Freddy was ready for me the moment I entered the dream world. He'd prepared for my arrival by making sure the scene I stepped into was macabre and of a sensitive nature. Fortunately for me, though, I had also prepared for this greeting by anticipating such a thing as his first move and bracing myself. The demon was adept at finding what hurt the most emotionally, especially things we had or had tried to forget. For me, what stood out to him was losing my dad when I was still pretty young.

Let me clarify, my dad is insane.

Not in the dangerous sense. It's just that he spends most of his time pretty removed from reality. It's gotten worse over the years and he's spent sufficient time living on the streets or in the hospital. However, it was a little while before the divorce when his mind started to go or at least enough that it caused problems. That is when we really lost him. When I lost him. My mom gave up on him well prior to that. The worst part is nobody knows the reason for it. He'd always been a little ditzy and forgetful, but it was just like one day, his mind decided to just stop trying to remember anything at all and instead substitute strange fantasies.

That being said, the scene Freddy had created for me was that of my dad, how he was before his health deteriorated. I walked into the living room of my childhood home, spotting the head of a man over the back of the couch where he sat. Upon the first sounds of my steps, he turned, putting down the paper he'd been reading and getting up.  With a big smile, he approached, greeting me with his old pet name for me.

Stifling the emotions inside that were trying to rise, I spoke plainly, "Freddy, I'm not wasting time with you. Where's my mom?"

"Bumblebee, what's wrong?" my father's lips fell into a worried frown, "Aren't you happy to see me? It's been so long since you came to visit, I thought I'd pop in and surprise you."

I swallowed, trying to push away the guilt of not having kept in better touch with the man. I knew he wasn't like this...not anymore. In reality, he probably didn't even realize who I was or how much time had passed since our we'd last seen each other. No, this was just a malicious demon's attempt at throwing me off. He was amplifying my insecurities to tear down my strength. I had to remind myself nothing he showed me was an accurate representation of actuality. 

Ignoring the vision in front of me, I stepped to the side and began walking toward the door. I figured I'd be met with my 'dad' grabbing me as I went, but rather, when I laid my hand on the knob, heard a loud groan behind me. It sounded as if someone was trying to clench their teeth and endure some sort of intense pain. Spinning around, I saw Dad had fallen to the floor and was sitting on his knees with hands clutching desperately to his hair.

"NO!" he screamed, "NO! Yes...yes it's better like this," his voice dropped as eyes shifted rapidly from one side to the other, "You don't want me. You don't want me. But they want me. They care about me."

Even knowing that it was all a ruse to illicit a response from me, I buckled. I couldn't fight how seeing him like that made me feel. It hurt to think of how true what Freddy was showing me was. My dad was alone...completely isolated. He didn't feel like anyone wanted him or could do anything for him except the voices in his head. Why didn't we do more? Why hadn't I done more for him? He didn't deserve to be alone. He hadn't...he hadn't done anything wrong. Forgetting to pick me up a few times...driving me away from home without letting Mom know because he thought someone was going to hurt me...he couldn't help those things. It wasn't his fault and nobody had gotten hurt.

"Dad..." I choked out in a whisper, trying to keep my voice strong, "That's not true. I love you. I want you."

"LIAR!" suddenly his crying became an angry shout and he was on his feet again, stomping towards me, "LIAR!!"

I stepped back awkwardly as he got near, reaching out, twisting the door handle, and pushing the way open. However, in the moment it took for me to glance down at the entry I had just barely made, he was upon me. He threw a fist at the wall to the side of my head, the crashing of broken drywall causing me to jump. His other hand yanked mine off of the knob and pulled it up to feel his cheek which was soaked in tears.

"I'm not worth your time," his voice shook, though I couldn't tell if it was out of anger or sadness, "Not to you. I'm not worth it to you."

"Dad, I-" beads of moisture rolled out of my eyes as I blinked them, "I love-"

"LIAR!" he was screaming again with one forceful shove to my shoulders that sent my body falling through the door and down a drop of what had to be fifty feet.

