Voorhees v.s. Myers

Chapter 1: Group Therapy

It's just days before Halloween in Haddonfield, Illinois and Laurie Strode is sitting in her therapy circle. The group of twelve share stories on surviving terrifying episodes from their past and try to cope with their mental states by speaking to others that have went through similar nightmares. While she listens in depth during most of the sessions, Laurie can't help but to drift off from time to time in flashbacks to that horrific night back in 78 when it comes closer and closer to the anniversary every year. As she starts listening back into the current speaker's story, she can't help but to think to herself "Oh, you think that's bad?" While indeed every story Laurie has heard thus far is indeed something to brand one's mind for life, none of them have yet to match up with the trauma she has been suffering for over forty years now. The girl speaks of a vicious attack by a mugger near Chicago about four years ago. As she was getting out of her car the guy pulled a knife, grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against the door. Once he got her pinned up to the car door he proceeded to slice the arm holding her purse which forced her to let it go. She screamed in agony, letting go of her belongings and the eight hundred plus dollars kept in the wallet she had in her purse. The story is a tough one to listen to for everyone but Laurie, who's really just dreading the moment she has to share her story and see all the faces she knows are inevitably going to be made by everyone. The now sobbing girl finishes her story and begins to hug the peers beside her while the rest of the ladies turn to Laurie.

Laurie is back to zoning out and seeing a memory of herself falling down a flight of stairs and as she hits the last step she snaps out of it and hears the group leader say her name. "Laurie, are you ready to share your story with us?" As she stares into her group leader's eyes, she looks to the ground and takes a deep breath. "To be honest, as much sympathy I have for the rest of you which I promise I do, I don't think any of you are ready to hear mine. Not only is it haunting for me to even think about, it doesn't sit right with anyone that I share the story with." Laurie glances around the circle to see the reaction of her bold yet truthful statement as their faces go from concerned to angered. "Honey, I am sure it is quite horrible to think about but that is why we are here for you and for each other. Not to mention, I have met hundreds of ladies just like all of you in my fifteen years of doing this and have had no problem listening to any story, no matter the imagery brought in it through the speaker." Laurie is annoyed at the fact that as nice as all of these ladies are, none of them really know how bad it can get, because of all people Laurie knew she was the only one out of all of them who had dealt with an attacker who had no emotions to him, for her attacker didn't see any bright aspect of life but a picture of dark shapes in the form of murder. No filter in the mind of the shape of evil that stalked her so many years ago and has now been locked away for seventeen years. "No Jane, its not that I can't tell you or that I am afraid to tell you, but the skeleton in my closet is just too damned warped and evil to share. For the men that did the things they did to these sweet young girls still had a sense of morality, the.. man, if that's what you'd like to call him... that killed my friends and made my life a living hell for so many years until captured back in 2003 was just evil in a pale and expressionless mask, much like his personality."

Laurie picks up her coffee that she set at the foot of her foldout chair and takes a small sip while glancing at the floor. "See people, this man had killed more people just walking around the state of Illinois for nights on end from 78 to 03 than any of the big named serial killers this nation showcases on the news channel specials every year. And when I say walking, I mean just nonchalantly walking through neighborhoods picking out different victims that he just wanted to kill. He didn't kill his victims because he wanted something from them, or hated them, or just hated life in general, but because this monster has one notion and that is the thought that ending a life is something that he wants to do, likes to do, and the only thing that he strives to do. Just like the only thing he strived to do one night when he was just six years old was to stab his older sister more than ten times with a kitchen knife. In addition to all that, this monster has taken the lives of one hundred and thirty one people across the state and not a god damn newspaper released all the nitty gritty details in depth to alert people in the areas! And I am tired of them bastards in the press throwing makeup over the story to make it suitable for the people to read without fear, and thus not making this man a force to be reckoned with when that feeling of fear is the only thing that will motivate them to stay on the lookout and be ready!" Laurie is gritting her teeth while still looking at the floor after ranting on the one topic that she has kept in for nearly two decades.

The others are looking at her in the fear she knew they would be, and are all just itching to ask questions of Laurie's experience. Jane, the group's leader is the first to say something. "Laurie, don't you think it is best that the newspapers and press didn't release too much of the info though? Mainly due to the fact that people not knowing is a better way of avoiding the chaos that could have been made from it?" Laurie is angered by Jane's ignorant thoughts and begins to down the now lukewarm coffee she still has left in her cup like she would a shot. After she sets the cup back on the floor, Laurie slowly crosses her legs and starts show an angered smirk on her face. "Well, they obviously don't know evil like I do and from the sounds of it, you don't either." Jane begins to get frustrated at Laurie's story, "Laurie, you speak of evil as if it is a person!" As the conversation continues Laurie grows annoyed and begins to speak sternly "Because that is what the Boogeyman is, unlike a car thief or an angered ex husband, he killed them for his own gratification and because that is the only thing he lives for. Have you not read anything on the Boogeyman?!" Before anyone can answer her question, the door to the place they are using for their sessions opens and a beautiful younger broad walks in saying, "Hope I'm not too late to be here, Jane!" Jane knows the lady, because she starts walking over to the guest with open arms explaining, "This woman here ladies, is a great friend of mine I have had the pleasure to know for the past seven years as she has helped me travel from different cities from time to time telling her story. She is originally from the New Jersey area but moved to the Chicago area for a new life in her early 20s." Jane begins to guide her over to meet Laurie, the current speaker. Laurie slowly holds out her hand to shake and smiles abruptly at the new girl, "Welcome to the crying contest. You've just made it, I'm Laurie Strode." The gorgeous blonde begins to smile back at the impatient Laurie and holds out her hand to greet her back, "It's such a pleasure Ms. Strode, I'm Trish.. Trish Jarvis."