So here we are; this is it, the final chapter. It's been a long time right? I know, I know, I should have finished this a long time ago but hopefully this chapter will make it all worth the wait. You know almost two years ago, the idea of writing a Halloween fanfic seemed ludicrous let alone having it actually get some feedback. Thank you so much to all who have written reviews, I have read them all. Hopefully you will all like this final installment in this story. However, don't expect a complete resolution because the story is far from over and you'll just have to wait until Halloween 10 which I have justly titled "REVELATIONS". But for now, enjoy the conclusion to Halloween: BLOODLINE

LanternLizzard

Chapter 22: Legacy

"You can't kill Damnation mister. It don't die like a man dies." –Rev. Sawyer to Dr. Loomis (Halloween 4)

Langdon Illinois

September 24 1996

The quiet suburban neighborhood peacefully welcomed the cool rain that moistened the dry ground and foliage. Marion Whittington's tulip garden would definitely appreciate the extra water. The sun was just setting and cast an orange glow over the streets and homes in the area. Deep within 4946 Cyprus Pond Road, a dying man sat completing his words to the wise.

Dr. Sam Loomis eighty seven years old and long since retired sat at his type writer putting the finishing touches on the last chapter of his memoirs. The old man let out a sigh as he let his frail arms down to relax. He adjusted his bifocals and reread the last paragraph then smiled to himself content and tore the page off the liner.

Sam gently set the piece in the bottom of the stack and finished the binding on this; the fourth volume of his memoir titled, "A Method to the Madness" Sam let out a deep breath as he placed the leather cover over his completed life's work which included his autobiography, thesis, and all the research he'd done in his prestigious career.

Sam slowly stood up and grabbed his cane to help him. He hobbled out of his room; past the large bulletin board full of photographs of his most infamous patient's work; and out into the hallway. The tired man headed into the kitchen to pour himself another cup of tea when he noticed the days stack of mail sitting on the dining room table.

Sam walked over to the table and thumbed through the pile. Bills, a letter to Marion from her insurance company, an invitation to Thomas Doyle and Kara Strode's wedding. Sam smiled as he opened the invitation and read it, "My my, how the time flies. I hope they will be very happy."

Sam winced in pain as his chest began to ache slightly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of heart medication. Same took three pills and swallowed them with a sip of his tea. He set the invitation down on the table and then reached for the next piece of mail. Sam adjusted his bifocals again as he looked at the manila envelope.

Sam furrowed his brow, "No stamp, no return address." Sam examined the envelope which was addressed to him. He opened the envelope and pulled out it's contents. There were several pieces of paper. Photographs and a birth certificate.

Sam's eyes widened as he read the birth certificate and looked at the photographs. His face turned red with shock and he suddenly felt a sharp pain again in his chest. He clutched his chest as his weak heart pounded.

Sam clutched the papers and stumbled forward spilling his cup of tea. He turned and hobbled back into his bedroom where he struggled to find the right filing cabinet. Sam clutched his chest and dropped his cane. He used his free hand to yank open one of the filing cabinets. He furiously shuffled through them and used all his strength to pull the right one out.

Sam looked at the thorn symbol on the inside of his wrist and let out a pained hoarse cry. He dropped the papers and fell back onto his bed where he clutched his chest and took one final breath before collapsing dead.

About twenty minutes later Marion Whittington; formerly Marion Chambers before her marriage and subsequent widowing; pulled up to the curve outside her and Dr. Loomis' home. It had been a stressful day at the hospital and Marion was in dire need of some rest. As she got out of her car she reached into her purse and pulled out her cigarette case and lighter. She was already well into her second back today but she didn't care. She lit up and inhaled then exhaled and sighed with relief.

Marion walked up the pathway to the front door and stopped to admire her garden, "Wont last much longer." Indeed the leaves were already changing colors and most of her flowers would soon die from the cold. Marion unlocked the front door and stepped in just as the on setting darkness caused her porch light to turn on.

Marion walked into the living room and spoke out loud as she set her purse on the couch and hung up her coat, "Sam, I'm home, I'll get the chicken in the oven in just a sec and then dinner will be ready in about half an hour. Please don't try and help with the dishes again, you know how your back gets and I'm too tired for another trip to the hospital."

Marion didn't notice that Sam hadn't answered. She casually flipped the television on just as Jeopardy was starting. Marion ogled Alex Trebek for a moment then called out to Sam again, "Oh I got a call from that Mr. Doyle today, said he wanted to go over the case again since the trial's on Friday. I hope you're resting up this week so you're strong enough to testify. Sam? Are you asleep?"

Marion walked into the kitchen and started to prepare dinner when she noticed Sam's cup of tea spilled on the table. Marion sighed and called out, "I thought I told you not to strain yourself too much." Marion frustrated walked down the hallway and walked into Sam's room. Marion screamed and ran to Sam's side to feel his pulse. She stared at his dead face and shook her head, "I'm sorry…you shouldn't have been alone."

Marion wiped a few tears from her face and then looked down at her feet. She noticed the strewn papers and gathered them up, "What are these?" Marion examined the papers and gasped, "Oh my god." They were photographs of Laurie Strode, living, going about her daily life unaware of the pictures being taken of her. There were several with a young man with her.

Marion read the birth certificate aloud to herself, "Jonathan Tate, Born 1981 to parents Keri and Raymond Tate." Marion looked up at Sam's body and quietly said, "Jesus, this is what did it Sam. All these years you thought she was dead. My god. She must have faked it so she could start over and be safe. I wonder why she didn't take Jamie with her…I cant let anyone see this."

Marion hurriedly bundled up the photographs and birth certificate and found the folder Sam had dropped. It was marked 'Laurie Strode' Marion put the papers in her file and rushed out of Sam's room and into her office where she unlocked her filing cabinet and tucked the folder in away from prying eyes. Once the file was sealed away, Marion put out her cigarette, got on the phone, and called the police.

Smith's Grove Sanitarium

12:05 AM

Terrence Wynn stared into the eyes of the Devil as he fell back onto his butt. He looked down at the knife sticking out of his stomach and reached a bloody hand up to grasp the handle. Wynn screamed out as he yanked the knife out of his abdomen, blood began spilling from his stomach and staining his shirt. Michael had risen to full height and was walking towards Terrence.

