THE SPRINGWOOD SLASHER
CHAPTER 28- THE FINAL BATTLE


“Now I lay me down to sleep, pray the Lord my soul I’ll keep. If I die before I awake, pray the Lord my soul to take,” Lexi prayed as she knelt down beside her bed. Yawning, she glanced at her Timex wristwatch and saw three numbers staring back at her in the indiglo light: 1:00 a.m. And to think, Lexi wondered, the victory party would have just gotten started right about now if Krueger hadn’t fucked it all up. That was something he’d pay for, and pay dearly.

However, she had to take it one step at a time. Lexi knew that going into Freddy’s lair to face him one-on-one would be no easy task, so she scrounged up a few weapons, including a couple of knives, a sledgehammer, and her personal favorite, a Louisville slugger, to aid her in the fight.

A small tear trickled down her cheek as she remembered her fallen comrades, but then that image rapidly vanished as she re-focused herself on what she had to do. Lexi’s eyes began to get really heavy as she tucked the knives inside her leather jacket and stretched out across her bed for what she hoped would not be the last time. She was trying to fall asleep, but each time she blinked, she had to force her eyes back open to make sure Krueger wasn’t around. Determined, Lexi grabbed the baseball bat and held it tight against her chest as a chill slowly trickled down to the small of her spine like a single drop of rain down a spout.

“Please God, help me get through this,” Lexi pleaded, closing her eyes with her hands folded across her chest. “He’s hurt too many people and taken so much away already. I beg of you, help me end the suffering and send that bastard back to hell once and for all...for me, for the others, and most of all, for the children. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.”


***


A few moments later, Lexi opened her eyes, and suddenly, she was no longer in the safety of her own bed or the comfort of her own home. 1428’s latest tenant found herself smack dab in the middle of Elm Street, all alone and in Freddy’s world once again.

Lexi had made the transformation from preppy cheerleader to goth goddess, and now found herself in the confines of the unusually calm neighborhood of Elm Street. Carefully coming to her senses, Lexi checked on her weapons and noted that all but the sledgehammer had made the trip with her into dreamland. She made sure the knives were carefully tucked into the pockets of her jacket, twirled the Louisville slugger in a circular motion, and began the trek down the middle of the road.

Steam rose off of the pavement and moonlight reflected dimly off the slick road as an owl interrupted the grim silence with a chorus of hoots. A dirty, musty aroma filled the air as Lexi slowly continued on her path, careful with every step. Her ponytail whipped from side to side as she scanned both sides of the street for any sign of Freddy. She had no luck, however, and only found two overturned trash cans and an empty bottle of Jack Daniels.

With her gothic new get-up, Lexi practically blended in with the charcoal night sky and the shadows that lurked around every corner. Behind that black makeup, leather jacket, and eyebrow piercing, Lexi’s lips tightened and her eyes glared with hate, almost expecting Freddy to jump out at her or sneak up behind her. Surprisingly, he didn’t. There was no sign of him.

Growing increasingly frustrated, the head cheerleader put her vocal talents to use, yelling out into the night as she had in the real world not even 15 minutes earlier. “Freddy! Hey, Freddy! Where are you?! It’s time we settled this once and for all. I came in here to find your ass, so you better get the fuck out here now! I’m not leaving till you show yourself! Come on, Krueger, fresh meat, right here!”

Following that last shout, a familiar chuckle was heard off in the distance. Lexi immediately recognized it and spun around, spotting the evil dream stalker about twenty yards behind her, claws twitching at his side. Poised and ready for anything, Lexi tightened her grip on the bat. It was time to hit a home run.

Krueger’s shadow made him look ten feet tall as it crawled up the street toward her, then straightened out as he broke the silence.

“That’s a new look for you, isn’t it Lexi?” Freddy grumbled in his deep, satanic voice as he slowly stalked toward her.

“You like it?” Lexi replied grimly, sarcastically smiling as she started forward as well. “It’s called the ‘I’m gonna kick your ass’ look.”

“Ooooh, I’m so scared,” Freddy laughed, doing a crotch-chop motion with his hands three times.

“I thought you always had a thing for blondes,” Lexi stated, now only ten feet from the fedora-wearing maniac. “That’s why I dyed it.”

“Awwwww,” Freddy informed her with a smirk. “That’s okay, black is my favorite color anyway. Don’t believe me? Why don’t you ask Tash! Ahahahahahahaha!”

That comment lit the fuse inside Lexi, and fire and anger began to well up inside her. Krueger knew it, too, and continued to torture her mind as he circled her.

