A Nightmare in Hell
by Henrika Pennanen

Dreamer didn’t really know where she was. Not in Hell, anyway. Even if it was a place much like The Labyrinth, is wasn’t.

This was some kind of ... boiler room. Yeah, an abandoned boiler room. Big, like a maze, this too.

She was totally alone there. Where was everybody? No, wait. She wasn’t alone. That cruel, malignant laugh was heard again. She couldn’t know exactly where it came from; it reverberated from all directions.

How could Dreamer have gotten here? She started not to like this so much.

- Pinhead? she called faintly. Are you there, somewhere?

But it wasn’t Pinhead’s voice that responded.

- Yeah, I’m here, she could hear that dark, rough, threatening voice say again. She could also hear a screech, like when you scrape a knife against another. Her ears hurt.

- Who’s there? she called. No answer. Who’s there? she called again.

- Dreamer! the voice hissed. Dreamer...

Dreamer thought herself catch a glimpse of a figure who vanished behind a huge boiler. The screeching was heard again. It seemed closer this time. She ran. Tried to find a way out of the boiler room, but where ever she ran, she always got to the same place. What the hell was this?!

- Dreamer! the voice heard again. Now it seemed to come from behind. Right behind her back. She turned around with a twitch. And saw a dark shape who raised his right hand against her, to stab her down. It was specially that hand, that got stuck into Dreamer’s mind.

Shit! He had knifes for fingers! She screamed, and...

Dreamer woke up with a jerk. A dream. A nightmare. She was in her ordinary chamber in Hell.

A dream! How stupid that she hadn’t thought of that! But it was a little peculiar; she didn’t use to have nightmares. This was the first time. And besides, she remembered this dream surprisingly well. Especially that hand. So scary it had been! Razors instead of nails! And that voice. So...evil.

Yeah, yeah, forget it now. It hadn’t been real. The best was just to forget the whole thing. She tried to wipe the dream out of her mind, but it kept coming back like a stubborn wasp.

Shit! Dreamer thought. I can’t still be thinking of that!

But she couldn’t forget it, of course. Dreamer was unusually quiet and still, and her best friend, Pinhead, the leader cenobite, noticed it.

- Dreamer? What’s the matter?

- What? Nothing. I’m fine.

- It’s something. I can tell that on you.

- Well, I had a nightmare. A really scary one. about some creep with knifes for nails.

- Really? Was it really that scary?

- Yes. But I guess I’m overreacting. I’ve tried to forget the dream, but I just can’t.

- When did you start having nightmares?

- Not ever. This was the first time.

- Maybe that’s why it got stuck in your memory. Your first nightmare ever!

- Maybe...but... he seemed so real, some how.

- Yeah, but Dreamer, I thinks that’s time for you to let that go. You can’t go around brooding that thing for all time. The point is, that everyone has a bad dream once in a while. It’s nothing remarkable.

Dreamer looked surprisingly at Pinhead.

- Did you have a nightmare too?

- Nah, I can’t say I had. But I think you’re overreacting. Just forget it!

Dreamer actually got a bit sad because of Pinhead’s response. He didn’t seem to understand at all. But she didn’t show how upset she was.

- Nope, okay. I guess it was nothing then. I won’t think of that any longer.

- That’s good. Cheer up! Don’t have that gloomy look...!

Pinhead smiled at her. That smile always used to tempt Dreamer into laughing normally, but now she just gave back a faint smile.

- Are you tired? Pinhead asked.

- Yeah. I didn’t get any relaxing sleep, or anything.

- The I suggest that you have a little sleep.

- But what if the nightmare comes back?

- I’ll give you a good advice. If the dream comes back, I’m not saying it will, so think that a dream is all it is. nothing bad can happen to you in a dream.

- Yes, I guess I’ll try that. Thank you.

- You’re welcome, honey, Pinhead replied and gave her an encouraging pat on the shoulder. If you dream about that razor-guy again, say to yourself it’s just a dream, and ask him to got o Hell!

Dreamer laughed at the proposition.

- Well, why not? I can always try.

She left Pinhead’s chamber, and went towards her own, to get some sleep. On her way, she saw Angelique come against her.

Oh no! Dreamer thought. That bitch is the last thing I need right now!

Angelique had been keeping a low profile a while last year, when she had tried to screw up for Pinhead, but Leviathan had found out that, and she had all the trouble herself, in the end. But now she was back as her previous self.

Dreamer hoped that Angelique wouldn’t care about her. She wanted to avoid eye contact, and she planned to rush by her so quickly, that she wouldn’t get a chance to start a conversation.

But it didn’t work so well.

Angelique stood herself in front of her, and blocked her way. Dreamer stepped aside but Angelique followed her movements. She just didn’t give up!

- You look to be really under the weather, she said. What happened?

- I’ve had a nightmare, Dreamer murmured.

- A nightmare? Oops! I think I know who it was about. It was Pinhead, huh? You dreamed he no longer could get a hard on, didn’t you?

Dreamer was sick of Angelique’s reminders of that she and Pinhead slept with each other. Because it wasn’t true.

- Wrong, she said shortly. I dreamed of a... What the fuck, I don’t need to stand here and explain that to you!

- No, tell me! I’m really curious!

- All right. I dreamed about some creep with knives for fingers who tried to murder me. Happy?

- Really? That sounds scary. Who was this guy?

- I don’t know! He’s not real!

- Where are you going?

- To my chamber. I’ll be sleeping.

- You really dare to do that? he might come back and... Angelique made a gesture with her fingers over her throat.

- ... gut you!

- Yeah, right! You’d be happy if he did, huh?

- You wouldn’t believe it.

Dreamer made a wry face to her and kept going. It was impossible to talk seriously about anything with Angelique.

Now she would sleep tight.

Dreamer woke up from her sleep by that she heard children’s voices singing some nursery rhyme.

"One, two, Freddy’s coming for you, three, four..."

She sat up surprised, and looked around. She wasn’t in her own chamber, no. Now she was in the garden of a big, abandoned, decayed house, which had boards nailed in front of its windows, and the house looked ominous in public.

In the garden, there were several children who sang that nursery rhyme, while they were skipping.

"...five, six, grab your crucifix, seven, eight..."

The song echoed drearily in the pitch dark night. Dreamer went towards the children. The house. The song continued.

"...nine, ten, never sleep again..."

- Hello? she said in a loud voice. Where am I?

But the children didn’t seem to hear her. The continued skipping and singing the rhyme. Dreamer looked at the house. It looked haunted. Boo!

Suddenly she heard that screech, that she had heard in her previous dream. it sounded like: metal against metal.

The children had suddenly stopped. As fast as they heard the screeching, they turned around and ran into the house with full speed. The screeching had come from in there.

- No, don’t go in there! Dreamer cried after them. She ran towards the door. It was open, and she placed herself in the doorstep.

- Hey, children... she called.

Not one, single child was seen. It was like they had vanished in the thin air. The silence throbbed in there. Carefully she took the step into the house. Then it happened. The door banged shut violently behind her. She gave out a scream, turned around and started to pull the door.

- No! Open the door! she cried. But she had nothing for it. The door wasn’t able to dislodge. She was stuck.

Dreamer started to panic. What was this place? And how did she get here? A dream. This was also a dream. But dream or not, she didn’t want to be here one more minute! There had to be another way out, some place. Best to start searching.

Inside the house was much bigger than it looked from outside. Where ever she went, she always came to a new room. She hoped she’s wake up soon. This wasn’t a nice dream.

Suddenly she heard that screeching again. Dreamer jerked. It seemed to come from the room next to this one. What caused that noise? It sounded awful. She ran quickly into a new room, but it was a big mistake. For there was no door in this room. No way out! She was stuck! And she didn’t want to go back, because the noise came from there.

Dreamer tried to wake herself up. She knew this was a dream, but she didn’t want to dream anymore.

How do you wake yourself up? Dreamer didn’t know, but it had been great if she had, because the nightmare got worse. But Dreamer didn’t know it yet. She saw a big, full figure mirror hang on the wall next to her.

It was dirty and had some scratches, but besides that, it was intact.

She walked towards it. The strange thing was, that the glass seemed to vibrate, like water does, when you touch it. And something that was also very odd, was that she couldn’t see her own reflection in it!

Dreamer stepped back, frightened to death.

- Dreamer! a voice hissed behind her. She turned around with a twitch. No one. No one there. But someone had whispered her name.

- What the hell do you want? she screamed that the house echoed. No answer. She turned towards the mirror again. The glass still vibrated. It scared her, but fascinated her at the same time. She reached out her hand to touch the glass.

Then it happened. A hand emerged from the mirror, that grabbed her, and tried to pull her into it.

Dreamer recognized the hand instantly. It was the razor-hand. She screamed and fought wildly to get loose. But she was only pulled deeper and deeper into the mirror. The strange thing was, that her body went straight through the vibrating glass like nothing.

One more hand came, and grabbed her by the throat. It had no razors, but it belonged in all probability to the same person.

Dreamer screamed and fought violently to get loose. She grabbed the frames of the mirror with both her hands and tried to fight back as good as she could.

She wore a knife. She always did, and she could defend her with it, even in this dream. The problem right now was, how to get it. It was at her belt, but to get it, she would have to loose her grip of the mirror’s frames. It would be enough if she just loosed a little bit with one of her hands, and that creep would get her.

She could hear the gasping breath of the lunatic. She was strong, but she couldn’t retain her grip much longer. Her fingers started to hurt by exertion, and she wouldn’t have the strength to hold on much longer.

The knife was her only chance. She had to get it. So she loosed her grip with one of her hands, and sought for the knife at her belt.

Now she was almost totally inside the mirror, just one hand, she one she still held at the mirror frame, was outside.

After a while of fumbling, she got the knife, clasped the blade and stabbed against that which held her. She didn’t aim; it was totally impossible to aim in that position, and besides, it was pitch dark.

But she hit something, and she could also hear a half-choked, moaning scream, and "whoever it was" lost his grip of her. She fell out of the mirror stumbling, and fell down on the floor.

Dreamer got up on her feet, and rushed towards the door. But it banged shut right in front of her nose.

- No!

She pulled the door, but a husky, evil laugh made her freeze. She turned around.

The creep with the razors took the step out of the mirror. Now dreamer could see him clearly. He had a red and green, very dirty sweater, and he was horribly burnt and he wore a brown slouch hat on his head, which covered his eyes partially.

What a scary guy!

The knife was till stuck in his chest, but it didn’t seem to bother him. He pulled it out, and started to lick it.

- He, he, Dreamer... That smarted nicely! he croaked, and sneered at her with his blacken, badly burnt teeth. He raised his right hand and scraped the knives against a steel tube in the room.

Then that screech heard, which was pretty familiar to her at this time.

Of course! Stupid that she hadn’t thought of that before!

He laughed again, took off his hat, and bowed at her.

- My name is Freddy. Nice to meet you, Dreamer!

- Leave me alone, she said. Get out!

- Come to me! he hissed and pointed his razor-hand against her, while he came closer slowly. Dreamer turned around and started to pull the door. ‘Come on’ she thought desperately. But it didn’t yield. She could hear the laughter of the maniac from behind.

Soon he would have her! She sought with her eyes after another way out. There was none. She turned towards him again.

- It’s only a dream! she screamed angrily.

- Come to Freddy!

- God damn you!

He kept coming closer, and when he raised his razor-hand to stab her, she ducked, and Freddy’s knives hit the door instead. He had to struggle to get his hand free, and that gave her time to run around, but really for no good at all. There were no other ways out from the room, except for that door.

Freddy got his hand loose and turned against her.

