-đȘđȘ Final Girl đȘđȘ-
Heya! Took me two days to get this done. Anyway, there might be an afterword tomorrow. Happy Halloween!
Trigger warnings: Fear, haunted house, violence, arguing, blood, dog violence, dead dogs
Max and I sit across from each other on the floor, hiding in one of the dead ends of the maze. Max leans against the wall while I use a piece of metal debris to try and scratch onto the floor what we remembered of the map.
Somehow, none of us had thought to grab extra, and with Jace gone we were left in the dark. Figuratively, and literally.
âDo you remember where we were supposed to turn next? Orââ
âThis is such bullshit!â Max shouts and pushes off the wall. âWhat are we supposed to do? Keep marching blindly ahead and wait for him to kill us as well?â
I sigh and sit back. âWeâve gone over this, what else can we do? Sit and wait?â
He turns toward me with wide eyes. âI say we fight back.â
Iâm barely able to hold back a scornful laugh before I nod. âOh yeah, Iâm sure he hasnât planned for that scenario."
He glares at me. âItâs not like anything else has worked! Our friends are dead and I donât want to join them!â
âIâm not letting anyone else die.â
He scoffs. âWhat makes you think you can save anyone? Sorry Steph, but youâre no hero.â
I go back to trying to sketch out the map, ignoring his uncomfortable staring.
âWhat Jace said..â Struggling with grief, he decides to go a different direction. âIâm not friends with you just because of Cass.â
I look up, trying to keep my own sorrow in check. âJust help me finish this, okay?â
He sits down next to me, occasionally pitching in. And about ten minutes later we have a rough idea of how to get to the exit.
âDo you think we can make it?â
I donât know how to respond, fearing any reassurances would come out sounding fake. âI donât know.â
I move to stand, but he grabs my arm. âStephanie, wait. I have an idea.â
Although I was skeptical at first, his plan might actually work. There was only one problem.
âGetting rid of our last phone sounds like a really bad idea.â I mention as we scout out the room weâve picked. âIf we manage to get out weâll have to find some other way to call for help.â
âWe have to get out first.â He says, brow furrowing as he examines one of the corners. Ever since our talk heâs seemed to have pulled himself together, concerningly calm.
â⊠Are you okay?â I ask, taking a step closer to try and see his reaction.
He looks away. âYeah, Iâm fine.â
I frown slightly, but I donât push it. We just donât have the time right now.
We decide the room is suitable soI take out my phone and pull up the recording we made a few minutes ago. âReady for this?â
He nods and walks toward the corner of the room, shooting me a nervous expression.
I hit play and quickly joined him, our prerecorded conversation blasting at full volume. As we stood there, I couldn't help but worry that we hadnât made the recording long enough. Who knows how long it would take Scarecrow to show?
Just as I have that thought, I hear whistling in the distance. It unnerves me how close he must have been to have instantly heard the recording.
After that itâs not long until we can hear his footsteps, the sound of his metal axe dragging across the wood floor behind him.
And then, feeling completely unprepared, we watch Scarecrow walk in. He has fresh bloodstains covering up the ones we had first seen, his axe glinting in the dim light.
He steps into the room, the burlap sack he calls a mask limits his field of vision as he looks around.
Max and I stay as still as possible, as quiet as the dead.
Scarecrow puts down his axe and focuses on the phone. He kneels down to pick it up, turning it over in his hands.
Without a moment's hesitation we run. We take the hall he had come from, hearing his enraged howl as he realized what weâve done.
âFaster!â I hiss, pulling Max along.
âWhen did you get so fast?!â Max responds, out of breath as we take the first turn.
Scarecrow couldnât have caught up yet, but the way sounds reflect off the walls makes it feel as if heâs right behind us.
A thin, eerie voice reaches our ears, âLittle kiddies- Come out, come out wherever you are!â
Max visibly bristles, throwing a glance over his shoulder. âI donât see him.â
âIf weâre lucky, itâll stay that way. Come on!â
We run down the halls, anxious at every turn that weâll run into a dead end or get turned around somehow.
âCome on little bat! If you surrender, maybe Iâll let your friend go! After all, youâve already lost soooo many!â
Max shoots me a look and I ignore him, focusing on which turn to take next.
Miraculously we donât get lost, or walk into a trap, or run into any other horrible surprises. We managed to make it through the maze and to the exit.
The only problem was the hatch. The only way to reach it was by a ladder, and there was no way weâd both be able to get up and out before Scarecrow caught up to us.
Iâm trying to find a way to block the door, but I stop as I see Max pick up a piece of rebar and block it himself.
âWhat are you doing?!â
âYou need to get out of here.â
âWe both need to get out!â
He shakes his head. âIâm not stupid Steph. I finally pieced it together, you know? Took me long enough. Youâre one of Batman's vigilantes.â
I freeze. âHow did youââ
âScarecrow literally called you one of the bats Steph.â
âItâs not your fault.â
Iâm shocked by how easily he says it. âHe did this because of me.â I explain, wondering if he hadnât understood somehow.
He shakes his head. âYou donât know that. Even if he did, thatâs still not your fault.â
I frown but nod. âWell, since you know who I am, you should know what Iâm gonna do next.â
He looks back at me, following my movements as I pick up another piece of rebar and join him.
I roll out my neck and get into position. âIâm not leaving this place without you. Weâre both going to get out of here alive, or neither of us are.â
âIâm trying to save youââ
âI donât need to be saved.â
Nothing more needs to be said as we look down the dark hall, waiting for our foe to step out into the light.
