Disclaimer: I do not own Scream; this is merely a fanfiction.

Author's Note: ATTENTION! BE SURE TO READ SCREAM 5: REALITY TV BEFORE READING THIS STORY!

…

Open on:

An enormous party. It is the elite of the elite. Politicians, television personalities, billionaires – all mingling together and laughing in the ballroom of a ritzy hotel.

22 year old Candice is sitting at a table, looking dressed up and gorgeous. She is texting on her phone.

"Hey bitch, long time no see!"

Candice looks up to see her friend, Hope, coming up beside her.

"Oh my gosh, Hope! It's so great to see you!"

The two friends embrace, and Hope joins Candice at the table. "I didn't know you were invited …"

Candice nods. "Yup. The guy I've been seeing brought me … though he's more interested in investors than me."

Hope raises an eyebrow. "Still dating men who are old enough to be your grandfather, huh?"

"Come on, Hope. Sure I gotta sleep with the old guy, but it's well worth it. I get to come to fancy parties, he buys me expensive jewelry …" She shows off her earrings and a gold ring.

"You always were a gold digger."

"Hey, I have to survive, Hope."

"Survival is one thing. You're milking it. Where is the old goat anyway?"

Candice scans the crowd. "Oh, there he is!" She points at a man talking to a group of other rich-looking gentlemen. It's Mr. Howards.

Hope is surprised. "Him? But … wasn't he involved in all that … murder business two years ago?"

"Murders? He never told me about any murders…"

"Candice, it was all over the news! They even made a movie about it – STAB 9!"

Candice shudders. "You know I don't watch those stupid movies."

A text message BEEPS on Candice's phone. Candice's eyes light up as she begins texting back.

Hope leans forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of what Candice is writing. "Who ya' texting?"

A wry grin crosses Candice's face. "This guy … Rich."

"Oh, getting a little action on the side, huh?"

"Not exactly. He accidentally called me two weeks ago … wrong number. But he has such a sexy voice, and we got to talking. I'm thinking of asking him out."

"You're such a slut!"

"Shut up!" Candice punches her jokingly on the shoulder. "He actually listens to me. He gets me, you know?"

Hope nods. "What if he looks like Quasimodo?"

"Well … maybe I could look past that …"

"Good luck, babe. Listen, my old goat's getting … in the mood. I'll be in my room. Text me later!"

"Will do, bitch." The two embrace, and then Candice sits down at the table again. She looks over at her date – Mr. Howards is still talking to the group of men, not even looking in her direction.

Riiing! Riiing!

Candice's ringtone goes off, and she looks at the CALLER ID: RICH. Excitement pulsates through her chest, and she quickly answers it.

"Hello?"

"Candice!"

"Rich! Heyyy, what's going on?"

His voice comes back garbled. Candice puts a finger in her other ear to block out the background noise. "Hold on, I can't hear you in this room. Let me go out into the hallway."

Candice exits the party, into the hallway. Mr. Howards notices her leaving.

Once in the hallway, Candice puts the phone back up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Can you hear me now?"

"You sound just like the guy on that commercial," she teases. "But yea, I can hear you fine."

"Good. I figured I'd call you … from your texts, you seemed really bored at this party."

"Yea … it's a family function," she lies. She doesn't want Rich to know that she's here with another guy.

"Uh, I hate those. I was at one last year. Between my mom, and all my crazy aunts, and my uncle trying to show me his foot fungus, I thought I was going to just snap!"

Candice laughs. She leans against a wall, twirling her hair with her other finger.

"Listen the reason I called … I'm actually in your area right now. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to meet up?"

Candice's heart races, and she twirls her hair faster. "I … uh … I'd like that, but … I don't know if I can …"

"Come on – an hour. Your family can't miss you for an hour, can they?"

Candice smiles. "Okay. What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I don't know … a romantic stroll through the park …"

"Not in these heels."

"I'd carry you …"

Candice practically melts. "Okay."