Terrence started backing up and shouted in a pained cry, "What are you doing Michael!? I command you to stop! Do you hear me, I command you to-" Michael lunged forward and grabbed Wynn by the shoulders. He hoisted the man off his feet and forcefully threw him across the room.

Wynn screamed as he was hurled like a rag doll. He went crashing into the large stone altar which the four corpses were sitting on. Wynn rolled over onto his side and started crawling away while clutching his bloody abdomen. Michael turned and started walking towards Wynn again.

John had slowly been rising to his feet as Wynn flew past him and now the bleeding man was crawling towards him still clutching the knife stained in his own blood. John turned away and started limping towards Thom and Stephen, smoke rising from his partially charred flesh.

Dr. Wynn stared at his terrified cult members, red in the face, he screamed aloud, "Kill him! Stop him now!" Three men wearing black suites and sunglasses came running towards Michael, one of them was carrying a rifle and aimed it at Myers. Michael; now weaponless; swung his left hand back and smacked the first guard across the face.

The man fell hard and before he had a chance to get up Michael shot his hand forward around the man's head and twisted it 180 degrees around. The man fell dead and Michael quickly grabbed the rifle from his dead hands.

The other two guards stopped in terror and one of them turned to run away but Michael threw the rifle at him and impaled him through the back. The cult members began screaming in terror as Michael killed the guards. There were about a dozen cult members and they began scattering around in terror. The fire which had started steadily grew and unbeknownst to anyone, had slowly started burning away at the rope holding the large chandelier high above the room.

Michael saw the third guard staring at him with a look of fear. Michael started walking towards him and the man literally tripped over his own legs. He turned over onto his stomach and began to get up when Michael quickly reached down and grabbed the man by his two arms. Michael kicked his foot out and jammed it into the man's back as he viciously pulled back. The man screamed out in pain as Michael broke him backwards.

Michael turned angrily at the frenzy of cult members. He saw his son and Thom and John nursing Lindsay up but then noticed Wynn. Michael charged forward and reached down for the axe Wynn had dropped.

Michael walked towards Wynn and swung the axe at the cultists as they ran past him in blind panic. Screams and gurgles filled the room as Michael swung the axe around like a baton, slicing and decapitating various cult members as they tried to escape. Thom was watching the carnage in awe as Michael approached Wynn. The fire increased as it approached the large projection screen. The flames burned up the screen and cast the room in a red-orange light.

Wynn drew a bloody hand across the stone altar as he struggled to crawl towards the doorway that led back into the patient ward. Michael twirled the axe around and chopped off one cult members arm. The man howled in pain and fell to the ground where blood pooled under his twitching body.

Stephen clamped his hands over his ears to block out the screams and carnage. John looked around and saw the bodies' of his family. The fire was dangerously close to their corpses. John shouted out, "No!" Thom grabbed John by the shoulder and said, "We don't have time, we have to get out of here! The whole fucking thing is burning up!"

John looked up just as the burning chandelier came crashing down, crushing a female cult member under its weight. Thom wrapped his arms around Stephen and picked him up. He cringed in pain as the boy's weight pulled on his dislocated shoulder.

Thom looked back at John who was staring at Wynn, "John, grab Lindsay!" John turned back and picked Lindsay's unconscious body up. A wave of bitterness swept over him as he remembered Lindsay's actions in causing this catastrophe. He set those emotions aside though and followed Thom as they ran towards the doorway Thom and Lindsay had entered from.

John's eyes widened in anger as he saw Wynn hobbling through the doorway ahead of them. John glared as he set Lindsay down on the hard floor. Thom looked at him with a shocked expression and said, "What are you doing! We have to get the fuck out of here!"

John turned to Thom and said, "I'm going after Wynn. I can't let him get away again." Without time for Thom to respond, John turned and started running towards the door Wynn had just slithered through.

Back in the cult lair, several cult members managed to escape through the various burning exits. Michael howled in anger as he searched for Wynn. He swung the axe around in anger and began smashing it into the tombstones. Michael viciously began to smash his fists into the ancient skeletons.

He smashed Judith's skull into dust with his fist and swung his axe at Jamie's skeleton shattering it into fragmented bones. Michael raised both fists and smashed them down on top of Laurie's skeleton. He picked up the dusty corpse and toss it to the ground. Michael swung his axe and hit Sara's corpse square in the face. Her body fell limply to the ground and Michael howled as he yanked the axe out of her face and brought it down again and again and again.

The fire had turned into an inferno now, blocking the main exit and rising to the wooden pillars and beams holding the ceiling up. Michael howled as the ceiling collapsed and began to fall. Dust and fire rushed through the room as the once mighty Thorn cult's lair slowly burned and fell apart.

Michael yanked the bloody axe out of Sara's mangled corpse and stared at the bits of flesh and strands of hair still on it. The shape looked at the fiery exit and started walking forward. He plowed through the exit and smashed his way out into the murky basement.

Thom was carrying Lindsay and shoving Stephen forward as they ran down the basement hall towards the stairwell he and Lindsay had found earlier. Damn John Tate Thom though to himself. He left them here and now they were struggling to escape.

Thom found the stairway and began running up it. The added weight of Lindsay slowed him down and Stephen ran ahead of him and turned around to try and help him carry Lindsay.

While Thom and Stephen were trying to climb the stairs, John was already up on the next floor. He was slowly jogging down the hallway, following the trail of blood Wynn was leaving behind. John turned around a corner and bumped into a mental patient. John looked on in disgust at the hall filled with patients out of their cells.

John looked at the other end of the hallway and shouted out, "Wynn!" Terrence was almost at the end of the hallway, furiously pushing his way through crazy men and women shouting and cursing, "Get off of me! Get the fuck off of me!"

The patients formed a current of arms which Wynn was struggling to swim through. He turned around and saw John in hot pursuit. John started pushing his way through the many patients in order to get to Wynn.

Dr. Wynn suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. He crawled forward through the tangled mess of legs and clawed his way out of the mass of people. One patient's leg got in Wynn's way and he angrily swiped the knife across the man's foot to get him to move. Wynn looked up and saw the exit, he reached up and opened the door and crawled out to the main entrance.

