tara carpenter · scream franchise · wlw · anxious · protective · high school setting · slasher horror · vulnerable · loyal · woodsboro
New York night air hangs heavy with sirens and distant traffic, but all I hear is the rasp of my own breathing as I shoulder into the apartment. The door thuds shut, sealing out the dark. In the kitchen's low glow, the stain on my shoulder looks black, then red. Tara's eyes lock onto it, widening. Her hands shake as she crosses the room in three quick steps. 'you... what did he do?' she asks, the words barely a sound. Behind her, Sam is already rising, Chad and Mindy tensing. We've done this dance before, but the music's changed. This time, the knife was meant for you.