DAMSEL IN DISTRESS [SCREAM 1996]

36: The Omen

The sterile white walls of the hospital room did little to comfort Cassandra as she sat in a chair beside Stu's bed, her fingers nervously playing with a small photo in her lap. The room was silent except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the faint hum of fluorescent lights overhead. Stu lay in the bed, his body wrapped in bandages, a testament to the horrors they had both survived. But he was alive, and for now, that was all that mattered.

On the bedside table, a clipboard with patient information lay neatly in place. The name "Kurt" was scribbled in bold letters at the top—a name that had been chosen hastily but carefully, a name that wasn't Stu Macher.

Cassandra let out a small sigh, her thoughts drifting to the events of the past few weeks. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet the memories were still so fresh, so raw. She had barely had time to process everything, but now, sitting here with Stu, she felt a strange sense of peace.

A slight shuffle from the bed drew her attention. Stu was waking up, his eyes blinking open as he slowly came to. Cassandra smiled at him, her heart warming as she saw the familiar spark of life in his gaze.

"How's 'Kurt' feeling?" she asked softly, trying to keep her tone light.

Stu scoffed, though it was weaker than usual. "I've been better," he replied, his voice still rough from the ordeal. His eyes darted to the door, then back to her, a serious expression crossing his face. "You can't keep your name either, you know. Have you thought of a fake one yet? We've gotta ditch the past for good."

Cassandra shrugged. "I've been thinking about 'Carrie.' It was the movie Billy and I were supposed to watch, remember?"

Stu chuckled, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Carrie, huh? Not bad.. Have you heard anything from Billy? It's been over a month since everything went down."

Cassandra hesitated, her eyes dropping to the photo in her hands. She was about to say something when Stu cut her off, his tone softer, more introspective. "If he was coming, he would've been here by now. He.. he would've found you already. Maybe.."

He trailed off with the unspoken reality that Billy was dead.

The sadness in his voice made Cassandra's heart ache, but she forced a smile, trying to keep the mood light. 

"I was talking to a cafeteria worker yesterday.. Did you know Billy and Chris died at the end of 'Carrie'? Hell, even Carrie died.. sure is a lighthearted movie, huh?" she teased, her eyes glinting with a mixture of humor and sorrow. "It's kind of ironic- I sure wish Randy would've told me that part."

Stu let out a chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "Yeah, I remember. Still, 'Carrie' is a good name. You could pull it off."

Cassandra smiled and finally lifted her eyes to meet his. "Actually, I think I've figured out my new name."

Stu raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh yeah? What is it?"

She hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly. "Chris.. or Christina."

Stu nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Chris. That's a nice name."

Cassandra took a deep breath, feeling the weight of what she was about to reveal. "Stu, I have heard from Billy," she said quietly, her voice trembling just a little.

Stu's expression shifted, confusion and curiosity mixing together. "What do you mean? Where is he?"

Cassandra didn't answer right away. Instead, she slowly turned the photo in her hands, revealing it to Stu. His eyes widened as he saw the image—a small, grainy ultrasound.

Cassandra's voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke. "He found me, Stu. Billy found me.. in a way."

Stu stared at the ultrasound, his mouth opening slightly in shock. It took him a moment to process what he was seeing, what she was saying. When it finally clicked, his eyes softened, and a genuine smile spread across his face.

"Cass.." he began, but his voice caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say, how to express the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him. "I.. I mean-"

Cassandra looked at the ultrasound, a bittersweet smile on her face. "I'm carrying his baby, Stu," she said, her voice steady despite the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "I'm going to be a mom. And Billy's gonna be a dad."

Stu was silent for a long moment, then he reached out, gently squeezing her hand. "Cass.. or Christina.. I think you're gonna be a great mom. I'm right here to help.. anything you need."

Tears welled up in Cassandra's eyes, but she smiled through them, squeezing his hand back. "Thank you, Stu. Or.. Kurt.."

They both laughed, the sound echoing softly in the sterile room, a reminder that despite everything, they were still here, still alive. And somehow, they had found a way to move forward, to leave the horrors of the past behind them.

As they sat there, hand in hand, Cassandra knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy. But she also knew that she wasn't alone. She had Stu, and she had a part of Billy that would stay with her forever.

And for the first time in a long time, she felt hope.

Despite that, she still felt a piece of her missing. Billy. Billy was missing. She recalled their final moments and sighed.

"What do you think about 'Sam' for a name?" she asked Stu.

"Sam? Like from 'Ghost'?" Stu wondered.

Cassandra nodded. "Billy talked about it."

"I think Sam is a great name. Works in all ways.. girl, boy, unisex.. can't go wrong."

"If it's a boy, Sam," Cassandra decided. "If it's a girl.. Samantha."

Stu smiled and ran his thumb along her hand. "I was thinking we also need a last name. Gotta pay hospital bills and fake IDs."

"Is 'Craven' a bit too on-the-nose?" she teased. "A bit too unique?"

"Maybe," he joked. "But.. John Carpenter isn't."

"Samantha Carpenter," Cassandra mused, smiling at the ultrasound. "I like it."

"Then, it's settled. We're the Carpenter family now."

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

plot twist go boom

as the resident bastard child of jordan peele and wes craven,,,,,,,, hehe