John angrily plowed through the sea of disturbed people who cried out in maddened agony. They groped at John but he ignored it and just focused on getting through that door Wynn had gone through. Suddenly, John heard Thom shout out, "John!"

John turned around and saw Thom struggling with Lindsay while Stephen tried to help. They had just reached the ground floor! Thom shouted out, "Help us!" John looked at them and said, "I'm sorry! I have to stop him! He has to pay!" John turned back and continued pushing his way through the mental patients.

Thom clenched his jaw in anger and then looked at Stephen, "We're going to be ok." Thom was looking around the hallway when he heard a loud crash. He turned back and peeked around the corner. Michael had just smashed his way through the door leading into the basement!

Michael turned and looked at Thom who froze in terror. Thom slowly baked up and turned the corner. He looked down at Stephen and tried to adjust Lindsay in his arms which were sore and fatigued. Thom looked to their right and saw a broom closet. He ran over to it and reached an arm out to yank it open. He grabbed Stephen by the collar and shoved the boy into the dark closet and then turned around and backed up inside himself along with Lindsay.

Thom closed the door as quietly as possible and whispered, "Stephen don't make a sound." The two of them held their breath and waited. Thom held Lindsay tightly against him and remembered back 26 years when the two of them were stuck in a similar situation.

John was just about to the end of the hall when he heard several loud shrieks. He turned around and gasped as Michael came marching around the corner at the other end of the hall. There was no sign of Thom, Lindsay or Stephen. Dear god, had Michael killed them too!?

John began panting and his legs began to shake as he realized he might be the only one left. He backed up against the white wall behind him. He felt something digging into his back and looked down and behind him. A door handle! John struggled to open the door and quickly stepped inside. He waited and didn't make a sound. He turned around and realized he was in some sort of cell.

John turned as white as a ghost as he saw three coffins propped up against the opposite wall. John slowly walked forward and approached the three coffins. They must have been Judith's, Jamie's, and his mother's.

John closed his eyes and mustered all his courage. The whole reason he'd come to this damn town was to find out the truth about Michael and his mother. Now he knew the truth and it was much more than he bargained for. He had come this far, he had to know…

John reached his arms forward and yanked the first coffin cover off. He felt his stomach knot as he saw the pale body of a middle aged woman. It was Elizabeth Harris but John didn't know this as they had never met. He yanked off the cover of the next coffin and gagged as Diane's bloody body collapsed into a pile on the ground.

John took a breath and yanked off the third and final coffin cover. He screamed in pure fear and anguish as Molly; the love of his life; came spilling out of the coffin and into his shaking arms. John started sobbing and the sobs turned to angry screams, "No! God, Molly!"

John was sobbing and cradling his dead fiancée's body when a series of loud screams startled him. It sounded like a hundred people were crying out. Thom and Stephen heard the screams too and Thom slowly opened the closet door a crack, just enough to see what was happening. His eyes widened and he pushed Stephen back so the child would not see the carnage. The screams suddenly stopped as Thom saw what had happened.

The hallway had been painted red with the blood of all the mental patients. They all lay strewn about the ground in mangled heaps, some without arms, most without heads. The once white hallway was literally painted crimson. Thom muffled back a gag and peered further down the hall.

There was no sign of Dr. Wynn or Michael. Thom held his breath and slowly pushed the closet door open. He stepped out into the hallway and held Lindsay close to him. Stephen poked his head out from behind his father and felt his stomach contract as he beheld the ghastly sight.

Thom started moving down to the end of the hallway. He looked behind him and whispered to Stephen, "Follow me, but be quiet." Stephen nodded and quietly followed Thom as he apprehensively traveled down the bloody hallway.

Thom looked at Lindsay lying in his arms, her breathing was getting lighter and her face was deathly pale. Thom looked ahead and saw the other doorway to the side of the hallway.

Stephen was trailing behind his dad and trying not to trip over any of the countless bodies. Stephen tried his best not to look at the mangled corpses for fear that he would vomit. Stephen's clown costume was torn and barely staying intact, the boy reeked with blood and urine and caked mud and the stench of smoke smothered his body.

Thom reached the door and kicked it open; he ran in and stopped dead in his tracks. Stephen poked his head out from behind his dad's back and instantly frowned in sadness. Thom stood their silently watching John; kneeling on his knees; cradling his lover's body in his trembling arms. Thom felt his heart break for the man who'd come to him for help. John had come to this town looking for answers, and had found hell instead.

Thom took a step forward and quietly called out to John, "John, I'm sorry but…the whole place is burning up man, we have to get out of here." John was blankly looking off in the distance. His tears had stopped falling, no cries of grieve leapt from his throat any longer. He just sat there holding Molly's body close to him; running his fingers through her blood soaked hair as he gently patted her head.

Stephen took a deep breath and walked past his father and over to John. Thom called out, "Stephen what are you-" Stephen turned and looked up at his dad determinedly. Thom looked at the boy but said nothing.

Stephen turned back to the broken man in front of him. Tonight, this small child had witnessed more than any child should ever have to see. He had watched friends die, he had seen the devil himself, he'd stared into those black bottomless eyes that had been haunting his dreams ever since he could remember. He had been through several traumatizing experiences and nearly dies more than a couple of times. Now, Stephen saw John and realized their connection. Stephen placed a tiny hand on John's slumped shoulder and said, "We're family. Family sticks together."

John felt the tears well up again when he heard that word, 'family'. John had lost his family; his mother, his sister, Molly. John looked up and over his shoulder at the little boy standing behind him. He was being so brave considering everything he had been through tonight.

Stephen's face was grimy but his eyes still shimmered with brightness. John took Stephen's hand into his and squeezed it gently. Stephen felt John's hand trembling and said, "We can cry later, now we have to leave. We have to leave and go home, then we can cry together."

John opened his mouth to protest but the words wouldn't come out. He stared into the young boy's eyes and saw the child's determination. John smiled to himself as he was reminded of his mother's resilience. He looked up to Thom and said, "Your doing a great job raising him."

Thom smiled wearily and looked down at Lindsay; she was getting heavier by the minute as Thom's arms grew tired. John turned back to Molly's body and said, "I promise I'll make him pay." He slowly brought his hand up to her face and gently closed her eyes. John stood up and turned to look down at Stephen, "Family…" John looked at the cherub faced boy and smiled.

