Death was a devastating thing, and it lingered along the small town of woodsboro for years. Some say it was a curse that wouldn't go away anytime soon, that every few years someone would be killed.

This time felt more different, in all of Maureen Prescott's life she had watched her parents hide away from the darkness of this so-called curse. Now her mother had been claimed by the curse and was dead, Maureen didn't enjoy the responsibility of her siblings as she watched her mothers body be driven away.

She could hear the soft whispers of the neighbors as they watched the scene unfold. She would've said something but she didn't have the energy anymore, she was exhausted and scared.

Her mind kept tricking her and she couldn't get it to shut up no matter how hard she focused on the positive side of things. Her fathers heart had stopped, and then by some miracle it had started again and he was once again brought back into the world of chaos.

Corey Becker knew the torment of ghostface ever since he was seventeen years old. Even as he faced death and saw what the other side held for him, he couldn't help but want to have stayed dead.

He'd be at peace knowing he'd have a semi-decent happy after life, he'd be in the arms of Sidney and they would watch the world unfold as time passed.

He'd watch his children grow into independent people and then he'd find peace when they were reunited. He felt a sense of dread when he opened his eyes to the world, he felt the familiar hum of the outside world trying to catch a glimpse at him.

the Corey Becker was alive and well and by some grand miracle he wasn't on the verge of death any longer. Sure his body felt like it was on fire and he could barely sit up without that dull ache stabbing away at his organs as he winced.

He ignored the cameras and bright flashes as he looked outside the window. He could see all the news vans lined up right outside the entrance of the hospital. If Sidney were here she'd likely call him a dork for thinking he could sneak past them without being noticed once.

His face was plastered all over the news which meant getting out undetected wasn't going to be easy. Of course he didn't mind the thought of being on camera, he'd likely just insult a few reporters before he made his way towards his daughter's car.

He felt the shame in her eyes when she would visit, she was disappointed in his action, he had wanted to die... he didn't fight back and that made her pretty upset. She hasn't spoken a single word to him since she stepped into the room, not until she caught sight of him looking outside the window.

His face contradicted on the people that rested along the sidewalks, his eyebrow scrunched slightly as he frowned, then it faded almost immediately when he heard Maureen clear her throat.

His eyes meant with hers, he looked away... those were Sidney's eyes. "Gonna bash me for looking outside at those noisy assholes? It's not a crime to be curious on who's trying to get my life story. It's been years since I've had this kind of attention".

He pushed the curtains closed slowly almost as if he was being cautious as he looked at Maureen. "You know I used to be in your shoes once, thinking the world was burning around me as I watched the people I love give up, you'd be surprised how many people stop fighting when they're gonna die. It's in the eyes, you can see that glance of fear slip away and it's just a beautiful silence as they just fade away. It's not the same look for everyone... all those people who tried killing me and your mother, they were darker. They were scared of dying, at least some of them were".

He licked his lips as he thought deeply of his past actions "maybe it's time I just stop fighting back, I'm tired of fighting to stay alive, my body can't handle it anymore, I just need to rest and not be someone I'm not anymore. When I'm actually dead it's your responsibility to handle this situation Maureen, the flame I carry will be passed down to you because of who I am, you're associated with me forever and that connection will never go away".

Maureen let out a deep breath as she looked at her father "but I don't want that! I never asked to become some target to your problems! Ghostface is your life! Not mine and it never will be, I'm not gonna just sit here my entire life and let some psycho attack me. Mom is dead because of you! Why couldn't you just let go of the past! Mom let it go years ago and now she's dead because you couldn't own up to your mistakes! Ghostface isn't coming for us! No one is stupid enough to come after you, they care more about Sam Carpenter than you! You're nothing and your little obsession with being some victim is long gone. Those people outside don't care about you, they just care about what happened, it's never about you anymore because you're old news. The night Mark almost killed you and you went into a coma is the night people stopped caring about you".

Corey would've let himself latch out or shout but he remained silent as he let each word hit him harshly. He felt the rage his daughter was experiencing and he could see the hurt in her eyes as she looked at him.

"It should've been you who died! Not mom! I wish Mark killed you! At least mom would've been happy and not so miserable waiting for you to wake up, it's your fault everyone's dead! Aunt Tatum and Uncle Randy are dead because of you! Everyone I've ever cared about is dead and it's your fault!".