"Great! Come to the lobby of your hotel, I'll meet you there!" He hangs up, leaving Candice excited.

A HAND SHOOTS OUT AND GRABS HER SHOULDER!

Candice starts, but then relaxes when she realizes it's Mr. Howards. "Everything okay?" he asks.

Candice gulps, and nods. "Yea … yea, everything's fine. I'm just … not feeling well. I need to head back to the room to get some rest."

Mr. Howards nods. "You have the key. I'll be back to the room later." He plants a kiss on her forehead, before returning back to the party.

Candice shakes her head. "Jerk." Looking left and right, she begins making her way down the hall to the elevator. The doors part open, and she enters, pressing the LOBBY button.

She hums along with the elevator music, as she opens up a small mirror to check out her makeup.

Perfect.

She notices that the elevator is still moving – past the lobby, to the basement. "What?"

She presses the LOBBY button again, but to no avail. The elevator stops at the basement, the doors opening wide. She tries pressing the LOBBY button once again, but finds that the elevator is no longer responding. The lights in the elevator go out.

"Crap."

She exits the elevator into the large, dark and dank basement. She sees all kinds of power tools situated throughout – and a large, burning furnace.

She shudders. "It's like something out of Freddy Krueger land."

She walks through the basement, the dim lights flickering. Her heels against the basement floor are the only sound. She looks around for an exit – or stairs. Or something.

Riing! Riing!

She fumbles with her phone, before putting it up to her ear. "Rich? I'm the basement."

"What are you doing in there?"

"The elevator broke!"

"Oh. Well there should be stairs or something."

"I'm looking … but I don't see anything!"

"You'll find your way … you're very resourceful."

"Eh, not really."

"Sure you are. You know how to use your feminine charms to bag men with money … men like Mr. Howards."

Candice stops short. "How do you know … I never told …"

"I have my ways, Candice. I have my ways."

"Well, it's none of your business!"

"Really? So you were going to date me, and at the same time fuck Father Time? Kind of dishonest, if you ask me. And all for money and expensive gifts. Tsk, tsk."

Candice is growing angrier. "I'm hanging up!"

"You don't want to do that, Candice."

"And why not?"

"Maybe I'll pay Mr. Howards a visit. Maybe I'll tell him what you're up to!"

"No!"

"You know, you really shouldn't talk to strangers on the phone. When a person calls you with the wrong number, you should really just hang up and walk away. Don't have a conversation with them! That was Casey Becker's mistake!"

"Who?"

"Oh, I forgot, you don't watch horror movies. But that's fine – you get to live one!"

"Please … just leave me alone!"

"Come on, you don't want to play along? Maybe I should just spill my guts to Mr. Howards. Maybe I should tell him about that offshore account you opened up – how you've been siphoning money away from him."

"How did you -?"

"Or, maybe I should tell him about how you slept with your sister's husband – while she was in the other room!"

"You can't possibly have known -."

"Candice, nothing escapes my notice. How about when you were sixteen and you got drunk with your sister and went joyriding in your father's car? And you totaled it, and blamed it completely on your sister!"

"How? How do you know this much about my life?"

"Ascribe it to my omniscience, Candice. You've been caught in my tangled little web!"

"What do you want with me? Money? Sex?"

"Nothing quite so mundane …"

"I'll give you anything! Anything you want – if you keep your mouth shut!"

"Anything I want?"

"Yes."

"I want your heart."

"My heart? You want me to fall in love with you – after you pull this shit?"

"No. You misunderstand. I literally want your heart."

Candice is backing up now, her hand trembling.

"I want to carve your chest open, and I want to pull your heart free from it. I want to see your severed arteries spewing blood like a geyser."

"Please …"

"You said you'd give me anything …"

"Fuck you!" She hangs up the phone.

Behind her, she hears the noise of the elevator coming back to life. She spins around to see the elevator doors closing, and the elevator ascending. "Just great!" She goes over to the elevator, pressing the DOWN button.

