Friday the 13th: Lost Lake

❦ Chapter 17 • Rocky Reunion ❦

Jason let Claire run back to the woman left behind after his latest killing spree, fully trusting Stryker to look out for her.

Keep her safe, Stryker. I'm counting on you.

A part of the Crystal Lake Killer was thankful that Claire convinced him to slaughter the thugs, since this allowed him the chance to traverse what remained of his territory alone. It wasn't like Jason didn't want Claire with him, he just wanted to take things slow. He had only now started to trust her more, there was no reason to rush. Jason also admitted that he wanted some one-on-one time with his mom, and was glad Claire hadn't insisted on coming with him.

Jason would head in the direction of the lake, hoping he would be able to find what was left of the camp and hopefully his shanty deep in the woods where he kept his mother's head and the victims he brought there to please her.

Another reason I didn't want Claire coming so soon. I'll have to tidy up the place so all the dead bodies don't freak her out, Jason thought with a grimace. He had gotten used to the stench of festering corpses over the years and was practically noseblind to it all, even though Jason himself found it unsanitary and foul to walk in on every day when he did his usual rounds. He only did it to earn his mother's approval, despite how gross it was.

Jason reached a muddy stream and followed along it upstream, knowing full well it would lead him to the lake. His wild mind strained for his mother's calm voice, desperate to hear her after what felt like an eternity even though he had only been traveling for a few days.

Mother? Jason would call in the void that was his thoughts, trying to reach her. Mommy? Is Mommy safe?

Jason felt a disturbing chill creep up his spine as he heard no response back. He quickened his pace into a power walk, no longer lumbering through the graveyard of trees like a great white shark. There was a newfound sense of desperation and urgency in him like never before now that he was in familiar territory. Jason knew every inch of his domain by heart and memory, even when the place was destroyed. His boot crunched something that didn't quite feel or sound like a twig, and Jason peered down curiously to investigate it. It was a dirtied piece of human ribcage, and he could only assume it was from one of the intruders he slain the night of the fire.

I have to make them all pay. Jason narrowed his eyes and chucked the rib bone away as if it was nothing more to him but rubbish.

"Jason…"

The hulking slasher froze. He recognized that voice. He turned his head, glancing upon the torn down remains of his shanty in the woods. He dug through the rubble and kicked burnt planks of wood that stood in his way in order to breach the barriers between him and his beloved mother.

Hang on Mother, I'm coming.

Jason flung a final sheet of wood off to the side, finally reaching the shrine he dedicated to her. He approached it, finding it surprisingly almost intact. He heaved a huge sigh of relief. Even the head of Freddy that he took as a trophy was in pristine condition. Then again, it was hard to tell for certain since the demon had severe burn wounds prior to their battle.

The heat of the flames had melted all of the candles he set up around the altar all over the small table completely, and his mother's hair was partly singed but otherwise her facial features were intact, which was all that mattered to Jason. He tried lifting her head up, only to realize the candle wax had glued it to the table.

After wedging the tip of his machete at the base of his mother's head and sliding it firmly but gently under it, Jason was able to free the head from the wax. He set it down to look at Freddy's head, and he felt an odd sensation of being watched. He shrugged it off. That battle had long since been over, and Jason had other matters to deal with. The big challenge was rebuilding his shanty and his mother's shrine.