- No good to run sweetie, ‘cause I’ll get you now!

Dreamer tried to think of a plan. The knife laid on the floor, right beside the mirror, because Freddy hadn’t taken it with him. Dreamer had already seen, that stabbing Freddy didn’t help, but the knife could maybe still help her. She backed towards the mirror. Her plan was to lure Freddy against the mirror, and when he was close enough to stab, she would throw herself aside, and Freddy would dash into the mirror instead.

- Freddy! she called. You want me? Come on then!

He turned around and whisked with his razor-nails.

- I’m gonna split you in two! he growled and come sneaking closer.

- Get me! Dreamer cried and gesticulated with her arms.

Freddy threw herself towards her, and Dreamer threw herself aside. But not quickly enough. His razors hit her by the stomach and gave her four wounds. And Freddy didn’t fall, like she had hoped, no, he came up with her before she had even gotten to the door. And she hadn’t gotten the knife. She wouldn’t have a chance. But just when Freddy came closer, Dreamer woke up with a scream.

It was pitch dark, and first she didn’t really know where she was. But it was her own chamber. It had only been a dream. She sighed. But suddenly she felt a great pain in her stomach. And when she looked to see what it was, she got all dizzy with fear.

Four wounds. Caused be Freddy’s razors. Dreamer thought she would faint.

He had cut her in the dream, and the wounds were still there! Totally week in her knees and dizzy, she started to walk towards Pinhead’s chamber to tell him this.

Pinhead heard someone knocking on the door to his chamber.

- Come in! he called.

It was Angelique. She looked around with a surprised look.

- What are you doing here? Pinhead said annoyingly. You’re not allowed in here.

- But where’s Dreamer? Angelique said.

- Dreamer? She’s sleeping in her chamber. How come?

- No, she just doesn’t want to come here anymore after that nightmare she had about you recently!

- About me? Pinhead asked in a surprised voice.

- Yes, didn’t she tell you?

- What are you talking about?

- She had a bad dream about you, that you had been impotent. And obviously the dream came true.

Pinhead resisted the impulse to snatch her. He turned his hands not to.

- You think you’re so funny, huh? he snapped. Don’t you ever get bored on that subject?

- Don’t blame me! It’s what I’ve heard!

- And why would Dreamer tell about her nightmares to you?

- What did she tell you?

- She’s had a nightmare. But I won’t tell you what it was about, so you’ll get another reason to pick at her.

- Nope, okay. But I think I already know, I’m afraid.

- It wasn’t about me!

- No, no, it was about some guy with knives for fingers who tried to kill her.

- Did she tell you that?

- Yeah, she did. But I suspect she just said that, because she doesn’t want to admit that it actually was...

- Did you have a proper reason to come here, Angelique? if not, I suggest you can leave, Pinhead said abruptly.

- Yeah, matter a fact, I had, Angelique said. I have to ask you for a favour.

- Ask me for a favour? Are you sane?

- Could you make Leviathan a little more friendly disposed to me?

- Why don’t you go to Leviathan himself? Pinhead asked.

- You know he refuses to speak with me. And I don’t want tit that way. Do you think you can help me?

- You turned it that way, yourself.

- Jesus Christ, it was last year! Don’t you think we should forget that now?

- Why would I help you?

- Because I ask you to. Angelique looked to be serious. Pinhead gave up.

- All right. I’ll see. But stop making comments about Dreamer and me!

- Thank you, you’re so sweet! Angelique chirped and left the room.

After 15 minutes, or so he heard knockings on the door again. Angelique! What did she want now?

Very annoyed, Pinhead threw the door open.

Dreamer groped towards Pinhead’s chamber. She was in a state of chock. It only hurt a little. An aching pain in the stomach. She wasn’t seriously injured. The cuts weren’t deep. It was the knowing itself, where they came from, that made her so terrified.

Freddy. That was the name of the creep, she dreamed of. He had cut her in the dream and the wounds were still there when she woke up!

Was that possible? Couldn’t she have scratched herself? No. The wounds were caused by knives, not fingernails. By Freddy.

She was in front of Pinhead’s chamber. Dreamer stood a little bent forward, not because of pain, but because she thought she’s faint.

She knocked roughly at the door. And Pinhead’s first reaction when he opened, became another chock for Dreamer.

- And what the hell now? he snapped angrily right in her face.

For Dreamer, it felt like he’d hit her. She gasped. But obviously Pinhead hadn’t expected it to be her, because when he saw it was, he’s facial expression changed.

- Dreamer? What are you doing... Dreamer, what happened?

Dreamer knew she looked all perished.

- Can I come in? she said in a hoarse voice.

- Of course. Did something happen?

Now Pinhead sounded really worried. He let Dreamer in, and looked questioningly at her. I’m so sorry I snapped at you. But I thought it was Angelique who...Yes, she was here earlier and made fun of me. You wanna tell me what’s going on?

- I’ve had a new nightmare, Dreamer said in a low voice. Worse than the first one. About the same creep. And you wanna know something amazing?

- What? Pinhead asked.

- He cut me in the dream with his razor-nails. She showed him the cuts she had on her stomach.

Pinhead knit his brows.

- How did you get those?

- I told you! Freddy cut me! It’s true!

- Freddy?

- Yeah, that’s his name, I know that now.

- What’s his last name? Pinhead said sharply.

- Last name? I don’t know, he didn’t tell.

- Krueger? Was it Krueger?

- Krueger? I don’t know. Wait a second... Pinhead, do you know anything about this?

Pinhead turned around like he was bothered, and turned his hands nervously. Dreamer immediately noticed at him that he knew something.

- Do you know anything? she repeated.

No answer.

- If you do, you’d better tell me, because he’s after me now! Pinhead! You’re my best friend, and I’m counting on, that you’re telling me the truth!

Pinhead tuned towards Dreamer with an overcome look in his face. He looked helplessly into her eyes.

- Freddy Krueger can’t come after you, Dreamer. He’s dead. Believe me. I know.

Dreamer turned to him with burning curiosity.

- So you know who he is? she asked breathlessly.

- I know who he was. Yes. He’s dead.

- Go on.

- I don’t know so much. He lived in a city called Springwood until the early 70-ties. Then he was killed - murdered, by the citizens of the city. They burned him alive.

Dreamer almost didn’t believe what she was hearing. She kept asking Pinhead about Freddy Krueger.

- Go on. Why did they kill him? she asked.

- He was a child-murderer, Pinhead replied with ill-concealed disliking. Even if he surely knew, that he wasn’t a bit better than Freddy Krueger, so still infanticide wasn’t really his area.

- He killed at least 20 kids from that neighbourhood, Pinhead continued.

- But.. didn’t they put him away, Dreamer asked.

- No. He was arrested, but not convicted. He was released just like that after the trial. But the parent of the kids who he’s killed, took the law into their own hands, and burned him to death in his own boiler room...

- Boiler room! Dreamer interrupted. I’ve been there!

- Have you been in Freddy Krueger’s boiler room? I don’t think you have.

- I have in my dream. It was what the first dream was about. I was in the boiler room.

- You say so? Dreamer, honey, he can’t get you now. He’s dead. He’s been dead for a very long time.

- How did he kill them?

- What?

- The children. How did he kill them?

- With...with a razor-glove he’s made himself.

- Oh, gross... And what did he look like?

- Freddy Krueger? I don’t know, I didn’t know him in person. Why’d you ask?

- I just wanna know. He’s actually trying to murder me!

- That’s impossible. He’s dead, Dreamer!

- Yes, but it doesn’t seem to stop him!

- What you’re saying’s crazy. He’s dead. Pity he is, by the way, he’s been an excellent cenobite...

- Pinhead! Please... you have to believe me. Why haven’t anyone told me about him?

- It was long before you got here, Dreamer. He died... I think... 1973. He wasn’t anyone worth remembering. Just a common maniac.

- Who wants to kill me. He’s there as fast as I close my eyes. I can’t have it that way. You got to help me.

- That’s not true, Dreamer, Pinhead said.

- And how do you explain this? She meant the cuts.

- Well, I guess you scratched yourself while dreaming.

- No, Freddy Krueger scratched me while dreaming. You might as well accept that!

- How could it be? He’s not even in Hell.

- He’s in my dreams. And if he hurts me in my dream, he hurts me for real. And that has to mean, that if he kills me in my dream, I’ll really die.

- Come on!

- But it’s true!

- Dreamer, you’re sick. There’s something wrong with you. You’re imagining things. You’ll feel better when you sleep.

- Would it feel better to be cut by some lunatic?!

- Stop it.

- You have to help me.

- Yes, I have to help you. Of course I want to help you.

- Then trust me.

- I’m sorry, Dreamer. But it’s just a nightmare.

- Well, let me tell you one thing. If you’ll find me murdered sometime, you’ll know who the killer is.

- Dreamer...

- Freddy Krueger, Pinhead. He’s after me. I don’t know why, but I’m going to find out. If I’ll survive long enough, will say. And if you’re my friend, I think you should help me.

- I’m not just your friend, I’m also your boss. And Leviathan’s mine. Think of that. What do you think he’d feel, if we started to chase some dream-monster...

- I don’t care what Leviathan thinks! Dreamer screamed. The point is, that if you don’t help me, you won’t have any best friend soon!

Pinhead backed away from her sudden fit of rage.

- Don’t you...want to be my friend anymore? he asked.

- Yes, I will. It’s not that. What I was saying was, that if you don’t help me, Freddy’s gonna kill me.

Pinhead twisted himself nervously.

- How could I help you? he asked.

- I don’t know yet. But I’ll come up with something. And until I do, I can’t sleep.

- Is it that bad?

- Can I sleep with you? Dreamer asked. I just can’t be alone right now. And yes, it’s that bad.

- I actually don’t know, Pinhead replied doubtfully. What do you think Angelique will do, if she finds out?

- Right now, I don’t give a shit. Well, can I stay here or not?

- Of course you can. But that means, we’ll gonna have to take a lot of crap from Angelique.

- Thank you, Pinhead.

- I’m just trying to be your friend, he replied.

When Dreamer left Pinhead’s chamber the following day, (she hadn’t slept of course) she ran into Angelique at once. And Angelique looked at her with her eyes wide open.

- My, my! Dreamer! Those are nasty cuts! How did you get them? she asked curiously.

Dreamer really wasn’t in the mood for Angelique’s little comments right now, so she only said, very shortly: "I’ve cut myself."

- You have so? When?

- Does it matter?

- Well, you didn’t have them yesterday, if I remember right.

- No, maybe not. What so important about that?

- I saw you were with Pinhead yesterday? It’s not that hard to find out how you’ve had those cuts.

- What are you implying?

- Well, it maybe ended up a little wildly yesterday. Did his head hit your stomach?

- I think you should back off now.

- Yeah, do what you want, as long as you don’t hurt yourselves! I think, that if I hadn’t taken that pin that he lost last year, he would have lost some anyway. In your ass, maybe?

Then Dreamer snatched her. The cuff wasn’t rough, but Angelique wasn’t prepared for it, so she tumbled backwards by surprise. In fact, she was so bluffed, that she didn’t even come up with smacking back.

Dreamer turned towards her with flashing eyes.

- You wanna how I got the wounds? Huh?! A crazy child murderer named Freddy Krueger is after me in my dreams! So don’t even come with your silly implying that Pinhead did it! I’m warning you!

Dreamer turned her heel to get as far away from Angelique as possible.

- Who ever Freddy Krueger is, he should get a reward! Angelique screamed after her.

- Yeah, give him yourself, so he’ll maybe leave me alone! Dreamer said back.