He saw his sister's angelic smile and his mother's strong eyes. John's smile slowly faded as he remembered what Wynn had said earlier about Stephen's father. John spoke again but with much more regret, "Family…"

John looked down at Stephen and remembered all those years growing up, all the times his father would refuse to speak about his mother or how they met. All the years until he moved in with his mother. John remembered always feeling like he didn't know her, like she had another side. He remembered the lapses in logic to her life story, her constant drinking, the nightmares, the therapy, the lies. All of the secrets, about Michael, and Jamie.

John stared into the eyes of this little boy and realized this was what she had died for. John wondered if his mother even knew what had happened to Jamie. About her kidnapping in 1989 and subsequent six years locked up in this god forsaken institution where no one could ever find her. They had taken her, violated her and when they were done with her; when they got what they needed from her; they slaughtered her.

John looked at Stephen; Jamie's son; and realized what it had all been about. All these years, all the death, all the sacrifice. John remembered back to the night he first met Michael and finally learned the truth about his mother. The night she sent him and Molly out to safety and stayed behind to fight her demons.

John realized what she was doing; she was protecting him, the same way Jamie was protecting her baby when she hid him and left him for someone to find. The same way he couldn't protect Molly.

John realized that Stephen was really the only real family he had left. His mother, Molly, Jamie, Sara, they were all gone; but Stephen was still here. Stephen would live on. John realized that no matter what happened to him, Stephen would live on.

John walked over to Thom and looked down at Lindsay, "Give her to me." Thom winced as his arm ached and handed Lindsay over to John. John's arms were sore too having been burned in that fire. He took Lindsay and held her for a moment.

This woman had inadvertently caused so much pain for him, but he couldn't blame her for what had happened to his mother and Sara. He couldn't blame Lindsay…"It wasn't your fault." John said to her, she was unconscious and didn't hear. John knelt down and set her down on the cold ground.

Thom protested, "John, what are you…" John stood back up and looked over to Stephen. The boy got a curious look in his eye as John quietly said, "Forgive me." Thom started to speak but John suddenly swung around and fiercely punched Thom in the face. Thom fell back hard and crumpled to his feet. He ground and was unable to get up.

Stephen screamed, "Why!! No!" John looked at the boy with sadness in his eyes and said, "It has to end." Without any hesitation, John turned and ran out of the room, leaving Stephen behind in the room with Thom nursing his face and Lindsay bleeding out.

Stephen didn't have time to think about going after John, he needed to get them out of here before that fire got any worse. Running purely on adrenaline by now, Stephen ran over to his dad and started shaking his shoulders to get him to wake up more, "Dad! C'mon get up! We have to move, I can't carry Lindsay!"

Thom's eyes groggily opened and he stared at his pleading son. Thom spat out some blood and stood up. Thom angrily looked at the door but Stephen grabbed his hand and said, "Not now!" Thom turned to his son and nodded. He scooped Lindsay back into his arms and she moaned. The trio exited the room and continued toward the exit just as smoke started entering the hallway.

Meanwhile; not too far ahead of John and the others; Terrence Wynn was stumbling and limping down another long corridor, he was clutching his bleeding stomach with his left hand and yelling on a walkie-talkie with his right hand, "I don't care what the weather conditions are like! You start that goddamn helicopter up now? I'm getting the fuck out of here! Screw the others! Let Myers take em' all! Get that copter ready, I'll be out there in three minutes and I want it ready to go!"

Terrence turned off his radio and dropped it, "Shit" He was just kneeling down to pick it up when he heard a loud explosion which caused the hallway to shake a bit. The lights flickered on and off and suddenly went out. Terrence froze; his breathing was heavy and he was sweating like a roasted pig.

Terrence slowly stood up as the emergency lights came on. They were red and cast the sweaty man in a blood red light. He heard a noise and turned and whirled around suddenly. He yanked his gun out of his jacket pocket and aimed it at the darkness. The red lights mounted on the walls only illuminated the scarcest areas, leaving the rest of the hallway in pitch blackness.

Wynn sighed and slowly put his gun away, he also put the knife in his coat pocket. Terrence was just turning around to go back to finding the radio when John suddenly came running into him full force. John grabbed Terrence by the shoulders and shoved him into the wall, "You murdering son of a bitch!"

Wynn coughed in anguish as John kicked him in the belly; right were his stab wound was. Wynn let out a pained cry and fell to his knees, "There's that Myers killer instinct…" Wynn hoarsely whispered between bloody coughs. John was breathing heavily and his face was flushed with anger but he took a step back and thought about what Wynn said. John wasn't a killer, "I'm nothing like that, I'm not like you."

Wynn was slowly starting to get up, his frame illuminated by the red light. Wynn let out a weak laugh and said, "But you are, your whole family is. Your mother, your sister…Sara." John shot forward and yanked Wynn towards him, "Don't you even say a word about them you piece of snake shit!" He shook Terrence and the man only laughed again, "Why don't you show me just how much like your uncle you are."

John angrily pulled his arm back and was ready to punch Wynn when an axe flew past them suddenly and hit the wall right next to them with a loud clang. John and Wynn both froze and looked behind them. Michael was coming towards them. John froze and Wynn seized the opportunity; he reached into his pocket and pulled out the knife and stabbed John in the thigh.

John growled in pain and fell onto his butt. Wynn turned and ran out the doors into the main lobby . John ripped the knife out of his leg and looked up at Michael who was fast approaching; bathed in the blood red light. John clutched the knife and slide backwards across the floor trying to get to the doors.

Michael was suddenly right next to John but kept on moving; he walked past John and yanked the axe out of the wall and pushed through the doorway leaving John confused and shaking.

Terrence ran through the lobby and reached the front exit. He was ready to burst through the exit when he saw the flashing red and blue lights peering out from the horizon. A line of police cars and vans were coming down the road toward the parking lot. A large police chopper also appeared over the horizon line shining a large searchlight at the building.

Wynn cursed aloud and turned around. He saw Michael come out of the exit and quickly pulled out his gun, "I gave you your power and I can take it away Michael!" Wynn began firing his gun at Michael but the shape did not stop moving.

