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As days turned into weeks, Temmy found herself on the mend and ready to leave the hospital. Her prolonged absence had taken a toll on her academic performance, but she was still in good standing for the year. The missed extracurricular activities weighed heavily on her conscience. Her classmates, however, welcomed her back with open arms, despite some initial awkwardness due to their newfound mind-reading abilities. They could sense her guilt over the unfortunate incident involving the skinny kid. Yet, they accepted her without judgment, treating her no differently than before. It seemed that the mind-reading had brought about a positive change in the class dynamics, rather than the guilt itself.
The following week, Temmy found herself planning a Saturday night outing to an amusement park with a group of friends. They had dubbed themselves “The Dark Trio,” each adopting a nickname inspired by a horror movie character: Fred (Freddy’s Nightmare), Chucky (Child’s Play), and Jason (Friday The 13th). To prepare for the outing, Temmy left school early that day. She donned a comfortable pair of jeans, her favorite leather jacket adorned with a skull design, and a matching red scarf. She styled her hair in pigtails and applied minimal makeup, adding a touch of blush and lip gloss for the finishing touch. Once ready, she headed over to one of her friend’s houses to pick them up. During the ride to the amusement park, they decided to play a game of truth or dare, providing Temmy with the perfect opportunity to share her recent experiences.
Chucky initiated the game with a “Truth.”
“I’ve seen the dead body of my best friend last Saturday,” he confessed without hesitation.
Temmy responded with a quick “Dare!”
After a moment’s thought, she decided to do something daring. She removed her scarf, revealing her scarred neck to everyone in the car. Despite the darkness outside, she could see their reactions clearly. Everyone gasped, and Chucky let out a loud shriek of shock, his headband flying across the van.
“Why did you show us your scar?” Jason asked.
“It’s nothing to worry about, really,” Temmy reassured them. “You guys should show yours. You’re all covered in scars too.”
Chucky shook his head and muttered, “No I’m not. Your scar is pretty badass.”
This comment sent everyone into fits of laughter. Upon reaching the amusement park, the girls dressed up as pirates, while the boys played as ninjas. The night was filled with rides, food, and games. They enjoyed themselves immensely for the next couple of hours. Around 10 pm, they decided to call it a night and head home to rest for the following day, knowing there would be more adventures to come.
As they drove home, Temmy turned to her best friend and said, “I think I’ve finally earned myself a nickname. How about ‘Laurie’.”
Chucky laughed aloud and said, "That’s a great name. But don’t you ever wish we had a different name? Like something cool and iconic, like ‘Freddie,’ or ‘Jason’?
“Yeah, but I love my name. What’s wrong with being a horror movie Survivor?” Temmy retorted. “Besides, the scar doesn’t bother me anymore, it’s not like anyone else knows my real name anyway.”
“Ha! Now there’s a scary thought!” said Chucky. “Do you want to know what’s worse? My mother once told me that someone tried to kidnap her and force her to marry him. He took her to a remote island with no civilization. She managed to escape and he ran away after realizing that she was pregnant with my brother. Do you know who he was?”
Temmy shrugged her shoulders and said, “No.”
“Well,” continued Chucky, “she didn’t know either. His face was completely covered by a mask, except for the eyes. Those were the only things exposed—his eyes and his fangs. She never saw his face.”
At a red light, they all fell silent, each lost in their thoughts about the events of the previous weekend.
Finally, Jason broke the silence, saying, “Now that’s a scary thought.”
They all nodded in agreement.
Once the light turned green, they continued their journey home, each carrying their own thoughts and memories of the night.
