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Tatum's body slammed into the cold concrete as she, in her panic, raced to the doggy door. She heard the killer get up behind her as she struggled to push her body through the small opening. Once she pushed her way through the cat flap her panic flared even higher as she realised she couldn't fit through.
Frantically, she started shaking her body and clawing at the concrete in an attempt to pull herself out. Letting out a cry at the sound of the garage door starting up, she struggled harder, slamming her hands into the door and kicking her feet to try and dislodge herself.
As her attempts to escape failed she cried harder, Sidney! She thought, are they going to kill Sidney? Stu? Billy? These thoughts raced through her head as the garage door raised higher and higher off the ground, when, suddenly, she had an epiphany. If she had managed to shove herself into the cat door in the first place, if she tried going out backwards she might be able to get out! Tatum looked above her. Shit! She didn't have much time, the ceiling was drawing closer and closer. Frantically, she kicked and shoved, in the opposite direction this time, trying to get out, trying to avoid death.
She pushed, shoved and kicked but it all seemed hopeless. That was until, after repeated, desperate movements, Tatum's chin slammed into the bottom of the pet door as her body dislodged itself just in time, the garage door opening all the way just at that moment. She winced, biting her lip to stop from crying out, as she fell, hard, onto the ground.
A smile erupted across her face, relief flooding her mind. She'd lived, she'd escaped, but these thoughts were quickly wiped away as soon as she heard the slamming footsteps behind her. Whipping her head backwards she saw the killer running towards her, his sounds of rage clear. Filled with even more panic, and an added amount of adrenaline, Tatum jumped to her feet and sprinted out of the garage and into the wood surrounding Stu's house.
Tatum gasped for breath as she ran for her life though the unfamiliar woods, branches hitting her and roots nearly tripping her up as she ran. She'd lost the killer awhile ago, but this had gone unnoticed by the girl for she was far to out of it. The further she ran, the more the adrenaline wore off and the pain became more noticeable. Not just from her arm, the blood from that was smeared all over by now, but from her ankle and her chin, which she was pretty sure was bleeding, too.
But she kept running through it all, she couldn't afford to stop. Not when her, her friends' and Sidney's lives were on the line. Oh god, Sidney! Dread filled as she thought of her childhood friend. That psycho had already tried to kill her once, hadn't he? If they've laid a hand on her I'll- her thoughts were cut off when her injured ankle caught on a root, causing her to trip and fall out of the woods and next to the road.
Her breathing erratic, her body exhausted, Tatum found she couldn't get up. The pain coursing through her body overwhelmed her. But she couldn't give up, she had to help Sidney! She was about to try and crawl forward when she felt hands on her. A scream ripped itself from her throat as she weakly fought and tried to push herself away. Faintly, she heard voices, and they didn't sound angry.
"-um!"
"tum!"
"Tatum!"
Dewey.
Tears fell from her eyes and a sob escaped her as she found herself into her brother's arms. "Oh shit, Tatum what's wrong? What are you doing out here?" Her brother asked, worry clear in his voice. Tatum tried to answer but only a sob came out instead as she full on panicked in her brother's embrace. Dewey hugged her and ran his hand through her hair, trying his best to soothe his crying little sister. "Dewey!" She cried, clutching onto his police jacket.
"Tatum, what happened? Are you- oh god you're bleeding!" Dread and terror pooled in Dewey's stomach as he took in Tatum's state. Bleeding, crying and shaking in his arms. Something terrible must have happened.
"Dewey…! There's… killer!" Tatum managed out through her gasps, pointing towards the house, "Sidney!"
"Killer..?" Dewey and another voice asked at the same time, Gale Weathers. Why was she still here? Tatum nodded, putting aside her dislike of Gale. There were more important things right now. "You have to help, Dewey!" Tatum pleaded, her breathing having somewhat calmed down. "Sidney and everyone's still in there!"
"Shit. Gale." Dewey turned to Gale as he helped a still shaking Tatum up, "get Tatum to a hospital!"
"But-" Gale started, she probably wanted to film the situation when she got there, Tatum thought.
"Please." Dewey looked at her, desperation in his eyes.
"Okay." Dewey hurried out a 'thanks' as he handed Tatum to Gale. The first of the two finally feeling the effects of the night catch up to her. Tatum watched as her brother disappeared into the darkness, heading straight towards a killer. Please be okay… she thought before her already fuzzy vision went dark.
Tatum's eyes snapped open, before just as quickly closing as they were assaulted by a blinding light. She groaned as a wave of exhaustion hit her, what happened last night? Did she get drunk or something? She went to sit up when someone grabbed her shoulders. Her head jerked to her side where she saw Sidney. A bandaged and bruised Sidney. Tatum blinked, confused before the events of that night slammed into her memory. "Tatum, are you okay?" Sidney, her best friend, asked her, exhaustion and worry lining her face. Tatum nodded quickly before throwing her arms around Sidney's neck and crying.
"Oh Sidney! I was so scared!" She admitted into her friend's jacket, "I thought we were all going to die!"
"Yeah, I did too." Sidney told her as she returned Tatum's hug, "but I'm glad we didn't." Tatum nodded in agreement and hugged Sidney tighter before finally withdrawing.
"How's Stu and Billy?" She asked, her dread increasing as she saw a sick look appear on Sidney's face. "Are they…?"
"Yes, but…" tears sprouted at Tatum's eyes again, Stu and Billy were… "Tatum…" Sidney was staring at her now, a serious look on her face. 'but' what did she mean by… "Oh." Sidney looked down before nodding. Betrayal filled Tatum's heart, how could they?!
"I always said Billy didn't deserve you, didn't I?" Tatum tried to smile up at Sidney, tears still falling down her face.
"Yeah, you did." Sidney smiled back slightly before leaning over and hugging Tatum again. Tatum leaned into it, hugging back even fiercer than before, Sidney stroking her hair and her face in Sidney's neck, everything would be okay.