Chapter 8

Hearing this voice, Sherry felt blood turning cold in her veins. This was the voice she would recognize among millions – it belonged to her brother. But how did he manage to find out where she was? Did he literally beat the information out of Jordan? Or how else would he know it? Sherry had so many thoughts racing through her mind, but this wasn't the main thing to worry about at the moment. The main problem was Jason and his sudden urge to kill. He literally jumped on his feet with the speed of lightning and pulled the machete out of the holster. He obviously thought it was another trespasser and now was in a killing mode. Sherry had to act fast, otherwise Richard would be dead meat very soon.

"Jason, no! Stop!" she screamed, grabbing his arm. "Please, Jason, listen to me first."

Jason stopped for a moment, getting angry at the trespasser and because Sherry obviously didn't want him to kill the stranger. But the victim never escapes him, so he decided to listen to what she had to say.

"Jason, I beg you, don't kill this man. If it was just a random person, I wouldn't stand in your way. But this certain person is the one I know and love, a member of my family. It's my brother. My family is very worried about me, and he has somehow found out where I am. Please, I need to talk to him. You can hide somewhere near and watch us, if you wish. I just beg for one thing – don't take his life away. Please?"

Jason hesitated. On the one hand, he understood that family was very dear to her and he didn't want to upset the good girl. But on the other hand, this brother of hers could spread the unnecessary information about him and this place in general. But Sherry was the only one that he could consider as a friend, and there will be no other person like her. She treats him as an equal and Jason wanted it to stay like this always. So he decided to let Sherry talk to her brother and finally nodded.

"Merciful God! Thank you so much, Jason!" Sherry practically screamed from joy that filled her. Obeying the emotional impulse, she jumped closer to Jason and hugged him around the waist, as high as she could reach. To say that Jason was surprised was like saying nothing. He was utterly shocked. What is she doing? She just… hugged him. No one has ever done it to him, except his mother. And yet, here he was, standing in the middle of an abandoned camp and this girl hugging him. Jason understood that thus she was thanking him for agreeing not to kill her brother, but he liked her touch in any case. So warm, so soft, so gentle… Jason closed his eyes for a moment and was close to give in to the feelings and hug her back, but focused. The girl just looked like a happy child that has finally got the toy she desired so much.

"I want you to know that I truly appreciate your kindness," Sherry whispered, still pressing herself to Jason's torso. "And I don't even know how to thank you for that. One I know for sure – from now on you can consider me as your true friend. That's the least I can do for you."

Her words made Jason happy. She was practically reading his thoughts. All he ever wanted is a friend, and now he finally got what he wanted. And he will do anything for it to stay like this further.

Finally Sherry let him go and whispered:

"Now go and hide somewhere, but stay close, alright? So you can see and hear what we talk about."

Jason nodded and quickly walked to into the nearby forest, hiding himself behind the trees so that he would stay unnoticed. And right after a second the male voice shouted out again:

"Sherry! Where are you?!"

"I'm here, Richie!" Sherry screamed in reply.

Hearing his sister's voice, Richard was ready to scream his throat out of joy. Sherry was alive!

"Where exactly are you?" he shouted again.

"Here, at the lake!"

Richard ran to the lake as fast as he could when he suddenly felt the smell of smoke in the air. It meant that there was fire burning somewhere, and Sherry might be there. He followed the source of the smoke and finally got to the shore. And there she was, standing at the fire and smiling happily.

"Richie!" she screamed and ran to him.

"Sherry! You're alive!" Richard exclaimed and rushed to his sister, enveloping her in a tight hug. Although just one day has passed, or even less, a night, but they were hugging so like they haven't seen each other for eternity.

"Oh God, Sherry! I'm so glad you're alive!" he sighed in relief. "I was so afraid we've lost you."

"Well, lucky for us all, I'm alive and good," Sherry smiled. "But how did you find out where I am?"

"I accidentally heard Jordan and Vanessa talking in a café," Richard replied. "They were discussing their plans to come here on the thirteenth day of June. And I have news for you – they were the ones that brought you here."

Now this was a shock for Sherry. She stayed silent for a few moments with her mouth agape.

"What… but how…" she stuttered, trying to comprehend what she's just heard. "Wait a second, let me bring two old blankets from the cabin where I slept, so we can sit down and talk, ok?"

"Yeah, sure," Richard replied. Sherry then ran to the nearest cabin and after a few seconds returned with two tattered blankets. She put them down on sand at the fire and the siblings sat at the fire and continued their conversation.

"But why? Why would they do something like that?" Sherry was beyond shocked.

"From what I've heard, Vanessa mentioned you humiliating her, and she wanted revenge," Richard said with disgust in his voice. "If someone deserves to be humiliated, then it would be her. Oh, wait a moment. I have recorded their talk with my phone. You can hear everything with your own ears."

Pulling out his smartphone, Richard found the file and played it for her. Sherry listened carefully to every word. And with each word, rage filled her more and more. Now she was the one who wanted revenge. When the recording finished playing, she sat in silence, face red and fists clenched.