She regretted rapidly that she had told Angelique about Freddy Krueger. It wasn’t so smart; now there would be rumours that she was mad. And that’s what Pinhead had thought. But of course he hadn’t wanted to say it to her. But that’s what he thought. And she could hardly blame him for thinking that.

Dreamer mad? No.

Freddy Krueger mad? Yes. Psychotic. And the worst thing; he was after her. Why? No idea.

Dreamer wondered why he was after just her. Why not... Angelique, instead? No one would miss her. And her silly companion Eel. Those two could more than well end up like Freddy’s victims.

Angrily she went back into Pinhead.

- Pinhead, do something about her! Dreamer demanded. She really starts to get to me!

- Angelique? Pinhead asked.

- No, The Virgin Mary! Yes, Angelique!

- But what do you want me to do? Pinhead said tiredly. She doesn’t listen to me, and Leviathan doesn’t care. He’s already mad at her, so it won’t matter what she does.

- He could fire her.

- Yes, but that won’t happen. I know.

- I can’t take her anymore.

- And what are you going to do about that? Give her to Freddy Krueger?

- If only I could. You know what she said?

- No, what?

- That Freddy should get a reward for trying to kill me. Can you imagine that?

- Sure I can. Yesterday, she came to me and said that nightmare you had, was a bout me, that I...

- ... had been impotent. I know. She told me too.

Dreamer started to giggle against her will.

- What’s so funny about that? Pinhead snapped.

- What? No, nothing... Dreamer tried to stop laughing. But...would that be a nightmare?

- You’re worse than Angelique!

- I’m sorry... I’ve got a very bad temper right now... and I guess that’s because I can’t sleep.

- Dreamer, you have to sleep, or...

- ...or I’ll go even crazier? Right?

- No...That’s not what I was saying. What I meant, was that you have to dream. You’re made for dreaming. If you don’t dream, you go...

- What? Crazy? Neurotic?

- I don’t know. This Krueger-thing... I don’t know what to believe.

- He’s after me, Pinhead.

- But why you? Why not me instead? I use to be a much more wanted target.

- He can’t get to you. You don’t dream. I do.

- Yeah, that sounds odd, it does, that you started dreaming of him, before you even heard of him.

- It sure is. You know what, Pinhead? You could help me with something.

- What?

- The dreams. I could prove to you, that Freddy’s really after me.

- How are you going to do that?

- I can sleep, and you can watch me while I’m sleeping.

- Dreamer...

- Pinhead. Please. I’m desperate.

- Okay. How shall we do?

- I’ll sleep, and if it seems like I’m having nightmares, you wake me up.

- And how do I know?

- You’ll know. And remember you have to wake me up right away if something seems suspicious.

- Yeah, yeah, Dreamer. Trust me.

Dreamer was in the house. The house that she had been in, in her previous dream. She didn’t like it. There was no sign of Freddy Krueger, but he sure would turn up soon.

Dreamer hoped that Pinhead would wake her up. This dream was goin’ to be bad, she felt that. "Pinhead!" she tried to think. Wake me up! But that didn’t happen, of course. Now she only had to watch out for Freddy. She would absolutely not get to hurt her. Because if she got hurt in her dream, she did it for real too. Dreamer knew that.

"Fuck, why did I begin to sleep?" she thought. She had hoped, that if just Pinhead was there, Freddy would leave her alone. But obviously that wasn’t the case.

She went from one room to another. The house was endlessly big. And she never found a way out. All the rooms were equally decayed and it smelled mould everywhere,

But no sign of Freddy Krueger. That was odd. he just waited for the right moment. Dreamer hoped she would wake up before he got that moment. But Dreamer wasn’t that lucky. She went downstairs to the basement of the house. It was much darker there, than it was in the rest of the house. But still she could discern the outlines of a big oven.

It made her creep. It didn’t fit in here, someway.

In the next second, Freddy Krueger dashed out from somewhere and threw himself over her.

Dreamer wasn’t prepared for that, so that’s why he pulled her down so easily. They rolled around several turns, before they hit a wall, and there Freddy instantly got a little advantage. He grabbed Dreamer’s head and hit it against the floor, over and over again.

He sure had superhuman strengths, but Dreamer had it also. Even if he repeatedly had hit her head in the concrete floor, she wasn’t out of the game. She managed to get her right foot between them and kicked with maximum strength.

He flew away with a surprised cry. Probably he hadn’t been prepared for her doing such resistance.

And instead of running, Dreamer attacked him once again. She got up on her feet the second after she had kicked him. Freddy stood leaned against the wall, some dizzy, but not eliminated, him either.

Dreamer grabbed his shoulders, and tried to push him into the wall, then trying to hit him with her fist, but Freddy ducked, and her fist hit the plaster instead, and that hurt like hell, and she yielded to the pain for a short moment, to hold her injured hand.

That was a big mistake. Freddy hit her harshly in the stomach with his razor-hand. The knives themselves didn’t hit her, but because the glove itself, was made of metal. It felt like to be hit by someone with a knuckle hood. Besides, she already had wounds in her stomach after their last meeting.

She screamed and yielded, and he even hit her in the back, and that made her fall down on the floor. She wailed and wrenched herself, until Freddy kicked her, and she lost consciousness.

* * * *

Dreamer woke up by something that stung her eyes, even if she hadn’t opened them. But with a great piece of effort, she opened her eyes, and discovered, that the look in her eyes was a little blurry. She till saw, that the thing which had stung her eyes, was something flame-coloured.

She also heard a sparking noise, that she recognized, but couldn’t place right then. Slowly, the look in her eyes, got clearer. The orange thing, that stung her eyes, was fire, which burnt inside an oven. And in front of the oven, a few feet away, stood Freddy, picking the flames with a poker.

Dreamer instantly knew his intention. He was going to burn her to death in there! No doubt about that. She held back a terrified scream. She absolutely had to stay calm and not panic. But it was hard not to.

"Pinhead! Wake me up!!"

Freddy turned around with a twitch. Obviously he’d heard something from her. Dreamer closed her eyes and tried to lie as still as possible. If he’d catch her now, she’d be history.

But no. He turned around again, and put in even more stuff in the oven, so the fire would increase.

Dreamer hardly dared to breathe. "Can’t he leave for a minute?" she thought. She had never been this scared before. Or in this big trouble. She wondered if Pinhead saw what was happening. No, probably not. He’d woke her up if he had. She was on her own.

Suddenly Freddy let out a little call of triumph. He was obviously going to put her in now.

"When he grabs me, I’ll kick," she thought. Dreamer closed her eyes. She could hear his steps. He was close. And in the same second as she felt his repulsive hand around her ankle, she kicked. Her stiletto-heeled booth hit him right in the face, and he tumbled backwards with a roar.

This time she didn’t attack again. She now saw, that if she started to fight with him, she wouldn’t have a chance. Her only chance was to run. And she did.

Still some dizzy by the slaps she’d gotten, and by fear, she rushed out of the room to another. The door wasn’t able to be locked.

Dreamer looked around with quivering eyes. Was there any place for her to hide in? A closet? No, too simple. She had to come up with something better.

The ventilation system. She rushed towards the vent hole in the same moment as she saw it.

It was difficult to climb up there, specially in Dreamer’s clothes. But she had no choice. Not a good hiding-place, especially when you thought of, that every single noise she gave away, echoed and sounded 10 times clearer and stronger. She hardly dared to breathe.

Suddenly she heard Freddy’s voice. He sounded mad.

- Dreamer! Dreamer...

He ripped the door to the room wide open.

- Dreamer! Don’t make me come get you! Dreamer... come out now... He lowed his voice down. Dreamer? Dreamer!!

He hit his fist against the wall and screamed in rage. Dreamer tried not to let any noises out.

- Come out! Come out now!! Then he suddenly saw the closet. With laughter of relief, he ripped the door open.

- Oh, here you are!

Dreamer gasped, and Freddy heard that. His eyes were turned towards the vent hole.

- Dreamer...?

Dreamer held her breath. A rat came running against her. She smacked it, so it fell down right into Freddy’s neck. He snarled, grabbed the rat and pierced it on one of his razor-nails.

- Where are you?! he cried with the desperation of a lunatic in his voice. Not to find her, seemed to make him crazy. Dreamer crawled deeper into the vent hole. It stopped about 30 feet away, and she could crawl out on the other side. She made a lot of noise, but she didn’t care. Freddy knew she was here anyway, so if she didn’t split pretty damn quickly, he just could come up here and get her.

Dreamer jumped out of the vent hole. One of her feet bended under her when she hit the ground, and that hurt like hell, but she had to take that.

She was in another room now, and there was only one door in that room. She didn’t know where it went, but it was the only way out, so she had no choice.

Dreamer opened the door, and entered the room where the oven was. She shivered when she saw it. Freddy had planned to put her in it! The mere thought of it made her feel sick.

She opened the door, and came back to the room, where she saw Freddy stand banging at the vent hole with a stick, at the same time when he screamed her name. He stood with his back towards her, so he didn’t see her at once. But he heard when she banged the door shut with a jerk.

Dreamer screamed and rushed back into the room where she had crawled out of the vent hole. There were no places to hide, except for an old broom cupboard. She couldn’t even climb up back to the vent hole with her injured ankle. The broom cupboard had to do.

She sneaked in there and closed the door rapidly. She couldn’t lock it. But why would it be possible? It would be stupid to be able to lock a broom cupboard from the inside.

She heard Freddy tramp in. She heard him snort.

- Why are you hiding from me? I’m doing you a favour. And do you think I can’t find you? Huh?! I know where you are. Your god damn skirt is sticking out of the door!

He went to the broom cupboard and thrust it so firmly, that Dreamer thought it would tip. She lost the balance in there, and made a hell of a noise.

Freddy pulled the door. But it didn’t open. Not that it was locked, but something had got stuck in the way. She fumbled desperately after something to defend herself with. The only thing she got, was something like a stick, made of metal, that she didn’t know what it was. It had to do. She had to fight with him. There was no choice.

Freddy pulled the door open, threw himself over Dreamer, and tried to stab her with his razor-hand. Dreamer grabbed the hand, and hit it against the wall. She dropped the thing she’d taken from the broom cupboard, when she tried to swing it against Freddy’s head.

Missed. The stick, or whatever it was, flew out of her hands. Freddy’s razors scratched her arm.

- Pinhead! Help! Dreamer cried.

Freddy slapped her and grabbed her by the throat.

- Any last words, bitch? he asked in a strained voice.

- Yeah...fuck you!

- So vulgar! Does Pinhead let you talk that way?

Dreamer was so scared of him, that she had trouble finding the words. Besides, he held her by the throat.

- You know Pinhead? she whined.

- I know who he is. He made you, huh? He knows what he’s doing, it seems to. You’re pretty. As a human being, you must have been a real beauty! But who cares! Now you die!

Dreamer sat up bolt up right. She tried to scream, but didn’t get out a sound. When she realized, that she’d waken up, she gave up the attempts to scream, and uttered a low, pitiful whine.

She was in her own chamber. No, wait. Pinhead’s. Yeah. Pinhead was suppose to watch her, and wake her up if she had nightmares.

But he hadn’t done that. Why?

The answer was simple. He wasn’t there! He had gone! He’d left her alone with a maniac! What a fucking bastard he was!

Dreamer foamed with rage. She dashed out of his chamber. She looked around with quivering eyes.

- Pinhead! she cried. Pinhead! Where are you?!

- Sorry, baby, he left you, a voice said from behind.

Angelique. Dreamer turned towards her.

- Where’s Pinhead? she asked in an obtained, calm voice. Angelique didn’t answer, but just stared at her.