Outside in the parking lot the cavalry finally arrived. Dozens of squad cars pulled into the parking lot and hordes of policemen started exiting the vehicles. Officer Ford and Officer Gibbs where running towards the Smith's Grove Front entrance when they saw the sheriff's squad car. They began running towards it and found Mark sitting on the ground next to the car.

"Get a medical team over her! We got the Sheriff!" Ford knelt down and looked at Mark who was breathing steadily, "You're going to be find sir." Mark looked up at the man and said, "Yeah? What about the others."

John pushed his way through the hallways exit and saw that both Wynn and Michael had vanished. He looked across the lobby and saw the police cars out front but didn't rush to the front entrance. Instead, he turned around and found one of the side doors was slightly ajar. John ran towards it and pushed the door open then ran out into the side of the parking lot.

Thom and Stephen had been making their way down the hallway when the lights went out and the emergency lights came on. They didn't let it slow them down and finally burst through the hallway doors out into the lobby. They had missed John by mere seconds but didn't even notice.

Thom saw the police lights outside and knew they had found salvation at last. Thom was galloping forward, hustling his son ahead of him and holding Lindsay as tight as he could.

Stephen was the first to reach the door but it was locked. He pushed up against it as Thom came up behind him. Thom lifted his leg and kicked the door. He was so weak from carrying Lindsay Though and started to falter.

Stephen ran over to the reception desk and wheeled a chair out towards Thom. He lifted the chair and swung it with all his might. The chair crashed into the door and shattered the glass. Stephen pushed his way through the broken frame and ran outside.

All of the cops instantly aimed their rifles and guns at the front entrance when they heard the crash. Stephen ran out and quickly stopped in his tracks and lifted his arms as the policemen held their aim.

Gibbs shouted out, "Lower em' it's the kid!" The men lowered their weapons and started to run towards Stephen. Ford ran over to the boy and wrapped a blanket around him, "We've been looking for you son." Stephen was ready to pass out but managed to say, "My dad…"

An officer shouted out, "We got two more here!" as Thom pushed his way out the front door and carried Lindsay forward. He took several more steps but held his arms out to keep Lindsay in the air. Thom was ready to collapse and two policemen quickly ran to his side and grabbed Lindsay as Thom fell to his knees in exhaustion.

Gibbs called the medical team over to Thom and Stephen. They put Thom on a stretcher and started wheeling him towards an ambulance. One of the paramedics tried to take Stephen but he cried out, "No! Not another ambulance please!" Ford looked at the paramedic and said, "Go on, he can ride in the squad car with us." Ford picked up Stephen and the little boy looked over to his dad, "I want to got home to my mommy…"

Thom was weary but his eyes shot open when he heard Stephen say 'mommy'. Thom sat up on the stretcher and began fighting off the medical team. He remembered what he had discovered before about Daniel and the curse. He knew he had to stop it. Thom jumped off of the stretcher and ran over to officer Ford. He looked at Stephen and said, "Stephen, what did the bad man say about mommy?" Stephen looked at his dad and tiredly said, "He said he was gonna make Danny like the boogeyman. I wanna go home Daddy, can we go see Danny and Mommy?"

Thom reached out and took Stephen from Ford, "Yeah we'll go see mommy right now." Thom looked at Officer Ford with a dead serious expression and said, "I need to get back to my house NOW." Ford replied, "You should go to a hospital first sir."

Thom shouted loudly, "There's no time! I need to get there now damn it! My wife needs me! It's a matter of life or death!" Ford saw how serious Thom was and picked up his walkie-talkie, "Lower the chopper, we're escorting Doyle home."

Lindsay was pushed past Thom on a stretcher with a paramedic shouted, "She needs a blood transfusion fast!" The police chopper swung around and lowered itself until it was hovering a few feet from the ground. Thom followed Ford over to the chopper and walked past Mark who was on a stretcher being loaded into an ambulance.

Mark saw Thom and Stephen and shouted, "Doyle!" Thom turned and saw Mark, he ran over to his friend shocked and shouted, "Mark! You made it out, we thought you were dead!" Mark coughed and said, "Don't be so sure. Where's John?"

Meanwhile, just around the corner on the other side of the institution, Terrence Wynn was stumbling over his legs trying to run towards the black helicopter waiting for him on the landing strip. Terrence waved his hands and shouted, "Start it up!"

The pilot saw him and prepared for take off. Terrence smiled and continued running realizing he was at the home stretch. Damn those fools for ruining everything…he'd have his revenge on them soon enough. And there was always the Strode boy…

John shouted out from behind Terrence, "You're not getting away again!" Terrence looked behind him and yelled, "Why don't you people ever die!" He pulled his gun out and shot at John but missed as John threw himself forward and tackled the older man.

The two fell hard into the muddy ground and a fierce fight began. Wynn struggled to reach the helicopter but John was trying to keep him away. "I'm not letting you walk away from this, your going to pay!"

John punched Wynn and the white haired man kicked John in the crotch. John screamed in pain and fell onto his back. Wynn rolled over onto his bloody stomach and gurgled in pain. He could hear the police sirens as he pushed himself up onto his knees and continued to make his way towards the helicopter.

John got up and ran to Wynn. He yanked the man back by his shoulders and punched him again. Wynn angrily screamed and yanked his gun back, he whacked John across the side of his head with the gun and John stumbled in pain. Wynn used the young man's momentary hesitation and aimed the gun at John.

John looked up in surprise just as Wynn pulled the trigger and shot John in the side of his stomach. John fell backwards in pain and felt the pain coursing through his body. Dr. Wynn stood up again and said bitterly, "Evil never dies…but you will." Wynn turned around and reached the helicopter; his long black coat flailing in the heavy wind caused by the propellers.

Dr. Wynn reached upwards and opened the co-pilot door and yelled at the pilot, "Go now!" The pilot argued back, "Sir, there's police everywhere!" Wynn aimed the gun at the man and said, "I'm not going to ask you again." The pilot gulped and turned to the control panel and started making all the adjustments for take off.

John was lying on the ground feeling his body weaken when he started having the flashbacks. He saw his sister Jamie screaming in fear as the cult members took her away to be raped by Michael. He saw his mother screaming in bed as she woke up from another terrifying nightmare about her brother. He saw Molly's dead body and his anger gave him strength. John slowly stood up and clutched his gunshot wound with one hand and his stab wound with the other. He slowly started limping forward on his one good leg.