After a grunt in response to finally hitting the ground, I picked myself up and studied my new surroundings. I was shocked to see myself in the same spot as before, only this time, there was nobody sitting on the couch. I was by myself. Turning around slowly as I calmed my breathing, I listened intently and peered as hard as I could to get the best sense of what was going on. I couldn't see anything, but after a moment, began to hear shuffling coming from the kitchen.

Before actually walking into the area, I looked down at my hand. Remembering the techniques I'd been learning, I decided to attempt to arm myself. Staring at the palm of my hand as I gathered my energy, I envisioned the machete that I'd been gifted by Henry from the museum. My thought was that since it was something tangible that I'd had in my possession then maybe it would be easier to summon. As well, I picked it over the glove thinking that perhaps since it wasn't attached to Freddy, he wouldn't be expecting it and I'd have the upper hand. I was thrilled to see the weapon start to embody and actually let a smile creep onto my face.

"ENOUGH!" the sound of my mother's yelling shook me from concentration.

My vision shot to the kitchen as the noise died down. I took one more glance to my hand to see my progress had been lost. Damn it. I crept closer to where I could still hear slight movement and carefully peeked inside. Both my parents stood there, mom with one arm raised straight in front of her, its hand pointing at her husband who seemed completely lost as to what was going on.

"What's the matter? What's wrong?" he asked softly, setting one foot forward.

"Stay back!" the woman ordered.

He halted, his confused expression changing to terrified and protective, "What...what did you do to her?" his voice was soft yet direct. His neck began turning from side to side, his eyes darting about in a fit of paranoia, "Where's my daughter?!?"

The man didn't wait for any sort of answer. Instead, he immediately started calling my name and stomping near my mom, trying to force his way around her. His wife, equally baffled, let out a small sound of terror as she threw her hands on his chest and pushed against him.

"Stop! STOP!" she cried, "Leave her alone! You're not right in the head; you'll hurt her!!"

Seeing both my parents so distressed was too much. I hurt, yes, but moreover, it pissed me off. How dare Freddy try to fuck with me like that? It was an event I'd seen years ago when Dad first unraveled. My mom had picked up on the signs, could see that he was losing it. Like I said, he wasn't dangerous, but she didn't know that then, and she was afraid for me...probably for herself too. I hopped into the kitchen fully and drew their attention.

"Both of you stop!" I yelled.

The pair relented in their struggle and stared at me.

"Nobody's hurt. Nobody's getting hurt," I continued, "And nobody's going to hurt us. It's ok..."

It seemed to relax the ghosts of my past, but only for a brief moment. Seconds later, my dad made it past my Mom and ran to me, throwing his arms on my in a tight embrace. I could see Mom, still uncertain, standing in the same spot. I reached my hand out to the side and gestured for her to come close...and eventually, she did. Lost in the fantasy for too long, the sound of chuckling echoing in my ear alerted me that I was still in danger.

Abruptly, I pushed myself back and out of the hug. Looking up at the two adults, I expected one of them to be phasing into Freddy or showing some small sign of him through their disguise. However, they simply stood there, observing me with looks of wonder as they wanted an explanation to my behavior. No, I couldn't fall for this. It was all a trick. He was toying with me.

"Bumblebee? What's wrong?" my father asked again. Mom opened her mouth to say something as well, but I cut her off...literally. 

On my hand, was the glove of the Springwood Slasher. It took almost no effort to bring the weapon in again. I hadn't even consciously thought about it either. In the second of realization that this was still a fight, it had just come to me. I really did like this thing... I slashed at the representation of my mother instantly so as to not give the demon much time to defend. The strike nearly landed, falling short to only cut into the shirt that she wore.

"What are you doing?" the woman squealed in a panic, taking a pace back yet not fleeing from me.

"Bumblebee, what did they do to you?" my dad's voice showed hurt.

"Nobody did anything to me!" I growled, "But I'm about to fuck you up, Krueger!"

I leapt forward almost simultaneously with my supposed dad whose face took on the likeness of Freddy without actually changing to it. Even so, he lunged with arms out and fingers curled, making it easy for me to twist my position at the last moment and swipe down with the knives to cut deeply into his flesh. He howled in pain, demeanor resembling my father's once more in an attempt to play the victim. My mind was made up at that point, though, and I didn't let it affect me. I gave another fierce strike, slicing off three of his fingers, rotating to dodge a blow, and then plunging the blades into his chest.