- Oops! Oops! What happened here? Didn’t you get along who’d be on top?

- Where’s Pinhead? Dreamer repeated in a trembling voice.

- He ran off to get someone who had solved the box. Sweetie, didn’t you even notice that he went off?

- How the fuck could he do that? Dreamer exclaimed, close to a collapse.

Angelique let out a both surprised and annoying laughter.

- Hey, I think he likes to screw you very much, but it’s actually his job to get people who solves the box.

- When did he leave?

- I don’t know. Half an hour ago, maybe, Angelique replied. What’s wrong?

- Did he know, did he know, that I almost died, over there, while he was gone?!

- Almost died? By lack of him? Calm down. Dreamer, he’ll be here any minute, and then you can proceed with... well, whatever you were doing!

Angelique tripped off.

Dreamer waited patiently in Pinhead’s chamber for him to get back. She was tired. But she watched up carefully not to fall into sleep. Pinhead would have to explain one or two thing when he came back.

She sat in there, in the dark, staring at the door, and waited for it to be opened. And when it did, and Pinhead pattered in, he didn’t notice at first, that Dreamer sat in there.

- Where the hell have you been? she hissed in a low, sinister voice.

Pinhead jerked by fear.

- God... Dreamer! You scared me! What are you doing in my chamber?

- You left me here when you ran off, huh?

Pinhead went closer to her, carefully, and bended down next to her. He moved his hand close to her face, and caressed her over the cheek.

- Are you okay? he asked worriedly.

She moved his hand away, with an angry gesture.

- Don’t touch me!

- Dreamer, what happened?

- What the fuck did you leave me alone here for?! You were supposed to watch me! And what did you do?

- I’m sorry, I guess I just didn’t think.

- No, you didn’t. But at least you could have waken me up before you left. This is Hell, things happen!

- Okay...I’m sorry. It was thoughtless. Really.

- It was a very irresponsible thing to do, Pinhead! Dreamer had never been this mad at him before.

Pinhead laughed gently.

- You’re making me feel like I’m 16 years old, here.

- Why didn’t you wake me up? Answer me!

- You slept so calmly that I didn’t want to disturb you...

- Slept calmly... Slept calmly?! So in the hell I slept calmly! He tried to kill me again, Pinhead! Throw me into an oven! Burn me alive! And you say, that I slept calmly!

She got up, and started walking back and forth.

- Hey, calm down...

- Why?! You failed me! You lied to me!

Pinhead stood up and grabbed Dreamer by her shoulders.

- Wait... I watched you, for oven an hour. You slept so nice and calmly...

- It was a horrible thing to leave me! Dreamer whispered. Pinhead started to get tired of her.

- Hey, Dreamer, I’m just trying to do my job. And I don’t think that’s something to apologize for!

- No, because your job is more important than your best friend!

- You now that’s not true.

- Then what is it?

- Come on Dreamer, you know better than that. Don’t be such a bitch.

- Krueger came and tried to throw me into an oven! And you don’t care! What the fuck do you want me to believe?!

Pinhead grabbed her and shook her roughly. He looked very mad.

- Now you listen to me for once! he snarled. I actually tried to help you, but you’re pushing this too far. You’ve gotten Krueger on your brain, and that’s enough! You can’t just come in here and give me orders like that! I can’t do anymore for you, and you might as well get used to that!

He even slapped her. Dreamer got all nonplussed. She gasped for breath and tried to stay up on her feet. The cuff had made her totally frozen.

Not that it hurt so much, but he’d never slapped her before. And since he’d done it now, he had to have been especially furious. And she had pushed him to that. It was her own fault.

- Go! Get out of here! Pinhead said coldly and pointed at the door.

Dreamer did what he told her. Without protesting. She said nothing. She couldn’t say anything. She felt, that if she opened her mouth, she’s start crying incontrollable, and she didn’t want to do that. Not in front of Pinhead, when he was in this mood. That’s why she went away as fast a s she could.

Dreamer banged the door shut to her own chamber. She felt terrible. The fight with Pinhead had made her lose her breath completely. But she couldn’t blame him. She was the one who started it. But he didn’t need to hit her.

Dreamer sat down in one of the corners in the room and started to cry. She felt like the unhappiest being in the world.

A lunatic was after her. No one believed her, not even her best friend, who unfortunately was the leader-cenobite, who had to work instead of looking after her. And he had been furious when she mentioned to him that he had done wrong. Or had he?

It was obvious, that he didn’t believe her, and if he didn’t do his job like he should, he wouldn’t get to keep it. And that bastard Freddy had of course waited for Pinhead to leave. So really, it wasn’t Pinhead’s fault that this little incident happened.

It just went wrong.

Dreamer thought, that it wouldn’t matter so much, if Freddy had come and killed her now. Nobody would miss her anyway, she thought.

But Dreamer was wrong regarding to that.

After an hour, or so, someone knocked on the door to her chamber. Dreamer hardly heard it. She was so sad, that she had been deafened. She didn’t go open, and she didn’t even call: "Come in!". She was not in the mood for any visitors right now.

When she didn’t come to answer the door, she heard Pinhead’s voice from outside.

- Dreamer? They said you’d gone here. Can I come in?

Oh, no! Dreamer thought. She really didn’t want to see him now. What should she do? Pretend she wasn’t there?

Pinhead didn’t seem to wait for an answer, he just came in like that. Dreamer tilted her head away when he came in. She didn’t want him to see how sad she was.

But Pinhead wasn’t mad at her anymore. Not a bit. He saw Dreamer, who was crumpled in the corner, and came and sat down next to her, and put an arm around her shoulders.

- I’m so sorry, Dreamer, he said in a low voice. Can you ever forgive me? I should never have hit you, I don’t know what came into me... His voice trailed off.

- You really hurt me there, Pinhead, she sobbed.

- Dreamer, sweetie, I know. And I’m so, so sorry. Do you think you can forgive me?

- Sure, she replied faintly. You know one thing? When I sat here, all alone, a while ago, I almost hoped that Freddy Krueger would come here and kill me...

- Dreamer! I don’t want you talking like that! I wouldn’t make it without you. You’re not angry with me anymore, are you?

In the same second when he asked the question, he pulled her to him, and kissed her tenderly.

Dreamer did nothing to stop him.

Pinhead lay naked with Dreamer in her bed, in her chamber.

It had never happened before, and it shouldn’t have happened now, either. He’d slept with Dreamer. Dreamer, his best friend, and besides, he was her boss. He’d slept with Dreamer. He had...

When Pinhead realized the meaning of those words, he got all chocked. Why had this happened? She’d been so sad, and he’d only wanted to take care of her...

- Shit! he mumbled to himself.

- What, baby? Dreamer asked in a voice heavy with sleep. She lay close to him, and moved even closer, while she smiled a blessed smile.

- Shit! he repeated angrily. I was only suppose to comfort you!

- Mm... and I think you did good, Dreamer beamed.

She started to caress him with her hands.

- Don’t! Pinhead said sharply and caught her hand.

- You didn’t sound like that a few hours ago!

- Dreamer... Pinhead began. I want you to know, that what happened was wrong, and shall absolutely not happen again. I think we should forget it.

- But you can’t say that! Dreamer exclaimed. Did I do something wrong?

- No, not at all. It was a mistake, that’s all.

- Why’s that? I think we had a great time together. Don’t you?

- Sure, great, but we can’t have this kind of relationship. I don’t want to ruin our friendship.

- What? Do you regret, this, suddenly?

- Hell yeah! Don’t you?

- No. Just because we’re cenobites, doesn’t mean that we can’t have some fun!

- That’s not what I meant. We’ll have trouble.

- You mean Angelique?

- Yes, her too! What would she do if she saw us now?

- Would you care? She makes comments about that thing all the time.

- Yeah, but this is real now! Totally different.

- You’re such a coward, Pinhead! You can’t come over here and sleep with me, and then you don’t stand for it! That’s what I call a cowardly thing to do! I didn’t exactly rape you! You wanted as much as I did!

- Yes, then! I know better now.

- Wasn’t I good enough for you or something?!

- Dreamer, please, we can’t start fighting now. Okay?

- Okay. But we can’t do this "mistake" undone.

- It was a one night stand. I was comforting you, and it went too far.

- I can come up with one good thing. I didn’t have to see Freddy Krueger.

- Sch! We agreed not to talk about him anymore.

- Then what do you wanna talk about?

- Nothing. I’ll get dressed and split, so no one will suspect anything. You should too, he added.

Pinhead was really worrying that someone would come dashing into Dreamer’s chamber and see them together.

- Don’t go! Dreamer begged and grabbed his arm.

- What now?

- Can’t we just be here a little while longer? It was so cosy.

- And what do we do if someone gets here?

- You could hide under the bed, maybe...

- Come on!

- Okay, okay. Forget it. But who would come here?

- Does Angelique use to knock?

- Mostly.

- That’s not enough! I got to go, Pinhead said. He decided not to care about Dreamer’s begging.

He was actually particular about his reputation. And if it came out that he was sleeping with a cenobite he’s made himself, it wouldn’t be so good. A boss who’s fucking his employees! Great!

He bended down to look for his black, leather dress, when someone suddenly opened the door, and he could hear Angelique’s voice.

- Dreamer? Is Pinhead here, I’d tell him that Leviathan wants... She cut off the sentence rapidly when she saw them. Her eyes got rotund and she formed her mouth to an O. Then she banged the door shut, and Pinhead could hear her steps move away from there, very rapidly.

Shit! he thought. I’m in deep shit!

Pinhead slipped into his leather suit in no time, and rushed with top speed after Angelique. He left the surprised Dreamer in her bad.

This was a disaster! Ha had to find Angelique and make her quiet. He had to. Angelique needed to be shut. How ever it would be done. It wouldn’t be easy. What would he do?

Scare her to silence? Beat her and warn her for what would happen if she told? No. It would never work. Angelique would just tell anyway, just to get revenge on him.

He had to buy her. It was the only way to keep her quiet.

He was right behind her now. Just a few feet away. Now he had to play his cards well.

- Angelique! he called. Angelique, wait!

She stopped for a moment and he ran and placed himself in front of her. She said nothing.

- It’s not what you think, he began.

Finally Angelique said something.

- Not what I think? Right? But explain then, what the fuck you were doing, naked with her, in her bed, if it’s not "what I think"?

- Let me explain.

- You’re saying you didn’t sleep with her?

- No, I did sleep with her. I don’t deny that. But it was the first time I did.

Angelique laughed derisively at his explanation.

- That’s the biggest and fattest lie I’ve ever heard! You’ve screwed her since the day she got here. That’s, let me see.... eight years ago!

- I have not! Pinhead protested. But the important thing is, that you have to keep quiet about this.

- And why should I do that?

- Then what are you gonna tell? Go to Leviathan, and tell him I’m screwing Dreamer? Do you think he’s gonna thank you for that news? He’ll probably just hate you even more, because you’re trashing me around.

- I don’t mean Leviathan now, Pinhead. You’re right, he hates me, and wouldn’t believe me, and even if he did, he probably wouldn’t care about who you’re screwing, or anything. You’re right.

- So?

- Now I actually meant your employees. What do you think they’ll believe, if they find out that their boss is fucking Dreamer?

- You’ve already spread a rumour like that once before. And it wasn’t true then, so they won’t buy it once again.

- I think they will. You wanna try?

- And what do you think they’d do to me? I don’t think they’d dare to do very much. Everyone except you, actually fear me.

- Maybe not to you. But what about your girlfriend? She’ll have a rough time, you’ll see. Nobody fears her. Everyone will treat her like a slut after this. And that’s what she is.