Terrence looked out his window and saw John approaching, he lifted his hand and waved at the tortured man as the helicopter slowly began to take off. Suddenly, a loud crash startled Wynn and turned back to the pilot's side. Michael was standing outside of the helicopter and had smashed through the pilot's window with his fire axe. He reached inside and grabbed the screaming pilot and pulled him out of the window. Wynn froze in shock and terror as Michael lifted the pilot out of the helicopter.

Michael had the poor man by his shoulders and began lifting him higher and higher. The man looked up and saw the speeding propellers above his head and screamed. Michael heaved upwards and threw the man up into towards the spinning blades. A stream of blood splattered the shape as the man was decapitated by the propellers.

Terrence screamed and shoved over into the pilots seat. The red axe was lodged in the window frame and Wynn tried to ignore it as he took control of the helicopter. John reached up for the co-pilot's door as the helicopter lifted off the ground and hovered. Wynn saw the man out of the corner of his eyes but was too focused on taking off to do anything.

John yanked the door open and started to climb inside when he saw Michael through the pilot's window. Michael reached forward to grab his axe when Wynn stuck his pistol in Michael's face and pulled the trigger. Michael fell backwards and howled in pain as blood poured from his left eye socket.

Wynn turned his attention back to the control panel but John tried to grab him. Terrence lifted his right leg and kicked John in the face. John fell backward out of the seat but reached for the hanging door. The helicopter started getting higher and higher. Michael stood back up and lunged forward. He grabbed the axe handle and used it as leverage to climb up onto the helicopter where he held on. Wynn finally took off and the helicopter began to leave the landing strip and head off into the night.

John was hanging onto the open door with only one hand. He was hanging out in mid air a good two hundred feet from the ground and rising. He looked down at the institution and saw the smoke billowing out of the building.

Back in the front parking lot policemen and firemen where storming into the building to look for survivors and try and put out the fire. Several cult members that had escaped were being handcuffed and put into the back seats of the patrol cars.

Thom held Stephen up to the police chopper as the side door slid open. A policeman reached out and picked up Stephen. He set the boy inside and then reached his hand out for Thom.

Thom was climbing in when he saw the black helicopter fly over head from behind the Smith's Grove building. He saw John hanging out the side of the copter and stared in shock. The policeman shouted to him, "Sir C'mon!" Thom turned back and climbed into the police helicopter.

Ford stepped in next and said, "We need to get to the Doyle residence like now!" The policeman replied, "We can get you there in under ten minutes." The side door closed and the helicopter took off leaving Lindsay, Mark and the rest of the policemen behind to salvage the wreckage at Smith's Grove.

While Thom and Stephen were fast on their way home, the other helicopter was quickly moving the other way. John used his legs to swing up back into the cockpit and slammed the door shut with him. Wynn sneered and aimed his gun at John, "I won't miss again boy."

John froze and glared at the man. John saw a shape out of the corner of his eyes and said, "Neither will he." Wynn's eyes narrowed in confusion when he was suddenly jerked back. His hand left the steering handle and the helicopter veered of to the side. Michael had climbed back into the helicopter and was strangling Wynn.

Terrence was using both of his hands to try and fend the shape off leaving no one controlling the helicopter. John lurched forward and grabbed the controls. He pulled back and the helicopter swung around and began losing altitude.

John didn't know what the hell he was doing and quickly started losing control of the helicopter. He twisted the handles around and this caused the copter to turn rapidly which swung Michael and Wynn up against the side wall. John was frantically pushing buttons to try and regain control the helicopter was almost in a nose dive heading towards the tree strewn ground below.

Michael reached for the axe and managed to pull it out of the window frame. He swung it at Wynn but the force of the nose dive caused him to miss and he hit the passenger seat instead. John screamed in surprise as the axe came down next to him. Terrence struggled to reach the axe but Michael pulled him back and threw him against the side wall again. Wynn was knocked out and Michael turned his attentions on John.

John looked in his rearview mirror and saw the black eye holes staring at him. John shouted out, "If I die, then I'm taking you two with me!" John saw the trees growing closer and turned the copter and aimed it at them like a missile. Michael ripped the axe out of the passenger chair and raised it above John as the ground grew closer and closer. Michael was about to swing when John said, "Your sister says hello." Michael tilted his head as John braced himself. The helicopter violently crashed into the trees; branches were shredded by the propellers as the helicopter burst through the shrubbery and crashed into the ground.

John was thrown from the helicopter on impact and rolled across the muddy grass as the helicopter broke apart and sent pieces of debris flying across the area. John continued to roll until he hit a patch of bushes and stopped. The man fell into a bloody heap into the bushes and lost consciousness. The helicopter finally came to a stop as smoke began pouring out from the engines as a small fire broke out in the interior.

Dr. Terrence Wynn; head of the once prestigious Smith's Grove sanitarium; now a broken and bleeding man, slowly crawled out of the helicopter wreckage and fell five feet to the ground below. His stomach wound had been torn open further and he was covered in cuts and bruises. His lower leg was impaled on a piece of metal and he dragged it uselessly as he struggled to crawl away from the wreckage.

The fire increased as Terrence weakly pulled himself along with his broken arms. He cried out in pain as his stab wound was dragged across the dirt. His teeth were stained a sickly red as he spat blood out.

John Tate slowly opened his eyes and struggled to make the sky stop spinning. He was pretty sure he had a concussion from that fall but at the moment he only had one thing on his mind. He slowly stood up halfway and began dragging his bloody form towards the helicopter.

John squinted his eyes to clear his blurred vision and look through the smoke. He coughed as the smoke assaulted his nose. His entire body stun both from his burns and from the cute and bruises he'd received when he was thrown from the helicopter.

John was walking forward when he saw the fire axe lying on the ground scattered amongst the other pieces of burning metal. He reached down and picked the axe up and continued walking. He saw Wynn crawling away from the wreckage and started limping towards the man.

Back at the Doyle Residence Kara slowly knelt down and examined the shards of glass which covered her bathroom floor. There was a small puddle of blood on the floor right in front of the sink counter. Kara reached her right hand forward and placed two fingers in the puddle. The blood was warm, Kara felt chills.

