July 2, 1993
"Lorraine, look out!" Pietro Hernandez grabbed Lorraine Henderson's arm and pulled her to a stop.
She gasped, startled.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Pietro told her. "You were about to step in that mud puddle."
Lorraine glanced down at the murky pool of water inches from her feet. "Thanks, . I didn't even notice it."
The two of them stood in the middle of a cemetery where Bruno Henderson, Lorraine's brother, had just been buried. The rain was pounding down on the gravestones, and Lorraine shivered at the sound of the thunder rolling across the sky. The sun was slowly setting behind the clouds as the trees swayed gently in the wind.
The funeral was over. Almost everyone had left.
Hazy fog drifted through the trees and slithered around the headstones like smoke.
Thick gray clouds veiled the sky. The rain had stopped for a moment. But the ground was a swamp, and moisture trickled from the trees.
"I feel like I'm in a horrible nightmare," Lorraine stated, "I still can't believe Bruno is dead."
Crushed between a giant Ferris wheel.
His head – sliced off. His legs splayed out, squirming and twitching each time the cars of the giant wheel passed over his broken, lifeless body.
Pietro sighed with glee. He would never forget that sight.
"So many terrible things have happened ever since my family decided to build an amusement park here," Lorraine said. "My grandfather was killed. Then those kids who were helping with the construction went totally crazy and smashed each other to death with bricks. That accident with the scaffolding that killed all those painters. Now Bruno is dead and I can't help wondering what's going to happen next!"
More than years ago, Lorraine's great-grandfather Ezra Henderson had come up with the idea of Scream Park – an enormous amusement park to be built near Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles.
She's so trusting and naive, Pietro thought disdainfully. She has no idea I was responsible for Bruno's hideous death. She thinks I'm her friend.
The sun set over the golden hills as they both walked on the rain-drenched road. The sky was a beautiful pink and purple as the sun slipped behind the horizon.
As they passed a parked car, Pietro's smile suddenly froze.
That face reflected in the car window.
Exposed flesh. Deep scars at the corner of his eye-holes and mouth that looked as if they'd been gouged with a knife.
Pietro gasped.
Had Lorraine seen it? Had she seen the burnt part of his face?
Did he have to kill her now?
"Lorraine, I'll go home by myself, thanks."
"Have a nice evening, Pietro."
"Bye."
Once she was out of sight, Pietro hastened towards the entrance to his cavern.
The opening to his lair loomed out from the mist. Pietro burst through the door and marched towards the Blood Orb. The source of the entirety of his power.
It was perched on a small stone stand next to the banks of the lake of blood, a round glassy crimson orb, with deep scratches and archaic markings, with what appeared to be red smoke swirling inside.
