"Mrs. Prescott... you need to understand something really important here, your husband has gone through a lot in his life, it's possible he's just not ready to move on yet, it's been five years since the accident and he's blaming himself for what happened. He thinks he left you here all alone".

Sidney smiled sadly "but he doesn't have to feel that way, I've tried my best to help him be his old self. Old routines are back in motion but he's different, more distant and he hasn't spoken much since his voice came back. I'm scared he's depressed".

The woman hummed slightly as she looked at the notepad on her lap "he's prone to it, he's had long terms of mental illness, ptsd has been diagnosed not very long ago and he's suffering very intense episodes of anxiety and paranoia. It's possible he hasn't let go of the accident yet, Mark did a number on him and it'll take time before he's better".

Sidney sighed "I just want my husband to be happy again, I hate seeing him like this. He's so cold and distant and I have no idea what I'm doing half the time. The kids have been trying to help but it's like he doesn't even recognize them and the nightmares are getting worse for him".

Sidney looked at the clock, she could hear the loud tick it made as she ran her hand over her pant leg nervously. "Corey will get better with time and if he doesn't maybe it's time you consider that he's just a different person, and nothings wrong with that".

Sidney bit her lip slightly as she held in her tears "I just want my husband back, I thought with him being awake it'd feel better, but everything's just worse and I have no idea what I'm doing anymore".

"Well why don't you ask Corey what he wants to do for once? Perhaps he's searching for a sense of familiarity in all of this change. I want you to go home and speak with him about what you're feeling in this time of difficulty. He will understand and I can assure you he will understand your concerns".

—

He sat alone, his eyes felt so dazed as he watched the sky pass along the horizon. His body relaxed into the stone beneath him as his feet floated along the cold water. Woodsboro felt different, he didn't recognize this home and he definitely didn't remember having a pool in his backyard. This place was always so empty and full of old dusty lawn chairs and tables.

Now he was greeted by a big pool and a shed full of things he didn't own before. Maybe he did but part of him couldn't remember what life was like before this. He blinked as he looked at the water slightly, he used to be scared of swimming at one point.

His entire body would freeze and in a panic he'd float until he felt the safety of his parents arms. He stopped breathing in those moments and he would remember the look of panic that emerged on his mothers face.

He didn't remember the last time he spoke with his mother, nor his father for that matter. The last time he saw them they looked so miserable and sad. They sent him off to college and then he never saw them again, now for some reason they were present.

They had never visited him before, yet somehow they had spent these last five years seeing his kids. He would've felt upset about it but he didn't feel anything anymore, he felt numb and isolated.

He inhaled slightly before he stood up at the distant sound of Sidney's voice calling him for dinner. Today wasn't the happiest day of his life, he hated birthdays and he definitely hated his more. He'd rather spend it alone and away from Sidney and his kids.

But he didn't wanna disappoint anyone, he was just glad it would only be them and no one else. He didn't want a cake or presents or even a stupid birthday hat, he just wanted to pretend to care enough.

He prepared himself for the happy birthdays and the bright smiles as he pulled open the screen door. He would've smiled or tried to appear excited but his face just stayed neutral as he walked towards the kitchen.

He wiped his hands off on his jeans as he walked down the hallway, he could've sworn he heard a soft whisper of a shush. He ignored it as he sighed to himself, another year older and another year that he would hope is filled with normal activities and not ghostface and people dying.

The room was dark, it was so quiet and empty that he felt his body tense up almost immediately. He flinched when the lights filled the room, the loudness of the screams and cheering made his hands twitch.

So many faces... so many strangers.. he smelled the candles that were on the cake and the loud bang of the party poppers going off made his eyes go dark.

"You're really testing my patience Corey, you think you're being funny when you try to escape? I should cut off your fucking hands and give you a reason to be stuck here forever. I let you keep some of your fingers isn't that enough! Now you're just making the punishment worse, you'll really love this one Corey".

Corey flinched when confetti flew down onto him "enough with your fucking crying Corey!" the man smacked his hand down onto the table "if you want to make it to tomorrow you'll shut the fuck up! And let me finish, you've dealt with far more things. I don't care if it hurts, it'll always hurt and so you'll learn to deal with it silently or I'll kill Sidney".

