On the foggy night of their senior costume party Nicole and her date Mark were driving to their school in Mark’s old 1987 Toyota. They heard a special news report “…warning everyone the convicted killer, Owen the HangMan Helms, has escaped from the near-by criminal asylum he was last seen in a woods by Pinecrest…”
Nicole started freaking out “That’s just on the other side of the valley! Mark turn the car around I want to go home” but just then the car bucked twice then died. An overhanging tree branch went THUNK… THUNK… THUNK… on the roof of the car and Nicole jumped. “It’s fine. I’m going to look for help” said Mark, “climb in the back and cover yourself up in that blanket. When I come back I’ll knock on the roof 3 times. If you hear more or less than 3 knocks DONT OPEN IT UP.”
Nicole tried to persuade him not to go but Mark said “What are we going to do? We can’t just sit here until someone drives by.” and so he left.
Nicole locked the car doors and climbed into the back seat and covered herself up in the blanket and waited. She looked at her watch 25 minutes had passed… 35… 40 then she heard a knock… “oh come on two more” knock… “yes! mark just one more” knock… “ok! stop no more mark please let that be you!” knock… “NO!” her blood turned ice cold knock… knock… knock… “please someone! please! someone help me!” she prayed she thought it might be the Hangman trying to torment her… did he know she was inside?
Then the knocking stopped. She could hear a radio, with a dispatcher’s voice giving instructions that she couldn’t make out. Two men were staring at her through the window. Nicole realized they were police, behind them she saw the spinning blue and red lights of the police car, “It’s ok young lady. You can come out now” said the 1st police officer.
Nicole’s shaking hand finally found the lock and she stumbled out. “Where’s Mark? Didn’t he come with you?” Nicole asked.
“Come to the patrol car. DONT LOOK BACK – just keep your eyes straight ahead” said the 2nd police officer.
“Why can’t I look back?” she asked.
“Just come on to the patrol car miss” said the police men.
Then Nicole looked behind her and saw Mark, still in his gray-jogging outfit, hanging from an overhead tree branch. One of his Nike shoes was gently hitting the roof of the car, knock… knock… knock…
