Ash had no interest in investigating Tina's mental health. They would only be neighbors for a few days, and learning about a stranger's private problems would accomplish nothing.
After leaving the cabin, Heather slipped one arm around his and leaned closer.
"Did you notice how unhappy Tina looked? Amanda seemed worried whenever she looked at her, and that doctor acted strangely excited."
Ash gave her a helpless look.
"Have you decided to abandon law and become a detective? Are lawyers no longer capable of saving America?"
"There's definitely something unusual going on."
Heather glanced back toward the middle cabin.
"We should invite Tina to spend time with us. Maybe getting out of that house would improve her mood."
Ash did not argue. Heather's curiosity was unlikely to disappear even if he tried to stop her.
The two continued toward the cabin on the far right. Music and laughter could already be heard before they reached the porch, making the building feel far livelier than the others.
Ash knocked on the door.
A tall young man wearing a denim jacket opened it. Once Ash explained that he and Heather were staying in the leftmost cabin, the young man introduced himself as Nick and invited them inside.
The cabin was filled with young adults who had come to Crystal Lake for a vacation. Nick explained that they were also preparing a surprise birthday party for his cousin Michael, who was expected to arrive later.
Most of the guests had come as couples. A few of the single people were clearly interested in someone else, including a blonde woman who kept watching Nick whenever she thought he was not looking.
Another man and woman sat close together on the couch, laughing quietly while the rest of the group decorated the room. The atmosphere was energetic, carefree, and completely different from the uneasy silence inside Tina's cabin.
Ash and Heather exchanged a few friendly words with them before leaving. They continued exploring the campground and found a central picnic area, a maintenance shed, an archery range, several walking trails, and wooden docks extending into the lake.
By the time they finished, the sun had started sinking behind the trees. Ash and Heather returned to their cabin beneath the orange light of the evening sky.
Gwen had already awakened from her nap and recovered from the long drive. She stood outside with her sleeves rolled up while preparing dinner beside the cabin.
When she saw them approaching, she smiled.
"How were the neighbors?"
Heather joined her at the table and began arranging the ingredients.
"The middle cabin has a mother, her daughter, and a psychiatrist. The other one is filled with young people preparing a birthday party."
She opened a package of vegetables and glanced toward the distant cabins.
"Everyone seems friendly. Hopefully, the next three days will remain peaceful."
Gwen remembered everything that had happened since they left New York. The Jigsaw case had been followed by Ghostface, mutant cannibals, and a demonically possessed Leatherface.
A faint sense of unease entered her chest.
"I'm sure everything will be fine."
Ash was arranging furniture on the porch while they prepared the meal. Their cabin was smaller than the other two, but it had the best view of the lake.
A wide balcony occupied most of the second floor, while the first-floor porch had enough room for a table and several reclining chairs. Once everything was arranged, Ash lay back and watched the sunset.
Gentle waves moved across the lake. The fading sunlight reflected from the surface and made the water appear covered in a thin layer of gold.
Night slowly replaced the final orange glow.
Lights appeared throughout the campground. Warm illumination shone through the windows of Amanda's cabin, while music and laughter continued drifting from Nick's group on the other side.
Ash looked across the darkening water. Stars had begun appearing in the reflection, and for once the world seemed quiet.
"This is what a road trip is supposed to feel like."
He relaxed deeper into the chair.
"Everything before this feels unreal. Gwen, what's the name of this lake? It's beautiful."
Gwen turned a steak on the grill without looking up.
"Crystal Lake. I suppose the name fits because the water is so clear."
Ash began to nod.
"Yeah, Crystal—"
His voice changed halfway through the word.
Ash immediately sat upright. The peaceful expression disappeared from his face as he stared at Gwen.
"What did you say this place was called?"
"Crystal Lake."
Gwen looked at him strangely.
"What's wrong? Stop resting and wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready."
Ash stood with an aggrieved expression and walked inside the cabin.
He should never have asked.
Their peaceful vacation had lasted less than a day.
Crystal Lake was not simply the name of a scenic campground. It was the hunting ground of Jason Voorhees.
They might as well have booked a cabin beside the gates of Hell.
Ash did not waste time hoping it was a coincidence. Every experience in this world had taught him that Murphy's Law operated with terrifying accuracy.
If Jason had not awakened yet, the campground might remain safe. If he was already active, leaving now might be just as dangerous as staying.
Ash had never watched every movie in the Friday the 13th series from beginning to end. He had seen several films and watched enough summaries to understand the important rules.
Jason seemed to treat teenage intimacy as a capital offense. Couples who wandered away together usually died first, while drinking, drugs, swimming alone, and separating from the group carried equally terrible survival rates.
Vehicles were rarely reliable either. Cars refused to start, roads became blocked, and anyone attempting to flee Crystal Lake often met Jason before reaching safety.
Even survivors were not always safe. Jason occasionally tracked down people who escaped him in earlier incidents.
Ash reached the simplest conclusion.
Running blindly would accomplish nothing. They needed to remain together and prepare to fight.
He returned outside carrying the Remington 870 and his father's silver greatsword.
Heather stared at her fully armed boyfriend and tilted her head.
"What are you doing?"
"You probably won't believe this."
Ash placed the shotgun beside his chair and rested the sheathed sword against the porch railing.
"I've heard stories about this campground. An undead murderer may be wandering around the lake."
Gwen's lips slowly formed a small circle.
"We can't possibly be that unlucky again."
"There's a very good chance we are exactly that unlucky."
Ash looked toward the trees surrounding the cabins.
"Until we know what's happening, no one goes anywhere alone. Splitting up here is extremely dangerous."
After everything they had experienced, neither woman dismissed his warning. Heather glanced toward the Ford before looking back at him.
"Then why don't we leave right now?"
"I don't think that guarantees anything."
Ash shook his head.
"From what I remember, the killer may continue hunting anyone who enters his territory. If Jason is already awake, driving away could simply move the attack onto the road."
Gwen frowned.
"I searched the campground before making the reservation. There weren't any warnings or murder reports."
"The incidents probably happened more than ten years ago. The internet wasn't as useful back then, and old local cases might only exist in newspaper archives."
Heather studied his expression.
"How do you know all this?"
Ash ignored the first part of the question.
"The important detail is that Jason is extremely difficult to kill. Ordinary physical attacks may slow him down, but they probably won't finish him."
Heather and Gwen sighed together.
Their peaceful vacation had been ruined before the first night ended.
Gwen looked across the lake with a melancholic expression.
"People say you need to leave home to discover how beautiful the world is. They forget to mention how much of that world is trying to kill you."
"We should eat first."
Ash sat down near the weapons.
"Even an undead murderer should allow people enough time to finish dinner."
The three were gathered in the open space before the cabin. If Jason approached through the trees or crossed the shoreline, Ash would have a clear view of him.
They ate quickly without allowing fear to control the evening. Once they finished, Ash extinguished the fire and checked the surrounding area before everyone entered the cabin.
Since separating was dangerous, he suggested sleeping together in the living room. Gwen and Heather agreed without argument.
They locked the doors and covered the windows before arranging blankets across the couches. Ash kept the Remington and greatsword within reach while Gwen placed the Winchester nearby.
The cabin eventually became silent.
Heather and Gwen fell asleep on the larger couch while Ash remained awake in a chair facing the windows. His enhanced senses followed the wind through the trees and the soft movement of water beyond the porch.
Then he heard something move outside.