Corey couldn't focus, he could hear the voices of the people that surrounded him but all he could hear was Mark's voice. He could feel the sharp knife that sliced away his innocence every moment he'd open his eyes.

He could feel the sting of the blade marking his flesh, it felt like hot coal burning his entire body as he held in his tears and fear. "You handle the pain and I'll let your wife survive another night, don't you want poor Sidney to be free of this torment? You'd die for her, but would she die for you?".

Corey blinked as he tried to focus on the cake that sat in front of him. The candles burned so brightly and he inhaled sharply as the singing blasting into his ears. "Hurts doesn't it? I bet you wanna scream but you can't can you Corey? One little sound and I'll cut Sidney where she stands and you'll never see her again. I can't wait to watch you break".

Corey felt the sting increase as he watched the flames with wide eyes. "You deserve to suffer Corey" the table flipped and Corey ignored the sting of the flames that touched his fingers as he ran.

He ignored the shouts and voices of concern as he ran. His body ached as he pulled open the front door and let himself collapse into the driveway.

He couldn't breath, he felt like a scared kid as he tried to make the world around him silent. Mark had planted a seed into his subconscious and it wouldn't go away. He inhaled sharply as he felt the dull ache of his past creeping back into his skin.

No matter what he did he would never escape his life, Corey Becker was cursed and he would be this way forever. His life would fade away into a dark void and he'd never be able to enter the light again.

Corey was sure when but he somehow ended up trapped, all he's ever known was ghostface and maybe that's the only thing that'll keep him sane and alive."Corey... I'm so sorry.. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to have a birthday party for you. Everyone just really wanted to see you".

Sidney's voice sounded soft as Corey held onto himself, he was shaking as he pressed his fingers into his hair to calm his nerves. "I can't go back...." Sidney sat down beside him and smiled slightly "you won't go back Corey, I promise you're safe".

He looked at her "you can't believe that can you? They're always going to come after us, I can't escape it... I don't want to go back". She grabbed his hand slightly "Corey, no one cares about our story anymore, it's ancient history that everyone moved on from years ago. There hasn't been a ghostface attack in years, I doubt anyone will want us dead when we're so old, I mean the stab movies aren't even about us anymore".

Corey looked down at the ground "we always think we'll be safe. That if we pretend everything's normal it'll never happen again. But it did Sidney, and it kept happening and I can't escape the fear. I used to not care if someone came after us, they're just assholes who hid behind masks... but with Mark...".

Sidney's hold on Corey's hand loosen for a moment "Mark can't hurt you anymore Corey, I know he impacted you a lot but he's never going to hurt you again. You deserve a break don't you? No more ghostface and no more being scared".

Corey let out a shaky breath "but I don't know how to do anything else, what if I'm broken? And I can't let go of everything that's happened to me. I just want to be happy.... Why can't I be happy...".

"You will be happy again Corey, you just need to learn how to let go of the past, you're not in danger anymore and we can rest. Isn't that what you've always wanted? A normal life where we can grow old together and watch the kids grow up".

Corey let out a soft breath as he looked at Sidney "I've lost so much time with them... with everything and I..." he leaned forward sighing deeply. He gripped Sidney's face desperately "I just need you... all I want is you Sidney..... please don't let me go".

Sidney smiled softly "I would never let you go Corey, you can't leave me... I already almost lost you so many times, I can't do it anymore, you don't get to scare me anymore, you can be happy again".

Corey kissed Sidney, his eyes closing as tears ran down his cheeks. Corey Becker was cursed, he went down a long line of death and destruction and he survived. That mask would haunt him for the rest of his life as he tried to latch onto hope.

Hope that one day, he'd just be Corey Becker... the boy who survived an attack by Billy Loomis and Stu Macher. He was just a boy that's all it was, a boy who had lost so much throughout the years but in the end he somehow managed to escape the darkness.

that is ghostface....

—
authors notes:
the end

JK... there's two chapters left where I'm really hoping to give Corey's story a very much needed rest. Crazy to think we're almost to the end of this book, who knows maybe I have a few.... Sequels planned.. but I guess we'll see. Anyways enjoy!