DAMSEL IN DISTRESS [SCREAM 1996]

31: They Live

Cassandra's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding in her chest as the realization struck her like a lightning bolt. Billy. He was Ghostface. All this time. The memories of his touch, the way he would hold her chin in his hand, so eerily similar to how the masked killer had done the night of her father's death, flooded her mind, confirming her worst fears.

She needed to get out of there. Now.

Cassandra bolted from the kitchen, her mind racing as she made her way through the house. Stu yelled for her, but she kept running. She had to find Gale— she had to warn her before it was too late. As she burst through the front door, the cool night air hit her like a wave.

She sprinted across the lawn, her eyes frantically scanning the area for Gale's van. When she finally spotted it,  she felt a surge of hope.

"Gale! Kenny!" she screamed, slamming her palm against the door.

But that hope she had quickly turned to dread when the door opened to reveal Gale wasn't there and Kenny was alone- eating some chips.

"Kenny!" Cassandra gasped, struggling to catch her breath. "Where's Gale?"

Kenny looked up from his food, surprised by her panicked state. "Deputy Dewey came by," he said, swallowing quickly. "He took her to check out a car that the sheriff reported."

Cassandra's heart sank. Gale was gone, and she was running out of time. "We need to find her. Something's wrong— Billy, he's..."

Kenny's expression shifted from confusion to concern. He reached out, trying to calm her. "Hey, slow down. What's going on?"

Cassandra shook her head, the words tumbling out of her mouth in a frantic rush. "I think Billy is Ghostface. I think he's the killer!"

Kenny's eyes widened and he motioned to the monitor screen. "Wait a second.. I saw him earlier."

"What?" Cassandra's blood ran cold as she stared at the monitor. 

The grainy footage showed the interior of Stu's house, the camera Gale had hidden earlier catching glimpses of partygoers milling about. 

Kenny nodded, his brow furrowed in concern. "He went upstairs with Sidney Prescott right before you came down. I thought you saw him because you sat on the couch to watch the movie with the rest."

Cassandra's stomach churned with a sickening realization. Billy had been upstairs with Sidney this whole time. Alone.

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath and spun on her heel, sprinting back toward the house.

"Where are you going?" Kenny called.

"I have to stop him! Just stay here and watch!"

The driveway was now crowded with cars, kids peeling out in a hurry as they rushed to see the latest morbid attraction— the discovery of Principal Himbry's body on the football field. A group of kids were speeding away from the house in a frenzy, nearly running her over in their rush. Cassandra barely managed to dodge them, stumbling to the ground as they disappeared into the night.

She picked herself up, ignoring the sting in her palms, and continued her desperate sprint back to the house. The front door banged open as she shoved her way inside, her mind focused solely on one thing— reaching Sidney before it was too late. She was too blinded by the rush to even think about grabbing a weapon.

The house was in disarray, with the remnants of the party scattered everywhere. But Cassandra barely noticed. She flew up the stairs, her legs burning as she pushed herself faster. 

Her feet pounded against the stairs as she took them two at a time, her breath coming in ragged gasps. When she reached the top, she saw the door to the bedroom slightly ajar, a faint light spilling out into the hallway.

Cassandra approached cautiously, her hand trembling as she pushed the door open. What she saw inside made her blood run cold.

Billy was on his knees, his top half laying over the bed. He breathed in shakily and rolled over, his shirt covered in blood.

"Billy?" she questioned.

Billy gasped and opened his eyes, flinching in pain as he wrapped an arm around himself. "Cass.."

Just like that.. her world flipped upside down again.