As Kara examined the blood, an unseen figure entered the house through the front door. No sound was made as the figure stepped over the crumbled remains of the television and entertainment center. The figure looked at the staircase in front of them and began to walk towards them.

The unseen figure stared at the staircase. The person began walking up the stairs slowly, shallow breathing filling the air. The figure slowly reached the top of the stairs and peeked around the corner of the bathroom door.

A blurred figure slowly walked past the door frame just as Kara lifted her head suddenly. She quickly turned around and gasped but no one was there. Kara sighed and slowly stood up. She winced as her cut foot touched the ground again. Kara started walking towards Dan's room when she heard the wind blowing into the house from downstairs.

Kara turned around and started walking down the stairs quickly. She rushed to the front door and grabbed the door frame as if to keep her balance. The anxiety on her face was accented by her heavy breathing which she could see as she poked her head outside onto the front porch.

Kara slowly stepped outside and looked at the clear sky. She ran her hands over her head and through her pony tail then wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Kara called out in confusion, "Officer Henderson?" There was no reply, "Kyle?" Kara waited but only heard the sound of wind rustling leaves.

Kara looked around off in the distance at the black windows of neighbors' homes. Many of those neighbors had been in her front yard tonight when she'd returned from Ridgemont with Thom. They had been gawking at the calamity that had befallen her family and home.

Kara didn't see any sign of Kyle and felt her heart beat increase. Maybe he got called away and had to leave in a hurry. Maybe they found Thom and Stephen and were rushing them to the hospital right now. Damn it, if only the phone worked.

Kara cursed quietly in response to the situation. She bit her lower lip nervously as she stood in the front door in her flannel robe. She had put her glasses back on and the light from the stars above and the dim street lamp across the street reflected off her lenses. She took a deep breath and slowly stepped back.

Kara closed the door quietly and hesitantly locked the deadbolt. Kara reached her other hand up to grasp the door as if leaning on it for support. Part of Kara didn't want to be in this house anymore. She wanted to run out that front door and never turn back, just keep running until her legs gave out and she collapsed on the moist ground far away from this home and this town.

Then Kara remembered why she had come back to this town in the first place. She remembered Daniel's attempted suicide two years ago, she remembered Thom and her taking Dan and Stephen to counseling before the school year started. Kara remembered that night nine years ago today when the devil came and stole her family and life away.

She remembered thinking it was all over until she laid her eyes on little six year old Danny holding baby Stephen. Kara remembered back to the first time she fell in love with Stephen and looked into his little eyes. Kara turned around and leaned back against the door.

She stood against the door with her eyes closed trying to relax despite the situation she was in. First Stephen goes missing, then Thom goes after him and now Kyle is gone. Kara felt her heart break at the thought of losing Thom or Stephen or Dan.

'Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up
Come on get down with the sickness'

Kara jumped suddenly as loud music filled the empty house. Her heart started beating quickly as she listened to the loud heavy metal music. Kara looked up at the staircase and realized the loud music was coming from upstairs. She nervously looked around the living room and then cautiously made her way up the living room stairs.

As she reached the top of the stairs, Kara noticed Dan's door was slightly ajar. She took a shaky step forward and reached for the doorknob. Kara didn't touch the doorknob though, her hand was frozen as she called out, "Dan? Are you ok? Danny?" Kara's voice was choked with fear, it was almost a whisper. Her only reply was from the harsh music.

'And when I dream!!!!
No mommy, don't do it again
Don't do it again
I'll be a good boy
I'll be a good boy, I promise
No mommy don't hit me Oh-oohh
Why did you have to hit me like that mommy?
Don't do it! You're hurting me Oh-oohh!
Why did you have to be such a bitch?
Why don't you,
Why don't you fuck off and die?'

Kara caught her breath and slowly grasped the doorknob. It was cold and moist and her hand slid over the cool metal as she turned the handle. Kara slowly opened the door to Dan's room and stood in the doorway. The room was dark but the window was open. Wind howled and sent a rush of cold air through the room.

Kara felt the chill and shivered. She flipped the light switch but nothing happened. The room stayed dark. Kara bit her lower lip and slowly walked blindly into the cold room. She was about halfway into the room when a crack of thunder hit and startled her. She called out to her son again; this time with a much shakier voice, "Dan?"

The room was suddenly illuminated with a streak of lightening and Kara saw the empty room, there was no sign of Dan. Kara felt her stomach contract as she stared at the torn posters. Loud music was giving her a migraine and the lyrics where getting to her.

'Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
Open up your hate, and let it flow into me
Get up, come on get down with the sickness
You mother get up
Come on get down with the sickness
You fucker get up
Come on get down with the sickness
Mad-ness has now come over'

Kara lashed out in anguish and pulled the stereo off the nightstand and ripped the cord out of the wall. The music stopped abruptly and Kara dropped the stereo onto the ground. The loud crash freaked her out and she clasped her hand over her mouth as a few tears filled her eyes.

She walked over to the window and peered out at the quiet neighborhood; illuminated every few seconds by another streak of lightning. Kara was afraid. Kyle had disappeared and now Dan was gone too, "Dan, where are you? This isn't funny." Kara was shaking as she spoke.

The room was illuminated once more by the lightning. A figure could be seen behind Kara; standing in the doorway. The figure slowly crept into the room and disappeared into the darkness as the lightning flash ended. Kara turned around as another lightning streak lit up the room but there was no sign of Dan. The bedroom door was creaking and slowly moving.

Kara slowly exited the room and leaned against the side of the door frame. The room behind her was pitch black again and she ran her hand through her auburn hair and tried to calm down, "It's alright, I'll just call Kyle and find out where he went and then everything will be ok." Kara rolled her eyes, even she didn't believe that.

As Kara sighed and slowly began heading back out into the hallway, a figure began manifesting in the darkness behind her. First, just the blurred fragments of white, then a ghostly image of a blank face. Kara felt a chill and slowly turned around just as the figure stepped out of the darkness.

Kara screamed in surprise and terror and raised her right hand up in defense as the figure swung a sharp object at her. Kara felt a stinging in her hand and pulled it back. She looked down and saw the angry slash in her hand, blood spilled from the wound and began dripping on the sleek wooden floors.