Maureen let out a shaky breath as she grabbed her bag off the chair beside the door. "I'm taking Steven and Hallie out of town, you can deal with this ghostface shit yourself! We're not getting ourselves killed for you, this is your obsession not mine".

Corey felt numb, his mind wouldn't stop buzzing as he watched his daughter walk out of the room. He let out a heavy breath as he looked down in defeat, maybe death would've been a better mercy then this cruel punishment of agony and suffering.

He had ruined everything, his entire life was this endless cycle of destruction and suffering. It was all because of him, every single death was on his hands and it wouldn't wash away.

He had never felt such darkness before in his entire life, he only felt this low when he lost Roman. He only ever felt this way when he was surrounded by the bodies of the fallen victims who died along the way.

He imagined this is what they all felt in those moments as they let the mask slip over their faces. As they embraced a new side of themselves and watched the world around them turn into flames and blood.

He blinked and his hands clenched together as he felt his body grow more tense, he remembered it so vividly. The feeling of control as he watched life fade away from the eyes of everyone who ever hurt him and his friends. He felt that way for the first time when he watched Billy Loomis die.

The same man who had killed his sister out of spite, Corey wasn't violent, he never enjoyed the things he did in order to survive. Yet he ached to feel that way again as he felt the warmth of tears slip down his cheeks. He'd do anything to go back, to feel something that made him feel alive.

He didn't feel anything but pain and it kept spreading over his heart as he pulled back the curtains. The cameras were so bright as he watched the flashes emerge along the sidewalks. Maureen walked with such heavy steps as she tried to avoid the cameras.

They kept flashing and Corey felt himself slipping more into his urges as he inhaled sharply. He didn't have a purpose anymore, he was only ever known for being a victim to terrible crimes.

He wasn't anyone anymore, he was just some guy who had suffered and now his wife was dead and she was far more important than he ever was.

Maybe Maureen was right, it should've been him who died and not Sidney. He should be the one who dies and his family is left behind far happier than they were when he was alive.

He felt pretty damn important when he was someone who was on the verge of death. Every single day he'd walk around and people would notice him, now he was ignored as the time passed into bitterness.

He wasn't a monster, he had never wanted to become this person who hated themselves so much. He was a good person once upon a time, someone who was happy and loved by so many people.

Now he just felt pure darkness and rage, such a rage he had only ever seen hidden behind the eyes of a mask he was scared of. Maybe his purpose in all of this was different, he would show everyone just how fucking special he could be.

Corey Becker wasn't a quitter and he definitely wasn't going to sit inside of this hospital and fade away into old age. He had felt in control for the first time in years as he let himself slip out of the hospital, and to his surprise he wasn't noticed, he was ignored.

—

Maureen Becker Prescott was exhausted, she had spent years searching for her father and it always ended with loose ends. Kirby did her best to find information or even possible people who could've Corey spotted all over the world.

It was as if he never existed and part of Maureen hoped wherever he was, he was at least happy and he didn't feel alone and abandoned.

The sudden sound of knocks outside made her look outside her window in curiosity. She screamed when a hand smacked onto the glass, she gasped at the sight of the blood as the girl looked at her with fear.

"Help me! Please, you gotta help me!" the girl sobbed as she pounded on the window desperately. Maureen inhaled sharply as she moved towards her door and quickly opened the door "oh my god.. are you alright!" She looked down at the girl in freight.

"You have to lock the door!" The girl cried as she looked around in panic, Maureen helped her inside before she pushed the door shut and locked it.

"Sweetie, can you tell me what happened? Did someone hurt you?" the girl cried "I don't know... my brother got a call from some creepy guy and then next thing I know he's dead! And I'm being chased! This was the first house I saw...".

Maureen let out a nervous breath "Wait, you're my daughter's friend from school! She's dating your brother". The girl let out a heavy sob "he's dead! Oh god I can't believe he's dead! He tried to help me... he told me to run and I did... I should've gone back for him.. please tell me you'll call the police".

Maureen screamed when her front door was kicked open, her eyes widened in horror at the sight of the ghostface figure. "No no no...." She moved back in freight as she pushed the girl behind her.

"Stay back fucker!" the figure tilted their head slightly as they slowly walked towards her. She let out a shaky breath as she cried slightly, she had never been brave. She had wished her father was here to protect her like he did all those years ago.

He had taught her to be brave, to defend herself and yet she had completely frozen. She felt so stiff as she let out heavy breaths, she didn't think she'd ever experience this feeling of dread and fear.

