm in going back over.  Just to make sure,” Tom said, hoping that Jason would snap out of it.  “Look, man, you didn’t mean to go after her like that.  It was just before midnight.  You always go apeshit the night of your birthday,” Tom reasoned further.

         Jason looked up at him with a slight smile.  “Yeah, maybe you’re right.  It couldn’t hurt to make sure she’s okay.  And bring some of your beef jerky for her.  She’ll like that,” Jason said standing up with a new resolve to make it up to his new friend. 

         Back at AJ’s camp of horrors, she sat trying to understand why Jason tried to attack her.  It was completely quiet only a slight breeze was coming through the trees.  She heard the faint sound of a respirator.  It sounded like Darth Vader.  One of the flood lights burned out.    It left an eerie light on the dilapidated camp. 

         She heard the sound again.  This time it was closer.  Off to the left. By her car.  You gotta be shitting me! AJ thought to herself.  She quietly crept around the right side of the cabin, around to the back, blending into the scenery. There was the noise again. 

         She stalked whatever or whoever was over there.  What she saw was a bit startling, even to her.  It was a man dressed as a miner.  He was carrying a large pick-axe and he was wearing a respirator and a helmet.  She could hear him breathing in and out.  In and out.  He saw her. 

         He looked right at her and lifted the pick-axe above the roof of her car.  “Don’t you do it, shitter,” a voice from the woods said.  He turned quickly to see where the voice came from.  It distracted him long enough to give AJ a chance to face him head on.  She quickly moved around the front of the cabin. 

         AJ checked the bear trap next to the stairs.  It was operational and ready to go. 

         She could hear the breathing sound getting louder, and she stalked her way over to the other side of the cabin.  He was standing again next to the car.  With a quick upstroke, he brought the pick-axe down onto the soft metal of the roof of the car.  The force of the strike popped the roof open like a beer can.           

         “Are you fucking kidding me?!” AJ yelled in dismay. “Why do you guys have to fuck with my car! Either Rollie or Christine is going to get you for that!”

         He pulled the axe out with a sick metal on metal sound and proceeded towards her.  “Bring it you fuckin’ shitter!” she yelled ready to parry a pick-axe strike.  He obliged her.  He ran at her full speed.  She side stepped and he flew past her

         Fred, still alive, called to AJ.  “He can’t be stopped!  He’s going to kill you, sweet pea!” And then a maniacal laughter followed.           The miner spun around again breathing and raising his pick-axe. He made contact with the handle on AJ’s forearm.  AJ winced in pain. 

         Jason and Tom were making their way back to the camp when Tom heard the sound of the respirator.  “Oh, shit.  That is Harry.  She’s in deep shit.  We better get a move on,” Tom said speeding up to a jog.  “Who the hell is Harry? And slow down, you know I don’t run,” Jason said just taking longer strides. 

         “Harry is a miner.  He was trapped after a mine explosion, and he was the only survivor.  He was trapped down there for six days I think.  He ate his dead buddies.  So, he’s like me and AJ.  He’s after her heart,” Tom explained hoping Jason would understand the gravity of the situation. 

         Michael caught up to them.  “Did you say Harry?  Oh, Jesus.  He was in Smith’s Grove with me for a time for observation.  He’s fucking crazy,” Michael said with an amount of concern in his voice and then he added, “Yeah, and he was the only person I chose not to mess with.”

         AJ bravely fended off Harry’s attacks.  She countered by trying to snap his arm around, but he was too strong.  He was of average size, but his strength was like hers, three times that of a normal man.  Her kicks didn’t seem to affect him.  She could feel that she was getting tired. 

         I shouldn’t have told Jason to leave. AJ thought to herself as she bobbed and weaved out of the strikes of the pick-axe.  Fred occasionally would laugh and tell her she was going to die. 

         Jason and Tom made it to the clearing.

         AJ stood her ground.  This time, Harry brought the pick-axe up and brought it down into AJ’s shoulder.  AJ screamed.  It tore through her upper lat, and down into her collarbone.

“Let’s see how you like this you shitter!” she yelled as she pushed Harry back towards the open bear trap. 

         “AJ!” Jason yelled as he put his mask on and started to walk faster towards her.  Blood spurted from her shoulder, and she braced the pick-axe with one hand and with the other she managed to grab Harry by the throat under his respirator and facemask. Harry’s pale blue eyes widened in a crazed stare through the plastic lenses of the mask at her. 

         AJ’s muscular little legs pumped furiously and she pushed Harry back near the trap.  Jason tried to run, but his legs wouldn’t let him.  He remembered the bear trap.  He hoped that AJ would just throw Harry into it. 

         That isn’t what happened.  She pushed him and then hooked his leg with her foot, driving his head down onto the spoon of the trap.  With a wicked snap, the giant trap slammed down on Harry and AJ.  Blood filled Harry’s mask.  AJ began to cough and spit blood all over his mask.  “I’m gonna kill you so bad, you die from it, shitter!” AJ managed as she closed her hand around Harry’s trachea and used her other hand to palm heel strike his head while ripping his throat out. 

           Jason could hear it, and it sounded like frozen meat being pulled apart.  AJ held what was left of Harry’s larynx in her small hand and then attempted to breath.  Her lungs were punctured, her shoulder still held the pick-axe in it, and she pretty much figured it was really the end for her.  She figured she would be able to see Jack and Marty in Summerland, and she could even see her family.  Maybe she could see Rollie again and let him know that “their girl” was in tip top show quality condition. 

