The First Call
The night had fallen quickly over Woodsboro, shrouding the town in an eerie stillness. The kind of quiet that felt unnatural. Karina sat alone in her room, the lights dimmed, trying to focus on her studies, but the words of her friends, the strange tension in the air, the constant threat of the killer lurking somewhere in the shadows—none of it would leave her mind.
Her phone buzzed, startling her. A text message from Giselle popped up, but Karina didn’t bother opening it. Her eyes kept drifting to the corner of her room, as though she could feel something—someone—watching her.
Her phone buzzed again, and this time, it was a call. An unknown number. Karina hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Hello?" she asked, her voice wavering just a little.
A chill ran through her as a deep, distorted voice echoed through the speaker, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
"Hi, Karina," the voice rasped, far too familiar. "How are you tonight?"
Karina froze. The voice sent an icy rush of fear through her chest. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female, if it was someone she knew or a complete stranger. But there was something about it—the way it seemed to vibrate with an underlying tension—that made her stomach twist.
"Who is this?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, her heart racing.
There was a low chuckle on the other end of the line, the sound almost playful, as if the caller found amusement in her fear.
"I’m just a fan," the voice said, its tone dripping with dark amusement. "You like scary movies, right? What’s your favorite?"
Karina’s mind raced. This had to be a prank. Someone messing with her. But who would do something so cruel, especially with everything happening in Woodsboro?
"I… I don’t know," Karina stammered. "I like a lot of them."
"Come on, Karina. You know the answer." The voice grew colder. "Don’t be shy. You’ve seen Scream, haven’t you?"
Karina’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of the movie. Her breath hitched as she instinctively glanced around the room, her thoughts spiraling into panic. Was this really happening? Was someone watching her?
Another laugh echoed through the phone, and then the voice turned darker, more menacing.
"Do you like being scared, Karina? Or do you prefer when the horror is right in front of you?"
Her fingers tightened around the phone, her pulse quickening. "What do you want from me?" she demanded, trying to control the fear flooding her veins.
The line went quiet for a moment, and for a brief second, Karina thought they’d hung up. But then the voice returned, a whisper this time—so close, it felt like they were standing right next to her.
"I want you to understand, Karina," the voice purred, "that this isn’t a game anymore. “You’re not safe”
Karina’s breath caught in her throat as the words hit her like a blow. She was frozen, terror clawing at her insides.
Suddenly, the door to her room creaked open just a fraction, and Karina’s head snapped toward it. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. There was no one there. She blinked, shaking her head, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Her gaze darted back to her phone screen.
The voice was back, louder now, more tangible, as if the caller were right behind her.
"Don’t turn around," it hissed, the words coated in venom. "Not yet."
Karina’s breath was shallow, her mind a swirling mess of fear and confusion. She pressed the phone tighter to her ear.
"What do you want from me?" she repeated, more desperate this time.
"I already told you," the voice replied, low and threatening. "I want you to understand. This is your story now. And you’re the star."
Without warning, the phone call ended. The silence that followed was suffocating. Karina stood there, heart pounding in her chest, her fingers still gripping the phone. She could feel the blood rushing in her ears, the oppressive weight of fear making it hard to breathe.
Her gaze flickered toward the open door again, her mind screaming at her to run, to leave, to get out. But her body wouldn’t move.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
And then, from the darkness of the room, she felt it. A presence. A coldness.
Before she could react, a shadow appeared in the doorway—tall, looming, and terrifying.
"Karina."
Her name was a soft whisper in the darkness, followed by the faintest scrape of a blade being drawn.
Karina’s eyes widened in terror, her entire body locking up. She wanted to scream, but no sound escaped her lips. She wanted to run, but her legs wouldn’t move.
In the dim light, she could barely make out the figure—clad in black, a mask obscuring the face, but the unmistakable shape of a knife glinting in the low light.
The figure stepped closer, moving slowly, methodically, until it was right in front of her. Karina’s breath hitched as the mask of Ghostface loomed over her.
The killer didn’t strike immediately. Instead, they reached out with a gloved hand, their touch cold against her cheek. Karina gasped, flinching away, but the hand remained, brushing her skin softly, almost tenderly.
"I told you," the voice whispered, barely audible through the mask. "You’re not safe, Karina."
The killer paused, their breathing shallow, as if savoring the moment. Karina could feel her pulse racing in her neck, her chest tight with fear. She didn’t know what to do, didn’t know how to fight back, how to escape this nightmare.
And then, with one final warning, the figure spoke again.
"Remember this."
Before she could respond, before she could do anything at all, the killer knocked her out.
The world spun into darkness.
---
When Karina regained consciousness, she was no longer in her room. The familiar warmth of her bed was replaced by the cold, sterile feeling of a different space—a room she didn’t recognize. She blinked, disoriented, her head pounding as she slowly sat up.
Her hand went to her forehead, brushing against a tender spot where she’d been struck. The room around her was dark, but the faint light filtering in from the window was enough to show her the faint outlines of unfamiliar furniture.
The soft hum of an air conditioner filled the silence, and Karina slowly turned her head, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes landed on the figure sitting near the window.
Winter.
Winter Kim was sitting there, her expression unreadable, her eyes dark and quiet. She was no longer in the mask—no longer the ghostly figure from before. She was just Winter, calm, composed, as though nothing had happened.
But Karina could feel it in her bones. Something had changed.
"You’re awake," Winter said softly, her voice neutral, almost too calm.
Karina’s mind raced, but she couldn’t make sense of what had happened. Had she been dreaming? Or had it all been real?
"Why are you here?" Karina’s voice trembled, the words barely escaping her lips.
Winter didn’t answer right away. She simply watched Karina with those unreadable eyes, as if waiting for something.
And then, finally, Winter stood, her movements graceful and fluid.
"Just rest," she said quietly, her voice soft but distant. "You’re safe now."
But Karina wasn’t sure if she could believe that.
Not anymore.