- Dreamer’s no slut! Pinhead protested.

- She’s having sex with you, so you’ll give her certain privileges. That’s sluttish!

- Really? You offered to sleep with me also, just because to keep me shut about that pin you pinched!

Angelique lowed her eyes down. That’s obviously something she didn’t she didn’t like to be reminded of!

- Maybe, and even if I did exactly what you told me, you went and told Leviathan. And he hates me now. You promised to shut your trap, but you didn’t. So now I’ll enjoy to put you in trouble!

- I didn’t tell him about you! Pinhead said furiously.

- Then who did?

- I know it wasn’t me!

- And you want me to believe that!

- That’s finished. I beg you, Angelique, to keep quiet about this. I beg you.

- I won’t keep my mouth shut, if I don’t get something in return.

- Oh, god! Okay, hang on. You don’t like being in quarrel with Leviathan, huh?

- No, I certainly don’t. It’s sad.

- All right. I promise, that if you shut about this, I’ll change that. I’ll make Leviathan crazy about you! I promise! Just keep your mouth shut about this. Please?

- How will you make Leviathan crazy about me? You hate me too, so it’ll be a little hard for you to talk nicely about me without making it sound like a joke.

- Well, I’m a good actor.

- But Pinhead. It won’t work. You don’t have to humiliate yourself like that. I’ll get that Leviathan-thing by myself. Don’t you mind.

- Really? You’re gonna shut without a service?

- Of course I won’t! Angelique snapped. Don’t flatter yourself. I’ll have a favour. You wanna know what?

- All right. But it can’t be anything impossible.

- It’s nothing impossible. You’ll choose me as your successor. Pretty simple, huh?

- No, no, no, I can’t.

- Who is it now? Your successor?

- It’s Dreamer.

- Yeah, that’s great! She fucks you, and suddenly she’s the vice-leader. No, don’t interrupt me... besides that, I think she’s impropriate, because she’s not mentally sane.

- What is that suppose to mean?

- Yeah, this Freddy Krueger she’s buzzing about, that he’s after her in her dreams... Pretty insane, huh?

- She’s maybe a little instable right now.

- Pinhead, I was your successor until that incident with the pin...

- Very well. Okay. I’ll do it. Did you also say something about Leviathan who wants to see me?

- Yeah, I did. That’s what I came to tell, when...

- I’ll bring you up with him.

- Good! Angelique said with a great smile. Then we have a dial!

- You’ve done well, Pinhead, Leviathan said to him a while later.

He got praised. Good. Otherwise, he used to be nervous among Leviathan. Now he was even more nervous than usually, because he had in front of him, to discuss the successor-change with him. And it wouldn’t be easy to tell that in a proper way. He felt that.

He stared nervously at the big, diamond-shaped being, that floated rotating above the Labyrinth. Leviathan.

This wouldn’t be easy, but Pinhead took courage and said:

- Master, I’d like to discuss something with you.

- What, Pinhead?

- It’s very important.

- You know, that if you’ll get in trouble, you shall...

- ...I’ll always come to you. Sure. I know that.

- Let me hear, then. I hope I can help you.

- It’s...about my successor, Dreamer.

- Well?

- I can’t have her left as my successor.

- Really? Leviathan sounded bluffed, to say the least of it.

Pinhead sighed nervously. It would definitely not be easy to explain this in a proper way.

- I got to dismiss her, master. That’s a must.

- Can you tell me why? Leviathan asked. It’s nothing personal in this, or is it?

Pinhead knew, that Leviathan knew about their close friendship. Or did he know about their "other" relation, too?

- No, master, absolutely not. It has nothing to do with our relation to each other. She’s my best friend. But she’s not a good successor, that’s all.

It felt terrible to Pinhead to stand here lying about Dreamer to Leviathan. But he had no choice.

- Not good, in which way?

- She’s had delusions lately, Pinhead said. He regretted quickly for saying that. Now he had to explain what, too. But he couldn’t tell Leviathan about Freddy Krueger. That would put the entire Hell in chaos!

- I don’t know, really, Pinhead lied. But she’s been mentally instable lately. She’s sick.

- Really...poor little thing. But then we can’t have her left as your successor, of course. Good you come to me, Pinhead. Well done. Who did you have in mind for that task?

Now he had to make it sound right. Pinhead cleared his throat.

- Angelique, he said loudly and clearly.

- Angelique?! Are you serious? She’s proved to be both dishonest and delusive. Do you think she is a good proxy for Dreamer?

- The matter a fact, I do. She should get another chance.

- Pinhead, I want you to have this clear. If she tries something again, you’ll probably gonna have to pay for it.

- I know. But she has changed. Really.

- I hope you’re right about that, Leviathan replied.

Pinhead went straight to Dreamer after his visit at Leviathan. Since she’d been off duty as his successor, she had the right to know it first.

Pinhead didn’t know how she’d take it. Not, good, he feared. But he had to explain.

She sat still in her bed, in exactly the same position as last time. She looked tiredly at him when he came in to see her.

- Well? How is our little incident? Does everyone know about it yet?

- No, Pinhead replied. I made Angelique to keep her mouth shut.

- Really? Dreamer’s eyes got a little brighter right away.

- Yes. But it had it’s price, of course.

- What did you have to do.

- Me? Not so much. I only had to make her my successor.

- What...? But that means that...

- ...it’s no longer you, Dreamer. I’m so very sorry...

- Okay. I get it. Could you not agree about something else, damn it?!

Pinhead sighed exhaustedly.

- No, I’m sorry. That’s what she wanted to keep her mouth shut.

- Keep her mouth shut? She won’t keep her mouth shut! She’s fooled you again, Pinhead! And I suppose you’ve been at Leviathan, now also? And told him?

- Of course I have.

- Terrific! Angelique got what she wanted, and since you’ve been at Leviathan, you can no longer change it.

- If she tattles anyway, I’ll kill her.

- Not that it’s certain that she’ll tattle, here. And I hope she won’t of course. But if she’s the Angelique I know..

- Think of this, none of this would have happened, if we hadn’t slept with each other.

- No, I know. But we were in this together, Pinhead. And we had a great time, I think. Shall we do it again?

- Stop it, Dreamer!

- Don’t blame me, blame Freddy Krueger! If he hadn’t almost killed me, you hadn’t needed to comfort me, and we hadn’t...

- Dreamer! Stop talking about Krueger! That’s an order! Do you hear me? That an order!

Dreamer looked requesting at him.

- Is there something about this Krueger that I should know?

- No. Stop talking about him. That’s all.

- The why are you being so odd?

- If you don’t stop talking about Krueger, I will hit you!

- Okay. I won’t say anything more. Just don’t hit me!

She hung with her head and looked sad.

- I’ll go talk with Angelique, Pinhead said quickly and left the sad Dreamer behind him.

Pinhead went to tell Angelique, that she had gotten what she wanted. But he would also warn her for what would happen if she didn’t keep her promise.

The little bitch! Pinhead felt that he hated Angelique.

He shouldn’t have done what she told. That only proved, that she had him in her control.

He met Piston and Cammy on his way. When they went by him, they stared at him with a peculiar expression in their faces. Pinhead stared back furiously, and hoped that they would get the point. And they did. They were scared of him. Without saying a word, they sneaked by him as quickly as they could.

Pinhead wondered why they’d done that. Maybe not why Piston, he was a real moron, but Eye Cam didn’t use to behave like that. Had they perhaps found out some rumours about his "incident" with Dreamer?

It had to be that.

Pinhead rushed straight into Angelique’s chamber without knocking. She never knocked, so why would he?

- All right! Speak up, Angelique! What did you tell them?

She looked surprised at him.

- Pinhead, who?

- Piston and Cammy! They stared at me, like I’d been some pervert freak, or something.

- Oh, that, Angelique replied trivially.

- I knew it! Have you told them?

- Told them what?

- That you promised not to tell!

- No, I haven’t, Pinhead. I just said that you made me your successor.

- Didn’t they ask why?

- They did.

- And what did you answer on that?

- I said that you’d suddenly started to like me.

- Give me a break! Did you really say so?

- What about it? Should I rather have told them the real cause?

- You’re a bad liar, Angelique. No one will believe that. They all know I can’t stand you.

- That’s not my problem, she said shortly. Have you been at Leviathan?

- Yes.

- Did he approve it?

- Yes. But he got kinda bluffed.

- Good. I’ll shut my trap, I promise.

- Promise?

- Not to please you, but I know how nasty you can be if I don’t.

- Good. Then we know where we have each other.

- Keep fucking her, Pinhead, but don’t moan so loudly so Leviathan can hear! Because then I don’t need to say anything!

She started to laugh wildly at her little joke.

Pinhead left her chamber. He was going to Dreamer, to apologize for he had been acting like a pig earlier today.

Suddenly Dreamer was in Freddy’s house again. Or she didn’t know for sure that it was Freddy’s house, but since he always was here, she assumed it was.

She had fallen asleep. She hadn’t planned to do that. And it was definitely not good. Since she was in the house, it meant, that he was still after her.

Dreamer didn’t know if she would come out alive from this dream, now. Freddy might get her now. Her only chance was to wake up quickly, before Freddy got a chance to appear.

But who’d wake her up?

Not Pinhead, anyway. He wouldn’t come to her in a while, after that fight they had earlier today. She was on her own then. But she could feel, it wasn’t gonna go so well.

He had almost gotten her last time. She needed help. From Pinhead, preferably. She hoped, that he some way could help her to defeat the maniac Freddy Krueger. But he wouldn’t. And did he even want to? He was mad at her, probably because they’d slept with each other.

"But that wasn’t just my damn fault!" Dreamer thought.

Pinhead was particular about his reputation, probably. And he was also frustrated because Angelique had seen them.

But she couldn’t seem why he blamed her.

Dreamer went from room to room, without even trying to find a way out. It was useless, she knew. But it was terrible to know, that the lunatic could attack her any second. He could be behind any corner, and just jump forth and stab her down.

Dreamer was tired of this cat and mouse-hunt. That’s why she stood up on the floor, and cried loudly:

- Come out and show yourself, you bastard! Krueger!! Where are you?! I just know you’re here! Come on! If you wanna fight, at least do it in a straight way!

No answer. Just her own screams echoed drearily.

No Freddy Krueger. Dreamer was hardly disappointed for that. Of course she didn’t want to bring him forth. The best thing would be if he didn’t show up at all. But she rather wanted him to come now, than surprise her with something that she wasn’t prepared for at all.

She had no weapons on her. No, since she’d lost the knife already in her second dream. And she hadn’t planned to fall asleep now, so she hadn’t gotten any weapons with her.

Pity. But an ordinary knife didn’t work on Freddy Krueger. So what’s the difference?

Dreamer was cold. It was chilly in here. She sighed. She wanted to wake up. But she obviously wouldn’t do that before she got into trouble. The cuts which Freddy had caused her earlier, were still there. And they were, if she was awake too.

So if he killed her now...

Dreamer didn’t want to think about it. "No, he’s not gonna kill me!" she decided. "I’ll get him. I’ll break him!

But she didn’t feel as secure as she tried to convince herself that she was.

There was no sight of Freddy Krueger.

- Freddy! Where are you hiding, you burnt face-creep?! Come on, get me! I’m here! Come on! Dreamer cried furiously.

It was quiet a while after her cries, but suddenly she heard footsteps from behind, and expected to see Freddy Krueger come drifting towards her.

Dreamer turned around, ready to fight, when she got the chock of her life. It wasn’t Freddy, she’d heard from behind, it was Pinhead!

Could this be true? Dreamer got so bluffed, so she got taken aback, and opened her eyes wide.