As the man fell away from me and I readied for a final blow, 'Mom' interjected herself into the battle, "What are you doing? Stop!" she spoke frantically whilst holding my wrists.

Ignoring the command, I pushed against her grip and tore my armed hand free, quickly dropping it low enough to send the claw at her abdomen. I anticipated the attack to be shallow, so was thoroughly surprised when I was met with blood gushing from her stomach, my hand sinking into her guts. My sights lifted with the sound of the excruciating scream in my ear, to see that my 'dad' was standing on the other side of the woman and forcing her deeper into my blades. 

The man morphed from my parent and into Freddy, who was grinning like a maniac, "Aw it looks like somebody has mommy issues."

Jumping backward so that the woman was free to fall out of our grips, my heart sank and my blood ran cold. He had been tricking me...but I hadn't been paying attention to the right trick.

"Mom?" I breathed, watching as her body fell to the floor, her eyes on me the whole time. She was trying to speak yet only garbled sounds left her lips as she spat up blood instead of words. No. No no no no... This...it was still him, right? He was still messing with me... I didn't...

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" the demon belted into laughter. 

I ran to my mother while she rapidly become weaker and weaker. Kneeling beside her, I looked desperately from her face to her wound and up again, "Mom, I..." I shook my head side to side over and over, not understanding...not knowing if what I was seeing now was real...or maybe I just didn't want it to be. The last motion the woman made was to lift a hand to my cheek, barely touching it before falling back to her side. When she was finally still, I could once more hear something else...the sound of Freddy's breathing.

"YOU FUCKING PRICK!" I screamed at him, dropping my mother and lunging at him.

The demon, while clearly anticipating the move, seemed taken by the sudden ferocity of the attack. I struck and dove and struck at him frantically, hardly giving him time to recover in between blows and yet still never hitting him...not until I saw his eyes change colors. Only then did I manage to land a strike, cutting into the side of his neck just enough to draw blood. I didn't want to stop and I shouldn't have...but I did, though not before tearing into his filthy sweater and ripping the flesh beneath.

"Fred?" my breath quickly turned into a cry, "Fred? Please tell me she's not..."

"I'm...I'm so sorry," he spoke plainly, obviously removing his emotion from the situation in order to control himself, "I tried...I tried to..."

I staggered away, not knowing what my next move was, "What...what do I do now?" my voice was almost a beg.

"You need to destroy that glove...destroy me," Fred answered, "And quickly, before anyone shows up to..." his eyes drifted from me to the woman's body laying between our feet.

"But...no, but wait," I stammered, "I didn't...I mean...they'll put me in prison! This isn't my fault! I-" the string of choked out worries was cut off by sudden, strong arms around me. Fred had pulled me into him, keeping me tight in his embrace as my head rested against his chest.

"They won't put you in prison. Somewhere...but not prison," he spoke softly.

"A mental ward?" I asked, frightened.

A short silence passed before he confirmed, "I've been in and out of this area...these ordeals for too long...they'll think you did it. They'll think you're crazy. What you have to do is just let them. Do what they tell you. Take their medicines. They'll release you again."

It was terrible timing, but his words...his touch...they were so comforting. It was a warmth I hadn't known for quite some time. Something I could only remember from the time I had a father...and yet this was also more than that.

"Fred?" I sniffed, tilting my head back to look at him, "I'm sorry."

The man peered down at me, his eyes full of genuine regret and compassion, "None of this is your fault. I'm the one who's sorry. Please...please do me a favor. Get out of here and destroy that glove before anything else happens."

He carefully loosened his hold on me, but I wasn't ready to go, "Fred," I clasped onto his hands just before they could completely fall away, "But will...will destroying the glove get rid of you?"

The man took a deep breath, "Don't do this. Don't try to save me... Just get the fuck out of here and destroy it!" even though his tone changed to its evil side at the last of his orders, it felt that Fred was the one speaking to me the entire time, which made it hurt even more when he was the one to push me out of his world this time.