Her father had told her so many stories about it, he was so brave for facing ghostface alone. His story always ended with him defeating the bad guy, yet in this moment Maureen felt like she never took his lessons seriously.

He prepared her for this, why was she so scared? It was just a mask and it didn't mean anything yet she couldn't move as she watched the knife lift into the air. She wished her father had been here to see her one last time, that she could forgive him and tell him he didn't deserve this pain anymore.

He handled this alone for so many years and she never saw it until this very moment. He ignored all of the fear and doubts he felt and he survived. He wasn't scared of dying and Maureen wished she was like that, she wished she was like her father.

She screamed when blood splattered onto her skin, she felt it soak into her shirt and shoes as she looked at the figure in front of her. The mask was unrecognizable as it slowly began to crack.

Blood gushed out of the figure's head as they fell towards the ground and landed by her feet in a slump. She let out heavy breaths of fear as she looked at the body and then she looked up as she heard the gun cock. The bullet shell hit the ground so silently.

Her ears were ringing as she blinked slowly as she looked at the man in front of her. The same one who had always said he'd protect her from the world. The same man who had always been beside her as she searched desperately for him.

She inhaled sharply as she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry dad..... Please don't leave. I'm so sorry... this is all my fault".

"Did you think I'd let that bastard kill you?" he let out a deep breath as he looked down at his daughter. "You look just like your mother" he blinked slightly as he looked at the frightened girl who was standing beside the stairs. She was shaking as she looked at Maureen "it's okay now sweetie, this is my dad, he's here to help us, ghostface can't hurt you anymore".

The girl cried as Maureen walked towards her "no no... you don't understand". Maureen gripped the girl's shoulders "hey I need you to take a deep breath, I know you're scared but I promise it'll be okay, the police will be here any second".

The girl looked at Maureen as tears ran down her cheeks "it's him... he's the one who killed my brother.... I saw him... he was wearing the mask".

Maureen frowned deeply "who? I don't understand what you're trying to say sweetie, ghostface is dead they can't hurt you, was there another one?".

The girl let out a shaky breath "it was that man... it was your dad...". Maureen turned around quickly and gasped when the knife was stabbed into her stomach.

"Hurts doesn't it?" her father chuckled slightly as he looked down at her "I mean having your entire family shut you out? Losing everything you've built can be pretty damn difficult to handle alone. I spent years trying to ignore the urge to come back and just be this guy who lets people walk all over him! I'm not a fucking puppet you can control! I made you! And I can easily take you out of this world, I gotta rid the world of loose ends, you said it yourself Maureen, I'm nothing... I'm nobody who deserves to die alone! It really hurts being alone... the silence is what gets you the most and the isolation is far more worse".

He sighed deeply "I spent a good amount of time traveling, trying to just pretend my life wasn't shit and what do you think happens when I finally find myself being happy again? Ghostface pops up! They never go away! They kept asking about you, kept trying to find you so they could kill you and claim some big price. It was so frustrating watching them try to pretend to be something they're not. They all died so easily, I mean I'm Corey Becker I'm always the final girl at the end of the stab movies. I'm always the sole survivor of these so-called ghostface incidents. Sid should've had the honor of having survived, but she's dead and it's your fault.... Don't act so saint sweetie, I know the truth about what happened that night".

Maureen let out a deep breath "it was supposed to be you! You weren't supposed to wake up.... You ruined everything, mom would've been fine if you had just died like you were supposed to!".

Corey sighed "you're not the first kid of mine whose blindsided me, Mickey claimed that spot first and even he knew not to hurt Sid, you got your own mother killed so you can be with someone who didn't even love you. You found Mark yourself, told him where to find me and Sidney. You didn't care who died as long as I was out of the picture. Then Mark failed when he tried to kill me. So you made sure the doctor kept me in a coma".

"You weren't supposed to wake up, at least you'd have a death that was slow and painful but you woke up and everything I worked on was gone. I was so close to getting what I wanted! I was going to be just like you and have everything I've always wanted, you taught me to embrace my dreams and passions, and I did. You got in the way so I took you out of the picture. Making you leave town was the best thing that's ever happened because I became the new you. Everyone loves me, everyone wants to be me".

