DAMSEL IN DISTRESS [SCREAM 1996]

34: Ghost

Cassandra's heart pounded in her chest as she clutched Dewey's keys, bolting from the car and sprinting back toward the house. The darkness seemed to close in around her, each shadow and sound magnified in her heightened state of fear. As she reached the front porch, her breath caught in her throat. Dewey and Gale lay motionless, their bodies sprawled across the wooden planks.

"No.." The word escaped her lips in a broken whisper. She dropped to her knees beside Gale, shaking her shoulder gently. "Gale, wake up. Please, wake up."

But there was no response. Gale's eyes remained closed, her face pale and still. Cassandra's fingers trembled as she checked for a pulse, finding it faint but there. Relief mixed with her fear, but it was short-lived as she caught sight of another figure just inside the house.

Randy. He was laid out on the floor, a dark stain spreading across his shirt from a gunshot wound in his shoulder.

"Randy!" Cassandra crawled over the threshold, her hands shaking as she reached out to him. "Randy, holy shit."

He didn't move, didn't even flinch. The only sound was the faint, labored breathing that told her he was still alive—for now. Panic surged through her, but before she could do anything more, a shadow loomed over her.

Billy.

He emerged from the hallway, a gun gripped tightly in his hand. His eyes were wild, his face twisted with a mix of anger and something far more dangerous. Cassandra's breath caught in her throat as she backed away, her mind racing with terror.

"Billy.." she whispered, her voice trembling.

He moved toward her with purposeful strides, his expression unreadable. Cassandra's body tensed as he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His grip was firm, almost painful, but she didn't resist. Her eyes were wide, tears brimming as she silently begged him not to hurt her. That damned hold again.

For a moment, she was certain he was going to kill her. But then his expression softened, and the anger in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something that resembled regret.. maybe even pain.

"Stu told you to leave," Billy said, his voice low and edged with frustration.

Cassandra shook her head, her tears finally spilling over. "I couldn't leave you behind. I couldn't just run away."

Billy scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping him as if disappointed in her.. "You're so stupid, Cass. After everything...you still trust me?"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking.

Something in her apology seemed to hit him hard, and for a moment, he looked like the boy she thought she knew. There was something in his eyes like he'd remembered a similar scene.

"It's almost as tragic as Sam and Molly from 'Ghost'," he scoffed to himself. 

 He sighed deeply, the tension in his body easing slightly. Without warning, he pulled her to her feet and into a tight embrace. She clung to him, relief flooding her senses despite the chaos surrounding them.

"I didn't mean to fall in love with you," Billy admitted, his voice barely audible. He nuzzled his nose against her temple and pressed a gentle kiss there. "I'm sorry for that, too."

Cassandra's heart twisted in her chest as she looked up at him, their foreheads pressing together. His breath was warm against her skin, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

"Do you really love me?" she asked, her voice fragile, as if she feared the answer.

Billy nodded, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart ache. "I do. And the second we survive this, I'm taking you away from this godforsaken town."

Tears welled in Cassandra's eyes as she closed the distance between them, pressing her lips to his in a desperate, heartfelt kiss. For a brief, fleeting moment, the world felt right again.

But just as quickly, it all came crashing down.

Ghostface burst from the closet. Before either of them could react, Ghostface lunged forward, shoving Cassandra aside- making her fall to the ground once more, and driving an umbrella into Billy's shoulder with brutal force.

Cassandra screamed as Billy staggered back, his eyes wide with shock and pain. He dropped the gun and glanced down to it, but his eyes landed on Cassandra instead. The killer didn't hesitate, stabbing him again with a ferocity that left Cassandra frozen in terror.

Billy crumpled to the ground, his body convulsing as he gasped for breath.

Cassandra's mind reeled, her vision blurring as she tried to process what was happening. Ghostface's breathing was ragged, their chest heaving as they stood over Billy's fallen form. 

Slowly, they removed the Ghostface mask, revealing Sidney Prescott's tear-streaked face beneath.

Cassandra stared up at her, the world spinning around her in a dizzying swirl of confusion and horror.