- Pinhead? she gasped. How did you get here?

Pinhead smiled.

- I couldn’t leave you alone here, huh? Come here, darling.

He reached out his arms towards her, and wanted her to come to him. Dreamer went with staggering, rigid steps towards him. She was so overjoyed to see him, so when she came close enough, she threw herself right in his arms, and let him embrace her.

But as fast as he’d grabbed her, he was no longer Pinhead. Dreamer stared right up into Freddy’s burned, spiteful face.

She had voluntarily gone right into his arms. Now she was lost.

Pinhead got a minor chock when he went into Dreamer’s chamber and found her lying on the floor in an unnatural position. Pinhead rushed towards her, to examine her condition.

Dead?

No, not dead. Her face twitched from time to time, so did her eyelids. She was asleep. She dreamed. Pinhead shook her.

- Dreamer! Wake up. Dreamer?

But Dreamer didn’t wake up. She didn’t react at all when he tried to wake her. Pinhead got despaired. What had happened to her? Deep, down inside, he already knew the answer, but he didn’t want to accept it. Could not.

Freddy Krueger was dead, for god’s sake!

Pinhead sighed and took Dreamer in his arms and embraced her firmly. He had a bad conscience for being so mean to her earlier. Now he might never get a chance to apologize.

Why couldn’t he wake her? She wasn’t dead, so what could it be?

Freddy Krueger. He’d done something to her.

Pinhead didn’t know what. He thought it was his fault. If he only hadn’t left her alone to go talking with that Angelique... That fuckin’ bitch! This was her fault, also. But now he didn’t need to waste any time on damning her. Now he had to find a way to save Dreamer.

But how would that happen? He knew nothing about dreams, since he didn’t have any, himself. And neither did he know how Freddy Krueger did to hurt Dreamer in her dreams.

Pinhead was completely powerless in this kind of situation. All he could do, was to lift Dreamer up, so she at least didn’t need to lie on the cold, hard floor.

But he didn’t think it made any bigger difference to her. Wherever she was in her dream, she wasn’t so comfortable. He could see that on those nervous twitches in her face, but also on those choked screams and groans she let out from time to time.

Pinhead wished he could help her. But he couldn’t. He sat down in the bed next to her, and put her head in his lap.

- Dreamer...he whispered. I’m sorry, but I didn’t know...

Suddenly the gateway to earth opened. Pinhead moaned. This was really a bad time for that.

Pinhead decided to ignore it. He couldn’t leave Dreamer. Not now. So he sat down calmly and made no impulse to get up.

But after a while, he heard someone knocking at the door to Dreamer’s chamber, and he could hear Angelique’s voice:

- Hello? Pinhead, are you there? You’re not doing anything now, so I can come in?

Pinhead didn’t know what to do. He definitely didn’t want to have Angelique there now. Would he pretend he wasn’t there? No. She’d come in anyway.

- Go away! he called back.

But she opened the door and popped her head into the chamber and said:

- Pinhead! There you are! You may haven’t noticed it, but someone’s solved the box, and you must go get that person. They’re waiting for you. Come on.

Pinhead shook his head.

- No, I can’t. It’s impossible. Not now.

- Come on, Pinhead, you have to. You’re the leader!

Pinhead got frustrated and didn’t know what to say.

- But.. tell them they must go without me.

- What’s the matter with you? Are you all right?

- None of your damn business! he snapped back at her. Can’t you go instead of me?

Angelique looked at him with her eyes wide open.

- I don’t know, Pinhead... You’re commanding the chains, not me.

- Angelique, please, leave me alone!

- If I shall go instead of you, you must first go to Leviathan and...

- Do what you want, just go! Pinhead screamed.

Not until now, Angelique noticed Dreamer’s limp head, which lay over one of Pinhead’s arms.

- What wrong with her! she asked in a surprised voice.

- She’s not well, that’s why I can’t go now. I can’t leave her alone.

- Okay, Angelique said. Little unexpected, that’s all.

- Can you please leave now, Angelique?

- Sure, I’ll leave. Just hope the victim didn’t ran off because we’re so late. Bye!

And she went away.

Pinhead turned his eyes at Dreamer. Her condition had not changed, at least not improved. Pinhead just sat there, with her in his arms. What else could he do?

Suddenly he thought, that they would be much safer in his own chamber, because no one except himself (and Dreamer) was allowed in there. He didn’t want anyone to come in and see her like this.

Would it be safe to move her? Yes. She couldn’t be worse than she already was, huh? So Pinhead put one of his arms around her back, and the other under her knees, and lifted her up. She wasn’t heavy, but since she was totally loose limbed, it was hard to get a really good grip of her.

He went towards the door, pushed it open, and continued against his own chamber. He hoped he wouldn’t face anybody, who would ask, what was wrong with Dreamer. And he didn’t. He went easily to his chamber, carrying Dreamer.

What he’s do now, he didn’t know. But there had to be a way to save Dreamer. There had to be.

Pinhead thought feverishly and tried to come up with a solution.

Freddy Krueger wrong Dreamer’s right arm behind her back, and forced her down on her knees on the dirty floor.

Dreamer was nonplussed, so at first she couldn’t even try to fight back. He’d fooled her! Pretended to be Pinhead to bring her to him. Her eyes began to water by pain, when he almost broke her arm, and she heard his cruel laughter from behind.

- You credulous little minx, he sneered. Did you really... did you really believe that I was Pinhead?

Dreamer didn’t answer the question, but she said instead:

- Are you gonna kill me now?

- No, not yet, the answer came. I need to one thing. But you will die, I promise you!

He let her arm go, and she wasn’t prepared for that, so she dashed down on the floor. When she turned her face up, she stared right into Freddy’s sneering face. His steely grey eyes gave her a piercing stare.

She made a vain attempt to crawl away, but he trod her in the back and pressed her down on the floor again.

- Girlie, girlie, realize, you’re not getting away!

Freddy grabbed her by the throat and pushed her up against a wall.

- Now I want you to answer some questions, he demanded.

- What? Dreamer sobbed. What shall I answer?

- All right. First question: Are you Pinhead’s girlfriend?

She shook her head, as much as she could

- No...

- His mistress, then?

- No... not really...

- But you’re close, right?

- Yeah...

- You’re worth a lot to him, huh? He doesn’t want you to be hurt? Or killed? He cares very much about you, doesn’t he?

- Yeah, we’re best friends...Dreamer wailed.

When she saw the sneering, fiendish expression Freddy got on his face, she realized, that she shouldn’t have said so. But now it was too late. She couldn’t take it back.

- Good! Freddy exclaimed. That’s all I need to know!

- What... are you gonna do to me? Dreamer stuttered.

- You’ll find out soon enough, I promise!

He hit her with his razor-hand, so firmly, that she fell down on the floor. Dreamer emitted a choked scream of pain, but she didn’t begin to weep. He wouldn’t have the pleasure to see her weep, she decided.

She had terrible pains in her body after the ruthless treatment he’d given her, but it would be worse!

Freddy turned her on her back, and without a forewarning, he suddenly ripped her bodice open.

Dreamer’s first thought was that he’d rape her, but that wasn’t the case.

He was going to do something worse!

Pinhead sat down with Dreamer in his arms and tried to come up with a way to save her. She’d gotten even worse. Now she had beat marks in her face, and even other injuries, but no one had touched her. Not for real. But where she was now, she had to be pretty beaten.

In her dream. Freddy Krueger had her, and that’s why she wasn’t able to wake up.

Pinhead knew she could die every second now. He wouldn’t be able to stop it from happening.

Poor, poor Dreamer.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Dreamer’s bodice get ripped open by invisible hands. Pinhead got so terrified, that he pulled a way from her with a twitch.

Then something terrible happened. Pinhead got a message from no less than Freddy Krueger! And he wrote the message on Dreamer’s chest and stomach, by carving the words with his razors.

It was a short but clear message. The letters came into sight one by one. This is what it said:

Pinhead got so chocked, that he at first only could stare. Get his ass over there? To the dream world? Was that the thing that Freddy meant?

- How? Pinhead screamed desperately to himself. HOW?!

The another 2 words appeared on Dreamer’s body.

"Fall asleep", it said.

Fall asleep? Should he also go voluntarily into the dream world? To a lunatic? He could be injured, even killed. But if he didn’t, Freddy would turn his best friend into a piece of meat. And Pinhead didn’t hesitate a second at Freddy, that he’d fulfil his threat.

Pinhead inhaled deeply.

- Okay, Krueger. We’re playing your court.

Pinhead hoped that he’d be able to fall asleep. That wasn’t what he usually did. Last time he really slept, was the night in the house, where he was up on earth to look for his pin. But now he’d sleep again. Not because he was tired, but to save his best friend from a mad man.

Freddy.

Pinhead wasn’t looking forward to see him again. But he had no choice. If he wanted to save Dreamer, he had to. So Pinhead decided to make a try.

He closed his eyes, and wished to come to the place where Dreamer was, but also that mad Freddy Krueger, who’d asked for him.

And it worked!

Suddenly, without knowing it happened, he was in that place, where he’d never been himself, but which Dreamer had described to him.

This was a dream; his own, but also Dreamer’s and Freddy’s. He didn’t know where to go, but he thought he didn’t need to know it either, because Freddy had brought him here, so he also had to come to Pinhead.

It was a decayed but huge room, and surely it had been beautiful in the time when people still lived here.

- Krueger? What do you want? I’m here now!

And it didn’t take long, before he heard a dark laughter from behind, and also a screeching, which jarred upon his ears.

Pinhead turned around. And saw his enemy, for the first time in 27 years.

Freddy. He looked the same as then, just a little crazier. Freddy grinned shrewdly with his burnt lips, which exposed his blacken teeth.

- Freddy...Pinhead wailed and just looked at him.

- Pinhead! So nice to see you again!

- I wish I could say the same, Pinhead said in a low voice.

- You know, I think I have something that you want. That thing is about 5’7 tall, and weighs around 120 lbs. Interested?

- Dreamer! Pinhead exclaimed.

- I knew it! Freddy sneered.

- Knew what?

- I told her. That she’s important to you.

- What have you done with her, you bastard?!

- Oh, she’s just fine so far. Would you like to see her?

- Get her to me, right now!

- Hang on a second. It’s s a scream, baby. I’ll be right back!

Freddy moved towards the closet door, without letting Pinhead out of his sight. Then he pulled the door open, and tore Dreamer out, who’s hands were tied behind her back. He pushed her in front of him, and pressed his razors against her back.

Pinhead was overwhelmed by gratitude to Freddy, because Dreamer was still alive. She had some injuries, and was pasty in the face by fear and pain, but in his eyes, she was prettier than ever.

- Dreamer! He took a step towards them, but Freddy’s response to that, made him go back.

- Stop! If you try anything, I’ll split her in two!

- Just tell me what you want! Pinhead begged. If I only can give it to you, I will. Just let Dreamer go.

- It’s very simple, Freddy replied. You can give me what I want. And you will, too.

- Just name it, I promise, Pinhead prayed.

Freddy let out a malign laughter.

- So sloppy you’ve been! You weren’t like that 27 years ago, when we met last time, and you tortured me!

Dreamer opened her eyes wide and stared at Pinhead.

- You know him?! she exclaimed. You’ve met him...

- Oh yeah? Freddy hissed in her ear. Didn’t Pinhead tell you about me, sweetie?

Then Freddy turned towards Pinhead again.

- You’ve changed a lot, I can tell, he said. If it’s better or worse, I can’t tell yet.

- What do you want?

- You’ll find out soon enough, I promise. or I can tell you now. I want you.