âIs he⊠coming?â Max asks, moving his head around to get a better look.
âI thought he was. I mean, he has to know weâre down here.â
We wait a few more minutes before coming to the conclusion that heâs really not going to show.
Max looks relieved but I canât help but look back up at the hatch. âHe wouldnât have just given up.â
He follows my gaze. âHe canât have looped around that quicklyâŠÂ What do you think is up there?â
I shake my head. âNothing good, but we canât exactly go back now can we?â
Max sighs. âWhy canât any of this be easy?â
It almost makes me laugh. Almost.
After another minute of gathering up our courage, I convince Max to let me take the lead and we climb.
I push open the hatch and we climb out into the dark night, the wet grass squishing beneath our sneakers. Rain was no longer falling from the clouds, but they still managed to block out any light.
âShitââ Max almost falls as soon as he gets out, and I have to help him stay upright.
We look around and find that the small area weâre in is surrounded by a wire fence. Thereâs complete darkness except for a glowing red bulb by the gate, reflecting off the soaked walls of the house behind us.
âI guess thatâs probably the way outâŠâ He says with the same amount of trepidation that I feel.
I nod and find a button by the light. âAre you ready? We might have to run.â
He takes a breath before nodding. âLetâs go.â
I press the button and thereâs a loud buzz. Thereâs an audible click as the light turns green and the gate swings open.
We push it the rest of the way open and cautiously start our trek to the front yard.
At first, it seems fine as we make our way across the soggy grass, the sound of crickets and mushy steps the only audible disturbance.
Itâs when weâre nearing the corner of the house that the barking starts.
I assume itâs nothing, probably coming from somewhere else. Then it gets louder, obviously coming our way.
When weâre about to turn the corner I glance back and see a pack of dogs quickly making their way across the yard, leaping and bounding and coming straight toward us.
âRunâ RUN!â I shout, not bothering with stealth any longer.
Max starts to run and doesnât look back, but itâs not enough.
By myself, I would have been able to make it to the front yard in plenty of time. But Max is bigger than me, he canât run nearly as fast.
Just as the dogs round the corner I see a fire escape. âOver there!â
We rush over, but the ladder doesnât hang down far enough for either of us to reach.
Max quickly kneels down and puts his hands out for me to step on, and I follow his lead. He boosts me up, and I throw the piece of rebar onto the platform before climbing up myself.
I try to ignore the increasing terror as the sound of barking increases, our time running out.
I finally manage to unlock the ladder's sliding mechanism and it falls down.
âGet up! Get up now! Come on!â I shout, watching as Max discards his weapon and starts to climb.
The dogs have caught up and one manages to grab his pant leg, tugging hard enough for Max to almost lose his grip.
I grab onto his shirt and try to pull him up. âKick it off!â
He tries, a look of terror on his face as the rest of the dogs catch up and sink in their teeth, getting more than just cloth.
My grip on his shirt isnât strong enough to hold him up as the dogs drag him down. He falls, letting out a pained scream as the dogs converge on him.
His screams are horrific, and enough to push me into action. I grab my makeshift weapon and jump down.
Itâs bloody, and I get my fair share of bites, but by the end half of them run away.
The other half arenât moving anymore.
Iâm shaking and out of breath, covered in blood as I drop my weapon and kneel beside Max. I plead to everything and nothing as I check his pulse.
I let out a broken laugh that ends with a sob. Moving quickly, I haul his unconscious body up, dragging him along. âCome on, I told you Iâd get you out alive.â
I only manage to get to the front lawn before I see him.
Heâs standing in front of the entrance with a casualness that makes my blood boil. How many had he killed for this stunt? How could he just stand there like nothing had happened?
He doesnât say a word, he just lifts his axe to rest it over his shoulder.
âGet out of my way.â I snarl, holding onto Max just a bit better.
Scarecrow laughs. âItâs cute to see the little bat try to seem so big.â
I gently lower Max to the ground. âI donât have time for any more of your mind games Craneââ
âHavenât you wondered why nobodyâs come to find you yet?â Scarecrow inquires, taking a step forward.
I don't give any ground. âThey donât know Iâm in danger.â
He laughs. âIs that what you think? Or is it possible theyâre just sick of saving you?â
His words send a chill down my spine, somehow knowing the worst possible things to say. âIâm their family.â
âPlease. Youâre not even that. Theyâre sick of you, they donât want you around anymoreâŠâ
He steps closer again. âAnd theyâre not coming to save you.â
Without any warning he lurches forward and swings his axe, leaving me only a moment to duck out of the way.
I shout as he manages to trip me, my face hitting the soft ground, fingers digging into the grass and mud for a piece of debris, a rock, something.
He laughs as he stands over me, his axe primed to swing at any moment.
âGoodbye, Stephanie Brown.â
As he swings I propel myself up and forward, knocking him down.
He reaches up to throw me off but I slam my knee into his gut and start punching him in the face.
I keep hitting, and hitting, and hitting until I can feel the skin on my knuckles splitting open.
Someone grabs me from behind and I scream, trying to throw them off with pure adrenaline fueled force.
âStephanie. Stephanie calm down. Look at me.â
The steady voice causes me to pause and I look up, seeing Cassâs worried face staring down at my bloody one.
âItâs okay, Iâve got you.â
I shake as she wraps her arms around me and as I realize that Iâm safe, that itâs over, and I start to sob. I collapse into her arms, clinging to her like a lifeline.
The sound of sirens reaches my ears as I look over her shoulder, realizing the sky has started to lighten.
The night was finally over.