"That movie was awesome!" I heard one of the girls from the group say as they exited the theater.

"Hay look, it's Catrina . I wonder why she left in the middle of the movie. Doesn't she realize it was just make believe?" I heard one girl whisper as they walked by laughing.

"I can't believe she ran out of the theater like that. What was her problem?" Another girl replied.

"Why did you even invite her?" Whispered another to Brandy who shrugged her shoulders.

"The truth is she's a Momma's girl. I thought she could handle a night out with us but I guess I was wrong. She's a big baby after all. I guess it's true, Disney movies are more her speed. I heard she gets scared watching Fantasia." Brandy replied with a laugh.

"What a looser." Scoffed another girl.

"Do us a favor, Brandy,  drop the big baby. Let her find her own way home. Then we can continue our night of fun." One of the other girls replied and Brandy nodded.

"I'll be right back." Brandy told the other girls as she walked up to me. "Hay Cat, I'm sorry about this. It's just that the other girls think your a party pooper. So could you do me a solid and find your own way home?" Before I could reply she was already walking back to the group. "Thanks Cat! I owe you one!" She called as she rejoined the group.

Great. How was I going to get home? Mom was  on a date with Arthur who had made it clear that he didn't want me around tonight. However, I didn't have much of a choice. I'd have to call home for a ride. I knew my mom's new boyfriend would not be happy.

"Hello? Who is this and what do you want?" Came the annoyed voice of my mom.

"Catrina." I replied.

"Catrina who?" She asked annoyed.

"Catrina Robbinsons, you know, your daughter?" I replied slightly irritated that he couldn't tell who I was by the sound of my voice.

"Don't you take that tone of voice with me young lady." My mom replied a hint of warning in her voice. "I thought I made myself clear, Arthur and I were not to be disturbed unless it was an emergency." My mom replied with a growl.

I could tell that he was angry. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disrupt your night but I..."

"Well spit it out you little brat! What's so important that you had to interrupt us?" She demanded angrily.

"I need a ride home." I replied quietly.

"You need a what?!" My mom replied angrily.

"A ride home. I never should have come out tonight. You were right this was a bad idea." I replied.

"This doesn't sound like an emergency to me. If you're so desperate to return home then ask your friends to bring you home." My mother replied.

"I can't. They ditched me."

"That's your problem not mine. Find your own way home." My mom replied.

"Honey who's on the phone?" I heard my mom's date ask.

"No one important Sweetheart. Just some telemarketer or something." With that, she hung up the phone.

What my mother didn't know was that Arthur had installed caller ID so he knew that she was lying to him.

By the time I arrived home it was well past midnight. My mom and Arthur we asleep on the couch. I tiptoed past them and went into my room and closed the door eager to get a good nights sleep and leave this night of horrors behind me. Unfortunately, the horrors we just beginning.

As soon as I fell asleep I found myself in front of an old school house. A few small children were playing jump rope singing a rather creepy ryhme. "1-2 Freddy's coming for you. 3-4 Better lock your door. 7-8 better stay up late. 9-10 never sleep again."

"Hello Princess, remember me? I told you I would be back." Freddy said with a smile.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"Awe Princess, how could you have forgotten me? And after everything we've been through together too." Freddy replied with a slight pout.

"I don't not know what your talking about."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about all the good times we had together when you were little." Freddy replied. Don't tell me you've forgotten about this." Freddy replied revealing his knifed glove. "1-2 Uncle Freddy's coming for you."

I closed my eyes and whispered "Go away leave me alone! Your not real. Your not real. This is just a dream. It's just a bad dream. I'm going to close my eyes and when I open them I'll be safe in my room. Wake up,  wake up!" I yelled at myself as I squeezed my eyes shut. However, when I opened my eyes Freddy's face was directly in front of me. He replied with a smile.

"Your in my world now and we will be playing by my rules. I am real I am very real. We use to the very best friends you and I. I called you my little Princess and You called me Uncle Freddy. I've known you, Brandy ; Nancy and all of the others ever since you were five years old and attended Pre-school here in this very town." Freddy replied.

"Pre-school? I never went to pre-school here. Mom said we moved here when i started middle school. I didn't know Brandy or Nancy of any of them before high school." I replied and Freddy laughed.

"Is that so? Then have your mother explain this." Freddy replied with a laugh and with that he disappeared a small photograph falling to the ground in his place.