Corey smiled slightly "you're nothing like me, I would've never hurt my own family. You got Hallie and Steven killed... they're gone because of you! You think I would let you get away with it? I let you have your picture perfect family so you could feel the pain I did when I discovered everyone I loved was dead because of you. Beckers don't quit when it comes to family, I mean I've literally survived ghostface my entire life so it hurt when I found out you were one. You were working with at least three of them behind our family's back. Sure it was so you could get me killed but you went and killed everyone else too because you wanted the spotlight, you wanted to be m famous and to be in the movies. You did everything you could until you got what you wanted, that's a classic ghostface motive right there, it wasn't even about revenge, which surprised me honestly, my own daughter went to the dark side and became the thing we hate the most, ghostface".

Maureen chuckled "you think you're any better? You're just doing the same thing I am, you put on the costume and terrorized this innocent girl and her brother, was it so I'd end up all alone? It was it because you wanted to scare me? You're all alone and you'll never win this fight, your stories done! I want my fucking story! You're old news dad! No one cares about the original story, they want a remake already!".

Corey laughed as he walked along the front entrance way slightly "the only funny part about that entire speech is that you think I was all alone? I mean sure at first I was alone when I left town, but I'm not a complete loser. I had to find some happiness in all of this fucked up shit. You see I hate ghostface so I personally didn't wear the costume myself, and you know it's always a saying that there's two. I taught them the same lessons I taught you when you were a kid, how to kill a ghostface if they ever tried to hurt our family, you're ghostface in this little movie of yours and well you hurt our family. Sidney would understand, I'll always love your mother but you gotta understand I was alone, and I knew she'd want me to move on with my life, so I did. I let go of my past after all, only problem is I gotta let you go so I can focus on my future with my new family. They would never hurt each other and they wouldn't want to be like me, they're so much better and Sidney would've loved them so much if she meant them... they were just two lost kids in this world like I was, they lost everyone they loved because of ghostface.... I didn't even know there were others like me out there who had suffered from ghostface. I took them in and helped them, they're only doing this so we can all heal and personally we hate it... we hate wearing the masks but it's for the better good. It's revenge I guess really, you killed my family so I kill you".

Maureen gasped when the figure on the ground stood up "perks of working on a movie set is you tend to learn a few tricks on how to fake someone's death. I really don't enjoy this Maureen... I wish I could let go of what you did, but you made me lose everyone and I can't stand here and watch you get away with it. You had a family that was perfect, I'd do anything to have that but you took it away from me. Your own father, but I can't be surprised I've dealt with far more worst betrayals than this. They all end the same, it'll always end the same for me, so I'm cutting ties with ghostface and my past, you're the last thing I need to handle before I can be free of this pain".

Maureen lifted her head up slightly "you'll be caught, you'll never get away with this". Corey sighed "Kirby will see to it I stay hidden, she wants this too... it's the only way and I'm gonna hate having to kill you... so I won't do it myself, for once in my life I feel completely safe, and it'll always stay that way because you'll be gone and you can't hurt me anymore. No more movies and no more ghostface".

"Wait.. wait... dad I'm sorry.. Please don't do this!" Maureen screamed as the figure stabbed her harshly, the girl from before stabbed her from behind.

Corey smiled sadly "you did this to yourself Maureen... you hurt your own family and you'd do the same thing if you knew where I was. I'm sorry I let my life turn you into this, I'm not a monster, I just want to be loved... to not be so damn scared of my own shadow. I need this to end so I can rest, my stories are over, and so is yours".

Corey pulled open the door and walked onto the porch, he looked at Maureen "this is how the story ends, the bad guy always loses.... and I survive".

He smiled sadly as he looked away "I always survive" with one last breath he closed the door and let go of his past. Corey Becker was finally free.

—
authors notes:
THE END!
I meant it when I said I had 2 chapters left that on like chapter 68 lol, had to keep y'all on your toes or whatever. If there's one thing I hate it's uneven numbers so of course I had one more chapter of this book left, it was always going to end at 70. This is like the first completed book of once that's this long, I'm proud of myself and of Corey! If you wanna see more of Corey check out my other scream stories, he's mentioned in a few and for a select few he's a main Oc,  I would definitely recommend psycho killer, that will be my next focus for Corey's character, I plan on completing that book next hopefully. Corey is someone I'll never part ways with, If I had power I'd make him exist in the real world but sadly that's impossible... anyways hopefully you enjoyed this book and yes this time it's actually completed. I wish it wasn't but it's time I part ways with this story, I don't wanna drag it and make it lame.

COREY BECKER WILL RETURN!
in various other books of mine
feel free to check a few out
and look forward to new ones
throughout the year!