As Annie's life was ending in the woods about three quarters of a mile from Camp Crystal Lake, Ned Rubenstein felt that his was just beginning. He turned right at the intersection of the crossroads and gunned his brand-new Chevy pickup down the country road. The cab was filled with bluegrass music from the tape deck and the interior still had that new car smell. The truck was a present from his father for having made the honor roll every year since he had started High School. Ned was always goofing off and his father had made the promise easily, never dreaming Ned could do it, but he had underestimated him. The deal was that if Ned buckled down and worked hard for four years, he'd get a new car for graduation and be allowed to attend the college of his choice. That was all it took: a little motivation and it hadn't been that difficult to do. His reward has been a brand-new red Chevy pickup with a white camper top and a killer sound system and in the fall, he'd be heading out to California to start school at UCLA. He couldn't wait. He was already dreaming of the beach at Malibu, thinking about the girls he'd meet and the connections he would make in UCLA's film program. He'd already had a half dozen t-shirts made, all different colors, all bearing the legend "why grow up when you can make movies?" Add a couple pairs of jeans and some new Reeboks, and there was his college wardrobe. Now, all he had to do was kick back for a few lazy weeks in the woods, take some little kids on nature hikes and teach them swimming and archery, then mellow out around the campfire after they had gone to bed, drink a few beers, and smoke a joint or two while he dreamed California dreams. Everything was great. All it would take to make it a perfect summer would be meeting some foxy girl up at the lake. Jack at the other hand, wasn't taking any chances. He had brought his own.

He and Marcie were sitting in the back of the big cab, making out. They had been inseparable all through their senior year and had signed up as counselors together so they could spend the summer with each other before going off to different schools. Outwardly, they both talked about keeping their relationship going, but realistically they both realized the odds of remaining a couple were slim once they started college in different states and started meeting different people. Consequently, there was a last-minute urgency about them. They were like a bomb getting ready to go off. Ned glanced up in the rearview mirror.

"Hey Marcie."

She broke off their kiss long enough to acknowledge his presence.

"What?"

Ned grinned.

"You think there'll be other gorgeous women at Camp Crystal Lake besides yourself?"

Marcie laughed.

"Is sex all you ever think about, Ned?"