- Me? What... do I get to choose between Dreamer and myself?

- No Pinhead, don’t fall for it! Dreamer screamed. He’s fooling you, he’s never gonna let me go anyway...

- Shut up, you cunt! Freddy hissed in her ear.

Dreamer looked imploringly at Pinhead. She shook her head. He didn’t really know what she meant by doing that. Did she mean that he’d save himself, or try to save her?

But Pinhead didn’t get the time to do neither of those things, before Freddy stabbed Dreamer in the back with his razors, and let out a cruel laughter while he did it.

Dreamer howled at first, but she went quiet pretty soon, and became hanging totally limp in Freddy’s arms. Pinhead howled also, by rage and impotence, and of course by sorrow, too. His beloved Dreamer.

- Noooooo! he cried at the same time when Freddy threw the harrowed body of Dreamer away.

Pinhead rushed towards her, without any thought of the danger, that Freddy might do the same to him, if he only got the chance. But Pinhead didn’t think of that. He kneeled down beside Dreamer and put her head in his lap.

Was she still alive? It didn’t seem like that. Her eyes were shut and her lips were parted. It didn’t seem like she was breathing. No, Dreamer was probably dead.

Pinhead felt kind of empty inside. He was so chocked, that he didn’t think of, that Freddy might take him now, while he was sitting here on the floor.

But Freddy didn’t attack him. He only stood a few feet away, watching deliberately.

Pinhead turned his eyes at him. His eyes were watering.

- Why....?! Why... he sobbed almost hysterically.

Freddy let out an annoyed sigh.

- Why....? Why?! I don’t give a damn about that cunt! She was just a tool for me, which I used. I wanted you the entire time.

- What...? Pinhead looked totally deafened at Freddy. What did he mean by that?

Freddy laughed faintly at Pinhead’s surprised facial expression.

- No, no, no. Don’t get me wrong now. I want to be your friend, Pinhead. We’re friends.

- What... are you talking about?

- Well, we didn’t come along very fine when I came to Hell 27 years ago, or did we? It was terrible for me, because I’ve always admired you.

Freddy laughed childishly.

- You’re my icon. You’ve always been. You weren’t very nice to me then, but that’s forgotten now. Because you’ve changed? Sure you have. Now you’ll be in a little trouble if someone sees you’ve killed Dreamer...and we both know the punishment if a cenobite kills one of his own kind... You’ll have to come with me Pinhead, or they’ll put you away.

Pinhead was so chocked because of all this, so at first, he only could stare.

- Freddy, it’ll never work! he protested then. I can’t come with you and be your friend, and all this... I can’t... Besides, I didn’t kill Dreamer, you did!

Freddy shook drearily at his head.

- Why are you being so melancholy, Pinhead? he said slowly. I only want to help you.

- Freddy.. you’re mad...Pinhead whispered quietly.

- Mad...I don’t like that word. I really don’t. You know what, I hate that word!

- But...but you shouldn’t run! You’ll only make it worse. Just calm down, I’ll help you, we can go to Leviathan, and...

Freddy knocked down a table as an answer on that proposition.

- No...he said. Then he came and sat down next to Pinhead and put his hand on his shoulder.

- We’re friends, Pinhead You could be in a lot of trouble without me. But I’m not gonna leave you. That wouldn’t be right. You hear me, I won’t leave you. Okay, let’s go! We don’t have much time. Come on!

He grabbed Dreamer and threw her body over his shoulder. Then he grabbed Pinhead and tried to pull him up on his feet, but Pinhead refused to move.

Freddy started to get annoyed.

- Stop sandbagging, sweetie. Get up! Up...up, up!

He snapped Pinhead in the face a few times, with his none-razor hand, to get him up. Pinhead got up catatonically, when Freddy was pulling his arm.

- Go, go, go! Come on. Get here. Come on!

Hw brought Pinhead to the top floor, where he put the body of Dreamer into a closet. Pinhead protested.

- That’s all right, Pinhead. She’s dead, she won’t be hurt. Don’t cry for her, you’re better off with me. Cheer up!

Freddy kept going with Pinhead to another room, where he pushed him down to a chair, and tied him to it.

Pinhead didn’t even protest. It would hardly do any good to make the lunatic mad. Freddy tied his arms to the arms of the chair and his legs to the chair legs.

- I’m so sorry, Pinhead, but I need to go get one thing, and I really don’t trust you so much yet, that I dare leaving you loose alone. But don’t worry, I’ll only be gone for half an hour, mostly. Then you’ll come with me to The FleshWorld, and you’ll never have to see Hell again. Isn’t that great? I’ll teach you The Dream Skill. It’s to enter other peoples dreams. Sounds exciting, huh?

He stroke Pinhead over the cheek with one of his razors.

Pinhead tried hard not to turn his head away.

- Be good now. Bye!

Pinhead waited until he was certain of that Freddy shouldn’t come back in a while, before he started his escape attempt. He’d never give himself voluntarily to that maniac. Not just a maniac. Psychotic. Insane. He’d killed Dreamer! His best friend! And now he imagined that he and Pinhead would be friends and take off together to The FleshWorld.

No way! Pinhead tried to get the ropes, which Freddy had tied him with, off. It wasn’t easy. They were massive ropes, and he’s really tied firmly. But it would be enough if he got loose one hand, so he could untie all the other ropes.

It really wasn’t easy. Freddy had, besides his arms and legs, tied his waist to the back of the chair.

At first, he just tried to rip off the ropes, by rocking back and forth, but it didn’t end up so well. He tried another tactic. It was to wriggle his arms, and that was a little easier. Since Pinhead had quite small and slender hands, it didn’t take long before had got out one hand, the left one, and the he could only untie the rest of the ropes, and he was free from the chair.

There were two door in the room. Pinhead instantly rushed towards that door, which according to him, looked to be the easiest one to get up, and pulled it, but for no use.

Of course Pinhead hadn’t expected it to be unlocked, but for someone as strong as him, he should get up even a door that was locked, without any difficulties.

But suddenly the other door opened, the one in the wall beside, and Freddy dashed in. He gave out a cry when he saw what Pinhead was doing, and Pinhead got so terrified, that he didn’t even dare to move. Too late. The mad man had caught him.

Freddy tramped with long, distinct steps towards Pinhead, and dragged him with himself, and pushed him down onto the chair again.

At first, he only stared frustrated at him for a while, but later Freddy raised his hand and gave Pinhead a hard slap. Then he grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him firmly.

- How could you do that?! Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you, don’t you understand that? Everything you hated, I hated!

The he turned around and went a few feet away.

- But people like you don’t care!

Slowly he walked around the chair where Pinhead sat, placed himself behind him, and twitched his head backwards.

- You wanna put me away, huh?

Pinhead didn’t answer, but Freddy did it for him.

- Yeah, of course you want. You haven’t changed one damn bit! How could I be so stupid that I thought you had? You think I should put you in a leash? Otherwise, you’ll try to run away as fast as I turn my back on you? No, that’s not how friends shall have it. I can’t... I can’t keep making excuses for you, Pinhead... I can’t, I can’t... I can’t... I can’t... Oh, god... oh god... Damn you!!!

Freddy knocked down a bookcase and started to cry out his rage. All Pinhead could do was to sit totally paralysed in the chair and watch. He was scared to death. To reason with this psychotic maniac was hardly an idea.

Suddenly Freddy stopped yelling, and he went and placed himself behind Pinhead, and put a razor against his throat.

- I can’t find any excuse to let you live any longer, Pinhead...

- Please... Pinhead wailed. He’d never been so scared before in his life.

- No. Don’t you try. I gave you a second chance, but you blew it.

- Don’t make me leave you Freddy.... Pinhead whispered.

- Leave me? You lie. You don’t care about me, you only want to get me out of your way. You’re even worse than you were 27 years ago! You’re like me! I...I started to kill, because you did. I wanted to be just like you! But one thing is different about us. I, at least give my victims a worthy death, unlike you. And even if you don’t deserve it, I’ll give you a worthy death...be grateful!

Freddy took away the razor, which he’d held against Pinhead’s throat, and went around the chair where Pinhead sat.

- Okay, go on, Freddy said. "I don’t want to live anymore, after what I did. That’s why this is the best that could happen for all of us." Are you writing? he then asked and turned his eyes at Pinhead.

Pinhead nodded in silence.

- Good. "I don’t need a reason to kill myself. I need a reason not to. And there isn’t one."

Pinhead wrote down what Freddy head said on the paper, which would be his farewell note. He dipped the pen in the inkpot occasionally. He sighed.

So this would be his last words. Not even them could he choose by himself. He sat in a chair at a desk in the room next to where he had been tied to the chair. Freddy stood behind him, checking that he wrote what he said in the farewell note.

- Off we go, Freddy said. You don’t wanna say anything special to anybody?

Pinhead shook his head almost indiscernibly.

- Okay. That’s not important. Sign the letter "Pinhead", go on...

But Pinhead didn’t write, but he said instead:

- No one who knows me will believe that I wrote that. Everyone knows that I could never hurt Dreamer, or commit suicide by decapitating myself. No matter what’s going wrong, I’d never react that way. Not like that.

Freddy laughed faintly and leaned against the wall.

- Of course it’s you. It doesn’t matter what it says, the handwriting still looks yours. They’ll find you with that note in your hand. It’s very simple. You freaked out and killed your best friend, and when you saw what you’d done, you found no other way out that to commit suicide. It’s just as simple as that.

- Freddy, you’re crazy. You know that? You’re completely out of your skull.

- Well...that’s our little secret. Come on, sign it with your name.

Freddy came and placed himself behind Pinhead and put his hand on his shoulder.

- Why are you making me do this? You could have been just fine with me. Don’t you see that? I worshipped you, already when I was a kid. All I wanted to do, was to meet you, be your friend. Now I wish, I’d never met you!

He said the last thing in a scornful snort.

- Come on, sign! he continued.

When Pinhead refused to sign the letter, Freddy grabbed him by the chin, and pressed one of his sharp razors against his right eye.

- You’d better sign the letter, ‘cause you don’t want me to stick out your eye, huh?

Pinhead didn’t say nothing. Because if he only moved his head one inch at some direction, maybe Freddy’s razor-nail would penetrate his eye.

- Come on, Pinhead. It’s nicer this way, Freddy said harshly.

- Okay...Pinhead whispered.

- Good. Freddy took his fingernail away from Pinhead’s eye, and waited for him to start writing.

But Pinhead didn’t start writing. Instead he grabbed the inkpot and hit Freddy in the head with it, with maximum effort. Freddy screamed and tumbled backwards, and Pinhead flew at him and grabbed his wrist, and tried to stop him from stabbing with his razors.

They hit the wall at first, and fell down on the floor then, where the wild struggling continued.

Pinhead could admit just like that, that he was as good at worthless at this kind of close fights. But he wasn’t going to give up to Freddy Krueger without a fight. Never!

Pinhead still held Freddy’s wrist, and they staggered towards the window, where Pinhead’s left, and Freddy’s right arm went through the windowpane and smashed the glass.

That made Pinhead lose his grip, but before Freddy had time to react, he took a splinter from the broken window and stabbed Freddy in his left shoulder with it.

Pinhead ran off to the door as fast as he could, while Freddy kept sitting on the floor, holding his injured shoulder.

Pinhead struggled with the door, and exactly when he got it open, he heard steps behind him.

It was Freddy. And now he held a gun in his left hand. And pointed it at Pinhead.

- No, no, no, no....Pinhead mumbled; he didn’t know really, if he said to Freddy or to himself. He still held the glass splinter in his hand, and squeezed it so firmly, that the hand began to bleed.