Kara looked up in horror as she started backing towards the end of the hallway. The figure slowly lumbered out of the darkness and Kara's eyes widened. Her blood froze and her heart skipped a beat as she realized who had just slashed at her.

Dan stood in front of her with a blank face still white and pasty from the make-up, wearing blue flannel pajama pants and a white t-shirt and holding his step-fathers straight razor blade. Dan didn't speak, he didn't say a word, he only breathed. His eyes were no longer his but had been replaced by cold hollow deadened eyes of a soulless creature.

Kara was shocked, she cried out in a hoarse whisper, "Danny? No…it can't, but I…" She took another blind step back not realizing that she was dangerously close to the top of the staircase. Dan took another step forward and Kara saw the blood on his arms. She gasped as she saw the slash marks on his arms and her gasp turned into a surprised scream as she saw the mark on his left arm. He had carved the thorn symbol into the inside of his arm.

Kara looked into her son's eyes searching for some sign of her baby but all she could find was darkness. Her eyes filled with tears as she pleaded with Dan, "You Can't, Dan what's wrong with you? Can't you hear me? I'm your mother for god's sake, you can't do this, please…I love you."

Dan lifted his arm and swung the blade at her again. Kara screamed and jumped back. She landed awkwardly and fell backwards down the stairs. Kara screamed as she well, hitting her head and shattering her ankle. She collapsed into a heap at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. Dan stood at the top of the stairs looked down at her. He began coming down the stairs towards her.

Kara cried out as her survival instincts took over her maternal instincts. She couldn't stand up but reached a hand up to clutch the doorknob behind her. She struggled to try and unlock the door but her hands were wet with blood and they kept slipping off of the knob. Kara screamed and rolled over and startled crawling out into the living room.

She stood up and started limping forward but tripped over a piece of the broken entertainment center. She fell forward and rolled over onto her back. Kara clutched her broken ankle and cried out in pain as Dan reached the bottom of the stairs. His breathing was heavy and he was slowly approaching Kara who was backing up terrified.

Back at the crash site, John was limping towards Wynn using the axe to steady himself. Dr. Wynn rolled over onto his back and looked up into the air. He was moaning in pain as John approached him. John was standing over him holding the axe and Wynn looked into his angry eyes.

A bloody grin spread over Dr. Wynn's face as he looked at the angry young man, "So here we are at last Mr. Tate. You've gotten your answers I hope." John nodded. Dr. Wynn coughed up some blood and continued, "Then you know you can't stop it. Michael may die now that the curse is lifted off from him but the evil will live one forever, like a force of nature."

John stood there silently, breathing as he listened to Wynn, "I have spent my life nurturing it's power. I was its guardian you see. I found the vessel, I harnessed the power, and I used it make this town what it is today. It's power is immortal and it flows through your veins. But you? You're still uncorrupted, your soul hasn't been damned yet like the rest of your family. You and the child are the last…you think you've won? You think it's over? Ha ha ha…it's just the beginning!"

Terrence coughed again and groaned as his pain increased, "You think you know what pain is hmmm? You haven't a clue. You don't know what death is, you don't know what hell is. But you're going to find out."

John's eyes widened angrily and he lifted the axe, "You first." John brought the axe down hard and a spatter of blood hit his face. He brought the axe up and slammed it down again.

As this happened Michael Myers emerged from the burning wreckage of the helicopter and howled in pain as he fell consumed in flames. The loud screams of Myers and Wynn pierced the night air.

The screams continued across town as Dan slashed the blade at his mother. Kara's cries were intertwined with Terrence's as the razor blade swung with the axe blade like a deadly dance of murder. Daniel slashed the blade and a blood splatter painted the wall. He swung again and another blood spatter hit his shirt and face.

John swung the axe again and again and again until his arms gave out and he dropped the axe. His heavy breathing now the only sound left in the area. Blood dripped down his burned and bruised face as footsteps were heard in the distance. The policemen were racing towards the crash site from the misty forest. They had no idea the horror they were about to find.

Neither did Thom Doyle as he waited impatiently in the police chopper. Thom peered through the window and finally recognized the houses on his block. He shouted, "Here! Get us down now!" The helicopter slowly landed and Thom jumped out of the side door before the chopper even reached the ground. Time slowed down know for Thom Doyle much the same way as it did for Peter Myers forty-one years ago on the night when he came home from a party and found hell in his home.

Thom saw officer Kyle Henderson sitting groggily next to the bushes near the front door nursing a bleeding forehead. The man was barely able to speak but he muttered the words, "From behind…" Thom broke out in a sweat as he ran towards the front door, "Kara!" He shouted out.

Thom was running but he couldn't seem to get to the door fast enough. He reached the door and broke it open and raced into the house through the living room and into the kitchen where he stopped dead in his tracks and turned as pale as a corpse.

The sight he beheld at his feet would haunt him for the rest of his life. Tears began falling from his eyes as a look of pure terror and grieve stretched his face. His body went numb and the world fell apart as his eyes were transfixed on the sight.

Then, as if a light bulb had exploded inside his head, Thom looked up at the person he knew had done this. He stared into the new face of evil and a look of resolve spread across his face. He had failed, he hadn't stopped the evil. The evil lived on as Dan stood in the kitchen looking blankly at the wall, looking through the wall, looking ahead to his next chance for mayhem.

Thom saw the evil and slowly collapsed into a sobbing pile of anguish and regret. His hands clutched the sides of his heads as he screamed in a way not heard since he was a child. The policemen and Stephen raced into the house behind him but they had all disappeared in Thom's awareness.

The deafening cries from his son were blotted out by his own cries. Their cries were only met with the quiet heavy breathing of a figure standing in front of them stained with blood. A figure no longer human. A figure that was no longer a man, but a shape in the darkness.

THE END

Author's Note: Oh My God! I finally did it! It took two years but this tale is finally complete! I hope you enjoyed reading Halloween Bloodline and thank you for waiting and for all the support and great feedback I received. I will post one more chapter to this story but it will not be a chapter exactly but rather my reflection on this piece and how I developed the story as well as my thoughts on the Halloween series and some sneak peeks for the sequel. But for now, Peace Out!

LanternLizzard