As I picked it up I noticed it was a group of small children in front of a pre-school. As I examined the photograph closer I noticed that I was indeed in the photograph standing right next to Nancy and a gardener by our sides with the caption for our Loving Freddy, thank you for making our garden the most beautiful in the world.

"No. This is impossible. This can't be real. Even if it is, she's not going to tell me the truth. Not after all these years of lying to me." I replied.

"Then make her tell you the truth. It's time you remembered what really happened when you were little. Who your so called "father" Really was, Who I am and what I meant to you and what happened to me." Freddy replied.

"Please don't make me do this. I don't want to remember. I don't want too." I whimpered in reply.

"Either you do as I ask and play by my rules or you can die like the rest of the naughty children of this town." With that Freddy slashed my wrist leaving a deep cut. I screamed in pain and awoke with a start.

I sighed with relief it was just a bad dream. I winced as I moved my arm and it was then that I saw the cut make across my arm. It was in the same spot as Freddy had slashed me. I couldn't help Myself I screamed in horror.

"What's going on in here?" My mom demanded her frown deepening when she saw my arm. "Just what are you trying to do girl? Kill yourself?" She demanded grabbing my hand and draging me into the bathroom. As she wrapped my arm she frowned. "How did you even do this?"

"I didn't. I had a dream that an animal clawed my arm and when I woke up I had a cut in the same area as I had been clawed in my dream." I replied.

"Your lying! Dreams aren't real you just did this to get attention. By the way, what time did you arrive home, and don't you dare lie." My mother growled.

"A little after midnight I think.  I didn't have money for the bus or a taxi.  It was a long walk from the movie theater. You guys were asleep on the couch when I came home and I didn't want to wake you. I'm sorry."

"You will be." My mother  growled as she grabbed me by my arm dragging me out into the living room. "I had the decency to extend your curfew and this is how you repay me? By coming home at dawn? Then you practically wake up the entire neighborhood with your blood curling scream! On top of that, you cut yourself bleeding all over my nice clean floor. I won't have a disobedient little brat living under my roof! You've forgotten your place girl. Perhaps a trip to the basement may remind you of it.

"Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean too disobey you I swear! Please not the basement please." I begged to no prevail.

"Honey what's going on? Why is Catrina's arm bandaged? Why is she crying?" My mom's boyfriend asked coming into the room.

"She had the audacity to come home at three in the morning. Then she practically woke the entire neighborhood with her screaming. As for why her arm is bleeding she deliberately cut herself and then lied about it. I'm tired of her disrespectful and disobedient behavior. It's down to the basement with you!" My mother hisses grabbing me and pulling me towards the basement door.

"No, please! Please, don't let her do this. Please." I replied pulling away from my mother and running to My mother's boyfriend's side. Burying my face in his chest.

"Your not going to get out of your punishment that easily. My mom said sarcastically, "why did you miss the curfew?" She demanded.

"Brandy and the others ditched me at the movies and I had no way home." I replied.

"Then why didn't you call us to come pick you up?" She demanded folding her arms across her chest.

"I did call remember?  You told me that you weren't about to interrupt your night just because my friends ditched me and to find my own way home." I replied.

"Crystal you told me that the phone call last night was a telemarketer. Did you lie to me?"

"No of course not...." My mother replies hesitantly.

"You know that I don't like being lied too." Arthur growled at my mother. I saw my mother's eyes fill with fear for a split second. Then be replaced with pure anger and hatred.

"I am sick of your lies young lady!" My mom replied shoving me towards the basement once more. As she dragged me towards the basement Freddy's words came flooding back to me. "Ask her about me, make her tell you the truth. When you do, you'll remember. You'll remember everything I promise you."

"Wait, Mom, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?" My mom asked exasperated.

"Did we know a man named Freddy when I was younger?" I asked no sooner had the words left my mouth my mom's face went white as a sheet.

"No, not that I recall Why? Is this some kind of stall tactic because if it is it's not going to work."

"No. It's just that I found this when I was cleaning. I thought you said we didn't come to this town until I was in middle school?"

"We didn't." My mom replied.

"Then why am I in this photograph? Next to Nancy and the others?"

"I don't want to talk about it. In fact, i don't want to hear another word on this subject do you hear me? Not one word!" My mom replied angrily. Grabbing the photo from me and ripping it up.

"But mom..."

"Drop it Catrina ! I think you've avoided your punishment long enough. To the basement with you." My mom replied.

"But mom..."

"I said Go!"she demanded angrily and I lowered my head in defeat. This was going to be a very long night.