𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 | Tara Carpenter SCREAM VI/VII

•ELEVEN

I descend the last steps of the building’s stairs, wiping the sweat from my forehead. I’ve managed to shake off Ghostface, allowing me to breathe a little more easily. I lean my weight against the door, pushing it open and I'm immediately blinded by the red and blue lights of the police. A number of officers are hard at work, pulling up crime scene tape and speaking nervously into their radios.

My eyes scan the scene and spot Sam, Tara—clearly shaken—Mindy, and Anika all engaged in conversation with the police. But among them is... Gale? I furrow my brow, confused, trying to understand what she’s doing here.

And most importantly, why don’t I see Meeks' twin?

A loud noise makes me jump. I turn suddenly, my heart in my throat and i see Chad grabbing Ethan by the collar, gripping him with a fury that makes him unrecognizable.

“IT’S YOU, HUH? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?” Chad growls, his voice thick with anger and suspicion. His eyes flash with fury as he stares at Ethan, who looks terrified.

Ethan, with his back pressed against the wall lining the alley, looks like a cornered animal. “I WAS AT UNIVERSITY! THERE ARE WITNESSES! THERE ARE WITNESSES!” he stammers in a panic, repeating the words as if they are the only thing separating him from Chad’s violence.

Chad shoves him against the wall in a fit of rage, then lets go, stepping back with a look full of distrust. Ethan slowly slides down to the floor, trying to catch his breath, his eyes wide with fear. As Chad moves away to rejoin the others, Ethan's gaze lands on me. There’s a strange glint in his eyes, something I can’t decipher.

“Y/N!” A voice calls to me.

I turn sharply and see Tara running toward me, her face etched with anxiety. Her eyes scan my body feverishly, looking for signs of injury. I can’t help but smile, amused by her concern and the hurry with which she inspects my arms and legs.

“What the hell are you laughing at?” she asks, visibly tense.

“I’m fine,” I reply with a small reassuring smile on my lips.

“I thought you were behind us!” she bursts out, her tone alarmed as she glances over her shoulder at Chad.

“I went to the kitchen to look for a weapon, but there wasn't even a knife,” I confess, biting my lower lip as nervousness resurfaces.

Tara gives me a light punch on the chest, shaking her head. “You’re always so clumsy, and now you want to be a hero?” she says, her eyes shining with amusement, slightly easing the tension.

I open my mouth, offended, but she bursts out laughing before I can respond. Then, with a shy gesture, she wraps her arms around my neck for a hug. I stiffen for a moment but then relax realizing it’s just Tara. A shy smile spreads across my face and I hug her back, feeling her vanilla scent envelop me and I can’t help but smile even more.

Breaking the hug, Tara clears her throat and looks down, her cheeks tinged with a slight blush. “Um... Shall we go? Gale wanted to talk to us,” she murmurs, visibly uncomfortable.

I nod, my heart beating a little too fast and follow her toward the group. As we approach I hear Chad speaking with his sister, Mindy. “He definitely won’t be part of our group anymore,” Mindy says, clenching her jaw, her tone hard.

“If I see him near us again, I’ll kill him,” Chad adds without a hint of hesitation.

Ethan's words and his attempts to explain his absence come back to me. I think of his interest in Tara and a wave of concern washes over me as I glance at the girl beside me. The thought that Ethan might hurt her, if he truly is Ghostface, sends a cold emptiness through my chest. Tara, unaware of my thoughts, gives me a sweet smile

Not for away, I see Detective Bailey approaching the stretcher carrying away Quinn’s body, the daughter he loved so much. “Quinn... my princess...” he whispers, his voice choked, tears streaming down his face. My heart tightens as I watch the stretcher covered with a white sheet, feeling a wave of pity for the broken man before me.

Kirby rushes onto the scene, visibly worried. “Is everyone okay? I heard about the incident and came right away,” she says, her eyes quickly scanning us to check everyone’s condition.

“Oh... Hi, Gale,” Kirby adds, with a small smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Kirby,” Gale responds, with a barely-there grimace.

Anika speaks up, her face marked by sadness. “We’re all safe... Except for Tara and Sam’s roommate; she’s dead.”

I see Anika wrap her arms around Mindy, seeking comfort. I glance at Tara, trying to gauge her emotions, but she seems to mask her pain with a calm facade.

Gale clears her throat, drawing our attention. “I’ve discovered a place...” she says, fixing us with an intense gaze. “I suspect it’s the Ghostface hideout.” She pauses, the nervousness evident in her words.

A shiver runs down my spine. “Oh shit...” I whisper, the sense of danger creeping back into my mind.

(...)

“Honestly, I have to say it’s... unsettling.”

We find ourselves in front of an old, abandoned cinema. The broken neon sign flickers intermittently, casting flickering shadows on the peeling walls. The idea of entering makes my stomach twist and sends chills down my spine. I’ve seen too many horror movies to know that stepping into a place like this is a terrible idea.

“Are we sure this is safe?” I ask, my voice uncertain, almost trembling.

Kirby doesn’t seem fazed at all. She turns to us and flashes a confident smile, amused by our fears. “Yeah, don’t worry,” she replies, pushing aside a dusty sheet that hangs like a curtain at the entrance. We make our way through the rough fabric and a thick darkness envelops us.

When we finally enter, we are left speechless. The cinema, despite its decaying appearance, has become a sort of museum of the macabre. Scattered in the dim light are weapons, spectral masks, and mannequins frozen in grotesque poses. On the sides of the hall, two rusty scaffolds climb the walls, leading up to a balcony on the upper floor.

Sam approaches a glass display case and stops. Inside is the black costume of Billy Loomis, a timeworn piece still radiating menace. The white mask, with its macabre smile, rests beside it almost staring at her.

“I can’t believe someone kept all this stuff...” she whispers a mix of astonishment and repulsion in her voice.

Kirby moves closer to her with a grin on her lips. “There are those who love horror stories... and those who prefer to live them.”

“Okay... this is the plan,” Kirby murmurs, capturing everyone’s attention.