“Oh, I know...” Freddy added, as if he had just come up with the answer to final jeopardy. “Why don’t we have a debate? Apryl was always so good at debates, wasn’t she?”

Lexi didn’t respond. She just looked at him, feeling the firecracker about to burst. Or, in her case, the whole damn case of dynamite.

“Maybe I’ll teach her how to mass-debate! Ahahahahaha!” Krueger leered, laughing at his own crude joke. Again, Lexi barely flinched.

She continued to get pissed, imagining the flame approaching the gunpowder, getting ever so close to ignition.

“Oh well,” Freddy sighed with a glare. “I hate debates anyways. Hey, how ‘bout we play some pigskin instead? That boyfriend of yours was a quarterback, wasn’t he? Wow, what an arm! Ahahahahahaha!” As he said that, Freddy pulled out the decapitated arm of Mike Clark and waved it at her cheerfully, like a fashion model walking on a runway.

That did it. The explosion erupted inside her, and Lexi totally flipped out, peppering Freddy with bat shots to the ribs, sides, back, and even a couple to the head, knocking off his infamous brown fedora. Groaning, Freddy backpedaled a bit but managed to absorb each blow with inhuman strength.

“You don’t fuck with the hat!” Freddy quipped, dusting it off and placing it back on top of his head.

Lexi, completely ignoring his comment, tried to hit him with another bat shot, but this time Freddy caught her in mid-swing and wrestled the lumber away from her, tossing it aside into a nearby bush.

“Is that the best you got?” Freddy asked, daring Lexi to bring more.

And she did just that, using fighting skills she never knew she had, including many kicks and punches to his face, nose, and stomach. Krueger couldn’t do much in return, and, in fact, barely touched her at all. Lexi had a counter for everything Freddy tried, frustrating the dream master. Ducking a swipe of his claw, Lexi did a split and landed a fist to the groin, sending Krueger onto his back in apparent agony. Thank God for all those years of tumbling with the cheerleaders, she thought.

“Owwww,” Freddy sneered. “First the hat, now the balls. What next? You know, you’re really starting to piss me off, bitch.”

Breathing heavily, Lexi got back to her feet, rolling her arms to loosen them up (just like a quarterback would). To her surprise, Krueger nipped right back up and sliced her across her face, knicking his sharp blades across her cheek. Lexi flinched for a second, then got right back into the battle with more rights and lefts. However, those had little effect on Krueger, who caught her hands and spun her around, wrapping her arms behind her back.

With his adversary helpless, Freddy leaned toward her and breathed his fowl, rancid breath in her face as he sniffed her up and down like a police dog smelling for drugs. She turned her head to each side to see where he was, but each time, Freddy was quick enough to turn his head to the opposite side.

Krueger then peered around her left shoulder again and licked the lobe of her ear, rolling his eyes in delight. Disgusted, Lexi elbowed him in the stomach and managed to free herself. Wasting no time, she hurriedly wiped that nasty slime off of her ear and turned around to face him.

When Lexi looked back, Freddy just rolled his tongue, clearly liking what he tasted.

“Mmmmm,” he slurped. “18 years, just how I like it.”

That remark further infuriated Lexi, who kicked him right in the teeth and drew blood out of the corners of his mouth, which Freddy also licked before straightening up and daring her for more.

Exhausted, Lexi became discouraged. She’d thrown everything but the kitchen sink at this fucker, and all he did was laugh and beg for more. Running out of options, Lexi started to wonder just how the hell she was gonna beat this guy. There had to be a way to hurt him. There just had to be. Then a thought dawned on her. Maybe there was no way to beat him in his world at all. Maybe he was immortal here or something. Perhaps the key to victory would be to get him into the real world, then inflict pain and punishment like never before. It seemed like a viable explanation, but how was she going to get him into the real world?

Then she remembered her weapons. If they could come into the dream with her, what would prevent her from taking them back out? And if they could come out, he could come out. He’d be vulnerable for sure. It seemed a little far-fetched, but anything was worth a shot at this point.

Fearful, Lexi took a chance and turned to run, but Freddy tackled her to the ground and got right in her face. “You aren’t gonna get away from me that easily, bitch,” Krueger mumbled, holding his claw up to her face as he pinned her to the ground.

“Let me go!” Lexi demanded, trying to break free of his clutches.

“No!” Freddy piped back as Lexi’s eyes widened with fright. “You die!”

Lexi continued to squirm and fight with everything she had, but Freddy didn’t budge. He was clearly winning the battle, and, smiling, he raised his claw high into the air...


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