Nothing happens. The elevator stalled again.

Candice turns, and begins hurriedly walking through the basement, looking for a stairwell. She sees a shape dart across the basement.

She picks up the pace.

There – she can see a stairwell! She moves for it, breaking into a run.

GHOSTFACE APPEARS OUT OF NOWHERE, SLAMMING HER FACEFIRST INTO A WALL!

Candice falls flat on her back, in a daze. She spits up blood. She tries to scrabble to her feet.

GHOSTFACE STABS HER DIRECTLY IN THE THIGH!

Candice screams, banging her hands against the hard floor in pain. She looks up, tears in her eyes. "Please … please …"

Ghostface moves down to her feet. SLICE! With a quick motion, the killer SEVERS HER ACHILLES TENDON!

The pain is blinding, and Candice is banging her fists in agony.

Ghostface then moves, sitting on her, straddling her. He lifts a voice changer to his mask. "You should have listened to your mother when you were a child, Candice. Never … talk … to … strangers!"

Candice's tear-smeared face contorts in horror as Ghostface raises his knife!

…

Mr. Howards is still in conversation with rich socialites when his cell phone goes off. He looks at the CALLER ID: CANDICE.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to take this." He shakes hands respectfully with them, before exiting the party and going into the hallway.

"Candice, babe – is everything okay? You just ruined the punch line to my Norwegian golfer joke."

"This isn't Candice."

Mr. Howards stops. That voice. He recognizes it. Here we go again.

"Where is she?"

"She's not dead, if that's what you're asking. Well, not yet. I had a little fun with her first. But you want to save her life, you'll do exactly as I say!"

"You listen to me, you psycho -."

"NO, YOU LISTEN YOU LITTLE PRICK! TOE THE LINE EXACTLY, OR I'LL CHOP HER UP LIKE A LAMB AT A SLAUGHERHOUSE! Now are we ready to talk this out like two civilized adults?"

Mr. Howards is sweating. "What do you want me to do?"

"Come to the basement. Then we can begin our game. And don't even think about calling the cops!"

…

Mr. Howards descends the stairwell into the basement. He is flushed and sweaty. His phone rings again. "Hello?"

"You follow directions well. Keep walking, and we'll get through this."

"Where is she?"

"Come to the center of the basement."

Mr. Howards follows the directions. He stops in the center. "Okay … now what?"

"I'll show you!"

The basement lights flash on.

Candice is hanging from the ceiling by her arms. Her mouth is gagged. Only a few feet below her is a table – with a buzz saw!

"And what horror movie was this taken from? Any ideas?"

"None."

"Saw 7!"

"Let her go!"

"Oh I'll let her go! Right onto that saw!"

"NOOO!"

"Oh, don't tell me you actually have feelings for her? Does that mean that she's not just a fuck toy for you? And what would your wife have to say about this?"

"How do you know about my wife? How do you know?"

"I make it my business to know. Unlike my predecessors, I don't just randomly attack. I study my prey first, as all the great predators do!"

"Why? Why are you doing this to us?"

"Poor Mr. Howards. Look what you've been reduced to! And you were the leader of a snuff ring? Pathetic. You should really be behind bars right now, but of course – money really can buy everything."

"Is that what this is about? You want revenge for someone in one of my snuff films?"

"That is so Phil and Beth. To be quite honest, I really couldn't care less about your snuff films."

"Then what is this about? What?"

"Don't you get it? You're the Cotton Weary to my Roman Bridger. It's not about you at all – I just needed a high-priority target."

"For what?"

"To send a message! But let's focus on the present. You want to save your little girlfriend … you play by my rules!"

"Then get on with it! I'm ready!"

"Who was the first victim of your son's murder spree?"

"It was … oh what was his name … the carnival guy …"

"I'm growing impatient, Howards!"

"Bill! Bill, the carnival worker!"

"What were the names of the two cops killed by Jill Roberts?"

