Love Bites: Horror Icon Scenarios

When You Learn More About Them

Freddy Krueger:

You knew Freddy was bad news from the start. The whole burned skin, bladed glove, and sadistic personality was a dead giveaway. But as time passed, you couldn't help but get curious. What made someone like him tick? What twisted path led him to become this...nightmare?

One night, after yet another close call where Freddy nearly had you pinned, you did something unexpected. You asked him.

"So, what's your deal," you blurted out, catching him off guard. "Why the whole 'I'm gonna kill you in your sleep' thing?"

Freddy paused, his claws hovering in the air mid-swipe. His eyes darkened and for a second, you thought he might lash out. But then he surprised you.

"You're really asking me that? Ballsy." He leaned back, crossing his arms as if considering whether to answer. His grin twisted into something darker, more sinister. "Let's just say, I've got a history with bad kids. Figured I'd take that punishment into my own hands."

You frowned, unsure if you wanted to hear more but too intrigued to stop. "And the glove? That was your idea?"

Freddy's chuckle was low, almost nostalgic. "Oh, yeah. Handmade, baby. Thought it was a nice touch, y'know? Something to remember me by."

The thought sent a shiver down your spine, but it wasn't enough to stop you from pressing further. "And...what about before all this? Before you became, well, this?"

But then, something shifted in his face, just for a split second, a flicker of something almost...human. 

"You ever been hunted," he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Ever been treated like you're nothin'? People always think they can beat me, but no one ever does."

You stayed silent, stunned by the raw honesty in his words. It wasn't an excuse, but it was a glimpse into the twisted mind of a killer, a man who thrived on fear because it was the only way he knew how to survive.

"Now, I make the rules," he said, his smirk returning, but it didn't reach his eyes this time. He straightened up, the moment of vulnerability quickly swallowed by his usual bravado. "Because I'm Freddy fuckin' Krueger now, and that's all you need to know." 

He snapped his claws together for emphasis, like a punctuation mark to end the conversation. But you saw it - that brief, fleeting moment where he almost let something slip. And in that moment, you realized that maybe, just maybe, Freddy was more than just the monster you'd been running from.

Not that you'd say it out loud. Not yet, anyway.

Ben Willis:

It had been a month since Ben Willis moved in across the street, and while you'd spent plenty of time with him and his kids, there was something about him that remained elusive. He was charming in his own way, sure, but every now and then, you'd catch him looking out toward the sea with a far-off expression, like there was something darker lurking beneath the surface.

You didn't think much of it until one evening when Ben invited you over for dinner. The kids were asleep, and after a few drinks, the two of you ended up on his porch. It was late, the sky outside dark and clouded as the crickets chirped in the distance. You hadn't planned on staying this long, but once you got talking, it was hard to leave.

He had been quiet for a while, just sipping his beer and watching the sky. You leaned back in your chair, feeling the cool night breeze on your face, when suddenly, he spoke.

"You ever do something so bad, you wonder if you'll ever stop paying for it?"

You could feel the heaviness of his words pressing down on your chest, the kind that made each breath feel just a little tighter.