         She started to fade, when she felt the trap open and someone was pulling her off of Harry.  It was Jason.  Jason wearing the beat up hockey mask, bald head, missing eye, the whole nine yards.  He instinctively pulled out the pick-axe and cradled her in his arms. 

         “AJ just hang on, okay?” Jason pleaded.  Tom and Michael stood watching their friend, completely helpless.  “Put some pressure on that shoulder, Jason,” Michael said quietly.  AJ coughed more blood, splattering it on Jason’s mask.  He pulled it off again revealing his face. 

         A ghostly voice laughed in the distance over by AJ’s Fury.  “Give her that beef jerky, dumbass.  She’ll be right as rain after that,” said the voice.  It was Rollie, AJ’s old vet buddy she bought the Fury from, who had died during her second deployment.  His full name was Ssgt. Roland D. LeBay.  “That girl ain’t gonna go down like this, boys.  Stick a tampon in those bleeding vaginas, and get on it!” Rollie now yelled. 

         “Yeah, that will totally help her!” Tom yelled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out of his fresh “beef” jerky and handed it to Jason who was by this time sitting with AJ in his lap and he was getting ready to say goodbye to her.  He now understood what it was like for everyone he had ever killed.  Or anyone who was left with what he had done.

         Jason took the bag and pulled out a large piece.  “AJ, you need to eat this.  Please,” Jason pleaded as he shoved the piece in her mouth.  AJ opened her eyes and tried to chew.  “HOOOWHT AAAM III SHUUUPPOTHD TO CHOOO WHITH ALLTHITH?” she said which translates to “How am I supposed to chew with all of this?”

         She furiously chewed, and the blood stopped.  She swallowed little bit by little bit.  When it was gone, she grabbed the bag from Jason and put the rest in her mouth.  The gaping wound on her shoulder was starting to close.  Only a small trickle of blood oozed out of her shoulder, and the wounds from the trap were closing as well. She wasn’t wheezing blood, and her coughing had stopped. 

         “My car,” she managed to say.  “Go check on my car.  Those shitters fucked with it,” she said closing her eyes again.  “I need to take a nap.  Take me home, Jason,” AJ said sleepily. 

         Michael briskly walked over to AJ’s vandalized Fury.  The hole in the roof was gone, and the paint seemed to be regenerating.  “Hey, the car is fixing itself!” Michael yelled back to AJ.  AJ smiled and whispered, “Sweet….”

         Jason picked AJ up and began to carry her back into the woods.  “I think taking her back with us for the rest of the night is a good idea,” Tom said, showing his support to Jason. 

         “You’re gonna be fine, AJ.  I promise,” Jason said motioning for her to pull his mask back down. 

         “I know.  Thanks, Jason, “ AJ said resting her head on his chest. 

         Jason, AJ, Tom, and Michael walked into the darkness of the woods of Crystal Lake to maybe start their lives over again



EPILOGUE

An older woman in her seventies with short cropped blondish gray hair sat quietly on the beach of the camp.  She twirled a hunting knife absentmindedly in the sand.  She looked troubled.  An old man wearing a dirty back brace and nicotine stained fingers carefully made his way down to her.  “You okay, lady?” he asked. 

“It was my son’s birthday yesterday.  He drowned in that lake.  They should have been watching him, but they were too busy to watch him,” she said gripping the knife tightly.  “I lost my daughter too,” the old man said.  “So you understand,” she began to say.  “What was your son’s name?” he asked. 

“His name was Jason,” she said.  The old man smiled.  “Well, I met a man named Jason.  He lives up here.  He is the man that saved my little Captain.  I don’t know if there is any connection, but he lives in that cabin over there,” he said as he pointed and the lit up an unfiltered Camel cigarette. 

“His name is Jason? What is he like?” she asked.  “I dunno.  He’s tall, muscles,  usually wears some kind of mask, but I did see him without it once.  He was my car with AJ, my little Captain.  He usually looks bald with the mask, but when it comes off, he has dark hair, a mustache, he don’t look deformed or anything,” the man replied. 

“I’m Mrs. Voorhees,” she said.  “I know who you are.  I’m Ssgt. Roland D. LeBay, US Army, Retired.  “Don’t worry Mrs. Voorhees, I’ll keep an eye on your boy,” he said taking a long drag of his cigarette. 

The silence was shattered by hearty laughter from the lake.  “Come on Jason! I know you can swim faster than that!” a female voice said.  “Give me a break, AJ!  I’m really hung over!” a male voice said. 

As they swam closer, Pamela Voorhees caught a glimpse of what her son Jason had become.  They swam closer, and he stood up.  He was a large man with bulging muscles and a deep booming voice.  The girl was small and pretty with a healthy set of muscles herself.  They ran to the beach, and he picked her up over his head playfully. 

“Jason, you are a nut!” AJ yelled.  “Yeah, I am.  Hey, get all of your stuff.  We need to get packed.  You’re supposed to report to Fort Campbell in a week!  And if we’re driving Christine, we need to get an early start,” Jason said, putting AJ down.  “Are you okay with leaving?” AJ asked.  Jason stood on the beach and looked around, not seeing the old woman or man.  “Yeah, I am.  My mom will always be in my heart.  I don’t have to be here to have her with us.  Besides I think she would have liked you,” Jason said hugging AJ tightly.

Pamela Voorhees could now rest. Her son did not die, but had found who he really was.  He was okay, and would never forget her.  So could Roland D. LeBay.  The girl that bought his car and was what he had hoped his daughter would be like if she had lived, was happy.  Finally.

         

         


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