"I … I don't … know …"

Candice DROPS A FULL FOOT! The buzz saw is spinning two feet below her.

"That's one question wrong! For each wrong answer, Candice drops another foot! Three strikes, she's out!"

"Please … please …."

"Who was the first victim in Roman Bridger's killing spree?"

"Cotton Weary!"

"Wrong answer!"

Candice drops another foot. Only one foot left. Her eyes are wide with terror, and she struggles against her bindings.

"No! I distinctly remember -."

"If you remember so well, you'd know that Roman's first victim was Cotton's girlfriend, Christine Hamilton!"

Mr. Howards runs a hand through his hair. "Oh God, please help me."

"God can't help you now! Besides, according to your son, you deserve to burn in hell for your snuff ring! One more strike Howards, and I'll personally deliver Candice to hell!"

"I can't … please …"

"Who was the first victim of Billy Loomis and Stu Macher's killing spree?"

Mr. Howards brightens up. He jumps up as he pronounces the answer. "Maureen! Maureen Prescott!"

"Don't get too full of yourself. I've got a whole list of questions. Who were the killers at the Windsor College Massacre, and what were their motives?"

"I … oh no …"

"The clock is ticking on Candice's lifeline!"

"Mickey Altieri and Debbie Loomis!"

"And what were their motives?"

"Mickey … Mickey wanted fame … and Mrs. Loomis wanted revenge for her son, Billy."

"One more question … who am I? And what is my motive?"

"Uh … you can't be serious? How am I supposed to answer that?"

"You're not! But go ahead, take a stab at it anyway. It can't hurt your chances …"

"I … I have no idea …"

"Think! Who would finally just snap? Can't you think of anybody?"

Mr. Howards thinks long and hard. "Sidney. Sidney Prescott."

The killer laughs on the other end of the phone. "That's a very good guess, Howards. But unfortunately …"

CANDICE DROPS ANOTHER FOOT, RIGHT ONTO THE BUZZ SAW! THE SPINNING BLADE SLICES UP THROUGH HER GROIN INTO HER LOWER BODY, GETTING JAMMED ON HER INNARDS. HER INTESTINES SPILL ONTO THE FLOOR!

"NOOOOO!"

The cry tears from Mr. Howards' throat. "I am going to MURDER you! Do you hear me? You are DEAD!"

He stops as he realizes the killer has hung up.

He hears footsteps behind him, and he grabs the first thing he could – a lead pipe. He wields it like a baseball bat. "Come on, you S.O.B. Come get some!"

Mr. Howards SLAMS the lead pipe into a table, cracking it. "Come on, you coward!"

He smashes the lead pipe against some boxes, knocking them over. "I'm not scared of you! Show yourself!"

A figure darts into his field of vision. Mr. Howards tightens his grip on the pipe, following after it.

He passes a table filled with all kinds of power tools, and nearby the furnace is burning hotter than ever. He notices that the door to the furnace has been opened. He cocks his head.

GHOSTFACE APPEARS BEHIND HIM, STABBING HIM IN THE SHOULDER!

Mr. Howards screams, and he spins around, swinging the lead pipe.

Ghostface grabs his wrist, and the two struggle over control of the weapon. Mr. Howards shoves the killer onto the table. He raises his lead pipe for the kill.

Ghostface's boot connects with Mr. Howards's stomach. He then STABS him right in the side.

Howards is screaming.

Ghostface grabs him by the shoulders, and then PUSHES HIM RIGHT INTO THE FURNACE! The killer then slams the door shut!

Inside, Mr. Howards writhes and screams as the flames begin to devour him. The lead pipe grows white hot, and fuses into his melting flesh!

He writhes, grabbing at the white-hot door, unable to push it open.

He jumps around, unable to escape from the burning; the agony is incredible.

The last thing he sees through a rectangular opening in the door – is the pained and shocked expression of the Ghostface mask.

Cut to black:

SCREAM 6