- Please...Freddy gasped. Please...

- You can’t kill me with that, Pinhead said, meaning the gun.

- Shall we find out? Freddy replied, in a challenging voice.

Pinhead knew that ordinary bullets couldn’t kill him, but if he got hit in the wrong place, he could be so badly injured, that he would be defenceless against Freddy. And he didn’t want that.

Like a bolt from the blue, suddenly Dreamer dashed from somewhere and hit Freddy in the back with a stake of metal.

Obviously Freddy got as surprised as Pinhead, because he was definitely not prepared for that. He staggered, but didn’t fall, and before Dreamer had a chance to hit again, he’d swept her down on the floor, and now he raised his right hand to stab her.

Again.

- You fucking bitch...I’ll kill you! he snarled.

Pinhead turned around to run away, but then he realized that he wouldn’t fix to lose Dreamer. Not again.

- No, get off her! he cried and grabbed Freddy’s ankles and started to pull him out of the open door. The door banged shut, and both of Freddy’s hands were pinched between it, and Pinhead hoped that he at least would drop the gun, or break one or two razors, but nah.

When Freddy was safely out of the room where Dreamer was, Pinhead hurried to close the door.

- Dreamer, stay inside! he called at started running along the hallway, and hoped to get around the corner, where he knew there was an elevator.

But Freddy shot at him. Three shots. The first two missed, but the third hit him in his left arm.

Pinhead gave out a choked cry, and gasped of pain. He leaned against the wall for a moment and pressed his hand against the bullet wound. But he had no time to think of that now. He continued to run towards the elevator, which was an old type of elevator, where you had to pull bars before you could close.

But when he had gotten there, and was going to pull the bars, Freddy already caught him. Freddy put his hand in through the bars, but Pinhead grabbed his arm, and hit it against the bars, and made Freddy lose his grip of the gun.

Freddy pulled his injured arm out, and Pinhead hurried to close the bars, at the same time, he pushed some of the buttons, and hoped that the elevator would start moving somewhere.

The gun lay on the floor of the elevator, and Pinhead bended down quickly and picked it up, aimed at Freddy and pulled the trigger. But it clicked. Typically. The bullets were out. That made Pinhead so surprised and taken aback, so he didn’t notice that Freddy was tearing the bars open, trying to get in, at first.

Besides Pinhead’s efforts to hold the bars, Freddy got it open, and managed to press himself into the elevator. He quickly shut the bars behind him, and the elevator was moving.

Down.

Freddy grabbed Pinhead and threw him into the elevator wall in full speed. The elevator canted disquietingly, and it sure was close that the wire went in two. But it didn’t. Luckily.

Pinhead lost his breath by the push, and Freddy was instantly there again, and started to hit his head against the wall. He did it three times, before Pinhead grabbed his shoulders, and pushed him away, so that he flew into the wall beside.

Freddy was up on his feet in no time, and this time he kicked Pinhead at his lower shin, and besides that, hit him on the arm, where he had the bullet wound.

This hurt so much, that Pinhead fell down on the floor, and besides, he got the handrail in his back, violently, and he thought he’d break his spine.

Pinhead fell down, wailing, and Freddy instantly grabbed him by the throat. In fact, Pinhead’s number one defence used to be the chains, and if he couldn’t use them, like now, he really couldn’t offer much of a resistance.

He grabbed Freddy by the shoulders, and tried to push him away, but for no use. Freddy doubled his efforts, firmly resolved to maintain his grip. And he did, until Pinhead stopped fighting back, and sank down lifeless on the floor of the elevator.

The Freddy slowly slackened his grip, and instead began to lean his head against Pinhead’s chest, and kissing hi hands.

- I’m so sorry... he said. I’m so sorry, but you made me do this!

The elevator had gone down to the basement.

Freddy leaned his head against Pinhead’s chest and kissed his hands. He hadn’t killed him if he hadn’t been forced to do it. But he’d been so intractable and melancholy and didn’t give a shit about Freddy’s kind gesture.

He’d been forced to kill him. But it hadn’t been easy. Freddy had to admit, that Pinhead had been a worthy opponent. His escape attempt might have succeeded, if he’d just been some lucky. But no. Maybe it wad good that this happened.

Freddy didn’t regret what he had done. He’d done the right thing. He hated Pinhead, but loved him and adored him at the same time.

Now he had to remove his body, and then, he’d alone return to The FleshWorld. He didn’t want to move around the cenobites anymore, because of the risk to be detected. And he knew how Hell was, and doubted that he’d be so lucky again, as last time.

He though of Dreamer. Should he find her and finish her too? No, she wasn’t worth the trouble. He had to focus on Pinhead now. But he couldn’t avoid being mad when he though of her. She was just like that bitch Nancy Thompson, who also refused to die first time when he stabbed her.

The thought of Nancy, made Freddy foam with rage. But he had to leave the subject Dreamer. He had to dial with Pinhead.

Freddy pulled the elevator door open, grabbed Pinhead by the ankles, an pulled his body out of the elevator. After that, he threw the body over his shoulder, and planned to quickly take him to the oven to burn him in there.

To carry Pinhead’s body was troublesome. He wasn’t heavy, but he was kind of stiff, and that god damn skirt he always wore, stung Freddy in the face annoyingly.

When Freddy reached the oven with him, he thought of, that he first needed to warm up the oven and put some lumber in there, so that it would burn well.

He carried Pinhead into the room beside, put him on the floor, and then put a blanket over him, which covered his face. Freddy didn’t really know why, but it felt safer that way. Then Freddy left the room, and went to prepare the oven.

It took some time to get it going, but after a while, the heat flared out from the hatch, and Freddy put in some more dry cardboards, to get the flames even more living.

Freddy grieved over, that he had to put Pinhead in there. But he had to. He had no choice. Freddy sighed, and went to get Pinhead’s body.

He opened the door to the room where he’d left him, and got so startled because of what he saw, that he blinked a few times, to see if he really saw the right thing.

Pinhead was gone. Yes, he was gone. Only the blanked laid crumpled up on the place where he’d lain.

Freddy was looking around with flickering eyes. There were no drawers or wardrobes in this room, where he could be hiding, but there was a door, besides the one he stood at, which could have worked as an escape for Pinhead.

Yes, of course. Freddy damned himself for being so stupid, that he’d left Pinhead unattended like that.

Shit, he seemed to be dead! Yeah, seemed. "Seemed" had even Nancy Thompson done, and Dreamer. After two of that kind of experiences, he shouldn’t have trusted that Pinhead was dead. But now he had to find him.

At full speed, Freddy ran to the door, and ripped it open.

- Pinhead! he cried. Pinhead, where are you!

No answer.

Freddy searched furiously, every corner and every nook, where he possibly could be. But no result. No Pinhead. Freddy got mad.

- Come out now, or I’ll come get you! he cried in a shrill voice. Pinhead! Where are you? Come out now...

He hated this. And he couldn’t even imagine, what he’d do when he caught Pinhead.

But where was he? Not in the basement. He must have found a way up. Freddy had to find Pinhead before he woke up and ended the dream.

But he’d never wake up again, Freddy decided. He went to check the top floors.

Pinhead slipped soundlessly from room to room in this gigantic house. He didn’t know if Freddy had found out that he was gone, but even if he hadn’t, it sure wouldn’t take long before he did.

Pinhead’s throat hurt after the strangulation. It felt like he had burning paraffin in his throat, and every time he swallowed, it was like swallowing a bit of barbed wire. Usually he didn’t get this badly injured. But that lunatic had really taken a hard grip!

He was sure that Freddy was looking for him now. He needed something to defend himself with. A weapon. By preference something that could match Freddy’s razor-nails.

Pinhead searched in the broom cupboard and found an old meat hook. He held it in his right hand, ready to stab if he needed to.

Suddenly he heard Freddy’s furious voice resound in the house.

- Pinhead! Where are you? I’ll kill you slowly!

Oh no. It was Freddy. And according to his voice, he wasn’t far off.

Pinhead gasped, crouched down, and tried to hide behind an armchair. It was silly, because the armchair only disguised him partially. Not a good hiding-place. He went into the room next to, to see if there were something better. Not much, but there was a small wardrobe, where he could hide, at least for a little while.

So he crawled in there, with his hook, ready to stab. Waiting. Pinhead knew, he couldn’t run forever. Sooner or later, he would be forced to fight Freddy Krueger again. And he didn’t know how that battle would end.

But he knew for certain that Freddy was better and more skilful in close combats than he was. Not good. "I’ll have to do some practice on that," Pinhead thought. Now later on, there had been a little too many close combats. Like the one against Frank last year. He had beaten Frank, yeah, sure, but that was more because of his stratagem, not physical strength. Lucky that Frank the bulldozer had no higher IQ than a stone. Ha!

But Freddy was something different. He wasn’t stupid, but at least as clever as Pinhead himself. But he was loony. Was that a positive or negative thing in this situation?

- Pinhead! Freddy cried again and interrupted Pinhead’s thoughts.

Pinhead held his breath and kept quiet. The voice had sounded very close this time. He could see some parts of the room through the fissure that was between the wardrobe and the wall.

Freddy stepped inside. He was looking around.

- Pinhead...? he asked defiantly.

He stood with his back towards the wardrobe where Pinhead was. Then Pinhead saw his chance. He rushed out of the wardrobe and stabbed Freddy in the back with the hook. Freddy screamed, bent down, but got control of himself rapidly and turned around to stab Pinhead with the razors. Pinhead caught his wrist and tried to keep the knives away from himself.

Besides of the lethal stabbing wound in his back, Freddy was far from deadly injured.

He grabbed Pinhead, put his foot against his stomach and kicked him into the wall so harshly, that the rotten, old tree broke, and there became a dent in the wall.

Pinhead screamed of pain when Freddy kicked him on the arm, where he had been shot. Then Freddy even hit him firmly in the head with his fist. The razor-hand.

- The problem with you is that you never finish what you start! Freddy snorted derisively.

He raised his hand to stab, when Pinhead kicked at his legs and made him fall backwards. It wasn’t a hard kick, but still enough to get Freddy off balance.

The hard shove into the wall had made Pinhead drop the hook, and Freddy knew. Instantly when Pinhead had come up on his feet, Freddy attacked him once again. In rage, he threw Pinhead into the wall trying to stab him, and when Pinhead tried to avoid getting stabbed, he got himself entangled in his long skirt, and fell down on the floor.

This suit had been his curse long enough now. He decided, that if he came out of this alive, he would change his outfit.

The something Pinhead never thought would happen, happened. Freddy, in his ardour, slipped, and got his own razors in his chest. He landed heavily upon Pinhead and gave out a choky scream, more a scream of surprise than pain. His eyes rolled up, and he grabbed Pinhead’s arm spasmodically.

- Pinhead...he wailed and the became lying languid on top of Pinhead.

Pinhead crawled away from Freddy, to a safe distance, and started to watch him carefully.

Freddy made no attempts to get up. He kept lying still on the floor with his face down. Pinhead poked him with the top of his shoe.

Dead? Probably. But why?

Freddy had been stabbed, beat up and cut numerous times before without taking any severe injuries. So what happened now?

Could it be, that it was his own razors that made the vital importance in this case?

- You seem pretty finished to me, Pinhead said to himself and had the thing that Freddy had said earlier in his mind. "The problem with you, is that you never finish what you start."

Sure.

Suddenly Freddy’s body disappeared. Just like his atoms stopped existing. This happened together with a deafening bang.

Pinhead sighed, and stopped thinking about it. Freddy was gone. But was he gone forever? Who knows?

Just in case, Pinhead kept the hook and started searching for Dreamer.