"Ah, so that's what it is all about," she practically hissed in anger. "It was her idea to bring me here and leave to a killer's mercy. Pathetic bitch! And only because of this little argument we had last time in the street, she decided to get rid of me. I knew she hates me, but to such an extent…"

"Yeah, it's hard to imagine the things worse than that. Kidnapping a person and bringing him or her to the place where a killer is supposed to live… By the way, have you seen anyone here?"

Hearing this question, Sherry began to smile, which rather surprised her brother.

"You probably won't believe what I'm going to tell you," she began "but know this – each word I say is true."

"Okay?" Richard was intrigued and frightened at the same time. Sherry cleared her throat and continued:

"It began like this. After I left the Hawkins place, I had a bad feeling that something would happen, but didn't know what. One thing I'm sure about – I had a bad suspicion about Vanessa and Jordan, but specifically Vanessa. Jordan is weak and henpecked, and totally under her influence. So then, I began my way home and suddenly something was pressed against my mouth and a sharp smell of some chemical filled my nose. It was so strong that my vision started to blur and soon I fainted. I woke up here, in one of these cabins, and it was night already, but rather bright because of the moonlight. Surprisingly, the electricity still works here, so I switched the light on. But soon enough I realized I wasn't alone, as I heard heavy footsteps behind the door. And then I saw him – a truly large man in a hockey mask entering the cabin. Jason Voorhees is just as real as you or me, and he does live here indeed."

"Wait, wait, wait…" Richard interrupted her, blinking frantically. "You encountered Jason Voorhees?"

Sherry nodded.

"Yes, I did. He was the one that brought me into a cabin. Actually, he found me in a pit not far from camp territory, he even showed me where exactly he found me. And see these pieces of fish that I'm frying? By the way, would you like a piece?"

Richard shook his head. He wasn't hungry and knew that right now Sherry needed food more than he did.

"So, while I went into the forest to search for some berries, he caught a fish for me. When I returned, he was waiting for me with a fish on a spear. He also chopped it into pieces, so I could fry it. He showed me the camp, where kitchen and bathroom is, and I was lucky to find a box of matches in one of the drawers. I collected some dry branches in the forest and made a fire."

"And what happened then?" Richard was curious.

"Nothing. I tried to talk to Jason, but it wasn't that easy, as he is mute. But I found another way – asking him only such questions that could be replied only with a "yes" or a "no". Thus we got on well quickly. Of course, the first time I saw him, I was scared, very scared. But you know well, that in such situations panic would be lethal. So I did my best to focus and tried to talk with him. And I had my luck – he was more than eager to "talk"."

Richard listened in silence, absorbing every word of hers. Of course, he remembered when he and Sherry watched the Friday the 13th films and how Jason Voorhees was portrayed there – a silent, merciless killing machine, incapable of feelings. Also, if he sometimes heard rumours about it in the street, no one has ever said anything good. But he never paid any attention to it, considering it just a local campfire story. But now here he was, sitting at the fire in the infamous Camp Crystal Lake and hearing his sister telling such things about Jason Voorhees that were hardly believable.

"And so, we were sitting here peacefully, by the fire," Sherry continued "until the silence was broken by your voice. Of course, Jason jumped up at once, being in a killing mode, and pulled out his machete. He took you for another intruder, but I managed to persuade him not to attack you, explaining who you are and why you are here. Jason obviously was thinking it over for a minute or two, and then finally agreed not to touch you and let us talk."

"Sounds like you're developing a friendship with him," Richard smirked.

"Well, you could say so. Besides, all Jason has ever wanted, is to have a friend. Films didn't lie about him being born hydrocephalic and with face deformities as a result. Because of that the peers always mocked him and no one wanted to be friends with him." Sherry sighed sadly, thinking of what Jason had to go through during his childhood. "You see, it's like a standard in human society – if someone looks different, thinks or behaves not like others do, this person becomes an outsider, even if he or she hasn't done anything wrong. From this point of view, people are incredibly stupid. And Jason fell victim to human stupidity. It's not his fault he was born like this. Beside his mother, no one has ever treated him good. And now he found me who treats him as an equal, and not as an ugly freak."

While listening to Sherry's story, hundreds of thoughts ran through Richard's mind. Sherry obviously felt sorry for Jason Voorhees, and if all she says is true, he really is a victim and no wonder he became what he is now. But, on the other side, he was a serial killer nonetheless. Richard was confused and didn't know what to make of it.

Jason was still standing behind the trees and listening to the siblings' conversation. He was surprised hearing Sherry defending him. So she really wanted to be his friend? Jason hoped it was true. And her brother also didn't seem a bad person. So he decided to continue watching and seeing the final result.

Suddenly Sherry fell quiet and stood up, and so did her brother. He eyed her suspiciously.

"Richie… there is one thing I want you to do for me. And I truly hope you won't refuse. This is important."

"What is it, sis?"

Sherry glanced at the spot where Jason was standing and then turned back to Richard.

"I want you to meet Jason. Right now."