DARK PARADISE ⎯⎯⎯⎯ ETHAN LANDRY

vi. suspect list

     THE GROUP ALL SAT AT the courtyard of Blackmore university. Sam and Tara had just recited the story of how they got attacked last night, and that Kirby is FBI and is now helping with case. Both had gotten away with no marks on them, but two other citizens weren't as lucky.

Ethan and I sat next to each other, making plans for this upcoming weekend. He wanted me to watch Black Panther with him and then he wanted to take me out to dinner.

Mindy stood up from her seat next to Anika and clapped her hands, interrupting mine and Ethan's conversation. "Okay, nerds, listen up." Everyone shifted their attention to her. "As terrifying as this all is; I for one am glad to have a chance to redeem myself for not calling the killers last time." She looked down. "It's fine."

I laid my head on Ethan's shoulder as she continued. "The way I see it someone is out to make a sequel to the requel." Mindy explained, throwing her hands around for added effects.

"Um, what's a requel?" Anika raised her hand.

Mindy pointed at her, "You're beautiful sweetie, let's hold questions till the end." Anika turned her head and smiled sarcastically at her girlfriend.

"Stab 1 took place in Woodsboro. Stab 2 took place in college.." Sam wandered off. I bit down on my lip, not liking this conversation in the least bit.

"So we think that the killers are trying to copy the movies?" Tara asked.

Mindy now turned towards Tara, nodding her head. "That is one possibility. Hero's now in college. Suspicious new characters brought in to round out the suspect list and our body count." She motioned to Ethan, who we both gave a hurtful look to. It couldn't be Ethan. "Check, check and check." She went from Ethan to Anika to Quinn.

"I don't like this," Ethan commented, and I placed his hand into mine for comfort.

"But it can't just be about Stab 2." Mindy continued on her rant.

Tara pinched her eyebrows together, "Why not?"

"It would make sense if this were just a sequel. But we're not in a sequel, because nobody just makes sequels anymore!" Everyone looked around at each other, wondering if Mindy was ever going to get to the point. "We're in a franchise!" She exclaimed, throwing her arms out, after noticing our confused expressions. "And there are certain rules to a continuing franchise."

"Of course," I huffed out, rolling my eyes.

"I had a feeling," Sam hung her head low.

"Rule 1: everything is bigger than last time. Bigger budget, bigger cast, bigger, body count. Longer chases, shoot outs, beheading! You gotta too what came before to keep people coming back."

I scrunched my face up at the details, thinking back to all the deaths from last years ghostface. "Beheading?" Chad asked, his voice weary.

"Beheadings." His twin confirmed back to him. "Rule 2! Whatever happened last time, expect the opposite. Franchises only survive by subverting expectations. If the killers last time were whiney, snowflake film nerds with letter boxes to count instead of personalities, you can bet the opposite will be true here."

Ethan's eyes widened and he quickly put his head down. I looked at him with questioning eyes to this reactions and all he did was send me a small smile back.

"And rule 3: no one is safe! Legacy characters? Dead meat at this point. Usually their only brought back to be killed off in some cheap bud of nostalgia. It's not looking too good for Gale and Kirby." Mindy hit her hands together. "Ohh, and that's not even the worst part!" She smiled.